To Live is Christ (Pt. 2)- The Ingredients- Phil. 1:18b-26

Well, this is new for us, but if you’re a 2nd-5th grader and youve been checked in, you guys can go ahead and head to the back. Your teachers and our kids team are waiting to take you to your class.

Prayer

Introduction

Alright, you can all have a seat for me. It’s good to see you. If you have a Bible, please go ahead and turn with me to Philippians 1.

I had an experience this past weekend, that many of you can probably relate to.

Have you ever started cooking, and all of a sudden realize you don’t have the right ingredients that you were hoping to cook?

I had already thrown the chicken into the instapot, and I go to add the seasoning and spices, diced tomatoes, and chili’s when it donned on me…

I don’t have any of those ingredients.

Well, last week we talked about how Paul possessed a singular, all-consuming passion,

that he wanted to live his every minute of every day in a way that Christ would be honored.

Honored meaning enlarged, enhanced, magnified,— or reflected.

And I made the case that this is our destiny too! That Christ actually saved us for this purpose. To be Christians or little christ’s.

But my gut tells me that you all probably left here wondering, how? How can I practically and progressively reflect Jesus in my life?

Like what do I need to do now?

And ya’ll, I had such a desire to write a sermon that answers that for you.

But this is one of the reasons I’m so grateful for expository preaching, becuase as I studied our text some more, I realized that a sermon like that was my desire.

Where instead, the WORD OF GOD holds what we really need.

You see, if I had my way I’d talk about prayer, and Scripture, and community, and sacrament… maybe even fasting, because who doesn’t love fasting!

But that would have been cooking without the key ingredients.

We need to make sure the horse is before the cart, and ensure that we have the right ingredients before we throw our time, energy, and effort into cooking.

And that’s what we’re going to do today.

So let’s read our text together and I’ll begin to unpack it.

Philippians 1:18–26 (ESV)

Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, 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. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

So we’re building off last week, and assuming that you’ve made Christ Personal in your life, and that you genuinely desire to practically progress in honoring Him with your life… what will you need? What’s required?

Well there are 2 Key Ingredients.

Look at verse 18 & 19.

Key Ingredients

Philippians 1:18–19 (ESV)

Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,

Prayers of Others

Paul believed that a key ingredient in this life of honoring Jesus is the prayer of others.

Who is praying for you to progress in this singular desire of honoring Christ?

Nothing is more impressive to me than Paul’s humanness.

Right? we discussed last week that we’re tempted to think that a life of radical abandonment for Jesus is reserved for some special elite type of Christian.

But it’s not. It was purchased for all of us, including the Apostle Paul.

He was just a human with flesh like ours, emotional outbursts like ours, sin pasts like ours, and weaknesses like ours.

Paul knew that “To Live is Christ” wasn’t something that he could do in his own strength. He knew that this type of living was supernatural.

Which is why he frequently requested and solicited the prayers of others.

Romans 15:30 “I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf,”

2 Corinthians 1:11 “You also must help us by prayer,...”

1 Thessalonians 5:25 “Brothers, pray for us.”

Church, prayer is one of those beautiful mysteries of the Kingdom of God, that we are invited to explore with God.

And here’s why it’s a mystery, becuase God is Omnipotent— All Powerful. He could give paul the strength to approach death with confident hope at the snap of his fingers.

Yet it’s a mystery because in HIs wisdom, God has condesended to work on behalf of the prayers of his people!

Church, God’s Power comes in response to prayer.

In the parable of the persistent widow, a woman who was a poster NOBODY, received justice because she was unwilling to stop asking. Jesus holds this woman up as an example for us and says, “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?

This woman demonstrated faith in her persistent asking!

And Jesus asks, “When I return, will I find faith like this.” Faith that is expressed in persitent prayer.

Faith in our coming to God. God with all of our needs, and an unwillingness to stop asking until it is supplied.

Church prayer is powerful, and prayer is effective.

James 5:16 “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”

You see, I said it last week, but this life lived for the sole honor of Jesus Christ is HARD.

It’s costly. Culture will thing you’re crazy, and Satan will do everything he can to buffet you, and your flesh will kick and stomp, and buck like a wild stallion being broken.

It’s hard! You will need supernatural intervention.

Prayer is the key ingredient to put us in touch with the power of God.

A power we desperately need, becuase there will be times we fall. There will be times we fail to honor Him. In various moments in various manners there will be gaps in our lives.

Which is why we need INTERCESSORS. Intercessor simply means someone who stands in the gap.

Imagine your life in God like a fortified city. A refuge, covered by miles and miles of impentrable walls.

Well when we sin, it makes little openings in that wall.

And those openings leads to vulnerability. To the potential of infiltration by the world, and by satan.

Well God, as part of adopting us into His family, has given us intercessors in that family.

People that by prayer, stand in those gaps on our behalf.

And Paul was aware of this. He was aware of his humanity, so he sequested prayer in order to live a life that honors Jesus.

Who is praying for you? Who are you asking to pray for you?

I think of my great Aunt, polio had crippled her body, but she saw her lack of utility as an opportunity to pray.

Well on the day I sensed a calling into ministry, I went and checked my flip phone and had a voicemail saying, “I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m praying— and don’t disobey the calling of the Lord.”

Or, in 2017 the day we got into a traumatic car accident, we were halfway around the world, everybody in America was asleep.

Well, everybody except Cheryl, one of our prayer warriors.

She was awake, becuase God had woke her up, and we had an email later that day saying, “I don’t know what’s going on but I sense Satan attacking you, just know I’m praying.”

Who is praying for you? Who can you think of to ask to pray for you?

Key Ingredient #1- Prayer

But look back at our text.

Philippians 1:19 “for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,”

Key Ingredient #2- The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit

Paul says what I’m dependent upon more than anything else is the help supplied by the Holy Spirit!

Your salvation, the beginning of your journey, the day Jesus became personal to you was accomplished by the Trinity.

Your salvation was purposed by the Father, accomplished by the Son, and applied to you by the Holy Spirit.

In Ephesians 1:4 Paul says the Father chose us in him before the foundation of the world.

In 1:5 he says you were adopted as sons and dauthers through Jesus Christ.

And in vs 1:13, “you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit who is the guarantee of our inhereintance until we acquire full possession of it.

The Trinity, which is the Father, Son and Holy Spirit… jumpstarted your salvation.

But here’s the honest truth…

We love the Father, and we want to follow the Son… but when it comes to the Holy Spirit

We either tend to get really weirded out, or unhealthily obsessed with the Holy Spirit.

And its usually just due to our own ignorance.

So this isn’t a sermon about the Holy Spirit exclusiviely, but let me lay us a foundation for this oft forgotten person of the godhead.

The Holy Spirit is the very same Spirit of Jesus, that takes up residence within us at the moment of salvation.

We are indwelled by the Spirit at salvation.

The Holy Spirit is God’s most precious gift to us as newly adopted children for he applies the new birth that Jesus purchased on our behalf.

So when the HS comes into our lives he creates a whole new array of desires and loves, and yearnings and longings.

But we tend to reduce the Spirit’s role to solely what takes place at salvation.

But what is his role after that?

Like did he make the new birth possible, and just check out or go on vacation?

Of course not!

Let me illustrate this for us.

I went to a missionary conference once in Thailand and the keynote speaker stood up and said, “Oh what can we do apart from Jesus!?”

To which the entire audience said, “NOTHING.”

To which the speaker responded, “Oh if only that were true.”

You see, the truth is we do all kinds of things apart from Jesus.

You see, last week was a fantastic example.

I heard from many of you, that you left here last Sunday with a desire for MORE. A drawing into a deeper life where you actually want to practically and progressively reflect Jesus Christ in more areas of your lives.

That is a desire placed in your life by the HOLY SPIRIT.

It is a spirit driven desire.

But then we all get in our car, and say, “What must I DO to attain this life!?

We take the Holy Spirit rooted desires, and try to accomplish them APART FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT.

We get a taste of BEING with God--- then we immediately revert back to our primary operating system of HUMAN DOING, rather than HUMAN BEING.

But you can’t live this life, the life of honoring Jesus, without the Spirit of Jesus!

It’s cooking without the right ingredients.

This is what the church of Galatia was doing and PAUL said, Galatians 3:3 “Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?”

He’s saying, if your new life and desires all began in the Spirit of God, do you think you’re expected to just figure the rest out on your own?

If the Spirit changed you by His power, why do you seek to apply that change to your day in your own power?

Have ya’ll seen that new NBA Rookie, Wemby, who plays for San Antonio?

He’s 7ft 4 but handles the ball like a point guard, He’s a unicorn!

Now listen, if you were selecting a team for a pick up basketball game, would you pick ME, or Wemby?

Now I’m honored that you recognize my skills, but no way you’d pick me!

Why?

Becuase that would be foolish!

In similar fashion, we have the Spirit of God, who according to John 16:14, literally exists to reflect Jesus, and yet we say… nah, I’ll figure it out.

I choose Andrew over Wemby.

It’s cooking without the key ingredients.

Paul knew that THE key ingredient of “To Live is Christ” is found in the supply of the Holy Spirit.

This Key Ingredient is referred to in various ways throughout the New Testament

In Romans 8:4 paul calls it walking according to the Spirit.

In 8:5 it’s living according to the Spirit.

In 8:14 and Galatians 5 it’s being led by the spirit.

In Gal 5:16 it’s walking by the Spirit

And in Galatians 5:25 it’s keeping in step with the spirit.

And interestingly in Eph 5:18 it’s referenced as walking in the filling of the Spirit.

I think with all of those desciptors, you get the picture right?

It’s living in the practical, now and always time, doing the ordinary taks of life— but from a place of abiding and depdenence on the Spirit of God, not on the flesh.

Becuase there are only 2 options. There is no neutral.

Either you will live and walk in your flesh or you will live and walk in the Spirit.

Galatians 5:17 “For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.”

The flesh is the old operating system.

Luther said it equates to the affections and desires that run contrary to God. Including our bodies, wills, emotions, and thoughts.

Susanna Wesley, mother of John and Charles described the flesh this way:

“Whatever weakens your reasoning, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes away your desire for spiritual things.

So the challenge for us is to learn to walk in the Spirit, while simultaneously UNLEARN walking in the flesh.

And the disciplines can help here, but if we operate the disciplines apart from the Spirit, we are operating them in our own flesh. With our own wills, our own reasoning, our own energy and effort.

And this is why they probably never last for you.

You enjoy reading the Bible one moment, and ignore it the next.

You want to pray one moment, avoid it the next.

This roller coaster living is what self-will, and fleshly effort can get you.

So we must unlearn this way of walking, and learn to walk int he Spirit.

And there’s a lot I can say here, but let me give you two quick, yet pragmatic ways to do this.

#1- is it’s all about your thought life.

Romans 8:5 “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.”

It’s all about where you set your mind.

Consequently, we must let the Word of God dwell in us richly, forming and shaping, what we think and what we believe.

Done by what you read, and what you listen to, and what you thik about/meditate on.

And remember, there are only 2 operating systems… flesh and Spirit. There is no neutral.

So you may be aware that you’re not feeding your mind with spiritual food, but many simultaneously believe “well at least I’m not feeding it with fleshy food.”

But you’re wrong. If you’re not actively feeding, you will always be passively feeding. There is no neutral.

Culture is not neutral. Advertisements are not neutral.

You ware all, every day being discipled… the question is by who.

So we must learn to walk in the Spirit, and we do that by allowing our thoughts to be transformed and filled with spirtual truths.

Then POINT #2: we just live it out by faith.

#2: to Simply believe the things he says in His word.

You see, your flesh will always drive you to place your faith in your feelings.

But to walk in the Spirit is to place our faith in God, whose character and ways are revealed in His word.

So our thoughts are transformed and filled spiritual truths, then we simply live out by faith the truths he shares.

Let me give you an example, by taking you back to the same personal lesson I’m learning that I shared last week.

Last week I shared that over the last yearI have yearned to sit across a table with somebody, share a cup of coffee, and just vent the burdens and weight of this beautiful thing called Pastoral Ministry.

And how lately I’ve sensed Jesus whisper, “Why not me?” Why not come to me?”

Well the truth is that in those moments I’ve walking according to the flesh.

I’m feeling overwhelmed, or heavy, or concerned and I’m feeling like what I need is somebody to pet me, and affirm me, “Oh poor baby, you’re going to be okay.”

And those feelings, can be masked behind spirituality, when in reality they are flesh.

But the Word of God says Psalm 55:22 “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you;”

That’s the truth, so I’ve read that verse and memorized that verse and prayed that verse.

And the Word of God has entered my thoughts…

Then I just take it as it is, and trust it with my action.

“Lord, you say I can cast my burden on you… welp, vomit!”

And you say, “You will sustain me… welp. I need you.”

And all of a sudden I complete that prayer walk, and I’m reinvigorated with perspective and power, and resilience…

No vision, no audible voice, no earthquakes.

Just walking in the Spirit.

Feeding Thoughts, and walking by Faith not Feelings.

We need the Holy Spirit, he is the Key Ingredient, but we must learn to walk in the Spirit.

But let me give you one more insight from out text today.

We need the Key Ingredients, but we also need the Proper Motivation.

Proper Motivation

Look back with me at Philippians 1:19 “for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ (the key ingredients), this will turn out for my deliverance,”

Now given what paul says later in verse 25, that he feels convinced that he won’t die, but be released, so it would be natural to assume that in light of vs. 25, vs. 19 must mean deliverance from prison.

That he would be freed.

But this is where Bible Study in the orignal languages can be so helpful.

Because, the phrase “this will turn out for my deliverance” is a direct quote from the greek translation of Job 13:16

All scholars that I read agree that Paul was intentionally quoting Job.

So in this verse from Job, Job has been hounded by his friends. They keep telling him that his sufferings and circumstances are a result of his sin, and he just needs to repent and everything will be fine.

But Job keeps swearing up and down that it’s untrue. That he’s been righteous. That it isn’t sin!

And he concludes his statement by saying, “Though he slay me I will still hope in him, and I will argue my ways to him face to face. This will turn out for my deliverance!”

When all was against him, Job’s deliverance was that he knew he was just, that he had only lived to honor God, one day that would be revealed when he stands before Him face to face.

Paul is saying the exact same thing.

He’s saying I expect to be ultimately delivered, not jsut in this life, but vindicated. So as it says in vs. 20, that he won’t be ashamed!

That He won’t be ashamed when he stands before Christ, because he has lived faithfully. That now and always, whether by life or death… he has sought to reflect Christ!

That’s his passion! — To Live is Christ.

But his motivation to fulfill that passion is found in the FACT THAT ONE DAY PAUL WOULD STAND BEFORE JESUS FACE TO FACE AND GIVE AN ACCOUNT FOR HIS LIFE.

And on that day, Paul didn’t want to show up empty. He yearned for the “Well done, my good and faithful servant,”

He lived with the end in mind.

And we would be wise to do the same!

Church, what I’m saying is that the Bible teaches that there are significant rewards for living a life that honors Jesus.

Jesus said talked about the Motivation of Rewards alot yall!

How we handle persecution and suffering will gain reward (Matt 5:12).

How we give sacrificially (Matt 6:1).

How we pray (Matth 6:5)

How we fast (Matt 6:16)

How we show hospitality to other believers (Matthew 10:41)

Revelation 22:12““Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.” ,

Paul taught this a lot!

To Corinth he said, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it!

To Philippi he said, “I press on toward the goal for the prize...”

Again to Corinth, “Do not pronounce judgement before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things hidden in darkness and will disclose motivations of the heart. THEN EACH WILL RECEIVE HIS COMMENDATION FROM GOD.

John taught it, 2 John 8 “Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward.”

Peter taught it, 1 Peter 5:4 “And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”

THIS IS ALL OVER THE BIBLE YALL,

Legalism

But we are so afraid to talk about it, because we fear falling for the trap of legalism.

Legalism is living for God in order to earn God’s love, grace, and salvation.

Don’t drink, don’t dance, don’t cuss, don’t (fill in the blank),

And if you do all these things, then God will love you.

It’s a dangerous and destructive

And it’s an improper motivation, because where the spirit of the Lord is there is freedom.

You see the Gospel teaches

You are loved, and saved, all because of His grace.

It’s unearned, solely sourced in the nature and character of our good God.

But because we are loved, we desire to live for Him.

Becuase we are recipients of his grace, we want to steward his grace in such a way that we receive His rewards.

And it exists, Scripture is clear: 2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”

We must ALL appear.

And this judgement isn’t a day where Christ judges our sin, this isn’t a judgement of sin.

No God the Father judged our sin the day he nailed Christ to the cross.

He’s not going to unfurl all your sins, and check them twice to see rather you’ve been naughty or nice.

No he has already justified you, by nailing your naughtiness to Jesus, and imputing His niceness to you.

So that day when you see Jesus face to face will be dominated by JOY.

BLISS. Radiant with the Presence of Christ.

So it’s not that type of judgement, rather think of it as an evaluation. That on that day, how you lived your life will be evaluated.

And you will be called to give an account of how you spent it.

The judgement seat is the greek word BEMA. And it’s like a Judge’s Seat at the Olympics.

After an event, the judge awards gold to the winner, silver to the runner up, and bronze for the 3rd place finisher.

All rewards, but some a bit more valuable.

In the same way, we will all appear before CHRIST and our lives will be evaluated.

This is why Paul admonishes us to run so to win. He’s properly motivated, and wants us to be as well.

There are awards awaiting.

Imagine the disappiontment and shame, not shame of sin, but shame of regret when on that day you’re life is evaluated and you only then come to realize how you’ve misappropriated it. How you’ve neglected so many opportunities to honor Jesus.

That’s a loss.

But Paul says… that ain’t gonna be me.

When I get there I’m not going to be ashamed. I’m living with the end in mind, and I know when I stand there I’ll be delivered. Vindicated. A worker approved by God.

But let me close with this:

As we look at Paul’s example, and continue in this text next week; there is one surefire way to live a life for His honor.

That is to spend and be spent in the progression and joy of the faith for others.

One of the primary ways Paul sought the rewards of Christ, was in the witnessing for Christ and the discipleship of Christians.

Nothing brings glory to God quite like the winning of souls of our fellow man, as well as the development of them into lives that reflect jesus also.

So next week, we’ll close out this text by

seeing Paul’s Passion for Discipleship

& Paul’s Gain in Death.

Conclusion

Prayer

“O Holy Spirit,

As the sun is full of light, the ocean full of water, Heaven full of glory, so may my heart be full of thee.

Give me thyself without measure, as an unimpaired fountain, as inexhaustible riches.

I bewail my coldness, poverty, emptiness, imperfect vision, languid service, prayerless prayers, praiseless praises.

Suffer me not to greive or resist thee, but come as power, to expel every rebel lust, to reign supreme and keep me thine.

Come as Teacher, leading me into all truth, filling me with all understanding.

Come as love, that I may adore the Father, and love him as my all.

Come as helper, with strength to bless and keep, directing my every step.

MAGNIFY TO ME THY GLORY BY BEING MAGNIFIED IN ME, AND MAKE ME reflecting of thy fragrance.

Amen.