Longing for heaven, living for earth (Philippians 1:22-26)

Longing For Heaven, Living for Others

Philippians 1:22-26

I. Introduction

1. Comments-

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2. Prayers

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3. Hook

i. Heaven would be pretty boring right? That is if heaven was how we normally picture it.

1. A pastor once confessed to Randy Alcorn, “whenever I think about Haven, it makes me depressed. Id’ rather just cease to exist when I die… I can’t stand the thought of that endless tedium. To float round in the clouds with nothing to do but strum a harp…it’s all so terribly boring. Heaven doesn’t’ sound much better than Hell. I’d rather be annihilated than spend eternity in a place like that.”

2. This is epidemic, some think of gold, pearls, harps, and boring clouds and are not impressed, so we don’t want heaven, and so dying seems worse.

ii. On the flip side

1. sometimes heaven seems like such a sweet vacation… the aches and brusies make this life less appealing, right?

2. You just want to go to heaven and find relief

3. But Paul doesn’t want you to have either attitude! We must long for heaven but we must fight to be content serving others here are earth.

4. Review:

i. We’ve spent a couple Philippians sermons looking at the reasons Paul says he is rejoicing at the end of verse 18.

1. And from that we can learn what goals or ambitions we can have in each of our lives that will make them joyous.

ii. We talked about seeking deliverance on Christ’s terms.

1. Paul was facing a court room where his fate would be decided

2. but he looked past that to the courtroom before God & knew that was where his deliverance was…the judgments now didn’t matter

iii. we saw Paul’s preservation for God’s glory and a life worth living

1. a life focused on glorying God, He will never fail at making sure that comes,

2. In verse 21 we saw the introduction that for Paul life was all about christ and heaven was gain… now we see why

II. 2 goals to prepare you for heaven

How do we look forward to heaven but also be where God would have us now.

1. Linger between serving Christ and being with Christ (22-24)

Here we have the goal of laboring on, the conundrum of laboring on, and the choices he faces

i. The Goal of fruit (22a)

1. since living is Christ and dying in gain

2. He begins to think about his own life because he isn’t going to heaven yet

a. This is a statement for him personally, as this is one of Paul’s most personal letters. As we read this, think of it as being from our friend, our leader, our pastor

b. And so he switches his explanation from talking about life and death in v 21 (as if he realy had a choice) to talking about gaining Christ vs fruitful labor for Christ

3. So, we ask what does it look like to live for Christ?

a. to be fruitful for Christ

b. Not the fruit of the spirit Fruit… those will exist best in heaven

c. This is work done for Christ here on earth, specifically in the lives of others v24- It is very much better for the sake of the Philippians….

d. This service of Christ is the call for every believer because

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

4. I want to go to heaven, right? But, first I must ask what

a. God gives rewards and greater joy in heaven based on what we do here!

1 Corinthians 3:12–15- Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

b. But, wait, does that mean if I do less in this life I will have less in heaven? Will I regret or be jealous of others.

i. No, because in heaven we will clearly see the reality that we are all members of same body, so we will rejoice over each other (

ii. And each of us will be filled

Psalm 16:11- You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

iii. But we will all have different capacities corresponding with our different rewards

iv. Some people are only 12 ounce soda cans, others are liter bottles, still others are whole bath tubs

1. What we do in life gives us greater capacity of God’s grace to be poured into us in heaven

2. The 12 ouncer is just a filled and satisfied as bath tuber

c. Yet, as a reminder… all our rewards come because first of the gospel:

Romans 3:20 and 3:28 “By the works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight.” And positively he says, “We hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.”

So none of our works, none of our obedience is the ground of our justification. It could never be. It is never good enough. It is always contaminated. It is never full enough. We have to have Christ.

5. App: Here is the tension for some of us: You’re not going to heaven yet… you really don’t get to decide when you get to go home. SO WHAT DO YOU DO IN THE MEAN TIME?

a. Jonathan Edwards, the greatest American theologian wrote in his late teens:

b. #22 Resolved, to endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness, in the other world, as I possibly can, with all the power, might, vigor, and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert.

i. We have so many distractions here

ii. So many things to live for

iii. But ask yourself… Will I live for the thing that will result in ever lasting Joy?

Trans: So, knowing his desire for fruitful labor and for heaven, Paul brings up

ii. The conundrum of the work (22b) He doesn’t’ know which he should prefer

1. Expect Paul to talk about why dying would be good right after here, but he has this comment about not knowing which to choose here

21-Live and Die

22- Live and don’t know

23- Die

24- Live

Why the I don’t know in the midst?

2. Paul is confused and just changing his thinking?

a. *I don’t think so..this is a letter after all

b. *He is showing us how to think

3. Paul helping us to realize that the fight is not actually between life and death, Instead, it is ultimate "gaining" of Christ and present "fruitful labor" for Christ

4. So, If your life ambition is to glorify Christ… which do you choose?

5. Illus- Hard-pressed from both directions

Like rock climbing… Called Chimneying. Until you get stuck…

Paul’s answer is literally, “I just don’t know what to say”

6. App:

a. Remember Christian, even if you get as sanctified as the Apostle Paul, not every moment will be easy and clear.

b. Relief from struggles is great… but so is continuing to serve christ

Trans: and so in verses 23-24 he shows what are his two:

iii. The choice of my desires (23-24)

1. To be with Christ in heaven

a. To depart is to pull up anchor on a ship in port

b. But also it is depart is also used to describe of packing up your tent.

i. -used in military battles for one picking up the tents are returning from military campaign in a foreign land

c. But look at your bibles

i. He doesn’t say depart to my homeland and comfort

d. Why was this so good?

i. Heaven is great because…

ii. We get to be with Christ

iii. So much good about heaven

-Our bodies will be repaired

-We can see old loved ones who have gone before

-We will be free of sin

-Yes, it will be beautiful

iv. But most of all! We will see Jesus!

1. Turn to Rev 22:3-4

a. Notice one of the great joys mentioned is that they will see his face

b. We forget how unthinkably crazy this is because Moses tried to see God’s face before

Exodus 33:20–23- But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” And the LORD said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”

c. And Moses’ face glowed from seeing the glory of God

2. You christian, though imperfect now, will one day be made so perfect by the blood of christ that you can see the face of all powerful and terrifying God

3. And you will rejoice

e. Christian, when you picture heaven, would it be any different if God was not there?

i. Heaven without christ is like a wedding without the bride

1. Sure, there are still great decorations and food

2. But if she doesn’t walk down the isle, the whole thing is ruined

3. (Yes, if it we were following the biblical pattern Jesus is the groom… but let’s be honest, the wedding is all about the bride)

ii. Is what you look forward to the idea of a vacation you will bore of after a while?

iii. Or do you long to see your creator face to face?

2 cor 5:8 tells us that “to be absent from the body” is “to be present with the Lord”

=for faith to be made sight

No more moments of doubts, no more questions

f. If death is good, then can we cry for others who die? Yes! Paul was not one to ignore the pain of death for others.

Read 2:25-27

*Paul knew the pain that death would bring to those remaining

=He knew the sorrow

& Some of you know that sorrow and pain

While some can only imagine it…..

Even now the dead are in an inbetween state… waiting for the resurrection of their bodies, all because of sin

Death is a tragedy

g. But we must remember that Illus- Death is merely the door into the house of GOd

-Jesus invites you in to his home.

-Have you Talked so long just in the entry way that you have not

-But its only the entry way, the foyer into the home God has for us

h. Application

i. So, to those of you who are closer to home going than others…. Do not fear death, though, I hear it is not fun

ii. But believe it is the door to see the person you delight in more than anyone else

iii. And to the young… remember, while death may be far off… it could just be around the corner

1. There are so many things that can take you attention

2. Choose the things that will build you the greatest capacity of joy in heaven

Trans: Paul shows this as he is excited about this prospect of going to see his savior, but he has another perspective

2. To remain for others (24)

Paul views living for your sake as more important than his enjoyment of heaven.

a. Think about, What are your reasons for living?

i. I remember highschool someone saying I wish Christ would come back soon -I thought, well…yeah, but I’d really like to graduate college, get married, and have a family first… Why Chris? Well, because those would be things that bring my happiness that I need to have a satisfied life

b. Paul lived for others

c. He knew God was in control, but his ambition was the good of others

d. My issues for wanting to put off heaven was for me… Why might you want to delay heaven?

i. I suggest Paul’s care for others was ultimately building for himself the greatest joy in heaven!

Trans: so the 2ndgoal:

2. Live for others to praise Jesus (25-26)

i. Convinced of this necity

1. What is “this”? What came right before.

2. He knew for sure his presence would be a blessing to them

3. Paul was confident God was not done with him at this point…

Though he could be dead, he didn’t expect that to be the case

So you may be wondering… ok, If I want to be a blessing TO, proving I long for Christ… But what do I do?

3 ways he was a blessing

i. First: thru evangelism, people learning the gospel

Note his talks about their progress here

Same as verse 12. The gospel has gone forward to all

His life had encouraged others to go speak the gospel

He had preached the gospel to them

This would be his continuing practice

The gospel was preached to Philippi by Paul speaking the gospel to Lydia and the women who met outside the city

Illus- Christians should have the word go forth from them like sound from a clanging bell.

Ever tried to walk around and keep a little bell silent?

Trans: Paul knew that successful evangelism required a healthy church…

ii. Thru edification That believers may grow *the second progress is here speaking to the readers

a. *gospel growth doesn’t just stop with salvation

-Paul wanted to remain to encourage the people in a way he couldn’t do from heaven

1. Be more like Christ

2. Must help believers love each other more

-unbelievers wont be convinced of a gospel and a church that doesn’t look different.

Jesus said

“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”” (John 13:35, ESV)

3. App: Most convicting part for me…

a. Paul is willing to give up to give a very godly desire for the sake of others

b. When was the last time I gave up something up I wanted?

i. So often we are not willing to even give up our bad desires

ii. But how about a godly one?

iii. This is only possible when we realize the treasures of God are greater than even the things we desire.

c. Can I speak once more to the elderly who honestly want to go home to the Lord, do you see your need to serve others now?

i. You’re here to make disciples, to help others follow Christ as you have.

ii. It might not be the same as others, or what you’ve done in the past

iii. But Like Paul… as long as you are still here on this earth, make it your ambition to fruitfully increase

iv.

Trans: So lastly, Paul shows what he was living for.

iii. Thru Exaltation That believers may boast in Christ

“Proud confidence” is someone who boasts about someone else.

Ie: when you know your team is the best and you can exclaim how great they did and how they will bulldoze the competition.

=you have confidence in their success

a. Paul’s return would encourage the Philippians because it would be an answer to their prayers, because it would show God could do anything

b. This is Paul’s ultimate aim… the final destination on the trip

Straight out of Jeremiah 9:23-24

“Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.”” (Jeremiah 9:23–24, ESV)

c. Paul wanted them to praise God and point to how powerful He is b/c of what he did thru Paul to them

d. App

i. So, do we live for other to praise God through us?

1. Parents, would you be content if you children had everything in life, and lifted up your name, but failed to praise God for work in you?

ii. John Piper defines exalating God this way, “By gladly pursuing the gladness of others in God- even at the cost of our lives- we love them and honor God.”

“Oh how many lives are wasted by people who believe that there Christian life means simply avoiding badness and providing for the family. So there is no adultery, no stealing, no killing, no embezzlement, no fraud- just lots of hard work during the day, and lots of TV and PG-13 videos in the evening, and lots of fun stuff on the weekend-woven around church. This is life for millions of people. Wasted life. We were created for more, far more.

iii. The question for everything is not what’s wrong with it, but will they point people to him as the manifest treasure of my life?

III. Conclusion

1. Cohesion

i. We will all die one day, but the question is whether we are living for heaven now.

ii. 2 desires for get you really ready for heaven are to

1. Feel the tension between wanting to serve here and be with christ

2. And then focus on helping other people long for Jesus now

2. Resolution

i. In his commentary on Philippians, DA Carson tells the story of John G Patan, a man planning to go as a missionary to the south Sea Islands

1. An aging Christian warned him “You will be eaten by Cannibals!” as he tried to dissuade him from pursuing this mission

2. Paton replied, “Mr. Dickson, you are advanced in years now, and your own prospect is soon to be laid in the grave, there to be eaten by worms; I confess to you, that if I can but live and die serving and honouring the Lord Jesus, it will make no difference to me whether I am eaten by Cannibals or by worms; and in the Great Day my resurrection body will arise as fair as yours in the likeness of our risen Redeemer.

ii. We must put the Gospel first brothers and sisters

1. It is hard to see others saved

2. It is hard to give of ourselves

3. And yet the reward is a far greater enjoyment of heaven

iii. So, make your life about serving others on earth now.