Our November study is based off of Philippians: Joy in the Midst, by Carrie Gaul.

To begin, I want to share a true story that was shared in a sermon decades ago. I do not remember the speaker. Yet, this story was one that helped to change my life.

The speaker, a missionary, I believe, told of a national who had come to know Christ and preach Him. He was hated by the rebels in the area. One day, they came after him with weapons. He ran and ran with them in pursuit. Suddenly a thought struck him. If they killed him, he would be with Jesus immediately. He stopped, turned around, and said something to the effect of “Kill me. I will see Jesus” His pursuers were stunned and left.

Today’s verse shows that Paul had the same perspective of death.

Philippians 1:21, “²¹ For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

How could he have this perspective on death? He knew that death just meant going to be with Jesus. His perspective was eternal. Do you long to be with Christ? I am not talking about a morbid fascination with death, but a correct perspective in seeing it as going to be with Christ.

Let’s look at a few other Scriptures:

• 2 Corinthians 5:6-8, “⁶ Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: ⁷ (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) ⁸ We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”
• Philippians 1:21-23, “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:”
• 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, “¹³ But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. ¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. ¹⁵ For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: ¹⁷ Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

This perspective brings new peace and joy to our lives. We do not need to fear death. It means we meet our Savior face to face.