Finding Joy in Living for Christ

Philippians 1:20-30: “Finding Joy in Living for Christ” (Show Slide 1)

We live in a culture that promotes self-worth and self-reliance in many social platforms.  Personal mottos, idioms and sayings have become tools to empower people and inspire them to be the best they can be.  A motto is a short sentence or phrase used as a guiding principle in a person’s life. It can help achieve one's dreams and goals.  For many, having a motto to live by is an important part of this journey called life. Do you have a motto in your life?

I did a little research online and found some well-known motto’s (sayings and phrases) and I am going to put you to the test to see how well you do… You ready….I want you to fill in the blank at the end of each sentence…

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade

Live every day like it’s your last

Don’t sweat the small stuff

Less is More

Be the change you want to see in the world

If you can dream it, you can do it.” (Walt Disney)

Comparison is the thief of joy (Theodore Roosevelt)

Laughter is the best medicine

Stop and smell the roses (take time to recognize the moments that bring us joy)

I also found some funny sayings that will be on the screen. Let’s see if these resonate with any in our audience today. (Show slide 2-6)

This last one “No Pain No Gain” it became a very popular saying in the 80s and was usually used in the area of working out, exercising and generally in the sports world. Do you think this last one would “spiritually” apply to Paul’s life? Think about it! Whether you realize it or not, in some way or form all of us have some type of guiding principle in life. We all have our own perspective. When Sunita and I got married, we loved this verse in the Bible that has become a life verse or motto for many believing families. (Show slide 7) In Philippians 1:21, the apostle Paul shares his life motto with the Christians believers... "to live is Christ and to die is gain".  (Show Slide 8)

How about you as a Christ-follower?  What is your "motto" in life?

This Sunday we will continue to look at the book of Philippians, but first let’s do a recap from where we left off last time. Last sermon, we focused primarily on the question…how we find joy in serving Christ and I shared a few practical ways such as: the ministry of prayer, thanksgiving, partnering with fellow believers/churches in the ministry of the gospel, encouraging one another, sharing our faith boldly and being encouraged as we see God at work in others locally and globally. As it pertain to the letter we are studying, we learned from chapter 1, that Paul’s letter was addressed the entire church. He thanked the Philippian believers for supporting his ministry in the good and bad times. They were a very giving church and loyal to the gospel ministry! He faithfully & joyfully prayed and gave thanks to God on their behalf for their unwavering commitment to the Lord (1:1-8). The Lord had begun good work in the church and Paul also prayed that God would continue to sanctify them and mold them into the image of his son Jesus (vv. 9-11). He challenged them to live a pure and blameless life, because this would bring glory and praise to God the Father (v.11)

We also learned that Paul wrote this personal letter to inform the church of his circumstances and strengthen their faith in these times of uncertainty. The Christians at Philippi had heard that Paul was in prison and were concerned for his well-being. Paul told them “Don’t worry Be Happy”. In actuality he didn’t say that, but something similar. Paul shared with them what God was doing in the midst of his suffering. His difficult circumstances were actually for a great cause in the spread of the gospel. God was at work inside and outside the prison walls. Paul’s suffering and persecution had actually caused the gospel message to reach far more people that he could ever imagined. Acts 28:30-31, tells us that during the 2 year period while Paul is in house arrest in Rome, he taught about Jesus and preached the kingdom of God with all openness.

His “pain” which were: his suffering, persecution, house arrest, imprisonment brought about lots of “gain” a.k.a. “growth” for God’s Kingdom as Paul puts it in verse 12… “for the greater progress of the gospel.” His suffering and imprisonment led to other believers courageously sharing the gospel (v.14). Paul introduced two groups of people that were sharing the gospel. Despite the contrast in their motives, in verse 18, Paul was grateful and rejoiced that “Christ was proclaimed”.

Today we will look at the second part of chapter one as we focus on this primary question:

How do we find joy in living for Christ? How can we use the opportunities we are faced with to glorify and exalt His name? (v. 11, 20). This brings us to point no. 1. (Show Slide 9)

By living a life that brings honor and glory to Him (v. 20)

God in his divine wisdom had orchestrated to bring Paul to Rome, which was the major city of the entire known world during the Roman empire. We don’t know the actual charges against him but Paul knew that as a Roman citizen, he would be soon released. Let’s read verses 19-20. Paul despite being in house arrest knows that the prayers of the saints and with the help of the Holy Spirit, he will be set free. Words such as “I know”, “my earnest expectation” and “hope” in Christ show that he is “hopeful” and confident of his “deliverance”. One thing we can be sure of is that the power of prayer is important. We not only see the power of prayer of the saints but also the power of God, through the Holy Spirit that brought about this expectation of freedom. Paul spent two years under house arrest in Rome (Acts 28:30-31) and later was released. Paul would go on to write the Pastoral Epistles (1 & 2 Timothy, Titus) after his release, between AD 62-67. Paul in the text also encouraged the Philippians that he hopes to see them again as he is released from prison. His life challenges and experiences, good or bad, are all for the glory of Jesus Christ.

Paul though confident of his release, he still has to stand trial. There are no formal charges that we know of that he was accused of other than him preaching the Gospel, but the outcome of the trial could potentially end in death for the apostle. Paul wants to honor and exalt God, whether in living for Him or dying for Him. After all the suffering, persecutions, trials and tribulations that he has faced in his life serving Jesus, Paul “would not be put to shame” or disgraced but represent Christ well. Secured and confident in his faith, he knows that God will be glorified in his life. Psalm 25:3 says “No one whose hope is in the Lord will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse”

The author of Ecclesiastes said this “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” (Eccle. 12:13-14). We will be judged on what we do in this lifetime. As followers of Christ, our goal is to live a life of service and obedience to Him. For Paul, Christ would be exalted and glorified no matter what happened to him. That should be our way of thinking as well.

Do you have a favorite verse or quote in the Bible? As we look at the life of Paul, in this passage we are introduced to one of the greatest statements in the N.T. In verse 21, he writes “For to me, To live is Christ and to die is gain.” (NASB) How many of you actually believe this to be true?

As a Christian, do you have the same perspective as that of Paul’s regarding life or death? Some may say….Lord, I got a long way to go. I am still young and got a whole life ahead of me…or I am just getting started. I am not ready! Others who have gone through intense suffering and persecution for being followers of Christ, may be ready to depart because they know that life will be better in the presence of the Lord. I am not suggesting that we be in a hurry to die…that’s not what Paul was communicating in this statement. He still wanted to continue to spread the gospel message and have a fruitful labor with the Philippians. He simply stated that he had peace and that either outcome would be of great benefit in his life here or thereafter.

Regardless of the outcome of the trial, Paul would remain faithful to God. Don’t waste your life away! Serve God faithfully and honor Him in all you do. Life is unpredictable and we don’t know when we will face death. Like Paul, he was willing to dedicate his life to the ministry of the gospel but also ready to endure death if it came to that end.

Have you ever faced a situation that was a win-win scenario? Either choice would result in a positive outcome. Paul was struggling with the same thing in verses 21-26. He is facing a challenging decision. He wrestles with two competing desires. On one hand, he desires life because he will bear much fruit in his gospel ministry. On the other hand, he desires death so as to leave suffering behind and enjoy eternity with God. Paul does not fear death! For him it is “very much better” to be in glory with Christ. Elsewhere in the N.T., Paul shares this same idea to the Corinthian church. In 2 Corinthians 5:8-9 he writes: “We are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 9 Therefore, we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.” In Paul’s perspective, he desires that his life brings glory to God, even at the point of death. As he wrestles with this decision, Paul concludes that it’s best or “necessary” for him to remain in the flesh and continue to find joy in serving his brothers and sisters at Philippi (v.25-26). Paul in life or death wants to please God and bring Him glory & honor. We need to have the same mindset as that of Paul’s. In Romans 14:17-18, Paul writes, “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men.” (NASB).

This brings us to point no. 2 (Show Slide 10)

How do we find joy in living for Christ?

By living a life that bears fruit for Him (v. 21-26)

What are you doing with the time that God has given you on this earth? Are you using it wisely? Are you wasting it away? Paul was committed to using his time on earth to serve and give God the glory. However, he wanted to continue to spread the gospel and encourage the believers to grow in faith and obedience toward God. Paul saw that the time that he had left would be beneficial to growing the Kingdom of God. Even in prison, he didn’t waste any opportunities, but took full advantage of sharing the gospel. His work of sowing seeds would be fruitful for the work of God. In Galatians, Paul writes: “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.” (Galatians 6:9). In Colossians 1:5-6 he encourages the believers by this message: “the gospel which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth.” Paul while in chains was very productive in writing letters and ministering to the churches that he had established in his missionary journeys. In 1 Cor. 15:9, he tells the believers that he “labored even more than all of them” in the preaching of the Gospel, and it wasn’t Paul doing it by himself. It was the Lord that was at work in him.

In verse 23, Paul also sees the benefit of departing from this world. Death for him meant the end of the suffering and being in the presence of the almighty God for eternity. Who doesn’t want that? That is our ultimate desire in life…to be in a place where there is no more pain, suffering and death (Rev. 21-22). As we look around the world today and hear about our brothers and sisters in Christ being persecuted, even dying for the name of Jesus, we find hope in our eternal destiny. (1 Thess. 4:18)

Do you desire to honor God with your life by sharing the gospel or do you desire to be with Him for eternity? Paul desired both, but finally decided to serve others. He wanted more people to be saved. We are called to serve one another and make Christ known to all. Paul in verses 24-26, he knew that God wanted him to stay and serve the Christian believers. It was “more necessary” and “convinced” for him to stay with them and continue to minister to them. Since they were so dear to his heart, he wanted to remain with them and continue to invest in their spiritual growth. He wanted to get the opportunity to see them again in person and rejoice with them. Paul also would remain for “their joy in the faith”. (v.25) Our faith, involves us growing and being joyful in the Lord. Paul put others needs before his desires! We must put God’s will first and foremost in our lives, and in doing so we will put others before our own. This will result in faithfully bearing fruit and living a life that is according to God’s will. God’s desire is for “all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” He does not want people to perish but for all to come to repentance (1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9) So, the Lord may just keep you here a little bit longer, like He did with Paul, because there is a lot of work to do.

We need to take a strong look at the mirror and see how are we doing in this area individually and as a church? Your choice in how you spend your time and life do matter to God! We will give an account for all of it weather wasted or consumed for God’s glory. God has given each person a planner and time to go with it. How are you going to spent the days of your life? Believers are called to live every moment for His glory and produce a “fruitful labor” like that of Paul. Just know that , it is for God to decide when your life ends here on earth and when we return to eternal glory with Him.

This brings us to point 3 (Show Slide 11)

How do we find joy in living for Christ?

3. By living a life worthy of the gospel and standing firm (vv. 27-30)

In the last part of the chapter, Paul after explaining his circumstances and encouraging the believers of a possible reunion in the near future he then finally presents them with a challenge. What is this challenge? “To live a life worthy of the gospel” (v.27). This was customary for Paul as we see the same challenge in Ephesians 4:1-6 and Colossians 1:10.

Colossians 1:10 “so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God”

So how do we live a life worthy of the Gospel? Paul’s desire for his original audience and us today is that we live in unity. As Christians we are called to be one and united in Christ (John 17:11,22). The Philippians were to be unified, in one spirit and one mind, working together for the “faith of the gospel”. We are to live out the gospel and live in a way that impacts the world around us. Jesus said in John 13:35 “By this all me will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Paul is calling on his readers to live out in unity, in one spirit and mind, striving, working together "for the faith of the gospel." Notice, Paul’s focus was….in the gospel and it’s influence. This lifestyle not only requires like-mindedness in the Lord, our mind being transformed (Rom. 12:1-2) but also unity in the Spirit of God. It’s not the world that unities us Christians, it is the Spirit of God that lives in us and guides us to be like Christ and set apart from the world. This challenge also requires courage as we all will face persecution and suffering in one form or another. We will face opposition. Paul & the Philippians had their own opposition to face. Their “opponents” were enemies of the Gospel. Just like the Philippians, we will face opponents of the gospel and it’s in those times where we need to stand firm. Stand firm how?

Living in Unity--One mind & One Spirit (v. 27)

By not fearing the enemy (v. 28)

Persevering through suffering (vv. 29-30)

As we conclude today, as Christians we are called to live a life that brings honor and glory to God, a life that is bearing fruit for his Kingdom and one that is worthy of the Gospel message. The Gospel message is simple… Jesus died for your sins, he was buried and rose on the 3rd day to conquer sin and death. Believe in Jesus and you will be saved (Acts 16:31). Paul reminds us today that we are called to faith in Christ but also to suffering for Christ (vv. 29-30). In 2 Timothy 3:12 Paul writes: “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” I love how Paul encouraged the Philippians, for the enemy the message is destruction, but to the believer it is Salvation. In this we can find great joy as we live for Christ faithfully. Let’s Pray:

Lord, your word & history has shown us that the Christian life is not easy. It is filled with trials, suffering, pain, opposition even death. Many have lost their lives for your name but have gained eternity in return. Believing and suffering are part of the Christian life. Help us to be courageous and live a life worthy of you and willing to suffer for your sake, so that many can receive the gospel message and be saved. In the words of Paul, we proclaim… “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believer..” (2 Cor. 11:23-26). Amen

Meditation Time:

Paul was released from this first Roman imprisonment and continued on with his ministry. However, he was ultimately arrested again and was imprisoned in Rome where he would die at the hands of Nero. He was beheaded for the faith. He remained faithful in both life and death, serving as a strong example for us believers today. “For to me, To live is Christ to die is Gain” (Phil. 1:21)

Does this motto resonate with you?  Would you be able to say the same thing as a follower of Christ?  Are you living for Jesus and willing to suffer for Him even to the point of death?  As Christians, our life calling looks very different from that of the world. The central focus is not self but Christ!

Let’s take a few minutes to reflect on what you have heard and how you will respond to the message…

Study Resources:

Source: https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Bearing-Fruit

https://www.bibleref.com/Philippians/1/Philippians-1-30.html

Benjamin L. Corey Article (Facebook): Today I remember…

Thielman, Frank. The NIV Application Commentary: Philippians

Thru the Bible Radio Network: Philippians “The Earthly Walk of a Heavenly People”

Gromacki, G. Robert. New Testament Survey: Philippians

Elwell, A. Walter and Yarbrough, W. Robert. Encountering the New Testament: Philippians

Quick Studies for Youth Groups: Philippians-Hebrews

Lightner, P. Robert. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Philippians