Next Step Christian Church
Worship 9/26/26
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  • Come Now Is The Time To Worship
  • You Are Holy (Prince Of Peace)
  • Jesus Lover Of My Soul
  • To Live Is Christ
  • Paul has one invincible ambition: to glorify Christ. The number of "life goals", personal pleasures, economic and political goals Paul is absolutely failing at is infinitely long. He does not care. Even when people "preach Christ from envy and rivalry."  What if we let go of all worldly goals and (even) good "Christian" goals, and just counted Christ proclaimed? 

    AI Existential Terror

    Anyone see a news story like this this week?
    Will AI destroy the world?
    And if it doesn’t kill us, won’t it take our jobs? I had several of those conversations this week. And the worst part is, I can’t tell folks it won’t. Because it might. It doesn’t have to everything… it doesn’t even have to do my job really, just convince my boss that it can. Or make the guy next to me twice as fast.
    I’ve had moments where it just crushed it, did hours of work in a few minutes and the result was amazing. And still some times where it was just so dumb and so wrong… but it’s moving fast.
    Will it write a better sermon than me? A better worship song? What do I do with a worship song that AI wrote, is that real?
    … will AI (or Super Intelligence) take my job? My security? My hope for tomorrow.
    The fear of Ai goes way back, actually.
    Joshua 7:5–6 ESV
    5 and the men of Ai killed about thirty-six of their men and chased them before the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them at the descent. And the hearts of the people melted and became as water. 6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening, he and the elders of Israel. And they put dust on their heads.
    That was the mood in a few of my meetings this week. True story. “The hearts of the people melted and became as water.”
    The fears of today.
    Today, that feels like a far more real concern than “Will the government imprison me for my faith?” But the Bible tells us to expect that day too. Jesus tells us to expect it. We read it just a few weeks ago:
    “In this world you will have trouble…”

    The Benefits of Prison - Everything is Awesome

    Always looking on the bright side of life!
    And here is Paul. Writing to these people, his disciples, he loves so much. He loves them because he has served them, because he has seen God work through them, he knows that God will complete the good work in them He has begun… and so Paul is filled with joy and grace and courage.
    Philippians 1:12–13 ESV
    12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.
    Philippians 1:14 ESV
    14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
    That is the opposite reaction we might expect. “Oh, did you hear what happened to Paul? I don’t want that to happen to me! I better be quiet.”
    Instead, likely because Paul has this attitude.
    “Do you see how joyful, how bold, even how effective Paul is in prison? Even his guards are hearing the gospel! If that’s the worst that can happen, what do I have to fear?”
    This is wild:
    Philippians 1:15 ESV
    15 Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will.
    What “envy and rivalry?”
    Envy - jealousy -
    Rivalry - quarrels and factions.
    People who wish they had Paul’s giftings, Paul’s ministry, Paul’s impact.
    Or, they have their own faction, maybe their own theology or understandings, and they are looking to gain traction, gain influence, gain power.
    I would expect Paul to DENOUNCE the ones preaching from envy and rivalry and applaud those from good will. The heart matters, right? And it does, but…
    Philippians 1:16–17 ESV
    16 The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.
    Do it out of love - of course they do.
    Here comes the denouncement of their selfish ambition. They are just trying to hurt me, shut them down!
    Philippians 1:18 ESV
    18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice,
    There that joy again!
    “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, Rejoice!” That’s coming: (Phil 4:4). I think Paul has a song, an earworm, and it is coming out over and over again in this letter to the Philippians. Rejoice!
    The second “rejoice” is Future passive indicative, future action, almost happening to him. Why “will he rejoice?”
    Philippians 1:19–20 ESV
    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.
    “through your prayer”. Is it possible that without their prayers it would not turn out for his deliverance? One way or the other? That’s the implication, isn’t it? He is confidence that they are praying, and that prayer works, and that through their prayers…
    he expects. And hopes. Christian hope is note “oh I wish I wish someday.” It is surer, more confident, closer to “eager expectation”.
    … that he won’t be ashamed.
    Honored in my body? That’s an odd phrase. Greek uses body the same way English does, could be talking about a “corpse”, could be talking about our own living body, could be an animals body.
    It isn’t “flesh”, like flesh opposed to spirit… but it is odd that he doesn’t just say “Christ will be honored in me.”
    And it is clear, he is thinking about death, like what remains, what will they find in his jail cell, or his prison house if he is not delivered physically…
    Philippians 1:21 ESV
    21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
    Let’s just take Paul seriously here, literally, like he actually believes this.
    Philippians 1:22–24 ESV
    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. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.
    This is not about suicide or wanting to die to flee this life. He is torn between good options, great options. To “be with” Christ. And he has gotten to know Jesus, following him for 15 years, met him once on the road to Damascus, served him faithfully, full of his Spirit… and he knows that to be with Christ is better than anything going on in this world.
    And perhaps it isn’t hard to be prison, even on house arrest. No TV, no Kindle, maybe a book and a letter every few months. A rare visitor.
    He is torn between being with Christ… and he doesn’t appeal to how beautiful the world is. How much life there is left to live. How there are things yet to experience, pleasures yet to be had, sunrises and sunsets, mountains to climb!!!
    I think of those things. I talk about those things with friends who are struggling with depression or even suicide. And this: people who love you. People who still need you.
    and that is where Paul’s head is. With the Philippians, for example. Disciples. And he knows God is using him in their life. So “to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.”
    Philippians 1:25 ESV
    25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith,
    That “progress in the faith” I hear again “he who began a good work in you will be faithful to repeat it.” And we hear “joy” on every page of Philippians. Progress and joy. I love it.
    Philippians 1:26 ESV
    26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.
    Now scholars debate if Paul really did get to see the Philippians again. If he wrote from prison in Ephesus, then yes, that’s in Acts 20. If he wrote from Rome… then maybe if there was another trip we don’t know much about. But it is possible things didn’t go the way Paul hoped. Really, that’s not the point.
    Paul writes to a group of people whom he loves… and who love him. And they are understandably deeply concerned for him. And rightly so. He is imprisoned by Caesar in Rome, and if this isn’t the imprisonment that leads to his death, it is coming within a few years. 5-8 years later.
    They have “good” reasons to fear. So much that they send one of their church members almost 5000 miles to visit, to check in.
    And Paul says you have nothing to fear, no need to be concerned for me, because I really am okay. In fact, there is no scenario possible in which I do not win.
    If I live, I get to visit y’all, I get to continue to watch God complete His work in you. Amazing. I am here for it. I will travel the globe… on foot by the way, to see it. He has no higher priority!
    Philippians 1:21 ESV
    21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
    And if I die. Actually, that’s my favorite option! That is Paul’s favorite option, that’s what he is saying. Not because he is depressed or in despair or sick of the pain and suffering… none of that.
    No, it’s “gain”. Profit. It’s a “win” condition.
    I will serve Christ all my day. There’s joy here. There if fruit. There is love, people I love. This is Christ. This is Anointed One, walking in the footsteps of Jesus, doing what I know He will love. Bringing him glory.
    But oh sweet day! One day I will die and THEN! Yes! That will be gain. Profit. Win!
    He doesn’t hasten the day. He is faithful AND full of joy in the life. That’s important. This isn’t the suffering drudge dragging his feet wishing for the sweet release of death. He is FULL of joy!
    And, he knows there is even better coming.
    There’s another way to interpret the “gain” of Paul’s death. The word he uses “to die” refers more to the “act” of death than the state of death or after death. So Paul also (or instead) could refer to his martyrdom and the witness, the gain to the gospel, to the glory of Christ that way. And indeed, likely 5-8 years in the future, Paul’s martyrdom is a “gain” for the gospel, a fearless and bold witness before Caesar, an encouragement and inspiration to the early church.
    I say “both and”!

    The Transformation of Saul

    First of all, this is a testimony to the truth of Jesus, the power of Christ. How does one go from:
    Acts 9:1–2 ESV
    1 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
    What ambitions does this Saul guy have? Sure, on the face of it, this is about “threats and murder against Christians.” But is that a platform for his political ambitions? Monetary gain? Even religious power and authority?
    Or, just his zeal for God, perhaps. He will earn God’s favor by being the most jealous for Him, the most zealous for Him, just the BEST Jew, the BEST Christian.
    And here is he is, actualizing his life goals.
    Same guy a decade later:
    Philippians 1:18 ESV
    18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice,
    Philippians 1:21 ESV
    21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
    Our Risen Savior changes hearts. Changes life. Saul literally saw the light, and lived the rest of his life in service to Jesus… and in joy and celebration and love… and went to his own death with eager expectation!
    Beautiful.
    And what an incredibly winning and persuasive attitude to present to his disciples. Do you think they want to know Jesus more after hearing this? Not only are the comforted and encouraged about what Paul is up to… the hunger this stirs to be like him in confidence, in courage, in Christ!

    Win-Win

    Is this mentality possible for us? Truly?
    This is the great bet of my life. And I see so many folks in this room who have put all the chips in. This life I will be a slave of Christ. A bond-servant, that’s what Paul calls him and Timothy right up there in the first verse.
    I will be a slave, a servant… that sounds bad. But actually that life will be FULL of joy, FULL of love, a front seat to watching God at work starting and continuing and completing masterpieces in the lives of men and women e’ry’day!
    And when I die? Gain. Profit. New perfect body, new earth, heaven on earth, immortality, eternity, in the glorious and intimate presence of God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
    And even in the way that I die: may it give glory to Jesus! I have seen mentors, saints, do exactly this.
    Win win!
    And in light of that bet. When viewed firmly in that frame, that has the power to transform every misery, every limitation, every fear of tomorrow AND fear of today, put in perspective.
    What a powerful and beautiful and joyful attitude. May we be so wise. May we live life like that. What’s to stop us?
    Only our own perspectives. Our own thoughts. We, each of us, our world telescopes down to the thing that we fear now. The thing that is hurting us today. And that, whatever it is… is the whole world!
    And that’s real, it is. It doesn’t mean the thing that is hurting you is small, or unimportant, or not awful and painful. It doesn’t mean that Paul isn’t in prison. It doesn’t mean that Paul isn’t going to die tomorrow.
    It means that God wins. Christ will be glorified. And to the extent that brings you joy or fulfillment, you win.
    If I lose my job tomorrow… and there are no more jobs like my job. The AI’s took my day job.
    My heart will NOT melt and become as water.
    I will, I must REJOICE! Yes I will rejoice, for Christ will be proclaimed.
    For me, to be employed is Christ. To be fired is Christ. To find the next job He has for me, or mission, or service, or slavery… it is Christ. And that is joy.
    And to die is gain in every way.
    God let us see it. Let us know it. Let us believe it. Let us live it.
    Let our mouth speak the words until our heart knows they are true.
    Give us that sure confidence
    You alone are the goal. Christ glorified is the point.
    That isn’t just religious nonsense, that is the secret of life, the good life, the abundant life, now and forever.

      • Joshua 7:5–6NIV

      • Philippians 1:12–13NIV

      • Philippians 1:14NIV

      • Philippians 1:15NIV

      • Philippians 1:16–17NIV

      • Philippians 1:18NIV

      • Philippians 1:19–20NIV

      • Philippians 1:21NIV

      • Philippians 1:22–24NIV

      • Philippians 1:25NIV

      • Philippians 1:26NIV

      • Philippians 1:21NIV

      • Acts 9:1–2NIV

      • Philippians 1:18NIV

      • Philippians 1:21NIV

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