In this message we seek a God-centered perspective in three areas of life: suffering, living, and dying. If we can see these things from God’s divine perspective, and live the way the apostle Paul did, we can expect God to use in greater ways!
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A God-Centered Perspective on Suffering, Living and Dying
Philippians 1:12-26
We have all heard people speak about having a proper perspective. We have heard someone say, “We need to make sure we have the proper perspective on this situation before rushing to any hasty conclusions.” Or someone may say, “It all depends on what perspective you have.” Someone else may say, “The four gospels were written by four different men, each viewing the life of Christ from a different perspective.”
So, just what do all these people mean by a “perspective”? They are talking about a mental outlook; a way of looking at things. Have you ever realized how much depends on what kind of perspective you have about a situation? The same situation can be either a grievous trial or an exciting challenge! The glass can be either half empty or half full. Our perspective can change everything about a situation. That’s why it is so important for us to gain a God-centered perspective on all the various areas of our life.
I believe the apostle Paul can help us with this. In our text this morning we see the perspective of a godly man in three different areas: suffering, life, and death. What made Paul such a great man of God? Why was God able to use him so greatly in the cause of the gospel? How did he accomplish so much for Christ? I’m convinced the answer has a lot to do with his perspectives on life. May God help us to gain Paul’s God-centered perspectives this morning.
This morning I want to focus on three different perspectives of the apostle Paul – his perspective on suffering, life and death.
1. A God-Centered Perspective On Suffering: 1:12-18
My circumstances. What circumstances was Paul talking about? He tells us in verse 13, “so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ…” In verse 14 he says, “most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment.” In verse 17 he says, “thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment.” It is obvious that Paul is discussing his imprisonment. Paul is a man who had suffered much. He had been falsely accused by the Jews. He was nearly lynched by a religious mob, and later more than 40 Jews formed a deadly plot and took a solemn oath that they wouldn’t eat until they had killed Paul. He spent several years in prison in Caesarea. Finally they brought him to Rome to appeal to Caesar, but on the way he nearly died because of a great storm at sea. He finally arrived in Rome, bound in chains, and was under house arrest for two years waiting an uncertain decision of an earthly king.
What was Paul’s perspective? God has caused all things to work together for good! I’m okay. In fact, I’m rejoicing, because my sufferings have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel. How did that happen?
The Gospel took root within prison. The whole praetorian guard was aware of Paul’s imprisonment in the cause of Christ. So, just who were the praetorian guard? They were the elite soldiers of the Imperial guard stationed at Rome. They consisted of 9 cohorts with 1,000 men in each cohort. One of the duties of the praetorian guard was to guard prisoners awaiting trial before Caesar. Paul was chained to one of these guards night and day. The guards changed every six hours, which meant that Paul had four different men each day chained to him. Can you imagine being a preacher and having your congregation chained to you? Talk about a captive audience! I imagine the guards were glad to have another soldier come and relieve them. “Boy am I glad to see you! This Paul is trying to make a Christian out of me!” Paul had liberty to receive any who came to him. Many, no doubt, came and visited Paul and would listen to him preach and teach. When he wasn’t visiting with guests, Paul would be writing letters to the churches he had planted. When he wasn’t doing that, he would be praying without ceasing or singing God’s praises. These unbelieving guards would have to endure it all! Paul would have great opportunities to witness every day. And he was successful. Phil. 4:22 says, “All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household.” No doubt, Paul had led many of the guards to Christ, and they were now referred to as the saints of Caesar’s household.
Paul had been so successful in his witness that his case had become headline news in Rome. That’s why he says in 1:13 “my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else.”
So, because of Paul’s sufferings and imprisonment, the gospel was advancing inside his prison.
The gospel advanced outside of prison. It did so in two different ways – brothers outside of prison preached Christ. There were two different groups of these brothers.
Some Brothers preached Christ from good will and love (1:15, 16). Paul’s imprisonment gave them far more courage to speak the word of God without fear. This was a scary time to be preaching Christ in Rome. Nero was the reigning emperor, and by all accounts, was a bloodthirsty tyrant. He had a great many people executed, for no other reason than that he didn’t trust them. During Nero’s reign the church began to fall under suspicion. However, most of the brethren loved Paul. They preached Christ out of love (1:16). When they learned that Paul was lying in prison, they redoubled their efforts to spread the gospel, so that the gospel would not languish. They knew that the best way to delight Paul’s heart was to make sure that the work of the gospel did not suffer. These brothers preached out of good will and love.
Others preached Christ from envy and strife and selfish ambition (1:15, 17). These men had learned of Paul’s imprisonment and figured that this was a great opportunity for them to make a name for themselves. Paul was out of the picture, so why shouldn’t they be the new rising star in the church, and draw away his disciples after them? They were the envious of the attention and fame that Paul had in the church, and thought this was the perfect time for them to get some of that attention.
Paul’s Perspective On His Sufferings (1:12,18). He rejoiced! Paul didn’t care who received the credit or acclaim. The only thing that mattered to Him was that Christ was being preached and the gospel was advancing. He saw that is sufferings had turned out for the greater progress of the gospel! Everyone seemed to be preaching Christ while he was in prison! Some from good motives and some from bad, but hey, he would take it, whatever the motive. He was rejoicing because His Savior and Lord was being preached everywhere. Those that were afraid and timid before, now had far more courage to preach as they took heart from Paul’s example. If Paul could suffer for the cause of Christ, then so could they, was their thought.
Take note that Paul did not rejoice because of his suffering, but in spite of his suffering. Paul was not a masochist who delighted in his pain. Rather, he was a man who loved God with every fiber of his being, and was quite willing to be in chains if it meant that the gospel had free reign. Paul’s personal suffering was not the paramount issue. The glory of Christ was.
So my friends, if you get sick with Covid-19, or are injured, you can rejoice that you now can share the gospel to the other nurses, doctors and patients you come in contact with. If you lose your job and have to move into a cheap rental, you can rejoice because you now have a whole new set of neighbors to witness to. If you are being persecuted at your job because of your faith, you can rejoice because you are having an impact for Christ there. The next time you endure suffering, look for ways the gospel can advance, and rejoice! Instead of cursing the darkness, turn on your flashlight.
2. A God-Centered Perspective On Living (1:19-26)
Paul Lived To Exalt Christ (1:20). Here, Paul is referring to his upcoming trial. He longs to bear a bold testimony before Caesar. He doesn’t want to shrink from declaring the truth of Christ boldly before the emperor. If they acquit him, he will live. If they condemn him, he will die. If they execute him, he will exalt Christ by bearing a bold testimony to the truth of Jesus Christ. If they let him go, he will exalt Christ by laboring on behalf of the church.
Paul’s Philosophy Of Life (21). “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Paul did not live for money, fame, pleasure, or power. The object of his life was to love, worship and serve Jesus Christ.
What is Your Philosophy of Life? How would you sum it up? Would you say, “For 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.” “For to me to live is Christ plus money, pleasure, fame, or power”? Oh, that God would give all of us a single mind! We need everything else in life to fade into insignificance compared to Christ – His glory, His kingdom, His honor, His gospel. We need for Him to be our one and only true passion, driving us along, from day to day. May our one supreme passion be to live for His glory and praise!
Paul Lived To Serve The Church (1:22, 24, 25). Notice the expressions he uses. In verse 22 he mentions “fruitful labor.” In verse 24 he mentions that “to live on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.” In verse 25 he mentions “your progress and joy in the faith.” For Paul, the way He served Christ was by serving His church. Paul was focused on Christ and His church, not on himself. He knew he had much work left to do – encouraging new fledgling churches, appointing elders, writing letters, teaching, preaching, discipling, evangelizing. There were souls to be saved, believers to be strengthened and taught, churches to be put in order. When he considers his present life, Paul sums it all up with the phrase “fruitful labor.” Paul lived to labor for the church. If it wasn’t for that, he was content to die and be with Christ. He desired above all to see these believers thriving spiritually. Really, that was the only thing that held him to this present life. If not for that, he would have happily gone on to be with the Lord in glory.
What Are You Living For? Is it to serve Christ by serving His church? What drives you in life? What is it that gets you out of bed in the morning? What do you want to see happen in the future? May I propose an answer for you to consider and pray over? How about “the joy of being used of God on behalf of His church.” There are countless ways we can serve the church. Here are a few examples: taking someone food or cleaning their home when they have had a surgery or delivered a baby or been sick; meeting with a younger believer weekly to teach them how to commune with God and reach their friends with the gospel; ministering to the elderly at a convalescent hospital; bringing a word of encouragement and sharing it at church on Sunday; preparing food and bringing it to share with the church; coming early to set up for meetings or tear down afterwards; giving a generous gift to the Sacramento Gospel Mission, or Bibles For Asia to see the gospel make advances to the homeless or to the lost in Vietnam; or participating in a prison ministry. Brothers and sisters, if God is going to use us during our short and fleeting life, we are going to have to repent of misplaced priorities and focus our time and energy and money on doing the will of the Father. Paul’s perspective on living was that it should be used to serve Christ and His church. Is that your perspective?
3. A God-Centered Perspective On Dying (1:21-23)
To die is gain (1:21). Gain is more of the same thing. Therefore, if to live is Christ, then to die is more of Christ! Christ is our treasure and our reward. Paul knew that when he died, he would enjoy more of Christ than he ever did in this present life.
Depart (1:23). This word carries the meaning “to take down a tent and move on”; or “to loosen the ship’s rope and set sail”; or “to unyoke some oxen.” For Paul, death was a voyage. It was leaving one realm of existence and entering another. It was to take down the tent of his earthly body and move on into the heavenly realm. It was to be released from his earthly life and to set sail for heaven’s shores. It was to be delivered from life’s burdens. If Paul were going to depart, that meant he would be leaving one place and going to another; not that He would cease to exist.
Be with Christ (1:23). I think that this passage teaches us the error of soul-sleep. A few Christian denominations have embraced the doctrine of soul-sleep, which teaches that when a Christian dies, his soul “sleeps” until the resurrection. They say is aware of nothing until Christ resurrects him. However, how could Paul say that to die was to depart and be with Christ and that was very much better. Is it very much better to sleep, than to live and commune consciously with Christ now?
Very much better (1:23). Notice the superlatives. Paul does not just say that it is better to die and be with Christ. He didn’t just say it was much better to die and be with Christ. He said it was very much better. Why? Because he would enjoy face to face communion with Jesus Christ. What could be better than face to face communion with Jesus Christ? Nothing!
I do not know which to choose (1:22). Paul said he was hard-pressed from both directions. If he were given a choice to die or to live, Paul said he wouldn’t know which one to choose. It is very much better to die, but it was more important for the church that he stay and minister to them. I think one of the marks of spiritual maturity is having a greater and greater desire to depart this life to be with Christ. When this present world starts to lose its allure, and the world to come becomes more and more appealing, you know you are making progress in your spiritual maturity.
What is your perspective on dying? Would you feel it to be a great loss if you were to die in the next year, or a great gain? Does the prospect of dying fill you with dread? Anxiety? Fear? Uncertainty? It should fill the saint with joy at the prospect of being with Christ. Of course, none of us enjoys the pain of dying. All of us hate to say permanent good-byes to our family and friends we love. But apart from those things, death should fill us with expectancy and joy. Of course, you all understand that I’m not encouraging anyone to take matters into their own hands and to hasten their own death. The timing of our death is in God’s hands, and He alone has the right to give life and to take it. I’m just talking about where our heart is. May our heart be weaned from the attractions of this present world and be enthralled with the attraction of being with Jesus in glory!
Conclusion
So, what have we seen this morning? What is a God-centered perspective on Suffering, Living, and Dying?
Suffering – rejoice in it when you see God using it to advance His kingdom and gospel!
Living – The purpose of life should be to exalt Christ and to serve His church.
Dying – it is merely a departing to be with Christ, our sovereign Lord. We should look forward to it with joyful anticipation.
May God help us to adopt His perspectives on suffering, life and death. Amen? Let’s pray.
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