Philippians: "To live is Christ." Philippians 1:18b-30

Today is our 4th sermon,

in our series called the book of Philippians.

We are in Philippians 1:18b-30 today.

Before we read our text this morning,

I want to give brief overview of a few important things we have covered in Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi.

Philippians 1:6 (ESV)

6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

God finishes what he starts…

Philippians 1:12 (ESV)

12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel,

God works in everything...

people in government are getting saved. (worship of the imperial cult)

Believers have become more bold in their faith.

2 weeks ago I touched on on Paul’s history with the church in Philippi.

And because of this history Paul had with them,

his writing demonstrates an emotional investment with them.

This is why Philippians is often times called the friendship letter,

because Paul writes to these brothers and sisters that he is deeply connected with which is obvious throughout the letter..

Today, we are going to unpack Paul’s history not as much with the church,

but more so his history with God.

Paul had an experience with God that I believe greatly impacted his view on a topic that will be covered today.

Everyone will face this topic at one time or another… life and death.

Philippians 1:18b–30 (ESV)

18b Yes, and I will 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, 20 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. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 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. 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.

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. 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.

Paul’s view of deliverance.

Paul begins this section by expressing that as the brothers and sisters in Philippi continues to pray for him

And as the Spirit continues to work,

that Paul will experience deliverance.

But,

Paul understood that this deliverance may be different than what one might expect deliverance to be.

Most people hearing the word deliverance,

especially in Paul’s case,

would assume it means that he will be delivered from prison and not be executed.

But that may not be God’s plan for delivering Paul.

Paul,

wants the church in Philippi to understand that deliverance for him could look much different...

? How many know that God’s answers our prayers?

but how many know that God does not always answer our prayers in the way we want?

God answers our prayers in 3 ways...

Yes.

Wait or not yet.

No. Know there is a reason...

Park’s and Rec (Verizon) God works in everything

Paul has already unpacked how God works in everything… even prison

Now he begins to unpack what his deliverance could mean for him...

Philippians 1:19–25 (ESV)

19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, 20 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. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 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. 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,

Paul understood that his deliverance could mean that God delivers him from the chains that held him captive.

But Paul also understood,

that his deliverance could mean that Caesar could give the word for him to executed,

which would lead to his true home in heaven.

Paul demonstrates this conflict that he faces. (Longing for his True Home) [Work still to do]

Paul communicates that he was torn between two desires… live or die

To help better understand why Paul was so torn between these two desires we have to read a few passages in his letter to Corinth.

2 Corinthians 11:23b–28 (NLT)

23b I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. 24 Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. 26 I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. 27 I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.

28 Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches.

sign me up… lol

How many here would agree Paul went through some stuff?

I believe the things Paul went through did not have as much of an impact of him wanting to be home with Christ

as what he writes in the next chapter in his letter to the church in Corinth.

2 Corinthians 12:2–4 (NLT)

2 I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don’t know—only God knows. 3 Yes, only God knows whether I was in my body or outside my body. But I do know 4 that I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell.

Experiences that are impactful stay with us our whole lives....

Paul experienced a taste of Heaven that stayed with him for the rest of his life…

(Live with hope) [death is just a doorway]

C. S. Lewis wrote,

“If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this.”

Paul’s effectiveness for the Gospel was because he understood that his life was in Christ.

Paul says to live is Chirst… (citizenship was not of Rome, Philippi,…)

Citizenship was in heaven…

Philippians 3:20 (ESV)

20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Philippians 1:27a (ESV)

27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ,

Philippians 1:27a (NLT)

27 Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ.

Paul understood that his true home was in heaven. (calling to be a citizen of heaven)

Because Paul was a citizen of heaven he understood his deliverance could mean death at the hands of Caesar.

2 Corinthians 5:8b (KJV 1900)

“to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”

Death has lost it’s victory,

because death is now just a doorway for Paul to be home in heaven.

So yes Paul could be delivered from his physical chains,

or he could be delivered from the pains of this world and be in home in heaven.

The reality for Paul is that his deliverance is out of his hands. (Can’t control Caesar)

But what Paul can do is control how he lives in the here and now.

2. Paul’s view of living

Philippians 1:20–21 (ESV)

20 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. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Paul lived an unashamed life… Glory of God

Church in Philippi live the same way so you to wont fear death...

Paul’s view of true living as a believer means we live for Christ.

It means we don’t back down,

but rather engage in the battle that is before us.

close with this...

Philippians 1:29–30 (ESV)

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.

We want Christ without suffering.

We want Christ without engaging in the conflict of battle.

James life is but a vapor..

Kingdom lens we have an eternal perspective.. Not afraid of what happens now...