Rev. David Holwick
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey        
March 8, 1998                                       
                                                      Philippians 1:20-26

                           I'D RATHER BE DEAD
                           ==================

  I. How do you feel about death?
      A. Kevorkian on a rampage.
          1) Not just terminally ill anymore.
              a) Next came uncontrollable pain, now it is disabilities.
          2) Lawyer - ask Christopher Reeves what he would think about it.
              a) Implied he would agree.
              b) Would he?
          3) He says he wants people to be in control of their deaths,
                but death seems to be in control of them.
      B. Most people don't want to die.
          1) Americans like to forget about death.
              a) Makes us feel gloomy.
              b) In a culture of youth, leaves a flat note.
          2) One man's phobia.

             Alfred Krupp was a famous manufacturer of weapons and bombs
                in Germany before World War I.
             He made his living producing instruments of death, but he
                himself had a dreadful fear of dying.
             If anyone even brought up the topic in his presence, he
                never forgave them.
             If any of his employees talked about it, they were fired.

             Once a relative who was visiting with him suddenly died.
                Krupp ran from the house in terror.
             Later, when his wife criticized him for what he did, he
                kicked her out and never lived with her again.

             When old age began to take its toll, he offered his doctor
                $1,000,000 if he would prolong his life ten years.
             All his money and fear made no difference, and Krupp died.
             If Krupp had become a Baptist, or even a Pentecostal, he
                still would have died.
                                                                    #4297
      C. Is death anything to look forward to?
          1) Eventually, we will all face it.
              a) Paul thought he might face it any day.
          2) He gives insight into how we should face death, and life.
              a) Christians win either way.

 II. Death is wonderful!
      A. Not always the Bible view.
          1) Incomplete picture in the Old Testament.
              a) Death separates us from God?             Isaiah 38:18-19
              b) Living dogs better off than dead kings.  Eccl 9:4
          2) Death is a great unknown.
              a) It is a unique experience for each of us.
                  1> No ghosts - no one comes back to give hints.
                  2> (except Jesus)
              b) Near Death Experiences are "near" but not "there."

      B. Paul preferred death.                                       1:23
          1) Not just ending of pain, uncertainty.
          2) For Paul, it means a closer union with Jesus.
              a) This life involves a few intense moments with Jesus.
                  1> Conversion, during devotions...
              b) Heaven will be continuously intense.
                  1> Made morally perfect.
                  2> Our minds will grasp wonder and knowledge of God.
                      A> 1 Cor 13:12.
              c) Side issue:  Heaven immediately follows death.
                  1> No wait (soul-sleep) for hundreds of years.
                  2> Death means being with Jesus.
                      A> Otherwise he would have no inner conflict.
          3) We should have a sense of joy about death.

III. Life is just as good.                                           1:22
      A. Life means being productive for Jesus.
          1) He knows the Philippians need him.                      1:24
          2) His release would be a great encouragement to them!     1:26
          3) Therefore he feels God will keep him alive.             1:25

      B. Everyone needs a reason to live.
          1) Apollo astronauts and let-down after landing on moon.

             It is not uncommon to find people without a reason for
                living.
             They simply exist until they can bear it no longer, or
                they fill their emptiness with meaningless pursuits.
             Other people have reasons for living, but no resources for
                living.
             Once they attain to their reason for living they are left
                disappointed or strangely empty.

             Many astronauts in America's space program experienced this.
             One of them said his whole life revolved around the mission
                to land on the moon.
             Once the mission was completed, he experienced a severe
                depression.
             He concluded that the only lasting reason for living had to
                be found in God, and so he became a Christian.
             Two other astronauts who went on the moon also became
                believers and are involved in Christian ministries.
                                                                    #4298
 IV. How should we face life and death issues?
      A. Be positive about death.
          1) If you are afraid of it, seek spiritual strength.
          2) The Bible contains many passages on hope.

      B. Some Christians are in a different situation.
         Our culture disregards death, and this has an impact on
            Christians.
         It causes us to clutch our possessions more tightly.
         We trust the security material things give us and avoid risking
            our lives for the service of God.
         Many Iranian believers, on the other hand, have learned Paul's
            perspective on death, and they, like him, provide an example
               for Western believers.

         Mehdi Dibaj, for example, was imprisoned by the government of
            Iran in 1984 on charges of "apostasy," since he had
               converted from Islam to Christianity.
         The penalty for this crime according to Islamic law was death.
         Mehdi languished in prison for ten years before his case came
            to trial.
         When it did, his written statement of defense was a simple and
            straightforward affirmation of commitment to Jesus Christ.
         The last few lines of that defense contain this remarkable
            paragraph:

            [Jesus Christ] is our Savior and he is the Son of God.
               To know him means to know eternal life.
            I, a useless sinner, have believed in him and all his words
               and miracles recorded in the gospel.
            I have committed my life into his hands.
            Life for me is an opportunity to serve him, and death is a
               better opportunity to be with Christ.
            Therefore I am not only satisfied to be in prison for the
               honor of his holy name, but am ready to give my life for
                  the sake of Jesus my Lord...

         On December 12, 1993, the court before whom this defense was
            made sentenced Mehdi to death.
         Then, under intense pressure from people in the West who knew of
            the case, including the U.S. State Department, the Iranians
               released him in January 1994.
         Seven months later, he was found dead "under suspicious
            circumstances" in a Teheran park.
         He was the third Christian murdered in Iran after his release
            from prison.
                                                                    #4299
          1) Is your faith strong enough to die for?

      C. In America we must have a better attitude toward living.
          1) Paul's secret was focusing on others.
              a) Life seem pointless?  Live for others.   see Rom 14:7-8
                  1> Many people are depressed because they center on
                        themselves.
                  2> Do something new in a community setting.
              b) Paul saw his life as being a source of joy to others.
                  1> (Are people filled with joy because of you??)
          2) We choose life because others need us.
              a) Meaning of life is not just whether we are happy or not.

  V. Get a motivation.
      A. "For me, to live is __________."
          1) Realistically, how would you fill in the blank?
              a) Assess your priorities.
          2) Paul had confidence because he had Jesus.
              a) His goal was that Jesus be exalted in him.

      B. Are YOU living for Christ?
          1) Every Christian has a ministry.
              a) What we do should show our lives have been changed by
                    Jesus.
              b) Serve Christ by serving others.
                  1> Too old or sick?
                  2> As long as you are breathing you can touch someone's
                        life.


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