Please turn with me in your Bibles to Philippians 1. And thank you, Nathan, and thank you, Larry, and thank you, Leroy, for your participation in our corporate worship here. Philippians 1. Our passage today is the last little section of verse 18 through verse 26. And I will read that for us now. Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, this will turn out for my deliverance. As it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now, as always, Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose, I cannot tell. I am hard-pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh, is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus because of my coming to you again. Father, your word is powerful and living and reaches into the innermost of our hearts and minds and bodies, bringing light out of darkness and truth out of falsehood, shaping and molding, correcting and strengthening us so that we may live before your face, drinking in your glory. Father, I pray that your words through me today would bring spirit and life through your word. In Jesus' name, amen. Well, today we continue our journey through Paul's letter to the Philippians. Last time I mentioned to you that in verses 12 to 26 of this first chapter, we see a missionary report by Paul to the Philippian church. from whom he had just received a gift during his imprisonment. And although this report is interrupted in verses 27 through chapter two, verse 18, Paul then completes his missionary report at the end of chapter two. We also finished the previous passage by explaining that Paul rejoiced because of the advance of the gospel, both amid his current circumstances and amid factionalism and discord. Now Paul follows that up by saying that indeed he will continue to rejoice and goes on to say why? Because he knows this situation will turn out for his salvation. Now immediately you might notice there's an issue of translation we have to deal with because this word could legitimately mean either deliverance from his current situation or salvation in a final eternal sense. And your translations probably reflect those differing possible meanings if you happen to be reading something other than the ESV, which I read out of. And those two possibilities have some different implications. So how do we tell which it should be? Initially, we might look at the end of this passage in verse 26 and see that Paul seems confident that he will return again to the Philippians. He seems confident of his release. So that statement seems, on the surface, to dovetail well with interpreting verse 19 as deliverance from his present circumstances. But, unfortunately, and honestly, there is legitimate legitimacy to translating it and believing that that's the context that should be interpreted in. But on the other hand, there's a great deal of material in between verse 19 and verse 26, and everything in between screams the other interpretation. And as I outline this, I'm following much as much that was written by New Testament scholar Moises Silva. As I said, there is a lot of argument for the other position. First, Paul says that he's rejoicing because he knows his current adversity will result in his deliverance. It makes no sense to say that his suffering, which is primarily marked by presently being imprisoned, will result in his release from prison. That doesn't really make a lot of sense. Also, look at the parallelism between what Paul had said back in verse 12 and what he says in verse 19. In verse 12, he says, what has happened to me has brought about the advance of the gospel, has really served to advance the gospel. And in verse 19, he says, this will result in my salvation. So the two statements conceptually are tightly connected together. Next, whatever deliverance Paul speaks about is one that he will experience whether he's freed from prison or not. He says in verse 20 that Christ will be honored whether by his life or his death. If Paul were to die, he cannot be speaking about a temporal deliverance from his current circumstances. And interestingly, I don't know if you noticed this, but this phrase, this will lead to my salvation, is exactly a phrase used by Job in Job 13, verse 16. Larry read this passage earlier, but I will reread a few verses here. So if you want, you can turn back with me to Job 13. starting at verse 13. Let me have silence, and I will speak, and let come on me what may. Why should I take my flesh and my teeth and put my life in my hand? Though he slay me, I will hope in him, yet I will argue my ways to his face. This will be my salvation, that the godless shall not come before him. It's Job's very standing before God, his final standing before God, that is at stake, which makes Paul's use of it another reason to believe Paul is talking about his own eternal standing before God, his own eternal salvation. And I will say that Paul's quotation in the Greek New Testament is the exact same wording that you find in the Greek translation of Job 13.16. It may seem like I'm belaboring this point, but I believe it's crucial because some translations and commentators that at the very least make it seem as if Paul's point in verse 19 is his confidence in being released from prison. The proper translation of this word Again, either one being legitimate, but when we're translating, we have to remember that meaning occurs most often at the level of sentences and paragraphs, not nearly as often at the level of individual words. So we have to take into consideration the immediate context surrounding the word. And I believe that if we were to interpret this as Paul saying in verse 19, it'll turn out for his deliverance from his current situation, that interpretation would actually rob the rest of the passage of much of its meaning. Paul even expresses that his eager expectation and hope is that he will not be ashamed. Now, as I say those English words, that Paul's eager expectation and hope is that he would not have to shrink back in shame, does that ring other bells for you? Remember the other passage Larry read just a bit earlier in 1 John chapters two and three. When I preached on this passage a couple years ago already, I spoke about how this expression of not shrinking back in shame is aimed at the concern of shrinking in fear away from Christ at his return. Job expected final vindication from the Lord, whether rightly or not, and Paul expects the same thing. final vindication or salvation, not just physical deliverance from his current imprisonment. And if Paul is expecting final vindication from Christ, that he won't have to shrink back in shame about anything he says, then the primary reference here is to Paul's perseverance in the faith. This is very much like what Paul says elsewhere, as in 2 Timothy 4 verse 7, the last chapter in his last letter before he actually was put to death. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Adding to all that, there's another factor in this first section of this passage that has to do with how Paul's perseverance, his personal growth, his sanctification comes about. His sanctification in this manner doesn't come about in isolation, but through the two factors he mentions at the end of verse 19. First, the prayers of the Philippian church. The prayers of the Philippian church. and two, the help of the spirit of Jesus Christ. This is an immensely important statement in our Western church today. The individualism that is the pride and joy of Western philosophy, and especially here in the United States, is simply not how the scriptures portray church life. Paul says the Philippian church's prayers are an integral instrument in bringing about his salvation. His salvation, which is the completion of his sanctification. Paul, one of the boldest missionaries in all of church history, who risked his very life numerous times for the sake of the gospel, still relied on the rest of the church to uphold him in prayer. This is a lesson I think we all should hear. We cannot expect to grow in our conformity to Christ nor in our boldness with gentleness in order to proclaim the gospel to a wicked and dying world if we do not allow other Christians into our lives and into our sinful tendencies and into our spiritual neediness. This collective language is all over the New Testament. The church, as a whole, is the bride of Christ, not any individual Christian. We, the church, collectively, have the mind of Christ, as Paul says at the end of 1 Corinthians 2, rather than each individual Christian having the mind of Christ, which is often how that passage is mainly portrayed. That's why we're committed to honest fellowship with one another. Shallow, superficial relationships just won't cut it. And neither will mere intellectual learning. Our sanctification depends on the prayers of the saints. and purposeful, targeted prayers depend on us knowing one another well enough to know what we need and lack spiritually. That's why I'm so thankful that as we've begun to have more deliberate discipleship opportunities among the men and the women separately, that you've taken the bull by the horns and participated so regularly and intentionally. Those kinds of rich fellowship opportunities allow us to deepen our understandings and our relationships with each other, to deepen our trust with each other, and to place ourselves in each other's care in both a physical and a spiritual sense. This interdependent relationship is what we need. And as you can see from this passage, Paul urgently desired the same thing. If Paul can claim this, then it's no surprise for me to say to you, I need this relationship, this fellowship, this mutual trust and support as much as you do and as much as Paul does. But Paul mentions another instrument in addition to the prayers of the Philippian church. He also mentions the help of the spirit of Jesus Christ. Now, I won't emphasize this point as much simply because I believe I'm bogging down a little bit here at the beginning of the text. But this grammatical expression here likely means that the help of the Spirit, in verse 19, probably means the help is the Spirit. And so the Spirit responds to the prayers of the saints in bringing about our sanctified boldness for the sake of the advance of the gospel. Let me say that again. The Spirit responds to the prayers of the saints in bringing about our sanctified boldness for the sake of the advance of the gospel. We can never forget that. that as humans, even if we put a tremendous amount of our own effort into the means of fellowship and the means of grace, none of these will result in our spiritual profit, or if you like, none of these will result in our sanctification without the Holy Spirit. It's interesting and unusual that Paul says the Spirit of Jesus Christ. That's not a phrase you find very often in Paul. The likelihood here, according to some scholars, is that the centrality of Christ is a key theme throughout this letter. Paul is identifying that Christ is resident in every believer through the Holy Spirit. It also makes a very Trinitarian letter of Philippians. So to finish off the thought from the end of verse 18 through verse 19, part of Paul's joy and salvation in this passage comes from knowing that the Philippians are participating in this work through their prayers for him. And Paul's joy is possible because of the second point he makes in this short soliloquy. Many of you know that literary term, soliloquy, from works like Shakespeare's plays, the action of a character speaking his thoughts aloud. Paul begins to lay out for the Philippian church, and for all of us all these centuries later, his thoughts about his possibly impending death. And his point is, what he can rejoice in is the fact that death is no threat. To Paul, death is no threat. And he declares that he doesn't consider death a threat by way of a most well-known statement in verse 21, probably very well-known to many of us. For me to live as Christ, and to die is gain. We probably all know that last statement, but if asked, we might be hard-pressed to describe more particularly what Paul means by that memorable statement. In one sense, it's jarring, especially because of the reference he had just made to Job and the vindication Job expected to receive. In the Old Testament, the expression being put to shame is usually equivalent to dying. Look very quickly with me at Psalm 31 verse 17. 31 verse 17 of the Psalms. Oh Lord, let me not be put to shame, for I call upon you. Let the wicked be put to shame. Let them go silently to Sheol. So if in the Jewish pattern of thought, death equals being put to shame, because that's what it says there, then Paul's declaration really does demand an explanation. And again, Paul does not express hope here in spite of his possible death. Rather, he focuses on death in one sense as a better alternative. Now, the syntax in verse 22 is actually pretty complicated and somewhat ambiguous, and I certainly couldn't do justice to all the intricacies of that discussion within just this one message. But I do want to bring out some clarity at least to the end of verse 22. When Paul says, which I shall choose, I cannot tell, meaning either to die or to go on living, he's first of all not saying that he actually has any real choice in the matter. He knows that the outcome is in God's hands. But what he is indicating by saying, which I shall choose, I cannot tell, is probably something more like, I do not know which one I prefer. Which option seems better in Paul's mind? That's what he's getting at. And that aspect is brought out a little more fully by not only whether the word should be choose or prefer, but whether Paul is saying he doesn't know which to prefer or that he cannot reveal which he prefers. This last possibility is brought out a little more in this ESV translation when it says, which I shall choose, I cannot tell. Not every translation says it that way. Even in the English there, there's still some ambiguity. And it captures the ambiguity of Paul's declaration very well. Is he saying he's incapable of knowing which he prefers? Or that he's prevented from revealing which he prefers? I actually think it leans a little more toward the latter, that he's not at liberty to reveal his choice, but again, it's unclear. And in a sense, I think Paul lets out a few hints as to which one he does prefer. He uses another literary device in which, of the two items being compared, the second is the one preferred. And the second one here is to die, depart, and be with Jesus. At this point, we're actually granted a glimpse into some of Paul's emotional distress about all this. When he says in the beginning of verse 23, I am hard-pressed between the two, or I am torn, or I'm in straits about these two possibilities. He's trying to bear his soul here. He's emotional. He's perhaps even admitting some embarrassment. It's an example of how Paul is allowing the Philippian church into his life, into what he's wrestling with spiritually, so they can know how to most effectively pray for him. Perhaps Paul's a little embarrassed as well because the option he prefers, which he makes known even more clearly at the end of verse 23, to depart and be with Christ, is not what God's plan is going to entail at the time. So maybe he's a bit embarrassed to admit that what he desires is not what God desires at the moment. In a sense, this is a little similar to Christ's prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. Lord, if there's any way for this cup to pass from me, please take it away, but not my will, but yours be done. This seems a little similar here. I want to die and depart and be with Christ. That's the better option for me, but to remain in the flesh, in this body, in this world, Paul says, is more fruitful in a ministry sense for the sake of the advance of the gospel. Now, just very briefly, it's worth mentioning here that some people use this verse as a proof text in a doctrinal argument about what happens to us after we die. Do we depart this life and immediately we are in the presence of Christ? Or does our soul sleep until the final resurrection and final judgment, and then the believers are consciously with Christ? I think I can confidently say, again along with Moses Silva, that trying to make a doctrine out of this one verse is probably not a wise idea. It's almost never wise to attempt to uphold a doctrine from one single verse, especially when that debate, so to speak, it's probably not even Paul's intention here. However, whatever we think about the doctrine of soul sleep, which is a heretical doctrine, by the way, affects how we look at this passage. For example, it's hard to imagine Paul finding this choice to remain or to die difficult at all if he didn't think dying meant that he would immediately be with Christ. That's to say, why would he have a hard time choosing if when he died, his soul and his consciousness were just going to sleep until the final resurrection? especially because the people who would find his presence on earth fruitful, the Philippians for example, they would still be going on in this life without him and his ministry. So at any rate, it's worth knowing that one cannot really make much of a positive case for soul sleep in this passage. Let me say, though, that I don't think Paul's actually contrasting the two statements in verse 21, to live is Christ, to die is gain. I think it's actually more accurate to say Paul is saying that the connection of Christ to these two possibilities, Christ is living in him through the Spirit and advancing the gospel message. or Christ being with him personally in eternal life and death. These are both so advantageous, both so shot through and through with the presence and the glory of Christ. That's what makes it so hard for him to know which to prefer. Paul's so confident in the way he has followed Christ that no matter what happens to him here, whether he goes on living or departs this world to be with Christ, either way, Christ will be glorified. Can we say the same thing about our lives? Can you come face to face with your impending death and know that no matter what happens, whether you die or whether you will go on in this life for a longer period, that Christ will be glorified in your life or in your death? As much as it lies within your power, can you say, like Paul, that your life or your death will bring about the advance of the gospel and will magnify the glory of Christ? so that, like Paul, you won't have to be made to shrink away in shame at His coming, but that you know and that we know, as Paul says at the end of verse 20, that Christ will be exalted in your body, in my body, by life or by death. That's our challenge from this passage. To live in such a manner that in our life and in our death, Christ will be exalted. Christ will be magnified. Christ will be glorified. I confess, I myself often think as Paul does in verse 22, which I prefer, I cannot tell. To die and to live forever with Christ, how does that not sound attractive to a believer? especially a believer who's already over the age of 50. Now, please do not hear me wrong. You don't have to worry about me being suicidal. In fact, I'm probably the least suicidal I've ever been in my entire adult life right now. But the only thing this world has for me in my mind is like what Paul says in verse 24. To remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. I can honestly say that to my wife, to my grown children, to you all. While it might be the ultimate blessing to me as a believer to die and be with Christ, that would be a hardship to certain other believers in the here and now. I can absolutely relate to what Paul says here. And so the only thing that really is left to me on this earth, in my mind, is how can I be a positive presence and influence for those around me, especially my family and this church. Now in the last two verses of this passage, we see a word of encouragement, of reassurance, if you will. Having let us in on his thought life for a few verses, Paul is convinced that he's not going to be executed at this point, but rather he's going to be released and be able to continue to minister to churches such as the one in Philippi. And he explains what his release from prison, which he is convinced of at this point, will mean for them. Paul started out this section of text, which actually began back in verse 12, with the concept of progress or advance. Now he explains again, as he had earlier, that his imprisonment led to the advance of the gospel message spreading throughout the Praetorian Guard. Now his impending release will serve for the Philippians' joyful progress in the faith. The ESV here says, your progress and joy in the faith. But it seems likely that this expression is, the temporary term or the technical term, I'm sorry, is called a hendiatus. It's using two words to say one thing, progress and joy. An example of this occurs in Luke 21 verse 15 where Jesus is telling the disciples about things to come and he says, So it's using two words, a mouth and wisdom, to say one thing. I'll give you a wise mouth or wise words in that situation. The expression progress and joy in the faith, it's simply using two words to say one thing, their joyful progress in the faith. Just as his imprisonment led to progress of the gospel message, his impending release will lead to greater spiritual health among the believers in Philippi. And of course, as we know now, to believers everywhere who have the letters of Paul, because his release allowed him to write more letters and minister more until he was imprisoned and finally executed a few years later. What does trial and hardship bring out in your life? Do the trials we experience make us irritable, angry, angry at God, angry at other believers, angry at the world? Or do the trials we experience contribute to our joyful progress in the faith? These are critical questions for us to ponder as we consider our walk of faith. And what about death? Does death scare you? We know death is an enemy upon this creation. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15, 26, death is the last enemy to be destroyed. It's an enemy. But death should truly only terrify you if you don't have Christ as your Savior. If death truly, honestly scares you, it may be worthwhile to examine whether you indeed have Christ as your Savior. Because for the non-believer, death truly is a terror. For the unbeliever, death is the entrance into an eternity of torment, experiencing the unending wrath of God because of our sin. And the only way to escape the never-ending wrath of God is to throw yourself on the mercy of Jesus Christ. Do it now if you never have. Don't put it off. You may never have another chance again. But for the Christian, death is at worst bittersweet, at worst. For the Christian, death is the exit from a life overwhelmed by sin and pain and wickedness and an entrance into the presence of God with Christ in glory. The bitter part is the people who are left behind. But even those left behind can rejoice for the Christian who has died and been taken into glory. Let's pray. Father, it's amazing to see how by your Spirit, by the help of your Spirit and by the prayers of the Philippian church, Paul could exude such joy, joy in his imprisonment, joy in the trial of being withheld from visiting the churches that he so desperately wanted to see and to teach and to minister to. and with the threat of death hanging over his head, that he was able to rejoice as he did. Lord, we want that joy. We want that joy that will make us a light to a dying world, even when we're in the midst of our worst trials, even when we're in the midst of our irritating trials. Lord, we pray for that joy. And we pray, Lord, as well, that you would grant us the aid of your spirit and the aid of the prayers through our fellowship with each other, Lord, that whether we live or die, Christ will be exalted and glorified. In your holy name I pray, amen. Well, let us rejoice together in a fellowship meal that God commanded. a reminder of His sacrifice for us, and I believe also a means of grace as we share together in obedience.