Living When Dying is Gain

Nearly 6 months ago I was asked if I would be willing to go anywhere for the sake of the Gospel.  To my shame, my thoughts silently echoed a cold and fearful no.  I lived in my hope of the perfect life of seminary, marriage, comfort, leisure, success, vacation, and throw pillows.  My joy was shifting ever closer as my dreams seemed to be evolving into reality on earth.  I prayed for the things I wanted just as often as I prayed against the inconveniences I detested.

In the short months since then, God mercifully tore away my hope and joy; replacing it with His truth, His hope, and His joy.  Through out this season, I have much more deeply resonated with the words of the forefathers and saints through-out Scripture.  I am particularly thankful for Paul's words to the saints in Philippi as he expresses:

It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.  For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.  If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me.  Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell.  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.  Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again (1:20-26).

Because of the power of Jesus' death and resurrection Paul did not allow himself to be handicapped or enslaved by anything, even the thought of his own death.  Paul pursued an eternal desire that Christ would be honored in his body, whether by life or by death.  Therefore, his life was devoted to a labor of love for God and for others which abounded in fruitful service.  The influence and ministry Paul claimed has been outweighed by few through-out history.  Nevertheless, Paul valued his life as rubbish in comparison to the presence of Jesus Christ after death.  This is not to say that Paul was disgusted by his life.  Rather, the opposite.  Paul found great joy in life, but it simply could not compare to the immeasurable riches in Christ Jesus.  As a result, he lived in more freedom than most men or women will ever fathom.

Paul's words guide me as I consider the true and joyful meaning of Easter.  Just as Easter is the celebration of Jesus Christ conquering death, his children also no longer need to fear the sting of death.  In Paul's first letter to the Corinthians he writes:

Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (15:54b-57).

This morning at The Oaks Community Church, Pastor Kevin taught from this passage.  As Kevin preached I was refreshed by the freedom that God has provided us in Christ.  Through Jesus' resurrection from the grave, death was swallowed up in victory and it can no longer poison our lives.  We have true, eternal life in Christ that cannot be stolen by the venom of death.  "For I am sure that neither death nor life... nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38,39).  Nothing can prevent God from being glorified in my body, not even death.  Therefore, I need not fear man, pain, or death.  Only God is worthy of our fear as well as our eternal praise.

God's grace can not be contained any more than joy in Christ can be killed.  Christ rose from the grave, which is why all of His children rejoice together on this sweet Easter Sunday.

Never was living beauty so enchanting as a dying Savior. - C.H. Spurgeon

I thank God that my answer today is much different.  YES - I would joyfully, humbly, and willing go anywhere for the sake of the Gospel.  Where the Lord leads is the best place for me to be.  I would fear going any other direction.

All Nations

Philippians 2

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (v. 2:1-9)

As the body of Christ, our mind is meant to be the same; it is meant to be one.  And our singular, unified mind comes from Christ Jesus who perfectly taught and modeled how we ought to think.  His thinking was grounded in selfless humility.  GOD - was humble.  And this humility in thinking led to humility in action - He "made himself nothing".  Humility is a requirement of service, sacrifice, and obedience to God which Jesus fulfilled to the point of death.

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (v. 10-11)

At the name of Jesus Christ every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord.  In other words, every one will be humbled before Jesus.  There will be no exception.  However, we will either do it for our eternal joy or our eternal torment, dependent on personal faith in Jesus Christ during this life time.  Either way, every one will be humbled and Jesus Christ will be highly exalted to the glory of God the Father!

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.  Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me. without blemish. (v. 12-18)

Just as Jesus' humility of mind led to humility of action (service, sacrifice, and obedience to God) our humility before Him should also lead to obedience.  And this is what our obedience should look like: working out our salvation with fear and trembling, doing all things without grumbling or questioning, shinning as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, rejoicing with gladness.  This obedience is lived out by the "children of God".  This obedience is lived out "in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation" - that is where we shine.  This obedience is lived out at all times.  This obedience is lived out through God's strength, "for it is God who works in you".  And this obedience is "to the glory of God the Father".

I am a child of God, living in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, called to shine as a light to this world, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to the glory of God the Father.  I have the opportunity (and with God, the ability) to lose my life for Christ's sake and therefore save it.

"GO therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20) 

The question isn't "Should I go?" but "Where should I go?"

The 10/40 Window

The 10/40 Window is home to the majority of the world's unevangelized (crooked and twisted) countries.  While it constitutes only 1/3 of earth's total land area, nearly 2/3 of the world's people reside in the 10/40 Window... How could I not go?

"God does not find our requests too big, He finds our dreams too small." -C.S. Lewis