When Paul met Jesus Christ the Risen One on the way to Damascus the Lord gave him new life, life abundant and eternal indeed. Paul stated in his letter to the Philippian church, " For me is to live is Christ and to die is gain". The phrase “to live is Christ" is a wonderful statement.” F. B. Meyer said that Christ is “the essence of our life … the model of our life … the aim of our life … the solace of our life … the reward of our life.” We live in Christ … for Christ … by Christ … through Christ … and from Christ. He is the beginning, the middle and the end of life. He is truly the Alpha and Omega, the A and Z, and every letter in between.
In the light of the Good News of Jesus Christ our Lord “Life is wonderful … and it’s going to get even better.” Paul uses the word "gain", a monetary term that means to make a profit on an investment. Instead of complaining about being in jail, he rejoiced that even in chains, he experienced the power of Jesus Christ in his life. Furthermore, upon his own death his current wonderful life would get even better. For Paul, the secret of life lived in Christ is that death would not put him in a cemetery, but it would usher him into a sanctuary. He knew that he would enter the presence of Christ at the moment of his death. That would truly be “gain” for him.
In his sermon on this text Alexander MacLaren gives the following answers:
1. We lose everything we don’t need—We lose the world, the flesh, and the devil. We lose our trials, our troubles, our tears, our fears, and our weaknesses.
2. We keep everything that matters—We keep our personality, our identity, and our knowledge of all that is good.
3. We gain what we never had before—We gain heaven, the saints, the angels, the presence of God, and Jesus himself.
"O Thou to whom I owe the gift of this day's life, give to me also, I beseech Thee, the spirit to use it as I ought. Forbid that I should stain the brightness of the morning with any evil thought or darken the noontide with any shameful deed. Let Thy Holy Spirit breathe into my heart to-day all pure and heavenly desires. Let Thy truth inform my mind. Let Thy justice and righteousness make a throne within me and rule my errant will. Let Christ be formed in me, and let me learn of Him all lowliness of heart, all gentleness of bearing, all modesty of speech, all helpfulness of action, and promptness in the doing of my Father's will.
"O Thou who compassest the whole earth with Thy most merciful favour and willest not that any of Thy children should perish, I would call down Thy blessing to-day upon all who are striving towards the making of a better world. I pray, O God, especially--
for all who are working for purer and juster laws:
for all who are working for peace between the nations:
for all who are engaged in healing disease:
for all who are engaged in the relief of poverty:
for all who are engaged in the rescue of the fallen:
for all who are working towards the restoration of the broken unity of the Holy Church:
for all who preach the gospel:
for all who bear witness to Christ in foreign lands.
"Cast down, O Lord, all the forces of cruelty and wrong. Defeat all selfish and worldly-minded schemes, and prosper all that is conceived among us in the spirit of Christ and carried out to the honour of His blessed name.
Amen." John Bailee
In Christ,
Brown
http://youtu.be/8welVgKX8Qo
A Special Saturday Evening of Praise and Worship
Saturday September 29.2012
Location: First
United Methodist Church,
53 McKinley Ave., Endicott, NY
53 McKinley Ave., Endicott, NY
Sponsored by Union
Center United Methodist Church.
5:30 PM Community
Dinner
6:30 PM Praise and
Worship
Special Music by:
Praise and worship band
Soloist: Emma
Brunson
Preacher: Pastor
Marshall Sorber
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