Shabbat Shalom! Please turn to the book of Philippians. Philippians chapter 1 is the study today, and specifically from verse 12 to verse 26. Please follow me. But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happen unto me have fallen out, rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel, so that my bonds in Mashiach are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places. And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed preach Messiah, Christ, even of envy and strife, and some also of goodwill. The one preach Christ, Mashiach, of contention, not sincerely supposing to add affliction to my bonds, but the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the Gospel.

What then? Notwithstanding every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached, and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. According to my earnest expectation and my hope, then in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, it is the fruit of my labor.

Yet what I shall choose, I will not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart and to be with Messiah, which is far better. Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith. That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again. Today, brothers and sisters, we are going to move on in our ministry about the writings that the Apostle Paul wrote to these beloved brothers and sisters in the city of Philippi.

Now imagine, as I mentioned that before, Shaul Paul is in prison in Rome. He is writing to a local assembly, local church, that the believers there have been exposed to the gospel because he came to Philippi, the first city in Europe. And there he presented Yeshua the Messiah to many, including the Philippian jailer, including Lydia, this Jewish woman, and many others that came to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, in the Lord Jesus the Messiah. Well, now he is continuing on, and you can see Paul's suffering for the name of the Lord Jesus the Messiah and for the gospel's sake. You know, you and I must say that we don't like so much to suffer persecution.

In fact, to be persecuted for the name of Yeshua is often foreign to us. We hear about those missionaries far and wide that suffer for the name of Yeshua in many countries, in Muslim, communist countries, even among our own nation in the land of Israel. Those who believe in Yeshua the Messiah suffer for the name of Yeshua, suffer because of the sake of the gospel. But here's a man, specifically Shaul Paul, who really lived his entire life devoted for the person of the Lord as servant. And here you can see that his life was centered in the person of Yeshua the Messiah. And so you can see that he really suffered, not only by others that were without, but even from professing believers.

God had in mind that Paul will somehow arrive to Rome. In fact, even Paul himself mentioned that he is intending to go to the city of Rome. But he never knew how he is going to arrive there. He perhaps thought that he is going to arrive in a normal way, traveling by ship and arriving to the city of Rome. And then to present the person of the Lord Jesus the Messiah to the city of Rome. Why? Because Rome you have the Caesars. In Rome you have all the wise men of the world. In Rome you have all those that had power in this world. Rome was the city where the Caesar were situated.

And he gave instruction to the all then known world from the city of Rome. But Shaul Paul never knew that he is going to get to Rome in such a way. How did he get to Rome? He got to Rome. He got to Rome if you remember that in chapter 21 of the book of Acts. Many in which have arrived to Rome is by being captured in the city of Jerusalem. In the very temple that he have gone to share God's word. And there you remember the Jewish leaders of Israel told everyone else here is this man that is causing all sort of havoc around the nations of the world.

And here is this Jewish man that have caused so much problems in the name of Jesus the Messiah. So they captured him. They took him to Antonia's fortress. And then from there they began to travel all the way to the city of Rome. On the way he stopped in Caesarea. He was there for two years in prison. Until finally he arrived to Rome after a shipwreck in Acts chapter 27. And when he arrived to Rome they placed him in a separate home. There they held him until he is going to meet Caesar. And while he is sitting there he is writing the book of Ephesians. He is writing the book of Philippians.

He is writing the book of Colossians. And he is writing the book of Philemon. He is writing letters to the local assemblies in various areas. And here I want you to notice that in verses 12, 13 and 14 of Philippians chapter 1. We find his imprisonment. Here we find out. Notice what it says in verse 12. The apostle is now writing and he is saying to the brothers and sisters in Philippi. But I would that ye would understand. Philippian brothers and sisters. Brethren. That the things that befallen unto me. Which happen unto me. Have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel. He is saying to them. Brothers and sisters.

I am here at Rome in prison. And it seemed to be that I am really bound there. And the gospel cannot grow because I am in prison. And he is saying to them. I want you to understand that God in his wisdom. Allow me to be in prison. And even through this experience of being in jail. In prison. The gospel is spreading. The word of God is spreading. You know sometimes we think that when we are limited with certain areas. And maybe even in health. And sometimes financially. And sometimes because of problems that we have in our lives. Maybe job situation. And all sorts of problems that we have in our life.

We think that oh the gospel cannot grow. Because I am limited. Limited in time. In finances. In abilities. Because I am now unable to do so. If I would have been freer. And if I had more means. The gospel could have spread further and further and further. And the apostle Paul says no brothers and sisters. Whatever happened to me. All the things which happened unto me. In other words. This being in prison in Rome. Have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel. The gospel moved forward. And the things that happened to me. Only brought about additional opportunity. For the preaching of the gospel.

You remember the verse that we all often time quote. In Romans 8 and verse 28. For we know that all things work together for good. To them that love God. To them who are the called according to his purpose. Well God purposed. That Shaul Paul will go to Rome. Being captured in Jerusalem. Take him to Caesarea. Ultimately to Rome. Being there in prison. And yet God intended that the message of the gospel. Will go further and further. Even through this experience. In the apostle Paul's life. And just let me remind you. What is the gospel? In Hebrew we call it Besorah. The Besorah. The gospel. Is that the Messiah died.

For our sins. According to the scripture. And that he was buried. And that he rose again on the third day. This is the gospel. So Paul is saying. I wanted so much to share this gospel. With the people of Rome. That even though I'm in prison. Whatever happened unto me. Happened. Actually fallen rather to the furtherance. Of the message of the gospel. Is being proclaimed. And now notice what he does. Here in verse 13. He says. Look. The imprisonment. Of Paul. Reached. Even to the palace of Caesar. You see. If Paul. Would not have been captured. And requesting. From the leaders at that time. In Caesarea.

To stand before Caesar. He would not have been in that area. Right now. And here we find him now. He's preparing himself. For the court session. Where he's going to stand before Caesar. And so in verse 13. He says. So that my bonds. Philippians 1 verse 13. My bonds in the Messiah. Are manifest in all the palace. And in all other places. Now imagine. He was in Rome. Tied by two chains. To a Roman soldier. Roman soldiers. And every few hours. Every six hours. Another soldier. Was bound to him. Was chained to him. And so he will not run away. What you can think. He's going to do.

He's sharing the gospel. He's telling this soldier. Hey listen. Do you know. I want to tell you about the Mashiach. The promised Messiah of Israel. That he's now a savior of all sinners. Among the people of the world. Look. I want to tell you about him. And the person could not get away. Because he had to be six hours bound to him. And then he changed. He says. Listen. This guy. Something is wrong with him. For six hours. He was just talking to me about this. Men by the name of Jesus. The next one coming. He beginning with him as well. And then he goes.

The third one coming. And the fourth one coming. 24 hours. He was chained to soldiers. And they went to the palace. And they were sharing this with others. And in the meanwhile. It didn't take too long. When they were talking about these men. This Jewish Hebrew Israeli man. Who is in bonds. And now he's sharing the gospel. And in all the palace. All Caesar's court. Everyone heard about. The person of our Lord Jesus. Yeshua the Messiah. If you turn to Philippians chapter 4. And verse 22. For a moment. And he says. All the saints salute you chiefly. They that are in Caesar's household. Now how is it possible?

In Caesar's household. There are some of them. Who became believers in the Lord Jesus. The Messiah. And they now. Greeting. The Philippian brothers and sisters. Well how they became believers. He shared the gospel. And you know. There is a great lesson for us here. When you sometimes. Discourage. And you wonder. Well how can I be used by the Lord? How can I share the gospel? You don't need to wait. To stand behind the pulpit. Or to stand somewhere in a public place. Or to preach it on the radio. Or on the television. You can do it at your own area. At home. At school. At play.

At play. Whenever situation. When we meet people in our life. Every day of our life. We can talk to people about. The person of our Lord. Yeshua. The Messiah. That's what Paul did. When he was here. In prison. The imprisonment of Paul. Reached beyond him. Even to the palace of Caesar. The gospel was moving forward. God is intending for the message of the gospel. To go forward. And you and I. Two thousand years later. Benefited. For the ministry that Paul. Have done. Some many many years ago. Well you notice now. In verse 14. This imprisonment. The imprisonment. Of Shaul Paul. In the city of Rome. Not only that.

The gospel was spreading. Because he did so. But look what happened. In verse 14. Other brothers. Became more bold. In sharing the gospel. It says in verse 14. Many of the brethren. In the Lord. Waxing confident. By my bonds. Are much more bold. To speak the word. Without fear. Without fear. So. Him being in prison. Sharing the word of God. With everybody. That was around him. Only encouraged. Other believers. To say. Well. If Paul can do so. When he is in prison. Why cannot I do so. When I am free. And I am at liberty. And I can move from place to place. I am going to share.

The message. Of the gospel. You know. Brothers and sisters. Often times. We don't share the word of God. Because we are afraid. Of consequences. Sometimes. We feel like. Boy. What is going to happen. If I am going to tell people. That I am a believer. In Jesus. In Yeshua. I am going to lose my friend. Lose my family. I am going to lose. A relationship at work. They would not like me anymore. What shall I do. Should I share. Or should I not share. And we have to admit. That at the time. We have this. Natural fear. Not to share the message. Of the gospel.

But Shaul Paul. Is encouraging the Philippians. He says. Brothers and sisters. Of the city of Philippi. Listen. I am telling you. That even. Though. I am in prison. Because. I believe. That Yeshua. Jesus. Is the Messiah. I am telling you. The gospel. Is continue on. And it is like. A snowball. When you share a word. And it is rolling. And it is rolling. And it is rolling. Others hear about it. And the spirit of God. Working in the hearts. Of individuals. And leading people. To the knowledge of the Savior. You know. Sometimes we sing. It only takes a spark. To get a fire going. We only need.

To have this spark. In the power of the spirit of God. To share the message. And then others will come. Romans chapter 10. Verse 17. Says. Faith. Cometh by hearing. And hearing. By the word of God. And so brothers. And sisters. Let us share. The message of the gospel. Because God is able. To lead people. To the knowledge. Of the Savior. But here. He continues. And this is rather said. Because in verses 15, 16, and 17. You find out. That Paul. Had those who opposed him. Who actually gave him a hard time. Who grieved him. Those who wanted to. You might say. Adding to his affliction. Adding to his trials.

And problems that he had. And those are professing Christians. Professing believers. He says. In verses 15, 16, and 17. He is speaking. About some. Who preach the message. But they don't preach it. Out of sincere love. For the Lord. Look at this. It says. In verse 15. Some. Indeed. Preach. Christ. Even of envy. And strife. And some. Also. Of goodwill. The one. Preach. The Messiah. Of contention. Not sincerely. Supposing. To add. Affliction. To my bonds. But the other. Of love. Knowing. That I. Am. Set. For the defense. Of the gospel. Now this is rather sad. Beloved brothers and sisters. And you know. We learn here. Why. Even those who are.

Bible teachers. And spiritual leaders. There are so many. Conflicts. That existing. Even among the people of God. Believers. We have accepted. The Lord. Into our lives. We have realized. What he have done. For us. But we still. Haven't subjected. This sin nature. That we have. We haven't. Really. Mortify it. Put it to death. To put it. Where it belongs. When pride. Rises. And ego. Is rising. Then all of a sudden. We are not satisfied. With what the Lord. Have done for us. And we want to take. Prominent. We are all of a sudden. Want to glorify ourselves. We are pushing. Our way through. And look what happened.

Here we have. Some. Who preach. The Messiah. But they did it. Out of envy. And out of strife. In other words. They envied. The position. That God had given. To Shaul Paul. And they were not satisfied. With the place. That God had given. To them. In the body. Of Messiah. And because of this. They were preaching. Seeking. To gain. Disciples. After them. And by doing so. They are actually. Harming. The work of the Lord. And we sometimes. Don't realize. That for us. As believers. How important. Not. To preach. The Messiah. Envying one another. Or envying. Somebody else's. Ministry. Or somebody else's work. Turn to James.

James. Chapter three. And verse. Sixteen. Yaakov. Wrote this. To the brothers. And sisters. In the ministry. That he had. He said to them. For where. Envying. And strife. Is. There is. Confusion. And. Every. Evil. Work. You see. Brothers. And sisters. Wherever. There is. Envy. Wherever. There is. Strife. There is. Illusion. And there is. Evil work. It doesn't. Benefit. The people. Of God. It doesn't. Help. The ministry. Of. The gospel. It doesn't. Honor. The Lord. Is. Is. Is. That. Every. One. Of. Every. Servant. Of. The Lord. Have. To. Actually. Ask. Himself. Am. I. Doing. It. For. My. Glory. Am. My. Motive. Is. To. Glorify. The Lord.

Jesus. The Messiah. To. Set. Him. Before. The flock. The people. Of. And. There. Was. Strife. Some. Preached. The Messiah. Even. Out. Of. Strife. Turn. To. Proverbs. Chapter. 14. And. 30. King. He. That. Is. Of. Great. Understanding. But. He. That. Is. A. Sound. Heart. Is. The. Of. The. Flesh. But. Envy. The. Rotten. Of. The. In. In. Hebrew. We. Say. The. Terrible. Thing. Beloved. Brothers. And. Sisters. It. Was. Cain. Who. Killed. His. Brother. Abel. Hevel. Because. He. Was. Jealous. And. Envious. Over. What. He. Was. Received. By. The. Lord. And. Envy. Causes. Strife. Among. The. People. Of. God. And. Apostle. Paul. Was. Saying. While. He. Is. In. Prison. Other. People.

Out.

for the lord and love for the gospel and love for souls but it was done out of envy and yet it is something that was extremely harming the presentation of the gospel and the growth of the people of god then he continued notice and i'm going to jump over 15b because i'm going to remark about this again but in verse 16 he says the one preached the messiah preached christ verse 16 of contention not sincerely supposing to add affliction to my bonds now imagine here is this man sitting in prison in rome and others are preaching the person of the messiah christ but out of contention not really sincerely and listen to the second half

of verse 16 supposing to add affliction to my bonds in other words when they were preaching the message people were following after them and they're probably saying who is this paul what's so special about paul oh no he's just another man you know let's not listen to what he has to say listen to what i have to say and by doing so they were supposing to add affliction to the apostle paul and even if the fact that he was in prison for the sake of the gospel it is a terrible thing when you really think about that how it is so easy to put somebody else down and to elevate oneself it's so easy for

us you see peter said humble yourself under the mighty hand of god and he will exalt you in due time god resists the proud but give grace unto the humble and here what we see there are those who are preaching the person of the lord the messiah but they were doing it out of contention not sincerely supposing to add affliction to the apostle paul who was already afflicted in prison it tells us that this old nature as long that we are alive it's still active and the only way to help us not to allow this sin nature to be active is by looking to the lord by asking for the lord to help us to

mortify the way we speak the way we say things and how we say things we all need the lord's help in this and paul shaul experienced this in his life the word contention is putting oneself forward it's actually a very strong word in hebrew it's called rive to fight to argue and in greek is e-r-i-t-h-b-i-a erithia which simply means to contend to be always fighting and arguing and here the apostle paul pointing to those that have done so you know brothers and sisters i'm thinking there were various men in old testament time who sought just to glorify the lord and they didn't want to go through contention that they were willing to give everything just

so there will be no fighting among the people of god i'm going to read about them in a moment but then you notice in verse 15b now i'm going back to 15b and then to verse 17 he's speaking about others and praise god for the others because according to verse 15b some also out of good will and then verse 17 those others out of love knowing that i am set for the defense of the gospel brothers and sisters in philippi that this group that preached the messiah not sincerely out of contention out of strife and envy but they are the others and they preaching the person of the messiah out of good will they are

preaching the person of the messiah out of love for the lord and love for the message of the gospel and love for mankind and this is so beautiful to see when we share the gospel not in order to get disciples after us or not in order to afflict someone else but to share the message of the gospel for the benefit of people who will hear the message come to faith in the messiah and acknowledge him as the lord and as their savior and so he's looking at the negative but he brings us back into the positive the others preach the messiah out of love and out of good will why do we preach the message

of the messiah because we are to love mankind that men need to hear that message we are to love the lord and to serve the lord that's the only reason that we preach the message of the gospel and so beautiful to see that even though the apostle paul was in prison he had opposers those who oppose him but there were those who were preaching the gospel in sincerity and in truth now from verse 18 to verse 21 now paul reaction to those who oppose him you know it's so easily for us to react if somebody preached a message in order to cause affliction to the apostle paul he could react in a very aggressive way

and to have his opinion and yet notice what he does and so precious to see the servant of the lord here verse 18 and 19 he's so thankful that the messiah that christ is being presented and that's why he says what then verse 18 nevertheless or notwithstanding he says in every way is that whether in pretense or in truth christ is preached and either in do rejoice yeah and i will rejoice you look at the reaction of that pastor paul what he cared for that even though they thought out of envy and strife they were preaching the message of the gospel paul is saying that's fine as far as i'm concerned as long that the

lord jesus the messiah is being preached for him it was valuable the messiah is preached and he is glorified it doesn't matter how it will affect paul nevertheless the gospel is being preached and notice in verse 19 for i know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer and the supply of the spirit of jesus the messiah in other words even though i'm going through these experiences i'm assuring you that that will ultimately turn about to my salvation he doesn't mean eternal salvation here but he means that he will be delivered out from the prison ultimately and he will continue eventually to share the message of the gospel and so brothers and sisters

there is a lesson for us here from the attitude of the apostle paul what do we learn two things i want to highlight here in verses 18 and 19 the first thing is do not seek to be the greatest among the people of god turn to luke 22 the disciples were together there in chapter 22 and notice what it says there in anticipation of the suffering of the lord on the tree when he is going to die the disciples in chapter 22 and verse 24 look what it says and there was there was also a strife among them this is among the disciples which of them should be accounted to be the greatest now the

lord is sitting with them in the upper room he is anticipating to go to the tree to go to the cross to become the redeeming of mankind he is anticipating to suffer the suffering such as he have never no one ever suffered before to bear the sin of this world in his body on the cross on the tree and what the disciples do they are discussing among themselves they strife among themselves which of them should be the greatest can you imagine they took the time to have this discussion who of them is going to be the greatest disciple of the lord the messiah terrible to think about it terrible to think about it and sometimes

when we see it in ourselves seeking to be prominent seeking to force one way forward we have to realize wait a minute is it something that i'm doing because i'm pushing my way into it or is it something that the lord placed me in a place of leadership perhaps or in a prominent place you might say no one need to force himself it is the lord is the one that place one in a position such as this but secondly we learn from verse 18 and 19 the importance of not being proud you know pride come before a fall pride only lead to destruction pride of our hearts is not something that the lord is pleased

with we can read in proverbs 13 and in james chapter 4 that god resists the proud but he gives grace unto the humble james chapter 4 and verse 6 first peter 5 verses 5 and 6 also point to the fact that god is the one in due time will exalt the humble the one who humbles himself and so the apostle paul is saying the important thing is that the messiah is preached and i rejoice he said even though they do so out of envy out of strife out of seeking to inflict upon me more affliction even if i'm in prison he says i rejoice i'm thankful because the lord jesus the messiah is being presented

to the world around so now we continue on and if he write to them and he's saying according notice that verse 20 and verse 21 we can see the objective paul's objective was not to to compete with anyone he doesn't want to compete with anyone but he wanted that yeshua will be magnified he wanted the lord jesus the messiah will be magnified and that's why he said according to my earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing i shall be ashamed but that with all boldness as always so now christ the messiah shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or whether it be by death the important thing for the apostle

paul is was the exaltation of the lord yeshua the messiah and paul really remind us you see again to remind you he did not have any new testament writing in his hands he only had the tanakh and perhaps he was reading the the biblical accounting of the history of our forefathers you remember for example in the life of abraham he took with him lot and there was a strife among the people of lot and the people of abraham and abraham said to lot listen let's not fight we are brethren if you're going to go to the right i'm going to go to the left if you're going to go to the left i'm going to

go to the right just choose whatever you want i don't want to argue with you i don't want to fight with you wonderful lesson what about moshe moses when moses was leading our people israel his own sister miriam and his own brother came rose up against him and they say to moses who made you who gave you are you the only one that's going to lead the nation of israel and you remember god heard it and god stroke miriam with leprosy and yet eron his brother came to him he says pray for her that she will not be judged like this by god and moses instead of saying ah she deserved that you know what

he said he went to the lord and he cried on behalf of his own sister what a beautiful example and the bible says in that very chapter in numbers chapter 12 that moses was the meekest man on earth what an example he was the leader the lawgiver the lawgiver and yet he was a humble man what about david malkeinu david the king when david had an opportunity to take the kingdom from king shaul who pursue after him then david had to run and hide himself in caves we read in the scripture in first samuel chapter 24 he could have taken the life of shaul and you remember he cut a little part of his skirt

and he says to him here i could have taken your life away but i didn't i did not force my way to become the king even though god have anointed him already to become the king of our nation israel what a lesson to learn beloved brothers and sisters from avraham from moshe from david and from shaul paul here in this chapter he was ready to exalt the lord jesus the messiah instead of forcing his way and trying to justify himself and so verse 20 the important the object of shaul paul that is the messiah will be magnified you see the only way that men can be satisfied in our own souls is when the lord

jesus the messiah is exalted and presented before us all the conflict all the parties all the fighting and the envings never help the people of god it's only discourage them and the flock is scattered in numbers chapter 27 even moses before he was going to go on mount nebo to die there he beseeched god that he will raise a shepherd among the people of israel to lead our people to the promised land what a lesson we can learn from these men of god and women of god the godly women like devora who was judging among the people of israel seeking the glory of the god of israel and like many godly women in the church

age in which we live in today who have been faithful to present the lord and not themselves here is the apostle paul what a great example we see and sometime brothers and sisters what causes us to elevate ourselves and not to be humble to be humble before the lord is because our affection for the lord have been set aside when our love for the lord is not on an ongoing basis we begin to pride ourselves because our place and our position and the name that we made for ourselves even we can do god's work without affection and love for the lord we become like robots let me read you a verse in revelation chapter 2

the glorified messiah writing the letter to the church of the ephesians and he's saying to them in verse 1 and to the angel of the church of ephesus ephesus writes these things says he that holds the seven stars in his right hand and he walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands i know your works you see they were doing a lot of good works i know your labor they were working hard i know your patience they must have been patient with all kind of situation that exists and he said i know that you cannot bear them which are evil and you has tried them which say that they are apostles and are not

and has found them liars you stood for the truth but then notice what he says in verse 3 and 4 you have borne been patient for my name's sake and you have labored and has not fainted nevertheless verse 4 i have somewhat against you because you have left your first love you see the ephesians church the assembly at ephesus were very ongoing motivated local church local assembly they were serving they were working they had all kind of activity but something was missing there and they have left the first love that they had for our lord yeshua the messiah and that is something that is so dangerous you see here those brethren apparently they were preaching

the messiah preach the gospel they were doing many good things for the name of the messiah but underneath there was a motive that was not right and they were supposing to add affliction to the bonds to the fact that apostle paul was in prison and then what the lord said to the church of ephesus i have something against you you have left not you have lost but you have left you can come back but you have left your first love and that's the danger that has happened in the ministry and you and i are in the same danger our love for the lord can grow cold we can go through the routine go to meeting

read my bible do some church activity or congregation or assembly activity but yet our hearts are often not there and pride rises and there is conflict and there is all sort of envy and strife and then contention among the people of god which ultimately does not help for spiritual growth and we need to watch that in our very own heart in our very own conscience may the lord help us with this and so now verse 21 and now notice the entire motive of the life of the apostle paul he says this very interesting statement for me to live is christ and to die is gain ha-mashiach hu-chayai he said here my whole life is the

messiah the person of our lord jesus this is the motive this is why i do what i do because the messiah is my life in galatians 2 in verse 20 the apostle paul said the life that i now live i live by the faith of the son of god who loved me and who gave himself for me let us never forget beloved brothers and sisters wherever we are never forget the love of the lord jesus the messiah for us remember if we're going to lose everything here in this world one thing we will never lose is our eternal salvation because of what yeshua have done for us we might lose friends we might lose family

members we might lose people that object to our faith in the messiah and if those kind of people who oppose us because we believe in the redeemer well who need these kind of friends in our lives because the lord yeshua said if any man loved mothers and fathers more than me he is not worthy of me the lord jesus wants us to set our affection upon him to realize the price that he paid and you notice he says for me to live is the messiah but he doesn't stop there because in the second half of verse 21 he said and to die is gain what does he mean but to die is gain well you

know what's going to happen for a person that have died a believer and have gone to be with the lord do you know brothers and sisters according to the bible according to the word of god when we are going to be absent from the body present with the lord we are never going to suffer anymore you will never have those who object to your faith in the messiah we will never sin anymore revelation chapter 21 in verse 22 we are going to go into the land of no more it says here and god shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death no more sorrow no more crying no

more pain chapter 22 he continued to build upon this and there he is telling us we are going to see his face there will be no more night we are going to be in the land of no more it is far better that is why Paul is saying in Philippians chapter 1 verse 21 for me to live now is the messiah is christ but if I die it is only a gain you know death become a servant death become a servant to the believer to assure us from absent from the body and present with Yeshua the messiah never anymore to suffer the pain the sorrow the trials that we experience we are groaning here in

this world according to Romans chapter 8 but there is a day coming where we will groan no more but now verse 22 to verse 26 Paul preference in service look what he preferred the apostle Paul and here he is writing from the prison from jail and he says in verse 22 he didn't know what to choose what to do he says in verse 22 but if I live in the body that is in the flesh this is the fruit of my labor yet what I shall choose I do not know in other words he said if I live and I continue to live here in the body in the flesh on the one hand he

wanted to remain here on the other hand he wanted to be with Yeshua the messiah what to choose what is better well he continue in verse 23 and verse 24 he was torn between those two things in verse 23 desiring to be with the messiah in verse 24 remaining here alive with the believers you see what to do and so you notice it says in verse 23 he says for I am in a straight I am torn I am in a difficulty between the two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ with the messiah which is far better nevertheless to abide in the body in the flesh it is more needful for

you I don't know what to do he is saying really I want to go to be with Yeshua with my messiah the one who loved me and gave himself for me it is far better you know sometimes when we go to a funeral service of a believer naturally speaking because we are here in the body we are here in this world we think oh you know oh boy you know it is so sad that he or she passed away but according to the bible according to God's word to be in the presence of the Lord is far better not according to our feelings but according to God's instruction in the word of God it is

far better it is far greater to be with the Lord where we can look upon his face never anymore to have this sin nature to trouble us with this body we have committed all sort of sins with this body we have hurt so many people with our mouth and with our ears and with our eyes and with our thoughts and where we went and what we did we have sinned so much with this body of ours and the old sinful nature that we have man loves darkness rather than light the bible teaches us in John chapter 3 so to be with the Lord means that we are going to cease from harming ourselves and others

and the Lord but Paul continues and he says here in verse 24 even though it is far better to be with Yeshua the Messiah he says to have nevertheless to abide in the flesh he meant in the body here he said it is far more it is needful for you Philippians if I am still remaining here alive I can minister unto you dear brothers and sisters of the Philippians and then he continued in verse 25 and 26 Paul had confidence that he will remain still alive to minister to the Lord and so we read and having this confidence I know that I shall abide and continue with you for your furtherance and joy of faith

I have confidence that I will remain alive so I will help you to grow spiritually for your furtherance so you will go further in your life for the Lord and for your joy of faith and finally he concludes in verse 26 he wanted that the brethren will rejoice abundantly in the person of Yeshua the Messiah and he says that your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus the Messiah for me by my coming to you again notice he was anticipating to go again to the Philippians even though he was in prison now he had established the local assembly earlier in chapter 16 of Acts he had visited them at least once later on but now

he is in prison he hopes to go to meet them again and to be with them so they will grow spiritually and have joy of faith in their life and so beloved brothers and sisters Paul suffered for the name of the gospel for the name of the Lord Jesus the Messiah sake and so others supposed to inflict upon him sorrows yet he have allowed this to happen and committed himself to the Lord and became a great example of the person of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah and so we thank the Lord for this portion and we trust that the Lord will help us to learn from the Apostle Paul and when you go through trials

ask yourself the question Lord what do you teach me we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the cold according to God's purpose