Philippians 1:22-26 • When Christ Is Our Life Pt. 4

Review & Overview

1. New Series Overview

We are in a middle of a series titled: “When Christ Is Our Life.”

This series is walking us through Philippians 1. And throughout this series, we’re asking one main question:

What does it look like when Christ is truly your life?

Paul shows us that when Christ is our life, circumstances don’t control us, Jesus does.

And we’re going to see how that plays out in real areas of life:

adversity, criticism, death, everyday living, and even how the church functions.

At the heart of it, this series isn’t just about what we believe, but what drives us, and what happens when the gospel becomes most important no matter the cost.

Adversity, Critics, Death…

3. Current Study’s Overview

And that brings us to Vs. 22 and our portion of scripture and our study for today… Read…

The title of today’s message is: When Christ Is Our Life, This is what Daily Living Looks Like Pt. 4/5.

Because… This portion of scripture is honest, raw, and deeply personal.

Paul isn’t giving us a polished theology lecture here, he’s letting us listen in on a real internal struggle.

He’s in prison. His future is uncertain. Life or death are both on the table.

And instead of panic, what we see is clarity. Instead of fear, we see purpose. Instead of self-focus, we see love for others.

What comes out of these verses is a picture of what everyday life looks like when Christ is truly our life.

How we think about our time, our work, our relationships, our future, even our death.

This isn’t abstract theology. This is real Christianity lived out under pressure.

And what we’re going to see is this: when Christ is our life, it changes how we live, how we love, and what we live for.

So if your taking notes, we learn 3 things, 3 principles about Daily Living when Christ is our life:

1. Daily Living Involves Fruitful Labor Vs. 22a

2. Daily Living Involves a Divided Heart Vs. 22b-24

3. Daily Living Involves Other-centered Vs. 25-26

1. Daily Living Involves Fruitful Labor Vs. 22a

Now here, Paul is following up on the two possibilities he mentions in Vs. 21: living and dying.

You’ll notice that Paul’s writing in verses 22-26 seems a little tangled and awkward, and many scholars point out how difficult the grammar is as well.

And I believe, that is a reflection of Paul’s emotional state, there is tension in Paul as he thinks through this issue in real time.

Because understand he’s wrestling with something very real.

If he stays alive “in the flesh,” meaning in this earthly life, that would mean fruitful labor for the gospel.

And BTW, Paul has already seen fruit from his ministry especially in places like Rome.

Romans 1:13 NKJV

13 Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles.

and he also still has future desires for ministry, one of them is his desire to reach Spain.

Romans 15:28 NKJV

28 Therefore, when I have performed this and have sealed to them this fruit, I shall go by way of you to Spain.

So it’s possible that, that dream is still in his heart here.

Regardless, the point here is that if he lives there will be fruitful labor that’s what he cares about…

APPLICATION: When Christ is truly our life, our daily living should be marked by fruitful labor.

Paul isn’t thinking about comfort, reputation, or retirement. His concern is simple: if I’m still alive, it’s because God still wants to use me.

And that should be our mindset too. Every day we wake up is another opportunity to bear fruit for Christ and serve others with purpose.

APPLICATION: But understand this: fruit doesn’t come from striving harder, it comes from abiding in Christ.

John 15:4 NKJV

4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

Fruitful living flows out of closeness with Christ. The more we walk with Him, depend on Him, and stay connected to Him, the more our lives naturally produce fruit for His glory.

2. Daily Living Involves a Divided Heart Vs. 22b-24

2.1 The Conflict Vs. 22b-23a

He’s saying, “I honestly don’t know which option is better. I can’t tell.”

Paul even speaks in terms of “choosing” between life and death (Vs. 22b).

That may sound strange to us, but during this ancient world, prisoners awaiting trial sometimes spoke this way.

But remember, Paul is not thinking of suicide here.

Understand, Paul’s entire theology is pro life, it’s all about purpose, and submission to God’s will.

Now notice in verse 23a, Paul admits that: he feels pulled in two directions.

He says, he is “hard pressed” between living and dying.

From a personal standpoint, death actually seems better to him,

because he believes it would mean being with Christ in a fuller and complete way.

He already said that death is “gain,” because it brings more of Christ.

APPLICATION: This tension Paul feels is real for us Christians.

When Christ is our life, our hearts are naturally pulled in two directions. On one hand, heaven is our true home.

Philippians 3:20 says, “our citizenship is in heaven.” That’s our identity, our belonging, our future.

Romans 8:23 NKJV

23 …we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

Deep down, we know being with Christ is better. We long for it. We ache for it.

APPLICATION: But at the same time, we still have relationships here, people to love, disciples to make, work God has given us to do.

And that creates tension. And that tension is healthy. It’s evidence that our hearts belong to heaven while our feet are still on earth.

So here’s the question for us: Is your focus only on this life? Or do you actually have a longing for heaven?

Because if heaven never crosses our mind, something is off.

But if heaven is our hope, then we live with urgency, purpose, and devotion while we’re still here.

APPLICATION: And that’s the mark of maturity.

You long for heaven but you stay faithful on earth.

You ache for eternity but you still show up for your assignment.

So the question isn’t “Do you want to go to heaven someday?” The real question is: Does heaven live in your heart right now?

Now, Paul also knows this isn’t ultimately his decision to make.

God decides whether he lives or dies. But if it were up to him, he says his deep desire is “to depart and be with Christ.”

2.2 The Heart to Die Vs. 23b

The word “depart” (Greek: analuō) was sometimes used for breaking camp or setting sail, and by Paul’s time it was commonly used as a respectful way to refer to death.

Kinda like saying, “did he/she pass away?”

But it’s important to see what Paul is not saying.

He is not talking about the Greek idea of the soul escaping from the body, as if the body were a prison.

That idea doesn’t show up here at all. What matters to Paul is not escaping his body, but being with Jesus.

Now notice the phrase “to be with Christ”…

This is describing our present relationship with Jesus now, and our future perfection relationship with Jesus after death.

Paul’s point is simple: death mean a deeper, fuller communion with Jesus.

So when Paul says it would be “far better,” he’s not exaggerating.

He truly believes that being with Jesus beyond this life is better than anything this world can offer,

because it means fully gaining Christ and sharing in the power of His resurrection.

You know the Bible is clear…

2 Corinthians 5:8 NKJV

8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

The moment we die we are in the presence of the Lord.

Some say that there is an intermediate state between death & resurrection.

Others say there is a time of purification after death.

But the point is not what happens after death…Paul is not trying to answer those technical questions in this portion of scripture.

He is not giving a lecture on the metaphysics of the afterlife.

He is expressing something much simpler and much deeper.

For Paul, the greatest good in life and in death is the same: to be in Christ and to be with Christ.

That’s what matters. That’s the heart of everything he’s saying.

Paul believes that nothing in all creation can separate believers from the love of God in Jesus.

Romans 8:38–39 NKJV

38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Notice, that includes death. So for him, death is not a loss, it’s not abandonment, it’s not defeat.

It is an entrance into a deeper fellowship with Jesus.

That’s why he can say death is “gain.”

In other words, Paul’s confidence isn’t built on a detailed charts of the afterlife.

It’s built on a relationship. He trusts Christ so deeply, loves Christ so fully, and belongs to Christ so completely that wherever Christ is, that is life, that is joy, that is victory.

John 11:25 NKJV

25 Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.

And that’s why Paul can honestly say that to depart and be with Christ is “far better.”

APPLICATION: Would you go to heaven if Jesus wasn’t there?

2.3 The Heart to Live Vs. 24

So Paul makes his heart even clearer.

Even though he personally would rather be with Christ, he recognizes that staying alive is actually more necessary for the sake of the Philippians.

In other words, his preference is to go to heaven, but his priority is the people.

Paul knows that the church still needs teaching, encouragement, and strengthening.

So for the sake of the gospel continuing to move forward, he is willing to put his own desire on hold.

Understand, this is a model of Christ-like living.

He is choosing what benefits others over what would personally benefit him.

That’s exactly the kind of mindset he’s going to mention in the next chapter:

Philippians 2:3–4 NKJV

3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

1. Involves Fruitful labor 2. Involves a Divided Heart

3. Daily Living Is Being Others-centered Vs. 25-26

Paul explains that because he now sees how important his continued ministry is for the Philippians,

he becomes confident that he will probably remain alive and keep serving them.

At first, this confidence sounds surprising, because just a couple verses earlier he admits he doesn’t know whether he will live or die.

But that shift in thinking actually makes sense when you follow his reasoning.

You see, Paul is saying, “Based on what I see, based on how much you still need strengthening, I believe the Lord will keep me here longer.”

And notice at the end of Vs. 25 it is for their progress and joy of faith.

Their progress refers to spiritual growth and maturity in their walk with Christ.

And their joy refers to what that growth feels like on the inside.

you see, progress is the objective growth and joy is the personal experience of progress.

Those two themes, progress and joy, run throughout the whole letter.

Paul talks about his own joy over and over (1:4, 1:18), and he wants the same thing for them.

And there’s an important connection here: faith that is growing is a faith that is joyful.

Because understand this: A faith with no joy tends to wither over time.

APPLICATION: Paul shows us something crazy here: Spiritual growth and spiritual joy always travel together.

When your faith is growing, joy follows. But when your faith stops growing, joy slowly dries up.

APPLICATION: You know, a stagnant Christian is usually a Christian with little to no Joy.

When there’s no hunger for the Word. No passion for prayer. No movement forward.

That eventually leads to no joy.

APPLICATION: But when you’re actually progressing in Christ, when you’re abiding in Him, obeying Him, walking with Him, joy will begin to increase in your life.

Paul stayed alive for their progress and joy because he knew this: healthy Christians are joyful Christians.

APPLICATION: So here’s the question for us: Are you growing… or just attending?

Are you progressing… or just existing?

Because faith that’s alive produces joy, and faith that’s not growing slowly begins to wither.

ENDING…