For today, if you could turn with me to Philippians chapter 1. Philippians chapter 1. Philippians Chapter 1, verse 21. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me.
Yet which I shall choose, I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. (Philippians 1:21-23, ESV)
Okay, let’s pray. Lord, we ask you to unpack the heart from which these verses were written to the Philippian Church. We want to understand the core of our faith as we see in the life of Apostle Paul. We pray that you would give us revelation and insight so that we may imitate Paul as he imitates Christ. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.
That statement is a packed statement. And let me start with the second half. He says, to die is gain. Do you feel that way?
Do you see pastors and Christians around you who have this heart that I’m ready to go because to die is great gain? Actually, I think many times we see the opposite. I’m afraid to die. I don’t want to go. I have too many things I need to accomplish.
Even pastors saying, I have a big ministry that I cannot let go of, and what is going to be my legacy and all of this selfish ambition, like, I need to do this for the Lord.
And this second half of to die is gain is so foreign. But through Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, as he writes this letter from prison in Rome, he’s reaching the end of his life. He says, this is what drives me. To die is gain.
If I am to choose living or dying, I will choose to die, because that means Jesus, who I’ve come to know partially through a dimly lit mirror. I will have him fully. He will be fully mine. I can enjoy him forever.
That’s the heart of a Christian. To die is gain. But he says, I’m torn. I will choose to die. But I understand there’s an assignment from the Lord and there are people I need to minister to. So to live is to live for Christ. And then he explains what that means.
He says in verse 22, it means fruitful labor. Philippians church writing a letter. Fruitful labor. Corinthian church writing a letter, fruitful labor. Colossian Church, writing a letter, fruitful labor. Galatians. I can go on and on and on. Paul was very fruitful in his labor.
It just kind of dawned on me this week that in a sense we’re all like Paul. He was a bi-vocational minister. He had a tent-making job. He was supplying himself, his needs. But he is living this life of a church planter, missionary.
And is it any different for, for all, for any of us who are believers? If you’re a full time minister, maybe in terms of your time, you have a little bit more availability to, for free fruitful labor.
But all Christians, why are we still alive today? We understand the heart. I am ready to gain Christ, I’m ready to be with Christ. That is where my heart is. It’s in heaven. I want to be with him. But while I’m here, I’m going to live for Christ. And that means fruitful labor.
And doesn’t that translate for all believers? Maybe the scale is not what Apostle Paul did. How many churches, how many mission trips, how many people did he impact? But all of us, we have our little sphere of influence. Our family, our friends, our neighborhood, our workplace. We have somebody that only we can reach.
Fruitful labor. Where does this come from? It’s a person who’s deeply satisfied in Jesus. And so I should have started with the title. Deep satisfaction. Fruitful labor. Daily contentment. Deep satisfaction. Like, are you satisfied in Jesus?
Such that if today is your last day, you’re not kicking and screaming, you’re not panicking. you’re saying, that’s, I’m destined for this. That’s where I’ve been longing for. I’ve been moving in this place. I’ve been homeless, in exile in this place. This is not my home.
And your heart is growing toward Christ and into your, into your next life, for eternal life. Deeply satisfied in Jesus. That’s where our ministry comes from. That’s where the labor comes from. And I pray that it’s fruitful.
Why was Paul so fruitful? Was it because Paul was so strategic? Is it because Paul was such a great guy? Is it because Paul somehow had the right strategy and, and he just worked really hard? I mean, all of that’s true. But we see this fruitful labor in the life of Paul.
I think it’s to the extent that he is deeply satisfied in Jesus. And so the work that we see Paul doing, it’s really the Lord himself working. I think that’s why it is so, so great in its impact, because it’s coming from this place of deep satisfaction in, in Jesus.
And the fruitful labor came from that. And so how do we get to that place? Like, we all want to labor for the Lord, I hope, like, that’s why we’re on earth. We’re here to labor for the Lord.
When you see God in heaven, he’s not going to say, oh, you did a good job as a doctor, good job, or you did a good job being a professor. You did a good job in your, in your, in your workplace, like you were a good manager.
That’s not what he’s going to say. That’s. These are just tools. This is just tent making. But he’s going to say, with what I gave to you, what labor did you produce? Was it fruitful? Maybe, maybe not the scale of Paul. But, but did you have impact? Did you labor for the Lord? Did you live for Jesus?
That’s what Paul is saying, if I’m here on earth, my purpose is to live for Christ. And he explains what that is. It means to fruitfully labor for the King. But where does this fruitful labor come from?
It comes from a heart that is deeply satisfied in Jesus. So that’s why he is able to say, if today is my last, I’m happy. It’s far better, far better.
So how do we get to that place where we can honestly say, to live is Christ, but to die is gain? Like that’s where we’re moving toward that as our, as a confession of our heart that it comes naturally to die is gain. And while I’m here, fruitful labor.
The answer, the secret, he starts unpacking in Philippians 3:7. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.
For his sake, I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness of God from God, that depends on faith.
7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— (Philippians 3:7-9, ESV)
And if you look at the preceding verses, Paul is sharing his testimony. He’s saying, I’m the Pharisee of the Pharisees. I study the law, I obey the law. It was a self-righteousness. It was a lot of effort and obedience and disciplining and buffeting his body.
And he says, with all of that, what came out of that life was I murdered Christians. How could somebody be that blind spiritually that you think you’re serving God and at the same time you’re persecuting and killing God’s people?
That is the pinnacle of blindness, and it’s self-righteousness. I can do this on my own. Look at how diligent I am. And, and so we might read these verses in verse seven. It’s all rubbish. I count it all as nothing.
Some people might say, that’s why I don’t have to study. That’s why I don’t have to be a good student. That’s why I don’t have to be good at my job. Like, what’s the point anyway? No, Paul’s not saying that.
He’s saying my approach to God in the past is rubbish. I thought I was close to God in my self-righteous zeal, and I was killing Christians. That whole approach to Christian life, that it doesn’t work.
And yet there are many in the body of Christ that are equally blind as Paul. I’m just attending church. I just do my devotion. I just have a program that I follow. I’m very disciplined. I am getting closer to God, right?
But like Paul, maybe even us, we can say there are many times that we’re doing things, but at the end of it, did I gain Christ? Do I know Christ better?
And this is the end of the year. All the Spiritual activities you did, what did it amount to? Did Jesus meet you? That’s how you know him. You’ve got to meet him. I know Jackie very well because 24/7, pretty much every single day, every day she’s by my side. I know her very well.
And so, how can we say we know Jesus unless we meet him at the end of all our spiritual activities? In 2024, did you gain Christ, a better understanding of who Christ is? Do you know him better than you did at the beginning of the year?
Not like, oh, I read the Bible this year. I checked that off. I did all this service. I was leading praise. I taught Bible studies. I did these mission trips. At the end of all the activities, do we know Jesus better? Did we gain Christ? Do we know him?
Paul is saying my approach to spiritual life before, it’s all rubbish. How blind could I be? Paul is saying that I persecuted and killed Christians, and I thought I was zealous for the Lord and serving God. How could I be so blind? I am the chief of sinners. I don’t deserve to be called an apostle. That’s Paul’s testimony.
It’s all rubbish. All that self-righteous, law-abiding approach to get myself closer to God. It did not move me even an inch closer to God. It’s all rubbish. And this simplifies the prayers of a Christian.
What should we be praying every time we come to church? What should we be praying every time we open up Scripture? What should we be praying every single day of our lives?
Jesus, meet me. Jesus, meet me. I want to know you. Jesus, I want to know you.
What is it a profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?
36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? (Mark 8:36, ESV)
What does it profit a pastor to have a big church and to have a building filled with people if they’re spiritually blind and they don’t know him like we want to be able to say at the end of our life to live as Christ? I did a lot of fruitful labor, but I’m happy that the day is closing, the ministry is ending. I’m going to glory. We want to get there. How do you get there? You actually have to meet Jesus. And when you meet him, then you can know him.
And when you know him, you can confess, I’m deeply satisfied in Christ. To die is gain. Deep satisfaction, fruitful labor.
May all the labor that comes out of our hands, out of our lives in this place, may it stem from a heart that is deeply satisfied in Jesus. Deeply satisfied and just something to ask the Lord. Am I satisfied, Jesus today, am I satisfied?
And he unpacks it a little bit more in Philippians 4:11. Now that I am speaking of being in need. For I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:11-13, ESV)
Steph Curry writes Philippians 4:13 on his sneaker. He says through, because of Jesus, I can shoot from half court and it’s going to switch. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. It’s not about that at all.
Paul is writing from prison. He’s approaching the end of his life and he’s saying, I am going to share with you a little bit of a secret that I’ve been living out of.
And if you look at the preceding verses, he’s talking about money. Paul knows what it’s like to be poor. As a tent maker, he knows what it’s like to be poor. He’s asking the Philippian church for money. He’s thanking them for the money that he’s given. It’s not even just for him. He’s receiving some money. It supplies his need. But he’s doing it for missions. He’s passing it on to other churches. That’s Paul’s life. And he knows what it’s like to be poor. And he’s writing from prison.
And he says, the secret of my contentment, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13, ESV)
I think a better translation if you look at the original language is I can face anything because Christ strengthens me. I can face anything in prison. No big deal. I get to preach in prison. People are coming to faith in prison. The Roman guards are coming to faith for him. It’s all fruitful labor.
Wherever he is going, he’s being fruitful. He knows God. This is a God appointed time to be in prison for the Lord. He thanks the Lord here, other places that I’m so honored to suffer for Christ because in prison he’s being supernaturally strengthened by the Jesus he loves. I can do all things. I can face anything because Christ is strengthening me.
So plenty of times he was hungry, he was poor, empty stomach. How did he get through those seasons? Christ who strengthens me.
How could he face abundance and not be led astray and seek comfort and forget about the mission? Christ who strengthens him.
How different would our lives be if we had this mindset? Whatever I face in life, sickness, health, abundance, need, imprisonment, freedom, whatever I face, Christ strengthens me. I’m content.
The secret of contentment, it comes back to Jesus. Jesus himself is by my side. He’s strengthening me.
And then he explains a little bit more. Philippians 4:19. And this will be the last verse. And this same God who takes care of me will supply all of your needs from his glorious riches which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19, ESV)
So deep satisfaction is the wellspring from which fruitful labor flows. And then daily contentment. Jesus Christ who strengthens me. And he clarifies here. God will supply all of your needs. God will supply all of your needs from his glorious riches which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
A lot of things. We pray for our wants. I want a bigger bank account. It’s my want. I want a nicer car. It’s a want. I want a nicer house. I want to take some vacations. I want to eat nicer food. There’s a lot of lists of wants.
But if you look at Paul as an example, all of Paul’s needs were supplied. Meaning he didn’t starve. He didn’t starve. Is he complaining during those seasons of leanness when he doesn’t have food on the table? Or is he content because Christ is strengthening him?
This clarifies our prayers. Like, we have a lot of wants in our prayers, and we can pray those. It’s fine to pray for your wants, but in the end, God doesn’t guarantee any of them. your needs he will supply. That’s his guarantee. That’s his guarantee.
So among all of the prayer requests, we have a lot of wants. I want this. I want this. Let’s put our greed aside this Christmas and let’s focus on, well, hasn’t he supplied all of our needs? Shouldn’t we be grateful? Shouldn’t we be content? Why are we grumbling?
Why are we complaining? It’s a long list of wants that haven’t been answered. God is saying, look at all I’ve done for you. All your needs are met. you’re not a beggar on the street. You have a roof over your head. You have food on the table. You have a drink. You have clothing on your back. All of your needs he supplied. Paul is saying, this is the secret of my contentment. And Paul is saying, imitate me as I imitate Christ. Deep satisfaction in Christ. To live is Christ, to die is gain.
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21, ESV)
Deeply satisfied in Christ. From that place, may all the fruitful labor flow. And may there be a lot of fruitful labor that he does in this place, in your life, in your life personally, a lot of fruitful labor. In your family, in your workplace, in your neighborhood, may there be a lot of fruitful labor.
But may it come from a heart that is deeply satisfied in Jesus. And day to day, God expects of us daily contentment. Paul knows a secret. He’s passing it on at the tail end of his life. He’s seeing Christ in you.
He strengthens you. You can face anything. Not you can do whatever you want, like you can fulfill your dreams. That’s not the point of the verse.
If you face imprisonment, if you face having little money, these situations, if you have bad health, all these difficult situations, Paul is saying, Christ in you will strengthen you. You can face it. You can face it.
And God promises not all of your wants, not all of my wants, but all of our needs will be supplied by the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. That means food on the table. That means drink, clothing, even a roof over your head. Maybe not guaranteed at times, but you will not starve. God will not let his children starve.
What an anchor. What a safety net that we have in life. This is just basic contentment for life. All my needs have been met. He has supplied all of my needs.
Okay, let’s pray.
Father, when we look at the life of Jesus, sometimes the gap is too large. So you send us apostles like Paul, and it seems a little bit more reachable. And Paul says, imitate me as I imitate Christ.
Lord, we want to get to that place of deep contentment and deep satisfaction in Christ. To gain is Christ. That means we need to meet you. So, Lord, we pray on this day and every day. Lord Jesus, meet me, Lord Jesus, meet me. I want to know you.
How can I know you unless I meet you? Please meet me, Lord Jesus, today and every day so that I can gain Christ. So I can confess with my lips. And we can all confess with our lips. To gain is Christ. To die is gain, and to live is Christ. It’s fruitful labor, Lord. May that all flow from a wellspring of deep satisfaction in Christ.
We want to labor for you, Lord. There are few workers for the harvest field. But, Lord, may you send a few of us into your harvest field. We know with what heart we need to go out, one that is deeply satisfied in Jesus. We pray for fruitful labor. In 2025 and beyond, we pray for fruitful labor.
We thank you for the secret of contentment that Paul shared at the end of this letter to the Philippian Church. He can face anything through Christ who strengthens him. Imprisonment, freedom, abundance, or lack. He acknowledges that all of his needs have been supplied from the riches of your glory. And, Lord, we can also confess the same. All of our needs have been supplied in generous amounts.
We have all that we need, the things that we want. We still pray to you, but we don’t grumble when those things are not happening, because we go back to the things that we need. We look around. Everything has been met in Christ Jesus. Physically, we’ve been supplied far beyond our needs.
Thank you, Lord, for being gracious to us. Help us to be deeply satisfied. Help us to labor for you, and help us to be content daily. Thank you, Lord. We pray that you minister to us as we partake in the Lord’s Supper. I pray that you meet us as we remember Your Body that was broken for us and your blood that was shed. In Jesus’ Name, we pray, Amen.
