“… 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.” (Philippians 1:20, ESV)
SORRY EVERYONE, WE HAD AN INTERNET OUTAGE! ALL DAY YESTERDAY! I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ON THE SITE! I PRAY YOU ARE ALL DOING WELL! I LOVE YOU IN CHRIST JESUS!
In the movie, “Saving Private Ryan”, a former soldier walked around a cemetery filled with his friends who had died in battle. He was a survivor. A part of him felt the guilt of outliving his best friends from his military days. Then, he looked at his wife and said, “Please tell me I have been a good man.” He wanted to be sure his being saved was worth it. He wanted confirmation that these soldiers in the cemetery had not died in vain.
When faced with uncertainty or death, you might be tempted to do the same. You might look back on your life and wonder what you could have done differently or if your life meant something to this world. You might wonder if you made the right choices. You might regret the decisions that brought sorrow or shame. In those last moments, ready your soul to face God. Judgment Day is coming. Your life will be examined. Your choices will be weighed by the Almighty. How will you fare? What will be your fate?
One Sunday morning, I approached the sanctuary, getting ready to lead worship. The organist was playing the prelude. People were being seated. The choir was in place. I sent in the acolyte to light the candles. As I stood at the door at the back of a sanctuary, one of the older men in the congregation turned toward me. Our eyes met. He smiled and nodded. I nodded in return. That small action by him gave me further courage to get up in that pulpit and offer up a faithful sermon to our God in Christ.
Two years later, that older gentleman lay dying in the hospital. I went to see him. When I walked into his room, I could see he was weak. Cancer had run its course. He was lying in bed with little energy. He had two days to live. Knowing his fate, he looked up at me as I walked in. A smile came across his face. But a shadow also loomed there. His eyes were not their normal fiery bright. They were dimmed. Death was coming for him. We both knew it. Surprised no family was in the room (they were always there beside him), I asked how he was doing. He told me that he didn’t have long. Then, he looked up and said, “Pastor, I’m afraid. I don’t know if I’m ready for this.” I held his hand. I reminded him of his faith, of the love he had for his church, of his commitment to Christ. We talked about Jesus’ resurrection. We talked about being faithful in his death as much as he was in life. I asked him to have courage and to trust in God’s power over death. We prayed a powerful prayer together. During the prayer, I asked him to recommit himself to God’s plan for his final days. When I left, I could see his weakness, but the fire had come back to those eyes. He was ready to face his death. He would hold on tightly to faith in Jesus all the way.
The Apostle Paul wrote the scripture for today while under arrest by the Roman Government. His faith in Jesus Christ brought that arrest. His trial was looming. The potential for his death was real. How many days did he have left? What would happen in the next few months? As these questions came to Paul’s mind, he wrote the scripture above to the Philippian church. In looking ahead to the looming trials to come, Paul “hoped that he would not be ashamed” (Philippians 1:20). He was “full of courage” that he was close to God in Christ. He knew one way or another, no matter what happened, “Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death”. As Paul faced the last few days of his life, he had courage that his faith would be strong. He had courage to face the unknown, knowing that Jesus was his Savior. Jesus had been raised from the dead, so could he. If anything, Paul wanted his last days and death to be a testament to his faith in Jesus Christ.
If you died this week to the coronavirus, what would be your legacy? Are you ready to face your Maker? What regrets would you have? Would you have the courage to face the unknown? The Apostle Paul faced his final days “with full courage” knowing that Jesus was his Savior. He knew death was not the end. Paul’s soul was made right by the grace and mercy of God. Now, facing death, he was at peace. In a short time, he was going to be in Heaven.
Your choices and decisions in life will follow you into your last days. They will affect how you feel when you are dying. If you have unresolved guilt and unrepentant sins, they will follow you into your last moments, causing fear and regret. Those regrets will also haunt you unto Judgment Day. Be careful what you do in your life. If you have been faithful, you will feel full of courage to face the unknown. If you have regrets and sins still looming, you will be full of doubt and remorse. God wants you to deal with all your fears and misgivings today, so you will have “full courage” in your final days to be faithful in death as in life.
If you have any regrets, make them right. If you have any sins that are unresolved, seek forgiveness and grace. If you need to get something off your chest, get it done. If you need to rekindle your faith, do it now. If you need a stronger faith, search scripture for ways to build it up. If you have doubts, resolve them. If you have fears, find courage in Jesus Christ. If you feel lost, find God again. There is no reason to face the end of your life will misgivings or in dread. Let your last legacy be one of a faith that would not quit, even in the face of death.
In the movie, “Saving Private Ryan”, a former soldier walked around a cemetery filled with his friends who had died in battle. He was a survivor. A part of him felt the guilt of outliving his best friends from his military days. Then, he looked at his wife and said, “Please tell me I have been a good man.” He wanted to be sure his being saved was worth it. He wanted confirmation that these soldiers in the cemetery had not died in vain.
When faced with uncertainty or death, you might be tempted to do the same. You might look back on your life and wonder what you could have done differently or if your life meant something to this world. You might wonder if you made the right choices. You might regret the decisions that brought sorrow or shame. In those last moments, ready your soul to face God. Judgment Day is coming. Your life will be examined. Your choices will be weighed by the Almighty. How will you fare? What will be your fate?
One Sunday morning, I approached the sanctuary, getting ready to lead worship. The organist was playing the prelude. People were being seated. The choir was in place. I sent in the acolyte to light the candles. As I stood at the door at the back of a sanctuary, one of the older men in the congregation turned toward me. Our eyes met. He smiled and nodded. I nodded in return. That small action by him gave me further courage to get up in that pulpit and offer up a faithful sermon to our God in Christ.
Two years later, that older gentleman lay dying in the hospital. I went to see him. When I walked into his room, I could see he was weak. Cancer had run its course. He was lying in bed with little energy. He had two days to live. Knowing his fate, he looked up at me as I walked in. A smile came across his face. But a shadow also loomed there. His eyes were not their normal fiery bright. They were dimmed. Death was coming for him. We both knew it. Surprised no family was in the room (they were always there beside him), I asked how he was doing. He told me that he didn’t have long. Then, he looked up and said, “Pastor, I’m afraid. I don’t know if I’m ready for this.” I held his hand. I reminded him of his faith, of the love he had for his church, of his commitment to Christ. We talked about Jesus’ resurrection. We talked about being faithful in his death as much as he was in life. I asked him to have courage and to trust in God’s power over death. We prayed a powerful prayer together. During the prayer, I asked him to recommit himself to God’s plan for his final days. When I left, I could see his weakness, but the fire had come back to those eyes. He was ready to face his death. He would hold on tightly to faith in Jesus all the way.
The Apostle Paul wrote the scripture for today while under arrest by the Roman Government. His faith in Jesus Christ brought that arrest. His trial was looming. The potential for his death was real. How many days did he have left? What would happen in the next few months? As these questions came to Paul’s mind, he wrote the scripture above to the Philippian church. In looking ahead to the looming trials to come, Paul “hoped that he would not be ashamed” (Philippians 1:20). He was “full of courage” that he was close to God in Christ. He knew one way or another, no matter what happened, “Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death”. As Paul faced the last few days of his life, he had courage that his faith would be strong. He had courage to face the unknown, knowing that Jesus was his Savior. Jesus had been raised from the dead, so could he. If anything, Paul wanted his last days and death to be a testament to his faith in Jesus Christ.
If you died this week to the coronavirus, what would be your legacy? Are you ready to face your Maker? What regrets would you have? Would you have the courage to face the unknown? The Apostle Paul faced his final days “with full courage” knowing that Jesus was his Savior. He knew death was not the end. Paul’s soul was made right by the grace and mercy of God. Now, facing death, he was at peace. In a short time, he was going to be in Heaven.
Your choices and decisions in life will follow you into your last days. They will affect how you feel when you are dying. If you have unresolved guilt and unrepentant sins, they will follow you into your last moments, causing fear and regret. Those regrets will also haunt you unto Judgment Day. Be careful what you do in your life. If you have been faithful, you will feel full of courage to face the unknown. If you have regrets and sins still looming, you will be full of doubt and remorse. God wants you to deal with all your fears and misgivings today, so you will have “full courage” in your final days to be faithful in death as in life.
If you have any regrets, make them right. If you have any sins that are unresolved, seek forgiveness and grace. If you need to get something off your chest, get it done. If you need to rekindle your faith, do it now. If you need a stronger faith, search scripture for ways to build it up. If you have doubts, resolve them. If you have fears, find courage in Jesus Christ. If you feel lost, find God again. There is no reason to face the end of your life will misgivings or in dread. Let your last legacy be one of a faith that would not quit, even in the face of death.