Philippians 1:19-26 | My Reason, My Reward

Intro

When you get old and you are finally at the time in your life when you have much more behind you then you do in front of you you will begin to ask yourself questions. Such as…

Did I live a meaningful life?

What is my legacy?

Did I make a positive impact on others?

Have I fulfilled my purpose?

Are my relationships in a good place?

What regrets do I have, if any?

How will I be remembered?

Have I found peace with my past/self?

What are my beliefs about what comes after death?

How can I ensure my loved ones are taken care of?

These reflections often focus on meaning, relationships, and personal fulfillment.

This is a tragedy! I want to guard you from making this mistake. These are not questions that you should be asking at the end of your life. We should be asking them now, today! We would be wise to not wait until we are aged to ask these questions and to meditate on what the answers are to them.

In todays text Paul will express to us his answers to these questions and he will describe for us by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God what it looks like to have “a life worth living and a death to desire”

Prayer

Message

Phil 1:18-26

Philippians 1:18 ESV

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,

Philippians 1:19–26 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, 26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

Pauls Passion in Life ( Live For Christ )

Philippians 1:21 “21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

Philippians 1:22 “22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell.”

fill in the blank for yourself this morning and be honest, what are you living for??

Exalting Jesus in Philippians Fill in the Blank

Everyone must fill in this blank personally. How would you complete this sentence, “For me, living is __________”? It often gets filled in with cheap substitutes: money, sexual pleasure, power, beauty, entertainment, etc. But using the logic of this passage what fills the second blank…

Optimistic Buoyancy

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

Philippians 1:25 “25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith,”

Quote: "Our confidence in Christ is not based on circumstances but on His unchanging promises." - Charles Spurgeon

Illustration: A ship in a storm remains anchored, not because the storm ceases, but because the anchor holds firm.

Philippians 4:6–7 “6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

The worst they can do is kill him and he would prefer that anyway!

Optimistic Basis

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

John 11:25–26 “25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?””

Their Prayers

James 5:16 “16 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.”

Supply of the Spirit

Romans 8:26 “26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”

Christs Faithfulness

Exploring Ephesians & Philippians: An Expository Commentary b. The Basis of His Optimism (1:19b)

Well-meaning people often say to friends undergoing trial, “Everything’s going to be all right.” That variety of optimism is vague and unsatisfactory. Paul’s optimism was based on the solid and substantial spiritual realities of prayer and the Holy Spirit

Hebrews 7:25 “25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”

Optimistic Byproduct

Fruitful service

to/for them

for Christ

Exploring Ephesians & Philippians: An Expository Commentary a. His Determination (1:20)

The logo of one missionary organization is a picture of an ox with a plow on one side and an altar on the other. Underneath the picture are the words, “Ready for either.” That was Paul’s motto.

Galatians 2:20 “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.”

John 15:5 “5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

John 15:8 “8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”

Matthew 7:17 “17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.”

Pauls Prize in Death ( Life With Christ )

Philippians 1:21 “21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

Philippians 1:23 “23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.”

Quote: "When Christ is our life, even death becomes gain." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Quote: “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him” - John Piper

Hebrews 9:27 “27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,”

Revelation 14:13 “13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!””

Romans 8:18 “18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

Application for Us

Quote: “There’s nothing to dying, it’s the living that matters.”

Exploring Ephesians & Philippians: An Expository Commentary (1) About This Life (1:21a)

Everybody lives for something or someone. Many people, if they were being honest, would sum up their goals in this life with such statements as these: “For to me to live is pleasure”; “For to me to live is wealth”; or “For to me to live is position or power or prestige.”

1 Corinthians 9:24–25 “24 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. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.”

Matthew 6:33 “33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Galatians 6:8–9 “8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

For me, to live is , and to die is .

Quote: You cant know how to live until you heave settled how you want to die. - Alister Begg

Close

Embrace a life where Christ is central, knowing that in living or dying, in labor or rest, our ultimate goal is to glorify Him. Trust in His deliverance, exalt Him in all circumstances, and dedicate your life to fruitful service.

Group Questions

What does it mean for Paul to expect and hope that Christ will be exalted in his body, whether by life or death? How can we apply this mindset in our daily challenges?

Paul states, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." What does living for Christ look like in practical terms today? What do some people live for these days?

Paul is torn between living and dying. How do these verses reflect the tension between earthly life and heavenly hope? Refer to 2 Corinthians 5:8 for further insight.

What does Paul mean by "fruitful labor"? How can we identify and pursue fruitful labor in our own spiritual journeys?

Why does Paul describe being with Christ as "better by far"? How does this perspective influence our understanding of life and death?

Paul sees value in remaining in the body for the sake of others. How does this selfless attitude challenge us in our relationships and community involvement?

What role does mutual encouragement play in the progress and joy of faith within a community? How can we foster this in our group?

Paul wants the Philippians to have ample cause to boast in Christ. What does it mean to boast in Christ, and how can we practice this in our daily interactions?

Reflect on how Paul's willingness to sacrifice for the sake of others mirrors Christ's own sacrifice. How can we emulate this in our service to others, as seen in John 15:13?