For Me to Live is Christ

Probably sometime in the past we have also all live for him who died for me happy. Then my life shall be then in essence is what Paul is saying in this section before us in Philippians chapter 4, particularly verse 21 that well-known text were Paul says for me to live is Christ and to die is gain to live for Christ. We sing the words we heard the words we recognize the weight and value of these words and yet perhaps sometimes we do not consider as carefully as we should. The meaning of these words, what does it mean to live for Christ will learn something about that. In this passage fits before us this morning, this verse L are often quoted but seldom analyzed is certainly a standalone text. Not all of them are, but there are verses in the Bible that you can take from there setting and look at them alone and derive truth and and direction from that text as it stands alone for me to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Yet this text, like all others in the Bible takes on greater meaning and it contributes more to our understanding when we consider it in its context and learn exactly why it was said at that particular time and that's what we want to endeavor to do today that these words familiar as they are or may become more conspicuous and powerful in our lives as we consider them in there setting not to recall that in the preceding verses.

Paul's as reflected upon his imprisonment turning out for the advancement of the gospel instead of being a detriment. It had turned out to be any and incentive.

It turned out to be a positive element in the advancement of the gospel contrary to normal thinking Paul can find Paul unable to preach in the public Paul unable to travel and yet the gospel travels more quickly, more widely, it spreads to more people of that great city of Rome then pulses it would have if he had been free quite amazing and it did so because Paul witness to his jailers and they spoke told other people about this strange prisoner and because the church in Rome became more bold because of Paul's trains and because there were raised up more preachers public preachers of God's word were preachers preaching zealously throughout the city of Rome so this imprisonment has advanced the gospel of Christ that I think Paul wants us to know that like his trial that advance the gospel of Christ.

So our trials every one of them will also advance the gospel of Christ, that we don't always have eyes to see it. We need to pray that the Lord will help us to have eyes to see it. God is advancing the church God is advancing the cause of Christ. God is glorifying his son not only the proclamation of the gospel, but in the trials and difficulties of his.

May we understand that glory and that now Paul reflects upon the meaning of his life.

We might say the meaning of life, but particularly the meaning of his life for me. He says to live is Christ and to die is gain.

What does that mean specifically for the apostle Paul and what does that mean for me and for you to live is Christ well. There are four areas that I'd like to address in verses 19 through 26 and we begin by noticing Paul's confidence in verses 19 and 20 is confident of God's deliverance verse 19 he's confident of God's faithfulness verse 20 verse 19 for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing. I shall be ashamed with all boldness, as always. So now also Christ will be magnified in my body whether by life or by death. Paul is confident he's confident we see in verse 19 of God's deliverance. I know that this will turn out for my deliverance. I know that this and that this there in the context is referring to his Roman imprisonment.

I am confined to jailer.

I am restricted here in Rome I am a prisoner of the Roman government. I am waiting my trial at the Imperial court. I have appealed to Caesar my privileges Roman citizen.

Now I am imprisoned, waiting for that trial to begin and I am confident that this will turn out for my deliverance were deliverance could also be accurately translated my salvation because salvation we generally apply a fairly narrow understanding to salvation, meaning the salvation of our souls. But what is the salvation of our soul, but deliverance from sin, deliverance from eternal judgment. Deliverance from bondage deliverance from ourselves. It is a rescue.

It is a deliverance. That's what salvation is. But that's not the deliverance of Paul is talking about here. He's talking about deliverance from his Roman imprisonment and impending trial. Paul is aware that his trial before Caesar could result in his acquittal that he will go free. That is the expected result because he knows that is not nothing wrong. He knows that he has violated any Roman law.

He knows that he's not guilty of any crime that would cause him to be in trouble before the Roman court. So if the trial goes well and if justice is served.

And Paul knows that is going to be acquitted, but he also know that his trial could eventuate in his execution because things don't always turn out the way that you think they should. Sometimes they have an unpredictable result. Sometimes justice is not certain.

Sometimes the judge presumably this case Caesar himself, though in some cases, it would be those he appointed if he didn't want to be bothered with some of these trials that were going on, his people would appeal to him from all over the Roman Empire, but sometimes the Caesar or his appointed emissaries are having a bad day. There they are not judging things fairly in the have prejudice biases against the prisoners in front of them.

So Paul knows that it's possible that even though he is innocent. He could be declared guilty and executed because of his trial before Caesar he's in prison waiting his truck, his trial, and yet he says I am confident that I will be delivered through your prayers and by the supply of the Holy Spirit of God.

I will be delivered through your prayers. One of God's primary means by which she carries out his sovereign purposes. Mystery of mysteries. But even apostle of Jesus Christ needs the prayers of God's people.

How much more do you and I and process through the prayers of God's people. God is going to send a fresh supply of his spirit through your prayers. God will consequently to your prayers. Supply the spirit of Jesus Christ.

The spirit of Jesus Christ. Of course, is the Holy Spirit. And that's how we more commonly referred to him, but here he is the spirit of Jesus Christ because indeed he is the spirit of Jesus Christ. When Jesus left this earth. In his earthly form means that I'm going to send you another comforter and when he's with you he's going to be to you all that I was all the was important about the it wasn't so important you could touch me and see me.

My physical presence was important that you could hear my words and be guided and directed by me and the spirit of Jesus Christ will do that for his people and he indwells all of these people and all born-again believers have the spirit of God, but not always in the same energy the same activity the same the same manifestation of his power not equally at all time, Paul says, I'm confident of my deliverance because of your prayers that God will answered by increasing the supply of the Holy Spirit and therefore your prayers and the spirit of God are going to bring about my deliverance. I'm confident of that. Absolutely confident and so once again, this mystery between the human and the divine human responsibility and divine sovereignty.

The spirit of God who's going to be granted in greater measure. When God's people pray figure that out to explain that in one sense, we can't.

It's too mysterious in another sense we can. It's so simple you pray. God responds know how all that happens in details. We can't really figure out again because that mystery between the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man, but on the surface it simple enough you pray and God goes to work. In response to your prayers. Why do we pray more. If that be true. And of course it is true because the Bible says so why don't we pray more, if we believe the Bible is true. You pray in the Holy Spirit of God is going to bring deliverance. Paul is confident in God's deliverance, but he goes on to make it clear verse 20 what it is. Actually, he is confident of in this deliverance. Verse 20 according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing.

I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always. So now also Christ will be magnified in my body whether by life or by death. Paul is confident in God's faithfulness. He is deliverance. In this sense, the God will faithfully deliver Paul from being ashamed.

That is, God will deliver Paul from dishonoring Christ in his time of trial that the Holy Spirit of God will enable Paul to remain true to Christ at all cost. Even as she is in this very precarious position of being put on trial before Caesar and many a child of God. Down through the centuries has faltered that very point. Think of Peter just hours away from the cross, Jesus says to his disciples in the upper room. I'm going away and where I'm going, you cannot come. Peter was always the one who spoke up always the one who spoke upset while I can't wake up where you going and why can't we go audacious, Peter and Jesus says well this is the last part of John chapter 13 Jesus as well. Actually you can come later, but you can't come now bidders at why can't we come down by why can't I come now I die for you. Why can I come down if you're talking about going to heaven. And we can't come there now even though you're going there now we can come later.

Why can I come now. I'm willing to die for you. Jesus said Peter before the cop grows, you will deny me.

Peter didn't think so.

Did no, sir. He was bold he was courageous he would never deny his Lord.

He would never do a thing like that. Less than six hours later Peter is in the courtyard.

Jesus is on trial and a servant girl, a young lady says I think you're one of them and Peter Shanks in his boots and is filled with fear and denies he is Lord, in the hour of trial that he was ashamed when he realized what he did what he do he went out and wept bitterly. He was ashamed. That's what Paul says, I'm confident the Holy Spirit of God will deliver me from he's going to enable me not to do that not to falter in this time of trial to grab boldness in this time of trial to enable me Paul to magnify Jesus Christ in my body.

During this time of trial to magnify Christ means to make him large Audi making large we make Christ large would make it clear to others that we count Christ more important than ourselves. When it's clear that he's in our minds bigger than we are more important than we are.

We make it make him large. We exalted we magnify him deposit.

I'm confident of the Holy Spirit of God will enable me to do that in my body. That is a much words and actions in this time of trial, that whether by life or by death.

Whether I live or die. Whether I'm acquitted or executed. In either case right up until the end that I will not deny my Lord, I will not stray my Lord, I will not dishonor my Lord, I will be true to him, to the very end.

You see, if you read verse 19 without reading the contents.

Text. You might assume the Paula saying I'm confident that I'm to be delivered from prison. That's not what he says. He says I'm confident that I get to be delivered from failing from faltering from from being an unbeliever for a moment for Duke from dishonoring my Lord I'm confident of these things is Paul is confident that he will be delivered from dishonoring Christ before the imperial court. Paul's deliverance that he was anticipating and confident of was not deliverance from hardship, not deliverance from suffering, not deliverance from imprisonment, not deliverance from possible execution, but deliverance from fear from cowardice from failure from dishonoring Christ. Paul's greatest concern was that of the moment of weakness he might fail to be faithful to Christ and keep praying that that would not happen and he said I'm confident through your prayers.

The Holy Spirit is going to enable me not to fail, my Lord's confidence was that God would grant Paul's desire to magnify Christ in whatever circumstances God had appointed for him is that your desire. If according to the appointment of God, you find out this coming week that you have got a serious illness. What's your greatest concern. My greatest concern is for healing. That's the most important thing is it or is the greatest concern. What should your greatest concern. The this trial not cause you to doubt the Lord dishonor the Lord demonstrate lack of faith in the Lord demonstrate that you don't consider Christ. The most important one in your life. That's the greatest concern or ought to be our greatest concern. At times like this. It was Paul's we learn from him may Paul's greatest concern the hours as well. Paul's confidence in deliverance, but never to we find Paul's commitment and now this brings us to our famous text in verse 21 for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain confident that I'll be delivered so that I can magnify Christ in my body whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. Paul's commitment which was a wholehearted commitment to Christ for me to live is Christ. It was an unquestioning commitment about Christ and to die is gain. How do you know that ball because Christ said so, and I don't doubt it. I don't question him. I believe his promises.

I believe his work.

I believe his commitment to me. I'm committed to him and I have no doubt in his commitment to fulfill the promises that he has made a wholehearted commitment to Christ for me to live is Christ. Paul is saying if I continue to live in a not executed. I'm going to live for Christ. That's what I have been doing all of these years, why should I stop now. Far from it.

Because Paul knows something that most people have not yet discovered. Namely, that the only life worth living is to is the life that is live for Christ. What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul. What will a man give in exchange for his soul. What can we possibly live for in this life, it's more important than living for Jesus Christ. We know the truth of the Bible. Know the there is nothing that is more important than that.

That's why we sing Isaac Watts, Kim, were the whole realm of nature mine, that were present far too small. Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life by all. Sometimes we sing. Jesus is all the world to me, my life, my joy, my all. He is my strength from day-to-day.

Without him I would fall in on it goes.

Jesus is all the world to me. We sing it.

You see, we demonstrate that in our body, we demonstrate that our words and actions like Paul did that great song that I have in the past.

You probably have to hurt song by George Beverly Shea. I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold. I'd rather be here doesn't have riches untold. I'd rather have Jesus than houses or land. I'd rather be led by his nail pierced hand than to be the king of a vast domain or to or be held and sends dread sway. I'd rather have Jesus than anything this world affords. Today we sing it we love to hear a song we delight in it. But is that my sentiment is that my commitment is that my desire for me to live is Christ, here is what John Edie, one of the commentators that I consult on Philippians said about this portion, Paul said for me to live is Christ, the preaching of Christ the business of my life. The presence of Christ, the chair of my life. The image of Christ. The crown of my life. The spirit of Christ the life of my life, the love of Christ. The power of my life. The will of Christ. The law of my life, the glory of Christ, the end of my life, Christ was the absorbing element of his life if he traveled it was on Christ errand.

If he suffered. It was in Christ service when he spoke his theme was Christ. And when he wrote Christ filled his letters Paul said for me to live is Christ and there is no question as we examine his life that he meant what he said.

That is exactly true. In his case, a wholehearted committed commitment to Christ, which therefore gave Paul an unquestioning commitment about Christ for me to live is Christ and I am confident I am certain I have no doubt that for me to die is gain. Whichever way it goes. I can't lose. For me to live is Christ for me to die is gain. To die is gain because the die is to enter in to the realization of so many of those promises which Christ is made the pertain to our salvation. The pertain to art presents with him the pertain to the putting away of the sinful remnant the remains from our Adamic nature that brings us into a place without sin, without suffering without tears, a place of joy you place of presence of Christ in the presence of our blood bought loved ones. A place where God is always honored and never disobeyed where every heart gladly willingly, eagerly obeys the Lord in every deed sale may by will be done on earth, even as it is in heaven.

Paul knew what these promises were he knew the word of God and therefore he was confident that the die is gain because he would enter into the beginning of the fulfillment of these eternal promises for Paul, it is clear that death is a promotion not a defeat death is better, not worse for Christian death is the preferred condition because of course it's only physical death. But there is no death of the soul for the child of God for me to live is Christ and to die is gain. To die is gain. To die is to be living a lie vibrant in the presence of the Lord to die is not soul sleep to die is not for our souls to be with our bodies in the grave to wait that future type when Jesus Christ shall, some erroneously teach. If that were true, then Paul couldn't say to die is gain. You have to say to die is to await again that everybody will get the same time.

But Paul is talking about an immediate K game absent from the body present with the Lord. And just like that to live is Christ to die is gain many many years ago when I was traveling for school group and the one of our services turned out to be at a family camp up in New England of a group of Christian Adventist nobody prepared me for this. They should have and so I was preaching about an auditorium filled with about a thousand people, and I used my usual spiel in that day ashamed of it now got to the end of the sermon lies and heads bowed, eyes closed, all those who know that if you died today, you'd be with the Lord in heaven.

Raise your hand out of thousand people.

One hand went up. I said what a mission field. No you idiot. These people believing soul sleep. They don't believe that if they die they could be with the Lord in heaven all my ignorance. That's what Seventh-day Adventists believe in.

That's what Christian Adventist believe they don't believe in the seventh day, but they believe in the same document. Soul sleep.

So here I was showing my ignorance because I was not prepared for that particular occasion, but that's not what Paul is talking about.

He doesn't say for me to live is Christ and to die is to sleep until the great resurrection day. He says for me to live is Christ and to die early is gay because Paul believe the promises of God you none questioned faith in the commitment of Christ to him in the promises of his word. Paul could say sincerely from my honest heart for me to live is Christ because for him it was to live is Christ and therefore without hesitation he could say to die is gain. Could it be that so many of God's people would have difficulty really saying with enthusiasm to die is gain because perhaps you can't say the first part you can honestly say for me to live is Christ. Why are so many Christians fearful about death.

Why are so many Christians eager to die and to experience this gain that is represented by death.

Why do so many Christians hold so tightly to life and read dying as if it were something awful when the Bible tells us just the opposite. To die is gain.

To die is gain Paul's confidence ushered forth into Paul's commitment we come thirdly to what I've called Paul's conundrum.

What is a conundrum. Several different death dictionary definitions of conundrum, but the simplest one is the one I have in mind here conundrum is a difficult problem. Paul had a difficult problem before him as he came to this point he did know which one was better delivered to die.

He makes it clear that if he could have his desire. He has no question which is better to die is better, but his own desires his own interest. His own feelings his own his own benefit is not the most important thing in Paul's life and so he goes on to say in verse 22 that if I live in the flesh. I'm going to have more labor, more fruit for my labor. But if I diverse, 23, then I have the joyful prospect of being with the Lord forever.

But that's not the whole story. Let's look at it this conundrum. Verse 22 and three and forth. But if I live on the flesh. This will mean fruit for my labor. What I shall choose I cannot tell for I am hard pressed between the two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless, to remain in the flesh is more needful for you if God appoints for me to live. I am acquitted that my trial. I'm freed I go on living which all the evidence of history indicates is exactly what happened. The Bible account concludes before that that time comes, so we don't have that record in the Bible, but the indication of history is that in fact Paul was acquitted and he did travel again. The later he was rearrested and was put back in prison and this time executed, but as far as this, and this imprisonment is concerned, he did live on the flesh, and he said if I live on the flesh, the result will be more fruitful labor. That's what I've been doing with my life ever since Christ saved me. I been laboring for Christ. I been laboring for the gospel. I've been laboring for the souls of man. I've been laboring for the establishment of churches and if God extends my life. I'm not in a change of thing on the keep doing what I've been doing. That means more gospel proclamation more souls coming to a knowledge of Christ more churches being planted more Christians being build up in the most holy faith.

That's a joyful prospect.

The idea of having some more time on earth to serve the Lord and to add additional fruit to my Lord's account to my account in heaven because of my Lord.

But he says there's also in my mind this prospect of a joyful departure. Verse 23 having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. He states the difficult choice again.

He states it at the end of verse 22 and again in the beginning of verse 23 this is a hard decision. This is a hard choice. I'm not sure which one to choose in one way I've always been a little puzzled by this because Paul knows full well as we know that it really wasn't his to choose. Anyway, he didn't get to choose and he knows that but he saying if I could choose which would I choose which do I desire the most, and he says clearly my choice. My preference would be to go on and go to heaven be with the Lord to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. A greater desire than remaining on earth and continuing to to earn fruit to produce fruit for the Lord to the park and be with Christ depart is a word that means to break camp or to weigh anchor or to set sail all of these have the idea of the temporary newness of life. Life is like living in a tent in the camp and the time comes to break camp and move on. That's what it means to die to move on to a better place. Life is like a ship in harbor with the anchor out the time comes to pull up the anchor in Ceylon and so the day comes when our life on earth which is temporary anyway is over, and on we sailed into eternity. I desire to the carton to be with Christ, which he says is far better. Literally I I suppose is the most literal way to translate this Greek phrase very far better you have to find some way to translate if you want to give its full force that will communicate the triple comparative that you don't see in your English. You see, a double comparative to to die to depart be with Christ is better. That's one comparison of one 19 way of describing the bitterness of it the preferred preference of it, it's better but now it is what does he say here it is far better so that's number two a double way of saying that is better but in the Greek there's 1/3 one is very far better it's better better better. It's very, very better. Why are you, some Christians not even convinced it's better at all in others that might concede it's better only want to give it maybe just a little bit better, I'd it be better to stay.

I'd rather live than die, but I don't go to die someday so I am glad to know that that's going to be better but my heart's not really in it. I don't really want to do. Depart be with the Lord. I don't really believe that that's very far better but Paul did. Why did he. When we don't know baby back to that first part for me to live is Christ, then will know that the die is gain. But there's another element involved in all this and that's verse 24. The recognition of the needs of others. Nevertheless, to remain in the flesh is more needful for you as I'm writing this choice to remain and have more years of fruitfulness for the Lord. That's a that's a good prospect and spite of the pain, the sorrows, the sufferings, the beatings, persecutions, they physical difficulties that still are up.

A good prospect to me that the the pot. The possibility that the the time to content. Continue serving the Lord and bearing fruit for him, but I tell you what is a far, far, far more more attractive prospect for me, which is to dine going to be with the Lord. But there's something else to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. The recognition of the needs of others to remain in the flesh addresses a great need for others. You see, Paul doesn't consider his own desires to be the most important formula in weighing this decision. If I'm the only one consideration I know what I want to do. I'm out of here right now.

We've all heard about. We all want to go to heaven but please don't get up a busload right now for Paul he wanted to get on the bus right now. Right now, let's go I'm ready but Paul didn't consider his own needs and desires to be of paramount importance. Paul puts the needs of others above his own desires.

I know the to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. It would be better for you that I stay and continue to preach God's word would be better for you that I stay in encouraging guide and direct you in the development of the church at Philippi and even to help other churches and to plant new churches. I put the needs and desires of others above my own.

Isn't that what we ought to be doing is not what Christ requires of all of us and does this get right down to where the rubber meets the road.

If we really don't make this a major consideration the needs of others, then it's questionable whether we are really putting Christ first in our life is easy enough to saying I'd rather have Jesus in anything how you demonstrated how do you show it will, if you love me, keep my commandments. And here's the greatest commandment that you love one another and by this shall all know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another. And if you're putting the needs of others before your own, then you're probably putting Jesus Christ first and if you're not putting the needs of others before your own. Are you really putting Jesus Christ for maybe were learning a little bit more about what it means to live for Christ for me to live is Christ that means means to live for others so that brings us number for the pulse continuance verses 25 and 26. What have we seen so far we have seen Paul's confidence. Paul's commitment Paul's conundrum. But now, pulse continuance, he is going to continue in the flesh for a while and being confident of this. I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again Paul is confident that he is going to live because he recognizes the needs of others and somehow he has this divinely given assurance that because there are needs of others that he is in a unique position to help the God is going to extend his life so that he can contact continue to do this, and so on. The light of the needs of the Philippian church. Paul expresses another confidence is first confidence was that the Holy Spirit would enable him to be courageous in the day of his trial would not deny the Lord's second confidence is that because other people need him God's going to extend his life so that he can continue his labors. He will remain in the flesh for a little while longer, not for Paul's benefit. He'd rather depart, but for the benefit of others. They need him so his continued labor in verse 25 in his continued fruitfulness in verse 26, his fruit will increase the Philippians rejoicing when he comes and visits them and ministers to them.

His fruitful presence in ministry will cause them to rejoice and Paul will be content to continue laboring in a body that is getting ever more weary, ever more painful.

Ever more exhausted by his labors, but what is that in the face of the needs of others is that in the face of the desire of Jesus Christ upon my life with this type. What is that in the light of the. The links of eternity with the Lord.

Thus, we conclude that, at least in part, to live for Christ means to live for others for the sake of Christ. It's not all, of what it means, but it's a lot of what it means, as we see in this text.

What is it mean to live for Christ means to sacrifice our desires for the sake of Christ. Others, what is a main deliver Christ means to sacrifice our comforts for the sake of Christ and others. Paul was wary Paul was tired Paul was ready for an eternal rest, but it's more needful for you that I stay and therefore I'm confident I will stay and I'm happy to do it. What is a main deliver Christ means to sacrifice financially for the sake of Christ and others say I don't see that in the text. No, no, that's not in the text, though surely that's included, but that's what Christ taught us not to lay up for ourselves treasures on earth were Boston.

Martha does this rust doth corrupt of these break through and steal, but rather to lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven to sacrifice financially for the sake of Christ and others was Christ who taught us. You can't serve both Christ and Mammon. You can't Give them equal weight. You can't even give Christ a little bit of advantage, but still living an awful lot of your life for the accumulation of material things you can't do that to live for Christ means you need to be willing to give that up. Now that doesn't mean that Christ may not benefit you with many of the good things of this life is is the Bible shows us that he often does, but that can't be the goal of your life that can't be what you living for. That can't be your main endeavor. Your main goal your main desire.

Your main interest your main energies directed to that.

You can't be living for Christ and make that number one in your life for me to live for Christ means to put him first. Not money, not comforts, not ease, yes, deliver Christ may very well mean to sacrifice family for the sake of Christ and other say no, not that Jesus mean when he said he loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me and he who does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. What is it mean to live for Christ is to putting first in everything, every area of our life's and when we do when we are truly living for Christ and dying is going to look so glorious dying is going to look so wonderful dying is going to look like such a a delightful prospect and the more we live for Christ the more dying will be seen to be gain the God show us how to apply these truths to our lives and circumstances, shall we pray father. This is a wonderful portion of your word is a challenging portion of your word. It is an instructive portion of your word will Lord, teach us your way and show us your paths. We pray man