To Live is Christ, and to Die is Gain.

Scripture Introduction: Please open your Bible to . Today we continue our intermittent journey through Paul’s letter of encouragement. We have before us today one of his most profound declarations of all of his writings, and we find here God’s message of hope and deliverance. We’ll pick up with the ending of verse 18 and read through verse 26.

Read .

Sermon Introduction: It is only natural.. that as young believers comes to grip with the magnitude of the blessings that they have in Christ, that they can become perplexed by the implications of all the things God has done for them in Christ. The guarantees that are found in Jesus are truly matchless: a cleared record of sin, a perfect account of righteousness, an eternal inheritance, enduring peace, union with God, the list can go on and on... Such assurances might bring one to wonder, “Well if Jesus has taken care of everything for me and has prepared a place for me in heaven… why am I still here? What difference does it really make what I do with my life if my salvation is secure in Jesus?” Such spiritual ‘growing pains’ come naturally as we treasure what we hold by faith to be true while we live in a darkened world; some have called it the already-not-yet reality of Christian living. And while we might expect such thoughts to captivate young, maturing believers, today we read the Apostle Paul entertaining a similar notion, and he does so for all of our benefit. His thinking goes like this: “with Christ being honored by my living through this trial or my dying in this trial, which should I prefer?” Paul opens his own heart, exposing his inner-most motivations, and makes an exhibition of this dilemma while applying himself to the spiritual discipline of pursuing things that are necessary while longing for what is better.

The guarantees that are found in Jesus are truly matchless: a cleared record of sin, a perfect account of righteousness, an eternal inheritance, enduring peace, union with God, the list can go on and on... Such assurances might bring one to think, “Well if Jesus has taken care of everything for me… why am I still here?” cause of the “what now?” I’m safe and secure in Jesus, so what am I suppose to do with my life? Paul encourages the church as he, himself wrestles with this same dilemma, applying himself to the spiritual discipline of longing for what is better while pursuing what is necessary.

Transition: Three main points will guide our examination of the text today, the first of which reintroduces us to Paul’s world of suffering, thus we find...

I. A Reason for Rejoicing (vv. 18b-20)

Pivoting from his previous discussion of God’s peculiar means of Gospel advancement (i.e. imprisonment, preachers with poor motives, etc.), Paul continues exalting God for His sustaining grace, pointing his own heart (and ours) to focus on unshakable pillars of that grace. (Read verses 18b-20.) As we consider verses 19 and 20, notice these three things that Paul rejoices in [Comfort, Deliverance, Worship].

Paul rejoices in Comfort (verse 19) and this comfort is two-pronged...

Paul rejoices in the comfort of the Body of Christ (v. 19). Paul has already made it clear that his readers are on his mind and in his prayers (Read verses 3-5). He means what he says when he describes this relationship they share as having “partnership” qualities. He prays for them, and they pray for him. There is a mutual bond of prayer in a ministry of comfort.

Prayer: Paul speaks with confidence that the prayers of believers are heard of God and that they are effective in putting courage into a troubled soul and in planting hope in times of suffering. Paul is encouraging this church to continue in their encouragement. To this point, Matthew Henry notes that...

“Whatever turns to our salvation is by the supply or the aids and assistance of the Spirit of Christ; and prayer is the appointed means of fetching in that supply. The prayers of the people may bring a supply of the Spirit to their ministers, to support them in suffering, as well as in preaching the gospel.”

Whatever turns to our salvation is by the supply or the aids and assistance of the Spirit of Christ; and prayer is the appointed means of fetching in that supply. The prayers of the people may bring a supply of the Spirit to their ministers, to support them in suffering, as well as in preaching the gospel.

Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (p. 2322). Peabody: Hendrickson.

We are encouraged here to prayer for our elders and to rejoice in this mutual comfort. You are blessed to be enveloped in such a mutual bond. Paul rejoices in the comfort of the body of Christ; he also rejoices in the...

Paul rejoices in the help of the Spirit of Christ (v. 19).

The Spirit is the divine Helper, and Paul indicates that this is exactly what the Spirit does in accordance to the assurance that Jesus gave His followers that they will not be left without help in His absence.

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” ()

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ, and it is the Spirit who applies the salvation wrought in Christ to the life of the believer. It is the Spirit who convicts the sinner of sin and regenerates them from spiritual death unto new life, a life of repentant faith. Without the Spirit, we have no salvation, and that is why Christ goes on to say in , referring still to the Spirit,...

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” ()

The Holy Spirit is the Peace that Jesus brings. And such peace puts away all fear, because Jesus is mighty to save. And this is the second thing we see Paul rejoicing in here in verse 19: Deliverance. Paul has comfort, because there is deliverance.

Deliverance (verse 19); The question to ask is, “Deliverance from what?”

From Present Circumstances

Let us not forget Paul’s current circumstances: he has been rejected and attacked by the Jewish magistrates, he has been arrested and imprisoned by the Roman government, and he has been slandered and dismissed even by many in the church. At the present time, his fate seemed to lay in the hands of a Roman official or even of Caesar himself. He was awaiting his trial by the kind of people who by now were relegating people like Paul to be instigators of civil unrest and religious blasphemy, worthy of severe punishment and death. Paul cannot escape hinting at these circumstances as he writes about deliverance here in chapter one, but...

Paul’s conclusion that we see in verse 19, that “this” will turn out for his deliverance echoes the faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

Verse (?)

Paul is saying with open hands that

Even more than his trial, verse 20 tells us that what Paul desired more was deliverance from the fear of being ashamed of Christ. We might naturally think of Paul as a ‘super saint’ who never had any lack of boldness in proclaiming Christ, but here we see that Paul knew himself very well and he deals with himself honestly before his Philippian readers, informing them of how to pray for him. Paul, who infamously writes “I am not ashamed of the Gospel” in , here reveals that such bold Christian statements must be proved through the living and dying of the saints. Paul was about to have a hearing before the emperor, but Caesar’s opinion of Paul mattered little compared to how Paul stood in the eyes of God. And thus Paul’s reference to deliverance has a fuller meaning than merely addressing his present circumstances. Paul is rejoicing for deliverance...

From Eternal Condemnation

Paul didn’t know, despite his best inclinations, what Caesar’s decision would be: life or death. But Paul knew without a shadow of a doubt, that when God sets out to do something He brings it to pass. Paul could not have been clearer about this when he said in verse 6 of this same passage “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.” With this one thought, Paul is preaching to himself the comfort that David speaks of in

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.

“I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.” ()

and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.”

Those who look to him are radiant,

…Paul’s preaching to himself the comfort found in

and their faces shall never be ashamed.

This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.”

“thus says the Lord God, ‘Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: “Whoever believes will not be in haste [will not be overcome].”’” ()

“Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion,

and saved him out of all his troubles.”

a stone, a tested stone,

Paul shares the confidence of Job.

a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation:

“Though he slay me, I will hope in him;...” ()

‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’”

This will be my salvation,

Paul rejoices in such a salvation that frees him from shame, and when you are unashamed of the Gospel nothing bars you from magnifying Jesus, thus Paul also rejoices at this opportunity to worship Christ (Read verse 20) [“Christ will be honored”].

that the godless shall not come before him.” ()

Worship

By worship we mean exactly what Paul says here with honor. Paul rejoices that God allows a creature like him to exalt Christ, to glorify Christ, to magnify and enlarge Him, to make Him large and to speak highly of Him. This is the reason God has put air in our lungs and melody in our hearts; truly, all of life is all about honoring God. So, whether we’re living...

Christ is to be honored in our life

Paul uses what may seem to be peculiar language in verse 20 when he speaks of being “in [the] body,” but he simply is making a summary of what this body, our bodies, were made for as believers: spiritual worship. He visits this idea also when correcting the Corinthian church over their immorality.

"Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?” ()

Temples of God (?)

This union of our being in Christ and living in our bodies has all encompassing implications for every day life. Everything we do with these bodies is to honor Christ.

This is a treasure

This is a treasure. It is a glorious thing that God redeems the likes of us and fits us and commissions us to be useful for His kingdom.

“I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” ()

God is in the business of putting sinners back to work glorifying Him according to His redeeming grace. This is a constant theme for Paul. In writing the Ephesian believers he points out that this glorious salvation is...

“so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” ()

Christ is to be honored with all our “Doing” in these bodies throughout every age… and even in death.

Christ being honored in our death

Our world seems captivated with figuring out where we’ve come from, but the more pressing matter is where are we going beyond this life. Paul considers this and his conclusion that we see in verse 19, that “this” will turn out for his deliverance echoes the faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the face of their own trial.

Scripture reminds us that it is better to go to a funeral than to celebrate the birth of a newborn (?)… I happened to do both this past week.

"Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.’” ()

Paul is saying with open hands that ‘My God is able to deliver me, my God will deliver me, and even if he does it in an unconventional way (death), my God is worthy of all honor I can give him in life or in death.’

This is why Scripture tells us that it is better to go to a funeral than to celebrate the birth of a newborn… I happened to do both just this past week.

“It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.” ()

than to go to the house of feasting,

for this is the end of all mankind,

and the living will lay it to heart.

Sorrow is better than laughter,

for by sadness of face the heart is made glad.

Scripture reminds us that it is better to go to a funeral than to celebrate a newborn (?)… I happened to do both this past week.

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,

but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.” ()

You see, the house of mourning sets our hearts on the deliverance that only Christ can bring, deliverance from death.

[For] “God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.” ()

Transition: (Pause) Who knew that rejoicing could have such deep theological roots, but that’s exactly where the joy in Paul’s life is coming from; a firm confidence in God’s deliverance whether through living or dying. What we find next then is a bold summary of this very confidence: “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” However, this bold confession reveals a perplexing dilemma for believers.

Our world seems captivated with figuring out where we’ve come from, but the more pressing matter is where are we going beyond this life. Paul considers this...

II. A Dilemma of Desires (vv. 21-24)

The Dilemma (read verses 22-24)

Seeing the confidence that Christ brings that delivers a believer from all fear of life and death is truly liberating, the Gospel changes everything. For a Christian the worst thing that anyone can do to you is the very best thing that can happen to you.

“When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality [whether it be cancer, a car accident, old age, or martyrdom], then shall come to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ ‘O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” ()

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”

“O death, where is your victory?

O death, where is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The Gospel truth frees believers to really ponder, “Well, Christ has taken care of all the important things in life… What do I do now?”

“The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” ()

I will not fear;

what can man do to me?”

This was Paul’s sweet contemplation here in verses 21-24. And given his predicament of life and death, you could say that Paul’s dilemma was: “To be, or not to be, that is the question:” (Hamlet). But Paul, unlike Hamlet, wasn’t considering suicide; there is no Christian cause that leads to that end. Rather, Paul was showing his heart, weighing out the pros and cons of the Christian experience. On the one hand...

Paul’s attitude

To remain in the flesh means fruitful labor for Paul (verse 22) and applying that means the edification of the church (verse 25), but… you’ll be away from Jesus. This is not the only time Paul explains this dilemma...

“So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” ()

For Paul to remain in the flesh meant enjoying the mandate that God had given him as His image-bearer and as an Apostle, and while eternal bliss with Christ is incomparable to these in many ways… these earthen treasures are not something to take lightly. “To live is Christ,” means that every waking moment of the believer is in service and in honor to our wonderful King. There is no greater reason to live. Thus this dilemma of desires: to remain, or to depart… and

To depart would mean to be “at home with the Lord.” This is the guarantee that the Spirit brings and that gives Christians comfort in their funeral mourning and grieving. Paul wrote specifically to address this...

“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.” ()

The pull is between longing for what is better, while pursuing that which is necessary. You could say it the other way around: the pull is between pursuing what is necessary, while longing for what is better. And when Paul uses this term necessary, he doesn’t mean that it is necessary for him to stay on earth so he can bear spiritual fruit meriting salvation. No, he is describing God’s goodness in giving each believer another day on earth as a necessary part of His sovereign plan. So placing faith in Christ doesn’t mean we stop treasuring each day of life He gives us; Paul is declaring that God’s sovereign plan demands that you be alive today, so live according to His grace: to live is Christ!

Application: And so we see how maintaining a balance between longing for what is better (to be with Christ) while pursuing what is necessary (fruitful labor) truly is a spiritual discipline because our selfish hearts would not be as confident as Paul was in making his selection.

Notice first, the audacity of Paul in verses 22 and 23 (read: “Yet...”), he could care less what Caesar will say at his trial, Paul speaks as if he will decide his own fate. And despite his personal desire to depart and be with Christ (verse 23) he’s convinced that a delayed departure would work for the betterment of the church (verse 25). It seems there is no ministry opportunity too unconventional for the Apostle Paul to give himself to.

We groan in this present age, longing for the relief of the age to come, all the while living with grateful hearts for every day we’re graciously employed in God’s kingdom advancement.

We so quickly become passive in our Christian experience because we only care about getting to heaven to the point that we are content to simply let Christian ministry go on all around us, but never through us or in us. Though you would never say it, your spiritual inactivity says to the world, “I’m good; stinks to be you guys.” with no Gospel ministry. You’ll let life and kingdom opportunities pas you by because, “Hey, I don’t know about anyone else, but at least I know I’m going to heaven.” And that would be a very selfish and sterile way of "following” Christ, and that would be neglecting what Paul sees as necessary. It seemed there was no ministry too high or too low for the Apostle Paul to glory in, who are we to squander the opportunities God has put before us?

So, now it’s our turn to be honest… given the choice, would you depart and be with Christ or would you remain a bit longer to serve His church? “To be or not to be, that is the question.” (Pause) The reality is that God alone controls our days, our living, our dying; not Paul, not me, not you. But how we think about this hypothetical exercise that Paul is having with his readers is very telling of our hearts even though the choice is not ours to make.

(To unbelievers) Now, you may be here today and this is all new to you. Believing that God is knowable and gives us assurances may seem absolutely absurd to you. But this is the blessing that we have in Jesus. The Gospel is the good news that God has revealed Himself and graciously reconciles and restores fallen man unto Himself by His Spirit through repentant faith in the justifying, life-giving atonement of His righteous Son, Jesus Christ. If this is news to you today, believe! But,...

I fear that for many of us, Jesus may not be so glorious to want to leave quite yet. No, we don’t really desire to be with Him… yet. We’re too wrapped up in our family, our job, our career, our mission, our legacy, our bounty, our hobbies, or even our upcoming vacation. The idea of departing, if we had a choice, almost brings a shudder of worry as if we’re going to miss out on something in life; “Jesus, just let me do this and this, and then I’d be ok with departing.” Can I be a bit direct with you today; Jesus addressed such a person in one of His parables...

Now, it is only natural that we are less urgent about life and death matters when our own life isn’t on the line, and I’m afraid that in many cases Christians have become complacent with evangelism and discipleship once they have for themselves Christ’s guarantee of deliverance. We must hold this tension for it is to Satan’s pleasure that Christians not to be urgent about the church or the lost.

“[And] God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” ()

The truth is that without even considering this hypothetical question, you are not guaranteed tomorrow, and it is a proud heart that despises God’s sovereign control of our days. Every day is a gift from God, even our last one. In fact, if “to live is Christ, and to die is gain,” our best day will be our last. This reality frees us to share with the Apostle Paul the perspective that God has about delivering saints in death; it’s precious to Him!

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” ()

is the death of his saints.

Through salvation in Jesus, God has cast you a part in His glorious story; this means that to live is Christ! The question then goes from being “to be or not to be?” to “what will you do with today?” To live is Christ. Perhaps you’ve lived a very sterile Christianity, perhaps it’s been years since you personally talked about the Gospel with anyone, neglecting the very task that God has given you breath to perform in His kingdom harvest. Perhaps, as we saw previously in verse 14 you’ve relegated the Gospel only to a safe-space in your life. Turn back from your selfish living, and give yourself to this life-dominating Gospel! Paul writes...

Perhaps you’ve lived a very sterile Christianity, perhaps it’s been years since you personally talked about the Gospel with anyone, neglecting the task that God has given you breath to perform in His harvest. Perhaps, as we saw previously in verse 14 you’ve relegated the Gospel to safe-spaces, blunting the soul-piercing work of God’s Word. I invite you today to consider the life-liberating reality that to live is Christ, and to die is gain! Turn back from your selfish living.

God has cast you a part in His glorious story; to live is Christ! The question is what will you do with today? To live is Christ. Perhaps you’ve lived a very sterile Christianity, perhaps it’s been years since you personally talked about the Gospel with anyone, neglecting the task that God has given you breath to perform in His harvest. Perhaps, as we saw previously in verse 14 you’ve relegated the Gospel only to a safe-space. Turn back from your selfish living.

I invite you today to consider the life-liberating reality that to live is Christ, and to die is gain! Turn back from your selfish living.

Perhaps you struggle with the other extreme of this truth consumed with the labor of ministry and details of conflicts and the weightiness of being everyone’s “messiah” you do so blind of the guarantees that you have in Christ, you begin to question His goodness in difficult times, you put upon yourself and others a standard that drives everyone to spiritual exhaustion. Paul shows us that

I invite you today to consider the life-liberating reality that to live is Christ, and to die is gain! Turn back from your selfish living.

Transition:

“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.” ()

Transition:

We see in the next two verses how the love of God toward us in Jesus is radically redirected to one another. In closing, we get a glimpse of Paul’s...

III. A Service of Selflessness (vv. 25-26)

(Slow down) We can be confident that whatever is good for the church, God will do it, and Paul was determined that for as long as God kept him alive, he was to be in His service for the good of the church. What Paul resolves in these final two verses isn’t rocket science, it’s true Christian service stemming from true Christian love. Christian service isn’t meant to be aimless or lethargic as we await the return of King Jesus; in two other letters, Paul writes that believers must “[make] the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” (, ). Here we see Paul’s every intension to do so upon his arrival back in Philippi. Our attention is directed to two things that Paul has his mind set on doing among the Philippian congregation (verse 25).

Progress in the Faith - Paul was convinced (note: he did have divine revelation) that his “staying put” (“remain”/“continue with”) with the body of Christ would be for their “progress.” Paul was determined to be involved in this congregation’s growth in the Gospel. Instructing and edifying them in the grace of Christ unto full maturity as well as their...

Joy in the Faith.

Conclusion:

Conclusion: These are some lofty plans for “retirement.” To Paul, another adventure among the Philippian congregation would be well worth it all, and every circumstance in between, so long as they “have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of [his] coming to [them] again” (verse 26). All too soon, Paul would write, as he already shows, that he is “ready to be poured out” as an offering to God (). As we conclude this text today, it seems to me that Paul has aged significantly even since this sermon began, his mind ever maturing in the grace that is His in Christ, and his heart ever beating with love for the saints.

As we treasure this spiritual discipline of pursuing what is necessary while longing for what is better, may we say and do with the Apostle Paul, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

Prayer

Reading: “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” ()

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