Is the Gospel Worth It?

Introduction

How many of you have read through the book of Philippians in the past? Chances are all of you can recite Philippians 4:13 or at least you’ve heard of it a time or two but believe it or not, Philippians is more than just that 1 verse! In the book of Philippians we see Paul hits on several important themes. Themes like being humble, giving thanks, proclaiming the Gospel, suffering, letting our lights shine as Christians, living for Christ, and being faithful servants to our King. The most obvious theme in the book, though, is the theme of joy. Do you know where Paul was at whenever he wrote this letter? Roman prison. Do you know why he was in Roman prison? Because he was preaching the Gospel and causing civil unrest throughout the Roman empire. Literally, the Gospel got him thrown into jail.

You and I like to avoid punishments as humans and this is natural. You don’t want to break a rule if you know it’ll get you in trouble at school or with the law. Plus, if you do happen to get in trouble you probably aren’t happy about it. If you got caught breaking a rule at school and you had to spend the next school day in ISS without your friends you’d probably be a little bit upset. Yet, we see in Philippians that Paul is in prison for going against Roman law but he’s not upset… In fact, he’s joyful. Philippians is only 104 verses and the Greek word for rejoice/joy shows up 16 times. How was Paul able to be so full of joy in Roman prison? Because Paul was full of Jesus and He was focused on his Kingdom mission, not his temporary circumstances and oppositions.

The Washington Post reported nearly 2 years ago that over 1/3 of Americans now show signs of clinical anxiety due to the lockdown caused by COVID19. In the 2 years since COVID first came to Southwest Missouri it seems like more and more people are anxious and worried about all sorts of things and understandably so! I’ve had people at the church where I’m blessed to pastor at talk to me about how they’re still nervous about their health and their anxious about how things are going to work out in our country and all around the world due to recent events. Whether it be anxiousness about a job, health, having to do school differently than in the past, or being confused/concerned about how things are going in our country/around the world - how many of you have been nervous about something over the last 2 years? I’ve been there! My wife and I have a little boy whose about a year and a half old, the last 2 years have been stressful!

In a season of stress and in an age of anxiety, the book of Philippians stands out with a timeless message that brings peace, hope, and joy to our weary souls. As we study this book this weekend, my prayer for all of us is that we would take these truths to our heart and be encouraged to be people of joy regardless of our circumstances. That we would echo the mentality of Paul that we’ll encounter tonight that the Gospel is worth whatever cost that comes out way. That to live is Christ and to die is gain. This is the Gospel way - let’s begin tonight by reading the first 20 verses of Philippians chapter 1

Philippians 1:1–20 ESV

1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 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. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. 12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. 14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. 15 Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 16 The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. 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.

Is the Gospel Worth Suffering For?

How many of you have ever experienced suffering or any shape or size? We don’t like to suffer as humans and often we want to avoid it at all costs. As we began this evening looking at the context of this letter, Paul is in Roman prison. He’s suffering. Prison at this point in time wasn’t what we think of as prison. He didn’t get to make his phone call and eat in the prison cafeteria before being led back to his jail cell… Paul was essentially under house arrest which might not sound that bad in 2022 where we have YouTube, Netflix, social media, and iPhones… But back then house arrest would often included being kept in chains around the clock. Often having a personal guard around you all the time. Only being able to eat what people sent to you (if your family liked you they’d send you chick-fil-a, if not then you got whatever you could afford with whatever money you had when you came) and having to use your own money this entire time. This was a person who was presently suffering in prison. Paul would go on to talk about all the ways in which he suffered in 2 Corinthians 11 as we find this

2 Corinthians 11:24–27 ESV

24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.

This was a man who knew what it meant to suffer for the Gospel and he believes that his current imprisonment is actually advancing the Gospel cause as Philippians 1:12 shares with us! Because of his circumstances, Paul was able to share the Gospel to the Roman guards who were forced to watch him. Can you imagine being one of those guards? It’s midnight and it’s time to change guards and the new guard comes into Paul’s house and Paul immediately starts telling him about the Gospel! Even though he was experiencing persecution for the Gospel, he wasn’t frustrated and he certainly didn’t stop doing what he was doing. Instead he proclaimed the Gospel and he wrote to encourage the Philippian church to do the same!

God often changes our attitudes in difficult times rather than our circumstances themselves - Charles Spurgeon, arguably the best preacher of the last 150 years, struggled deeply with depression. He had bouts where he couldn’t sleep and was simply discouraged. God never took that away from him and brought about a deliverance from that circumstance, but God did change his attitude. Spurgeon, though his depression was real, is wellknown for this saying, “I’ve learned to kiss the waves that throw me upon the Rock of Ages.” What do you think he meant by that? He meant that even suffering - even depression - even anxiety - even weakness can be used for God’s ultimate glory and for our ultimate good (Romans 8:28). That makes zero sense from a human perspective, just as rejoicing from prison makes no sense in our brain… Yet, that’s what the Gospel free’s us to do. We can kiss the waves, even if they are terrifying and tall, because we know that our God holds us and that He will finish the work that He began.

Think about that truth for a moment

Philippians 1:6 ESV

6 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.

Think of some of the theological truths that this shares with us:

Who started this work? God

What does this mean? Our salvation isn’t something that we can boast about, He saved us, not the other way around

Who finishes this work? God

Our salvation is not up to our perfect obedience or in limbo - He will hold us fast

Now, think of some of the reassurance that this can bring to your life:

Whenever you’re tempted to despair because of your sin, you know that Jesus’ blood is sufficient for whatever wrong you’ve done

Whenever you’re in a difficult situation in life, you know that He is with you and won’t abandon you

For Paul the situation is simple: God is in control, God has me here for a reason, God has people in my sphere of influence that need to hear the Gospel, Christ is being proclaimed, therefore I must rejoice! Even in times of suffering, this was his mindset!

The next time that you find yourself struggling and even suffering for your faith in Jesus Christ, remember to have this type of mindset/focus and proclaim the Gospel for God’s glory and for the good of others.

Lottie Moon once said to fellow China missionary Hudson Taylor, “Surely there can be no deeper joy than that of saving souls.”

Let’s keep reading and finish out Philippians 1

Philippians 1:21–30 ESV

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. 27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. 29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

Is the Gospel Worth Dying For?

How many of you have heard the song, “Christ Our Hope in Life and Death?” Nathan Murfin is your Worship Pastor so I’m sure you’ve heard it more than a few times! Do you know the backstory behind that song? It’s based off the Heidelberg Catechism which asks and answers this question: What is your only comfort in life and in death? Answer: That I am not my own but belong, body and soul, in life and in death to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ! This Catechism came about a little more than 1500 years after Paul’s death but I think Paul would say amen to that answer. Paul, we read in these verses, is willing to die for the Gospel - not only that, but he believes that death would be a gain for him!

Think of the wonderful things this life has to offer. How many of you have been to Colorado and seen the Rocky Mountains? They take your breath away! How many of you have been to the beach before? Equally breathtaking! Has anyone been to the Grand Canyon? Have you seen stars like Canis Majoris that are thousands of times bigger than our sun? Life is awesome - it’s a gift. Yet this present world cannot compare to the eternal world awaiting those of us who are in Christ Jesus. In the world to come there won’t be cancer, sickness, betrayal, disease, and heartbreak because there will be no more sin. Can you imagine what that will be like? Of course, if you’re a Christian, you can’t wait for that to become your reality. But there can be a human temptation to want to wait as long as we can so that we can satisfy ourselves with all that this world has to offer first.

I’ll be ready after I go to this place. After I finish my degree. After I get married and have a family. After this after that. Those are good things! But the best that this world has to offer pales in comparison to what is awaiting us as Christians. So many of our non-Christian friends get hung up here. Think of someone who doesn’t know Jesus, if you were to go up to them and ask if they’d rather have heaven (perfection, satisfaction, and genuine fulfillment) or hell, which would they choose? Sure someone might be playing you and say hell but everyone in their right mind would say heaven over hell because that’s just the obvious answer whenever you truly get to know the options… Here’s where many fluctuate: Do you want heaven or earth? In our world people want the best this world has to offer and we think that by pursuing the latest and greatest thing that we’ll finally be satisfied. Augustine once said this, “Restless is our heart until it finds its rest in Thee.” The things of this world will pass away - the only thing that remains is the things of God. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the antidote to our restless, wandering, anxious souls.

For Paul, and I pray for those of you who are Christians, the Gospel must be worth dying for because it changes everything about us from the inside out. Our focus is no longer about fitting a worldly mold of success and happiness, instead our focus is about being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ!

How has the Gospel changed the way that you look at your life?

Do you know the story of Jim Elliot?

Jim Elliot was a missionary to a group of natives in the jungle of Ecuador. Elliot and 5 others were called by God to take the Gospel to these natives and due to a miscommunication between several of the indians, they ended up killing the missionaries. One by one they threw spears into their chests. Jim Elliot was 28 years old and left behind a young wife and child. Jim Elliot, like Paul, knew that to live is Christ to die is gain. He once penned these words, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” Though Elliot and his other missionaries passed away, years later their families came to the Huaorani indians and were welcomed to share the Gospel. Through years and years of praying and gaining their trust, eventually some of the people who killed Jim and his friends came to accept Christ as Lord and Savior. The Gospel was worth it to these men and it was certainly worth it to the apostle Paul in his ministry. Is the Gospel worth dying for to you?

How Can We Share Paul’s Joy?

To the world, the story of Jim Elliot and the other missionaries who were killed was a tragedy. It was a preventable one at that that could have been avoided had they simply not gone headfirst into the jungle. To the world this makes no sense but we know that God works all things for His glory and for our good. I tell this to my church all the time, the two greatest words in Scripture are “But God” - Genesis 50:20 Joseph tells his brothers in Egypt that they meant something for evil but God meant it for good. Paul in Ephesians 2 says that we were once dead in sins… But God made us alive with Christ. But God changes everything because it illustrates to us that God has a perfect plan and that God’s plan will come to pass. Therefore, we can praise God even in the difficult moments for His kind providence in our lives as He works all things out better than we could ever imagine.

Paul’s aim was to be like Christ - as we’ll see unfold later on in Philippians. As a result, he looked at things from Christ’s perspective rather than his own. Whenever we look at things the way that God does, we can view things like suffering and rejoice through them even though they are uncomfortable. Think of the cross for a moment with Easter coming up. On the cross we see the greatest injustice in the history of the world as Jesus, who knew no sin, died a criminals death so that we as sinners could be reconciled to our holy God. Was this apart of God’s plan? According to the Bible it absolutely was! Look at Peter’s sermon in Acts 4, as we find this

Acts 4:27–28 ESV

27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

God’s plan was for His Son to come, live a perfect life, die a terrible death, raise from the dead, and ascend back to glory. God’s plan for Paul was for him to undergo intense persecution for his faith. God’s plan for Stephen in Acts 7 was to be stoned for his faith. God’s plan for Peter was to be killed for his faith. God’s plan for your life is not for you to be comfortable in suburban middle class bible belt world Christianity where everyone and their dog is a Christian. God’s plan for your life is to glorify Him and God is most glorified whenever we are most satisfied in Him to quote Piper. So how can you have this type of otherworldly joy? By finding your ultimate satisfaction in Christ alone. By remembering your purpose on this planet is to know Christ and to make Him known.

Philippians 1:6 ESV

6 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.

Philippians 1:29 ESV

29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,

God is going to accomplish His good and perfect will (Romans 10/Romans 12) - even when it seems like persecution is closing in, remember that God is at work and that you have a responsibility today to choose joy and pursue His call on your life.

Here are 5 things to do whenever persecution comes your way in order to maintain your Gospel joy

Remember Who God Is

Give Thanks for what He has Done

Remember that God Completes His Work

Proclaim Jesus Fearlessly

Keep Your Eyes on Eternity

Gospel call - if you don’t know Jesus it’s impossible to live as Christ and have this hope. Maybe you’re here tonight and you want to have this kind of hope that Paul is talking about at the end of chapter 1 as He says that to live is Christ and to die is gain. Dying isn’t a fun thought, but if you’re a Christian you have no reason to be fearful of death - instead you can look ahead to what is waiting you after it. If you don’t know Jesus as Lord my prayer for you this weekend is that you might come to know the peace and satisfaction that He alone brings to our wandering souls. The Bible is clear that we are all called to repent of our sins, confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord, and believe in our hearts that He truly is who He said that He was.

In a world of worry, the message our hearts long to hear is the message of Scripture: Our God Reigns. Settle it in your hearts tonight that His Gospel is true and that His Gospel is worth proclaiming to the ends of the earth - regardless of the cost.