Turn in your Bibles to Philippians.
Philippians chapter 1.
! This is our fourth week in starting the book of Philippians.
Verse 28 through 31.
It's around 61 A.D.
It's the end of his third missionary journey.
And we, you know, again a long time ago
when we were talking about what to preach on Sunday mornings,
we, I think Philippians is just one hands down
because it's been a really difficult year for many of us
and we really needed to kind of anchor our soul
on something that really talked about joy in Christ.
And Philippians is that book.
And it's a rarity because it's a letter written to a local church
that Paul cares deeply about.
And he's not necessarily calling to,
writing them to correct them or rebuke them for anything.
He is very, very well pleased with them.
And so the mood of this letter is warm and affectionate.
This type of ancient letter you would call a letter of friendship.
And he celebrates this long-standing partnership with them in the gospel
and the fellowship they have in Jesus Christ together.
And so last week we talked about how in God's providence,
he had been put in prison in Rome,
but he said that this didn't slow the advancement of the gospel.
It didn't hinder the gospel going forward,
but rather it served to advance the gospel.
And that's in verse 12.
And so we'll read our text today.
We're picking up in verse 18.
Well, the first part of 18, the last part of 18.
So Paul just says,
Yes, I will rejoice.
Verse 19.
For I know that though through your prayers
and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
this will turn out for my deliverance.
As it is my eager expectation and hope
that I will not at all be ashamed,
but that with full courage,
now as always,
Christ will be honored in my body,
whether by life or by death.
For to me, to live is Christ,
and to die is gain.
If I am to live in the flesh,
this means fruitful labor for me.
Yet which shall I choose?
I cannot tell.
I am hard-pressed between the two.
My desire is to depart and be with Christ,
for that is far better.
But to remain in the flesh
is more necessary on your account.
Convinced of this,
I know that I will remain
and continue with you all
for your progress and joy in the faith,
so that in me you may have ample cause
to glory in Christ Jesus
because of my coming to you again.
So, around the winter of 2008,
I had just sort of graduated from North Georgia
around May 2007,
and Nathan and Sam,
Wes and Liz and myself,
we had a college Bible study
that we had on Thursday nights
from back in the old apartments
down past the baseball field,
and it's kind of just carried on
in many ways.
But at the time, in 2008,
my cystic fibrosis,
my lung disease
was just really hitting me pretty hard,
and my health was deteriorating rapidly.
I think my lung function
was around 20, 25%,
and I was just really weak,
and I was in this phase
where I was going in and out of the hospital
almost every three weeks
and staying for about two weeks at a time
for treatments and antibiotics.
I spat up a lot of blood,
and the oxygen I just wore off and on
throughout the day,
and I slept with it.
And I was waiting on a lung transplant
from UAB Hospital in Birmingham,
but at that time,
at that Bible study,
we actually were studying Philippians,
and I just happened to sort of land
on this text during that time,
the same text.
And I had the opportunity to teach on it,
and it's just forever been stuck
in my mind
surrounding those events
and what the Lord was taking me through
as I kind of pondered
my own death
and the possibility of just going home
to be with the Lord.
So I hope that
in some similar way
I can encourage you today
so this text means a lot to me.
And so I've tried to think through
the best way to walk through it,
but we'll do it just in terms
of a few questions.
But question number one
is what is Paul's dilemma?
What is Paul's dilemma?
You see this in verse 22.
He says,
If I am to live in the flesh,
that means fruitful labor for me,
yet I do not,
yet which I shall not choose,
I cannot tell.
I am hard pressed
between the two.
My desire to depart
and be with Christ
for that is far better,
but to remain in the flesh
is more necessary
on your account.
So that term hard pressed
in verse 23,
it means like someone
who's traveling
on a tight, narrow path
and all of a sudden
they just feel pushed,
sandwiched, crushed
between two rock faces
if you want to think of it
that way,
and they have nowhere to go
except forward.
That's kind of how he feels.
He feels caught
between these two
competing desires.
He's torn.
But the first desire
is that he would remain alive
in this world
and continue
serving, loving,
and giving his life away
for the sake of gospel ministry
and to enable him
to help the Philippians
and other churches
just grow in their faith.
So to remain behind
for the sake of gospel ministry.
But the second desire,
it says he desires
to leave
this fallen world,
leave this awful,
broken, sinful world
to be reunited with Christ.
And he says
that is
what his greatest desire
really is.
And if it wasn't up
for the sake of other people,
that would win hands down
because that's what he says.
To depart and be with Christ
is far better.
But he also knows
that that choice
really isn't his.
He knows that God
is completely sovereign,
in control of his life,
whether he lives or dies,
and he will joyfully accept
whatever God chooses for him.
As it says in James, right,
if the Lord wills,
we will live
and do
this or that.
So,
he's confident
of his release,
though,
however.
He knows that God
is the giver and taker of life,
but he kind of humbly
just says,
but I think,
I'm pretty sure,
that I will be released
from this current imprisonment.
You see that in verse 19,
right?
He says,
for I know that
through your prayers
and the help of the Spirit
of Jesus,
this will turn out
for my deliverance.
In verse 25,
he says,
convinced of this,
I know that I will remain
and continue
with you all.
And he hopes that
such a joyful reunion
with the Philippians
will give them cause,
right,
in verse 26,
cause to glory
in Christ Jesus
because of my coming
to you.
And upon seeing
those prayers answered.
So,
if Paul is
to remain in the flesh,
if he is to remain
on this earth,
like,
what is the purpose?
Why?
To what end
should he continue
living?
You see in verse 22,
if I am in the flesh,
this means fruitful,
abundant,
rich,
rewarding labor
for me.
Remaining on earth
a little longer
in this temporal realm
and continuing
the work of ministry.
And in the case
of the Philippians,
it was joyful,
fruitful labor.
And should God
allow him
to continue living,
he is aware,
if you look at verse 24,
it is not on his own account.
He is wanting that
for the sake of others.
It is more necessary
for him to remain behind
for the sake
of others.
So,
there is two parts
of that
gospel ministry,
if you want to think
of it that way.
Like,
why would he want
to remain behind?
But the first one
we talked about
a lot last week,
but he wants
to remain behind
for the furtherance
of the gospel.
That God
would let him live
to advance
the cause
of the gospel.
gospel.
So,
if I am to remain
behind
to continue
preaching the gospel,
this is what
I will do
until my last breath.
And I hope
that
if you have
a desire
to remain here
on this earth,
that is one
of the foremost
things in your mind.
How can I
advance
the gospel
of Christ?
Do you have
a lot of friends
and family
that you long
to see
to come
to know Christ?
When I first
taught on this
years ago
and in today,
I really just
want to see
so many young
college students
come to know
Christ.
I want my
oldest friend,
Chris Edwards,
since I've known
from the cradle,
to come to know
Christ.
And I want
my older brother,
Lee,
who's my best friend,
come to know
Jesus as well.
And I know
that one of the
reasons that God
has left me behind
is for the cause
of the gospel
in those areas.
But underneath
that,
he wants to remain
behind for the
discipleship
or the progress
of their joy
in the faith.
He wants to see
them grow
in their faith
in Christ
for the necessity
of helping them
know Jesus
better and
follow him
more.
That's what he
says in verse
24,
to remain the
flesh and more
necessary on
your account.
And the verse
25,
for your progress
in joy
and the faith.
So the more
we progress,
more progress
we make
in the faith,
the more joy
or happiness
we'll have
in Christ
in this life.
Growing
and knowing
Christ.
And
many of us
have experienced
the great joy
of seeing young
believers grow
up in their
faith and
in their love
and devotion
to Christ.
And again,
I'm aware
that even in
this moment,
as I was
looking back
over those
old notes
that I wrote
in 2008,
I actually
asked people
to like put
their hand
on their chest
and just feel
their heart
beating
and just
to realize
that that's
being sustained
by the power
of God
and that
in His hand
is the life
of every
living thing
in the breath
of all
mankind.
And He's
allowing us
to live.
We're not just
existing.
And if we
are to remain
behind,
I pray
that it is
for the
progression
of the
gospel
and the
progression
of seeing
others come
to know
Christ in
a deeper
way
through the
work of
discipleship.
during this
time in
2008,
I had a
huge burden
to reach
my unbelieving
friends that
I went to
high school
with.
Kind of a
mixture of
athletes and
good old
boys and
football,
baseball,
basketball
players,
deer hunters,
those kind
of guys.
That's who I
spent a lot
of time with
in high school.
And I
wasn't doing
good.
I was really
sick.
And I
knew that
we were all
going to get
together,
come back
from wherever
we were to
watch the
Georgia,
Georgia Tech
football game.
And I
thought,
man, I
don't know
how this is
going to
happen,
but man,
I doubt
I'll get all
these guys
together again
at the same
time.
And I
really just
wanted to
share about
Christ with
them.
Not the
best context.
Unless I
was just
turning the
game off
and saying,
shut up and
listen to me.
I don't
know how
it was going
to happen.
But
I kind
of left
that whole
experience
pretty discouraged
because I
just couldn't
sit any of
them down to
talk.
And from
that day,
later that
day, I
got so sick
that my
dad drove
me to
Birmingham
to the
hospital.
And I
was just
barely able
to sit up
straight and
breathe.
I was so
discouraged
that I
just didn't
get a chance
to share
with some
of my
friends.
And feeling
the weight
of this
text,
but this
past week
actually was
in Birmingham
again for
some procedures.
And while I
was there,
one of my
friends called
me to check
on me.
His name
is Michael
Sugar.
He lives
in New
Orleans.
and he
was at
that gathering
a long time
ago.
And he
asked me,
hey man,
I just heard
you went to
the hospital.
Was everything
cool?
And I
thought I
was just
kind of
fighting to
keep going.
And he
goes, well
man, I just
want you to
know I've
been praying
for you
lately.
And I
was just
like,
you're
praying for
me?
Kind of
caught off
guard by
that phrase.
And he
goes, yeah,
I've just
been paying
closer attention
to my
spiritual life
lately.
And I
just told
him, man,
I've been
dying to
have that
conversation
with you.
Like, I
really hoped
we could
have when
we were
all together.
And he
goes, well,
hey man,
like, Birmingham's
on the way to
New Orleans.
I'll see you
in a few
hours.
So he
stopped by
Birmingham
on his way
back to New
Orleans.
He was
wearing scrubs
because he
worked in
the hospital.
He does
stuff with
pacemakers.
He's one
of the smart
guys with
the Georgia
Tech.
So he
showed up
and they
just let
him come
right in
to the
hospital and
to that
place where
I was.
And this
week he
shared with
me, like,
man, I
remember you
sitting on
that bed
wearing oxygen
and just
sharing the
gospel with
me.
And he
said, you
went in and
out a lot,
even like
fell asleep
in a mid
sentence and
like came
back out
and just
kept going.
And I
don't even
remember that.
but I
was just so
encouraged that
I do
remember him
sitting there
and saying,
wow, this
is unbelievable.
And from
that time
forward, really
Michael gave
his life to
Christ and
still today
is walking
with Christ.
And he
shared with
me this
past week,
that's when
I marked
that time
from when
Christ really
got a hold
of me and
how God
somehow used
you in
that moment.
So just
feeling this,
if I'm going
to remain
behind, I've
got to
share Christ
with my
friends and
my family.
And so I
hope that
that weighs
on you,
that if you
are indeed a
follower of
Christ, you
would recognize
one of your
major reasons
for your
existence today,
that God is
allowing you
to breathe,
is for the
advancement of
the gospel.
And that if
you live
another day,
it's also to
help other
people grow
spiritually.
Whether it's
your classmate,
co-worker,
the children
in your own
household,
anybody.
But Paul
says in
Acts 20,
I do not
account my
life of
any value,
nor as
precious to
myself,
if I only
may finish
my course
in the
ministry
that I
have received
from the
Lord Jesus
to testify
to the
gospel of
the grace
of God.
So,
that's
Paul's
dilemma.
He's torn.
He wants
to go,
but he
remains to
do gospel
ministry.
Secondly,
second question
is,
what is the
chief aim
of Paul's
existence?
We see this
in verse
20.
He says,
it is my
eager
expectation
and hope
that I
will not
at all
be ashamed,
but that
with full
courage,
now as
always,
Christ
will be
honored
in my
body,
whether by
my life
or by
death.
So,
Paul's
eager,
earnest,
fervent,
persistent
expectation
and hope
is that
when this
present life
is over,
when he
leaves this
world,
he will
depart from
it not
ashamed,
not carrying
any regret,
not carrying
any disgrace
or guilt
with him.
if you
knew that
you were
going to
pass away
between now
and next
Sunday,
would you
carry a
lot of
regret
into the
next
life?
Would you
carry shame
into the
next life?
Paul's
prayer is
that he
would not
at all
carry that
into the
next life,
but that
with full
courage,
now as
always,
he says,
that he
would have
a clean
conscience
that he
did all
he could
to honor
Christ,
magnify
Christ,
glorify
Christ
in his
body.
So his
singular,
all-embracing
passion was
for us,
the same
for us,
is that we
would live
our whole
lives for
the purpose,
the single
purpose of
honoring Christ
and bringing
glory to
God.
He is
worthy of
our lives.
And so,
also in
college I
read a book
called Don't
Waste Your
Life by
John Piper,
who's the
first person
I ever
heard to
explain this
text,
so it's
impossible to
get him
out when
I think
about it.
And we've
gone over
this many
times at
Christ's
family,
but magnify,
the word
magnify or
honor,
right,
is used in
a couple
of different
ways,
but one
is a
telescope
magnifies
distant
things,
right,
that are
actually big
in reality,
but we can't
really see it
because of our
naked eye.
So it
brings it
in closer
to make it
look more
like it
actually is.
And a
telescope,
or excuse me,
a microscope
magnifies tiny
things that
are tiny and
makes them look
bigger than
they are.
we should be
more like a
telescope to
Christ.
He is big
in reality,
he is huge,
but just to
many people
walking around,
you know,
all around us,
they don't see
him for who
he actually
is,
and so when
they look
through the
lens of
our life,
they can see
him,
they can see
him at
work in
us.
And so
Paul's
passion
was that in
everything,
Christ would
be honored.
Colossians 3
17,
whatever you
do in
word or
deed,
do everything
in the name
of the
Lord Jesus.
Look at our
text again.
Notice how
live and
die in
verse 21
correspond to
life and
death in
verse 20.
So,
there's two
parts of
this.
It's
Christ's
goal,
or excuse
me,
Paul's goal
is to
glorify or
honor
Christ.
He says
by life
or by
death.
So,
there's two
sides of
that.
This is
question number
three.
How does
Paul honor
Christ in
life?
How does
Paul honor
Christ in
life?
We see in
verse 21,
for to me,
to live
is Christ.
So,
the very
purpose for
his being,
his whole
existence,
was wrapped
up in
living for
Christ.
Not for
the sake,
again,
of his
own personal
comfort,
for the
sake of
his own
advancement,
but for
the sake
of Christ.
He understood
that Jesus
just isn't up
in heaven
and physically
just separated
from his
people,
but that
Christ is
living his
resurrected life
in and through
his people.
and by
faith we
are united
to him
in Christ
and that
resurrection
life.
We're all
familiar with
Galatians 2,
verse 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, I live
in the flesh,
I live by
faith in the
Son of God
who loved
me and gave
himself for
me.
So Paul
is saying
as long
as I
live, I
belong to
Christ.
I'm his
servant, he
is all that
I need.
If I die
a gruesome
death, bearing
witness to
the gospel,
I will
count it
as gain.
But if
he allows
me to
live, I
will continue
to make
my whole
life all
about him.
And in
either case,
I can lose
nothing because
I have
Christ.
And so his
ongoing
life and
ministry was
to make
him closer
and closer
to Christ,
especially if
you read
Philippians 2,
1-11,
especially through
suffering,
especially through
experiencing the
sufferings of
Jesus and
his sacrificial
servitude.
And so if
you flip over
to chapter 3
really quickly,
Philippians 3,
we get another
glimpse of how
we can honor
Christ in our
life.
Philippians 3,
verse 7,
Paul says,
so in the
context,
he's talking
about the
things he
used to
take hope
in to
make him
righteous
before God.
But we
can kind of
clean another
meaning from
that.
But he
says in
verse 7,
whatever gain
I had,
I count it
as loss
for the
sake of
Christ.
Indeed,
I count
everything
as loss
because of
the surpassing
worth of
knowing Christ
Jesus my
Lord.
For his
sake I
have suffered
the loss
of all
things and
count them
as rubbish
in order
that I
might gain
Christ.
So,
so much
to take away
from that.
But he
is saying,
there's a
few parts
of this,
if we
honor Christ
in our
life,
we do
it by
loving
him,
treasuring
him,
and being
satisfied
in him
above all
other
things in
this life.
Alright?
And then
secondly,
under that,
we make
deliberate
and often
prayerful
choices
in this
life
that display
that worth
for all
people to
see.
Where people
go,
why did
you do
that?
Where did
that come
from?
And there's
no other
explanation
for it
other than
Christ.
And so
he says,
all these
things that
I have,
I think
that they're
like garbage,
they're like
dung in
comparison to
knowing
Christ Jesus.
And so,
example,
just a few
walkthroughs,
again,
this is
a man
who taught
on this
years ago
ringing in
my ear,
but he
says,
money is
given to
you so
that you
may use
money in
a way
and in
a manner
that shows
that money
is not
your treasure,
but Christ
is.
Possessions,
the things
that we own,
we're to use
them in
such a way
that shows
everyone
around us
that those
possessions
and that
stuff
is not
our treasure,
but Christ
is.
Relationships
and the
people that
we live
with,
we're to
treat them
and live
with them
in such
a way
that it
would be
plain to
everyone
looking on
that they
are not
our treasure,
but Christ
is.
And on
and on,
like we,
and that
takes intentionality,
it takes
prayer,
how can we
display this
worth of
Christ?
So,
wherever it
is,
we want
to reflect
that
greatness,
we want
to honor
him in
this life.
Spurgeon
said this,
this is
our exaltation,
this is
our joy
and triumph.
If we
can promote
his glory,
the best
place where
we can
promote it,
it shall
be our
heaven.
The
sick
bed,
the
hospital,
or the
poor
house
shall be
our
heaven.
If we
can there,
best serve
the Lord
Jesus,
who is
our
King
of
glory.
So,
it's how
we honor
Christ in
life,
by treasuring
him above
all other
things in
life,
making much
of him.
The
fourth
question,
and the
last
question,
so that's
the life
part,
what about
the death
part?
Because most
of us may
not really
think about
that,
but how
does Paul
honor Christ
in death?
Verse
21,
for to me
to live
as Christ
and to
die
is gain.
Verse 23,
my desire
is to
depart
and be
with
Christ,
for that
is far
better.
Have you
ever stopped
to really
think about
it?
Like,
how can
you make
Christ
look great
in your
death?
Most of
us are
scared to
even go
there in
our heads.
But,
let me
give you
three metaphors
that.
This language,
at least
in Greek,
this word
depart,
my desire
is to
depart
and be
with Christ.
One of them
is a military
term.
It means
to break
camp,
to leave
where you
are,
to pull up
your tents
and move
to another
encampment.
Paul calls
our bodies
earthly tents
that are
taken away
at death
and the
spirit goes
home to
be with
Christ.
That's in
2 Corinthians
5,
1-8.
It's also
a sailing
term,
a metaphor
of a
commander
of a
ship
who's
docked
in a
foreign
port
on business
and he
longs to
set sail
to depart
and return
back
to his
own country
and his
own family.
But yet,
that desire
is counterbalanced
with the
understanding
that to
remain behind
in the
port a
little longer
would be
more beneficial
and so
he contents
himself,
he's patient
because he
hasn't received
orders from
his superior
to depart
to go
home yet.
But he's
longing for
home,
but he
patiently waits
because he
hasn't received
the order
to go home.
You see
it?
Third way
is used,
freeing
of a
prisoner.
So
believers
long to
be set
free
from the
limitations
and fallenness
of our
bodies
and we
long to
leave
and be
set free
from this
body of
death.
Romans 8,
18-23.
So Paul
says,
my desire
to depart
and to
be with
Christ
because
that is
far better.
One
phrase of
this means
much more
better.
It's
much more
better to
depart
and be
with
Christ.
He
reminds them
in chapter
3 that we
are citizens
of heaven,
not citizens
of earth.
So seeing
how we
honor Christ
in our
death,
the simple
answer is by
looking at
your death
as gain.
We honor
him when
we die
by counting
our death
as gain.
Free from
all the
stuff in
this world
to leave
it gladly
behind and
go home
to be
with
Christ.
Being
able to
let go
of
everything,
can we
do that?
Can we
look at
our
family,
our
friends,
and our
loved
ones,
and gladly
say,
it's okay,
I'm going
home to
be with
Christ,
to dwell
in his
presence
forever.
Not
holding on
to this
world,
not weeping
over the
stuff that
you're just
going to
leave here,
but to
see your
death is
gain because
you know
it means
going to
be with
Christ
forever.
And as
Paul says,
that is
far better,
much more
better.
It's
okay.
So,
as much as
some of the
things in
this world
may hold
our
affections,
do you
have a
greater
desire?
Are you
cultivating a
greater
desire to
depart from
this world
to be
with Christ?
And in
the hour
of your
death,
could you
go gladly
and confidently
to be in
the presence
of your
Savior?
So,
there's
one example
I will
give of
this.
So,
most of
you are
aware that
on
December
22nd,
my dad
passed
away to
go home
to be
with the
Lord.
And
though I
miss him
dearly,
I know
that he
was ready
to depart
from this
life to
go be
with Christ.
There was
a time I
talked to
him and
I remember
what he
said very
clearly as I
wrote it
down.
But he
knew his
time was
close,
he knew
his days
were short,
he had
been battling
this autoimmune
disease for
almost a
decade,
and he
knew it
just didn't
look good
for getting
better,
he knew
it was
close,
but he
died well,
and he
made Christ
look very
good.
This is
something that
he said
in his own
simple way,
he said,
God knows
me,
and he
loves me,
and he'll
be the one
to decide
whether I
go or
stay.
I'm not
concerned
about that.
If I
went right
now,
I know
I would
be okay
because I
know where
I'm going.
I pray
that the
Lord will
give me
some more
days,
but whatever
he decides,
it'll be
okay.
My concern
is for those
who don't
know him.
I believe
that he may
be calling
a lot of
people to
himself
during all
these things
going on.
And I
mean,
it's like
he took
it right
out of
Philippians,
not realizing
it.
He had
a desire
to depart
and be
with Christ,
but wanted
to remain
behind for
the sake
of others.
So he
gladly went
on the
22nd,
in the
morning of
the 22nd,
just peacefully
to be home
with Christ.
Turn in
your Bibles
to 2 Corinthians
chapter 5,
and we'll
end with
this.
2 Corinthians
chapter 5,
let's look
at verse 6.
Very
similar
language.
Paul says
in chapter
5,
verse 6,
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 and
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,
our goal
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.
God
will
be
with the
Lord.
I pray
that you
would cultivate
our desire
to depart
this world
and to be
with Christ,
a greater
desire,
but for the
only reason
you want to
remain behind
is for the
sake of
others.
Not for
your own
pleasure,
your own
pleasure or
contentment,
but just for
the sake of
others.
That is the
main reason
you desire
to remain
behind.
And when
that time
comes,
you will
gladly look
upon death
as gain,
which is not
a natural
thing.
It has to
be the
work of
Christ to
actually look
at death
and say
it will
be gain
because I'm
leaving all
this behind
and going
to be
with Christ.
So that's
my prayer
for y'all
and myself.
So let's
pray together.
Amen.