Philippians 1:21-30
- Verse 21 is frequently heard in churches, and rarely well understood. Paul seems to be flippantly considering his death. He says that to die is gain. Paul understood that seeing God again, after death, was the greatest joy. After all, Jesus came to redeem us so that he could secure our eternal rescue. What could possibly mean more to a Christian than to be present with God? For Paul, this was the great goal of his life. He lives to glorify Jesus, share him with others, and long for his presence.
- When we think of death, how do we feel? Are we consumed by fear of death, or do we long to be with Jesus for eternity?
“In fact, we are confident, and we would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:8
- If it is better to be present with the Lord, why remain on earth? Paul actually seems to struggle with this question. He concluded that it was necessary to remain for the sake of the church. He knew that God had good work for him to do and the people that he ministered to needed him. His sole desire to stay was to see the gospel take root in the hearts of people. Paul’s sole goal was not personal wealth, security, or familial love, but a body of believers who lived out the gospel, growing in a deeper relationship with the Father.
- How do Paul’s goals match up with our own? How can we shift our focus from personal gain to godly gain?
“But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christ” – Philippians 3:7-8
- “Just one thing.” Paul loved words and used them well. When we see a phrase like Paul used here, “just one thing,” we should take note. What one thing was so important to Paul that he pointed it out in the midst of all of the great truths he was sharing? Our citizenship is in heaven and our lives should be worthy of the gospel. This is a great difference compared to our modern sense of self. We identify with other groups readily and frequently. We might say that we are conservative, republican, evangelical, Floridians, who live in Clermont. Some would say they are liberal, democrat, Catholic, Puerto Ricans. These identities consume much of our energy and become a way for us to separate ourselves into little clusters of like-minded people. Paul says that our citizenship is as a people of the King of Heaven, not the emperor of Rome or the governor of Philippi.
- What defines my sense of personal identity? If people examined my life, actions, checkbook, or social media, what would they conclude about my citizenship?
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” – 1 Peter 2:9
Life Application: Think about your life this week? What are you living for? If God calls us to remain on earth, what should be our goal? Who am I closely identifying myself with? What groups am I a member of and do they align with the gospel?
For Prayer: Pray for continued grace in Uganda with our team as the complete their trip.