Philippians 1:21-30 Ending
1. Paul was not at all afraid of death
• In his letter to the Philippians, the apostle Paul offers a surprising perspective on the end of his earthly life. “For to me,” he says, “living is Christ and dying is gain” (1:21).
• Paul knows that his life on earth means “fruitful labor” for the Philippians and for him, but at the same time he admits that his “desire is to depart and be with Christ” (vv. 22-24).
• Paul is writing from prison in Rome as he awaits trial for the work he has done as a Christian missionary,
• Paul is feeling that the end is near. Part of him wants his life on earth to end, so that he can be with Christ and share his resurrection life.
2. Paul’s end was not a Time for sadness but happiness
• Listen to Paul’s positive language to describe his situation. “I want you to know,” he writes, “that what has happened to me has actually helped to spread the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to everyone else that my imprisonment is for Christ” (vv. 12-13).
• Because Paul is in prison, the good news of Jesus has actually spread throughout the Roman establishment. In addition, he says, “most of the brothers and sisters, having been made confident in the Lord by my imprisonment,
• Disciples are speaking the word with greater boldness and without fear” (v. 14). Paul’s courage and confidence are actually inspiring others to speak with courage and confidence.
3. Ending for Paul
• Faced with an ending, Paul becomes stronger, more focused, more productive and more positive.
• When Paul looks death in the face, he sees new life.
• he is not afraid for his life to end.
4. Paul offers some advice to the Christians in Philippi,
• Let your ending be like so, Live your life “in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ,” he writes,
• Paul wants us to have a great ending live in a manner worthy of the gospel, always showing the grace and love of Jesus Christ. He wants us to become stronger and more focused, standing firm in one spirit and striving side by side with one mind.
• Paul also reminds the Philippians that they are privileged not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well
• For us, the privilege of believing in Christ is easy to accept, and we are happy to receive his forgiveness and new life. But “suffering for him as well”? That’s a bit tougher to swallow. For Paul, however, believing and suffering always go together.
5. Paul wants us to have glorious ending
• Christ died for us, it is also true that Christians need to die with Christ. “
• Paul tells us Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?”
• Paul asks the Romans (6:3). “We suffer with him,” he says, “so that we may also be glorified with him”
• Jesus was willing to suffer as he showed love and grace to he held nothing back He emptied himself completely.
• The apostle Paul was not afraid of death. When we accept that life must end, we join Paul in becoming stronger and more focused, as well as closer to Jesus Christ.
• Let our ending become a glorious beginning
