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I received a birthday card years ago that said ‘Happy birthday, Chris. I pray that you would die to yourself and live for Christ’. I recognised the Christian language but thought initially that’s a bit strange to have written on a card. As I thought on it more, the 20-year-old me realised why I felt a bit uncomfortable and challenged by it. Because you expect it to say something like ‘Happy birthday, wishing you the very best in life, or live your best life’. And so, it’s weird in some ways to die to self and live to Christ when most of the world around you says live for yourself and maximize your desires. But it makes perfect sense when we understand that the reason to live is Christ and it’s our sin in us that tells us, no live for yourself, live for Chris Kho instead. That’s the main point Paul makes in today’s passage that we we’ll find ourselves constantly asking, ‘am I living for Christ or self?’ Let’s pray now to ask God’s help.

We pick up from last week’s passage that gospel advancement is what’s most important to Paul whatever the circumstance – free or imprisoned. Now as Paul moves closer to his trial before the Roman Emperor, he’s another step closer to death. The stakes are higher – it’s not just his freedom on the line, but his life on the line. He shares his attitude of joy, knowing that the Philippians are going through a similar experience. At the end of our passage today, he says in Philippians 1.30, you are:

…engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

The Philippians reading this letter would’ve been thinking, ‘wait a minute, do you realise what’s about to happen?’ As if he anticipates their reaction, he continues by saying Yes, and I will rejoice during these times of suffering and possibly death. Because Paul lives for something bigger than himself – and he tells the Philippians and us today that the reason to live is Christ, not yourself. Look down in your Bibles with me at today’s passage as we see firstly:

1. Christ is the reason to live, so honour Him in every circumstance.

Starting from the end of Philippians 1.18-20:

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 honoured in my body, whether by life or by death.

Paul is confident that everything he’s been through will turn out for his deliverance (not from the trial but deliverance referring to his salvation). His biggest concern are not his own needs (to find a safe way out of trouble or to minimize the suffering and pain), but to honour Christ in every circumstance – life or death. If he lives, Christ is honoured through his ongoing proclamation of the gospel. If he faces death from the trial, he will honour Christ in his final testimony, dying for Christ and as a result, encouraging even more Christians to honour Christ in their circumstances. It’s a win-win, which gives Paul confidence in God’s plans and reason to rejoice.

As Paul writes all this, he knows that the Philippians are in the same boat – even if they’re not imprisoned (or imprisoned yet). So, he wants them to know that when Christ is the reason they live, they can have the same confidence that Christ will be honoured in their circumstances. Losing their job for choosing not to take part in immoral practices, confidence that Christ can be honoured. Being threatened for speaking about Jesus publicly because it turned people away from local businesses, rejoice in knowing their salvation is secure. It’s not a fake coping mechanism to ignore the hardships and ‘just keep going’, it’s living for something so much bigger and greater than yourself – and that’s Christ himself. Paul shows us what that looks like with the hardest circumstances of facing death.

When our reason to live is Christ, we should start seeing all our circumstances with a new lens of, ‘How can I be honouring Christ in my circumstance?’ rather than, ‘What’s the best outcome for my gain?’ When put on trial by friends at Uni asking ‘Do you really believe only those who trust in Jesus are saved?’ Pray for courage to be unashamed of Jesus and that he will be unashamed of you. Or even in a private struggle where the outcome seems uncertain or never ending, honour Christ by trusting in his plans still. Of course, this is something that can’t be done with our own strength, which is why Paul’s courage comes from the help of the Holy Spirit, through the prayers of the Philippians. Christ is the reason to live, so honour Him in every circumstance. Paul continues building his case of what it looks like when Christ is the reason we live. This time shifting his focus on the gospel growth of the Philippians before his own interests. So, my second point:

2. Christ is the reason to live, so put gospel growth of other Christians before your own interests.

Have a look at Philippians 1.21-26:

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labour 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.

Paul is stuck at a crossroad. Again, it’s a win-win situation and he finds it so hard to choose between living and dying. To live is Christ (or the reason he lives is for Christ), in this case fruitful gospel work that continues with the Philippians. To die is gain because he will be fully with Christ. Suppose he could choose; (Philippians 1.23) it would be to depart and be with Christ for that is far better. So, if it’s up to Paul’s own desires, he’s choosing to die and be with Christ, hands down. Fully united with Jesus for the rest of eternity, all sinful desires replaced with renewed desires fulfilled in Jesus. No more struggle with temptation and sin, no more hardship of suffering and pain. Philippians 1.24:

But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.

Imagine reading this as the Philippians facing persecution in Rome. Paul writes to you saying no to his personal gain in Christ (through death), because he wants to live for your account, he remains and continues with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith. What an encouragement for the Philippians to turn to their brothers and sisters in Christ at that moment and say I’m continuing to live not for myself but for your account and for your progress and your joy in the faith because Christ is the reason I live.

What would that look like for us at JPC? To be putting gospel growth of other Christians over your own interest. Well, start by thinking of someone you could be helping to grow in their faith. Could you put their progress in the faith over your personal time by checking in on them through the week to pray for them, meeting up to encourage them to keep living for Jesus? Or you’ve joined JPC recently and haven’t had the chance to get fully stuck in. It can be hard and will probably mean going out of your own interest of comfort, but would you put yourself into a position to start getting to know people at church better so that you could get alongside them in their faith? Or maybe you’re moving to another city soon, would you make your top concern to be committed and belonging to a new church where you can help others grow in faith – even if it’s just for three months over the summer.

I was encouraged earlier in the year when meeting an international who somehow managed to make it to church on his first day in the country. He was eager to get stuck in church and get meeting with others right away before all the other concerns of sorting out accommodation, banking, adjusting to a new city and culture. Gospel growth of other Christians before his own interests. What’s encouraging is so much of that has already been happening each week. Many of you are going out of you way to serve others even when you’re at maximum capacity. Many of you are being intentional about checking in on how someone is really doing in their faith. Still, what a sight it would be if all of us were living so sacrificially for each other’s faith – and what an effect it would have in keeping us growing in Christ.

Sometimes we think this talk of live for Christ, die is gain is being ‘too extreme’ or ‘taking your faith too seriously’, but if you’re not living for Christ, then you’re living for self. The decision you make to choose what to do with your time throughout the week – if you’re living for yourself then that’s whatever option that will bring maximum comfort and pleasure in entertainment, or maximum security and achievement in overworking. In our Bible reading earlier from Mark’s gospel, Jesus calls us to deny ourselves (that’s our desire to live for self) and take up our cross and follow him (Mark 8.34-35). And in this case, when Christ is the reason we live, we deny our self and put gospel growth of other Christians first. So far in the letter, Paul’s been sharing his attitude and mindset that he wants the Philippians to have. Now, for the first time he addresses them directly (over to you) with his first imperative:

3. Stand firm together for the gospel amidst persecution from outside.

From Philippians 1.27:

Only [more helpfully translated by the NIV here as ‘whatever happens’ be it persecution for your faith, false teachings, or tension from within] let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel

With how difficult living as a Christian in Rome already was, Paul knew there was no room for tension within the church. It’s hard enough out there to stand up for Christ amongst the majority who lived for Roman rule. Church should not be a place to return to where Christians are divided and trying to live for Christ on their own. Instead, stand firm together as people who all live for the same Christ, helping each other to keep going in the faith. Stand firm together by striving side by side with other Christians not by yourself because living for Jesus needs strong gospel partnership. Often, we’re tempted to do things ourselves because we might have the impression that Christian living is just between God and me. Or because it seems easier to avoid getting close to others and cause conflict. Look back at how Paul endured suffering and continued living courageously for Christ – it wasn’t a solo relationship with God, but with the prayers and support of his gospel partners in the Philippians. Put aside any differences that might make it hard to get alongside each other. There’s no time to let our disagreements, comfort, or preferences get in the way of standing together for Christ. We’re in an ongoing spiritual war, especially out there. We need the support of each other every time we meet to shake off the spiritual bruises from living for Jesus out there.

If you’re a wild-life documentary fan, one of the most common footages you’ll see is the chase between a pack of lions and a herd of buffaloes. The lions are always vastly outnumbered by the buffaloes so the only way they succeed in grabbing a quick bite is if a buffalo strays from the herd. And the only way the buffaloes survive is by remaining together or striving together, side by side. There hasn’t been any commentary yet on what striving together does for herd morale, but I’ll like to imagine it keeps them going when they’re tired of running throughout the week. They regroup after the last chase by the calm waters, drink up, look over at a fellow buffalo-men with bite marks on his back, and say yes I lost a tail out there. When you’re in the herd there isn’t time to argue over your stride technique or complain about who’s stepping on your hoofs. But just keep striving together – and definitely not by yourself. We are the buffalo in this illustration just to clarify, striving for the gospel.

As we’re standing firm and striving together for the gospel, Paul says in Philippians 1.28-30:

not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

Fear is the main weapon the opposition (devil) uses to try to stop the gospel from spreading. When we ask the Holy Spirit’s help to give us the words and boldness to speak of Jesus, the devil is reminded that he has already lost because he has no power over God, and we are reminded that fear has no power over our salvation which is secured. But we are to expect suffering for Jesus which has been granted or gifted to us as part of the package of following him. What a comfort to know that we have the Spirit who helps us live for Christ. What an encouragement that we have each other in this fight. And what a privilege that we can suffer for the sake of Christ. So, stand firm together for the gospel amidst persecution from outside.

All of that comes back to Paul’s main message, that Christ is the reason to live – not self. He’s ‘the’ reason not ‘a’ reason, which means all that gospel partnership we try to put into practice, that striving side by side, that putting gospel growth of Christians first, it all comes from living for Christ. And so, I’ll like to end by asking: what are you living for? Or better phrased, how do you view death? Paul lived for Christ and so when it came to death, he saw it as gain because he would be fully with Christ. Do you see death as great pain because you will lose what’s closest to your heart? If to live is achievement in career then to die is loss. To live is status and affirmation from others – to die is loss. To live is personal comfort and pleasure – to die is loss. To live is Christ plus something else – to die is loss. To live is anything but Christ alone – to die is loss. Christ is the reason to live, so we need to make him the reason we live. And we start by looking upon the cross to see just how much he’s done for us to bring us back into relationship with him if we put our trust in him. Let’s pray.