To Die is Gain - Part 1 of 1

O for a thousand tongues to sing, my great Redeemer's praise, The worries of my God and King, the triumphs of his grace.

This is LeSaire Bradley, Jr., welcoming you to another broadcast of the Baptist Bible Hour. I encourage you to write and let us know that you're listening. I would like to be able to send you a booklet.

We've mentioned it several times before. Maybe you intended to write for it and just fail to do so. Well, I'm giving you another opportunity. The booklet is entitled, Things Can Be Better Today. Sometimes it seems that things get so difficult you wonder if they can ever be better. But I think you'll find encouragement in this booklet to believe, according to God's word, things can be better today.

So just ask for the booklet when you write. That's at the Baptist Bible Hour, Box 17, 037, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45217. Today we begin a message entitled, To Die Is Gain. These are the words of the Apostle Paul.

He didn't say this because he was giving up on life. He was saying this because he anticipated that great blessing and joy of ultimately being with the Lord. I pray the message will be a blessing to you. I spoke to you last week on the first part of Philippians chapter 1, the 21st verse.

Want to look at the second part of it today. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. To die is gain. What did Paul mean by that expression?

First let's look at it from the negative point of view. What did he not mean? He did not mean that he was disgusted with life.

He had a bright outlook. In verses 18 and 19, it says, what then notwithstanding every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached and I therein do rejoice and will rejoice. For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer and the supply of the spirit of Jesus Christ. He's referring to the fact that while he is in prison, that some have taken courage and become more zealous in preaching the gospel. Others have preached it in pretense, not in sincerity, thinking that somehow they were going to add to his troubles. But rather than Paul being depressed about being a prisoner, believing in the sovereignty of God, he is encouraged to believe that God is still very much at work. So he says, Christ is being preached and so I rejoice. He wasn't giving up on life. He wasn't disheartened and say, I would just as soon be dead as alive.

You encounter people from time to time who will speak that way. I've just had it. Nothing is going right. Friends have disappointed me. Lost my job.

I've got financial problems, got health problems and on and on the list goes, I just as soon be dead as alive. That was not the spirit in which the apostle said to die is gain. He loved living. In verse 22, he said, But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor.

Yet what I shall choose, I will not. He was thankful for life. In spite of his many trials, the persecutions that he endured, the extreme suffering that he encountered, he had a bright outlook because he was looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of his faith.

He loved life and it is appropriate for all of us to love living. All of us have our frustrations, our disappointments. All of us can get to the place from time to time that we throw up our hands and say, my, what's the use?

Everything I touch seems to fall apart. So how do we keep going? We have to come back to realize that we can rejoice in life only as much as we rejoice in the Lord. What then did Paul mean when he says to die is gain? He did not mean that there is no purpose to life.

That's another comment I hear periodically. Particularly if a person is up in years and their health has failed and say, I just don't know why I'm here. I don't understand why I'm here.

What's this all about? What's the purpose of life anyway? Paul said in the 20th verse, according to my earnest expectation and my hope, see there was bright hope, great expectation that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death. So he had a purpose for living. His purpose was to glorify Jesus Christ. He believes that whatever happened, if it was the appointed time that he would depart to be with the Lord, or if he is to remain here and continue in his service, Jesus Christ would be magnified. In verse 25, he says, and having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for the furtherance of your joy and of faith, your joy of faith. So his purpose was to glorify Christ and he would do that by ministering to the people and saying to it that the joy of their faith was increased. He wasn't confused about the path he was following. He wasn't perplexed as though life seemed to be empty and without meaning.

It was full of meaning. What greater purpose could one have in life than to live to the glory of Jesus Christ? What greater purpose than to serve in his kingdom? What greater purpose than to minister to other people? In fact, when Paul talks about the conflict that he had, I'm in a strait betwixt two. On one hand, I desire to depart and be with the Lord.

On the other hand, I desire to stay here with you. His goal in either case was that Christ would be honored. He had a valid purpose for living in view.

He wasn't ready to pitch in the towel. So he says, I have this conflict in a strait betwixt two. Either of them is going to be acceptable. If God extends my time and I stay here, I've got a purpose in front of me. I've got a reason for being here. I've got a minister to perform.

I want to glorify Christ. Or if he takes me on, I go to be with him. I'll be in his presence.

All the sufferings and trials and difficulties of life will be behind me, but in either case, it's all right. When we read his words to the church of Corinth, we're certainly made keenly aware that Paul was not an individual who was ready to give up. Chapter 15 of the 10th verse, he says, But by the grace of God, I am what I am. And his grace, which was bestowed upon me, was not in vain. But I labored more abundantly than they all. Yet not I, but the grace of God, which was with me.

He was very zealous, very committed in his labor in the kingdom of God. I labored more abundantly than they all. I wasn't discouraged. I wasn't ready to give up.

But I can see it was not just me. It was the grace of God in me. And then after talking about the wonderful truth of the resurrection, he concludes this portion in the 57th verse.

I say, But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. Not becoming half-hearted, not becoming complacent, not being indifferent, not being discouraged. Always abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. That's the reason to keep going.

You're not just spinning your wheels. You're not doing something in which there is no value. Your labor is not in vain. It's to the glory of Christ.

It's to the advancement of his kingdom. And so when Paul says to die is gain, it didn't mean that he was disgusted with life. It didn't mean that there was no purpose in living. It didn't mean that he was discouraged and ready to give up.

So from the positive standpoint, what did he mean? To be with Christ is to be in a situation which is better than the best here. We have some uplifting times, some special times of joy. Families are a blessing, particularly when there is a commitment to Jesus Christ and there is fellowship in the Lord.

You have those seasons which are memorable and you treasure them. You think about the happy seasons with God's people, fellowship in the church. When the singing is uplifting. When the preaching is in the demonstration of the Spirit and power. When the fellowship is sweet and special.

Think about those good and happy times. But to be with Christ is better than all of it. The best times we have here are just a little foretaste of what is to come. In 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 1, For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God and house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan earnestly, desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven. If so be that being clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened, not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon that mortality might be swatted up with life.

Yes, there are times of groaning. Lord, I desire that which is better. I desire to be free from the sinful nature that is constantly a problem. I have to say with the apostle, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

I long for that time to ultimately be in your presence. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord, for we walk by faith and not by sight. We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

That's a wonderful truth. There are those that advocate the idea of soul sleeping. When a person dies, they simply go to sleep and it will only be when the resurrection comes that they are awakened.

The term is used in the scripture sleep having reference to death, but at no time does it teach soul sleeping. You remember that on the Mount of Transfiguration, Peter, James and John were there and they met Moses and Elijah. Their soul was not sleeping. They were very much awake. They were with the Lord. Numerous evidences are given to confirm that.

And so, what we're looking for is something better. To be with Christ, that's such a remarkable thing, it's hard for us to fathom it. We've been hearing about Jesus all of our life. We've read about him in the scriptures. We've heard him preach from the pulpit. We sing about him in our songs. We call upon him in prayer. We say we love him.

But think about seeing him face to face. He's so glorious. His appearance is so magnificent that we couldn't take it in in these natural bodies. It'll be when we've been resurrected and our bodies conformed to the image of Jesus Christ that we can fully appreciate it. But even at that moment when we depart this body and are at home with him, what a marvelous thing. If you've ever been present when someone died, you see them slowing down in their breathing process. And they finally take that last long gasp and they're gone.

And it's just a feeling difficult to describe. To think that moments ago this person was alive, now it's just a body. Their spirit has departed. And to think that now they are in the presence of Jesus Christ. Instantly they pass from this life, from a body wracked with pain and full of suffering and disease or whatever the circumstances may have been.

And now at home with the Lord, seeing Jesus and to be with him in uninterrupted fellowship forever. Difficult to grasp. We can't accept by faith. Even to think about the fact that it lasts forever. Everything we know has a place to end.

All of our situations, circumstances, relationships, everything are temporary as far as life is concerned. But to be present with him is to be with him forever. We sing the song sometimes when we've been there 10,000 years, bright shining as the sun. We've no less days to sing God's praise than when we first begun. 10,000 years is difficult to fathom.

But when 10,000 years have passed, still got just as much time out there as you did in the beginning because it is forever. John 14 one, Jesus said, Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions.

If it were not so, I would have told you. I'd go to prepare a place for you. He's encouraging these disciples who are distressed because he has told them he's going away. But he says, I'm going away to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am there you may be also.

You can't go now, but I'm preparing a place and eventually you'll be where I am. Jesus said to the thief on the cross that day when he cried out, Remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus didn't say, I'll give you a promise that after your soul sleeps for thousands of years.

No, he said, This day shalt thou be with me in paradise. No soul sleeping, but to be present with the Lord. And how amazing it is that Jesus himself desires these, his people, to ultimately be with him. John 17 24, Father, I will that they also whom thou has given me be with me where I am. And here's the purpose of it, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me. For thou lovest me before the foundation of the world.

I want them to be with me. It's understandable that we would want to be with him. But isn't it amazing that he wants to be with us? He wants us to be there and the purpose is to behold his glory. When Paul said to die is gain then he meant to be with Christ is far better than the best here. He meant that to die is gain because it is to be like Jesus. Romans chapter 8 verse 29, For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

He predestinated them, what? To be conformed to the image of his son. To be like Jesus Christ, to have a resurrected glorified body, to be like him. To think as he would have us think. To be delighted to be in total submission to him for eternity. Firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, whom he also called, whom he called, whom he also justified, whom he justified, whom he also glorified.

Glorification. That conformity to the perfect image of Jesus Christ. No wonder Paul could say to die is gain.

Look at yourself. You think not just of your physical weaknesses, but think about the struggles that you have. Think about your failings, your sin.

You think that someday I'm going to be free of all of that. I'm going to be like Jesus, conformed to his image, you could say, with Paul, to die is gain. First John chapter 3 verse 1 says, Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we shall what?

Be like him, for we shall see him as he is. To die is gain. To die is to be at home. I've thought many times over the years when I've traveled on preaching appointments. As long as I had another appointment ahead of me, I was perfectly content to be where I was. Certainly I missed my family and wanted to be with them, but I felt some contentment as long as there was another sermon to preach. But as soon as the last one was over, I wanted to be at home.

There have been times I have driven late into the night because I wanted to be home. And in spite of the fact that you enjoy visiting with other people, there's something about seeing the porch light on at home, pulling in the nose, somebody's expecting me, and I'm welcome. Think about your eternal home to someday say all my travels are over. No more weary days, no more clouds in the sky, no more separation from Jesus, but to be with him. In Philippians chapter 3 in the 20th verse, it says for our conversation, that is our citizenship. That's where we belong. That's our home.

Our citizenship is in heaven from which also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. Think of it. To be at home. Never have to expect another move.

Never anticipate trying to discover something better. He'll be at the top. Have the best.

Have it forever. So we've thought about what Paul did not mean, and about what he did mean. How do you view what he said? To die is gain.

Do you understand his outlook? Since for him to live was Christ, he had clear evidence that to die is gain. Entrance into heaven would not be a sudden change of interest for him. He was already heavenly minded. He loved heavenly things. He preached about heavenly things.

He anticipated heavenly things. That's your interest. That's the focus of your attention. That's the direction of your prayers.

And you can understand his outlook. To die is gain. On the other hand, are you so attached to this world that you think differently? You think, if I were to die soon, so many of my plans would not have been fulfilled.

So many situations I would hate to leave behind. Are you so entrenched in the world that you would have difficulty understanding the apostle when he says to die is gain? Can you appreciate the testimony of John Newton? In the last few weeks of his life, he became so weak that he had to stop preaching and was eventually confined to bed. Friends said that he did not fear old age or death. In fact, to a close friend, he wrote these words, Through God's grace I am perfectly well, yet laboring under a growing disorder for which there is no cure, old age. But I am glad for this disease, for who would live always in such a world as this? Shortly before he died, he told those visiting with him, My memory is almost gone, but I can remember two things. I am a great sinner and Christ is a great savior.

What a wonderful thing to remember. Can you say that you seek a better country? That was the case with Abraham. He was called of God to leave his homeland and he journeyed looking for another place. Hebrews chapter 11 verse 13, speaking of Abraham and others, says, These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from which they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

They seek a country. You look for that heavenly city, that country that is to come. Life is the gift of God. We're to be thankful for it. We're to make the most of it. First Timothy 6 17 says that we are not to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. When you talk about anticipating heaven, when you talk about heaven being your eternal home, looking to that time to go there and to be able to say to die is gain, that doesn't mean that you're not to enjoy life, that you're to live out of miserable existence here only with anticipation of what is to come. He has given us all things and we are to enjoy them. To giveth us richly all things to enjoy. I appreciated these words by Alistair Begg. When we ultimately breathe our last, it will be the cumulative expression of the convictions that have marked us all our way through. That's why no day is unimportant.

No decision is irrelevant and no relationship is immaterial. It's all part of the mosaic of our lives. When we breathe out our last, if we're in Christ, we can say to die is gain. At the graveside on Friday, when my sister was laid to rest in the Lexington cemetery, the congregation sang, when we all get to heaven. I've been singing that song all my life. I never heard it sung any better.

The words had never had such meaning to me. Sing the wondrous love of Jesus, sing his mercy and his grace. In the mansions bright and blessed, he'll prepare for us a place. While we walk the pilgrim pathway, clouds will overspread the sky.

But when traveling days are over, not a shadow, not a sigh. Let us then be true and faithful, trusting, serving every day. Just one glimpse of him in glory will the toils of life repay. Onward to the prize before us, soon his beauty will behold. Soon the pearly gates will open, we shall tread the streets of God. When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be. When we all see Jesus, we'll sing and shout the victory.

Well, certainly it's good for us to be reminded that there is something better for us on the other side. Many of our hymns refer to that. The theme permeates the scriptures, but sometimes in our struggles we tend to forget. So we need to be reminded that while life is a blessing and we want to utilize every minute of it to the glory of God, to die is gain because it means to go home and be with the Lord.

I hope you'll write us at Baptist Bible Hour, Box 17037, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. Till next time, this is LeSare Bradley Jr. beating you goodbye and may God bless you. Praising my Savior. Praising my Savior. Praising my Savior. O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.