Philippians 1:19-30
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Handout
Philippians 1:19-30
Philippians 1:19-30
QUESTION: How do you rejoice in struggles and trials of life?
QUESTION: How do you rejoice in struggles and trials of life?
18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.
Yes, and I will rejoice,
Paul says he will rejoice.
“Rejoice is a verb (agalliaō) which is not used by secular Greek writers, and which always in the New Testament signifies a deep spiritual joy, a rejoicing in God or in what He has done.”
Wayne Grudem
Paul is rejoicing that, even from wrong motives, the Gospel of Christ is being proclaimed. He doesn’t take ownership of the message of Christ. He’s been entrusted with it, YES! But he doesn’t own it for himself.
QUESTION: Why will Paul rejoice?
19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,
Look at what Paul is celebrating here as the SOURCE of his deliverance:
YOUR PRAYERS
THE SPIRIT OF JESUS CHRIST
QUESTION: How do the prayers of others work to deliver us?
QUESTION: How does the Spirit of Christ work to deliver us?
Never underestimate the value and power of prayer.
James 5:16 (ESV)
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
Yes, the Spirit of God works, but so do the prayers of God’s people.
I need to know:
I know: I know a fact; perhaps, I remember
How important it is for us to KNOW the truths of God’s Word.
Do we know them enough that we are unshaken?
12 which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.
as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.
How is “Christ honored in your body”?
How is Christ honored in your body — in death?
How is Christ honored in your body — in life?
For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
(The Bible Knowledge Commentary)
Paul’s main purpose in living was to glorify Christ. Christ was the essence of his life. Yet Paul knew that if he were martyred, Christ would be glorified through the promotion of the gospel which would result from his testimony in death. And Paul himself would benefit, for death would result in his being with Christ (v. 23). The words to die suggest the act of dying, not the state of death.
Ephesians, Philippians & Colossians (Albert Barnes)
My sole aim in living is to glorify Christ. He is the supreme End of my life, and I value it only as being devoted to his honour. Doddridge. His aim was not honour, learning, gold, pleasure; it was, to glorify the Lord Jesus. This was the single purpose of his soul—a purpose to which he devoted himself with as much singleness and ardour as ever did a miser to the pursuit of gold, or a devotee of pleasure to amusement, or an aspirant for fame to ambition. This implied the following things:
A purpose to know as much of Christ as it was possible to know
A purpose to imitate Christ
A purpose to make his religion known, as far as possible, among mankind.
It was a purpose to enjoy Christ.
22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.
What a dilemma!
********
What is Paul’s conclusion between what seems to be “the good” and “the better”?
WE LEFT OFF HERE
WE LEFT OFF HERE
Philippians 1:24–26 (ESV)
24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.
Verse 24:
Necessity. One option is better, but the necessity for the moment is for Paul to stay.
Although Paul sees the benefit for himself to leave this life with it’s struggles and trials and be joined with Jesus in His kingdom (and here’s the key) Paul sees the pressing immediate necessity to stay in the flesh so as to minister to, disciple, teach, lead, guide, … his brothers and sisters in Christ.
Paul’s desire is not one of personal comfort and ease.
Verse 25:
QUESTION: How are we living our lives in a way that others “may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus”?
QUESTION: Why would Paul’s “coming to [them] again” be cause for them to glory in Christ Jesus?
Verse 26:
Paul desired to be part of the faith journey—the GROWING faith journey—of the Philippian believers.
27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,
28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.
And that from God.
I’m doing a Worship Study that takes me through passages of scripture and asks me to pray through them within the lens of “The Lord’s Prayer.”
Focusing on God’s Provisions (give us this day our daily bread) makes me realize all that God has given us.
This clear sign is a message for the opponents and for us; this, too is a provision of God.
BIG POINT : DO NOT BE frightened in anything by your opponents.
The enemy can see the fear and worry and defeat in your eyes.
1998, UK Men’s basketball team faced Duke. Going into the second half, Duke was up by double digits, and they didn’t show any signs of giving up the lead.
After the game, when Kentucky came back to win, the Duke players said that Kentucky had a different look in their eyes. Other opponents losing by that much to Duke would have normally been resolved to accept the loss. But Kentucky had fire and CONFIDENCE in their eyes. They KNEW they could win.
Paul is reminding them of the victory the Philippians believers have in Christ. The reason? See the preceding words from verse 27:
“…that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.”
So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.
What a statement!
Do we realize that it’s been granted to us “for the sake of Christ” that we should NOT ONLY BELIEVE in Him, but we should ALSO “SUFFER FOR HIS SAKE”?
We separate this from the Christians life so much that when there is any suffering we think we’ve been sold a false bill of goods.
18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.