One Goal: To Live Is Christ

Good Morning. Our epistle lesson today began with Paul’s word’s:

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.

When the Bible gives you a warning, it is there for a reason. Paul assumes his readers assume that they have lots of time, and don’t need to worry about making the best use of their time. Safe assumption that they’re thinking that, as we can all do that, although the death of a friend like Lori can shake that feeling.

Paul was writing to Christians living in prosperous cities in what is today Turkey, cities much more like today than you might think. There was peace in the land, because Rome was in charge, you didn’t have to worry about invasions and drafts.

But Paul says, don’t trust the world or its peace, look carefully, be wise, and seek the will of God. Paul wrote these words as he was chained to guards, facing a death sentence in Rome, and Paul lived out these words.

Facing death helps to focus the mind. It even helps unbelievers who have lived their lives open defiance of God. When death comes around, the lack of serious reflection on the meaning of life is gone. And even the most defiant heart will suddenly become humble in the face of what the Bible calls, “The Last Enemy.” The enemy that no one can avoid until the Lord returns.

Even unbelievers, when they face death, will seek in vain to die the death of the righteous. Though they may deny a belief in God, when all the arguments have ended, and all the words have been spoken, their claims of the meaningless of life suddenly go out the window, as they fear for their legacy.

And their unrighteous colleagues will try to remember them for what was good in them. Death focuses the mind, and takes away all the nonsense. It throws away all the side issues and helps you to think seriously about the meaning of life.

Paul points us to live with purity of heart, not foolishly, looking for temporary pleasures that leave us empty later on, like drunkenness, but seeking God’s will for us.

One Christian theologian said this:

Purity of heart is to desire one thing. Those who are pure in heart are those who have one goal and who live for that, and who die for that, and there is nothing else. Anything else in their life is subordinate to that one goal.

Death helps us to focus on what matters most. What is that one thing in our hearts? Along with his epistle to the Ephesians, Paul wrote a letter to the Philippians while he was sitting in his chains in Rome. In that epistle, he shared some more personal greetings about how facing death has helped him to focus on true priorities in this life as a follower of Christ.

In Philippians 1, Paul recognizes how hard it is to see what that God is planning in our lives, even for him. He doesn’t know if he will live or die. But first, he tells that the first thing they need to do is to recognize the Wisdom of God when they undergo times of Hardship. 12-14

Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.

Paul was falsely accused by some who didn’t want him preaching about Jesus, and the hope we have. You can read about that in Acts, beginning at chapter 21. He most likely had already had his trial by now, and is awaiting the Emperor to deliver a verdict. Meanwhile, the Philippians have written him a letter! That’s a switch. Not only written him, but sent him financial support along with their love and prayers.

Paul had been their spiritual mentor and now they are afraid to lose him. They are afraid that if Paul dies, literally gets murdered for the faith, that the Gospel would stop being spread, since its greatest preacher was quieted.

Paul begins by telling them, “No, it doesn’t work that way. These trials actually advance the gospel.” God has a plan so that regardless of what happens to me, the Gospel has been spread in an amazing way.

AND LET ME TELL YOU HOW.

As a result of his imprisonment, Paul tells us the whole Praetorian Guard has heard the Gospel! So, you ask, who were they? The Praetorian Guard were the Secret Service of their day, the official bodyguards of the Roman Emperor and all the Government. But when a prisoner was in custody, they were required to be chained to the prisoner alternating throughout the day.