Philippians - Session 8

Philippians Study – Session 8

(Philippians 2:1-4)

I suppose that at times all of us can identify with the person who said, “I love mankind.  It’s people I can’t stand!”  Of course, that’s not an acceptable attitude for Christians.  Of all people, God’s people should be able to get along with each other.

The Apostle Paul was deeply concerned that a spirit of division and strife that had permeated the church at Philippi.  One of the reasons Paul wrote the letter of Philippians was to encourage the people in that church to get along with each other.  We saw in our last session that in the Greek language the prefix sun means “with or together.”  It carries the idea of cooperation or of getting along.  At least 16 times in Philippians Paul attaches that prefix to various words.  The Philippians could hardly have missed the point.  Paul was saying to them, “It is imperative for your spiritual well-being and for the sake of the gospel that your fellowship not be characterized by division in strife.  As brothers and sisters in Christ, you must get along with each other!”

In our journey through Philippians, we have come to one of the greatest statements about Christian unity to be found anywhere in the Scripture.  Look with me to Philippians 2:1-4.  Even though most English translations break it down into several sentences, in the Greek text Philippians 2:1-4 is one long, complex sentence.  The main part of the sentence is v.2 where Paul makes a strong appeal to the Philippians to get along with each other.  Look again at what it says... “...make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose...”  That is an appeal for unity.  Philips paraphrases that verse this way: “Live together in love, as though you had only one mind and one spirit within you.”

In these verses are three principles concerning unity that are essential for followers of Christ to understand and practice.

Principle 1 - Christian unity arises from on a spiritual foundation. 

1.      Verse 1 consists of four phrases, each beginning with the word “if”...in our language, the word if is used to raise a question or doubt...when someone says to us, “I will do what you ask if I have time” we know that person is saying “I may or may not have time to do what you ask.”...in English if represents a condition of uncertainty...however, that is not way “if” is being used in Philippians 2:1... the “ifs” in this verse are conditional particles and they refer to a fulfilled condition...carry same weight as our word since...

2.   The four phrases in verse 1 represent spiritual blessings in which all believers share:

--”If ... there is any encouragement in Christ...” - The word “encouragement” actually means “one who stands beside you”...we have Christ standing beside us...

--”...if there is any consolation of love...” - Christ stands beside us to console us, to comfort us with His love...

--”...if there is any fellowship of the Spirit...” - The word “fellowship” means “participation with or partnership with”...we are partners with God’s Spirit...

--”...If there is any affection and compassion...” - First three phrases refer to what God does for us and that’s how this phrase should be interpreted as well...we are the recipients of the affection and compassion of God...

      Paul is saying, “Since you all share in—

--the encouragement which comes from Christ...

--the comfort of God’s love...

--the fellowship of God’s Spirit...

--the mercy and compassion of God...

...since you are all  partakers of these great blessings, you certainly should be able to treat each other with dignity and respect.” 

3.      The point of all that is unity among God’s people rests on a spiritual foundation.  It is built on the foundation of our common relationship with Christ and our common experiences in Christ.  Therefore, the way to guard and nurture our unity is to guard and nurture our relationship with the Lord.

4.      A.W. Tozer in his classic book The Pursuit of God speaks to this point.  "Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So one hundred worshipers [meeting] together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be, were they to become unity conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship."

Principle 2 - Christian unity is sustained by a common purpose -- the purpose of serving Christ.

1.      In Philippians 2:2 Paul pleads for the Christians in Philippi and for all Christians who read this letter to be characterized by a spirit of oneness...I like the way Philips paraphrases this verse...he renders it, “Live together in love, as though you had only one mind and one spirit within you.”...

2.      Paul began this letter to the Philippians back in first part of ch.1 by telling them, “I am thankful to God every time I think of you.  And when I pray for you, I always do so with great joy.”...now in first part of ch.2 he tells them, “Don’t let anything spoil my joyful thoughts of you...”...make my joy complete by being of the same mind...”...

3.      That phrase “...of the same mind...” is easily misunderstood...it does not mean that—

--we must think exactly alike...

--we will hold exactly the same opinion on every issue...

--there will never be disagreements among Christians...

While certain cults have attempted to operate that way, that has never been the way of genuine Christianity.

4.      Paul is not calling here for uniformity of thought...he is calling for unity of spirit...understanding that is the key to understanding this verse...following the admonition to be “...of the same mind...” Paul piles three phrases on top of each other to explain what that means...being “...of the same mind...”...the phrases are:

“...maintaining the same love...”

“...united is spirit...”

“...intent on one purpose...”

5.      Those three phrases mean essentially the same thing...the idea is that while we are not exactly alike...while there will always be differences among us...as followers of Christ we should be--

--in love with the same thing...

--moving in the same direction...

            --focused on the same purpose...

6.      Carol and I have in our home numerous clocks...over the years Carol has collected quite a few clocks, all of which chime...and no matter how hard we try, we have found it impossible to get all those clocks to chime at precisely the same time...it generally takes about five minutes for all of our clocks to finish chiming the hour... there is great diversity among those clocks...they are not in lock-step with each other... yet there is a unity of purpose among them as well...they move the same direction...they have the same purpose...they each keep track of time...

And that’s the way it should be among Christians...what is the distinctive characteristic which binds us together, that causes us to “be of the same mind” as Christians?  “It is [the] inner desire, [the] inner disposition to love Jesus, to know Jesus, and to serve Him.  That is the oneness Paul was talking about.  The way to get along, Paul said, is for us to get our minds, our hearts, and our spirits set on the one purpose for which we are here and that is to serve Jesus Christ and to glorify His name.  When [we set our minds] on that purpose, we will be able to get along.” [Harbour, Philippians notes]

Principle 3 – Christian unity is destroyed by self-centeredness. 

1.      Notice how Paul begins v.3...”Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit...”

·         The word translated “selfishness” or “selfish ambition” is used seven (7) times in the NT...each time it is used a negative connotation is attached to it...for example, in 2 Cor.12:20 it  in a list which includes such things as quarreling, jealousy, anger, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder...the word describes a person who is interested only in self...such an attitude is a cancer which destroys the possibility of healthy relationships...”selfishness” is a negative quality that invariably impacts in a negative way the people with whom we come into contact...we are to avoid it at all costs...

·         The word translated “empty conceit” is a compound word...first part means “vain” and second part means “opinion”...it simply means to think too highly of yourself or to be full of yourself, as some people would put it...if we are full of ourselves, there is no room in our lives for others...can’t be full of self and genuinely care about others at the same time...

The phrase “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit...” in first part of v.3 means don’t live merely for yourself and don’t think more highly of yourself than you should...you can’t expect to live in unity with anyone if you are selfish and self-centered...

2.      In contrast to spirit of selfishness and self-centeredness, the last part of v.3 and v.4 explain that the kind of spirit which produces unity among people is a spirit which—

--recognizes the importance of others...

--puts the needs and concerns of others before our own needs and concerns...

3.      Verse 4 express the very essence of the life to which God calls His people...”Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”...in other words—

--we are not to live for ourselves; we are to live for others...

--we are not to be self-centered; we are to be others centered...

4.      What does it mean to live an “others-centered” life?  What does that kind of life look like?  Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the was a Lutheran pastor and theologian who was executed in a Nazi concentration camp just prior to the end of WWII, wrote extensively and his writings have had a profound impact on Christianity in the days since WWII.  In one of his works Bonhoeffer listed seven (7) things Christians could do to move from self-centeredness to others-centeredness...want to share them with you in summary fashion... cultivating an others-centered attitude involves--

1)      Learning to hold our tongues and refusing to speak unfairly or unkindly about others...

2)      Understanding that we are not inherently better that others that all of us are sinners in need of God’s grace...

3)      Listening “long and patiently” so we can understand the needs of others...

4)      Refusing to consider our time so valuable that we cannot be interrupted to help with the needs of others, no matter how small or menial those needs may seem to us...

5)      Willingly bearing the burdens of our others...

6)      Declaring God’s word openly and honestly to our fellow believers...

7)      Remembering that Christian authority is a servant authority and does not demand recognition and special attention...

[Frank Thielman, The NIV Life Application Commentary, p.107]

5.      Those are the kind of actions which help us move from being self-centered to being others-centered...and when they are put into practice the result is unity in place of divisiveness...harmony in place of discord...

CONCLUSION

Abraham Maslow, the famous American psychologist, studied human behavior for years...I want you to hear one of the conclusions he reached based on his extensive observations...he said, “Without exception, I have found that every person who was sincerely happy, radiantly alive, was living for a purpose or cause beyond himself.” [Illustrations A-Z, “Unity”]

I think that is something of what Jesus meant when He said, “For whoever wishes to save his life [or selfishly clings to his life] will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake [or gives his life away in service to others] shall find it.”

Philippians - Session 7

Philippians Study – Session 7

(Philippians 1:27-30)

A Bible Study led by Dr. Larry Reynolds

Denton, TX

The thesis statement of this paragraph is in the first part of v.27 - “...conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ...”   The KJV translates that statement, “…let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ…”  However, the word that the KJV translates “conversation” means much more than just speech.  In the old English of the King James era, “conversation” meant much more than just “talk.”  It meant “walk” or manner of life.  The word in verse 30 translated “conduct” is the word from which our word “politics” comes.  Literally the word means “citizenship.”  The people in Philippi took citizenship very seriously.  Philippi was a Roman Colony.  As such, its citizens had great freedoms of which they were very proud and which they guarded carefully.  They understood what it meant to conduct themselves in a manner worthy of being citizens of the Roman colony of Philippi.  And Paul reminds them that they are citizens not just of Rome.  More importantly, they are citizens of the kingdom of God.  This is a theme that Paul returns to later in Philippians (see 3:20) and alludes to in Colossians 3:1-4.

What does it mean to “…conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ…”?  How does that look?  What does it mean to be a good citizen of the Kingdom of God?  That is what Philippians 1:27-30 tells us.  In the last part of verse 27 and the first part of verse 28 Paul spells out what it means to be a good citizen in the Kingdom of God.

Good citizens in God’s Kingdom are characterized by strength in the face of adversity

1.      Notice the phrase “standing firm in one spirit...” in verse 27.  The word translated “standing firm” in that phrase carries the idea of perseverance or tenacity.  It means to—

--stay with it even when you are discouraged...

--to keep going, even when you are tired...

--not give up and quit even when things are difficult

2.   Many of the citizens of Philippi were retired Roman soldiers who had been granted citizenship as a result of their service in the Roman army.  The word translated “standing firm” has military overtones.  It carries the idea of standing your ground, not giving in, not backing up, even in the face of tremendous pressure. 

3.            Remember reading several years ago interesting statement about Andrew Jackson, the 7th President of the United States...after he had become president, one of Jackson's childhood friends was reminiscing about him... said that as a boy Andy was not particularly strong...boys would play a game seeing who could throw the other to the ground first...this childhood friend said that almost all the boys could throw Andy...but Jackson would always get up and come back for more...he would never admit that he was beat...he would keep coming back until his opponent got tired and Jackson was able to win...and the childhood friend said, "The thing I remember most about Andy Jackson is that he would never stay throwed." [Infosearch-ILLY]  I like that..."He would never stay throwed"...what a wonderful quality to have in one's life...

4. One key to being a good citizen in God’s Kingdom is not just what we do but how long we do it...most Christians begin well... they start with good intentions...failure comes, not because we don’t do the right things...failure comes because we don’t do the right things long enough...we don’t “stand firm” or stay with it for the long haul...
5. As I’ve said many times before, the Christian life is not a sprint...it is a marathon...we must keep on keeping on…there is no time to quit…not time to let up…we must continue to stand firm as a soldier stands at his post…

Good citizens in God’s Kingdom are characterized by a cooperative spirit

1.      One of the recurring themes in Philippians is the importance of Christians living and working together in harmony...the church at Philippi at a fellowship problem...there were two women in the church who were not getting along with each other, and apparently others in the church were taking sides in the dispute... the result was a division which was hindering the work of the church...at least 16 times in this letter Paul stresses the importance of Christians cooperating with each other, working together, being unified, living in harmony...

2.      And that’s the basic idea behind the phrase at the end of v.27, “...with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel...” ...the word translated “striving together” is a form of the word from which our athletics comes…the word is “sunathleo”…”sun” is a prefix that means with or together…it carries something of the same meaning as our prefix “co”  in words like co-workers or cooperate…putting the prefix “sun” with the word “athleo” means “to  work together as a team”...

3.      Paul is telling them and us that one mark of good citizens in the Kingdom of God is the ability to get along with others, to work together...and, conversely, a sure sign of poor citizen ship in God’s Kingdom is always being in conflict with others...tragically, religious people can sometimes be the most difficult and uncooperative people with whom to deal…Jesus certainly experienced that in his ministry…it is important that Christians be characterized by a cooperative spirit for two reasons--

--first, people who are not believers will never believe that we can love and accept them if we are always fighting among ourselves...

--second, we can get much more done for God’s Kingdom by working together than we can by working against each other...

4.            Charles Osgood, of the Osgood Files fame, tells a story of two women who lived in a convalescent center...each had suffered an incapacitating stroke... one was left paralyzed on right side and other on left side...both of these women had been accomplished pianists and each thought she would never play again because of the stroke...the activities director of the center sat them down at a piano and encouraged them to play together, one using her left hand and the other using her right hand...they did, and together they were once again able to play beautiful music... [Illustrations A-Z-Don Higginbotham]

5.   And that’s the way citizens of the Kingdom of God should operate...where one is weak, another is strong...and only by cooperating together, are we able to accomplish what God calls us to accomplish...

Good citizens in God’s Kingdom are characterized by a courage

1.      Notice what Paul says in beginning of v.28...”...in no way alarmed by your opponents...” The word translated “alarmed” was used in the 1^st century to describe a horse that was so frightened in battle it would bolt and run away.  Paul is not saying here that good citizens of God’s kingdom will never experience fear.  He is saying that in the face of fear, we continue doing our duty. 

2.      I saw a good example of that kind of spirit this week.  On Monday evening, Carol and I went to Six Flags Over Texas with two of our grandchildren.  We coaxed our 8 year old granddaughter, Ainslie, to ride one of the large roller coasters.  Monday at Six Flags was “Double Ride Monday” where people were allowed to ride some rides two consecutive times without having to get off and go back through the line.  As we waited to board this roller coaster, Ainslie was obviously very nervous.  By the time we got on, she was crying.  For the entire ride she cried and literally shook with fear.  But, when we finished the first time around she said, “I want to do it again.”  While she was afraid, her fear did not cause her to bolt and run away.

3.      That is something of the spirit Paul is describing in the phrase “…in no way alarmed by your opponents…”  If you consistently live a life of faithfulness to Jesus, the time will come when you will run into some opposition.  That should not surprise us.  We have a powerful enemy who is determined to attack and bring down the people of God.  As the Scripture says in Ephesians 4:12 – “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness…” 

4.      Verses 28-30 tell us several important things about this great spiritual battle in which we are engaged:

1)     Our courage in the face of opposition is a sure sign to our spiritual enemy that we are on the winning side.  In the end, Satan loses and God wins.  That is the overarching message of Scripture.  Verse 28 says our not fleeing in fear from our spiritual enemies is “…a sign of destruction to them…”

2)     Our courage in the face of opposition is an evidence of our salvation.  While it is “…a sign of destruction…” to our enemies, it is a sign “…of salvation for you.”  Of course, that does not mean we are saved by suffering.  We know salvation is not based on what we do but what God is Christ has done for us.  But once we are saved, we join what Paul calls in Philippians 3:10 “…the fellowship of sufferings…”  Many people seem to think the battles in their lives come to an end when they commit their lives to Christ.  Actually, the commitment of our lives to Christ initiates a whole new series of battles.  As Jesus said in John 16:33, “In the world you have tribulation…”  And in 2 Timothy 3:12 Paul writes that “…all who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution…”  The fact that we experience spiritual battles is an evidence of our salvation.

3)     It is a privilege to suffer for the cause of Christ.  In verse 29 we are told “…it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake…”  The word “granted” carries the idea of a gift.  It is a gift to suffer for Christ!  It is not the suffering that is a gift but the suffering for His sake.  When we suffer rejection or ridicule or abuse because of our commitment to Him, we are only experiencing in miniscule form what He endure for us.

4)     We never suffer for Christ alone.  We are part of a vast army involved in this spiritual conflict.  In my reading about the experiences of soldiers on the frontlines in Europe during WW II, many of the soldiers said the worst times were when they were in their foxholes alone and cut off from their fellow soldiers either by enemy fire or darkness.  One of Satan’s tactics is to make us think we are cut off and alone and what we experience in the way of spiritual warfare is unique to us.  In verse 30 Paul reminds the Philippians they were “…experiencing the same conflict (the word is agonia) which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.”  There is something encouraging in knowing that we are not alone in our struggles.

CONCLUSION

To be good citizens of God’s kingdom means that we:

--“standing firm...”....exhibit strength in the face of adversity…

--”striving together...”...have a cooperative spirit…”

--”in no way alarmed by your opponents...”...are characterized by courage...                                   

Philippians - Session 6

Philippians Study – Session 6

(Philippians 1:21-26)

            “To be or not to be, that is the question”...probably most of you are familiar with that famous line, even if you don’t know its source... those word were spoken by Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, in William Shakespeare’s famous play which bears his name...when Hamlet said, “To be or not to be, that is the question,” within the context of the play that statement represented a very pessimistic view of both life and death...

--Hamlet was so disillusioned with life that he contemplated suicide...

--but death was so foreboding to him that he drew back from it in fear...

So when Hamlet said “To be or not to be, that is the question,” he was in effect saying that he could not decide with which was worse--life or death...

The question of trying to decide between life and death did not originate with Shakespeare.  In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, the great Apostle struggles with the very same question...in this session we are going to focus on Philippians 1:21-26.  These verses give us a rare glimpse into the thought process of the Apostle Paul.  Here he shares his inward struggle between choosing to live or choosing to die.  As we read this passage, it is important to understand that Paul thoughts on the subject of life and death are the exact opposite, they are diametrically opposed to those of Hamlet...Hamlet struggled with which was worse, life or death...the Apostle Paul struggled with which was best...

--Paul found life in Christ in this world so rich, full, and rewarding...

--and he was so confident and so certain that death would only mean closer relationship with Christ...

Paul could not decide with was best, life or death.  (Read Philippians 1:21-26) 

If there is a single verse in the Bible which sums up the life of the Apostle Paul, it is Philippians 1:21 - “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”  There are obviously two distinct parts to that statement. 

 

“For to me, to live is Christ…”

1.   When Paul said “For to me, to live is Christ...” he was saying that his life was so identified with Christ, he could not conceive of life apart from him...several other times in his writings Paul made statements like this...for example--

--Acts 17:28 - Paul told the philosophers of Athens that Jesus is he key to life...he said that “...in Him [Christ] we live and move and exist...”

--Galatians 2:20 - “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who love, but Christ lives in me...”

--Philippians 3:8 - “...I count all things as loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord...”

2.   For Paul real life began somewhere on a dusty road between Jerusalem and Damascus...when Paul was confronted by Jesus on the Damascus Road and acknowledged that Jesus is Lord, he began to experience life as he had never experienced it before.  Before his conversion, Paul (known as Saul) was a man of rich experiences.  Paul--

--was born a Roman citizen, but...

--was educated in the prestigious school of Gamaliel in Jerusalem, but...

--became a member of the sect of the Pharisees, but...

Real life for Paul began when he came to faith in Christ...in Christ, Paul found a quality of life, a depth of life he had not experienced apart from Christ...

3.   It’s interesting that the Bible speaks of becoming a follower of Christ in terms of birth...

--Jesus told Nicodemus, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

--Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:17 - “...if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”

--Peter said in I Peter 1:23 - “...for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God.”

And point is that while all people experience physical life, not all people experience the kind of life to which Paul was referring when he said, “For to me, to live is Christ...”  That kind of life is reserved only for those who have come to faith in Christ.

4.   Ralph Barton, a very successful cartoonist, in despair took his own life...he left this note pinned to his pillow: “I have had few difficulties, many friends, great successes; I have gone from wife to wife, from house to house, visited great countries of the world, but I am fed up with inventing devices to fill up twenty-four hours of the day.” [Morning Glory, May 29, 1993, Ill.A-Z] 

5.   But that wasn’t the case for Paul...he had discovered the secret to real, rich, full, meaningful life...and even in the midst of a very difficult time in his life--a time when he was under arrest awaiting trial before Caesar--he could say, “Life is not empty... life is not meaningless...there is no reason for me to despair...my life is good, for to me, to live is Christ.”  And this passage in Philippians tells us that perspective radically impacted the way Paul approached life.  For example--

--Philippians 1:22 which says, “But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me...” tells us that Paul’s passion in life was working for Christ...Paul never lost sight that he was on mission for Christ...

--Philippians 1:25 which says, “For I am convinced of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith...” tells us that Paul’s desire in life was helping others find real life in Christ...the word translated “continue” in the phrase “...I shall remain and continue with you...” means to wait beside a person, ever ready, ever willing to help...

And when Paul said “For to me, to live is Christ...” he was saying that because he had centered his life in Christ, he found meaning and purpose and fulfillment. 

6.   There is a lesson in that which desperately needs to be heard by people in the culture in which we live...very few people in our culture can say with integrity “For to me, to live is Christ...”...if we were honest we would have to say—

--”For to me, to live is money” because we focus our lives and measure the value of our lives by the accumulation of things...

--”For to me, to live is self-gratification” because we live for personal pleasure, enjoyment, and fun...

--”For to me, to live is recognition” for we are sometimes consumed with a desire for others to see how smart or powerful or influential we are...

But in none of those things can we find the lasting peace and security and fulfillment of a life invested in Christ...the only way to real life is living in and for Christ...

7.     The problem with trying to find real life in anything other than Christ is simple--nothing else lasts!

When my daughter, Danae, was a teenager, she came home one day and said, “Hey, Dad! There’s a great new game out. I think you’ll like it. It’s called Monopoly.” I just smiled.

We gathered the family together and set up the board. It didn’t take the kids long to figure out that old Dad had played this game before. I soon owned all the best properties, including Boardwalk and Park Place. I even had Baltic and Mediterranean. My kids were squirming, and I was loving every minute of it.

About midnight I foreclosed on the last property and did a little victory dance. My family wasn’t impressed. They went to bed and made me put the game away. As I began putting all of my money back in the box, a very empty feeling came over me. Everything that I had accumulated was gone. The excitement over riches was just an illusion. And then it occurred to me, Hey, this isn’t just the game of Monopoly that has caught my attention; this is the game of life. You sweat and strain to get ahead, but then one day, after a little chest pain or a wrong change of lanes on the freeway, the game ends. It all goes back in the box. You leave this world just as naked as the day you came into it.

I once saw a bumper sticker that proclaimed, He who dies with the most toys wins. That’s wrong. It should say, He who dies with the most toys dies anyway.

Dr. James Dobson, Coming Home, Timeless Wisdom for Families, (Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton; 1998), pp. 242-243

And that leads us to the second part of that amazing statement in Philippians 1:21.

“For to me … to die is gain.”

What an amazing statement!  The word translated “gain” carries the idea of “profit” or “a dividend” or “interest earned money invested.”  How was it possible for Paul to view death in such a positive way?  What was it that Paul knew about death which made it possible for him to embrace it rather than fear it?  I think the answer to those questions can be found in the statement Paul makes in the last part of v.23 - “...having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better...”  I want to point out to you from that statement two reasons Paul had such a positive view of death.

Paul was able to view death in a positive way because he knew that death would not be the end of his existence

1.      It is natural for us to be afraid of dying...most of us experience from time to time apprehension about how and when we will die...we know, at least on an intellectual level, that all people die and that our time for death will inevitably come...we all know that is true...we know that for all of us death is a certainty...and we don’t naturally look forward to the moment when we die...and when Paul said, “For to me ... to die is gain...” it wasn’t saying he looked forward to the act of dying...a more accurate translation of the grammar Paul used would be “...to have died is gain...”...the emphasis is not on the act but on the results or consequences of having died...it is not merely death Paul viewed as gain...what was gain was what he would experience after death...

2.      In v.23 Paul uses a special word to describe death...it is the word “depart”...in his commentary on Philippians, Warren Wiersbe points out four ways that word was used in the 1^st century world—

--Soldiers used it to mean take down the tent and move on to another location...

--Sailors used it to described loosening the mooring ropes of a ship and setting sail...

--Politicians used it to described the setting free of a prisoner...

--Farmers used it to describe the unyoking of oxen after a hard day’s work and giving them chance to rest...

The word is a word of transition...it describes moving from one place or one situation to another and better place or situation...

3.      And the point of all that is Paul viewed death not as the end of his existence but as a transition to an even richer, fuller, more complete existence...for Christians, there is nothing of value that we have in this life which we will not have in more abundance in the next life...

4.       Around 125 A.D., a Greek by the name of Aristeides wrote to one of his friends, trying to explain the extraordinary success of the new religion, Christianity. In his letter he said, “If any righteous man among the Christians passes from this world, they rejoice and offer thanks to God, and they accompany his body with songs and thanksgiving as if he were setting out from one place to another nearby.” [Today in the Word, April 10, 1993]

5.      And that is precisely how the Apostle Paul viewed death...he saw death not as the end of his existence...he saw it as a transition to a much better place...and because of that, he could say with confidence “For to me ... to die is gain...”...

Paul was able to view death in a positive way because he knew that death would usher him into the presence of Christ

1.      In addition to describing death as a departure from this world, v.23 Paul describes death as an entrance into the presence of Christ...notice what he says in the verse...”...having the desire to depart and be with Christ...”...another reason Paul described death as “gain” is because of his conviction that death ushers us into the immediate presence of Christ...

2.      The question, “What happens to a Christian when he or she dies?” has been debated among theologians for centuries...there are essentially two broad views on that subject...

·        Some say that when a Christian dies he or she enters a state which is sometimes referred to as “soul sleep”...this view says that upon death a Christian enters an unconscious state in which he or she stays until the resurrection occurs when the Lord returns to earth...at the Lord’s return these Christians are awakened and given their resurrected bodies...this view has arisen from the fact that the NT sometimes uses the analogy of sleep to describe those who have died...for example--

--in John 11 Jesus informed His disciples of the death of Lazarus by saying, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep...”...

--in I Thessalonians 4 Paul wrote, “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope...”...

And based on statements like those, some say at death a Christian loses consciousness until the resurrection...

·        Others say, and I agree with this second view, that when a Christian dies, that person immediately enters the presence of the Lord...those who hold to this view point to biblical statements like--

--Jesus saying to the repentant criminal who died on one of the crosses next to Him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

--2 Corinthians 5:8 where Paul says death means “...to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord...”

--and here in Philippians where Paul describes death as “...departing and being with Christ...”

And because of his conviction that death would usher him into the immediate presence of Christ, Paul was able to view death not as loss but as “gain”...

3.      In Acts 7 is a detailed account of the death of Stephen, the first Christian to be martyred after the death of Jesus...the Bible provides us an interesting detail about the death of Stephen...as the stones were raining down on him, taking his life away, the Scripture says Stephen “...gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God...”...and then as his death approached Stephen cried out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”...when a believer dies, that person is immediately welcomed into the very presence of Jesus...

Conclusion

In one succinct statement, the Apostle Paul sums up the total existence of believers.  We live for Christ in this world and we live with Christ in the next world.  That’s why Paul could write in Romans 14:8, “…if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.”