"For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Sunday, June 1, 2025)

Scripture Reading Philippians 1:20–21; 2:5–11; 3:12–14; 4:11–13

Philippians 1:19–21

Yes, and I will rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, 20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Philippians 2:5–11

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,

so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 3:12–14

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:11–13

Not 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.

Introduction: Philippians is A Transformational Pastoral Letter

The heartbeat of Philippians may be summed up in one verse: "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21).

Now, what does that mean?

What does "to live is Christ, and to die is gain" look like for us?

1. It Looks like a "Humble Confidence" in Christ

Paul says that whether by life or by death, he desires that Christ would be honored. Why? Because for him, "to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

This is not just poetry. It is the spiritual clarity of a man who has found the "pearl" of great price. He says in 4:13, "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." What does he mean by that?

Paul realizes what every Christian eventually comes to realize--in Christ, all things consist. Colossians 1:15-17 says:

"15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together."

We live in a world driven by "self"-preservation, and many people foolishly think that you have to focus on yourself in order to preserve yourself. The Gospel says the opposite. That is why the Gospel is "foolishness."

1 Corinthians 1:18 says, "For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

Who can make a profession like that? We can!

This confidence is not arrogance. It is the clarity that we are much worse than we are willing to admit, but we are much more loved than we ever dared to hope for.

2. It Looks Like a Joyful Partnership in the Gospel

From the beginning to the end, Philippians pulses with the theme of partnership. Philippians is not only a letter of joy, but it is also a letter of deep affection. Paul thanks God for the Philippians' fellowship in the gospel with him from the beginning to the very end.

4:14-16, "14 Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. 15 And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. 16 Even in Thessalonica, you sent me help for my needs once and again."

He also pleads with them to be of the same mind. He commends their giving as fruit that increases to their credit. It's rather long, but it warrants being read again in full:

"So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied ('kenosis') himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." (2:1-8)

The Greek word ekenōsen (ἐκένωσεν) means to empty or pour out. But as Sinclair Ferguson notes, Christ’s 'kenosis' was not about losing divine status, but about laying aside divine privileges to serve in humility. John Calvin echoes this when he writes, “Christ, indeed, could not divest himself of Godhead, but he kept it concealed for a time, that it might not be seen.”

A gospel-shaped life is not some "private," "personal" Christianity. It is lived in a community, for we are the body of Christ.

Paul calls us to lay down our pride, our preferences, and to pursue unity in love, because Jesus laid down His life to make us one.

3. It Looks Like "All In."

Christianity is not for the faint-hearted.

3:7-11, "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— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead."

Also, Paul is not a man resting on his past or clinging to the present.

3:12-14 says:

12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Oh, I don't know how many people merely use the name of Jesus to get what they want. For them, Jesus is just a means to an end. They do not love the name of Jesus; they love to get things by using the name of Jesus. That's not Christianity. That's Consumerism wrapped up with the Christian religion. Those who will not repent of this will wake up to a rude awakening on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Despair not, my friends. God is not done with you. He is up to something, and He is up to something good.

Conclusion: Christian Walk is Humble-Confidence, Joyful-Partnership, compelling us to go "All In."

And God, who began this good work in us, will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6).

Let us walk in this way together—with joy that cannot be chained, and a life that declares in every season, "To live is Christ."