Should I Stay or Should I Go
Philippians 1:18b-26
Philippians 1:18b-26
Let's Pray...
Remember last week we closed on a section where Paul was telling the Philippians, that while he was in prison for the gospel, some people were preaching about Christ in order to stir up trouble for Paul.
And He didn’t take offense, right? No, he said who cares ultimately WHY they are preaching Christ, whether for good motives or bad, people are hearing about Jesus, people are being brought into the family of God.
Paul says, “It’s not about me! It’s all about the Savior. If He’s being lifted up then praise God, I’ll rejoice…”
Now, spring boarding from that teaching last week, we’ll continue in his thought starting at the end of Philippians 1:18
This is the word of God, let all who have ears let them hear.
Here’s the question I want you to answer for yourself, to yourself tonight: “Are you living a life that counts for something?”
While writing about Jesus in the book, The Master Plan for Evangelism, Robert Coleman points out that,
“There was nothing haphazard about His (Jesus') life – no wasted energy, not an idle word. He was on Business for God."
The Apostle Paul was correct when he told the churches to follow him as he followed Christ (I Corinthians 11:1; Philippians 3:17).
We see here that Paul was living a life worthy of duplication. Not because he was a great man by the world’s standards. No, because he was a great man by Jesus’ standards.
He walked in humility. He walked in courage. And He submitted his life COMPLETELY to God, in order that in any way whether by his successes or his failures, Christ might be seen.
Paul wasn’t the athlete that thanks Jesus for a win, but sulks off in a corner after a loss. No, he looked for a way to bring the conversation, the attention back to Jesus no matter what his circumstances.
Jesus was on track day and night, with the mission to obey the Father, even to the point of death on a cross, for the reconciliation of the people.
Paul likewise had a one-track mind, fixed always on Christ and Him crucified. He was that guy who if he was coming toward a group, everyone knew what he was going to talk about. Every time, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.
When people were going to scoff, he talked Jesus and did it without shame. When it meant possible or probable physical harm, he did it without fear. When it meant loss of freedom, Paul preached the gospel without grasping on to his personal rights.
He lived a life that he KNEW counted for something. And it emboldened him. It re-energized him and encouraged him.
His mission to proclaim the word of God anywhere to anyone at anytime shaped every word, action and thought.
So again, answer for yourself, to yourself tonight: “Are you living a life that counts for something?”
And if you are tracking with me so far, I think and the Scriptures make it clear that you can only really answer yes, if you are living for Jesus Christ.
If you are living for your money, for you status, for your trinkets, for your business, then just know that all of those things fade and disappear in time. That is not a life that counts.
If you are living for your pleasure or your comfort, then just know that pleasures of the flesh never satisfy fully or completely, you will always want more until finally nothing fills the need. A life striving after pleasure and physical comfort is not a life that counts.
If you are a soldier or a statesman, living only for your country and the principles of that country then just know that the principles change from generation to generation {unpack} and the eventuality for all nations is to disappear, being replaced with the Kingdom of God. Life for one’s nation is ultimately is not a life that counts.
And even if you are living for your kids, or your spouse or your friends, all of them will eventually die off, move away or disappoint. Living for loved ones is not a life that counts.
Instead, live for the Kingdom of God. Take that example from Paul. Live for the Lord Jesus Christ and pursue Him with EVERYTHING you have in you.
Let’s go back to the text:
He’s saying I’m going to rejoice, despite all that has happened to me, because I know whose side I’m on. Paul said, I side with Jesus and I KNOW I will be victorious.
Look at what Paul is depending on in order to be delivered. “that through your prayers (the Philippians prayers) and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ”
One extra point has to be made here. Paul isn’t saying that the Philippians are equal to the Spirit, he is saying that the prayers of other Christians are the means to God’s end of delivering Paul.
Let me encourage you again and again to develop a prayer life that is genuine and passionate. Pray for God’s will always and pray specifically for the people that He has placed on your heart.
This week in particular, I would encourage you to pray for the family of Deputy Bruce Sutton. And pray for the soldiers fighting across the globe. And pray without ceasing for all of those who have not yet come to Christ. Pray that they would accept Him this week.
Sometimes we write off our prayers because we don’t always see immediate results. Or, because we don’t think were worthy to be listened to.
Paul’s saying listen, God is going to do the work, but in His good pleasure He has included us in His plans. So, don’t reject Him. Get on your knees. If you can get your face on the ground and pray!
Moving on in verse 20…
Now we’re getting into the meat of tonight’s message. Living and Dying with Christ as our goal. Keep with me. This is key to your walk in faith.
I don’t read this text and imagine Paul had some monotone voice without emotion or vitality. I hear a genuine struggle here.
There’s a tension that should play a tug of war in the heart of every Christian that feels like what Paul is describing here.
Some of you might read this tonight ask, “What kind of person desires to die?” And you ask that, either because you are afraid of death, or because you still love this world too much.
Those who are afraid of death many times don’t believe that God is out there, and so they have this fear of the unknown.
Or maybe you are very sure of God, but you are afraid He won’t accept you, that you will be headed for Hell.
If you are in that camp, let me assure you, God is real if you will begin to pursue Him He WILL SHOW HIMSELF TO YOU. (Jeremiah 29:13)
And, based on your own behavior, words and choices in this life, you should be headed for Hell. Let’s get that out of the way.
But the reason we are here as a body of believers and a group of Christians; the reasons we smile and we laugh and we sing, is that we hold tight to a promise that it is not the good people that get to heaven, it is the forgiven people.
And if you are unsure whether you are forgiven, than know that you can be sure about it tonight by putting your faith in Jesus Christ.
Jesus came to earth (what we celebrate Christmas for), He lived a sinless life and died the death of a sinner — our death, in order to pay the price for our sins.
And over and again the Bible tells us that we will be saved, we will be forgiven, if we look to the Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross and say I believe that He paid my sin debt.
If you do that, if you do that tonight, you will never need fear Hell again.
If you trust in Jesus Christ, that faith will redeem you and reconcile you with God Almighty.
We Christians that you see here were at one time enemies of God, but through Christ, we have been adopted into His family and can now truly see God as our Father.
You might listen and say, oh, he’s just trying to convert me. That’s right. That’s what I live for. That’s why I’m here. If God isn’t using me as a means to His end to save souls for the Kingdom, then I pray He might take me home tonight.
That’s what Paul is saying in this passage. Listen again:
Let’s move on, I said some of you might not understand someone wanting to die, not because your scared of the unknown and not because you are frightened about Hell. Some of you may not want to die because you still love this world too much.
I’ll raise my hand and admit, I find myself here WAY too often.
If that is the case, I would suggest that you (and I) have not fully grasped the beauty of the promise of God.
The promise that when we pass from this life we will shake off the burden of temptation and sin and guilt. We will shake of the shackles of these aging and disabled bodies. We will shake off the years of regret — regret for word that we wished we had said but were too late to say; and the regret of words that we said, though we wish we hadn’t.
God’s promise is that there will be no more tears or pain or sorrow for the saved, for His children.
And more than that, more than shaking of the world’s rotten baggage, we will see Christ.
That is the promise. Every good and perfect gift, every thought of beauty, every sense of joy, every deep breath of comfort and security. ALL GOOD THINGS find their source in Jesus Christ.
He’s not just your ticket out of Hell, He is the All and All. Oh! The day we finally realize this in it’s fullness is the day we our hearts will break for every wasted moment worrying about the trappings of this world.
I spent how much time thinking about my car this week? My job? My vacation? All that when I could have been thinking on the promise of what’s next?!
God forgive me! God forgive us!
Now Paul resolves his tension by resting in the sovereignty of God. He desires to be with the Lord. He desires to die and be done with prisons and beatings and attacks from inside and outside of the church. He desires the realized promise.
But, he knows that he has not been given the option yet to die. So, If God still has him taking a breath in to his lungs, Paul decides to let that breath come back out in praise. Breathing in the will of God, the will of God to breathe out the Gospel.
That is what Paul lived for. Everywhere to everyone at every chance; breathing Jesus Christ.
He reminds them again, I’m not here for me, I’m here to lift you up with the word of God, the truth of salvation in Christ.
If my perseverance leads you to Jesus, Paul says, “I’m living a life that matters. I’m living a life that counts.”
So family, one last time, answer for yourself, to yourself tonight: “Are you living a life that counts for something?”
Let’s pray…
