Sermon Tone Analysis
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*Philippians V: The Meaning of Life*
*Philippians 1:20-26*
*/November 25, 2007/*
I am happy to let you know that we kind of have a *website* again.
It’s actually a *blog*, but it is *online*.
You can *subscribe* to a *Podcast* of the sermons just in case you don’t get enough of me on Sunday.
The address is www.tgcconline.com.
*The meaning of life*
What is the *meaning* of *life*?
Why are we *here*?
What is this all about?
That is kind of considered the *biggest* *philosophical* question of all time.
· But of course *we* all know the *real* *answer*: It’s 42.
· And I have just shown you how much of a *geek* I am, because that is from “*Hitchhiker’s* Guide to the *Galaxy*.”
Or if that doesn’t work for you, you could also watch *Monty* *Python’s* “The Meaning of Life,” which is even *funnier*, and *geekier*.
But I can’t recommend it because it’s quite *crude*.
· But worse than that, it is funny in a *depressing*, *nihilistic*, life-is-*meaningless* sort of way.
· It’s *British* *humor*.
It ends with a bunch of people going to *heaven*, presented as *three*-star *hotel*, decorated in *white*, where everyday is *Christmas*.
To top is all off is the *B-grade* *Vegas*-style *show*.
· An *eternity* of *that* would be *hell*, not heaven.
In today’s study in Philippines, we are going to hear what *Paul* says about the *Meaning* of *Life*.
As he *looks* at *death* sitting in jail, he tells us what life is all about.
· We will also see how Paul is *motivated* by the *hope* of an *eternity* spent with *Christ*.
Let’s turn there now: Phil.
1:20, page 831 in your pew Bibles.
I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me.
Yet what shall I choose?
I do not know!
I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.
Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.
/Philippians 1:20-26 NIV/
*To live is to die*
*Death* is a part of *life*.
With rare *exceptions*, to *live* is to *die*.
There have only been two – *Enoch* and *Elijah*.
And *losing* *people* is also part of life.
There probably isn’t a person here who has not been *affected* by *death* in some way.
· Even *this* *week*, as many of you know, the *stepfather* of *Art* Gibbons, who is one of our *elders*, passed away unexpectedly.
The *first* *death* that personally *impacted* me was when I was 15. *Alison* was the 12 year-old daughter of a family that we were very close to.
She had *Downs* *Syndrome* and died of *heart* *failure*.
I remember how much *fun* she was, even though she could be a *little* *ornery*.
I remember how much she loved *singing* *worship* songs.
And I remember watching her *fade* in the *final* *year*.
· As much as I loved Alison, I choose not to go to the funeral, because I was *scared* – *not* so much of *death*, but of *grieving*.
· And my *mother* did not press us to go, because she wanted to *protect* us from *death*.
*AVOIDING death*
Q: Isn’t that how we respond to death?
In *spite* of its *inevitability* we try to *ignore* it and *pretend* it won’t happen to us.
There was a time, not too long ago, that *death* was far more *visible*.
People died at *home*, in their *beds*.
Everyone had *watched* someone die.
Now they die surrounded by *machines*.
· We want to *avoid* *death*, to *avoid* *thinking* about it until the *last* *possible* moment.
Perhaps that is a *trick* of *Satan’s*.
How much *better* for him if all of us *died* without giving *death* a *thought*, *unprepared*, and never thinking about *what’s* *next*.
· From a *pastor’s* stand point, *funerals* are *great* because they *force* people to consider their own *morality*.
When we live fully *aware* of our own *mortality*, we live *differently*.
Most of the time, we live *better*.
*The meaning of life*
In Philippines, Paul is *facing* *death* awaiting trial and possible execution.
The *Philippians* *fretting* over the possible *loss* of their *mentor* and *friend*, but it’s obvious that his death will be a lot *harder* on *them* than on him.
· He faces death with *peace* and *hope*.
I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
/Philippians 1:20 NIV/
As he faces death, his only concern is that *Christ* be *exalted*, no matter what happens.
But talking about *life* and *death* seems to send him down a *philosophical* *trail*:
Q: What is the *meaning* of *life* and *death*?
Inspired by the *Holy* *Spirit*, Paul tells us *meaning* of *life*:
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.*
*/Philippians 1:21 NIV /
· As *profound* as it is *short*, this statement is the simplest *summary* of the *Christian* *life* I can think of.
It even had a really *catchy* *sound* to the Greek hearers.
They had a *motto*: zh~/n Crhsto.j
(/Zayn chraystos/) which meant “*Life* is *good*,” not unlike the old *Miller* *Lite* Commercials.
· But Paul says zh~/n Cristo.j,
(/Zayn christos/) “To live is Christ.”
*To live is christ*
When Paul says “to live is Christ” he’s saying “life *means* Christ,” which is how a couple of translations *translate* it.
To Paul, *physical* and *spiritual* life is *summed* up in Christ.
Life is *filled* *up* with and *occupied* *by* Christ.
Everything Paul *does*, *loves*, *hopes*, *obeys*, and *preaches* is inspired by Christ and is *done* *for* Christ.
· Christ, and Christ alone, gives *inspiration*, *direction*, *meaning*, and *purpose* to existence.
· He is the meaning of life.
*To die is gain*
If to live *is* *not* Christ, then *death* won’t be *gain*, because it will be the *end* of *everything* were *tempted* to call “*living*.”
Q: How do *you* fill in this *blank*: “For me, to live is _____.”
For many people, the answer would be “To live is *career*,” or *family*, *money*, *sex*, *friends*, *church*, or *food*.
If any of these things are your life, then *death* can only be *loss*, because they are *temporary* and *passing*.
It’s *not* that any of them are bad; all of them *come* from *God*, and are part of what make *life* a *joy*.
But they make a *lousy* *purpose* for life.
And *without* *Christ*, they will *lost* at death.
But if Christ is our life, our *central* *purpose* and *motivation*, then *death* will be *gain*, and many of these things, *family* *friends*, and even *money*, can have *eternal* *value*.
· Some day I will do a *sermon* on how to *invest* money *eternally*.
But for that to happen, there is that important “*if*~/*then*.”
· *If*, for me to live is Christ, *then* to die will be gain.
*To die is loss*
For many people, death *will* *not* be gain.
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