Dwell Like Loss of life Is Achieve

Just a few weeks in the past, my seven-year-old knowledgeable me that he wished to be eight — however not any older than that. “Buddy, why don’t you need to be any older than that?” I requested. “Properly, as a result of whenever you get previous, you die.” Honest sufficient. Eight appeared secure and thrilling sufficient, I suppose (he has some eight-year-olds in his class), however 9 — now 9 was a distinct story. Who is aware of what would possibly occur then? Higher follow eight.

It’s a sobering factor, isn’t it, to observe your kids start to wrestle with a actuality like loss of life (after which to power you, as a dad or mother, to try to clarify one thing like loss of life). I feel our verses this morning are an ideal assist to dads and mothers (and youngsters and twenty-somethings and sixty-somethings) in answering the largest questions we ever ask. What’s going to occur once we die? What does it imply to essentially stay?

A few years in the past, on June 28, 2021, my (then) 64-year-old dad had a coronary heart assault. I’ll always remember the moments I spent beside his hospital mattress that week, as he waited for quadruple-bypass surgical procedure. I felt my very own mortality, watching the strongest man I’d ever identified now combating for his life. I do know a few of you may have skilled this. Whenever you’re rising up, Dad is the embodiment of power, nearly immortal. I imply what can’t Dad do? A toy breaks? Oh, Dad will repair it. Wish to know what makes an airplane fly? Dad will know that. My three-year-old’s been anxious that skunks are going to get into her room at evening (longer story there), however I’ve mentioned to her, “Honey, I promise, Daddy received’t let any skunks in your room.” And she or he believes me! As a result of I’m Daddy.

After which dads get older, and their arteries fail — or they get actually sick, or their minds start to go. Slowly, they’re rather less superhero, and slightly extra human. And within the course of, we notice simply how human we’re.

By God’s grace, my dad’s doing rather well, however I considered him main as much as this message as a result of our conversations over these final couple of years (one particularly) remind me of those verses. He instructed me that he’s extra conscious than ever that every single day he has is a day he’s been given for Christ, that nonetheless many days he has left — whether or not a whole bunch or 1000’s or only one — he needs them to honor Jesus. My dad got here shut sufficient to loss of life to have the ability to remind his son learn how to stay.

And that’s what we’ve in Philippians 1:19–26: we’ve a person, a religious father, who has come shut sufficient to loss of life that he’s in a position to inform us (whether or not we’re 8 or 38 or 68) learn how to stay and die nicely.

The Pleased, Driving Ardour

As we’ve realized over the past a number of weeks, Paul wrote this letter from jail in Rome. The scenario’s critical sufficient that his associates in Philippi are anxious in the event that they’ll ever see him once more. And on high of the risks and hardships of his imprisonment, he had enemies (even within the church) attempting to make issues even worse for him.

“Loss of life, for believers, is best than life as a result of loss of life lastly provides us Christ.”

I don’t need it to be misplaced on us over these subsequent few months in Philippians that essentially the most joy-filled letter within the New Testomony was written in horrible circumstances. That tells us one thing, doesn’t it, about how a lot pleasure we will count on to expertise even on our hardest days. Look how joyful he’s even now, even in jail! And they inform us about how a lot we will nonetheless assist others get pleasure from Jesus — even on our hardest days.

As Pastor Jonathan confirmed us final week, Paul responds to all of this — imprisonment, mistreatment, betrayal — in an otherworldly method, as a result of he had a distinct ardour than the world. And what was that zeal? The glory of God magnified by the advance of the gospel. That zeal is why he can rejoice whereas his enemies preach Christ (verses 15–18). That’s why he can rejoice even whereas he sits in jail (verses 12–14). That’s why he prays like he does (verses 9–11). That zeal is why his love for these individuals runs deeper and richer than a lot of {our relationships} (verses 3–8). And now, in our verses this morning, he’s going to inform us about that zeal. He leans in, in any case of that, as if to say, Would you like the key? “To stay is Christ, and to die is achieve.”

What Sort of Deliverance?

Our passage begins in verses 18–19:

Sure, and I’ll rejoice, for I do know that by your prayers and the assistance of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this may prove for my deliverance.

Now, instantly, what sort of deliverance do you assume he’s speaking about? What’s he going to be delivered from? Is he speaking about deliverance from jail (which is what we most likely assume) — or is he speaking about another form of deliverance?

Let’s preserve studying: “I do know that . . . this may prove for my deliverance, as it’s my keen expectation and hope that I can’t be in any respect ashamed, however that with full braveness now as at all times Christ might be honored in my physique, whether or not by life or by loss of life” (verses 19–20). Why do I count on that each one of this may prove for my deliverance? He doesn’t go on to speak about judges altering their minds, or about him creating some goodwill with the jailers, or about a big group of Christians placing collectively a petition.

“No,” he says, “I’m assured this may prove for my deliverance as a result of I’m assured that, whether or not I stay or die, Christ might be honored in me.” That phrase — “whether or not by life or by loss of life” — is the largest cause I don’t assume he’s speaking primarily about being delivered from jail. He can’t die in jail and be delivered from jail. “I would die right here in jail,” he’s saying, “however I’ll nonetheless be delivered. Even when I’m by no means launched from these chains, I’ll nonetheless be let loose.” How may that be? How may he be delivered with out being delivered?

I feel that query is massively related for us, as a result of a few of you’re praying for deliverance proper now. Not from jail (since you’re right here) — however what you’re struggling would possibly really feel worse than jail some days. Intense, extended battle with somebody you like. Hostility the place you’re employed. Most cancers. A baby who’s walked away from the religion — and perhaps from you. By the tip of this sermon, I’m praying that you simply’ll be capable of say, to anybody who cares about you, “Sure, and I’ll rejoice, for I do know that this ache, this battle, this most cancers will prove for my deliverance” — not primarily as a result of the ache would possibly lastly let up on this life, or as a result of the connection will essentially get higher, or as a result of the most cancers will go into remission, however as a result of I imagine my life, and my struggling, and even my loss of life will say one thing true and delightful and loud about how a lot Jesus means to me. About how a lot he’s accomplished for me. About how a lot I’m dying to go and spend the remainder of my life with him.

What sort of deliverance is Paul anticipating? Not primarily deliverance from jail (though, as we’ll see, he clearly expects that too). No, deliverance from religious wreck, from the extraordinary temptations that include struggling, from strolling away from Christ. “I’m assured I might be delivered,” he says, “as a result of I’m assured that, whether or not I stay or die, Christ will look nice — and that’s all I actually need.”

“I rely the whole lot as loss,” he’ll say in chapter 3, “due to the surpassing price of understanding Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I’ve suffered the lack of all issues and rely them as garbage, so that I’ll achieve Christ and be present in him” (3:8–9). That’s what deliverance appears like, a very powerful form of deliverance, the type all of us want, particularly when struggling comes.

These subsequent verses, then, are a mural of the delivered life — the life free of self and sin and loss of life, and full of Jesus. Once more, they educate us learn how to stay and die nicely: “I do know that . . . Christ might be honored in my physique, whether or not by life or by loss of life.” Verse 21: “For to me to stay is Christ, and to die is achieve.” We all know that verse, and we assume we get it — however do we actually get it? May you clarify it to a seven-year-old? These subsequent verses assist us see each side of this valuable, life-altering (and loss of life-altering) verse.

To Die Is Achieve

Let’s begin with loss of life, although, with the second half of the verse: “I do know that . . . Christ might be honored in my physique . . . by loss of life. For to me to stay is Christ, and to die is achieve.” How is Christ honored in a dying individual’s physique? Our loss of life honors Christ, he says, once we start to see our loss of life not as loss — not as the tip, not as defeat, not in the end as a tragedy — however as achieve.

So how may Paul have a look at loss of life, even a loss of life alone in horrible circumstances, and see victory, see reward? The following verses take us deeper. Starting now in verse 22: “If I’m to stay within the flesh” — to stay is Christ — “which means fruitful labor for me. But which I shall select I can not inform. I’m laborious pressed between the 2. My want is to depart and be with Christ, for that is much better.”

“Jesus is not only the one solution to heaven; he’s what makes heaven price wanting.”

Now, in fact, Paul doesn’t actually get to decide on. “Which of you by being anxious,” Jesus asks, “can add a single hour to his span of life?” (Luke 12:25). Paul’s not truly selecting life or loss of life right here; he’s simply letting us see what he needs. “I’m laborious pressed between the 2,” he says. “A giant a part of me needs to remain and stay slightly longer right here with you” — and we’ll see why in a minute — “but when I’m trustworthy, I’d fairly go dwelling. I’m so able to really feel my final aches and pains, to have my final laborious conversations, to wipe away my final tears. Greater than something, although, I’m so able to lastly, ultimately, see him, to put aside this previous, foggy mirror and have a look at him face-to-face: Fantastic Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace within the flesh — the seeable, huggable, high-five-able God. To get to know him, to know Jesus, in addition to he’s identified me all these years (1 Corinthians 13:12).

“Oh, how badly I need to keep,” Paul’s saying, “and show you how to see extra clearly, and perceive extra deeply, and love extra totally, and obey extra joyfully, however it will likely be so a lot better for me if this apostle left you (for now) and went on to be a kindergartner, a newbie, in glory.”

Higher Than This World’s Greatest

Discover, he doesn’t diminish the goodness of this earthly life. From an earthly perspective, Paul’s life wasn’t all that nice (it was horrible) when he wrote these verses — and he nonetheless wished to remain. God has stuffed this damaged, sinful world with individuals and pleasures and experiences — with actually good presents — that trace at heaven and assist us lengthy for heaven. I’ve three small children, and there are moments each week after I cease and assume, I simply need this to final perpetually. (There are many different moments after I assume, When will this ever finish? However there are such a lot of moments I need to maintain onto.) After we tickle them and so they giggle till they cry. Once they say sure phrases actually improper. Once they discover ways to do one thing for the primary time, after which do that very same factor a thousand occasions every single day for per week. Once they come, snuggle up subsequent to you, and inform you they love you for no cause in any respect.

Having a Philippians 1:21 coronary heart doesn’t imply you despise the God-given joys and giggles of life on earth — it means you notice that one other life’s coming, one other world, one which’s higher than this one, even at its finest. And never higher by slightly, however higher by far. “My want is to depart and be with Christ, for that’s much better” (verse 23).

And what’s the higher? It’s not weeks with out work or years with out taxes. It’s not limitless tee occasions on the golf course or extra ladies nights along with your finest associates. It’s not your favourite meals at your favourite eating places (and also you by no means have to attend or pay). (I, for one, by the best way, imagine all of that can occur in heaven, and that it’s all going to be higher than we will even start to assume or think about. Consider me, nothing you get pleasure from right here goes to get worse in heaven.) He tells us what the finest higher might be, although, in the identical verse: “My want is to depart and be with Christ, for that is much better.” He places a face to the achieve. Loss of life, for believers, is best than life as a result of it’s loss of life that lastly provides us Christ — all of Christ, with all our senses, assembly all our wants and satisfying all our lingering, gnawing needs. He is our achieve.

In school, I learn a paragraph that I’ll always remember. It nonetheless haunts me, in the perfect method. It goes like this:

Christ didn’t die to forgive sinners who go on treasuring something above seeing and savoring God. And individuals who can be pleased in heaven if Christ weren’t there, is not going to be there. The gospel is just not a solution to get individuals to heaven; it’s a solution to get individuals to God. (God Is the Gospel, 47)

I nonetheless bear in mind the place I used to be on campus after I learn that chapter. It felt like I had stumbled right into a land I had by no means seen earlier than, an ocean I’d by no means sailed earlier than, a favourite meal I’d by no means tasted earlier than. I actually imagine these had been the moments when God turned heaven for me. When he was now not the God who makes heaven, or who lets sinners like me into heaven, however the God who himself is what makes heaven heaven — that he would at all times be (even after 1000’s and 1000’s of years) the most effective a part of dwelling there. This Jesus is not only the one solution to heaven; he actually is what makes heaven price wanting. He’s the good meal. He’s the ocean. He’s the treasure hidden within the area and the pearl of nice value.

Doorway to Deepest Achieve

And if that’s true — if we actually assume that method — how superior will he look once we die? Whereas everybody round us within the hospital clings to the final days they’ve right here — whereas they scramble to try to make it to a few extra issues on their bucket lists — we’re going to be the actually unusual individuals who have this deep and abiding peace, who speak about how a lot better life’s about to get, who be at liberty to spend the final days and hours we’ve on different individuals and their wants, who nonetheless smile even by horrible ache. We’re going to be the unusual and delightful individuals who use our final breaths — on the hospital mattress, in hospice care, coated in wires and screens — to sing. After we die like that, what is going to that say about Jesus? You recognize in case you’ve ever seen a saint die nicely. In these moments, Jesus appears extra precious than something life may ever give — or that loss of life may ever take. Don’t you need to die like that?

As we flip to the primary half of verse 21, then, I would like us to see the connection between these two phrases: “to stay is Christ” and “to die is achieve.” We’re about to see what “to stay is Christ” means as a lifestyle — what unusual individuals like this does with the weeks and months and years they’ve. However earlier than we even get to that, to the sorts of issues they do, we’re already seeing who they are — we’re seeing their coronary heart, their ardour. You see, the type of people that honor Christ with their life will at all times be the form of one that sees loss of life as higher than this life. They glorify God with their life as a result of they need Jesus greater than life. I first realized this, like a lot of you, from John Piper: “God is most glorified in us — in life and loss of life, in joys and sorrows, in marriage and parenting and singleness — once we are most happy in him.” God might be most glorified in our lives when loss of life is achieve, once we know that the day we die would be the biggest day we’ve ever lived — but.

To Dwell Is Christ

Now, within the subsequent couple verses, he turns to clarify “to stay is Christ.” How does he clarify that? He’s already mentioned, in verse 22, “If I’m to stay within the flesh, which means fruitful labor for me.” Fruitful labor — that’s the primary a part of our reply. However what does “fruitful labor” truly imply?

He goes on to inform us: “My want is to depart and be with Christ, for that is much better. However to stay within the flesh is extra vital in your account” (verses 23–24). It might be higher, much better, to go and be with Jesus, however I’m satisfied it’s extra vital, for now, that I keep and preserve laboring amongst you. And what’s the labor? What does he want to remain and do for them?

Satisfied of this, I do know that I’ll stay and proceed with you all, in your progress and pleasure within the religion. (verse 25)

The fruitful labor Paul stays to do is to work for others’ progress and pleasure within the religion. He stays to assist them develop of their religion in Jesus (progress), and to assist them discover higher pleasure in that religion. If we stay for an additional day or month or yr, it’s as a result of somebody wants assist believing in and having fun with Jesus. That’s how Paul thinks about his life — and yours. That is why you’re alive: to assist another person preserve believing in Jesus. Do you consider your life that method? Do you have a look at your days, or weeks, or many years of life as a present God has given you to present different individuals God? To stay is Christ — to maintain up Christ for each other.

However what does it actually imply, virtually, to stay for another person’s “progress and pleasure within the religion”? Does Paul give us any hints about what we’re supposed to truly do? He provides us tons of hints. His letters are full of this type of life. However we’ll restrict ourselves to only Philippians for now. What does it seem like to stay for each other’s “progress and pleasure within the religion”?

• It appears like praying for each other, and particularly for one another’s souls (1:9–11).
• It appears like calling each other to obey Christ, to stay a life worthy of the gospel (1:27).
• It appears like assembly sensible wants for each other, as this church did for Paul (4:14).
• It appears like honoring each other, as Paul honors Epaphroditus (2:29).
• Generally it appears like warning each other: “Look out for the canine, look out for the evildoers, look out for individuals who mutilate the flesh” (3:2).
• It appears like reconciling believers with each other when there’s battle or division, as Paul does in 4:2: “I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree within the Lord.”
• It appears like reminding each other of heaven: “Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will remodel our lowly physique to be like his superb physique” (3:20–21).
• It appears like, get this, simply having extra conversations about Jesus.

Any of you are able to do all these issues. These aren’t issues solely apostles do, and even issues solely pastors do; these are issues Christians get to do for each other. We stay, for nonetheless lengthy we stay, for each other’s progress and pleasure within the religion — to stay is Christ.

Paul strikes yet another word right here, in verses 25–26: “I do know that I’ll stay and proceed with you all, in your progress and pleasure within the religion, in order that in me you might have ample trigger to glory in Christ Jesus, due to my coming to you once more.” “If I stay,” he’s saying, “I need to give extra causes to worship Jesus — and never only a few causes, however loads of causes” — “in order that in me you might have ample trigger to glory in Christ Jesus.” Paul’s not dwelling for a bare-minimum Christianity, a bare-minimum religious affect on others. No, daily, he needs to pile on the explanations, as many as he probably can, for these he is aware of and likes to belief and revel in Jesus.

So, when God brings others into your life, are they higher off spiritually for being there? Are they lots higher off spiritually for being there? What in case you began taking a look at your relationships — household, group group and life group, neighbors, coworkers, associates — and tried to present them ample trigger to like and glorify Jesus? How far more religious good may you do? How would possibly the great you do then multiply by them into all of their relationships?

“If we stay for an additional day or month or yr, it’s as a result of somebody wants assist believing in and having fun with Jesus.”

Once more, discover he says, “I’m laborious pressed between the 2.” So despite the fact that to depart and be with Christ is much better, Paul actually does need each. It’s achieve to die, no query, but it surely’s not loss to remain and stay for Christ. To stay for Jesus — regardless of how a lot it price him, regardless of how little fruit he noticed at occasions, even supposing he would possibly stay the remainder of his life in jail — to stay for Jesus was its personal reward. Due to this fact, he may gladly say, To die is achieve for me, and to stay is Christ for you, my pleasure and my crown (4:1).

As a result of You Pray for Me

Earlier than we shut, then, I need to return briefly to the start of our passage and have a look at how this type of Christ-honoring life and this type of Christ-honoring loss of life occur. If God delivers us from strolling away from Christ, from giving into temptation, from slowly drifting into worldliness, if he helps us honor Christ till the very finish, how does that occur? The place can we get the power and focus we have to preserve going? Paul provides us two fast glimpses (so fast we’d utterly miss them), however I feel they’re too good to move over as a church. You’ve already heard these verses, however we have to hear them yet another time:

Sure, and I’ll rejoice, for I do know that by your prayers and the assistance of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this may prove for my deliverance. (verses 18–19)

Why is Paul so assured that he’s going to make it to the tip, that he’ll preserve honoring Christ, even in jail, even underneath persecution, even when it prices him his life? What does he say? Since you’re praying for me.

Do you ever pray like this church prayed for Paul? Does anybody pray like this for you? If we decide to praying like this for each other, Cities Church, we’ll be capable of say issues like we heard Paul say in verse 6: “I’m certain of this, that he who started a very good work in you’ll deliver it to completion on the day of Jesus Christ” — as a result of we’ve prayed for you. I do know you’ll honor Christ, no matter occurs to you, as a result of we’ve prayed for you. Or, as in verse 19, “I do know this horrible circumstance will prove for my deliverance” — since you prayed for me. Jail can’t overcome these sorts of prayers. Most cancers can’t overcome these sorts of prayers. All of the armies on the earth couldn’t overcome prayers like these.

Why? As a result of God solutions prayers like these — and he doesn’t reply from afar. No, he comes and helps us from within us, by his Spirit (“by your prayers and the assistance of the Spirit of Jesus Christ”). His Spirit lives inside us. And as he does, his power turns into our power, his peace turns into our peace, his love turns into our love.

By the Spirit, proper now, in no matter callings you may have been given, you may have the whole lot you would probably have to honor Christ — whether or not by life or by loss of life — as a result of that Christ lives in you. He’s going that can assist you.