Now once again let us turn to
the Epistle of Paul to the Philippians and the first chapter and this
evening we'll read verses 22 to 24. That's the first chapter
in the Epistle of Paul to the Philippians and reading chapter
22 and 24. But if I live in the flesh This is the fruit of my labour,
yet what I shall choose I want not, for I am in a strait betwixt
two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which
is far better. Nevertheless, to abide in the
flesh is more needful for you. So we see in these verses the
apostle really continues the theme which we thought about
last Friday and as we concluded our meditation on that occasion
with the 21st verse which tells us for me to live is Christ and
to die is gain. The apostle was a godly man the
Apostle, by the grace of God, sets forth the grace in his spiritual
life, which was indeed set forth in his continual desire to know
the Lord Jesus Christ, to know him more, to serve him, to love
him, and indeed at last to be found in glory with him. So we have a wonderful account
really of all the words that the Apostle brings before us
in his epistles and in the Acts of the Apostles. And when we
think of his statements in that verse, the 21st verse, and also
in these verses here tonight, we see that his heart and his
mind was set upon glory. set upon that great time when
he, by the grace of God, would be with the Lord Jesus Christ,
never to part again. And perhaps we can think of the
Apostle. He gives us a record of the occasion
when he was caught up into the third heaven. He was very blessed.
And we can read about that in the twelfth chapter of the second
epistle to the Corinthians. And this 12th chapter gives us
a little insight into the wonderful blessing that he had. He tells
us, It is not expedient for me, doubtless to glory. I will come
to visions and revelations of the Lord. I knew a man in Christ
about 14 years ago, whether in the body I cannot tell, or whether
out of the body I cannot tell, God knoweth, such and one caught
up with a third heaven. And I knew such a man, whether
in the body or out of the body, I cannot tell, God knoweth, how
that he was caught up into paradise and heard unspeakable words,
which it is not lawful for a man to utter. of such a one would
I glory, yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities."
And so there we have a little view, a little thought, a little
truth of what the Apostle was able to tell the Corinthians. And we only really read of it
on this one occasion, And yet, as you said, it was 14 years
ago. And I'm sure we can understand
that Paul is here speaking in the third person about himself,
about a wonderful revelation he had. And of course, we know
that he was, in fact, the apostle that was ordained by God to take
the place of Judas Iscariot. And therefore, he had had this
wonderful vision to bring him really into line with the other
apostles who had indeed walked with the Saviour on the earth.
It is a wonderful testimony and we can therefore believe that
those things that he sets before us in these verses, in the first
epistle to the Philippians, really he relies perhaps upon, in its
utmost perhaps, in his thoughts, that wonderful revelation when
he was caught up into paradise. And that's what he calls it,
into paradise. The same word that the Saviour
used on the cross of the dying thief. And it is that place to
which all the Church of God, by God's grace, will one day
come. To that inheritance which is
incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away. Well, these
Three verses this evening just give us a little more insight
into his desire, into the life that he desired to live, and
his great esteem for the Saviour. For if I live in the flesh, this
is the fruit of my labour, that which he desired to set before
the people. The fruit of his labour was a
crucified Christ. When he wrote to the Galatians,
he speaks about that In the second chapter, in the 20th verse, he
says, I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live. Yet not
I, but Christ liveth in me. In the life which I now live,
in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved
me and gave himself for me. Well, that was true of the apostles. It's wonderful to realize that
it's true of the whole Church of God. None are exempt, none
are cast out. What a blessing it is then to
have that faith, to believe these truths as written and as spoken
by the Apostles have a glorious application to ourselves. I'm
worthy as we are and I'm sure as the Holy Spirit leads us and
directs us. We're under no misunderstanding
of the greatness of the mercy and favor of God to bring us
into this condition and into this position. And so he says,
yet what I shall choose I want not. He didn't know really what
to choose because they are set before him Indeed, those truths
that we already referred to in 21st verse, for to me, to live
is Christ and to die is gain. So therefore, whatever his position,
it was well with his soul. Well, my life endured and well
when caused to die. Now, these things, of course,
are high things, but we shouldn't think they are irrelevant to
us. we should be concerned that we
understand something of the testimony, something of the experience that
the Apostle Paul speaks of. It may perhaps only be just a
glimpse from time to time. What a blessing if we have received
a glimpse of glory, a glimpse of Emmanuel's Lamb, a glimpse
to believe that one day by his grace, we shall be with Christ,
which is far better. And that's why the apostle goes
on to say, he said, what I should choose, I what not. He didn't
know what to think really. For I am in a straight betwixt
two. He was in a situation. There
he was between two positions and he was there and didn't know
what to think. And the two conditions were this. Firstly, having a
desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better. And secondly, notwithstanding
to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. That wasn't,
of course, an eternal abiding. It was just a temporary abiding
to remain and to be with the Church of God, to encourage them,
and to strengthen them. Well it's a good thing isn't
it that we have an account like this to encourage us because
as we often look at ourselves perhaps we can think can ever
God dwell here? Can ever I have such wonderful
desires like this? Perhaps we have to confess that
we're fearful. We're fearful perhaps of our
true condition. What a blessing it is when God
comes and confirms to us the wonderful blessing of his spirit
in our soul, that he's done that for us, which you and I could
not do for ourselves. I'm sure you know it's a statement
I often make, and I'm sure it's a very true statement. And perhaps
we need to ponder our little lives to look back and to be
able to thank God for his love, for his mercy, for his condescension
in not leaving us and not casting us away, but being gracious to
us and in measure revealing himself unto us as he does not unto the
world. And don't forget that very beautiful
statement, a little that a righteous man hath is better than the treasures
of many wicked. So as the Lord has come and touched
our heart and enabled us perhaps just for a very, very short time
to look beyond this life, to paradise at last, and given us
a little gracious anticipation of that time. We don't know what
it's like there. We're told, I hath not seen nor
ear heard, but nonetheless we can believe It is truly paradise
and Jesus in the midst. And so the apostle comes and
the apostle tells us having a desire to depart. It's a great blessing
if just for a short moment or two, God blesses us with this
desire. And it's not to just depart out
of trouble. Many people want to get rid of
trouble and many people commit suicide to get rid of trouble. But no, this was a complete difference. Having a desire to depart and
to be with Christ. That's why he wanted to depart.
Which he tells us is far better. Well, the Apostle had been caught
up into paradise and therefore had some idea that it was indeed
far better. what a mercy for us today if
God gives us that grace to look beyond the things of time to
those things which are eternal. You know the apostle had a humble
confidence did he not and as we read together in that fifth
chapter in the Corinthians second epistle therefore we are always
confident you know we should desire to be confident of God's
work within us and to believe what he's done and to believe
in the prospect before us. Therefore, we are always, says
the apostle, confident knowing that whilst we're at home in
the body, we are absent from the Lord. But how true that is,
what a blessing it is then that the Holy Spirit leads us into
these truths with a real desire to be with Christ which without
any doubt is far better because being with Christ is that place
where there is no sin, nothing to bring sorrow into our hearts,
no crying, no weeping, but eternal joy and happiness. And so we can see it must be
far better to depart and to be with Christ. But then he says,
nevertheless, in the providence of God to abide in the flesh
is more needful for you. Needful for the Church of God
to have Paul with them for a bit longer, to declare the great
and glorious truths of the Gospel, to preach Christ and Him crucified
as He spoke so beautifully, I determine not to know anything among men,
save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And what a wonderful account
we are able to read of the truth of those words as the apostle
goes forth to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. Well, may we
meditate upon these great truths and pray that the words here
might truly be our desire, may truly be our experience, may
truly be our testimony. But if I live in the flesh, This
is the fruit of my labour, yet what I should he choose, I want
not, for I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart
and to be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless,
to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. Amen.