WHETHER I LIVE OR DIE…

Dearly Beloved, WHETHER I LIVE OR DIE… “According to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:20-21 NKJV). I had the opportunity of attending a funeral service of a nineteen-year-old young man during my visit to the United States recently. This service was a unique one from any other funeral service I ever attended in many ways. One, I could not imagine that it would be that well attended with people both young and old from far and near. Two, in spite of the fact that the deceased was just a teenager, the service was not a mourning or sad one as people testified to the good and exemplary Christian life of the deceased. Three, the parents of deceased were in attendance. The father, who is a pastor, was the one that even preached at the service. Four, the funeral service was turned into a revival service where many teenagers openly gave their lives to Jesus Christ, and many others rededicated their lives to live for Jesus Christ. This fourth reason really made the death of the teenager to be an eternal gain for the people that gave or rededicated their lives to Jesus Christ. The life and death of this young man fulfilled the aspiration of Apostle Paul (and coincidentally mine) in Philippians 1:20-21. Apostle Paul was in a prison in Rome when he uttered the statement that he earnestly expected and hoped that Jesus Christ would be magnified in his body whether by life of by death. His life did magnify Jesus Christ. He lived for Christ and vigorously witnessed about the Christian faith. Because of these, he was beaten, stoned, hated, scorned, shipwrecked, and particularly imprisoned. In fact, he could boast that he worked harder than any other apostles by the grace of God (see 1 Corinthians 15:9-10). Most of the books of the New Testament were attributed to him. Undoubtedly, his death also did magnify Jesus Christ. He later explained further that his death would be gain because that would be far better for he would ultimately be with Christ in heaven. However, the death of that young man referred to earlier was not only gain for him in heaven, but also gain for many people here on earth because his death and burial brought them to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. O, how I wish that whether I live or die, my life would be gain for other people and me! Gain for me because I will go and be with my Lord, and gain for others because it will encourage them to draw closer to God. Could your life or death be gain for you and other people? Only those who live for Jesus Christ can be gain to themselves and others when they die. Whether I live or die, my life or death will be gain for others and me. What of you? In His service, Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor). Prayer Point: Pray that your life will be gain for you and others around you whether you live or die.