Sermon Tone Analysis

Welcome

Good morning.

I’m happy to share with you all for the first time, that Kalie and I are engaged.

I know I can say for both of us that we are incredibly excited about get married.

We are just scratching the surface of wedding planning, so if you would be praying that we get great discounts and that everything runs smoothly, we would appreciate that.

Introduction

A regular conversation that Kalie and I have been having lately is how we’re going to make our marriage count.

We don’t want to waste our relationship on ourselves or spend our energy on silly pursuits, but we really do want to live our lives together in a way that honors Christ and makes his name great.

And so, it’s fitting that we’re here this morning, as we continue our series in Philippians, which tells us what it means and what it looks like to partner in the Gospel.

Why give yourself to the Mission?

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As we’ve been working through , it’s clear that Paul’s greatest passion is Jesus.

His life had been marked by the Gospel, so much so that he began to see every situation as an opportunity to share it with others.

He rejoiced because he could see the gospel advancing, despite bad situations and bad intentions.

In our text this morning, we’ll get to see a bit more of Paul’s heart and will hopefully begin to understand why he was so committed to sharing the gospel.

As we’ve been working through , it’s clear that Paul’s greatest passion is Jesus.

His life had been marked by the Gospel, so much so that he began to see every situation as an opportunity to share it with others.

He rejoiced because he could see the gospel advancing, despite bad situations and bad intentions.

Now, in verses 19-26

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What does the Mission look like?

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As we walk through , Paul tells us that the Christian Mission is to Magnify Christ.

Every day, we have the opportunity to share something with the world.

Not only what we do, but also how we do them communicates our greatest passions and our life’s purpose.

As we work though the passage, I’d like you to ask yourself, “What message am I communicating to the world?”

Our text this morning is .

If you have your Bibles, please join me in the reading of God’s Word.

Prayer

Exposition

Our text this morning tells us that the Christian Mission is to Magnify Christ.

Our text is divided neatly, but not evenly, into two sections.

In verses 19-20, Paul shows us why we should magnify Christ.

In the remaining verses, Paul shows us what it looks like to magnify Christ.

Our text is divided neatly, but not evenly, into two sections.

In verses 19-20, Paul shows us why we should magnify Christ.

In verses 21-26, Paul shows us what it looks like to magnify Christ.

In this first section, Paul tells us the why.

Why should we spend our lives trying to magnify Christ?

Paul knew that he would ultimately have to stand before God and give an account for everything he did throughout his life this side of eternity.

How’d I come up with that from these verses?

I’m so glad you asked.

with an expression of confidence.

Although the apostle was held in contempt by Roman officials, by those outside of the church, and even by some within the church, the apostle knew that his steadfast commitment to the gospel would ultimately bring about his vindication.

In verse 19, Paul declares, “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.”

This verse is so unique that many often misunderstand what Paul is trying to say here.

Many scholars interpret this verse as though Paul were saying that as the gospel continued to spread, people would turn their attention to the Christian movement, so much so that the Roman authorities would need to take action.

In other words, Paul believed that his trial would be brought before Caesar sooner rather than later.

Should he be granted the opportunity to defend his case, Paul would certainly be released.

This view has some support.

In verse 25, he assures the Philippians that he will remain - that is, not die - so that he might continue his ministry.

Later in 2:24, he writes, “I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.”

So, there is at least some weight to the view that Paul believed he would be released from prison.

But is that what he is actually saying here?

There are two difficulties with this view.

First, the Greek word σωτηρία is used 45 times throughout the New Testament.

Only here is it translated “deliverance.”

43 times, it is understood in terms of salvation.

Once, it is used in reference to the sustaining power of food.

This doesn’t rule out deliverance as a possible translation, but it does make it an unlikely translation.

Second, the phrase, “this will be my salvation” is that it isn’t original to Paul.

Here, Paul quotes word for word from .

As it concerns our first problem, the word most Bibles read as “deliverance” comes from the .

For all you theology nerds, this is where we get the word soteriology.

43 out of 45 times it’s used in the NT, it’s translated save or salvation, once it refers the sustaining power of food, but only here is it translated “deliverance.”

Is this the best translation?

In the original text, Job is responding to the accusations levied against him by his “friends,” who were accusing him of sin and believe that he’s suffering far less than he actually deserves.

And so Job responds:

Those who favor “deliverance” here believe that Paul expects his imminent release from prison.

What’s interesting about the phrase, “this will lead to my salvation” is that it isn’t original to Paul.

Here, Paul actually quoting from .

In the original text, Job is responding to the accusations levied against him by his “friends,” who were accusing him of sin and believe that he’s suffering far less than he actually deserves.

And so Job responds:

What about this Job’s situation resonated with Paul so much that he would quote verbatim, “this will be my salvation?”

Could it be that, like Job, Paul not only endured suffering, but also endured harsh words and accusations from those who claimed to be friends?

Be mindful of the fact that Paul not only faced opposition from outside the church, but also from other Christians, who sought to afflict him in his imprisonment.

Here, Paul’s not saying, “This will lead to my release,” but this will be my salvation.

Despite all of the accusations that were levied against Paul, despite those who believed Paul had been imprisoned for some wrong-doing, Paul knew there would come a day when he, like Job, would come face to face with God to give an account for everything he did throughout his life this side of eternity.

As it concerns the second problem, there are two ways to understand the “this” in verse 19.

Some believe that “this” refers to Paul’s imprisonment.

Those who take this view assert Paul’s imprisonment will lead to his salvation or his vindication.

But imprisonment for imprisonment’s sake doesn’t make you a saint.

I believe the “this” here refers to Paul’s commitment to gospel proclamation.

This is expressed more clearly in verse 20, which reads, “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.”

As verse 20 reveals, Paul’s focus was not on his present circumstance, but on his future justification before God.

Without a doubt, Paul was afforded every opportunity and faced every temptation to renounce his faith and distance himself from Christ.

He should have been ashamed of his chains, but he valued Christ too much.

And because , he could not bear thoughts of renunciation or neglect.

He could not bear the thought of bringing shame to the very person who had given him life - true and everlasting life.

And so, Paul made it his mission to magnify Christ in his body.

As long as breathe filled his lungs, his life was purposed by proclaiming the glory of Christ.

Whether by life or by death reflects the apostle’s conviction that Jesus’ honor is worth more than both earthly comforts and earthly life.

A similar sentiment is shared by the old American Baptist Foreign Mission Society, who’s emblem portrays an ox standing between a plough and an altar, with the motto, “Ready for either”—ready to spend and be spent in labor, or to be a sacrifice; whichever the Lord pleases.”

“The emblem of the American Baptist Foreign Missionary Society is an ox standing between a plough and an altar, with the motto, “Ready for either”—ready to spend and be spent in labor, or to be a sacrifice; whichever the Lord pleases.”

Whether Paul had been released soon thereafter or he had been executed by Roman officials, he knew that his faithfulness to the gospel depended on their prayers and the help of the Spirit.

This is so important for us to realize.

One of the greatest temptations we face as we try to live lives that honor God is that we believe it depends on how hard we try, apart from grace.

Without a doubt, we are called to give all of our efforts and all of our energy to magnifying Christ, but we must always remain grace-driven and not self-driven.

This is what Paul means in , which reads:

Here, we must recognize the grace that God gives us, by way of his Spirit and by way of his Church.

Through the Spirit and through the Church, we are edified, encouraged, and equipped for every good work.

And so, as Paul sat in a cell, day after day awaiting his trial, he continued to magnify Christ, encouraged by the prayers of other Christians and sustained by the help of the Spirit.