To Live Is Christ

Philippians 1:12-30  The Advance of the Gospel . . . The gospel of Christ advances most often in unexpected places during the most difficult and undesirable circumstances.  (v.12-13) ·         Those who seek to constrain the gospel end up seeing the opposite effect in the advance of the gospel.  Gospel Courage . . . There is a courage that the gospel ignites in those who are captured by and consumed with the gospel. (v.14) ·         To be captured by the gospel means that I have surrendered to who Christ is and what He has done to save a sinner like me. ·         To be consumed by the gospel means that I unashamedly speak the gospel of grace and give evidence to the effect of the gospel in my life. A Life Worthy of the Gospel of Christ . . . A life worthy of the gospel is one that courageously lives to make much of the greatness of Christ. (v.20-21) ·         We make much of the greatness of Christ by finding our soul-satisfaction in Him alone.  o   To live means I will make much of Christ.  He is worth living for and nothing else compares. (v.22) o   To die means that although I lose this life, I gain in being with Christ. (v.23)         ·         We make much of the greatness of Christ by standing firm in unity. (v.27)         ·         We make much of the greatness of Christ as we contend for the faith of the gospel and not give in to fear. (v.28-29)