Well, we finished up Ruth for Advent and next Sunday we will be back in Matthew and, Lord willing, finish it up this Spring. And most of you know that when we move between series like this, I will often take one week to just preach on whatever I want to. Over the past year, there is one verse that I have come back to more than any other. It’s one of the most famous verses in the Bible, it’s on many of your old youth t-shirts, it’s on coffee mugs, and wasnt on Tebow’s cheeks, but should have been. But, given the events of the past year in my life, I really feel like I’m seeing this verse for the first time. “To live is Christ, to die in gain.” 

And that is the downside of these so-called famous verses, they can become so familiar that they lose their depth. And what I’ve come to see is that this short pithy feeling verse is actually describing the core of the Christian worldview in eight English words. Actually, if we don’t understand this passage, we don’t understand the Christian hope. Why is death gain? Why is Christ life? And I think over the past twenty two years of being a Christian, I could have explained the answer to these two questions, but what has become so clear to me this year is how they relate to each other. What is it about the gain of death that shapes the Christian life? What is it about the Christian life that shapes how we view death? 

So, this morning, I want to look at this passage and answer two questions: 1) Why is death gain?, 2) Why is Christ life?, and 3) Four resources for fruitful labor

1. Why is death gain? 

Death is now gain because death has been defeated by Jesus. It’s interesting to me that if you look at the most recent studies of the top things Americans fear, our own death is not on the list. The death of loved ones is at the top. But, Americans are more afraid of bugs, snakes, and public speaking than their own death according to the studies I read this week. So does that mean that Americans just have a great handle on the gospel and are ready for that day when it comes? I think it’s the exact opposite. I think we avoid thinking about our own death in every way possible. There are resources in every medium teaching us how to live longer. Our modern medical era has more often than not kept death out of our homes as we die in hospitals. I think we are a culture that fears the death of our loved ones while we put our heads in the sand when it comes to our own mortality. 

But, death is something that is coming for all of us. I will die and you will die. The mortality rate is 100% which makes death something that we all need to engage with. We can ignore certain problems and hope they go away, but death is not one of them. Paul not only engages with the reality of death, but somehow longs for it. Verse 23: My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 

Somehow, Paul knows something that has made death gain for him. Paul knows that death has been defeated. So, to understand what this means, we have to have a Biblical view of death. And to have a Biblical view of death, we need to understand three things about death. 

First, death is an enemy. Death in many cultures has been romanticized or made heroic. I just watched Gladiator 2 and death on the battlefield for them was a beautiful thing. It has been portrayed as a natural and good thing that takes us into the great beyond or reunites us with the great cosmos. That is not what the Bible teaches. Paul clearly understands death to be an enemy in 1 Corinthians 15:25-26: Christ must reign until he has put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 

Death is our enemy! None of us were created to die. There is nothing natural or Godly about a soul being ripped from its body. It is a horrible thing to attend a funeral of a non-Christian and have them make death out to be life’s big graduation service. Even for Christians, it is right to be sad at a funeral because death is a terrible enemy who takes away the people we love most. Death is a curse that came into the world through our sin. 

The second thing we have to understand about death is that death is defeated by Jesus. Death is stronger than us. But not stronger than Christ. Death came for Christ on the cross, but Jesus didn’t stay dead. He came back to life, defeating death for us. I heard one pastor say, “What do you have to do to make your half brother, James, believe you are God? Resurrect!” Defeat death. 

In Christ, all our enemies are defeated and death, our ultimate enemy, is no different! No place is this more eloquently summed up than in 1 Corinthians 15: Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? ..thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 15:55, 57). Death is swallowed up in victory. When you eat something, you swallow it and it becomes a part of you. The same for victory. Death is swallowed up and now a part of victory. How is that? How does death become a victory? 

Because, thirdly, death is now a doorway to Jesus. There is now a joy on the other side of death that is more satisfying than being reunited with an old friend, sweeter than falling in love, more exciting than your dream promotion, more peaceful than a full retirement account, and more joyful than hugging your children. 

I’m modifying an illustration I have heard elsewhere, but imagine life as a road. Some of us have long roads and some have short ones. But at the end of all of our roads is a huge door. Imagine a huge arched wooden door that opens in the middle. And behind that door is a huge ravenous wolf with claws and fangs. When you approach that door you are terrified. But you know you are approaching it and the Holy Spirit gives you strength and then you see. Behind the wolf is Jesus. He’s standing with open arms toward you and in one hand he has a steal chain that leads to an iron collar on the wolf’s neck. You hesitate for a moment, but the Holy Spirit gives you strength and as you cross the doorway the wolf leaps for you and in one mighty jerk, Jesus flings him away. The wolf is gone and you enter into the presence of the Lord. 

Death is a doorway to glory and, now, all the power that death was supposed to have over us is gone. Death in Jesus Christ, while sad for those left behind, is now our greatest victory as we walk into the arms of our Savior. 

I saw a bumper sticker a while back that said “He who dies with the most toys, wins.” You know what? If death is still armed, that actually makes a lot of sense. If death is fully armed, if that wolf at the end of the road has no chain around his neck, there is no purpose to your life beyond that door. So, you walk that road accumulating as many toys, beach days, sporting events, and good meals as you can. Without Jesus, there is only agony beyond that door which makes life nothing more than a nice steak dinner in a prison cell on death row. 

But, death has been disarmed for those who believe in Jesus and that fundamentally changes the way we look at life now. Think about it, if all we had to look forward to is death, then we should long for death now. But that isn’t how Paul looks at it at all. The fact that death is gain for Paul actually gives incredible meaning to his life now. Which leads to my second point. 

1.   Why is life Christ? 

Christ is life because all that we do in this life now has eternal value. It impacts not only the road we walk, but has effects farther past that door than we could ever imagine. Paul calls this fruitful labor for Christ. Verses 22 and 25: If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me...convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith. 

And we can see the connection between death as gain and Christ as life when we look at another famous verse in chapter three. Paul uses the same word gain referencing this life. 7 But awhatever gain I had, bIcounted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of cthe surpassing worth of dknowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I ehave suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ - Phil 3:7,8

In our passage death is gain because you get to be with Christ. Christ is more valuable than anything we could possibly lose in death. But, in chapter three, he’s unpacking this phrase ‘to live is Christ.’ It’s the same line of thinking for Paul. But, instead of saying that Christ is more valuable than anything we lose in death, he’s saying that all those same things in life (Money, comfort, degrees, status…) he counts them as loss when compared to the value of Jesus. And specifically, the value of living in such a way that shows Jesus is our supreme treasure in this life. 

Jesus is our gain in death and he is our ultimate source of life now. And that makes what we do now matter. That is the fruitful labor. There is a scene in the movie The Patriot at the end that has always stayed with me. It’s the final battle with the British and the Americans are beginning to retreat. Then, the flag bearer begins to retreat. Which is a really big deal. Once the flag is in retreat, you know your side isn’t going to win, so you can keep fighting if you want, but most people aren’t going to fight a losing battle. Then, Mel Gibson’s character, Benjamin Martin, runs back from the front line, gets the flag, runs it up to the middle of the battle on the high ground and waves it for everyone to see. And once the flag is back, their hope is back and their sense of purpose returns. Where there is a flag, there is hope. Where there is hope, there is purpose. Jesus’ resurrection is our flag. He is our hope. He is our purpose. 

Because Jesus has defeated our ultimate enemy and made it to serve us, we can labor for a cause with eternal value. The way someone understands what happens after this life radically affects the way that person lives this life. I remember years back a pastor named Francis Chan was talking about this and he had this huge rope across the whole stage. Now, I don’t use props often because more often than not, it just comes across cheesy, but this one was effective. One foot at the end of that rope had tape on it. That tape represented our life and the rest of the very long rope stretching from one end of the stage to the other was eternity. And his question was simple. Which part of the rope are we living for? The very small section we call life? Or are we living with eternity in mind? 

This is what Paul means when he says he will continue for ‘your progress and joy.’ The labor that matters is the labor that displays and communicates the gospel. And this doesn’t mean that everyone here should quit their jobs and become missionaries. Some are called to the mission field, but the opportunity to be a part of Jesus' plan of redemption for the world gives value and purpose to every job, every vocation and every calling there is. You don’t have callings and higher callings. You don’t have secular vocations and sacred vocations. All of us are called to fruitful labor. Fruitful labor in the office, fruitful labor in our homes, fruitful labor in the hospitals, fruitful labor in politics, fruitful labor in the counseling room…fruitful labor wherever God has called us. 

And this is going to look different for all of us and that’s not only ok, that’s the design.

I have a good friend in Orlando who has been extremely successful in his field of work and he has given away about 75% of everything he has earned. He also labors to help other wealthy people live the same way because hoarding money doesn’t go past that door at the end of the road, but giving it away does. 

I know a single mom who worked night shifts cleaning office buildings to pay the bills. And as she would go into each office, she would read the name on the desk and pray for them. She would pray for the employees, for their business, for their families night after night as they slept. That was her fruitful labor and I believe deeply that this is as important, if not more, than giving 75% of your income away. 

There is no ‘calling’ and ‘higher calling’ there is only fruitful labor. Christianity brings value and purpose to all vocations. And because of that, we are going to start something new this year called “This Time Tomorrow.” We took the idea from other churches and modified it. Every other month beginning in February, Clark is going to do a podcast interview with one of you to hear more about what you will be doing this time tomorrow on Monday. He’s going to interview very different people with very different vocations and hear what challenges there are and what fruitful labor looks like in your particular calling. 

We aren’t called to sit back in this life, but to labor fruitfully. But, Paul doesn’t stop there. He gives us four things that help fuel his fruitful labor. 

III.     Four resources for fruitful labor

The first resource is prayer. Verse 19 says, “Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers…” He’s talking about us praying for each other. This resource is not available to you if you are not substantively connected to a local church. It’s not available to you if you are not meaningfully connected to other Christians. I’m so thankful for technology that allows us to put sermons, podcasts, and other resources online, but if that is the sum total of your Christian life and you don’t have other Christians who know you and know how to pray for you, you don’t have this resource. Technology brings many blessings, but not if it is a replacement for what God has given us. 

Secondly, we see that Paul is aided by the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. You are not alone on this journey.” I know that fthrough your prayers andgthe help of hthe Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance…” In John 14 Jesus said, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. John 14:16-17

Jesus is saying, “You won’t be alone when I’m gone! You will get a Helper. And do you know who this helper will be? The one speaking to you right now!” Jesus doesn’t just send us to do the job alone. He sends His Spirit inside us when we believe. He opens our eyes to the things we are blind to. He allows us to see death as defeated. He gives us desires we haven’t had before. He gives us courage we wouldn’t otherwise know. And the main reason He gives us His Spirit is for the mission. For our main purpose in life. 

When Angela and I lived in Pisa, Italy, I cleaned out our car and was walking back to our apartment carrying about 5 umbrellas. It rains all the time in Pisa. But as I was walking back, it was raining and I passed this older lady and I had this overwhelming urge to give her an umbrella. It was something well beyond the desire to do something nice. So, I turned around and offered her an umbrella. She said, “No, thank you, I don’t have any money.” I explained that I wasn’t selling them, but offering it for free. She paused and started to tear up. I asked her what was wrong and she said, “Nothing. I just prayed that God would send me an angel with an umbrella.” And we began to talk about that God. 

The Holy Spirit gives us everything we need for fruitful labor. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control and maybe a few divine appointments. 

Thirdly, Paul is aided by Scripture. This is a bit harder to see, but it’s here. Paul says that this will turn out for my deliverance. Do you realize that Paul is quoting Job here? He quotes Job 13:16 exactly as it appears in the Septuagint, that is, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the translation many of the Philippians would have been reading. In English, Job is replying to Zophar who is saying that Job’s problems are a result of his sin. Something these slanderers in Philippi are also saying about Paul. So Paul, like Job, is saying, “This also will be my deliverance.” This trial will not have the final word. 

Paul knew enough Scripture to know that God uses all circumstances for our good and His glory and this is why Paul can say in our text: Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Paul knew Scripture and was able to apply it in his own trials. It is hard to fight the Christian fight, to live the Christian purpose, without a steady intake of Scripture. 

So, this is why we are starting a church wide Bible reading plan this year. In our missional survey which we do every year and so many of you participated in, 45% percent of those who responded said that devotional reading is a weakness in your Christian life. So, we thought we’d read the Bible together. In your Enews there is a link to an app that will not only allow us to read the same passages each day, but also to interact with each other, ask questions, and give thoughts and encouragements. 

This year, as you have heard from Matt, we are replacing our catechism in each service with one passage of Scripture and our hope is that as a church we will memorize these passages (one each month), maybe memorize them with friends and family, to help these passages of Scripture go beyond our head and deep within our heart. 

Lastly, Paul was aided by the promise of Christ. Paul doesn’t just kind of think that Christ will be exalted in his body. He doesn’t just think positive thoughts. What we are reading isn’t wishful thinking or naive optimism. Paul says this is his earnest expectation and hope. The word hope in Greek is a lot stronger than its English counterpart. It’s not saying I hope it doesn’t rain or I hope FSU wins. It’s something far more certain than that, praise God. It’s like saying I hope the sun will rise. I hope gravity works the same way tomorrow. I hope the next time I make a fire, it will produce heat. There is certainty in this hope. 

Jesus promised Paul and us that He is with us always. Jesus promised that all things will work out for our good and God’s glory. Jesus promised that nothing will ever separate us from God’s love. That He is coming back. That He has defeated death. And Paul, who saw the resurrected Jesus, believed these promises. And that gave him hope as he embraced his purpose in life. 

You can feel Paul’s deep conflict in this passage. Which is better? Life or death? But the conclusion can’t be missed: I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. 

The purpose we have in life makes it worth staying here and delaying the greatest reward we will ever have. So, there are two questions for us in this text. One to the non-Christian and one to the Christian. To the non-Christian, has death been disarmed for you? Are you engaging with the reality of your greatest enemy? Could Jesus be what you really need most? There is no more important question you will ever answer. 

Then, to the Christian, are you living a life of purpose? Do you say, “To live is Christ!”? Or, deep down, are you saying, to live is work? To live is financial security. To live is good grades? To live is to be married. To live is to have kids who listen to me. To live is not being stuck changing diapers all day? There are so many other things we look to for purpose in this life. 

Paul had a deep sense of purpose, even in prison, so don’t doubt that God has purpose for you wherever you are..at home...in the office...in retirement. Jesus died to bring us purpose. It is a little thing to ask Him to unlock that purpose. It is a little thing to repent of all the other places we go to find purpose and ask that He would fill that space. 

My prayer for everyone in this room is that at our funerals, there won’t just be a sermon preached on death as gain, but also a display of a life lived richly in Christ. 

prayer

Thank you for a sweet season in the life of this church

Thank you for growth, but not flash in a pan growth. Substantive relationships where we know each other, worship together, rejoice together, cry together, and pray together. 

This is what a church should be

Thank you for so many leaders both paid and volunteer who give so much time for this to be true 

Amanda

Jen

Ben

We don’t take these blessings for granted and we don’t know what you plan to do with this church, but we do know you’re character. 

So we thank you for who you are 

Compassionate, merciful, gracious, just, all knowing, ever present, faithful to your promises, unchanging, and the truest embodiment of love. 

So this morning we pray that this service would not just check a religious box, but be a real and true encounter with you. 

No one is here by accident 

We pray this for other churches as well 

Church of the commons -Clint Harrison