Alive in Christ

 “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21

At times it is difficult to realise the living presence of Christ. We may be blinded by life’s happenings, doubts and the ceaseless pressures of living.  You will recall how the two disciples, following the death of Jesus, found themselves on the highway of heartbreak as they made their mournful way towards Emmaus.

Arch Wiggins put this so beautifully in his poem “Jesus himself drew near.”

I set out a pilgrim sad at heart
To walk a lonely road;
Doubt had marr’d my simple trusting,
Doubt a future ill forbode;
And as I pondered o’er my grief,
My shattered hopes and unbelief,
A Stranger to my soul’s relief,
Drew near and walked with me.

I deign’d not to raise my drooping eyes,
Nor sought to learn His name,
Tho’ His voice, like heav’nly music,
Set this heart of mine aflame.
He seemed to read my every thought,
To know the pain my fears had wrought.
And with His gentle words He brought
An atmosphere of peace.

The shadows of evening fell apace,
New dangers lay ahead;
But, with my Companion walking,
I no longer felt their dread.
I begged Him ne’er to quit my side,
With me to constantly abide;
In gracious tones my Lord replied
‘My peace I leave with thee.’

Jesus himself drew near,
When alone on the road,
Oppress’d by my load,
Jesus himself drew near and walked with me.

As we finish our week of living in Christ, perhaps we could focus outward on how we can carry the presence of Christ into our spheres of influence. We have learned this week that God is with us always and available to us at all times. There is never a time he isn’t by your side, and we have the profound privilege of carrying his presence with us everywhere we go. As we practice sensitivity, God will be faithful to show up and move in amazing ways. As we move into this new year, may we be blessed beyond measure as we seek to show the world his love.

Alive in Christ

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21

“To live is Christ” means that we are willing to give up anything that prevents us from having Christ. Paul’s testimony in this regard: “Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him” (Philippians 3:7-9). We cling to the promise of our Lord in (Mark 10:29-30) that our sacrifices for Jesus’ sake will be repaid a hundredfold.

“To live is Christ” means that Christ is our focus, our goal, and our chief desire. Christ is the centre point of our mind, heart, body and soul. Everything that we do, we do for Christ’s glory. As we run the “race marked out for us,” we lay aside the entangling sin and worldly distractions, “fixing our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:1-2). He is our life.

Paul knew that the benefits of believing in Christ are far beyond anything the mortal mind can conceive. He described a glorious existence that skeptics could never imagine. Through Jesus, we experience a new dimension. We have eternal life and can experience something supernatural: resurrection!

In Christ, we are no longer dead in our sins. We are made alive. More than just renewed, we are invigorated by His spiritual power.

At times we may feel weary, discouraged, tired, confused or uncertain and we can face problems that seem insurmountable, or obstacles that seem impossible to overcome? No matter what is going on, remember that Jesus has been raised from the dead. Every enemy already has been defeated. Because of what Christ has done, you really can experience His resurrection power!

1 Jesus, your boundless love to me

no thought can reach, no tongue declare;

dwell in my heart eternally,

and reign without a rival there.

O Jesus, nothing may I do, 

but seek my joy in serving you.

2 O grant that nothing in my soul

may dwell but your pure love alone;

oh, may your love possess me whole,

my joy, my treasure, and my crown!

All coldness from my heart remove;

my ev'ry act, word, thought, be love.

3 This love unwearied I pursue

and dauntlessly to you aspire;

oh, may your love my hope renew,

burn in my soul like heav'nly fire!

And day and night be all my care

to guard this sacred treasure there.

4 In suff'ring be your love my peace,

in weakness be your love my pow'r;

and when the storms of life shall cease,

O Jesus, in that final hour,

be then my rod and staff and guide

And draw me safely to your side. 

Paul Gerhardt Translated by John Wesley

Alive in Christ

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21

On the school notice Board in the foyer of St Mary Radcliffe and Temple school in Bristol is a poster that certainly puts our text in context. It says : ‘Live as if Christ died yesterday, rose today and will come again tomorrow.’

“To live is Christ” means that we imitate the example of Christ. Everything that Jesus did and said, that’s what Paul wanted to do and say. The church benefitted from his godly example: “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). What would Jesus do? That’s what we want to do.

“To live is Christ” means that we pursue the knowledge of Christ. We want to know Christ better and better each day. Not just a set of facts about Christ, but Christ Himself. “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead” Philippians 3:10-11.

Isn’t it true that we all desire to be fully alive? We want to live each day knowing that our lives have meaning and purpose.  Our hearts long for love and fulfilment. The good news is that we can satisfy this longing by living in friendship with the Lord, which is really what it means to live in holiness.

Today, we can:

- Choose to be loving to each person we encounter

- Choose to be joyful even in the midst of difficulty

- Choose to be peaceful in times of adversity

- Choose to be patient when our patience is tested

- Choose to be kind to those who are unkind

- Choose to be gentle when we’re tempted to be harsh

- Choose to be generous with our time and resources

- Choose to be faithful to prayer and our vocation in life

- Choose to live in self-control when temptation comes our way

No, we won’t be perfect; but the more we cooperate with God’s grace, the more the virtues will be alive in us.

1 Jesus, the very thought of thee 

with sweetness fills the breast; 

but sweeter far thy face to see, 

and in thy presence rest.

2 O hope of every contrite heart, 

O joy of all the meek, 

to those who fall, how kind thou art! 

How good to those who seek!

3 But what to those who find? Ah, this 

nor tongue nor pen can show; 

the love of Jesus, what it is, 

none but his loved ones know.

4 Jesus, our only joy be thou, 

as thou our prize wilt be; 

Jesus, be thou our glory now, 

and through eternity.

Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) Translated by Edward Cassell (1814-1878)

Alive in Christ

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21

In this statement, the apostle Paul is saying that everything he has tried to be, everything he is, and everything he looked forward to being pointed to Christ. From the time of Paul’s conversion until his martyrdom, every move he made was aimed at advancing the knowledge, gospel, and church of Christ. Paul’s singular aim was to bring glory to Jesus.

“To live is Christ” means that we proclaim the gospel of Christ. Paul preached in synagogues; he preached at riversides; he preached as a prisoner; he preached as an apostle; he preached as a tentmaker. His message was constant: “Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). He brought the message of Christ’s sacrifice to kings, soldiers, statesmen, priests, and philosophers, Jews and Gentiles, men and women. He would preach to literally anyone who would listen.

Teach me, Lord Jesus, what it is to live in you, and for you to live in me. It means being in love with you, being at ease with you, finding my strength in you, and being ready, when questioned, to explain to others what you are in my life.

Paul identifies his life with Jesus. This is not a boastful claim, but an acceptance of the invitation that Jesus himself gives to each of us. I think of how I might be mindful of living in Jesus today.

I think of the place of the laws and regulations that shape my life. I lay my life before God, asking God to purify my motivations, to inspire me to live generously rather than in a narrow, calculating way.

It was John Gowans who wrote

To be like Jesus!
This hope possesses me;
In every thought and deed,
This is my aim, my creed;
To be like Jesus!
This hope possesses me;
His Spirit helping me,
Like Him I’ll be.

Alive in Christ

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21

There’s a true story about an elderly Christian lady whose age began to impact her memory. She had memorized much of the Bible, but in time, only one verse stayed with her: “I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day” (2 Tim. 1:12). Eventually even more slipped away, leaving only “that which I have committed to Him.” Finally it slipped to just “Him.” As she neared the other shore, she kept repeating, “Him. Him. Him. Him.” She had lost from her memory almost the entire Bible except for that one very important word. However, in that one word, she had the whole message of the Bible, the Good News. It’s not about us, it’s all about Him.

“LORD, help us to keep that fact in front of our minds this day. It is all about You and You alone.”

Ralph Wardlaw D.D. a venerable and (in his generation) influential Scottish divine contributed twelve hymns to the praise of the Church Universal that are likely to live in a humble and useful way. As having so done, and besides edited several collections of hymns, he claims a place of honour. Critically, and regarded as literature, his hymns have little of poetry in them; no "winged words" to lift the soul heavenward. They reflect simply and plainly the lights and shadows of everyday experiences of the spiritual life, rather than its high theology. But isn’t this the essence of this text that it is all about seeing, no knowing that the our lives are shot through with the life of Christ.

Wardlaw expressed this in his hymn

1 Christ, of all my hopes the ground,

Christ, the spring of all my joy,

still in you may I be found,

still for you my pow'rs employ,

still for you my pow'rs employ.

2 Let your love my heart inflame;

keep your fear before my sight;

be your praise my highest aim;

be your smile my chief delight,

be your smile my chief delight.

3 Fountain of o'erflowing grace,

freely from your fullness give;

'til I close my earthly race,

may I prove it "Christ to live,"

may I prove it "Christ to live."

4 Firmly trusting in your blood,

nothing shall my heart confound;

safely I shall pass the flood,

safely reach Immanuel's ground,

safely reach Immanuel's ground.

5 Thus, O thus, an entrance give

to the land of cloudless sky;

having known it "Christ to live,"

let me know it "gain to die,"

let me know it "gain to die."

Alive in Christ

This week we will explore what Paul means by the words found in Philippians 1:21

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

William Barclay helps us to understand this profound statement in this way. “For Paul, Christ had been the beginning of life, for on that day on the Damascus road it was as if he had begun life all over again. Christ had been the continuing of life; there had never been a day when Paul had not lived in his presence, and in the frightening moments Christ had been there to bid him be of good cheer. Christ was the end of life, for it was towards his eternal presence that life ever led. Christ was the inspiration of life; he was the dynamic of life. To Paul, Christ had given the task of life, for it was he who had made him an apostle and sent him out as the evangelist of the Gentiles. To him Christ had given the strength for life, for it was Christ's all-sufficient grace that was made perfect in Paul's weakness. For him Christ was the reward of life, for to Paul the only worthwhile reward was closer fellowship with his Lord. If Christ were to be taken out of life, for Paul there would be nothing left.

"For me," said Paul, "death is gain". Death was entrance into Christ's nearer presence.”

For many of us, the first phrase is one upon which we would focus but what of the second phrase, different matter altogether. George Washington Bethune ( 1805-1862), a Dutch Reformed Minister wrote of this text in his hymn “O Jesus, when I think of thee.” In spite of being offered such prestigious appointments of chaplaincy of the U.S. Military Academy, the chancellorship of New York University, and the provostship of the University of Pennsylvania, but turned them all down to concentrate on his gospel preaching.

Notice that this was an Easter Hymn that takes the whole life of Christ from birth through the Cross and Resurrection to his glorious Ascension.

1 O Jesus, when I think of thee,

thy manger, cross, and throne,

my spirit trusts exultingly

in thee, and thee alone.

2 I see thee in thy weakness first;

then, glorious from thy shame,

I see thee death's strong fetters burst 

and reach heav'n's mightiest name.

3 O let me share thy holy birth,

thy faith, thy death to sin,

and, strong amidst the toils of earth,

my heav'nly life begin.

4 Then shall I know what means the strain

triumphant of Saint Paul,

“To live is Christ, to die is gain:

Christ is my All in all!”

Happy New Year

The Coming Year

l CANNOT tell What joys, or griefs, or battles

The coming year will bring,

But this I know, since God His order worketh,

We may be sure of spring;

The thrush’s note, the wind upon the hillside,

The majesty of trees,

The fragrant rose, the glory of the sunset-

At least there will be these.

And what is more, far more——a hand to guide us

O’er pathways still untrod,

The hand of One whose wisdom never faileth—

We may be sure of God.

Ivy Mawby