Okay, to this morning, we're going to be in the book of Philippians. We're in chapter one and I want to begin reading with verse 21 and read down through verse 26. For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor. Yet while I shall choose, I want not. for I ministrate betwixt two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith, that your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again. I want to call your attention especially to verse 21, where Paul writes for me to live as Christ, then notice the final part of that verse, and to die is gain. And that's what I'm going to use for the title for this message today, and that is to die is gain. Talking about verse 21, Martin Lloyd-Jones has said of this verse, it is one of the greatest statements that has ever been made, and I agree. Someone also has said of this verse, this is a key verse in this epistle. In fact, it should be a key verse in the life of every saint of God. Every child of God, everyone who's been saved by the grace of God should have the same desire to be able to say the same thing that Paul says here in this verse, to live is Christ and to die is gain. A few weeks ago, I preached on the first half of this verse, to live is Christ. And we talked about how the unsaved person views life. What do they live for? And then we looked at the saved person, especially the apostle Paul and what he lived for. And it says, he says here, he lives for Christ. And just exactly what does that mean? Well, it means a lot. I've just written down here about four things, and you could probably add to this list. I think it means, first of all, that Jesus Christ is the source of our life. He is the source of all life, physical and spiritual life. But I think here, Paul especially has in mind spiritual life. We are who we are spiritually because of Christ. I am a new creation. I'm a transformed man. because of Christ, because he's given me life. It also means that he is the model of life. He's the pattern of life. We are to pattern our lives after him. We're to strive to live as he lived to be like him. In fact, we know that one of the reasons, if not the main reason why God saves us is to do what? to conform us into the image of his son. So for us to live as Christ means that we want to model our lives after Christ. It also means that he is the aim of our life. We know him and we want others to know him. We want others to experience this change that we have. And so our aim in life is to make him known. That's what it means to live as Christ. And then finally, he's the end of life. All this world has to offer doesn't even begin to compare to what we have in Christ now at the present time, but especially in the future as we look at all that God has in store for us. So those are just some of the things that I wrote down in regard to what it means to live. is Christ. But this morning I want to focus on verses 21 through 26, and especially the last half of verse 21, where Paul writes, to die is gain. Another way of saying that is, to die is beneficial to me. Now here's where we see, well, the difference between how the world looks at death and how the safe person does. There's a great contrast here. How does the world look at death? Well, it is that which is the end. Death is the end for them. It's the loss of all that they value, all they hold dear, all they love and live for. But for the believer, well, they don't look at death as a loss, as the end. No, in fact, it's the beginning. Death is only the beginning of life. Life really begins at death. And when we will fully enjoy all that our father has prepared for us. So you see there's a difference between how a safe person views death and how an unsafe person does. Often when I conduct a funeral, I will point out this contrast between how people view death. You know, I will point out the fact that when you talk about death, it's a subject that most people try to ignore. They don't want to talk about it. If you do bring up the subject, they quickly want to talk about something else. They're very uncomfortable talking about death. And they just would have soon avoided it if at all possible. Well, regardless of how you feel about death, regardless, if you want to talk about it or think about it or not, the bottom line is, is a reality that we're all going to face one day. That's why Hebrews chapter nine and verse 27 says, it is a point on the man wants to die. And after this, the judgment, it's an appointment that we're all going to have to keep one day, whether we want to or not. We just need to realize the fact that it's going to happen. You know, as a pastor, you know, part of my responsibilities as a pastor, I believe, is to prepare the congregation, my congregation, for death, for this most important event. Well, with this in mind, I want to ask you a question this morning as we begin. And the question is simply this. Are you prepared for death? Can you say what Paul says here in this verse? Not just say it. Anybody can read the words, but can you actually mean it? Is it true of you? Think with me now. Put everything else aside. Focus your attention upon what I'm saying right now. Can you say? for me to die is gain. One of my favorite missionary stories is the story of Jim Elliott and four of his friends who, with their families, left the United States and went to Ecuador back in 1955. They wanted to reach a group of people who were called the Alka Indians. There's another name that they go by, but I usually think of the Alka Indians. They wanted to reach them with the gospel. Well, these were people that outsiders had never been able to make contact with. They'd never been able to reach them. Anytime someone from the outside tried to make contact with them, it usually ended in death. They looked at outsiders as a threat and an enemy. And so these men were determined that they were going to take the gospel to these people. Well, at first everything looked promising. They flew down and what they did was they flew over the jungles where they lived and they would drop down presents to the people. Well, eventually they had put a contraption together where the people there on the ground, if they wanted to, they could put something in a net and then they would draw it up to their plane. And so they started leaving gifts then for these five missionaries. Well, they decided that it was time maybe to try to set up a camp there nearby and to reach them, so that's what they did. And one day, one of the Alca Indians came out. And they couldn't really communicate with each other because they didn't really know the language. But they were able to do the best they could and to try to show them that they weren't there to harm them, that they were there to help them. And it looked good. But then five days after this, tragedy struck. These savages speared these five missionaries to death. They all died there on a riverbed in the jungles of Ecuador. Now, what's interesting about this story is the fact that these five men, not only did they go down to South America to try to reach these people, knowing the danger that they were going to face, but they had already decided that if they were attacked, they weren't going to defend themselves. See, they had guns. They had weapons. They could have defended themselves and kept themselves from being put to death. But they chose not to do that. And here's the reason why. They said, we're ready to die. We're going to go to heaven. These men are not ready. Now, when I read that, it brought tears to my eyes. I thought, what a response. You see, these five missionaries lived out what Paul says here in Philippians chapter 1 and verse 21, for me to live is Christ and to die is gain. Let me ask you another question. Could you, could I face the prospect of death the way that these men did or the way the Apostle Paul did? Someone has said of Paul's attitude towards death, Death didn't put him into a cemetery. It ushered him into a sanctuary, meaning into the presence of Christ. Yeah, he, his body would be put in a grave, but his soul, the real him would go to the presence of Christ waiting for that resurrection day when he would be given a new glorified body. See, Paul knew what it was to be absent from the body. but to be present with the Lord. Speaking of a cemetery, uh, in Indiana, there is a tombstone in the cemetery that reads Paul's stranger. When you pass by, as you are now, so once was I, all I am now. So you will be so prepare for death and follow me. And then later, someone scratched these words on the bottom of that tombstone. To follow you, I am not content until I know which way you went. Well, we know which way Paul went, and that's why we can follow him. That's why we are to live for Christ and to die as gain, realizing just what a gain that's going to be. Well, this morning, with that being said, I want to look at these verses. I want to think about Paul and how Paul viewed death. And in fact, there's two truths that I want us to look at in regard to Paul's attitude. We're going to look at Paul's dilemma and we're going to look at Paul's declaration. Now I'm going to look at these in reverse order because Paul's dilemma is really found in verses 22 through 26. And his declaration is found in verse 21, but we're going to look at the dilemma first, then his declaration. So let's look at his dilemma, verse 22. But I live, but if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor. Yet what I shall choose, what not? For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you." Paul was looking to the future, waiting to go to trial, wondering what's going to happen to him. Is he going to be set free or is he going to be executed? Is he going to live or is he going to die? That is his dilemma. Now he says that if it was up to him, if he had a say in the matter, if it was his choice said, that's an easy choice said he would choose to do what he says in verse 23 to depart and go be with Christ. That would be his choice, but he also knows to live would be a more benefit to the Philippians. That's why he's willing to postpone what is for his benefit. for what would be of the benefit of others. You notice in verse 23, he uses that word depart. It's an interesting word. It has several different meanings, different ways it can be used. It means to unloose, it means to take down, it means to set free. For example, a boat that's tied to a dock is, well, it's untied so the boat then can sail out into the water. That's one way you can look at death. A soldier takes down his tent and is ready to move on with his troop. I think that's a picture of the Christian and the Christian's death. These bodies that we have are likened to a tent that we live in for a short period of time. And then one day is going to be taken down, and then we're going to go into be with Christ. You know, a tent's not something that you're to live in permanently. It's only temporary. Well, these bodies that we have now are only temporary. They're not our permanent dwelling place. So it's like a tent. At death, that tent is taken down, and then we are ready to move on or politically it describes a prisoner who's set free. Well, God's people while they're in this world. Yeah, we are freed from our bondage to sin and praise God for that. But we still have these physical bodies. We still have these tents. We still have the, this unredeemed flesh that still gives us trouble. It still holds us into a type of bondage that we're limited, that we face temptations. Well, at death. we're gonna be set free. So however you wanna describe this, whether it is a unloosing, a taking down, a being set free, what death is, is a departure from this world to the next world. It's a change of location for the believer. I came across this story while I was preparing this message. There was a bank in a town in New York the state of New York, that sent a card and some flowers to one of their competitors who were moving to a new location. I guess it's just a goodwill gesture on their part. Well, the florist mixed up this order with another order that was meant for a person who was at a local funeral home, and the florist was greatly embarrassed over this. See, the bank received the card and flowers that read, with our deepest sympathies, Whereas the funeral home, the person who had passed away, received this card and flowers. Congratulations on your new location. Although this was a mix-up, the wording on the one card was certainly appropriate if the person was a believer. Because that's what it is. It is. a change in location. It's a new location. You know, verse 23 dispels the false teaching of what is often referred to as soul sleep. That once we die, we enter into a state of unconsciousness until the resurrection. Well, that simply isn't true. This verse tells us that Paul says to live is Christ to die is gain. Paul doesn't think that he is going to be unconscious until the Lord comes back. In fact, he told the thief on the cross today, you're going to be with me in paradise. That's why I said earlier, he said to that, um, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Then you, when you look at verse 24, he says, nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. As long as the Lord has a work for Paul to do here on earth, Paul expected that he would live. Someone has said that a Christian is immortal until his work on earth is done. Death won't touch you until God is through with you. You'll live as long as the Lord intends, as long as he has work for you to do. He'll take you, he'll take you home. Do you believe that? I do. I fully believe that the Lord is going to keep us here as long as he has work for us to do. And when that work is finished and now we don't know when that is doing, but I believe that we are immortal, that we are going to stay here in this world until that time comes. Then he says in verse 25 and having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith and your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again. As long as the Lord had, or I'm sorry, the wrong word. Paul believed that the Philippians still needed him. Not that he had an inflated view of himself. that somehow or another he couldn't be replaced. No, he just believes that his ministry was not yet complete. That's why he was confident that he would remain, not because God had somehow revealed this to him. No, if that were the case, if God had somehow or another, you know, revealed to Paul, Paul, you're not going to die at this time. You're going to live. You're going to be set free. Then why write what he writes in verses 22 through 26, there would be no reason to know Paul's dilemma is, is that, yeah, he does believe he's going to live to simply because he feels like the Lord still has work for him to do, but he doesn't know that for sure. And his limit is, is whether to stay in this world and to serve Christ or to depart and to go and be with Christ. And then we see secondly, Paul's declaration. That's why he says in verse 21, to die is gain, or to die is of benefit to me. And once again, the unsafe person doesn't talk this way, do they? As I said earlier, death is the greatest of all losses. Everything that a person lives for, that they love, that they value, is all tied to this world. Death is that which they simply are not prepared for. For example, when someone takes out health insurance, or life insurance, or they have an RA, a retirement plan, people don't say, oh, you're foolish for doing that. That doesn't make any sense. You shouldn't do that. No, they're praised. They're looked upon as someone who is wise. You need to be prepared for what might happen in the future. But when it comes to death, the most important event that a person is going to face and one that is certain to happen, you know, when you think about health insurance or retirement plan, you know, it would be possible that you never use that. You might not have to use your health insurance or you might die before you're able to retire. And so all the money you paid into these things, you're really not able to get any benefit from. Well, death, on the other hand, is that which is most certain to happen. But then most people, well, they ignore it. They're not prepared for it. They might not say it's not going to happen. They just don't think it's going to happen for a while, and they can prepare later on. Well, you don't do that with health insurance. You don't do that with a retirement plan. But so many of them do it when it comes to death. And those who do prepare, Those who do seek to live for Christ are often looked upon as foolish. So how does the believer, how do they face death? Well, they conclude, they deduce what Paul says here, and that is that death is a benefit. Death is gain. It's not a loss, it's a gain for him. Now this is only true if that person can say what Paul says at the beginning of that verse, that is, for me to live is Christ. See, it's that person who has experienced the new birth, that person who's justified, that person who's adopted, that person who is in the process of being sanctified, that is the only person who can truly say what Paul says, to die is gain. So as we close this morning, It's listed a few of the benefits that we receive when we look at death as gain. And I'm going to make a lot of comments on these. First of all, we have a freedom from all suffering. Unlike the unbeliever, who often looks at death as an end to suffering, when in reality, it's only the beginning. The believer can look at death as an end of all physical suffering, all pain, all death, where we will have a perfect glorified body. It's also a freedom from sin. No more sin, no more temptations to fight, no more lust to deal with, no more rebellion against God. No more looking at a world that is becoming more and more wicked, more and more engrossed in sin. No, we'll be in a perfect sinless world. Number three, be reunited with family and friends, those who've gone before us, those that we stood at their graveside weeping and saying goodbye to them. Well, it wasn't permanent, it was only temporary. That's why the Bible says that we grieve, but we don't grieve as those who have no hope because we have the hope one day of being reunited with those. That's certainly a benefit. That's why we can say to die is gain. It also means that we will be like Christ. First John chapter three in verse two, beloved. Now are we the sons of God? And it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is. We will be perfectly righteous, just like Christ is. Our knowledge will increase. Our capacity for love and joy will increase. There'll be no more envy, no more jealousy. No, we will be conformed into the image of Christ. And then number five, we will be with Christ. And I've saved the best for last because that is the best. And that goes along with what I just said before that, and that is to be like Christ. That's what death is going to bring. It means we're going to be like Christ and we're going to be with Christ. If Paul doesn't say for me to die is to be free from sin, although that's true, or for me to die is to be free from suffering. Although that would be true for me to die is to be reunited with my family and friends who are saved. That's all those are true, but that's not what Paul says is the main benefit. Paul wants most of all to be with Christ and to be like Christ. See, his dilemma, and I guess I should have mentioned this earlier, was not between Christ and not having Christ. It's between Christ and having more of Christ. It's between seeing Christ by faith or seeing Christ by sight. See, to die is gain because there'll be no more separation between Christ and his people, and we're going to be together for all eternity. So I ask you, Do you look at death as a loss or as a gain? The only person who can say to die as gain is the person who first of all says to live is Christ. Let's make sure we get these in the right order here. The prophet Balaam once said, and this is recorded in Numbers chapter 23 and verse 10, let me die the death of the righteous. Well, that's a good goal. That's a good ambition. But there's only one problem with that. Balaam didn't realize before he could die the death of the righteous, he had to live the life of the righteous. So that's what Paul's saying, for me to live is Christ, but for me to die is gain. And we're talking about earning salvation. We're talking about the evidence of salvation. We're talking about the evidence that someone can say for me to die is gain. So to live is Christ. Can you say that? Friend, can you say to live is Christ? Is Christ what you're living for? I certainly hope so. That means you've been saved. You're justified. You're adopted into God's family. And when you can say that and truly say that, and I pray that you can, then you can also then add these words, but to die is gain. To die is a benefit to me. To die is more beneficial to me because it means to be absent from the body, to be taken from this world to the next, to change my location. To live is Christ, but to die is gain.