Good morning to everyone. Thank you, Mark, again, for leading us this morning. We are back in Philippians chapter 1, kind of dwelling a little bit here around verse 21. We're going to look at verses 19 to 26 this morning.

I'd like to begin by asking you to turn to John 15. John chapter 15, the Gospel of John. In John 15, Jesus gives us a picture, and he also gives us the purpose of the Christian life. It's a beautiful metaphor with so much meaning for us and a lot of application for our Christian life.

In John 15:1, Jesus said to his disciples, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, he takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, he prunes that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in me and I in you, as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me and I in him bears much fruit, for without me you can do nothing."

"If anyone does not abide in me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered, and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire and it shall be done for you. By this, my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, so you will be my disciples."

Well, Jesus pictures our life as a branch abiding, remaining in a vine. And the truth that he is explaining is that just as a branch on a grapevine, for instance, is attached to the vine and gains its sustenance and life and fruit-bearing power up through the vine, so the Christian life is one of abiding in Jesus, remaining with him, attached to him as the fruit-bearing life and power comes through Jesus and produces fruit out through us.

In verse 8, it says, "By this, my Father is glorified that you bear much fruit, so you will be my disciples." This is the purpose. The purpose of our life in Christ is to glorify God. And what we see here in verse 8 in this picture of the Christian life is that we glorify God by bearing much fruit.

And it is for this very purpose that we are Jesus' disciples, his followers. God's intention for us when he saved us is that we would bear much fruit. He saved us not only from the wrath to come, his wrath for our sins, but he saved us that we might live a new life and bear much fruit, having been released not only from the penalty of sin but also the dominating power of indwelling sin in our lives.

We are fruit-bearing branches attached to the vine, the life-giving, sustaining, fruit-producing life of Jesus in us. And the fruit that we bear that glorifies God is twofold. In our lives now in Christ, Jesus produces the fruit of righteousness through us. We experience a new and holy life because of the salvation work that God has performed in us and the life of Christ in us as we abide in him. 

We are new creations; we are new men with new hearts and a new spirit and the Holy Spirit living in us. And this is manifest in a new life outwardly as we are conformed to the likeness of Christ through God's sanctifying grace as we abide in the vine.

The second fruit that we produce is like kind. Just as the apple tree produces apples and a cherry tree produces cherries, so Christians produce Christians. And the fruit of our lives through witness and testimony is the conversion of souls. I remember years ago I got a bunch of young trees from my buddy Guy Folsom and we planted them over by our barns there. 

And the next year they were growing and getting almost big enough to start producing some fruit. And Guy was over with his son Aaron that summer and we were walking around looking at the trees, and Aaron was maybe 10 or so, maybe a little younger. And as we were looking at one tree, Aaron said, "That's a cherry tree." I said, "No, I only bought apple trees; that's an apple tree." And he said, "No, it's a cherry tree." And he reached into the center of the tree and he pulled out a cherry. My friends, that was the end of the discussion because apple trees do not produce cherries.

And so we see the fruit of our lives and the salvation of lost souls, the production of fruit of like kind through our witness in the preaching of the gospel, we bear the fruit of converts of new believers, and this brings glory to God. Paul's life was about fruit, the fruit of righteousness; that in nothing he would be ashamed, that in all things Christ would be magnified by his life and witness.

And his life was given wholly to the production of the fruit of believers, men and women coming to faith through the hearing of the gospel of Jesus Christ as he witnessed boldly, consistently everywhere he went. And as we see, especially here in Philippians 1 in every circumstance. 

And we see in our text this morning that this is the persistent desire, the passion of his life even as he now considers his potential death as he sits in a Roman prison. He is hard-pressed, not knowing which he would choose, death and going to be with Christ which is far better for him, or to continue in this life by God's grace in order to do one thing: to bear fruit for the glory of God, to see fruit among the believers in Philippi.

Paul's only concern in life was that he would be a branch who abides in the vine and that he would bear much fruit for the glory of God. And he is our example in that way. 

Let's look at our text, Philippians 1:19. “For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit for my labor, yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ which is far better. Nevertheless, to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. 

And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.”

I've given you five points on your outline for our study this morning. First, Christ is magnified. Second, to live is Christ. Third, a desire to depart. Fourth, hard-pressed. And fifth, fruit for my labor. 

Well, by way of review, let's look at verse 20 and Paul's great desire to have Jesus Christ be magnified in his life. It says, "According to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed but with all boldness as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body whether by life or by death." 

The desire of Paul's life was not for fame or fortune. It was no longer for climbing the ladder of influence in politics or religion. No longer in education and academia. Paul's sole desire in life from his conversion was to magnify Jesus Christ. That in his life, in himself, whether by life or even death that Jesus would be glorified. And this is how he lived. This is how he preached and taught and gave himself wholly to the cause of Christ, and he persevered through so many hardships in his life and ministry.

Let's look at 2 Corinthians 11 where Paul lists some of those things out. 2 Corinthians 11:22. And he was dealing with some false teachers in Corinth who were attacking him personally, questioning his authority, his ministry. In 2 Corinthians 11:22, he says, "Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ? I speak as a fool. I am more. In labors more abundant; in stripes above measure; in prisons more frequently; in deaths often. From the Jews, five times I received 40 stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. A night and a day I have been in the deep. In journeys often; in perils of waters; in perils of robbers; in perils of my own countrymen; in perils of the Gentiles; in perils in the city; in perils in the wilderness; in perils in the sea; in perils among false brethren; in weariness, in toil, in sleeplessness often; in hunger and thirst, in fastings often; in cold and nakedness. Besides the other things, what comes upon me daily, my deep concern for all the churches."

We see even in this great list of trials and persecutions that Paul's greatest burden that he bore was his daily constant concern for all the churches. He was worried, even as we see in the context of Corinth and the false teachers who were attacking him and undermining his teaching there, that his concern was for the believers, that they would grow and prosper and abide and not be deceived, taken captive by hollow and deceptive philosophies and the wisdom of men.

If you look back to 11:1, 2 Corinthians 11:1, he starts that chapter this way. He says, "Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly, and indeed you do bear with me; for I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy, for I have betrothed you to one husband that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest somehow as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you may well put up with it."

Paul cared about truth. He cared about doctrine because he knew that the truth of the word of God taught and preached and so settled in the soul of the believer was the only thing that would keep the church from error and deception. 

You see, Paul was not only concerned about fruit from his life, his labor for the glory of God, that Christ would be magnified, but his life and calling was to be sure that the churches he founded, the believers he loved, were also bearing much fruit for God's glory and the furtherance of the gospel. His greatest burden and his greatest joy was the progress of the churches, the health and life and vitality of all the believers under his care. 

And the only way this could be a consistent truth for himself and for every believer was if living is Christ and dying is gain. In verse 20, it says, "According to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death; for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain." 

We spent a good deal of time on this last week, but I just want to reiterate that in order for there to be fruit, for Jesus to be consistently glorified in and through our lives, for us not to be ashamed in anything, the only way is by an abiding relationship with Jesus, moment by moment, day by day. 

And the distractions of this world, the cares of this world, the sin of this world, and our own sinful thoughts and passions are constantly fighting and pulling against the desire to abide and to have abundant life and fruit in Christ. 

"For me," Paul said, "living is Christ." This must be the most convicting, searching verse in the Bible. "'For to me to live is Christ.' For me to live is what?" Again, how do you honestly answer that question? Where's your heart? Where's your time, your money, your resources, your thoughts and passions, day by day as you live this life? I ask myself first. 

"For to me to live is what?" My life must be about Jesus in all things, all the time. Last week, there was a gentleman sitting over here and visiting, and when I preached that sermon last week, I came down there and he thanked me for the sermon, and he said, "You were meddling." You were meddling right down in our lives. Jesus is the reason why I work or play the way I do. He's in my thoughts continually. I talk to him and praise him and seek him as I go through my days. He's the reason for how I parent, for my marriage, for every relationship that I have. He's why I love others, why I witness, why I do what I do and I don't do what I don't do. In all things, whether we eat or drink, Paul says, we do all things to the glory of God, and this is what it means to abide. 

This is what it means to say, "For to me to live is Christ." And I'm comforted a bit, I'm encouraged. Then when we get over to chapter 3, Paul says, "I've not attained, I've not arrived, but one thing I do," right? "One thing I do." He's pressing toward the mark, the upward call of God to live a resurrection life out from among the dead. 

As we saw last week as well, that if our life is Christ, then dying is gain. And this is so amazing what Paul says in our text this morning. Think about the contrast with the man and Adam, with the men of our world. Philippians 1:22, "But if I live on in the flesh this will mean fruit for my labor, yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ which is far better. Nevertheless, to remain in the flesh is more needful for you."

Paul says, "I have a real struggle here; I'm hard-pressed. It's difficult for me to say which is better at this point because personally, I'd rather die now." Paul does not say this in a negative sense but in a positive sense. He isn't saying, "I want to die to be released from all the burdens of this life so that I no longer have to suffer," although this would be true for him. 

But for the believer in Jesus, there’s no fear in death. The lost man in our world fears death; he thinks he'll be released from the burdens of life through death sometimes, but not true for the believer or for the unbeliever. 

For the believer in Jesus, death is no fear. The lost man and Adam is petrified of this one thing—death—and particularly what comes after because although he rejects Jesus, deep down inside he knows the truth and he knows that he's accountable to God. 

And so the scriptures teach us that the lost man and Adam is held in bondage to fear of death all his lifetime. It's the one thing that strikes him to his core—the reality of death and eternity and judgment. 

On the way down here Bobby and I were talking, and she said, "George Soros is senile now, and his son Alex is in control." And I said, "Well, he'll be senile someday too, right? I mean we're all in the process of dying." And you think about someone like Joe Biden—the power he wielded and the influence and everything—all of what now? What now? 

Lost men fear death, but we don't have to fear death. We see that men try to cope with this in so many futile ways and seek to explain it away and vehemently reject God and the truth of the eternal spirit of a man that will live forever somewhere. And they do this to assuage their fears, the greatest fear of death. 

But it's not so; in fact, it's the opposite for the believer. Turn over to Hebrews 2, and we'll look at that passage. Hebrews 2 at verse 10, it says of Jesus, "For it was fitting for him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, 'I will declare your name to my brethren; in the midst of the assembly, I will sing praise to you.' And again I will put my trust in Him. And again, here am I and the children whom God has given me."

"And as much then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared in the same, that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." 

He has destroyed the one who has the power of death and released those who believe, released us from the fear of death. Romans 6:9 says, "Knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has dominion over him; for the death that he died, he died to sin once for all, but the life that he lives he lives to God." 

"Likewise, you also reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord." We know that we have been released from the penalty and power of sin; death no longer causes fear and dread, but joy and rejoicing.

2 Corinthians 5:8, Paul says, "We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord." To be absent from the body is to be instantly present with our Lord. For us, to die is gain. 

At the end of 1 Corinthians 15, Paul said that in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet, we're going to be changed; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible; we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 

So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory. Oh death, where is your sting? Oh Hades, where is your victory?" 

"The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." Death has no sting for the believer; we no longer fear death because for us, death is gain. In fact, Paul says, "I'd rather die; I'd rather go to be with the Lord." 

He had a desire to depart; he was hard-pressed. It would be better for him to die; he says, "For to me, to die is gain." But for the believers, for the churches, for the cause of Christ, for the glory of God, it would be to the profit of the believers; it would be for their gain and for their fruit-bearing. It’d be better for them if Paul remains. 

Verse 22, "If I live on in the flesh this will mean fruit for my labor, yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart to be with Christ which is far better. Nevertheless, to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again."

If he stays, God would continue producing fruit through him in his life and ministry, and this would be to the benefit of the believers. And so Paul says, "I'm confident that I'll continue for your benefit, for your progress." This would be the purpose of his life.

Over in chapter 4, verse 1, Paul says something very interesting to the church in Philippi, to the believers. He says, "Therefore my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and my crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved." The people, the believers were his joy, were his rejoicing, his fruit, his crown, his reward.

His purpose for living, the meaning of his life was in people, in teaching and growing believers to become mature, to bear fruit, to glorify God. Turn over to Ephesians 4 at verse 11, please. This is an instructive passage that we cite often.

Ephesians 4:11, Paul explains here God's plan for the church in this world. He says, "And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastor-teachers for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ until we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God— to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ— that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the trickery of men, and the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting; but speaking the truth in love may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love."

This is the purpose of our gatherings, of the local church, of teaching and preaching—to grow, to mature, to equip the believers to go out into the world and do the work of ministry. And the key to that is the Word of God. 

In Acts 20, you remember Paul called for the elders of the church when he was in Miletus; he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church, brought them to him. Remember, he'd spent three years with them, founded that church. 

He says when they came to him, he said to them, "You know from the first day that I came to Asia and what manner I always lived among you, serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews, how I kept back nothing that was helpful but proclaimed it to you and taught you publicly from house to house, testifying to Jews and also to Greeks repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. And see now, I go bound in the Spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that would happen to me except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. But none of these things move me, nor do I count my life dear to myself so that I might finish my race with joy in the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 

And indeed now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. Why? For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. He says, "Now listen, take heed to yourselves and to all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to shepherd the church of God which he purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore, watch and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified."

Paul's life was about serving the churches, about preaching and teaching, equipping the saints for the work of ministry, keeping them from error, telling them the truth. He had conflict continually. I think of Colossians 1; he says, "I had great conflict." He was talking about how there were false teachers in the church, and he wants their hearts to be encouraged. He wants the church to be knit together in love and attaining to all the riches of full assurance and understanding in the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of the Christ. 

And he says, "In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. You don't need to look anywhere else." He says, "I say these things lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words." In verse 8, he says, "Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world and not according to Christ. For in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and you are complete in him."

You're complete in him! Everywhere we turn in the scriptures, we see Paul encouraging, equipping with the truth, and warning of error, marking out those who teach doctrines contrary to Christ. This was his joy; it was his pleasure; it was his calling from God. 

And in this, he would continue for their benefit, for their growth in focus and fruit-bearing through abiding in Christ. "I'm hard-pressed between the two," he writes. What a joy to go to be with the Lord! A great gain for him personally, but what a privilege for him to live for the Lord and for the sake of his brothers and sisters in Christ.

Now, what a privilege to be an ambassador for Christ, to hold the truth, to teach and preach it, and be assured that God would use it for his purposes. My brothers and sisters, this is the same opportunity that each of us has today here in this place, in our communities. 

We have the same truth; we have the same Spirit; we have the same calling—to preach the gospel, to encourage one another, to tell the truth. We have the truth, this revelation that God has given us in the only book he ever wrote, and we can have that same confidence that Paul had to know that Jesus will produce fruit through us as we live for him, as we abide in him, as long as he has us on this earth until that great day when he calls us home to be with him, and the day when our faith will be sight and we will truly know that to die is gain. 

I pray that the Lord will grant us by his grace here at Living Hope Church to know what it is to be able to say with Paul, "For to me to live is Christ," for our fruit, fruit from our labor for his glory. That's why we're here; that's what he would have us do. 

Let's close in prayer. Father, we're so thankful, thankful for your words, your truth, your gospel. Thank you for the privilege of being your ambassadors. Thank you that you've given to us the word of reconciliation to persuade men to believe Jesus to be saved. Help us to understand what matters, to set our mind on things above and not on the things of the earth. Thank you for your grace, your mercy, your long-suffering with each one of us. And thank you that your will will be accomplished through us. 

In Jesus' name, amen.