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Philippians 1:18b-26 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Turn in your Bibles to Philippians.
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Philippians chapter 1.
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! This is our fourth week in starting the book of Philippians.
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Verse 28 through 31.
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It's around 61 A.D.
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It's the end of his third missionary journey.
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And we, you know, again a long time ago
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when we were talking about what to preach on Sunday mornings,
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we, I think Philippians is just one hands down
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because it's been a really difficult year for many of us
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and we really needed to kind of anchor our soul
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on something that really talked about joy in Christ.
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And Philippians is that book.
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And it's a rarity because it's a letter written to a local church
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that Paul cares deeply about.
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And he's not necessarily calling to,
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writing them to correct them or rebuke them for anything.
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He is very, very well pleased with them.
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And so the mood of this letter is warm and affectionate.
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This type of ancient letter you would call a letter of friendship.
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And he celebrates this long-standing partnership with them in the gospel
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and the fellowship they have in Jesus Christ together.
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And so last week we talked about how in God's providence,
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he had been put in prison in Rome,
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but he said that this didn't slow the advancement of the gospel.
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It didn't hinder the gospel going forward,
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but rather it served to advance the gospel.
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And that's in verse 12.
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And so we'll read our text today.
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We're picking up in verse 18.
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Well, the first part of 18, the last part of 18.
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So Paul just says,
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Yes, I will rejoice.
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Verse 19.
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For I know that though through your prayers
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and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
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this will turn out for my deliverance.
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As it is my eager expectation and hope
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that I will not at all be ashamed,
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but that with full courage,
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now as always,
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Christ will be honored in my body,
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whether by life or by death.
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For to me, to live is Christ,
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and to die is gain.
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If I am to live in the flesh,
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this means fruitful labor for me.
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Yet which shall I choose?
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I cannot tell.
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I am hard-pressed between the two.
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My desire is to depart and be with Christ,
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for that is far better.
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But to remain in the flesh
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is more necessary on your account.
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Convinced of this,
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I know that I will remain
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and continue with you all
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for your progress and joy in the faith,
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so that in me you may have ample cause
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to glory in Christ Jesus
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because of my coming to you again.
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So, around the winter of 2008,
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I had just sort of graduated from North Georgia
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around May 2007,
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and Nathan and Sam,
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Wes and Liz and myself,
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we had a college Bible study
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that we had on Thursday nights
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from back in the old apartments
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down past the baseball field,
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and it's kind of just carried on
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in many ways.
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But at the time, in 2008,
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my cystic fibrosis,
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my lung disease
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was just really hitting me pretty hard,
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and my health was deteriorating rapidly.
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I think my lung function
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was around 20, 25%,
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and I was just really weak,
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and I was in this phase
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where I was going in and out of the hospital
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almost every three weeks
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and staying for about two weeks at a time
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for treatments and antibiotics.
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I spat up a lot of blood,
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and the oxygen I just wore off and on
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throughout the day,
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and I slept with it.
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And I was waiting on a lung transplant
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from UAB Hospital in Birmingham,
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but at that time,
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at that Bible study,
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we actually were studying Philippians,
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and I just happened to sort of land
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on this text during that time,
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the same text.
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And I had the opportunity to teach on it,
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and it's just forever been stuck
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in my mind
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surrounding those events
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and what the Lord was taking me through
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as I kind of pondered
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my own death
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and the possibility of just going home
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to be with the Lord.
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So I hope that
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in some similar way
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I can encourage you today
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so this text means a lot to me.
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And so I've tried to think through
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the best way to walk through it,
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but we'll do it just in terms
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of a few questions.
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But question number one
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is what is Paul's dilemma?
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What is Paul's dilemma?
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You see this in verse 22.
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He says,
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If I am to live in the flesh,
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that means fruitful labor for me,
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yet I do not,
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yet which I shall not choose,
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I cannot tell.
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I am hard pressed
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between the two.
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My desire to depart
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and be with Christ
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for that is far better,
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but to remain in the flesh
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is more necessary
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on your account.
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So that term hard pressed
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in verse 23,
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it means like someone
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who's traveling
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on a tight, narrow path
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and all of a sudden
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they just feel pushed,
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sandwiched, crushed
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between two rock faces
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if you want to think of it
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that way,
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and they have nowhere to go
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except forward.
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That's kind of how he feels.
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He feels caught
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between these two
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competing desires.
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He's torn.
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But the first desire
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is that he would remain alive
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in this world
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and continue
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serving, loving,
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and giving his life away
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for the sake of gospel ministry
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and to enable him
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to help the Philippians
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and other churches
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just grow in their faith.
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So to remain behind
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for the sake of gospel ministry.
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But the second desire,
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it says he desires
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to leave
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this fallen world,
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leave this awful,
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broken, sinful world
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to be reunited with Christ.
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And he says
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that is
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what his greatest desire
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really is.
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And if it wasn't up
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for the sake of other people,
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that would win hands down
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because that's what he says.
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To depart and be with Christ
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is far better.
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But he also knows
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that that choice
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really isn't his.
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He knows that God
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is completely sovereign,
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in control of his life,
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whether he lives or dies,
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and he will joyfully accept
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whatever God chooses for him.
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As it says in James, right,
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if the Lord wills,
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we will live
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and do
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this or that.
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So,
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he's confident
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of his release,
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though,
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however.
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He knows that God
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is the giver and taker of life,
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but he kind of humbly
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just says,
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but I think,
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I'm pretty sure,
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that I will be released
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from this current imprisonment.
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You see that in verse 19,
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right?
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He says,
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for I know that
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through your prayers
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and the help of the Spirit
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of Jesus,
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this will turn out
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for my deliverance.
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In verse 25,
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he says,
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convinced of this,
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I know that I will remain
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and continue
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with you all.
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And he hopes that
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such a joyful reunion
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with the Philippians
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will give them cause,
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right,
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in verse 26,
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cause to glory
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in Christ Jesus
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because of my coming
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to you.
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And upon seeing
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those prayers answered.
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So,
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if Paul is
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to remain in the flesh,
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if he is to remain
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on this earth,
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like,
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what is the purpose?
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Why?
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To what end
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should he continue
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living?
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You see in verse 22,
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if I am in the flesh,
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this means fruitful,
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abundant,
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rich,
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rewarding labor
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for me.
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Remaining on earth
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a little longer
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in this temporal realm
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and continuing
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the work of ministry.
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And in the case
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of the Philippians,
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it was joyful,
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fruitful labor.
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And should God
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allow him
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to continue living,
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he is aware,
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if you look at verse 24,
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it is not on his own account.
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He is wanting that
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for the sake of others.
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It is more necessary
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for him to remain behind
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for the sake
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of others.
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So,
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there is two parts
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of that
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gospel ministry,
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if you want to think
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of it that way.
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Like,
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why would he want
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to remain behind?
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But the first one
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we talked about
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a lot last week,
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but he wants
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to remain behind
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for the furtherance
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of the gospel.
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That God
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would let him live
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to advance
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the cause
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of the gospel.
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gospel.
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So,
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if I am to remain
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behind
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to continue
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preaching the gospel,
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this is what
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I will do
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until my last breath.
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And I hope
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that
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if you have
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a desire
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to remain here
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on this earth,
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that is one
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of the foremost
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things in your mind.
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How can I
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advance
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the gospel
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of Christ?
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Do you have
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a lot of friends
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and family
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that you long
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to see
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to come
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to know Christ?
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When I first
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taught on this
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years ago
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and in today,
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I really just
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want to see
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so many young
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college students
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come to know
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Christ.
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I want my
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oldest friend,
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Chris Edwards,
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since I've known
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from the cradle,
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to come to know
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Christ.
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Christ.
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And I want
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my older brother,
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Lee,
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who's my best friend,
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come to know
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Jesus as well.
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And I know
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that one of the
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reasons that God
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has left me behind
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is for the cause
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of the gospel
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in those areas.
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But underneath
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that,
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he wants to remain
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behind for the
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discipleship
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or the progress
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of their joy
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in the faith.
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He wants to see
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them grow
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in their faith
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in Christ
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for the necessity
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of helping them
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know Jesus
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better and
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follow him
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more.
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That's what he
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says in verse
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24,
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to remain the
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flesh and more
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necessary on
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your account.
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And the verse
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25,
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for your progress
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in joy
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and the faith.
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So the more
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we progress,
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more progress
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we make
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in the faith,
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the more joy
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or happiness
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we'll have
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in Christ
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in this life.
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Growing
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and knowing
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Christ.
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And
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many of us
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have experienced
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the great joy
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of seeing young
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believers grow
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up in their
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faith and
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in their love
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and devotion
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to Christ.
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And again,
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I'm aware
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that even in
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this moment,
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as I was
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looking back
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over those
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old notes
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that I wrote
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in 2008,
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I actually
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asked people
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to like put
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their hand
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on their chest
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and just feel
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their heart
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beating
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and just
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to realize
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that that's
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being sustained
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by the power
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of God
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and that
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in His hand
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is the life
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of every
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living thing
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in the breath
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of all
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mankind.
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And He's
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allowing us
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to live.
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We're not just
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existing.
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And if we
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are to remain
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behind,
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I pray
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that it is
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for the
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progression
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of the
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gospel
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and the
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progression
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of seeing
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others come
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to know
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Christ in
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a deeper
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way
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through the
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work of
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discipleship.
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during this
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time in
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2008,
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I had a
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huge burden
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to reach
12:36
my unbelieving
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friends that
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I went to
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high school
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with.
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Kind of a
12:41
mixture of
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athletes and
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good old
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boys and
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football,
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baseball,
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basketball
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players,
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deer hunters,
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those kind
12:50
of guys.
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That's who I
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spent a lot
12:52
of time with
12:53
in high school.
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And I
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wasn't doing
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good.
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I was really
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sick.
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And I
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knew that
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we were all
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going to get
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together,
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come back
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from wherever
13:02
we were to
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watch the
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Georgia,
13:04
Georgia Tech
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football game.
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And I
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thought,
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man, I
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don't know
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how this is
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going to
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happen,
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but man,
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I doubt
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I'll get all
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these guys
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together again
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at the same
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time.
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And I
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really just
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wanted to
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share about
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Christ with
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them.
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Not the
13:20
best context.
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Unless I
13:22
was just
13:23
turning the
13:23
game off
13:23
and saying,
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shut up and
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listen to me.
13:25
I don't
13:25
know how
13:25
it was going
13:26
to happen.
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But
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I kind
13:30
of left
13:30
that whole
13:31
experience
13:31
pretty discouraged
13:32
because I
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just couldn't
13:34
sit any of
13:35
them down to
13:36
talk.
13:38
And from
13:39
that day,
13:40
later that
13:41
day, I
13:41
got so sick
13:42
that my
13:44
dad drove
13:44
me to
13:44
Birmingham
13:45
to the
13:45
hospital.
13:47
And I
13:48
was just
13:48
barely able
13:49
to sit up
13:50
straight and
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breathe.
13:51
I was so
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discouraged
13:53
that I
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just didn't
13:54
get a chance
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to share
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with some
13:55
of my
13:56
friends.
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And feeling
13:59
the weight
13:59
of this
13:59
text,
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but this
14:02
past week
14:03
actually was
14:03
in Birmingham
14:04
again for
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some procedures.
14:07
And while I
14:07
was there,
14:09
one of my
14:09
friends called
14:10
me to check
14:11
on me.
14:11
His name
14:12
is Michael
14:13
Sugar.
14:14
He lives
14:15
in New
14:15
Orleans.
14:16
and he
14:19
was at
14:19
that gathering
14:20
a long time
14:21
ago.
14:21
And he
14:22
asked me,
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hey man,
14:23
I just heard
14:24
you went to
14:24
the hospital.
14:25
Was everything
14:25
cool?
14:26
And I
14:27
thought I
14:27
was just
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kind of
14:28
fighting to
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keep going.
14:30
And he
14:32
goes, well
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man, I just
14:33
want you to
14:33
know I've
14:33
been praying
14:34
for you
14:34
lately.
14:34
And I
14:34
was just
14:35
like,
14:35
you're
14:35
praying for
14:36
me?
14:37
Kind of
14:37
caught off
14:38
guard by
14:38
that phrase.
14:39
And he
14:39
goes, yeah,
14:40
I've just
14:40
been paying
14:42
closer attention
14:42
to my
14:43
spiritual life
14:44
lately.
14:44
And I
14:46
just told
14:46
him, man,
14:47
I've been
14:47
dying to
14:48
have that
14:48
conversation
14:49
with you.
14:50
Like, I
14:50
really hoped
14:51
we could
14:51
have when
14:53
we were
14:53
all together.
14:54
And he
14:54
goes, well,
14:55
hey man,
14:56
like, Birmingham's
14:57
on the way to
14:57
New Orleans.
14:58
I'll see you
14:58
in a few
14:58
hours.
14:59
So he
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stopped by
15:01
Birmingham
15:02
on his way
15:03
back to New
15:04
Orleans.
15:04
He was
15:04
wearing scrubs
15:05
because he
15:05
worked in
15:06
the hospital.
15:06
He does
15:07
stuff with
15:07
pacemakers.
15:08
He's one
15:08
of the smart
15:08
guys with
15:09
the Georgia
15:09
Tech.
15:10
So he
15:10
showed up
15:11
and they
15:11
just let
15:11
him come
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right in
15:12
to the
15:13
hospital and
15:14
to that
15:15
place where
15:15
I was.
15:16
And this
15:17
week he
15:18
shared with
15:18
me, like,
15:18
man, I
15:19
remember you
15:20
sitting on
15:20
that bed
15:21
wearing oxygen
15:23
and just
15:23
sharing the
15:24
gospel with
15:24
me.
15:27
And he
15:27
said, you
15:27
went in and
15:28
out a lot,
15:28
even like
15:29
fell asleep
15:29
in a mid
15:30
sentence and
15:30
like came
15:31
back out
15:31
and just
15:32
kept going.
15:33
And I
15:35
don't even
15:35
remember that.
15:37
but I
15:39
was just so
15:39
encouraged that
15:40
I do
15:42
remember him
15:42
sitting there
15:43
and saying,
15:43
wow, this
15:45
is unbelievable.
15:47
And from
15:48
that time
15:48
forward, really
15:49
Michael gave
15:49
his life to
15:50
Christ and
15:50
still today
15:51
is walking
15:53
with Christ.
15:54
And he
15:54
shared with
15:54
me this
15:55
past week,
15:55
that's when
15:56
I marked
15:56
that time
15:58
from when
15:58
Christ really
15:59
got a hold
15:59
of me and
16:01
how God
16:01
somehow used
16:02
you in
16:02
that moment.
16:04
So just
16:04
feeling this,
16:05
if I'm going
16:05
to remain
16:06
behind, I've
16:07
got to
16:07
share Christ
16:09
with my
16:09
friends and
16:10
my family.
16:12
And so I
16:14
hope that
16:14
that weighs
16:15
on you,
16:16
that if you
16:17
are indeed a
16:18
follower of
16:18
Christ, you
16:19
would recognize
16:19
one of your
16:20
major reasons
16:21
for your
16:21
existence today,
16:23
that God is
16:24
allowing you
16:25
to breathe,
16:26
is for the
16:26
advancement of
16:27
the gospel.
16:29
And that if
16:30
you live
16:30
another day,
16:31
it's also to
16:32
help other
16:32
people grow
16:33
spiritually.
16:34
Whether it's
16:35
your classmate,
16:35
co-worker,
16:37
the children
16:37
in your own
16:38
household,
16:40
anybody.
16:42
But Paul
16:42
says in
16:43
Acts 20,
16:43
I do not
16:44
account my
16:44
life of
16:45
any value,
16:46
nor as
16:47
precious to
16:48
myself,
16:49
if I only
16:50
may finish
16:51
my course
16:52
in the
16:52
ministry
16:53
that I
16:54
have received
16:54
from the
16:54
Lord Jesus
16:55
to testify
16:57
to the
16:57
gospel of
16:58
the grace
16:58
of God.
17:00
So,
17:01
that's
17:02
Paul's
17:02
dilemma.
17:02
He's torn.
17:03
He wants
17:04
to go,
17:04
but he
17:05
remains to
17:06
do gospel
17:06
ministry.
17:08
Secondly,
17:09
second question
17:11
is,
17:11
what is the
17:12
chief aim
17:13
of Paul's
17:15
existence?
17:16
We see this
17:17
in verse
17:17
20.
17:19
He says,
17:20
it is my
17:20
eager
17:21
expectation
17:22
and hope
17:23
that I
17:24
will not
17:25
at all
17:25
be ashamed,
17:27
but that
17:28
with full
17:28
courage,
17:29
now as
17:29
always,
17:30
Christ
17:30
will be
17:32
honored
17:32
in my
17:33
body,
17:34
whether by
17:35
my life
17:35
or by
17:36
death.
17:38
So,
17:38
Paul's
17:39
eager,
17:39
earnest,
17:40
fervent,
17:42
persistent
17:42
expectation
17:43
and hope
17:44
is that
17:45
when this
17:46
present life
17:46
is over,
17:47
when he
17:47
leaves this
17:48
world,
17:49
he will
17:50
depart from
17:50
it not
17:51
ashamed,
17:52
not carrying
17:52
any regret,
17:54
not carrying
17:54
any disgrace
17:55
or guilt
17:56
with him.
17:56
if you
17:59
knew that
18:00
you were
18:00
going to
18:00
pass away
18:01
between now
18:01
and next
18:02
Sunday,
18:04
would you
18:04
carry a
18:04
lot of
18:05
regret
18:05
into the
18:05
next
18:06
life?
18:08
Would you
18:08
carry shame
18:10
into the
18:11
next life?
18:13
Paul's
18:13
prayer is
18:14
that he
18:14
would not
18:14
at all
18:15
carry that
18:15
into the
18:16
next life,
18:17
but that
18:18
with full
18:18
courage,
18:19
now as
18:19
always,
18:20
he says,
18:21
that he
18:22
would have
18:22
a clean
18:22
conscience
18:23
that he
18:24
did all
18:25
he could
18:25
to honor
18:26
Christ,
18:27
magnify
18:28
Christ,
18:29
glorify
18:29
Christ
18:31
in his
18:32
body.
18:33
So his
18:33
singular,
18:34
all-embracing
18:35
passion was
18:36
for us,
18:37
the same
18:38
for us,
18:39
is that we
18:40
would live
18:40
our whole
18:42
lives for
18:43
the purpose,
18:43
the single
18:44
purpose of
18:45
honoring Christ
18:46
and bringing
18:47
glory to
18:47
God.
18:49
He is
18:49
worthy of
18:50
our lives.
18:52
And so,
18:53
also in
18:54
college I
18:55
read a book
18:55
called Don't
18:56
Waste Your
18:56
Life by
18:56
John Piper,
18:58
who's the
18:58
first person
18:59
I ever
18:59
heard to
18:59
explain this
19:00
text,
19:00
so it's
19:01
impossible to
19:01
get him
19:02
out when
19:03
I think
19:03
about it.
19:05
And we've
19:05
gone over
19:06
this many
19:07
times at
19:07
Christ's
19:08
family,
19:08
but magnify,
19:09
the word
19:10
magnify or
19:11
honor,
19:11
right,
19:11
is used in
19:12
a couple
19:13
of different
19:14
ways,
19:14
but one
19:15
is a
19:15
telescope
19:16
magnifies
19:17
distant
19:18
things,
19:19
right,
19:19
that are
19:20
actually big
19:21
in reality,
19:22
but we can't
19:22
really see it
19:23
because of our
19:23
naked eye.
19:24
So it
19:25
brings it
19:25
in closer
19:26
to make it
19:27
look more
19:27
like it
19:28
actually is.
19:30
And a
19:30
telescope,
19:31
or excuse me,
19:31
a microscope
19:32
magnifies tiny
19:33
things that
19:34
are tiny and
19:35
makes them look
19:36
bigger than
19:37
they are.
19:37
we should be
19:40
more like a
19:41
telescope to
19:42
Christ.
19:43
He is big
19:43
in reality,
19:44
he is huge,
19:46
but just to
19:46
many people
19:47
walking around,
19:48
you know,
19:49
all around us,
19:50
they don't see
19:50
him for who
19:51
he actually
19:51
is,
19:52
and so when
19:52
they look
19:53
through the
19:53
lens of
19:54
our life,
19:55
they can see
19:55
him,
19:56
they can see
19:56
him at
19:57
work in
19:58
us.
20:00
And so
20:00
Paul's
20:01
passion
20:02
was that in
20:03
everything,
20:04
Christ would
20:05
be honored.
20:06
Colossians 3
20:08
17,
20:08
whatever you
20:09
do in
20:09
word or
20:10
deed,
20:11
do everything
20:12
in the name
20:12
of the
20:13
Lord Jesus.
20:15
Look at our
20:15
text again.
20:17
Notice how
20:18
live and
20:20
die in
20:22
verse 21
20:22
correspond to
20:25
life and
20:26
death in
20:27
verse 20.
20:29
So,
20:30
there's two
20:30
parts of
20:31
this.
20:31
It's
20:31
Christ's
20:32
goal,
20:33
or excuse
20:33
me,
20:33
Paul's goal
20:34
is to
20:34
glorify or
20:35
honor
20:36
Christ.
20:37
He says
20:37
by life
20:38
or by
20:39
death.
20:41
So,
20:41
there's two
20:42
sides of
20:42
that.
20:43
This is
20:44
question number
20:45
three.
20:46
How does
20:47
Paul honor
20:47
Christ in
20:48
life?
20:51
How does
20:51
Paul honor
20:52
Christ in
20:52
life?
20:54
We see in
20:54
verse 21,
20:55
for to me,
20:57
to live
20:58
is Christ.
21:00
So,
21:01
the very
21:01
purpose for
21:02
his being,
21:03
his whole
21:03
existence,
21:04
was wrapped
21:05
up in
21:06
living for
21:07
Christ.
21:09
Not for
21:09
the sake,
21:10
again,
21:10
of his
21:10
own personal
21:11
comfort,
21:11
for the
21:12
sake of
21:12
his own
21:13
advancement,
21:14
but for
21:14
the sake
21:15
of Christ.
21:17
He understood
21:17
that Jesus
21:18
just isn't up
21:19
in heaven
21:19
and physically
21:20
just separated
21:21
from his
21:22
people,
21:22
but that
21:23
Christ is
21:25
living his
21:26
resurrected life
21:27
in and through
21:28
his people.
21:29
and by
21:30
faith we
21:31
are united
21:31
to him
21:32
in Christ
21:33
and that
21:35
resurrection
21:35
life.
21:36
We're all
21:37
familiar with
21:38
Galatians 2,
21:39
verse 20,
21:40
I have been
21:41
crucified with
21:43
Christ.
21:44
It is no
21:44
longer I
21:45
who live,
21:46
but Christ
21:47
who lives
21:47
in me.
21:49
And the
21:49
life I now
21:50
live, I live
21:51
in the flesh,
21:52
I live by
21:52
faith in the
21:53
Son of God
21:54
who loved
21:55
me and gave
21:56
himself for
21:57
me.
21:59
So Paul
21:59
is saying
21:59
as long
22:00
as I
22:00
live, I
22:01
belong to
22:02
Christ.
22:02
I'm his
22:03
servant, he
22:04
is all that
22:05
I need.
22:06
If I die
22:07
a gruesome
22:07
death, bearing
22:08
witness to
22:09
the gospel,
22:10
I will
22:11
count it
22:11
as gain.
22:12
But if
22:13
he allows
22:14
me to
22:14
live, I
22:16
will continue
22:17
to make
22:18
my whole
22:18
life all
22:20
about him.
22:21
And in
22:22
either case,
22:22
I can lose
22:23
nothing because
22:25
I have
22:25
Christ.
22:26
And so his
22:27
ongoing
22:27
life and
22:28
ministry was
22:29
to make
22:29
him closer
22:30
and closer
22:31
to Christ,
22:32
especially if
22:33
you read
22:33
Philippians 2,
22:34
1-11,
22:35
especially through
22:36
suffering,
22:38
especially through
22:38
experiencing the
22:41
sufferings of
22:41
Jesus and
22:42
his sacrificial
22:43
servitude.
22:45
And so if
22:46
you flip over
22:47
to chapter 3
22:47
really quickly,
22:48
Philippians 3,
22:49
we get another
22:50
glimpse of how
22:51
we can honor
22:52
Christ in our
22:52
life.
22:54
Philippians 3,
22:55
verse 7,
22:55
Paul says,
22:58
so in the
22:58
context,
22:59
he's talking
22:59
about the
23:00
things he
23:01
used to
23:01
take hope
23:02
in to
23:03
make him
23:04
righteous
23:04
before God.
23:06
But we
23:06
can kind of
23:07
clean another
23:07
meaning from
23:08
that.
23:09
But he
23:10
says in
23:10
verse 7,
23:11
whatever gain
23:11
I had,
23:12
I count it
23:13
as loss
23:13
for the
23:14
sake of
23:15
Christ.
23:17
Indeed,
23:17
I count
23:17
everything
23:18
as loss
23:19
because of
23:20
the surpassing
23:21
worth of
23:22
knowing Christ
23:23
Jesus my
23:24
Lord.
23:25
For his
23:25
sake I
23:26
have suffered
23:27
the loss
23:27
of all
23:28
things and
23:28
count them
23:29
as rubbish
23:30
in order
23:31
that I
23:32
might gain
23:33
Christ.
23:36
So,
23:36
so much
23:37
to take away
23:38
from that.
23:38
But he
23:39
is saying,
23:41
there's a
23:41
few parts
23:42
of this,
23:42
if we
23:43
honor Christ
23:43
in our
23:44
life,
23:44
we do
23:45
it by
23:45
loving
23:46
him,
23:48
treasuring
23:48
him,
23:48
and being
23:49
satisfied
23:49
in him
23:50
above all
23:51
other
23:51
things in
23:52
this life.
23:54
Alright?
23:55
And then
23:55
secondly,
23:55
under that,
23:57
we make
23:57
deliberate
23:58
and often
23:59
prayerful
24:00
choices
24:01
in this
24:01
life
24:02
that display
24:03
that worth
24:04
for all
24:05
people to
24:05
see.
24:07
Where people
24:08
go,
24:09
why did
24:09
you do
24:10
that?
24:10
Where did
24:11
that come
24:11
from?
24:12
And there's
24:12
no other
24:13
explanation
24:13
for it
24:14
other than
24:15
Christ.
24:17
And so
24:17
he says,
24:18
all these
24:19
things that
24:20
I have,
24:21
I think
24:22
that they're
24:23
like garbage,
24:23
they're like
24:24
dung in
24:25
comparison to
24:26
knowing
24:26
Christ Jesus.
24:29
And so,
24:30
example,
24:31
just a few
24:31
walkthroughs,
24:34
again,
24:34
this is
24:35
a man
24:37
who taught
24:37
on this
24:38
years ago
24:38
ringing in
24:39
my ear,
24:39
but he
24:39
says,
24:40
money is
24:41
given to
24:42
you so
24:43
that you
24:43
may use
24:44
money in
24:45
a way
24:45
and in
24:46
a manner
24:46
that shows
24:47
that money
24:47
is not
24:48
your treasure,
24:50
but Christ
24:50
is.
24:52
Possessions,
24:53
the things
24:53
that we own,
24:54
we're to use
24:55
them in
24:56
such a way
24:57
that shows
24:57
everyone
24:58
around us
24:59
that those
25:00
possessions
25:01
and that
25:01
stuff
25:02
is not
25:03
our treasure,
25:04
but Christ
25:05
is.
25:07
Relationships
25:08
and the
25:08
people that
25:08
we live
25:09
with,
25:10
we're to
25:10
treat them
25:11
and live
25:11
with them
25:12
in such
25:12
a way
25:13
that it
25:14
would be
25:14
plain to
25:14
everyone
25:15
looking on
25:15
that they
25:16
are not
25:16
our treasure,
25:18
but Christ
25:18
is.
25:20
And on
25:20
and on,
25:21
like we,
25:22
and that
25:22
takes intentionality,
25:23
it takes
25:23
prayer,
25:24
how can we
25:24
display this
25:26
worth of
25:27
Christ?
25:27
So,
25:30
wherever it
25:31
is,
25:31
we want
25:31
to reflect
25:32
that
25:32
greatness,
25:32
we want
25:33
to honor
25:33
him in
25:34
this life.
25:36
Spurgeon
25:36
said this,
25:38
this is
25:39
our exaltation,
25:41
this is
25:41
our joy
25:42
and triumph.
25:43
If we
25:44
can promote
25:45
his glory,
25:46
the best
25:47
place where
25:47
we can
25:48
promote it,
25:49
it shall
25:49
be our
25:50
heaven.
25:51
The
25:51
sick
25:51
bed,
25:52
the
25:52
hospital,
25:54
or the
25:54
poor
25:54
house
25:55
shall be
25:56
our
25:56
heaven.
25:56
If we
25:58
can there,
25:58
best serve
25:59
the Lord
25:59
Jesus,
26:00
who is
26:00
our
26:00
King
26:01
of
26:01
glory.
26:03
So,
26:04
it's how
26:04
we honor
26:04
Christ in
26:05
life,
26:05
by treasuring
26:07
him above
26:07
all other
26:07
things in
26:08
life,
26:09
making much
26:10
of him.
26:12
The
26:12
fourth
26:12
question,
26:13
and the
26:13
last
26:13
question,
26:15
so that's
26:15
the life
26:15
part,
26:16
what about
26:16
the death
26:17
part?
26:17
Because most
26:17
of us may
26:18
not really
26:18
think about
26:19
that,
26:19
but how
26:20
does Paul
26:20
honor Christ
26:21
in death?
26:24
Verse
26:24
21,
26:25
for to me
26:25
to live
26:26
as Christ
26:26
and to
26:26
die
26:27
is gain.
26:30
Verse 23,
26:31
my desire
26:31
is to
26:32
depart
26:32
and be
26:33
with
26:33
Christ,
26:34
for that
26:35
is far
26:35
better.
26:38
Have you
26:39
ever stopped
26:40
to really
26:41
think about
26:41
it?
26:42
Like,
26:42
how can
26:43
you make
26:43
Christ
26:44
look great
26:44
in your
26:45
death?
26:47
Most of
26:48
us are
26:48
scared to
26:49
even go
26:50
there in
26:51
our heads.
26:52
But,
26:53
let me
26:53
give you
26:54
three metaphors
26:55
that.
26:55
This language,
26:56
at least
26:56
in Greek,
26:59
this word
26:59
depart,
27:00
my desire
27:01
is to
27:01
depart
27:02
and be
27:03
with Christ.
27:04
One of them
27:04
is a military
27:05
term.
27:05
It means
27:06
to break
27:06
camp,
27:07
to leave
27:07
where you
27:08
are,
27:08
to pull up
27:08
your tents
27:09
and move
27:09
to another
27:10
encampment.
27:12
Paul calls
27:13
our bodies
27:14
earthly tents
27:16
that are
27:17
taken away
27:18
at death
27:18
and the
27:19
spirit goes
27:19
home to
27:20
be with
27:20
Christ.
27:22
That's in
27:22
2 Corinthians
27:23
5,
27:24
1-8.
27:26
It's also
27:27
a sailing
27:28
term,
27:30
a metaphor
27:30
of a
27:31
commander
27:31
of a
27:32
ship
27:32
who's
27:33
docked
27:33
in a
27:34
foreign
27:34
port
27:34
on business
27:36
and he
27:37
longs to
27:38
set sail
27:39
to depart
27:40
and return
27:40
back
27:41
to his
27:42
own country
27:43
and his
27:43
own family.
27:45
But yet,
27:45
that desire
27:46
is counterbalanced
27:47
with the
27:48
understanding
27:49
that to
27:49
remain behind
27:50
in the
27:50
port a
27:51
little longer
27:51
would be
27:52
more beneficial
27:53
and so
27:54
he contents
27:55
himself,
27:56
he's patient
27:57
because he
27:58
hasn't received
27:59
orders from
27:59
his superior
28:00
to depart
28:01
to go
28:02
home yet.
28:03
But he's
28:04
longing for
28:05
home,
28:06
but he
28:06
patiently waits
28:07
because he
28:07
hasn't received
28:08
the order
28:08
to go home.
28:10
You see
28:10
it?
28:13
Third way
28:13
is used,
28:14
freeing
28:14
of a
28:14
prisoner.
28:16
So
28:16
believers
28:17
long to
28:17
be set
28:18
free
28:18
from the
28:19
limitations
28:19
and fallenness
28:21
of our
28:22
bodies
28:22
and we
28:24
long to
28:25
leave
28:25
and be
28:26
set free
28:27
from this
28:27
body of
28:28
death.
28:29
Romans 8,
28:29
18-23.
28:32
So Paul
28:32
says,
28:33
my desire
28:33
to depart
28:34
and to
28:35
be with
28:36
Christ
28:36
because
28:37
that is
28:38
far better.
28:40
One
28:40
phrase of
28:41
this means
28:41
much more
28:42
better.
28:43
It's
28:43
much more
28:44
better to
28:44
depart
28:45
and be
28:46
with
28:46
Christ.
28:47
He
28:48
reminds them
28:48
in chapter
28:49
3 that we
28:49
are citizens
28:50
of heaven,
28:51
not citizens
28:52
of earth.
28:54
So seeing
28:55
how we
28:55
honor Christ
28:56
in our
28:56
death,
28:57
the simple
28:58
answer is by
28:58
looking at
28:59
your death
28:59
as gain.
29:01
We honor
29:02
him when
29:03
we die
29:04
by counting
29:04
our death
29:05
as gain.
29:07
Free from
29:08
all the
29:08
stuff in
29:09
this world
29:09
to leave
29:11
it gladly
29:11
behind and
29:12
go home
29:13
to be
29:13
with
29:13
Christ.
29:15
Being
29:15
able to
29:15
let go
29:16
of
29:16
everything,
29:17
can we
29:17
do that?
29:17
Can we
29:18
look at
29:18
our
29:18
family,
29:19
our
29:20
friends,
29:20
and our
29:20
loved
29:21
ones,
29:22
and gladly
29:23
say,
29:24
it's okay,
29:25
I'm going
29:26
home to
29:27
be with
29:28
Christ,
29:29
to dwell
29:30
in his
29:30
presence
29:31
forever.
29:33
Not
29:34
holding on
29:34
to this
29:35
world,
29:35
not weeping
29:36
over the
29:36
stuff that
29:36
you're just
29:37
going to
29:37
leave here,
29:37
but to
29:40
see your
29:40
death is
29:41
gain because
29:42
you know
29:42
it means
29:43
going to
29:43
be with
29:44
Christ
29:44
forever.
29:46
And as
29:46
Paul says,
29:46
that is
29:47
far better,
29:49
much more
29:50
better.
29:51
It's
29:52
okay.
29:53
So,
29:54
as much as
29:55
some of the
29:55
things in
29:55
this world
29:56
may hold
29:56
our
29:56
affections,
29:58
do you
30:00
have a
30:00
greater
30:00
desire?
30:02
Are you
30:03
cultivating a
30:03
greater
30:04
desire to
30:06
depart from
30:06
this world
30:07
to be
30:07
with Christ?
30:09
And in
30:09
the hour
30:10
of your
30:10
death,
30:11
could you
30:11
go gladly
30:12
and confidently
30:13
to be in
30:14
the presence
30:15
of your
30:15
Savior?
30:17
So,
30:18
there's
30:19
one example
30:21
I will
30:22
give of
30:22
this.
30:26
So,
30:26
most of
30:27
you are
30:27
aware that
30:28
on
30:28
December
30:29
22nd,
30:30
my dad
30:31
passed
30:32
away to
30:34
go home
30:34
to be
30:34
with the
30:35
Lord.
30:36
And
30:37
though I
30:37
miss him
30:37
dearly,
30:40
I know
30:40
that he
30:41
was ready
30:41
to depart
30:42
from this
30:43
life to
30:44
go be
30:44
with Christ.
30:47
There was
30:47
a time I
30:48
talked to
30:48
him and
30:49
I remember
30:51
what he
30:51
said very
30:52
clearly as I
30:53
wrote it
30:53
down.
30:55
But he
30:55
knew his
30:56
time was
30:56
close,
30:57
he knew
30:57
his days
30:57
were short,
30:59
he had
31:00
been battling
31:00
this autoimmune
31:01
disease for
31:01
almost a
31:02
decade,
31:04
and he
31:04
knew it
31:05
just didn't
31:05
look good
31:06
for getting
31:07
better,
31:08
he knew
31:08
it was
31:08
close,
31:10
but he
31:10
died well,
31:12
and he
31:13
made Christ
31:13
look very
31:14
good.
31:16
This is
31:16
something that
31:17
he said
31:17
in his own
31:19
simple way,
31:21
he said,
31:22
God knows
31:23
me,
31:23
and he
31:24
loves me,
31:26
and he'll
31:26
be the one
31:27
to decide
31:27
whether I
31:28
go or
31:28
stay.
31:28
I'm not
31:30
concerned
31:31
about that.
31:32
If I
31:32
went right
31:32
now,
31:33
I know
31:33
I would
31:34
be okay
31:34
because I
31:35
know where
31:36
I'm going.
31:38
I pray
31:39
that the
31:39
Lord will
31:39
give me
31:40
some more
31:40
days,
31:41
but whatever
31:42
he decides,
31:43
it'll be
31:43
okay.
31:45
My concern
31:46
is for those
31:47
who don't
31:48
know him.
31:49
I believe
31:50
that he may
31:50
be calling
31:51
a lot of
31:52
people to
31:52
himself
31:53
during all
31:53
these things
31:54
going on.
31:54
And I
31:56
mean,
31:57
it's like
31:58
he took
31:58
it right
31:58
out of
31:58
Philippians,
31:59
not realizing
31:59
it.
32:00
He had
32:01
a desire
32:02
to depart
32:02
and be
32:03
with Christ,
32:04
but wanted
32:05
to remain
32:05
behind for
32:06
the sake
32:06
of others.
32:09
So he
32:09
gladly went
32:10
on the
32:11
22nd,
32:11
in the
32:11
morning of
32:12
the 22nd,
32:12
just peacefully
32:13
to be home
32:14
with Christ.
32:17
Turn in
32:17
your Bibles
32:18
to 2 Corinthians
32:19
chapter 5,
32:20
and we'll
32:20
end with
32:21
this.
32:24
2 Corinthians
32:28
chapter 5,
32:29
let's look
32:29
at verse 6.
32:32
Very
32:32
similar
32:33
language.
32:36
Paul says
32:37
in chapter
32:37
5,
32:38
verse 6,
32:39
so we
32:39
are always
32:41
of good
32:42
courage.
32:43
We know
32:44
that while
32:44
we are at
32:45
home in
32:46
the body,
32:46
we are
32:47
away from
32:48
the Lord.
32:50
For we
32:50
walk by
32:51
faith and
32:51
not by
32:52
sight.
32:53
Yes,
32:54
we are of
32:54
good
32:54
courage.
32:56
And we
32:57
would rather
32:57
be away
32:59
from the
32:59
body and
33:00
at home
33:01
with the
33:02
Lord.
33:03
So whether
33:04
we are at
33:04
home or
33:05
away, we
33:06
make it
33:06
our aim,
33:07
our goal
33:08
to please
33:09
him.
33:11
For we
33:11
must all
33:12
appear before
33:13
the judgment
33:13
seat of
33:14
Christ,
33:15
so that
33:16
each one
33:17
may receive
33:18
what is
33:18
due for
33:19
what he
33:19
has done
33:20
in the
33:20
body,
33:21
whether
33:21
good or
33:22
evil.
33:23
God
33:24
will
33:25
be
33:25
with the
33:25
Lord.
33:26
I pray
33:26
that you
33:28
would cultivate
33:29
our desire
33:29
to depart
33:31
this world
33:31
and to be
33:33
with Christ,
33:34
a greater
33:34
desire,
33:35
but for the
33:36
only reason
33:36
you want to
33:37
remain behind
33:38
is for the
33:39
sake of
33:39
others.
33:40
Not for
33:40
your own
33:41
pleasure,
33:41
your own
33:42
pleasure or
33:44
contentment,
33:44
but just for
33:45
the sake of
33:45
others.
33:46
That is the
33:46
main reason
33:47
you desire
33:47
to remain
33:49
behind.
33:49
And when
33:50
that time
33:50
comes,
33:52
you will
33:53
gladly look
33:53
upon death
33:54
as gain,
33:55
which is not
33:55
a natural
33:56
thing.
33:56
It has to
33:56
be the
33:57
work of
33:57
Christ to
33:58
actually look
33:59
at death
33:59
and say
33:59
it will
34:00
be gain
34:01
because I'm
34:01
leaving all
34:03
this behind
34:03
and going
34:04
to be
34:05
with Christ.
34:07
So that's
34:07
my prayer
34:08
for y'all
34:08
and myself.
34:09
So let's
34:10
pray together.
34:10
Amen.
34:11
Amen.
34:13
Amen.