Many are familiar with the story about the pastor who was speaking to children and asked them, “What is brown and furry with a big bushy tail?” After a long pause, a child replied, “I know the answer is Jesus, but it sure sounds like a squirrel to me.” When you ask children a question in Sunday School they often reply with the answer “Jesus!” even if that wasn’t the answer the teacher was looking for. Yet, that simple answer is exactly what our world needs today! (Sadly, many are instead chasing squirrels) My family’s life verse is Phil 1:21, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” The Greek phrase contains no verb. It simply says, “To live Christ, to die gain.” After you boil it down, isn’t that what Paul is saying here? The answer to life’s questions in a nutshell is Jesus Christ.
To say “to live is Christ” is like the first of many dominoes. Romans 10:14 speaks of these dominoes, “How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher?” In other words, believing in Jesus leads to learning about Jesus which then leads to teaching others. This is the basic way of making disciples, and making disciples is the purpose for the Church and every believer (Matt 28:19–20).
It is my privilege to serve as your associate pastor. I am here to encourage this process of believing, hearing, and teaching Jesus within the children’s ministries, student ministries, and adult ministries as well as in the worship ministries. A challenge for you: how do you fill in the blank: “To Live is ____________.” If it is not Christ but something else, then you would have to change the last part, “To die is loss.” The answer has to be Jesus Christ.
Pastor Phil
