Philippians 1:12-30.

Paul is in a bad situation. He is a prisoner, in chains, with a constant watch over him. Not just prison guards, mind you, but he is held prisoner by the Imperial Guard. So, what do you think he did? Did he sit there and sulk, did he whine and complain about how bad he had it? No, he took the opportunity to advance the gospel. He couldn’t go to the neighbors with a coffee cake, like we can. He was stuck in prison. He couldn’t go to the market square to pray and sing so that others would desire to hear more, he was still stuck in prison. So he took the opportunity that was available to him. He spread the gospel to those he was chained to. He talked to the guards. He showed them the truth about God. They were changed. Forever. What are your chains? Is it work? Personal time? TV time? What is keeping you from spreading the gospel? You can, and should, spread the gospel wherever you are, in whatever circumstances, like Paul did. Using Paul’s example, others became bold in speaking God’s truth.

In verses 15-18, we find that some are not spreading the gospel out of love for others, but for self-aggrandizement. They are doing it to promote themselves, and in doing so, purposely causing Paul more harm in prison. Some were working to spread the gospel out of love. Paul’s concern even then was that the gospel is spread, that the truth of Christ was proclaimed. Please note that the truth was being spread, not false gospel. Paul continually teaches about those that spread false gospel. See Titus 1:9-11. We should be constantly checking what is said and comparing it to the Bible. The Berians were commended because they checked everything from scripture, even the word from the pulpit. Don’t take my word for it, check it out. The message being told from the pulpits while Paul was in prison was the truth, but told in such a way that those against Paul were getting glory, and Paul was getting punished. Even so, Paul was rejoicing that the message was being spread, the gospel was being heard, and the churches were growing.


To live is Christ, and to die is gain.

I have spent the last three weeks mulling over this verse. The “to die is gain” part is easy enough to understand, but the first part, “to live is Christ”, that has been a difficult sentence to understand. To live is Christ. Finally it hit me, to live is Christ means to live, to be alive, is to live with Christ. Before I was alive in Christ, I was dead. Dead spiritually, dead emotionally, captured in a dying body. To be fully alive took Christ. I now know what joy is. I now know what love is. I now know what to live is. It is Christ. A person apart from Christ is dead. For them, to live is dying. A popular saying is “The day you are born, that is when you start to die.” This is a true statement in one sense, that is, our bodies are in the process of expiring. Our bodies grow for a while, but eventually they wear down to the point of final collapse. It is also true in a spiritual sense, too. From the time we are born, we are slaves to sin. Our spirit is affected by the sin of Adam, and we do nothing our entire lives that will save us. Until we are born again, until we live Christ resurrected, we are dying. But for me, to live is Christ.

I made a mental list of some of the things that mean “to live is Christ”.
If you have joy, to live is Christ.
If you have peace in your life, peace where there should be worry and fear, peace unexplainable, to live is Christ.
If you have hope, hope of the resurrection, hope of live ever after, hope that gives encouragement to carry on through thick or thin, to live is Christ.
If you have salvation, to live is Christ.
If you have encouragement when others despair, to live is Christ.
Can you think of any others?

Read Matthew 14:22-33.

I keep thinking of Peter, in the boat, watching Jesus walk on the water. Now Peter was a fisherman, fully aware of the nature of water and what floats and what doesn’t. He knows he doesn’t. He knows, in his mind and probably through experience, that what Jesus was doing was not the norm. When Jesus calmed them with encouraging words, Peter asked if he could come out to him. Jesus said “come.” Peter got out of the boat. Against all his learning and experience, against the laws of Newton, and physics, and Congress and anybody else out there that makes up laws, Peter got out of the boat. He didn’t sink. Why? Because at that point, he was in Christ. All of his focus was on the Lord. Not only didn’t he sink, but he walked to Jesus. He walked on water. Now, at some point he became aware that what he was doing wasn’t natural. The Bible says he “saw the wind.” He may have seen the wind, but what he didn’t see was Jesus. He let himself be drawn into his situation, he began to be afraid. As soon as he took his eyes off of Jesus and onto the fact that he wasn’t in the boat and there was no solid footing, he began to sink. Aren’t we like that? We come to church, we praise God, we worship, our focus is on God, and then we get home and the bills are piled up, and the dog needs a bath because he rolled in something, the boss wants you to come in early, your spouse is complaining about the condition of the house, and soon you are sinking in a whirlpool of despair, worry, and depression. What do you do when this typhoon hits you?

Peter did the same thing we need to do at such a time. He appealed to the Lord to save him. Jesus reached out his hand and carried Peter to the boat. When he did, the wind ceased.

When you appeal to Jesus in the midst of your whirlpool of trouble, the wind will cease for you, too. Your troubles may still be around, there will still be many things yet to do, but instead of sinking, Jesus is there to carry you. To live is Christ.

To live is Christ means to be alive in Christ, to desire to spread the gospel, to work for no reward except to be a blessing to others, to pray for one another, to encourage one another. To live in Christ means to live for the betterment of others, not yourself. To live in Christ means to be Christ-like. Self-sacrificing. To live is Christ.

This was Paul’s conclusion, also. Even though he had a great desire to see Christ, even though to be with Christ is the very best thing that could happen to him, he knew that Christ had work for him to do. Look at verses 22-24. His work was for the betterment of others. He was denied, for the time being, living with Christ to live Christ. His self-sacrifice gave others a chance to grow in the faith.

When we look at the “to die is gain” part, we understand that it means to be in heaven with Christ. That is gain enough. However, there is so much more to being with Christ. Think of it! Never to be hungry again. Never to have to lose weight, or even be concerned about it. Never feel sick, never tired, never worry, never fear, never have a bad hair day. Our bodies will never see corruption, our minds will never be dwelling in sin, our hearts will never be broken, never will a tear course down our cheek. To die is to gain! But we can’t go there yet, we still have work to do here. There are still neighbors who haven’t heard the word, there are still children who need to be taught. There are the sick to pray for, the homeless to shelter, the starving to feed, the homebound to help. All for the glory of God. To live is Christ.