To Live Is Christ
Philippians • Sermon • Submitted
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Philippians 1:12-20
V. 12
What had happened to Paul?
Paul had been taken to Rome as a prisoner from Jerusalem, he was placed on house arrest in Rome, guarded 24/7 by a Roman Soldier.
Paul had spent the last 10-15 years traveling, planting churches, and preaching the gospel to anyone who would listen.
Now all of that has been stopped in its tracks.
Yet the Gospel has not stopped, Paul says his circumstances have actually advanced the Gospel!
What would have been for many a great defeat, or at least a terrible inconvenience, Paul saw as a unique opportunity for the advancement of the Gospel.
When the Gospel is our priority, our circumstances become secondary.
That long line becomes an opportunity to show patience and maybe even share the gospel.
That unforeseen health diagnosis becomes something that will bring you into contact with people to whom you can be a testimony of God’s grace and strength.
That coworker becomes an opportunity for you to show the mercy and forgiveness that can only come from Christ.
Regardless of our circumstance, there is a unique opportunity therein for the advancement of the Gospel.
But if the Gospel is not out greatest priority we will miss it every time.
If anyone had a right to feel sorry for themself it is Paul, and yet he considers the advancement of the Gospel to be of greater importance than his comfort, his safety, his freedom, even of greater importance than his life.
Paul offers 2 ways that his imprisonment had served to advance the Gospel.
V.13-14
It had been made known to the imperial guard and to everyone else that Paul was there because he is in Christ.
30 He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.
The whole imperial guard was made up of about 9,000 soldiers.
2. Other Christians had been emboldened by Paul’s imprisonment to preach the Gospel fearlessly.
Persecution can often serve as a fire to more timid believers to proclaim the Gospel more boldly.
The Auca 5
V. 15-17
However, not everyone’s motives were pure. Some sought to take advantage of Paul’s imprisonment for their own selfish gain.
They were likely threatened by Paul and his ministry.
How does Paul respond to those who were seeking to cause him trouble?
He rejoices!
V. 18-19
He rejoices that even though their motives are wrong, the content of their message was correct.
They were preaching Christ, and that is Paul’s greatest concern.
One of the ways the Philippian church had partnered with Paul in the Gospel is through faithfully praying for him.
He connects this with the help from the Holy Spirit.
V.20
Paul does not want to be ashamed about anything!
Paul wants to hear those words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant”
How different might our lives look if we lived with this mindset that the apostle Paul had?
Will this decision honor Christ, or will I be ashamed before Him?
Are my thoughts honoring Christ?
Are the places that I’m going honoring Christ?
Are the things that I’m putting in my body honoring Christ?
Will any of these things cause me to be ashamed when I stand before the judgment seat of Christ?
9 Therefore, whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing to him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
Let us be those who live our lives with this eager expectation that we will not be ashamed about anything!
V. 21-26
With this one verse Paul leaves no doubt in our minds as to where his heart really is.
If I could summarize the entire book of Philippians into one verse this would be the verse that I would choose.
Most shocking of all is Paul’s situation as he writes this God-inspired verse.
His fate, at least from a worldly perspective, lies in the hands of a madman. The emperor Nero.
It is one thing to say to live is Christ and to die is gain as we sit in the comfort of our padded reclining chairs in a safe, air conditioned building.
It is quite another to say this while in prison, awaiting your trial before one of the most unpredictable and savage men on the planet.
But Paul meant it, and if we are to call ourselves christians we must also be able to say this and mean it.
Paul starts with “for me.”
“To live: CHRIST”
20 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.
There is no life apart from Christ.
6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Living for Christ means being consumed with Christ’s concerns, values, and mission.
Living for Christ means doing the work of Christ.
It is only if we live for Christ that death becomes gain.
But if we don’t say to live is Christ, then we can’t say, to die is gain.
Apart from Christ, death becomes the most terrible loss we could ever imagine.
But for the believer death becomes the gateway to our greatest gain.
The only thing better than living for Christ, is being with Christ.
Which is exactly what awaits the believer.
8 In fact, we are confident, and we would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
55 Where, death, is your victory?
Where, death, is your sting?
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
Paul can say that to die is gain because he knows that to die means his immediate transition into the very presence of his Lord and Savior.
Even though to die would be far better for Paul, he desires to do that which is more beneficial for the church, the body of Christ.
V.27
Paul issues the Philippian church, and Crossroads Church this challenge:
To live our life worthy of Gospel of Christ!
But you say, That’s impossible! I can’t possibly do that!
And I would say, your exactly right!
That’s the point.
8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
We can’t possibly live our life worthy of the gospel of Christ, apart from Christ.
But through Christ all things are possible!
If the Holy Spirit lives within us, then we can and should live worthy of the Gospel.
This is not a command for the spiritual elite, but for every follower of Christ who has the Spirit of God living in them.
V.27-28
Paul unpacks this and shows us what it looks like practically to live worthy of the Gospel.
If we try to live worthy of the Gospel, it is guaranteed that we will have opponents.
But this is a sign, that we do not belong to the world and this is from God.
Belief in God is a gift, but so is suffering for Him.
12 In fact, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
Paul is a realist. He doesn’t tell the Philippian church that they can have their best life now.
He tells them that it has been granted to them to suffer for Christ.
What would it look like if we were to strive to live our lives worthy of the gospel of Christ?
A life that is suitable, fitting, proper, in alignment with the Gospel of Christ?
Just this one thing!
There is no better goal, no greater purpose, no higher aim!
We can fail at many other things but if we succeed in our progress of this one thing then we have succeeded in the best thing.