One Life to Live: Philippians 1:19-26

Pray & Intro: What would possess someone to live every breath for a single cause? What would compel them to follow through on that cause to their dying breath? Belief. And Perspective. (seeing the bigger picture)

Paul has set an example for the Philippians in considering his past and present (vv. 12-18), now he sets an example for them in how to posture their hearts in considering the future. (Mentally prepared for whatever may come.)

Read Passage & Explain/Relate: v. 12, 15, 18; then 18b-26  à First Paul describes what he believes and perceives, and then he explains further how living is Christ and dying is gain.

1. What Paul Knows: (What Paul believes, what Paul perceives determines his attitude, his perspective over life and death.) over the way he bleeds and the life he leads
   1. Joy – unpolluted, undiluted – What would you give to view your past, present, and future with joy? à When you look at all the difficulties you’ve been through and continue to endure, as long as you know that the gospel is advancing, you rejoice. (B/c you have one ambition: proclaiming Christ.) “in that I rejoice” – “Yes, and I will rejoice…” When you aim to live and die for Christ, you rejoice at whatever circumstances the future might hold, so long as Christ is honored.
   2. Paul may not know with certainty the outcome of his current circumstance (see v. 27b). He’s fairly confident they don’t have much of a case against, but he doesn’t know for sure what the verdict will be as he faces the Roman tribunal. à What he does know is the verdict of facing the heavenly tribunal. – All of this (his life and his death) will turn out/lead to/disembark at the end of his journey in deliverance. (soteria – salvation, wholeness, safety Ultimate salvation – safe arrival on the shores of heaven)
   3. “Through” – powered by the prayers of the saints and the presence of the Spirit (pneuma, wind) of Jesus Christ (help = support, actively supplying and providing what is needed)
   4. His eager desire and hope (hendiadys – a rhetorical device by which two nouns joined by a conjunction, usually and, are used instead of a noun and a modifier, as in to run with fear and haste instead of to run with fearful haste OR “to look with eyes and envy” instead of “with envious eyes.”), Paul’s eagerly-desired hope (confident expectation) is by faith in Jesus Christ. (Php. 3:8-9) … THAT
      1. Unashamed (no shame, guilt, embarrassment, or remorse before God) à Already acquitted – Christ’s righteousness already applied on his behalf à But there is this added element of living a life worthy – to proclaim Christ and to serve others (and so he needs their prayers and the power of the Holy Spirit’s presence)
      2. Facing life with Full courage à boldness — the trait of being willing to undertake activities that involve risk or danger; especially that involve being honest and straightforward in attitude and speech.
      3. Christ be exalted (magnified, honored) (passive voice) in my body, my existence – always and now
      4. [So Paul knows his final destination. He knows the power behind his progress in the faith toward that end. He is confident in Christ’s work so that he will arrive unashamed and face life with full courage that Christ will be honored in the journey.] à But Paul also knows that the vessel that carries him there is his flesh – the living, breathing mind, body, and soul of a human being.
   5. Living and Dying Have the Same Aim –Honoring Jesus (Guided by a singular star: Christ himself) à Worth dying for. Worth living for.
2. Paul explains further benefits to him or to his hearers of his death versus his life.
   1. Paul knows the ultimate choice as to whether he lives or dies is not his to make. (He cannot tell/know which path he will be taking… and he’s glad) – But if he had to choose… it would be tough [hard pressed/seized/bound/held fast btwn the two options (on the one hand, on the other hand):
      1. Released/loosed from this life, to be with Savior, His King, His Master, His Creator, His God = Gain – advantage, benefit. (He doesn’t say life is preferable b/c that way he avoids the pain of dying. Nor does he want to die b/c he hates living.) Further, for Paul, dying would be gain if that death is a final great witness to Christ.
      2. Service-driven life, to honor His Savior through fruitful labor – The only reason to remain in this world is to bring souls to Christ and to build up believers to do the same. à His own desires versus the good of others.
   2. Do hear it? Paul is emotionally torn. But his will is resolved to honor Christ, even if that means he is poured out as a drink offering (2:17)
   3. When he looks at the options, he judges that the scales are most likely tipped in favor of him remaining on the earth longer in running this long, difficult race. (goal is in sight… not knowing the exact distance, but the goal is in sight) –
      1. He’s convinced that he’ll remain, but does not indicate infallible knowledge or assuredness of having received actual divine revelation of the fact.
      2. However, it seems he guessed right. “Statements in the later Pastoral Epistles as well as in the writings of some of the early church fathers indicate that Nero released Paul from his first Roman imprisonment in A.D. 62. The apostle resumed his missionary labors and returned to Macedonia and probably to Philippi. However, the Romans arrested him again, imprisoned him in Rome a second time, and then executed him as a martyr there in A.D. 68. If this information is true, he probably did contribute to the spiritual progress and joy of the Philippians as he said he hoped he could here.” (Constable)
   4. Serving Christ by building the body of Christ – The world is not a place to be served but to serve. The church is not a place to be served but to serve. (eternal fruit) à His sticking around would increase the joy of their salvation. His sticking around would increase the advancement (the growth) of their faith, their maturity in Christ. (Progress important word here, as it was in the earlier section on progress of the gospel.)
   5. V. 26 –

Attitude toward life and death. Emulate (copy) Paul. When facing death, a man’s values tend to shine through. In living, where and what he invests in where his belief and perspective really lie.

What would you give to view your past, present, and future with joy? à Give your life, your whole being, for as long as you breathe, to exalt Christ.