TO LIVE IS CHRIST
Philippians 1:20-30
Two elderly women were out driving in a large car and both could barely see over the dashboard. As they were cruising along they came to an intersection. The stoplight was red but they just went on through. The woman in the passenger seat thought to herself "I must be losing it, I could have sworn we just went through a red light."
After a few more minutes they came to another intersection and the light was red again and again they went right through. This time the woman in the passenger seat was almost sure that the light had been red but was really concerned that she was losing it.
She was getting nervous and decided to pay very close attention to the road and the next intersection to see what was going on.
At the next intersection, sure enough, the light was definitely red and they went right through and she turned to the other woman and said,
"Mildred! Did you know we just ran through three red lights in a row! You could have killed us!" Mildred turned to her and said, "Oh, am I driving?"
Paul knew where his life was going, what was most important.
• Live in a day when I am afraid the body of Christ is unaware or unfocused on what really matters in the life of a Christian.
A Christian leader once took a Russian friend to see a World Series baseball game. At the end of the game, he asked the Russian what he thought of the game. The Russian answered that he had never before seen such first-class dedication to a secondary cause.
• Many a believer’s life could be described as having first-class dedication to secondary causes.
• The problem is not a lack of enthusiasm, but a lack of enthusiasm for the right things. We are full of enthusiasm for our favorite sport and team.
• We get excited about certain hobbies, opportunities, and events. But in many cases we are giving first-class dedication to secondary causes.
Paul was not a man that gave first-class dedication to secondary causes but he gave first-class dedication to a first-class cause. The concentration of his life was on the supernal and the dedication of his life was for the eternal.
DREAD THAT CHRIST WOULD BE DISHONORED! 1:20 according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything,
Paul spoke of his "earnest expectation" and his "hope." Words used in secular writing of a watchman who kept looking into the darkness for the first gleam of a distant light. The words speak of looking away from what may be right at hand and totally concentrating on another object.
• Paul was constantly watchful that his life would not let God’s purpose down.
1Cor. 9:26-27, "I therefore so run, not as uncertainty; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." The word means "worthless, unapproved, rejected."
The picture of an athlete that is disqualified for an event. Brazil credit card
Paul’s great fear of failure was not only the shame that it would bring to his ministry, but also the shame it would bring on his Master.
King David’s great sin marred his life and marked his name. But even worse was the dishonor it brought to God.
2 Samuel 11:27: "But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD." We also read that when the Prophet Nathan confronted David with his sin, he declared in 2 Samuel 12:14: "Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies Of the LORD to blaspheme..."
DETERMINED THAT CHRIST BE SHARED! but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
• Paul desired that his ways would be pleasing to God. We often forget that our ways prepare the way for our words.
Burning in Paul’s heart was this divine pronouncement and it had to be proclaimed everywhere he could.
• We don’t realize the impact our lives could begin to have.
Wendy’s commercial, "Where’s the beef?" The little lady that asked the questions was Clara Peller.
A producer of commercials, was filming a scene in a Chicago barbershop when he discovered that nobody had hired a manicurist. He sent an assistant to a local beauty shop to find one and she returned with Clara Peller, a manicurist who had worked in a nearby salon for 35 years. She looked at him and said gruffly: "How ya doin’, honey?" He realized he had found a "natural."
He convinced Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers to design an ad campaign around Peller, who growled the catchy phrase, "Where’s the beef?"
Almost immediately, Wendy’s sales jumped 15%.
The 82-year old Peller became an instant star with a national fan club.
She ended up making $500,000.00 for the Wendy’s ad, plus merchandising.
Before passing away in 1987 she said "I made some money, which is nice for an older person, but Wendy’s made millions because of me."
Wendy’s may have millions because of Clara Peller, but will heaven gain any souls because of you?
Someone has said, "A Christian must keep the faith but not to himself."
Exalted means "to make large." One writer translated Paul’s statement, "My body shall be the theater in which the glory of Christ shall be exhibited."
Paul wanted his body to be a showcase for Jesus.
He considered himself an earthly frame for a heavenly picture.
Whether it be through life or death, he just wanted Christ to be magnified.
Paul wanted Christ to be visible and vocal through his life.
Our lives ought to be like a magnifying glass for the Lord Jesus so others can see the characteristics of Christ.
DESIRE FOR THE END OF LIFE
• Death is something we cannot avoid
The expression, "the dead man’s hand." originated on August 2,1876. "Wild Bill Hickok" sat down at a poker table in a saloon in Deadwood, South Dakota.
Jack McCall entered the saloon and shot "Wild Bill" through the head.
In Hickok’s hand was a pair of aces and eight’s. That combination has been ever known as "the dead man’s hand." All of us have been dealt "the dead man’s hand" and sooner or later we must play it.
Yet, when that hand is dealt, it is not something woeful to fear, but something wonderful to face.
1:21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Many would say, "For to me to live is money, pleasure, career, or fame."
But to Paul, "Christ" was the reason for living.
The word "gain" is a word that means "profitable."
It was used to speak of interest that money had gained.
Death is not terrible, but profitable.
1:22 But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose.
• Living would mean opportunities for serving God but do we have choice?
Story of the farmer who started looking at his farm and every place he looked that he saw something wrong? Decided to sell & move somewhere else.
A realtor came out to look the farm over & prepare an ad for the newspaper.
The realtor called the farmer & read the proposed ad to him over the telephone, saying, "See if this meets with your approval."
The ad spoke of a good location, a well-maintained house, sturdy barns, lush pasture lands, a beautiful pond, fertile soil, & a great view.
The farmer listened carefully, & then said, "Don’t put that ad in the paper. I’ve always wanted a place like that. I think I’ll stay right where I am."
Can’t stay unless God decides
B.R. Lakin said, "If I knew where I was going to die, I wouldn’t go there."
• We don’t know where and when and how but we do know that staying means more opportunities to serve God.
• But our desires can go back and forth as to which is better. ‘Better than the alternative’ was not something Paul would have said.
1:23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;
I once heard about a lady that was standing on the deck during a terrible storm. A crewman said to her, "Ma’am, you need to get inside. It is dangerous to be out here. You could be swept overboard." She replied, "I’ve got a daughter in New York and one in heaven, and it doesn’t matter to me which one I see next."
Paul in was in a similar frame of mind. If he died and went to heaven, so be it. That would be fine with him. If he lived, so be it. That was fine. He had an earthly home and a heavenly home, and whichever one he was living in was fine with him. Dead or alive; he would be happy.
Hard pressed speaks of something that is compressed. It means, "distressed, to be in a dilemma." It spoke of someone that was in a place where they could neither turn to the right or left. Not sure which is really best. God will decide.
• Departing would mean the realization of a long awaited moment.
The word described the dissolution of a chemical. One could take a tablet and drop into water so it would dissolve. In its dissolving it would disappear but would not be destroyed. Its form is only changed from a solid to a liquid.
When a Christian dies, he disappears but he or she is not destroyed.
The form of life changes from a physical state to a spiritual state.
We die, but we don’t die. We just change the conditions of life.
The word was also used to describe the setting free of a prisoner.
The prisoner was released from his bondage and chains, and allowed to go free. We live this life chained to the limitations and temptations of our body.
The word was also used of a farmer taking the yoke off the oxen.
The day of labor was over, and it was time to rest from the burden of the yoke and the service in the field.
The word also described the striking of a tent.
It spoke of the untying of the ropes from the stakes, packing up the tent and moving to a different location.
The word was used to describe the lifting of an anchor.
A ship is ready to leave the harbor and sail to a new land. The anchor is lifted, the sails are hoisted, and the vessel sets sail for it new destination.
1:24 yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.
1:25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, No death wish for other’s sakes
1:26 so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again. Not all in our hearts happens
• Until we are gone we can be assured that God desires us to be here, be working and serving Him for the sake of the body of Christ.
INTRUCTIONS FOR OUR STAY
Stand Worthy
1:27 Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ,
Three key words unlock the meaning of this phrase. The first is the word “only,”. One writer translates it as “just one thing,” Paul means to say that whether he is set free or dies in jail there is “just one thing” he wants the Philippians to know.
The second word is “worthy,” which literally means “to even the beam.” Refers to balancing the scales so that both sides are even. To live so that your life gives proper weight to all that God has done for you.
If one wanted to measure an ounce of gold, then you would put in one side of a scale a standard which weighed an ounce. Then you would put in gold and when the scale balanced out, you would know that you had an ounce of gold.
There is a standard by which we must measure our life. That standard is a heavenly standard. We are to live up to that standard and our life be equal to that standard.
The third word is “conduct,” which means to live as a citizen of heaven. The word is a political word that the believers at Philippi would have quickly associated with and understood. Philippi was a Roman colony. Colonies were little bits of Rome that were planted throughout the then known world. In these colonies, the citizens acted as Romans. They spoke the language of Rome, wore the dress of Rome, and handled all their affairs as Rome, even though were a long way from Rome.
Paul was saying, "You know how citizens of Rome live and act like Rome. You are citizens of a heavenly world. You should live and act like citizens of that heavenly world Christians are in this world, but are not of this world. We are pilgrims passing through. The life that we live should be that of a citizen of heaven. The Church is a colony of heaven on earth and we should live as citizens of that heavenly colony.
STAND TOGETHER: so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit,
“Stand firm” describes a Roman military formation in which the soldiers stood shoulder to shoulder and back to back with their shields up and their spears outward. It was the strongest possible defensive position.
Impacting the world begins as Christians stand together “in one spirit.” We are not to divide—and yet we do, sometimes over very trivial issues. This is a scandal that hinders the work of God. When will we understand that unity makes the gospel beautiful?
STRIVE TOGETHER with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
The word from which we get the English words “athlete” and “athletic.”
One of Aesop’s fables is about a father who had seven sons.
To each son he gave a stick. Each was asked to break his stick, which was easily done. Then the father took seven other sticks and bound them together. He than ask the seven sons to break the sticks. Not one of the sons could break the sticks which had been bound together as one.
The strength of our work is our unity as a people and our being united around a purpose. We should be drawn together and bound together around a common purpose. In doing so we find strength.
The body of Christ can accomplish great things when we work together.
Satan knows this better than anyone in this room.
1:28 in no way alarmed by your opponents—
The Greek word refers to a horse spooked by a movement in the bushes. The horse rears up and begins to run away. Don’t be surprised when someone criticizes your faith. When trouble comes have acalm courage and unconquerable spirit.
The world is full of Christians in retreat. Retreated when we ought to advance. Too many intimidated and have left the battlefield to the enemy. The “other side” has won because we have surrendered without a fight.
God’s word to the church is always Go Forward! As far as I know, God never told his people to retreat "Go and preach the gospel" “Go and make disciples” What are the first two letters of the word Gospel? G-O!
Evangelist E. Stanley Jones - the first Christians didn’t wring their hands in despair and say, “Look what the world has come to.” Instead with they declared, “Look what has come to the world.” It’s never been easy to be a Christian. It wasn’t then, it isn’t now.
which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God.
Opposition to the gospel reveals spiritual reality. The “sign” of verse 28. When people oppose you for your Christian testimony, you may be sure of two things: 1) You are going to heaven, and 2) They are going to hell.
1:29 For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,
1:30 experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.
Two gifts: The gift of faith ("believe in him"). This enables us to believe in Christ in the first place. The gift of suffering ("suffer for him"). The gift no one wants.
Bob Benson, in his book, "See You At The House," tells of a good friend who had a severe heart attack & almost died, but was now well on the road to recovery.
Visiting him, Bob asked, "Bill, how do you feel about your heart attack?’
Bill answered, `I hate it. It nearly killed me’"
"Would you like to have another one?" "Certainly not!"
"Would you recommend it for someone else?" "Absolutely not."
Bob went on, "Bill, now that you’re feeling better, do you treasure your life more than before?" "Yes, I guess I do." "
You & your wife have always had a good solid marriage, but are you closer to each other now than before?" "Yes," Bill answered.
"And what about your relationship with God? Has that changed since your heart attack?" "Yes, I feel a whole lot closer to God now than I ever did before."
"Bill, in the light of all this, how do you feel about your heart attack now?"
• Suffering from God’s perspective makes perfect sense for our lives even though we see it as nothing but bad and to be avoided at all costs.
Forefather’s prayer meeting in heaven: Whatever it takes: heart for God, turn from self, return to a place of blessing.
Paul did not have all the answers but he saw 3 things with spiritual eyes:
• Dying is ultimately a good thing but living for Jesus should consume all that we are in living this life on earth.
• We should conduct ourselves as heavenly citizens visiting the earth we once lived for and stand together in unity and strive together for the purpose of the sharing the gospel.
• We should live fearlessly for His message sake and endure all hardship and persecution knowing that it is a gift that His sustaining grace will help us to endure.
