Sermon Series: Jesus-Everything We Need 

A "Ride Plan" for Eternity 

Philippians 1:21 

CBC, Bishop 3/16/03

In a nutshell: Authentic Christianity is not anything but surrender to the leadership of Jesus, letting Him exchange His perfection for my sin, and belief that those are the only things that will give me eternity in heaven with God. (Much thanks goes to Rev. J. David Hoke, who through his sermon in this verse, helped me with ideas for the first part of this message.)

I. Introduction

A. Motorcycle Ride plan

My friend Billie Snell was going to visit this weekend from the Palm Springs area. But because of the inclement weather, we both decided that we had better postpone his trip until later.

Billie is one of the Ride Captains for the motorcycle club I helped start in Palm Springs. As a ride captain, one of his jobs is to come up with a ride plan for the group to follow, that will get the group from point "A" to point "B" in the safest way possible. That was one of the reasons he was coming up here, was to help me scout roads and routes so we could come up with some ride plans for that motorcycle club to ride when they come up here for Mule Days.

Having a ride plan is something that is very important in the motorcycling community. Because of that, the people leading the rides… -always know how the route from point "A" to point "B", -study maps to help decide what roads to ride on and what roads to stay away from, -plan out where they're going to stop for gas, and how far riders can go on a tank of gas, -plan on who's going to lead the ride; -check the weather to know what kind of gear to bring; and -decide on where to meet and when to leave, and when to plan for return. That's just common sense. It's one of the main things that keeps people who ride in groups safe, and helps the get to their destination in one piece. Every motorcyclist knows the importance of a ride plan. To go on an extended ride without one would be just plain foolishness!

B. Heaven or Hell

And I view life in much the same way. To go through life without a plan for what's going to happen after this life, is just plain foolishness! And that's where Christianity comes into play.

You see, Christianity, in reality, is a ride plan designed to get us from this life to the next-to what we call eternity. And eternity is nothing to trifle with. Because it lasts forever. You see, eternity isn't just another 60-80 years, like we can expect out of life here on earth. Eternity is eternal. There is nothing beyond it. There is nothing at the end of eternity. Eternity, by its very definition, has no end.

So, it's foolish not to have a ride plan for eternity. You had better be sure, you had better choose a good source to believe, and you had better prepare…, because eternity is a long, long time. It has no end.

That's why I've chosen (and most of you have chosen) Christianity as our ride plan. We have examined the alternatives, and we've chosen Christianity to get us where we want to go in eternity. We've chosen Christianity to bridge the chasm that exists between the Holy God of the universe, and unholy humans.

You see, God's dwelling place is Heaven. He is holy, and we are not. And our un-holiness or sinfulness does not allow God and us to mix. By definition, where un-holiness exists, God cannot dwell. And were God does not dwell is a place called Hell. So, to go to Hell for eternity, you don't have to do a thing. You will go there, "ipso facto", at the end of your life on earth, because your sin separates you from God.

But if you want heaven as your destination for eternity, rather than hell for eternity, you have to have a ride plan that will get you where you want to go. Because, rather than what many macho-tough-guy-types want to tell us, Hell is not a place to eternally party with your rowdy friends. Hell is a place where God is not, where joy is not, where rewards are not, and where peace is not. Hell is not an eternal party place. It is HELL!

C. Transition

Now, when I talk about Christianity, I use several different terms to describe it. I call it a relationship with Jesus Christ. Knowing God. Having faith in Jesus Christ. A relationship, not a religion. My faith. But all those terms mean the same thing. They all refer to what the Bible says is the only way, the only truth and the only life that will get any person to an eternity in heaven, rather than an eternity in hell. It's as simple as that.

But saying all that, in today's world, to a lot of people, it is very unclear exactly what Christianity is all about. And if that's the case with you this morning, my goal is to try and clear things up.

Now, if this were a class in school, and I was your teacher, and I gave you an assignment to write an essay entitled, "What is Christianity?," what would you write?

Well, what we're going to look at this morning, in one single verse in the book of Philippians, is in my opinion, one of the greatest statements of the essence of true Christianity that you will find anywhere in literature. And as we look at this description, we're going to see that it not only shows us what Christianity is, it indicates to us what Christianity is not.

The verse I'm referring to is short and to the point. In fact, I won't even ask you to look it up in your Bibles this morning. Instead, we'll put it right up on the screen…

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

II. What true Christianity is NOT

It is absolutely amazing to me, how many wrong ideas there are floating around in our culture today about what it means to be a Christian. It boggles my mind to hear what many people think makes them a Christian. Let me show you several of these wrong ideas this morning.

A. Christianity by geography

Some people believe in the "born in America" definition of Christianity. The belief is that, because you were born in the United States of America, or live in the United States, you are a Christian. I call this Christianity by geography.

There are a lot of people who believe that because they were born in the right place, at the right time in history, they are Christian. The thought is that since America has been called "a Christian nation", anyone living here is a Christian.

But this just isn't true. In fact, a very good argument can be made that with the plurality of religions that are in American today, we are anything but a Christian nation.

But even with Christianity being the dominant religion in the United States, and the religion that most of our founding fathers held to, that is not what makes you a Christian. Christianity by geography doesn't cut it.

B. Christianity by heredity

Another wrong idea about Christianity says that a person is a Christian because he or she had Christian parents. I call this Christianity by heredity. Some people actually believe that the Christian faith is like the family business-- it is something passed down from one generation to another. Folks, that is not true. My wife Diane can trace her Christian heritage back six generations. But none of that was inherited. Each person in her family-each cousin, sister, father, mother, aunt, uncle, son and daughter had to make an individual decision to embrace Christianity.

Illustration: When our daughter, Jori, was six years old, I took her on a business trip with me from California to Chicago where she could visit my parents on the farm, while I was attending meetings. At the end of my week, I brought home a video tape of a woman by the name of Ethel Barrett telling the story of the Bible from Adam and Eve to Jesus. We sat down and watched it together. At the end of the story, where it talked about Jesus dying on the cross and being God's sacrifice for sin, Jori turned to me, with tears in her eyes, and asked, "Daddy, did Jesus die for me?" And after I explained things a little further, Jori bowed her head and prayed, asking Jesus to be the forgiver of her sins and the leader of her life…personally.

At that point, my faith and her mother's faith, became her faith. It didn't happen before that. It didn't happen through heredity. It only took place through her personal decision.

C. Christianity by avoiding the "biggies".

Still other people believe that you are a Christian because you don't do really bad things. I call this Christianity by avoiding the "biggies".

These people believe that if you just stay away from the really big sins that you'll be all right and you'll get to heaven. People who believe in Christianity by avoiding the "biggies" think that because they have not committed murder or adultery or grand theft auto that God will have to let them into heaven.

But believing in Christianity by avoiding the "biggies" has one major flaw. Because of that one flaw, it just doesn't work. The flaw simply is this…who defines big sins versus little sins. It all becomes relative. My "biggies" may not be your "biggies". So, who decides? How do you know? The bottom line is that Christianity by avoiding the "biggies" doesn't work, either.

D. Christianity by morality

Still others hold a fourth wrong belief about Christianity. They believe that if they live a good life, then they're a Christian. I call this Christianity by morality. These people believe that trying to do your best is good enough. They believe that if you're sincere, and that if you're intentions are good… you have met God's standard.

The problem with Christianity by morality is that it is based on arbitrary comparisons. Sure, you may be more moral than someone else, but then again there is always someone who is more moral than you. How do you stack up to the apostle Paul, or Mother Theresa? How do you stack up to Billy Graham?

The issue Christianity by morality doesn't address is that the holiness of God demands your morality has to be perfect. You must be totally without sin. And nobody, but one person in all of history, achieved that. So, Christianity by morality doesn't work, either.

E. Christianity by addition

Still others believe that you're a Christian because you do a certain quota of good works. If you add enough good deeds to your life, God will have to accept you. I call this Christianity by addition. The thought is that if you do more good things than bad things, then that makes the difference, and God will have to let you into heaven.

But if this is your ride plan, you're going to run into a gnarly old problem-it's called perfection. None of us has it! The fact is that we are all sinners. We have all, at one time or another disobeyed God's commands, or His desires, or His direction. We have all missed God's mark of a perfect life. And the justice of God cannot overlook those things.

The justice of God demands a penalty be paid for sin. And either that penalty has to be paid by you-the one who sinned-or by a perfect person who takes your penalty on him or herself, voluntarily. There is no getting around this. The penalty for your sins must be paid either by you or by someone without sin. Doing good doesn't balance out doing bad. So, Christianity by addition doesn't work, either.

F. Christianity by osmosis

Yet another wrong idea about Christianity says that you're a Christian because you go to church. I call this Christianity by osmosis. People who hold this view believe that by sitting in a church service…enough Christianity will penetrate their lives to somehow make a difference for eternity. But like evangelist, Greg Laurie says, "Going to church doesn't make you a Christian anymore than going to McDonald's makes you a Big Mac."

Standing in the rain will make you wet but it won't turn you into water. You don't absorb Christianity through your skin on Sunday mornings. Christianity by osmosis doesn't work either.

G. Christianity by association

I know of other people who believe you become a Christian by joining a church. I call this belief, Christianity by association. These folks believe that making a commitment to the religion of Christianity is what authentic Christianity is all about.

Now I believe that all Christians should join a local church. In fact, I feel so strongly about this that I wrote a brochure about this very thing called, "Why Become a Member of Calvary Baptist Church?" and it's available in the church office.

But while I believe it's important for Christians to join a local church, I do NOT believe that joining a local church makes you a Christian.

Illustration: It's a lot like marriage. I believe in marriage. I believe that people who love each other and want to live together in an intimate relationship ought to get married. Marriage is the expression of their commitment to each other. But the ceremony of marriage does not cause a couple to be committed and faithful. Marriage is simply a reflection of a commitment that already exists.

Well, in the same way, joining a church is the natural expression of our commitment to the person of Jesus Christ. But without that commitment, church membership loses its meaning. Christianity by association doesn't work either.

H. Christianity by knowledge

The final idea that I hear people use a lot to define what a Christian is, is the idea that a person is a Christian because that person believes in the existence of God. I call this Christianity by knowledge. Now, this can be a tricky one.

It's tricky because, we could be talking about faith, or we could be talking about just intellectual assent. A person can believe in the existence of God without having a relationship with God. After all, the Bible tells us that…

James 2:19 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that-and shudder.

James is saying that even demons have an intellectual belief in God. But just believing in God doesn't equate to Christianity. Demons, who are from the pit of hell, still believe. And if belief were the only thing that mattered, then Hell would be a ghost town. Because all the demons and demonic forces would no longer be in Hell because of their belief in God. Christianity by knowledge doesn't work either.

Now, there's a common denominator in all eight of these erroneous ideas about Christianity. Each of the eight really boils down to a person trying to achieve salvation from sin, and eternity with God by self-effort. Self-effort boils down to what I do or what I don't do that really matters. All eight of these beliefs are nothing more than salvation by works. And that's the essence of religion-- human being's attempting to please God on their terms.

But friends, true Christianity is never a matter of works. Paul wrote in

Ephesians 2:8-9 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

We can't save ourselves by a work that we do. There are no works we can do that will make us good enough to be good enough. We are all tainted by sin--every single one of us. And we can't do anything in ourselves to take care of that condition. We need something more than our own self-effort. And that leads us to what authentic Christianity really is.

III. What is Authentic Christianity?

If we want to be a true Christian, it is imperative that we understand the essence of real, authentic Christianity. And it is simply this… I am a Christian because I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This is what Paul was talking about when he said, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." Jesus Christ was Paul's life. His whole life centered on Jesus. Jesus was the leader of Paul's life.

A. Companion verse

There is a companion verse to this verse from Philippians 1:21, that we've been considering this morning. The companion verse is…

Galatians 2:20 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Both verses were written by the apostle Paul. When you put them together the two of them tell the essence of true Christianity. Let's finish up this morning by looking at how Galatians 2:20 explains Philippians 1:21…

B. What a personal relationship means

1. Surrender

First of all, when I say that I am a Christian, I mean that I have surrendered to Jesus.

God's justice demands that a penalty be paid for my sins. When He died on the cross, Jesus paid the penalty that I deserved for my sins in full.

In Galatians 2:20, Paul said it this way: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live...." Paul's response to Jesus dying on the cross was that Paul gave up the leadership of his life…crucified himself, so Jesus could be the leader of His life. It wasn't merely a commitment of a part of his life. It was a sacrifice of his entire life. It was a putting to death of Paul's wants and living by Jesus' wants.

And friends, this is the ultimate surrender we are called to make if we want eternity with God in heaven. True Christianity begins with absolute surrender to Jesus Christ.

2. Exchange

But it doesn't end there. For me to be a Christian, means that I receive the life of Jesus. In other words, there is an exchange that must take place. Jesus takes His perfect life and gives it to me, and in exchange, I give Him my sin.

Friends, this couldn't happen unless Jesus died and rose from the dead. -He couldn't make the exchange for my sin if He hadn't been the perfect sacrifice that God's justice demanded. -And he couldn't make the exchange happen unless He was God. And He proved that He was God when He rose from the dead. -And this exchange took place, only because of grace. We don't deserve it, but because God wants us with Him in heaven for eternity, He made it happen.

Like Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote in his book, The Cost of Discipleship, (I put his words on the front of your worship folders): "It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life." That's what Paul means in Galatians 2: 20, when he says "... but Christ lives in me...."

Paul's old life had been exchanged for a new life. He gave God Paul; and God gave Paul Jesus. Jesus Christ became his life. That's what made him a Christian!

IV. Conclusion

A. Have Faith

Friends don't miss this. It is crucial for a ride plan that will bring you to eternity in heaven…, …authentic Christianity is a surrender, where the Lord, Jesus Christ, becomes the leader of your life-and I'm talking about your entire life. You surrender your control, and you give the control to Him. …AND authentic Christianity is accepting an exchange-Jesus' perfect life for your imperfect life.

And finally authentic Christianity…is having faith. In other words, you stake your entire ride plan for eternity and heaven on the belief that surrender to Jesus and accepting His exchange are the only two things necessary to spend eternity with God in heaven.

Look again at these words from Galatians 2:20: "The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

What I've just described to you is all together different from a religion. This is not a set of rules and regulations. This is not something done by human effort. This is a living relationship with God, Himself, the Lord, Jesus Christ..

It is not a matter of gaining greater knowledge, doing more things, going to church more, not doing the biggies, etc. etc..

Rather, it's relationship, where you have faith in Jesus that surrender and exchange are the only ride plan you need in order to spend eternity with God in heaven.

B. Is this your ride plan?

If this is your ride plan, then your life can be characterized by joy and hope. You'll be like Paul, and recognize that there was no way you can lose. You'll be able to say with him, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."

But if you are not a Christian, then death is a loss. -If for you to live is self, then death is a loss. -If for you to live is money, then death is a loss. -If for you to live is pleasure, then death is a loss. -If for you to live is power, then death is a loss. -If for you to live is family, then death is a loss. -If for you to live is career, then death is a loss. -If for you to live is anything but Christ, then death is a loss.

But if your ride plan for eternity includes Christ, then death is gain. We sang these words this morning. They only make sense if you have authentic Christianity…

"When we've been there ten thousand years-- bright shining as the sun; we've no less days to sing God's praise then when we first begun."

Does your ride plan for eternity include authentic Christianity? If it does you will spend eternity with God in heaven. If it doesn't, you won't. Those are not the words of Tom, those are the words of God. Be wise, and take them to heart. Amen.

Jesus, I know I'm a sinner, and I need your forgiveness. I believe that when you died on the cross and rose from the dead, you did those things for me. I accept the exchange of my sin for your righteousness. And from this day on, I want to follow you as the leader of my life.