Beautiful Eulogy
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Philippians 1:18b (ESV)
18 … Yes, and I will rejoice,
19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, 20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. 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.
Beautiful Eulogy - Lyrics are on the back of your handout.
Prayer
This song we just listened to is by a band called Beautiful Eulogy, the song title is also called Beautiful Eulogy. And my sermon is also title Beautiful Eulogy…
I believe this song really captured the beauty and essence of what Paul wrote here. This scripture really is a beautiful eulogy showing the praises and glories of Jesus.
A Eulogy is a speech or piece of writing that praises someone or something highly.
That is exactly what Paul’s writing and his life did. It was a praise of Christ and experiencing, glorifying, and enjoying Him.
The main idea I’m putting forward to you today is:
Main Idea
I exist to experience, glorify, and enjoy Christ now and perfectly experience, glorify, and enjoy Christ in eternity
This is the reason you exist. This is God’s intention for you. This is God’s heart for you! God’s desire for you…
Why I Should Care
I will find immense joy, confidence, and freedom when I align my desire with God’s.
If you are surrendered to Christ being your reason for existing, then you can have confidence that God will be faithful to fulfill all His plan for you.
God’s plan for you is Christ!
This is revealed in scripture. The triune God is committed to seeing every knee bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!
If God’s plan for all people is Christ.
Is my plan for me Christ?
“FOR TO ME to live is Christ, and to die is gain…
Such joy is found here. Joy. Unspeakable joy…
What we are about to see in this text, is that if your answer to this is “yes”, then you can experience joy and confidence NOW.
I’m going to show you three places where we can experience this joy and confidence!
The first place we can experience joy and confidence is…
Prayer
Prayer
Christ-Honoring Prayer
Christ-Honoring Prayer
19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,
20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.
I know: Consider the confidence with which Paul is writing.
Through your prayers and Jesus’ Christ’s Spirit helping: Prayer is a means by which we get to participate in the invisible war. Jesus can do it all on His own, but he delights to include us in His work!
Deliverance: Rescue and removal from impending doom.
Life or Death: Deliverance is not limited by life or death because the goal is Christ being honored.
Honor: To make great; to Magnify.
Both life and death are now tools used to make JESUS BIG!
Here’s the point
If my plan and God’s plan are Christ…
Let me say it like this…
If my desire for me is Christ and God’s desire for me is Christ…
Then…
I can trust that prayers lifted to God for me (Whether I pray them or someone else does)will work with the Holy Spirit to make JESUS big!
This is great confidence.
I’m of the opinion that God says yes to things and He says no to things.
But, the more and more we are making our desire for ourselves Christ then the more and more we will begin to ask God for things that line up with His plan, which is Christ.
It is so wonderful to see prayers answered.
God is working all things out for your good and His glory. We will, every day, experience this mercy. But think about how many of these mercies you so easily overlook. Think about what it would be like if you had been praying for those mercies.
Morning and Evening Morning, February 19
Prayer is thus connected with the blessing to show us the value of it. If we had the blessings without asking for them, we should think them common things; but prayer makes our mercies more precious than diamonds
Oh man, if you want these diamonds, beloved, make God’s plan for you your plan for you. The Holy Spirit responds to this plan. He responds by leading you and increasing your love for that plan.
The first place we can experience joy and confidence is…
Prayer
The second place we can experience joy and confidence is…
Purpose
Purpose
Personal Purpose
Personal Purpose
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.
My purpose is Christ
In life, glorifying Christ
In dead, being with Christ.
Having Christ as my purpose creates confidence, it reshapes my motives, it raises guard rails, and it echos into eternity!
This purpose isn’t just reserved for my days in this body!
This purpose finds its purest fulfillment in my resurrected and glorified body!
Confession
I have struggled with this concept all month as I’ve prayed for this.
At first, I thought I understood the “to live is Christ” part.
Yeah. I get it! I’m going to do everything unto Christ. Yeah. I’m a pastor. Yeah, I’ll study the bible. Yeah!
I REALIZED I’M NOT AS “to live is Christ” as I thought…
Have you ever had a really bad day where you were just at the end of your rope and ready to be in glory?
Here’s the sad reality, for many of us in this room, we struggle with all of life being a really bad day. Some here struggle with the pain of life and have, probably and your lowest moments, contemplated making a plan to leave it.
My heart breaks for you.
Please please hear me… That is not God’s desire for you. That is Satan’s desire for you. Please please find Christ community here and talk to your brothers and sisters about your struggle. And, please know, that I understand that some doubts and pains that cause life to be a very bad day linger. Like all struggles. God loves you and He desires to heal you…
But, for a moment, I want to just point out a lie that Satan might whisper to you…
Death as gain here, does not mean “death as escape”. That would make the focus to be leaving something or loosing something.
Satan and our sin nature will twist truth. We will begin to entertain thoughts that make gain be loss.
This is how I’ve done it… On some of my worst days. Days where stress is high. Pain is prevalent. Suffering is inevitable. Hard choices are required. Hard conversations have to happen. Temptation is at an all time high.
It’s normal for me to respond by saying… “Oh God, take me home. I’m just ready for this hardship to end and to leave it behind me.”
Okay, just know, that desire in itself is not evil. Its not condemning. Its not sin. God doesn’t get disappointed in us for say, like Jesus, “let this cup pass from me”. Thorns and thistles are not part of the design.
But beloved, escape is not victory. Escape will not overcome. Even gritting your teeth and pressing on, while sometimes good, will not conquer.
Victory only comes from Christ, and Him being your supreme desire.
In life, I press on toward the goal.
And when the hardship becomes too much too bear, I look at Him and how precious He is. How better He is. How faithful He is. How glorious He is!
My desire is to depart and BE WITH CHRIST. NOT OUT OF MY PROBLEMS. BUT WITH CHRIST
Paul here means death as receiving someone and gaining someone. Christ!
This is all about seeing Jesus as supremely satisfying.
When Claire and I were dating, long distance. Me in Weaverville and her in Kings Mountain, I would long to be with her. I would drive 2 hours just to see her and be with her in her presence. I would press on through traffic and my small bladder knowing that she was waiting!
A phone call, a text, or Skype, were never enough. I longed for her presence. I considered being in her presence, seeing her beauty, kissing her cheeks, holding her hand, conversing with her in person GAIN.
Listen beloved…
The path to your King has hardships! Hardships are also the path!
All the hardship of your journey to be with your King only make Him all the more satisfying!
The more you look at Him and make your aim Him the more you will find victory!
Whether you recognize it or not, your purpose for existing is CHRIST! Christ is your fuel for your journey. He is the magnet pulling you. The force propelling you. He is your purpose.
Why not align your personal purpose with this…
Experiencing Him HERE and experiencing Him THERE!
TO LIVE IS CHRIST AND TO DIE IS GAIN!
Those of you, who are on the fence about Jesus.
Please please please hear this…
YOU WERE MADE FOR MORE THAN WHAT YOU HAVE NOW!
YOU WERE MADE TO BE HAPPY. HAPPY IN CHRIST!
Nothing is going to satisfy your soul hunger here. No human relationship is going to fulfill you here. No amount of sex, drugs, drink, or thrill will satisfy you.
Only Christ will satisfy you because you were made for Him!
The second place we can experience joy and confidence is…
Purpose
The last place we can experience joy and confidence is…
Progress
Progress
Kingdom Progress
Kingdom Progress
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.
Somehow, God revealed to Paul that he was going to get out of prison and see the Philippians again.
I’m not sure if many of us will have that kind of Word from God.
Personally, I think about death quite a bit. I’ve sort of had to with my heart condition. My doctors say I’m healthy. Besides my cholesterol and blood pressure.
So they have said I should live a long time. But I don’t know that for certain. Only God does. Maybe he’ll tell me how long I have in the flesh.
I want to focus on what Paul said regarding what his release for prison was meant for…
25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith,
For
“Indicating motion into a thing or into its immediate vicinity or relation to something.”
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.
Glory in Christ: Benefiting from Christ being made BIG in their life.
Remaining alive and continuing with them was a movement towards building their faith, their joy, and their capacity for Christ being made big!
Do you know what this is called?
Kingdom Progress
Kingdom progress occurs when …
Christ gets bigger in depth of delight within His people
Christ gets bigger in width of witness by His people
Let me say something…
Perhaps our disappointment with current…
(I don’t want to say church progress)
Perhaps our disappointment with current Kingdom Progress is really due to the fact that most of us lack the attitude that Paul expressed here.
Remaining alive and continuing with them was a movement towards building their faith, their joy, and their capacity for Christ being made big!
Listen, if my heart’s desire, (heart’s greatest desire), is Christ…
If Christ is my desire.
If Christ is my delight!
Christ’s glory. Christ’s fame. Christ’s desires. Christ’s presence. Christ magnified.
Christ’s Kingdom’s Progress.
IF THIS IS WHAT I WANT!!
HE WILL GIVE IT TO ME!!
Whether in life or death!
People who hunger and thirst for righteousness WILL be satisfied!
This isn’t everyone in here. I know this. You know this. the word “Church” means gathered and called out people. What we are here is the church. But not everyone of this church has this attitude.
But this “Underground Church” - can’t stop magnifying Christ!
And neither can the Spirit who fills them!
What would happen if everyone in here caught this?
What would happen if everyone in here began repenting of sin! What if everyone in here began repenting of delighting in their work, their children, their food, their money, their secret sins, their pride, their arrogance, their anger, EVERYTHING THAT GETS IN THE WAY OF DELIGHTING IN CHRIST!
What what happen if we began to confess our sins instead of ignoring them and hiding them!
What would happen if everyone here began, this day forward, to wake up an hour earlier every morning just to pursue Christ in His Word and beg Him to bring himself glory in our lives?!
What would happen if ALL of our elders and deacons began to daily meditate on scripture and pray that scripture for 2-3 different church members by name every day!?
MEN, if you’re not already aiming to spend time with Christ, intentionally, daily, without distractions, and praying for these people, please, please, please REPENT! WE NEED YOUR PRAYERS! It pains me to say this, but if you can’t do this, then maybe you shouldn’t serve. But what would happen if you did do this?
What would happen if everyone here began to see Christ as their life!? To see Jesus as the only gain worth chasing and sharing?!
What would happen?
I’ll tell you…
KINGDOM PROGRESS
The last place we can experience joy and confidence is…
Progress
May we find joy and confidence in…
Prayer
Purpose
Progress
I’d like to take a moment for us to reflect and pray.
Let’s stand…
[Move to background song slide]
I’d love for everyone, tech booth, Band, everyone, to somehow participate.
This can be a private moment.
Or this can be shared.
If you need someone or a multiple someones to confess to or have pray over you then grab someone you feel comfortable with. We have some leaders in the back standing so that you can go pray with them or talk to them if you don’t have someone…
I’m going to guide us through this moment.
Lets all close our eyes. As eyes are closed, those who need to grab someone, now’s your chance, go get support.
With eyes closed…
Lets all ask His Spirit to move.
Ask Him to humble you and make you teachable…
Ask Him to humble others here and make them teachable…
“What do you want to say to me Jesus?” “What do you want to say to us?”
With eyes closed… Contemplate this:
“Is my plan for me Christ?”
“Holy Spirit, is my delight Christ?” Reveal it.
What desires overshadow Christ? Please help me to do whatever it takes to crush all desires that overshadow Christ.
What must we confess, what must we repent of?
Eyes still closed…
Paul’s church family was praying for his deliverance. But Paul knew deliverance wasn’t the gain He needed nor was deliverance from something what he lived for… Before we keep responding, it is imperative that we receive this same attitude and heart that Paul had. Whatever hardship you may be facing, ask the Spirit to make your desire less about loosing the hardship and more about gaining Christ.
I want to give an opportunity to anyone here who is in need of a deliverance from a hardship to go be prayed for. Do you need healing? deliverance from a sin struggle, a situation…
Maybe you need repent of your sin and confess Christ as Lord!
We have Elders and Deacons in the back back corners who can pray for you and over you.
We can start praise music whenever we are ready.
Let me pray for us!
‘Beautiful Eulogy’ by Beautiful Eulogy
Verse 1:
There used to be a time when we were fine living life with no particular religious bend. Pretending to be our own Gods defending our own systems of beliefs so as to not depend on anything other than our own self governing consent Defending an impending doom with no perceived need to concede or repent. Assuming our innocence in a sense to send the state of death only the inevitable end of everything we could never rightly understand or comprehend. We used to fear the unknown until God made Himself known in its own mending the relationship between God and men. Giving His life as a ransom for many when He died and ascended. And in that one event the certainty of eternal death was circumvented, making a way for the day when history stops and time suspends, spending eternity and fellowship that never ends. We see the greatest expression of God's love extended in that moment when those who were once enemies instead became God's friends
Hook
And when it is my time to go, go ahead and take me home I know I'll be with You, I know I'll be with You.
When it is my time to go, go ahead and take me home
Nowhere that I'd rather go I wanna be with you.
Verse 2
How sweet the gospel sounds to ears like mine, well acquainted with pain and strained relationships. Friendships that suffer from long distances or even worse they get severed from something more severe. And He still hasn't wiped away all of my tears yet; my cheeks get wet every now and then even when i give my best. I know I fall short, I get scared when the balls in my court, focused on my performance wretched and poor it makes the message more real when I preach it. I'm not there yet so I'm reachin', reachin' for the gold to stand before my king and be speechless, then, never again will I question if this grace is sufficient to cover my sin cuz death is gone and all the effects of the evil and wrong will be conquered when His kingdom comes. So this is my hope and my prayer the air that i breathe and eternity with lungs that never fail me. If it pleases my Lord and only by Your grace use my life til' its poured out for Your sake. Until then I'll remain where you have me with joy when I feel unhappy.
And a peace that surpasses all my understanding.
My life is in the hands of Your love everlasting.