Untitled Sermon (2)

The Reason You Are Still Alive [] - While heaven might be your desired destination, the earth is your current situation. If you still have life left in you, God has more left for you to do.

Trust in Christ and need for prayer are foundational to honoring God. (1:19)

Paul was more concerned with spiritual deliverance than physical deliverance. (1:19)

Paul resolved to honor Christ in all things. (1:20)

Paul challenged the cultural thinking of life and death. (1:21)

Honoring Christ in Life

“To live is Christ” means we work for fruitful labor. (1:22, cf. 1:11)

Paul models a Kingdom focused life. (1:24)

We honor God by causing others to glorify Him.

Honoring Christ in Death

“To die is gain,” means we are given eternal glory. (1:23)

Our attitude toward death shows our true salvation. (1:23-25)

How we live and die impacts believers around us. (1:24-26)

The more we live as Christ, the more we gain in death.

Honor in Death

If we cannot share Paul’s desire, it is because we have not seen as clearly as he has the wonder of what Christ has done.

Ellsworth, R. (2004). Opening up Philippians (p. 28). Leominster: Day One Publications.How will Christ be honored by life or death?

Opening Up Philippians The Good that Paul Expected to See (vv. 19–26)

Such words seem very strange to many people these days. This life is generally regarded as being so very wonderful that we must cling to it at all costs. We would have no trouble agreeing with Paul if he had said, ‘I would prefer to die than to continue in prison.

Honor in Life

Opening Up Philippians The Good that Paul Expected to See (vv. 19–26)

We are all familiar with situations that are so dreadful that death is a relief. But Paul is not saying that death is better than the worst of life. He is saying death is better than the best of life. In other words, he was not longing for death as the way out of unbearable circumstances. He was longing for it as the way into unspeakably glorious circumstances.