David Donnan

Sermon notes from Sunday, October 18th, 2026

Intro

What happens when we die? This is the big question of our sermon… but it is also the big question of every life.

Not only are we asking what happens but also what difference should this make here in our lives.

Today we are going to get a small glimpse of the first question, what happens, and a challenge about the second question, what difference does that make.

Recap

Memory Verse: Philippians 1:6 NLT

Before we dive in let us consider what is happening in our timeline.

In terms of church history, Jesus has lived, died, resurrected, appeared to hundreds of people, and ascended into heaven.

Paul has gone from number 1 hater of Christians to a top champion of Jesus Christ. This has been at great personal costs to Paul. He has lost friends, been beaten, arrested multiple times, and more.

If you are looking at your bible you can see he said in Philippians 1:12, “Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.”

So Paul has set the standard that even the bad, horrible, and tragic circumstances can be used for good.

Last week we stopped mid sentence. We saw in verse 20 this:

I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

So here is where we jump in. Whether I live or die I want Christ to be exalted and lifted up! How can he say this?

Listen to this:

21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.

27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel 28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. 29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, 30 since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

• Scripture Background
• What is our Christian View of Death?

Christian View of Death

Well, what does Paul say? Well Paul, nor Jesus, nor any part of the bible tells us everything we need to know. When my son was a little younger he asked, “Will I have my Nintendo Switch video game console in heaven?” I’ll give you my answer in a second. But first let us look at the hints we have from scripture.

• Paul tells us to live is Christ, to die is gain. He is winning either way. But how, what is he saying happens?
• Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:8, “We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”
• In Romans 8:38-39 Paul says, “38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

• Paul views our existence as being with Christ even when we die. While we do not have all the answers we do know Christ does not abandon us.
• But there is an intermediary time. There are two stages in Christian death. There is 1) Life after death then 2) Life after life after death. The first part is what we are talking about here. This is not the Roman Catholic view of purgatory. Which is a state you have to enter to be made righteous… We believe you are made righteous but what Christ has done on the cross for us… But the second part after death is in Revelation 21. Where we will be resurrected and have similar yet different bodies (I will be 6 ft 6 inches). There will be the judgement of the whole world and God will be our light and will wipe every tear from our eyes. Heaven and Earth will become one.
• So, there is mystery but we know there is the love of Christ and Christ himself present for us and with us until then.
• And to answer Luke’s question. God knows everything we need and if we need a nintendo switch in heaven it will be there.

So how does this affect how we live?

Paul seems to imply there are direct consequences. As a matter of fact he is modeling this.

Conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the Gospel. What does this mean?

Well we should always look at the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 where we hear, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

How do we stand firm against our enemies? We do not have direct enemies, I think, in the sense of 1st century Christian persecution… but we do have enemies who overwhelm us… situations, hopes, fears, struggles.

Part of the Christian life is knowing we will suffer like Paul, like the Philippians yet, because Christ began a good work in us it is Him who will bring it to completion.

Pastoral Care Concern.

UGA got beat by Auburn. They went from 1st in the country to losing to an unranked team. I was texting with a preacher buddy who and wondering… is this rigged? There is so much money involved, so many opportunities to cheat, what if no matter how hard you try to just can’t win… there is a conspiracy against you.

Well that is what our life is like… but instead of Christianity being about no matter we lose… it is no matter what we win.

Death is still an enemy… but it is a beaten enemy. We do not look forward to dying… but we know, Christ will be there with us through it all. Accept his gift of relationship, call on him as Lord and Savior, and live a life now worthy of the Gospel, with His help not by your strength.

If you are here and feel like you have not done that… do it today. Make sure death is your beaten enemy. Then all our struggles in light of this will seem a little less.

Thanks be to God.

Prayer:

God, we do not look forward to dying. But we look forward to trusting you more and more. Not just for our deaths and the life after but with the abundant life you offer right now. Thanks be to you God. Amen.