Paul’s Life for Christ
Torn between two desires.
Sometimes only God can make the decision.
Philippians 1:19-26 NLT
Paul’s Life for Christ
19 For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance.
20 For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. 21 For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. 22 But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. 23 I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. 24 But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.
25 Knowing this, I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith. 26 And when I come to you again, you will have even more reason to take pride in Christ Jesus because of what he is doing through me.
Examine the scriptures:
Philippians 1:19-26 NLT
Paul’s Life for Christ
19 For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me,
Prayer and the Holy Spirit.
this will lead to my deliverance.
- Prayers of the saints and the working of the Holy Spirit are both powerful assets for us as believers.
What is this deliverance? We don’t really know. It could be:
Deliverance from prison (verses 12-14)
Philippians 1:12-14 NLT
12 And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. 13 For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. 14 And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear.
Or
The deliverance brought to the believer by death. (verse 23)
23 I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.
Or
Both (or even something else).
keep me safe,
freedom,
Salvation: preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss.
Deliverance from sin and its consequences (this does not seem to fit here).
Paul is asking for prayer from the Philippians and help from the Holy Spirit.
Two of Paul’s prayers.
Romans 15:30 NLT
30 Dear brothers and sisters, I urge you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to join in my struggle by praying to God for me. Do this because of your love for me, given to you by the Holy Spirit.
Colossians 4:3 NLT
3 Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains.
Two verses about prayer.
Ephesians 6:18 NLT
18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
James 5:16 NLT
… The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
- The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
20 For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed,
What keeps us from being ashamed of ourselves when we stand before Christ?
1 John 2:28 NLT
Living as Children of God
28 And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame.
Romans 8:9 NLT
9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you.
- Remain in fellowship with Christ.
John 15:5 NLT
5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past.
Paul’s boldness
Acts 28:30-31 NLT (this may have ?? been when Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians)
30 For the next two years, Paul lived in Rome at his own expense. He welcomed all who visited him, 31 boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one tried to stop him.
A challenge to Us
2 Timothy 1:7-8 NLT (From Paul imprisoned in a cold dungeon to Timothy, and to us)
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
8 So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News.
- Be bold for Christ.
And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die.
Paul greatest desire was to maintain his faithful witness to Christ.
1 Corinthians 10:31 NLT
31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
21 For to me, living means living for Christ,
2 Corinthians 5:20 NLT
20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”
- So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
- Our lives should bring honor to Christ whether we live or die.
and dying is even better.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 NLT
The Hope of the Resurrection
13 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.
15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.
22 But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. 23 I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.
Live and serve Christ (sharing the gospel with others and building up the church)
Or
Die and be with Christ in heaven for all of eternity.
Paul would be a good model of the service driven life.
- A service driven life can be a very difficult life.
Hardships Paul experienced:
2 Corinthians 11:24-28 NLT
24 Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. 26 I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. 27 I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.
28 Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches.
- Heaven is something to look forward to with great expectation.
John 14:1-3 NLT
14:1 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.
Revelation 21:1-4 NLT
The New Jerusalem
21:1-4 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT
9 That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
for those who love him.”
Philippians 3:20-21 NLT
20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. 21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.
2 Corinthians 5:1 NLT
New Bodies
5:1 For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands.
1 Peter 1:3-4 NLT
The Hope of Eternal Life
3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, 4 and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.
24 But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.
Philippians 2:3-4 NLT
3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
25 Knowing this, I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith.
Paul would continue to remain with the Philippians which would be for their benefit.
26 And when I come to you again, you will have even more reason to take pride in Christ Jesus because of what he is doing through me.
Paul knows that the honor and glory belong to Jesus. Jesus is the one who is making a difference in the lives of the Philippians.
