To Live is Christ Philippians 1:21 26 December 2014 Lonnie Jones Good Morning My Friends. Well we made it through Christmas Day and now Friday, the day that the stores have great bargains but also the day that they experience the largest number of returns as we take back those gifts that we either didn’t want, was duplicated, or didn’t fit. Do you realize that next Wednesday is the last day of 2014! Another year vaporized! But, the good news is that it has been another year to live our lives as Christ-like as possible! And today is another day to be the light of the world for Christ, to be the salt of the earth, to be a burden bearer by loving one another as the Father has loved us, to water others and be watered by others! Amen! As I thought about yesterday, the meaning of Christmas Day and the sacrifice that God made for us in sending His Son Jesus Christ to die for us, I thought about that sacrifice that Christ made for us and I thought about the word “commitment” as His price He paid. So if He paid for us with His commitment, so should we not live a Godly Christ-like life committed to be like Him? You know… Philippians 1:21 came into my spirit and I hope to briefly explain what this verse means to me! Philippians 1:21: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” As we look at the little phrase “to die is gain,” and we can say that when Paul says “to die is gain” he means that because of that previous truth (that to live is Christ), death is even better than life for the believer, for in death we will by God’s grace have more of Christ, forever and ever. Amen! So, what’s Paul saying in the four little words, “to live is Christ?” This verse suggests four questions. First, what does it mean for us to live as if to live is Christ? If to live is Christ means to know, love, serve, glorify, enjoy, commune with Jesus Christ, what does that look like in our life? How do we know that we are doing that? What does that involve? Now as I have asked the questions what it means to a person to live as if “to live is Christ,” we suggest four answers – four examples of what it means to live as if to live is Christ. First of all, we should say that to live as if “to live is Christ” is to live with a desire to know as much of Christ as is possible to know. If, for those who live as if “to live is Christ” is really true, and is true for them in their personal experience and relationship with Christ, then they want to know as much of Christ as it is possible to know. Furthermore, those who desire to know as much of Christ as it is possible to know will read their Bibles looking for Christ, will come to church hungry for Christ, and will become avid learners of the truth of Christ. Secondly, those who live as if “to live is Christ” want to be as much like Christ as they can be and be a reflection of Christ and to be “committed” to Christ. Also, those who are determined to be like Christ will want to emulate or copy Him. They will want to love the things that He loves. They will want to have the same goal of life as He had which is to do the will of Him who sent Him. Thirdly, those who live as if “to live is Christ” want Christ to be known as widely as it is possible that He can be known. It is their goal to make Christ known as far as possible to all humanity and are ready to make or are making great efforts in sacrifices to that end. Those who live as if “to live is Christ” not only want to know Him, not only want to be like Him, but they want to make Him known to the ends of the earth, and they are ready to undertake tremendous costs. Our missionaries are an excellent example of this dedication as are our evangelists. And, fourth, those who live as if “to live is Christ” want to enjoy Christ now as much as He can be enjoyed, and forevermore. It is their desire and hope to enjoy Christ, to study to delight in Him, and cherish or value Him. So, wrapping a bow around this topic…my friends, ask yourself these questions: What is it that I want most in life as 2014 ends and 2015 dawns next Thursday? What is it that I care most about in this life? What is it that I love most in this life? Now you say to me, “Those are hard questions to answer. I’m not sure I know.” Well, let me put some feet on it. What do you spend your money on? It will show you what you love. How do you spend your time? It will show you what you love. Where are your affections? What is your mind focused on? “What do you think about when you’re not thinking about anything else?” When you need refuge and respite, and you need shelter, where do you find relief? Where do you find release? Where do you find protection? In your recreations, in your down-time, what do you do? What do you delight in? Again, it will show you what you love! In summary, true believers have come to understand that God did not send His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, so that He could save us from our sins and save us from hell so that we could go back to loving something else other than Him – or as much as, or more than Him. He saved us from sin and from hell so that we could delight in the thing which God created human beings to delight in, and that is Himself, through Jesus Christ and also in His creations for us. But our hearts are tugged – even those who know Him and love Him, we find our hearts being pulled in two directions – to Him and away from Him. And so we have make a “commitment” to study to be approved (2 Timothy 2:15) and “to delight ourselves in the Lord” (Psalm 37:4). We have to deliberately determine that we are going to delight in Him more than and above anything and everything else in life. Have a great, super and blessed Friday. Let His Light shine through you today by greeting everyone with a smile and a kind word of encouragement. In His Love Lonnie
Posted on: Fri, 26 Dec 2014 11:28:28 +0000
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