To Live Is Christ!

January 6, 2013

Lesson: Philippians 1:15–26

Key Verse: Philippians 1:21

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Introduction

Paul writes to “all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi” (Phil. 1:1). Philippi was named after Philip of Macedon who seized the city in 359 B.C. Philip was the father of Alexander the Great. Philippi was made a Roman colony by Augustus Caesar, a major city on the great trade route which ran East and West. Philippi quartered the first congregation organized on European soil during Paul’s second missionary journey. The main thought of this epistle is the all-sufficiency of Christ: “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

Paul introduces his letter to the church at Philippi with a blessing, followed by his heart’s prayer for these saints. The benediction or blessing is that grace and peace, which are given to them “from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:2). Grace is that unmerited favor and loving-kindness that can only come from God our Father and His Son, whom He gave as the propitiation for our sins, whereby we have found forgiveness and reconciliation. Peace is the rest or refreshment that we receive from our Father and Savior. It is that state of redemption whereby we have been delivered by the tender mercy of God from the effects of sin upon our lives.

Paul’s prayer is a major part of his ministry toward these saints at Philippi (Phil. 1:1–11). His prayers are filled with joy for their “fellowship in the gospel,” that their “love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment.” He is confident in the work of the Savior who has “begun a good work” in them. His heart’s desire is that they may “approve things that are excellent.” They are to be sincere until the day of Christ, “Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.” Our prayers should contain such desires and hopes for the fellowship of believers. It would be good to consider praying in this manner for the fellowship in which God has placed each one of us.

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The Servants of Christ in Affliction—Philippians 1:15–18

Paul bears the chains of affliction strife along with others who are preaching the Gospel of Christ: “And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bounds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear” (Phil. 1:14). This boldness to speak the truth of the gospel has with it the strength of the Spirit whereby the affliction of the enemy is also in the hand of our Lord, taking away the fear that they will be able to do anything that is contrary to the will of our Lord, to His glory and honor. Calvin wrote, “When, however, we see at the same time the hand of the Lord, which makes his people unconquerable, under the infirmity of the Cross, and causes them to triumph, relying upon this, we ought to venture farther than we had been accustomed, having now a pledge of our victory in the persons of our brethren. The knowledge of this ought to overcome our fears that we may speak boldly in the midst of dangers.” If our chains are declared to belong to Christ, that He is the Sovereign who binds us to Himself in all circumstances, then we will be strong before the world, and the gospel of our Savior will surely be manifested to His glory.

The motivation to preach the Gospel is Christ. Paul wrote that “the preaching of the cross is to them that perish, foolishness; but unto us which are saved, it is the power of God. …we preach Christ crucified …Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Cor. 1:18–25). The authority and wisdom of God are wrapped up in Christ, the good news of our preaching.

There are those who preach the gospel, mouthing words that stimulate the heart of their hearers, for the purpose of greed and power. Their motivation is self and not Christ. It is also today’s commentary on many of our so called preachers, in TV and in ‘churches’: that “Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife …of contention, not sincerely.” These false preachers make it more difficult for those ministers of the Word who are faithful in the preaching of the Gospel. Calvin wrote that “ambition is blind, nay, it is a furious beast. Hence it is not to be wondered if false brethren snatch a weapon from the gospel for harassing good and pious pastors.” Paul knows that the false preachers add affliction to his bonds. But with others, they preach in love, knowing that his heart is set “for defense of the gospel.”

However, Christ is preached! We must rejoice in this as did Paul; for “notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretense, or in truth, Christ is preached.” We must never let the false heart of another drown our joy in the preaching of the Gospel. True Gospel preaching does not fall or rise upon the unfaithful or inaccurate preaching of others. “For God sometimes accomplishes an admirable work by means of wicked and depraved instruments” (Calvin). In the Gospel, we look for the advancement of the Kingdom of Christ Jesus. It is an everlasting Gospel that is preached to “every nation, tribe, tongue, and people” (Rev. 14:6).

Discussion: What is our motivation to be faithful in the preaching of the Gospel?

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The Gospel in Christ—Philippians 1:19–21

The strength of the Gospel in our lives is Christ. The joy that welled up in the heart of Paul came from the truth that Christ is preached: “whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.”  Since Christ is the content of the Gospel and the object of our faith, He is salvation to all those whom the Father has called and given to Him. He is also the preacher’s salvation. Paul said that his preaching of Christ shall be his joy and salvation: “For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” Paul knows his need the prayers of the saints, that his deliverance is manifested in his preaching of the Gospel of Christ. To the congregation at Rome he wrote, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose” (8:28). This deliverance is revealed through the prayers of the saints and the abundant supply of the Spirit of Christ. The Spirit of Christ in all of us excites us to pray, especially for those who are called to preach the Gospel.

In the Spirit of Christ, and acknowledgment of the prayers of God’s people, Paul’s earnest expectation and hope is: “that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ, shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.” Christ is to be amplified and honored in the body, in both life and death. For, as with Paul, “to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” To live, to be alive, speaks of both the physical and spiritual life. Christ is presented as alive in its fullest sense when John hears these words of his Savior, “Fear not; I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore” (Rev. 1:18). John wrote to the church of Smyrna: “These things saith the first and the last, who was dead, and is alive” (Rev. 2:8). Paul wrote of this life in Christ: “I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life I live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). To die the natural death means that each of us, whose salvation is in Christ, gains eternal life. We are to see ourselves dead to sin, “but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:11); for it is Christ who has died, once and for all, that we may have life in Him. Therefore to die the natural death, and especially the death to sin, we have everything to gain, even eternal life.

Discussion: What does it mean to live is Christ?

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Alive in the Flesh—Philippians 1:22–26

Paul, while in the flesh, desires to be with Christ: “But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor: yet what I shall choose I (know not yet from God). For I am in a strait between two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better; nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful to you.” Paul, experiencing the joy of preaching the Gospel and feeding the people of God, knows that he has borne that fruit of the Spirit which is beneficial to God’s people: “And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; that your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by coming to you again.”

This is the work of the Spirit in the under-shepherds of God’s congregation today: to have that joy of feeding the flock. “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly …being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away” (1 Peter 5:1–4). We are therefore encouraged to first become disciples by studying the Word, and then discipling others in that Word; and this is done by the work of the Spirit in our desire to serve Christ. Each of us, while alive in the flesh, ought to have that desire to serve Christ in our love for Him and one another.

Discussion: What does it mean to be an active servant of Christ Jesus?

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Lessons are based on the International Sunday School Lessons for Christian Teaching, copyright © 2013 by the Committee on the Uniform Series.