The Life of Christ Continues #2 (Studies in Philippians)
Text: Philippians 1:19-30
2 Corinthians 5:6-15
Men of great courage and resolve are able to demand more out of their adherents then men of selfishness.
For instance as the apostle John served as an eyewitness to the courage and suffering of Jesus in an hour of great unselfishness, the thoughts of what he should do in service to Jesus afterwards was certainly swayed by the images of both the victorious resurrected Christ and the suffering Son of Man!
Years later as this same apostle wrote to the church that was called to follow this same Jesus he would write: ‘Beloved by this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.’ 1 John 3:16
Why did Jesus do it?
Why did Jesus go to the cross and take on such pain?
John, was he trying to make a name for himself?
'Not at all—it is love not of himself but love for us that made him do it.'
How do we know he loved us?
He laid down his life for us and when I think about Jesus the words self-sacrifice comes into my mind!
In the past 60 years our world has had its share of many courageous and unselfish men and women. From the brave heroes of world war II to people like Nelson Mandela and Mother Theresa. These people had given up so many things that many in our world demand as rights instead of luxuries to serve a greater cause then their own.
One such man of course is Martin Luther King jr.
As most of us are aware the city of Memphis was not a planned trip during those last days of his life. He was to concentrate on a greater meeting that was to take place but the strikers needed him and he felt he should go despite many of his own advisers saying not to. He had a great cause, and it was one that he personally did not necessarily have to fight for as he could have enjoyed many things in life. In an eerily prophetic speech that night in Memphis the words still echo how he told his fellow people that he had been to the mountain top and had seen the promised land but then said I may not get there with you.
Sure enough Martin Luther King jr. by going to the city of Memphis for a cause that was not necessarily his served his people in such a way that it cost him dearly so they might receive benefit from it.
What do you do when your fellow man sacrifices so much for you?
1940 years ago a beaten and imprisoned servant of Jesus Christ wrote a letter to a group of his dear friends at the city of Philippi. It is a letter that must have been written with much emotion as a man is facing so many uncertainties in life and wants to see this church and help them with his presence but simply cannot because he is chained and on trial because he preaches about Jesus. As he is in that state he sits down and writes a letter to people who he remembers as a group who were self-sacrificing for him.
As we saw last week, he wants to encourage them that no matter what happens he is confident that these who were his full partners—were being worked on by God and that work was not going to be destroyed. What a piece of news to receive—you know sometimes we are down and we think it costs us too much to be all that God wants us to be and then we find out that God who began a work in us has got us today right where He wants us and He will not finish with us until the day of Jesus.
Paul told his friends to remember to live for life then and not the life that is. The life that will be will far outshine the life that presently is. Remember the life of Christ continues through his church, through you.
As an example he used the fact that his own imprisonment has caused him to rejoice because more and more people are preaching about Jesus. The number one promoter of Christianity has been chained but more people are hearing about Jesus. Even though some are doing it out of rivalry, it makes no difference because if they make one person go to heaven, then another person goes to heaven because of me. Paul could see that a bad thing happening to him might result in the best thing happening to someone else. Before you are quick to complain about life, maybe it is an opportunity for God to do something wonderful with it.
Well, that’s what the imprisonment means for the overall work of God, but what does it mean for me?
(What I want you to do is to pretend this morning that this is the first time you have read this letter and to not simply read through this passage quickly—I mentioned last week that you may not look at this book to study doctrine—what I meant was the way the church has dummied down that word to simply refer to what we do at worship and how we are governed. What we are going to find out in this book is a deeper doctrine than just what takes place in the assembly but what takes place in the heart of the individual Christian and the congregation as a whole) Listen to this apostle who is in prison and uncertain about what his future holds!
Vs.19,20- now Paul doesn’t just accept his situation but he finds a way to rejoice in it. This is important now—he is still a man and the fact of his rejoicing is that more people are being saved by Jesus because of it. Listen, as a friend I know that you are praying for me—
(Again we see his confidence that they are partners—true friends)
and the Spirit’s help—this all will turn out to my salvation and vindication.
Paul knows that he needs help (prayers and the Spirit) but he also knows that his mission has been accomplished and his goal realized. Understand something here, I may not get there with you but I have been to the mountain top and I have seen the promised land and my friends I know I’m going to enter it. I know that what I am going through is not my reward for my ministry.
2 Tim.4:6-8—for Paul his faith is that the God of the Universe is ultimately like Job’s a God of justice!
He goes on—my expectation is plain—I will not be ashamed but Christ will be honoured whether I live or die. My expectation is that I will not shrink back—I will move forward with courage and Jesus will be magnified or enlarged.
Let us see the man in chains as he writes these emotionally explosive words.
- Why is his hope that he will not be ashamed?
The temptation must exist that a person could be ashamed to speak up for Jesus. How might that be? Let’s look a little further.
- It involves life or death!
Understand the emotions here. Paul is facing life or death—he is imprisoned, he is going to be on trial and the decision is going to be whether or not he lives or dies. For Paul it is beyond whether or not he gets to enjoy the easy life—it is whether he breathes or not!
So, he is writing to his friends about what he’s going through and with their prayers
(what do you think they are going to pray for now?)
and the Spirit- Paul is expecting to speak for Jesus whether it means even his death.
Vs.21-26- a very powerful message again!
Listen to what he says, why is it that he is confident that either death or life means Jesus will receive honour?
To live is Christ. For Paul success in life was not money, family prosperity, fame or accomplishment but Christ! He died for me so I live for him!
So Paul would say whether I have success or failure in this trial it is still success!
(You ever see somebody come from the cancer doctor and say to you if it works or if it doesn’t, I know Jesus is there for me? One time a person was going through a monetary challenge and received news that a few years earlier would have destroyed him and then he said: you know what Drew it doesn’t bother me that much anymore, why? It’s not as important! What was different? Jesus!)
So, Paul says he is facing these two possibilities and as if it is not in the courts power, Paul says he is the one with the choice!
To live or die—what shall I choose?
Let me tell you how a person the opposite of Paul would decide!
Life means living for myself so therefore I choose life. In fact, isn’t that the way a lot of people make a lot of decisions—life for self?
Death on the other hand means something dark and full of fear & doubt so the decision is not difficult.
For such a person it might seem beneficial then to do whatever is necessary to live.
Well, Paul chooses life as well but for different reasons!
For him—life means life for Christ. Life for Christ is a life he understands that involves a love and peace the world cannot know. It means to continue the life that grows in the image of Jesus.
Notice something though—death is gain! Why?
He would be more fully with Jesus. I live for Jesus in life and Jesus is for me in death! The departure for Paul had become simply a transition on his journey to be with Jesus. Again, his instructions to the Philippians comes to our minds that Christians are to live for the next life not this one.
Which should I choose?
I am hard pressed between the 2- I am being squeezed. Should I live or die?
What’s the problem?
- If I live—this will allow me to continue a work I so thoroughly enjoy—bringing lost people the story of the King who died for them.
Life in the world is good if it is in Jesus. We have trials, conflicts, dangers. We deal with evil and even death. We’re preparing for the next life and it’s exciting.
- If I die—I get to go and be with Jesus. I leave a life of trials and hardships and will await simply blessing and ultimate peace. I will gain a sinless existence and glorious fellowship with Jesus. Death is gain because while we are here everything is in part- we know in part, love in part, and live in part (mistakes cannot be erased)
What does he decide?
Paul is going to show these Christians how a mature Christian who loves makes difficult choices!
Here it is—
Option 2 is better for me!
Option 1 is better for you! (it is more necessary on your account)
Based on that I choose option 1!
Notice he chose what was better for them and not him! He gave up his desire for theirs. Why?
It was their growth that he was ultimately concerned with. Somebody gave up being with Jesus for me!
Why does Paul write these emotional words?
There is a method to his madness (we’ll hit more on this next week) but he now gets down to business.
Vs.27-30- Okay my friends, I want you to see things the way I see them. My prison has been a blessing. Now, I make the ultimate decision based on what is better for others and not myself. I want you to examine what the proper attitude should be for a follower of Jesus.
Let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Jesus.
As Philippi was a colony of Rome a lot of citizens there would be concerned with their lot in the world. They would be proud of being citizens of Rome.
Paul is saying something similar here—behave as citizens worthy of the gospel of Jesus. He’s hitting again on this theme that they are not to live for this life but for the next life. You are citizens of this heavenly state only because of what God did through Jesus—live as if you belong to that state and not this earthly one.
Live as Christians first. At work, at home, in the family, at play, at church—live as followers of Jesus. In other words—be like me!
How does this play out?
I may not be there for a long time, I want to hear that you are all being like Jesus and are united in one spirit and one mind for what you believe. You need to be able to live right even if I’m not there.
If you think of others first—this will lead to unity—and you don’t need to be afraid of your opponents but hold your ground clinging to our unseen Lord and you can show by your collective conduct that the Kingdom of God is triumphant.
Those who persecute you are the ones to actually be fearful—they are going against God’s work. If you take this with faith—your salvation is evident. Think about this—if you take a problem on with faith is it not evidence of what you have believed?
Then he says something difficult- this suffering has been granted to you. By who?
NCV- ‘God gave you the honour not only of believing in Christ but also of suffering for him, both of which bring glory to Christ.’ (vs.29)
Paul says, as God has been working through my imprisonment, He is also working through your suffering!
So, my friends, death is a wanted thing. You will get there one day. But death is not horrible for the child of God. Don’t be afraid of those who are coming after you. God is working through this. If you maintain, stand strong, live for Jesus—it ultimately leads to what you are living for—salvation with Jesus on that most glorious day.
You are now engaged in the same conflict you saw that I had and now hear I still have.
There are not many conflicts there is only one! This conflict can only lead to the ultimate triumph of the Kingdom of God. Don’t ever forget that God is working in us to make us be what He wants us to be. Nothing can come our way that will stop this.
Martin Luther King in his famous ‘I have a dream speech’ said that part of his dream was that one day sons of former slaves and sons of former slave owners would sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
Paul says you saw this conflict in me…should I renounce my commitment to Jesus and give up the latter glory for the present ease?
I wonder if a Roman jailer named Andronicus (let’s say) was reading this letter at Philippi and can remember how Paul was thrown into prison but before being in prison was beaten with rods, and then in the midst of that conflict sang praises to God. How that song the prisoners used to sing ‘awful misery this lot of mine’ changed to ‘sweet victory in this lord of mine’ and this jailer ended up sitting down with the jailed at the table of Christian brotherhood!
These prisoners rejoiced with the imprisoner as another soul lived not for this world but the one to come.
My friends, you are in the same conflict:
Will you live for self here?
Will you die to self here and live for Christ and let Christ live for you there?
Let’s stand and sing…
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