Philippians 1:18b – 26 Living and Dying for Christ

You have heard that there are three types of people, optimists, pessimists and realists.
Paul, because of the truths of the gospel and his priorities blows these categories out of the
water. Because of God’s work in the gospel we are now more than conquerors through
Christ; God is able to work good from bad; we are now able to rejoice in our sufferings;
death which is supposed to be the greatest defeat is turned into Christ into our greatest
victory, and much more. Paul, we have seen is full of rejoicing. We have seen his gospel-
centered rejoicing as we have seen him rejoicing in prison because people are hearing the
gospel; because Christians are emboldened to preach; and despite some doing it from bad
motives, the word of Christ is getting out there. Paul’s impervious joy continues in our
section, v18b, ‘Yes, and I will rejoice.’ Paul turns his attention from helping the Philippians
see how God is using his imprisonment for His glory to Paul’s perspective on his future and
his views on life and death. A fear of the future; a fear of missing out on life; a fear of
death, these fears often grip us but because of the gospel and Paul’s priorities we are going
to see how gospel equips us to face these fears with joy.