To Live is Christ
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Why do I exist?
What is my purpose in life?
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell.
23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.
24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.
25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith,
26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.
For to me to live is Christ!
Χριστός
Official title given to Jesus in the New Testament.
It signifies his office as anointed Savior and alludes to his spiritual qualifications for the task of saving his people.
The word derives from Greek Christos, which translates Hebrew Messiah.
Both terms come from verbs meaning “to anoint with sacred oil.
So Christ means “Anointed One.”
Applied to Jesus, they express the conviction that he had divine appointment for his office and function.
So, what was Jesus’ function?
Jesus said in Luke 19:10
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
He said in John 10:10
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
In his conversation to a religious leader, Jesus said in John 3:16
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
When we look at the Person and Work of Jesus, I think we can begin to understand what the Apostle Paul was talking about: “To live is Christ.”
To live fully engaged in the mission of Christ to reach people with the Good News.
To live fully engaged in the mission of Christ to reach people with the Good News.
Jesus said in Matthew 28:19-20
19 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,
20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom.
2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling,
4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
When Paul said “To live is Christ” he ment to be fully aligned and engaged in God’s redemptive mission to make known the Good News to people.
If the mission of God is to be my focus in life, what about my own personal hopes, plans, and dreams?
This leads us to a second possible meaning to Paul’s statement “To live is Christ.”
To Live in submission to the authority of God and His will.
To Live in submission to the authority of God and His will.
Submission, obedience, servanthood - all words that are hard to live, especially as we face the intense cultural temptation of selfishness.
Jesus modeled this truth when he was in Gethsemane. The Scripture in Matthew 26:39 says:
39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”
For Jesus, it was about the Cross—to give His life to pay the penalty of our sins. That through his death and resurrection we could have everlasting life—for all who would believe.
Jesus said in Luke 9:23
23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
It means for me to live fully in Christ, I need to die to self—selfish ambitions, materialism, fame, comfort, and anything that is unholy before the Lord.
Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-14
13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.
14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
To live in Christ is to set aside my will and live the will of God.
And this leads to a third aspect of what Paul ment when is declared: “To live is Christ.”
To live for the glory of Christ.
To live for the glory of Christ.
It means that in everything I do, and everything that I am, and everything that I hope centers on answering “yes” to this question: “Will it bring glorify Christ?”
So, what does it mean to “glorify” Christ?
To glorify Christ is to recognize Jesus for who he really is and to respond appropriately.
Who is Jesus? Philippians 2:6-11
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
So, who is Jesus?
He is our Savior and Lord.
He is our healer and hope.
He is the Good Shepherd who loves us and gave his life for us.
He is suffering servant and the resurrection and the life.
He is the only way, truth, and life.
He is our advocate and friend.
And he is the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
Goal in life is to make him known in this world and live for him with every breath he gives us. And when we have finished this life we will behold him and worship him for eternity.u
And our goal is life is to make him known in this world and live for him with every breath he gives us. And when we have finished this life we will behold him and worship him for eternity.