Christ, by All Means (Outline)

Introduction

How important is Jesus Christ to you?

Prison? Death sentence?

Questions we must ask ourselves

This is happening as we speak

According to the OpenDoors website, more than 260 million Christians face persecution around the world today which is an increase of 15 million people over 1 year.

Soon be reality in our country

Many throughout history gave lives for faith

Polycarp

“Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He never did me any injury: how then can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?”

Ignatius of Antioch

“May I enjoy the wild beasts that are prepared for me. I pray that they would be found eager to rush at me, and I will also entice them to devour me speedily and not deal with me as some, whom out of fear they have not touched. If they are unwilling to assail me, I will compel them to do so. Pardon me; I know what is to my benefit. Now I begin to be a disciple. Let no one, of things visible or invisible, prevent me from attaining to Jesus Christ. Let fire and the cross; let wild beasts; let tearings, breakings, and dislocation of bones; let cutting off of limbs; let shatterings of the whole body; and let all the evil torments of the devil come upon me; only let me attain to Jesus Christ.”

What drives people to do things like this?

Would all Christians do this?

Text will show us whats going on in the mind of someone ready to give life for Christ

Transition

Context of what has previously happened

Imprisonment has advanced the gospel

What world meant for bad, God used for good

Paul going to prison has encouraged others to proclaim Christ boldly

Not all preach Christ out of love

A group was preaching with intention of afflicting Paul

We will be looking at Philippians 1:18-26, Lets Read!

Philippians 1:18-26

18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

To Live Is Christ

Yes, and I will rejoice, 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.

Verse 18

Continuing of those preaching Christ to afflict Paul

Look at Pauls Mindset

Even though they were preaching to hurt him, he rejoiced

Doesnt matter to Paul whether false or true motives

Pauls intention was never to exalt himself, but Christ

Otherwise, this would have really bothered him

Verse 19

Earlier in this chapter, Paul has thanked Philippians for partnership in gospel

It hasn’t stopped because of imprisonment, they continue to pray

“No man can do me a truer kindness in this world than to pray for me,” says the old British preacher Charles Spurgeon

Paul feels same way, extreme value in their prayers

He says that through their prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance.

THERE IS POWER IN PRAYER!

Through Prayer and Spirit, Paul is sure this will turn out for deliverance

What is meant by this?

Does he believe this will release him from Jail? Does he believe this will lead to him not dying?

Is that even what he is talking about?

or does he maybe have something else in mind?

Verse 20

Verse makes it clear what Paul was talking about.

Deliverance from being ashamed of Christ

Paul in prison, could be killed

Through their prayers and the help of the Spirit, Paul expects that no matter what situation this leads to, whether life or death, he will approach it courageously and Christ will be exalted in his body as he has always been.

Verses 21-23

“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

Doesn’t sound like good English, kind of hard to understand

I struggled to understand this verse previously

To live is Christ

If Paul is alive, living for Christ

To die is gain

If Paul dies, he is living with Christ (far better)

This is how you can be in prison, potentially to die and not be worried about the outcome, only that you will honor Christ in whichever it may be.

Paul clarifies in verse 22 and 23

Gods will he should be released, back to ministry, fruitful labor

If he is to die, he is with Christ, far better

He is struggling within himself to decide which one would be better

Verses 24-26

While trying to decide which he would rather do, he points out staying alive more necessary for Philippians

This = a Good example of loving God and loving your neighbor

Although being with Christ is far better, he decides he would rather continue with them because staying with them more beneficial to them

Progress and joy in the faith

Shows how much Paul loved the church

Paul at church offers great benefits

Responsible for much of New Testament

Knew Old Testament like back of his hand

Received what he knows through revelation from Jesus Christ

If Paul stays with them, they gain a lot

Stronger, more mature as they imitate Paul imitating Christ

Not only that, but he mentions the joy that comes from knowing Jesus Christ.

Do you get excited when you see confession of faith and baptism?

Makes me want to cry for joy

This is only the beginning

Much more joy as they grow in faith

Paul's goal in this is that this church’s boasting in Jesus Christ will abound because of him.

Reflection

Common theme we see in text?

Titled CHRIST by all means for 1 reason

It is written all over the text

Some preach to afflict Paul

Paul rejoiced because CHRIST proclaimed

Paul may live or die

Only concern is that CHRIST is honored

to live is to live for CHRIST

to die is to be with CHRIST

Paul strongly desires to be with CHRIST

But better for church he stays

That they might boast in CHRIST

CHRIST, CHRIST, CHRIST

What Pauls life was dedicated to

Pauls life all about CHRIST

What is your life all about?

When I was in school, everything but Christ

I had not come to know him

Football, hanging out with friends, video games, dating

As you think about your lives tonight, maybe some of these things have taken priority in yours?

Is Jesus even a priority in your life?

Is it important to you to read the word and pray daily?

or do you go week to week only hearing of Jesus at church?

I can hear the Lord saying in the gospel, Peter, do you love me?

After Christ had died and risen from the dead, Peter having seen him after he had risen from the dead goes back to fishing.

Christ “if you love me, feed my sheep.”

I am telling you tonight that if you believe in Jesus, he has died to pay for your sin.

How can you go back to fishing?

How can you go back to your old way of life?

after realizing what has been done for you

God, the son, through whom all things were created

Came to the Earth in form of man

Died for you

So you wouldnt spend eternity separated from his love

Jesus deserves more in our lives

More than one day a week for an hour at church

He deserves our WHOLE life

I asked you in the beginning of this message what would drive people to give their lives for the faith.

The clear answer is that they realized one has given His life for them, his life of way more value, that they may have life, eternal life.

Process that and realize Christ deserves priority number 1

Over family

Over friends

Over football

Over video games

Over EVERYTHING

Paul realized this to the point where he said that if he was killed for the faith it would be better for him because then he could be with Christ.

Application

My challenge to you today

Live for Christ in a world that does not like Him

How can you live for Christ today?

1. Proclaim Christ

Paul says whether in false motives or true, Christ was proclaimed and he rejoiced in that.

Do your friends at school know what you believe?

Ask them what they think about God?

Good conversation starter

Will give you the chance to share

Christ can be proclaimed through lifestyle

The person that shared with me shared through the way he lived.

Being obedient to God can also be a form of proclamation

2. Prayer

“for i know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, this will turn out for my deliverance.”

Paul finds great power in prayer

So should we

Whatever you are having trouble with should be brought to God in prayer

Whatever is going good in your life should be brought to God in prayer

Struggling with Bible reading?

Struggling with Purity?

Struggling to obey parents?

Let us pray and not just for us, but one another

That is what we see in text

I challenge you to:

Pray everyday for a week

Mention somebody from this group once a day in your prayer

Example

3. Honor Christ

“now as always Christ will be honored in my body”

Dishonoring to Christ not walking in purity

How do you act around friends?

Curse? Watch bad things? Mean to others by either word or deed?

This can reflect how they view Christ because of you.

Reflect on your life to see what things may be dishonoring to Christ and work on changing them

4. Progress and find joy in the faith

“I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith.”

Faith comes through hearing

If we expect progress must spend time in Bible

If you are not, start somewhere even if small

Start by reading chapter a day of NT

Take a few minutes

Can you give a few minutes of your day to God?

Think about what you are reading

Pray about what you are reading

I like to journal as I read

Helps me think

Leads to excitement

Exhortation

May your life display the message, Christ, by all means.

Let’s pray!