As we honor Mother’s and ladies in our life that made our priorities their priorities, I hope that we all appreciate the effects of a woman’s love and sacrifice. This kind of love and sacrifice is enjoyed by so many of us and this is a day we can say thank you!
While a five-year old son was watching his mother do the dishes. He suddenly notices that his mother has several strands of white hair sticking out in contrast to her brunette hair. He looks at his mother and inquisitively asks, “Why are some of your hairs white, Mom?” His mother replied “Well, every time that you do something wrong and make me cry or unhappy, one of my hairs turns white.” The little boy thought about this revelation for a while and then asked, “Momma, is that how grandma’s hair turned white?”
Last week as we journeyed through the letter of Philippians, we learned that during adversity our priorities become quite clear. Why does it take a dramatic event to get our attention? What truly matters in this life? The answer to these questions is found in our commitment to Jesus Christ.
Our study of Philippians 1:18–26 will challenge us to re-examine our priorities. The apostle Paul will exhort you to live to die and die to live.
- Our Priorities should Reflect Hope for Tomorrow. (1:18b–20).
Philippians 1:18b-19 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice. For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
Paul puts it this way: “Not only have I been rejoicing, but I will rejoice in the future.” We should thank God for our situation. We can find joy no matter where we find ourselves. Like Paul, the goal is to see every situation as an opportunity to be a witness of the future that Christ has given us.
It should be like how you feel when you know that you are inheriting a gift or wealth. Its enjoyable to think what you are going to do in the near future. Everything seems better and brighter!
Notice how the apostle Paul faced adversity. Back, in the text, the phrase, “this will turn out for my deliverance,” is a quote from Job 13:16. Job’s three friends thought Job must have done something wrong, or these losses of family through death, and health issues wouldn’t have happened. In chapter 13, Job replied: “You’re going to see my vindication, my validation. God’s going to deliver me and approve me.’ Job 13:18
In a similar sense, Paul uses the word “deliverance” not just of his current situation but refers to his future vindication at the judgment seat of Christ. This future idea fits the rest of the passage in verses 20-26 which we will get to later on.
However, Paul is still in prison as he writes and he needs to find the grace and strength to continue. How is he going to find the grace and strength not to quit under pressure? How is he going to find the grace and strength to continue to exalt Christ under adversity?
Notice the end of verse 19, where we are told how: It is “through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” The grammar of the original Greek sentence links the prayer and the help of the Holy Spirit (Granville-Sharp). They are seen as one unit, the two go hand-in-hand. In other words, as God’s people pray this brings comfort from God through answered prayer, and there is a supply of (grace) strength from the Holy Spirit.
It’s interesting to know that the word for “supply,” in verse 19 comes from a Greek word, which gives us our English word, “chorus.” The Greek word means “to provide a generous public service.” One way this term was used in a Greek or Roman city during this era was that it described the way a wealthy person provided for a special festival and paid for the singers and dancers. (Wiersbe, Be Joyful, p.36-37).
It’s very important to note that although Paul was poor in earthly terms, he was wealthy in spiritual and heavenly ways. Notice he depended on the grace of God, given through the Holy Spirit and the prayers of God’s people. What a chorus that combination is!
The prayers of the saints and the provision of the Holy Spirit are those things that strengthened Paul in his times of adversity and gave him courage to continue to live for Christ.
That applies to us. In any situation that we’re going through we can also find joy through the “chorus” of the Holy Spirit and the prayers of God’s people.
Martin and Gracia Burnham were two missionaries who in 2002 were held captive for 376 days by the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group in the Philippines. The group was constantly on the run, trying to evade the Philippine military. While living in the jungle, Martin and Gracia often were without food and nearly starved because of the constant pressure their captors were under. Their physical state was under stress, but they found joy in the midst of it all, as Gracia later told, it was because God’s people all over the world were praying for them.
Eventually, the Philippine military caught up with the Abu Sayyaf and raided their camp. Martin and Gracia were huddled together in a hammock under a makeshift tent. They knew that there was a possibility they wouldn’t make it out alive, but Martin said to Gracia, “The Bible says to serve the Lord with gladness. Let’s go out all the way. Let’s serve him all the way with gladness.”
The two then prayed in their hammock, recited Scripture verses to each other, and sang. They laid down to rest. Then the rescue assault began and bullets began to fly, puncturing Gracia’s leg and Martin’s chest. Martin did not make it. (Ted Olsen, “Martin Burnham Went Out Serving with Gladness” Christianity Today, June 10, 2002)
How were they able to find joy in the midst of such stress? The answer is right here in Philippians 1:19. God’s people were praying and the supply of grace from the Holy Spirit got them through.
Do you want to find joy in the midst of stress? Then stop depending on yourself and enlist the prayers of God’s people and depend on God’s Holy Spirit. Now notice Paul’s determination to live for Christ in verse 20.
Philippians 1:20 “according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.”
Paul doesn’t want his words and behavior to bring shame to the cause of Christ. As he relies upon the Philippians’ prayers and the Holy Spirit’s strength in the midst of trials, he does not ever want to show others that God’s promise of future vindication is not true. That is right, if you follow the logic, it is shameful to live life and stay defeated. That would result in giving others a false sense of gloom of the future. It would be fake news!
As Paul fully expects to be vindicated, he lives to bring honor to Christ. Whether or not he is released, if he dies or if he lives.
The word “magnified” (megaluno) means “to make great, to enlarge, to make glorious.” We get our English word “megaphone” from this word.
A megaphone makes your voice big. Similarly, a magnifying glass makes objects big. We are to make Jesus big with our lives and lips!
The verb “be magnified” is passive, which means that Christ receives focus by our actions. There are two types of magnification: microscope and telescope. The microscope makes the little seem big. That is not the picture here. The telescope makes the actual be seen from further away. This is what Paul is saying: He magnifies the reality of Jesus Christ to others.
As we read in our passage, Paul said the supply of God’s Spirit and the prayers of the saints encouraged him to exalt Christ. We can live for Christ anytime, anywhere and that’s what Paul did. Paul’s second motivation in this passage was…
- Our Priority is to Help Others know They Have a Future in Christ. (1:21-26).
Look in your bible at Philippians 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” This verse summarizes Paul’s purpose in living though this adversity.
Do you know what you are living for? How would you fill in the blanks? For to me to live is…? And to die is…? There are people that live life this way: For to me to live is money, and to die is to leave it all behind. For to me to live is fame, and to die is to be forgotten. For to me to live is power, and to die is to lose it all.
If we live for anything else but our heavenly relationships with and in Christ, we’ll have nothing to look forward to, and life will often be miserable. The world has an “eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die attitude!” But, if we live for Christ, death simply means more in Christ, and that should give us joy and a meaningful life today.
A Christian physician named Paul Brand became a resident of a new retirement home, he was asked to speak at its dedication. Most people know Dr. Brand through his bestselling book, Fearfully and Wonderfully Made. In his dedication speech he said:
“I remember well when I was at my physical peak,” he said. “I was 27 years old and had just finished medical school. A group of friends and I were mountain climbing, and we could climb for hours. For some people, when they cross that peak, for them life is over.
“I remember well my mental peak, too. I was 57 years of age and was performing groundbreaking hand surgery. All of my medical training was coming together in one place. For some people, when they cross this peak, for them life is over.
“I’m now over 80 years of age. I recently realized I’m approaching another peak—my spiritual peak. All I have sought to become as a person has the opportunity to come together in wisdom, maturity, kindness, love, joy, and peace. And I realize when I cross that peak, for me, life will not be over; it will have just begun.” (Steve Moore, “A Graceful Goodbye,” Leadership, Summer 2002, p.42)
That’s the path of those who live for Christ. The end of this life is just the beginning of a grand and glorious existence, in heaven, forever, in a perfect eternal relationship and fellowship with Jesus with all the saints. The aim of our life is Christ, then death is gain, because death simply means getting more of Jesus and all those who also love Jesus!
And…that’s what has Paul in a quandary in the following verses. As he gets ready to stand before Caesar, he’s not sure what he wants. Maybe part of him wants Caesar to order his execution, so he can be with Christ. But another part of him wants Caesar to order his release, so he can continue to serve so others will know and love Jesus. See this in the next verses;
Philippians 1:22-26 “But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. 24 Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. 25 And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, 26 that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.”
Paul decides he’d rather remain, for their benefit, but he really wants to “depart.”
The word “depart” that he uses in verse 23 to describe death is a word rich in meaning, i.e., the word, “depart.” Sailors used it to describe the loosing of a ship from its moorings. Soldiers used it to describe the taking down of their tents, so they could move on. Guards used it to describe the release of a prisoner from his bonds, and farmers used it to describe the untying of an ox from its yoke.
That’s how Paul describes death for the believer. It’s the untying of your ship, so you can go on a holiday. It’s the taking down of your earthly tent, so you can go home. It’s the cutting of your bonds, so you can be free from the constraints of this life, and it’s a release from the yoke of hardship, so you can relax and enjoy eternity with Jesus. No wonder Paul was hard pressed between life and death, because both prospects held such promise.
On May 14, 1988, a drunk driver ran head-on into a bus carrying the youth group from a church in Radcliff, Kentucky. The bus was quickly engulfed in flames, and 27 people died in what was called “the worst drunken driver accident in Kentucky” history.
Witnesses who survived the crash told of one particular passenger, Chuck Kytta, the youth minister of the church. Chuck was seated in the front of the bus behind the driver, and when the gas tank exploded a heartbeat after the collision, he was instantly encircled in flames.
When Chuck saw the flames around him, witnesses said, he looked up, lifted his hands and cried out, “Jesus, I’m coming home!” Some of the kids said he was smiling. (Ninie Harmon, “Jesus, I’m Coming Home,” The Southeast Outlook, Louisville, Kentucky, 5-12-05; www.PreachingToday.com)
Most likely, Chuck understood what Paul was talking about here in Philippians 1:23. He lived for Christ and looked forward to being with Him forever! Death was gaining much more! It was “far better”, and it brought a smile to his face even in the fire.
Do you want that kind of joy in the face of any adversity?
Jesus said, “Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it” (Mark 8:35).
We should quit trying to save our life to be safe. God already took care of that since we believed in Jesus death, burial and resurrection for our sin (John 3:16). Now we must trust in the Holy Spirit’s comfort, provision, protection and promise and then share our life in Christ with others while we still live here. This is our win/ win situation.
This Mother’s Day and beyond…first, let’s be grateful for our Mothers for being an example of this kind of living to us! Secondly, let’s make our priorities for Christ known by how we live!
Thank you for your message and the way you bring God’s word clarity. Have a great week!