Courage to Sacrifice
Philippians 1:18-30
October 22, 2023
I’m starting a new series today . . . . and I’m excited about it. It’s only 4 weeks long, which will lead us through Thanksgiving and then advent comes. It’s crazy that we’re talking about Christmas fast approaching.
I’m going to be preaching from the book of Philippians. It’s only a 4 chapter book, so read it and glean the message from Paul.
Philippians is often called the book of JOY, as Paul talks at length about joy, in spite of being imprisoned. BUT Philippians is so much deeper than that. Our focus for the next 4 weeks is going to be on sacrifice.
It’s the sacrifice of Christ, and the call for us to seek to imitate Him. This has the potential to be a little more intense, but as I’ve studied and looked at what we need to hear, this really resonated with me.
When I think about sacrifice, I also think about courage.
Most of us have watched movies, like TAKEN, RAMBO, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE, JAMES BOND and more. Personally, I’d add Braveheart to that list. We watch those movies and think about how we’d react if we were in that situation. In all honesty, I’m not sure how I’d react. I’d like to think, I’d be more of a MacGyver or James Bond, always finding ways to get out of precarious situations.
I can’t imagine what it was like for so many people in Israel as they faced attacks from a radical group called, Hamas.
I’ve read lots of stories. Having grown up Jewish, there’s an affinity, a closeness to the nation that I can’t really explain. So, I’ve been a bit mesmerized by the stories and the what’s next decisions. Many of the decisions which impact the rest of the world as well. At the same time, I feel for many of the Palestinians who simply want to live life as best as they can.
I read about an Israeli couple who heard the gunfire in their kibbutz.
Adar and Itay Berdychivsky lived in the Kfar Aza kibbutz. They both had previously served in the Israeli army as officers and kept weapons in their home.
When the militants approached their house, the couple hid their 10-months-old twins in their reinforced security room. It’s an Israeli law that all homes built after 1993, must have secure rooms. Imagine that requirement being a reality for each of our homes.
After safely placing their children in the safe room, they returned to wait for the militants in the main part of their house. Their purpose was to distract their attention away from their children.
In the end, Adar and Itay killed seven militants, but they too were killed.
Their children remained in the safe room by themselves for 13 hours. Eventually Itay’s brother and Adar’s father, who fought the militants for hours and saved dozens of people – though couldn’t reach their own relatives in time [to save them], found them - - - and they’re now safe.
That’s not a movie, that’s real life. It’s sad, and it’s heroic and courageous, and is the ultimate sacrifice a parent could give a child.
It’s a story that most of us would say, “Of course I’d do that for my kid.” But would we? Could we? Would we even have to think about it, or would we just do it?
Stories like that leads me to have a desire to demonstrate the power of God’s grace and love He’s given me, so that I would have a great heart towards others. I hope it instills that in you. I hope you’re getting a picture of what it would mean to be described as a person who has a great heart! The heart of a lion!
That’s an extreme case. Maybe in your situation . . . it’s gladly caring for a sick parent, spouse or child . . . with no complaining.
Maybe it’s being willing to give up on some financial gain, in order to serve others. Or it’s to give more financially than you’ve ever done, because that’s what God is leading you to do.
How do you demonstrate courage and sacrifice? That’s what were talking about.
One who has the courage to sacrifice energy, strength, reputation, finances for the case of something greater.
In the case of the Book of Philippians, for the sake of knowing Jesus, for the sake of serving the church, for the sake of loving deeply and profoundly. To have a Great Heart, that’s what Paul teaches. He had a great heart and he calls us to be in a deep relationship with the Greatest Heart.
We can achieve great heartedness by the power of the Holy Spirit - - - - if we would be joined to the Greatest Heart of all - - - - Jesus.
Courage comes from living a life that is Jesus always. Courage comes from living a life that experiences the closeness of Jesus. Courage comes when you know the odds are against you, but you trust in Jesus to see you through, no matter the consequences.
Courage comes from Jesus. With that in mind . . . .
We’re going to pick up the story in Philippians 1:18. We’re picking up Paul kind of in mid-thought as he wrote - - -
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,
In verse 18, Paul’s telling us he’s going to rejoice. He’s in prison, he’s being persecuted, and it’s at the hands of fellow Christians.
There were Jewish believers and others who conspired against Paul. In the midst of that complexity, where other followers of Jesus are creating tension and sacrifice, he proclaims “Yes, and I will rejoice.”
“I will rejoice, for I know” — — because no one understands why he would ever rejoice in the light of fellow believers betraying him and living in prison. What does he know . . . .
19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,
This imprisonment, this being hurt by fellow believers, being betrayed — I know and trust that through your prayers and with the help of the Spirit of Jesus, this will turn out for my deliverance. What great confidence and hope. He adds - - - -
20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed . . .
Ashamed of what? Paul’s saying, “I so trust in my gospel siblings, in your prayers, and in the power of the Holy Spirit - - - - - that even in prison, even in the midst of betrayal, I won’t be ashamed, which is to say, I won’t stop believing that Jesus is great - - - -
20 but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.
I won’t stop believing Jesus is powerful.
I won’t stop believing the suffering and the sacrifice that Jesus’ cross is true and His resurrection will validate and vindicate my life.
I won’t be ashamed by losing the grasp on hope that the Lord has given me. I trust. I will not be ashamed.
But with full courage, with a full heart, with a great heart now as always, Christ will be honored in my body whether by life or by death.
Courage comes from Jesus and the first thing Paul goes to is the security Jesus always offers us. Your ability to sacrifice, your ability to live a life of multiple “mini sacrifices” is connected to your stability in Jesus.
If we were to stop for a moment, what’s your level of being willing to perform small - - - mini sacrifices in the name of Jesus?
You see, when Jesus is always our starting point, we gain the courage to participate in these sacrifices. We don’t even have to think about them, we just do them, because that’s built into our character.
I’m ready to go to battle! Seriously, when I was writing this, I was getting pumped up. I hope this inspires you to be a great heart and to seek to sacrifice as Jesus did for us. To see Paul’s example and imitate him.
Now, Paul gives us one of the great statements of faith in verse 21 - - - - -
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
If you’re newer to the Christian faith maybe you’ve never heard that sentence before. It can be weird in what Paul’s saying. But it’s a powerful statement.
What’s Paul getting at? Paul’s talking about life and death. There’s nothing more epic. When someone talks life and death, we stop and listen.
He’s saying: Here’s life, here’s death, all the joys, beauties, and terrors of life. Primarily, the terrors of death. Let me grab this spectrum — life and death — and let me tell you that Jesus is always Jesus. There’s no substitute. No imitations!
Gain for Paul means death. That means he gets more of Jesus. And Paul is so confident that in death, He will gain more of Jesus’ presence, more of His communion, more of His love, more of His personality.
To live = Christ, that means to suffer. If Paul keeps living, it means he will need the courage to live a life filled with sacrifice and suffering, just as Jesus did. That’s what it means when he says to live is Christ. It means more prison time, more beatings, more hunger, more ridicule, but he’s prepared and ready, no matter what happens.
How can Paul say this? Because - - - -
You can’t find a place where Jesus has not gone before us. Paul can say this because the centrality of the power of the cross, which Christ followers make central in our life together, central in our worship. It’s so central we wear it on our bodies. We tattoo it on our skin. We wear this instrument of death as a necklace. We hang it on walls as a statement of who we are, who we belong to.
The Cross is central because Jesus has already died. Death carries terror, death carries peril, death carries questions. Yet, Jesus has done it. He died. He’s already experienced it.
I mean, don’t you ever think about your death? How will it happen? When will it happen? Of course we do. Paul knows that. So he’s speaking to our heart. He’s saying, “Take courage, take heart.” Jesus is there in life; Jesus is there in death. He knows life! He knows death. And after all that, Jesus still lives!
Jesus has already traveled that path. He conquered death. He overcame it.
Have you ever become obsessed, maybe overly worried about the future? Yet, we have absolutely no clue as to what the future holds for us. We can think and plan and scheme and set goals and objectives, which are all good, yet, we still don’t know what God has in store for us . . . next week, let alone, next year.
Now, you may say that’s kind of defeating or deflating, but it’s not meant to be, because when you’re struggling with the future, especially your future, this is what I want you to do . . . . .
Instead of picturing the future that’s fearful and unknown, imagine Jesus. Imagine Jesus filling your picture. As you think about the future and all that it may contain, experience Jesus first so that He can lead you to God’s future for you. He wants us to live for Christ, knowing to die is gain.
There’s security in Jesus, but there’s also a sacrifice that comes from Jesus. If we’re going to live for Jesus, that means there are things that we’re not going to live for, things we’re not going to do.
That means there’s some things we’re not going to indulge in. There’s things we’re not going to say or do. And on the flip side, there are some things we will do, that we never would have done. It means that as we live for Jesus, we’re going to live very differently and from that will come sacrifice.
Paul recognizes that. He’s so convinced of Jesus always being present, he’s lost the fear of death. He’s not afraid. It’s amazing to read this and know he’s not afraid of death.
So Paul tells us - - - -
22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell.
If I live, that means fruitful labor and more suffering . . . but you know I’d rather be dead, because if I’m dead, I can experience the fullness of Jesus, and that would be really cool.
Paul’s hard pressed! He wants death, because of the joy and benefits. Yet, when I think about our lives, most of us when were healthy want to live. It’s a no-brainer. We all want to live. Yet, Paul, the great apostle is torn - - - -
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.
I will remain is indicative of Paul’s faith and his courage at the unknown future. He’s saying that I am going to remain in my prison. I am going to remain in this life. I am going to remain in a place of sacrifice. I am going to remain in a place of suffering. I won’t be ashamed, I won’t be discouraged.
I believe in Jesus’ power, I believe He’s Lord of all, and I choose to accept the sacrifice God has given me.
I know this is different. It’s a different way of preaching than I usually do. But this is so cool what Paul’s getting at. It’s a life of suffering. A life of willingly sacrificing.
Let’s conclude this section by looking at the rest of Philippians 1 - - - -
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.
Paul has changed the tone. He’s gone from talking about himself, to now talking to the people about their suffering. He’s expecting them to exhibit the same power and courage and willingness to sacrifice in the name of Jesus.
He tells them in verse 27 that he expects to hear of their unity, that they are standing firm, as one body . . . that they are not frightened, but they will suffer and their courage to sacrifice will lead to the destruction of their opposition.
This is like a pregame speech from a coach to the players. It’s time to go out there. It’s going to be brutal, it’s going to be a battle, but I know if you stay together as one team, if you stand firm, if you don’t back down, your opponents will look at you and know they’ve lost before the game starts.
Paul’s saying, you never stop proclaiming the Word of Jesus, even if others are against it. You stand firm in the faith. You may suffer, but a reward is coming.
You refuse to act on that stingy moment where you don’t want to give freely of what you have.
You refuse to speak against that person when everyone else is.
You refuse to remain quiet when you’re in a conversation and you know you should speak of the goodness of Jesus.
And when that happens and a suffering follows, what are you doing? You’re suffering for the sake of the gospel.
Do you see all the possible mini / micro sacrifices that make up the sacrificial life?
In the end, we can’t do this alone, even though we often do . . . that’s why we must be connected to one another. We must stand firm as one body, ready to support one another. Ready to pray for one another, ready to pick one another up, ready to hold accountable, ready to affirm, ready to love one another . . . .
WHY? Because it’s always, always about Jesus. I believe and trust He will give you the courage and strength. That’s His promise to you and I.
