Rev. Colin Bagby

​​Phil. 1:20-30 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

21   For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. 23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: 24 Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. 25 And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; 26 That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.

 27   Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; 28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. 29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; 30 Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

Reflection:
When Billy Graham died a famous quotation of his was tweeted every 15 seconds on Twitter: Someday you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it. I shall be more alive than I am now. I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God.

 It captures Graham’s evangelical spirit and what drove him to be one of the most important figures in the American church. He desired, above all, to share the good news that death did not have the last word and that even his own death should be marked with celebration – that God’s work continued even in and with the death of someone like Billy Graham. Granted, Graham’s quotation wasn’t original to him. D.L. Moody said something similar in 1900: Some day you will read in the papers that D. L. Moody, of East Northfield, is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it! At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now. I shall have gone up higher, that is all; out of this old clay tenement into a house that is immortal—a body that death cannot touch; that sin cannot taint; a body fashioned like unto His glorious body.

This sentiment – that our deaths are only the beginning of our eternal life with Christ – echoes Paul’s famous line from this passage in Philippians. To live is Christ, and to die is gain. Moody and Graham’s words are heavily weighted to the second half of this verse. They claim death is an amplification; that death is ultimately a good thing. I’ll be upfront. I have never said, nor would I recommend saying, “it’s better that you die” in a pastoral care conversation.

I think we’ve emphasized the second half of Paul’s words more than the first: to live is Christ. That is, it’s good to be alive! While alive and embodied creatures we are presented with countless opportunities to imitate Christ. We are available to share the good news about Jesus in every moment. We can be physically present with someone who is dying or with someone who is grieving. We can “strive side by side,” as Paul says, because we are still alive!

I don’t think we should diminish the good news that death is not the end. I believe that. I preach that. I want to share that; but, the other side of that good news is that being alive gives us the chance to live as Christ before death. Live as Christ – imitate him, share about him, serve him – so that even in death others may shape their lives around Christ, too.

Prayer:
Gracious God, we confess that sometimes we aim at the afterlife before we pay attention to our present living. Keep us present. Enable us to imitate you. Strive alongside us in every moment. Through Jesus Christ, the author and perfector of our human lives. Amen.