Sermons 2026

Philippians 1:12-14,19-30 
 

“Manner of Life”

Outline
1.    Proclaiming in Chains
2.    Paul says while in the flesh it’s a “Fruitful labor”
3.    Our lives give evidence of what JC has done, “Worthy of the Gospel of Christ”

Sermon

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father, and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

My dear beloved flock, the text for our mediation is the Epistle of Saint Paul sent to the church in Phillipi the first chapter verses twelve through fourteen and nineteen through thirty.

Beloved lambs, I pray that you are well today. Do you know what I have? I have a chain. Is it light or heavy? It’s pretty heavy. Could you imagine wearing this chain all day and night. That is what Saint Paul has to do in our text. He says it is a part of his hard work for Jesus. Have you ever worked hard? Trash can be pretty heavy. Putting away dishes can be a work out. Writing out everything for your homework can cause your hands to cramp up. How does Paul work hard for Jesus while chained up? How do we work hard for Jesus in our lives today? Ponder those questions as you hear the rest of the sermon. You may go back to your seats and those who love you.

1.    Proclaiming Chains

Saint Paul is writing this letter to the church in Phillipi while he is in chains. He is chained to one of the imperial guards. The guards are an elite troop of the Roman military usually in charge of protection for the Emperor, Senators, or other officials. “They were distinguished by double pay and special privileges. Their term of service was originally twelve years, afterward increased to sixteen. On completing his term, each soldier received a little over eight hundred dollars. They all seem to have had the same rank as centurions in the regular legions. They became the most powerful body in the state; the emperors were obliged to court their favor, and each emperor on his accession was expected to bestow on them a liberal donative. ” Paul is receiving this treatment because the Jewish and Roman civil rulers are afraid that Paul’s preaching about Christ will mean revolt and a loss of power and authority for them over their subjects. Even while in chains, Paul uses the opportunity to proclaim the Gospel. He literally has a chained up, captive audience with him twenty-four seven! All of the guards, as well as those around them, are convinced that Paul is there, not because he is a criminal, but merely for professing the Gospel.

Paul rejoices, even over his chains, that he can still proclaim the Gospel and give glory to Christ, even if it should mean his eventual death. As he states, “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. ” Paul does desire to be with Jesus Christ, being with Him is better by far. Yet, he also desires to continue in the flesh. He is hard pressed between the two, leaving it in the hands of God to decide. Whether he lives or dies, Christ is glorified.  “As he surveyed the situation in which he now found himself, he was confident that no matter how it would finally turn out for him, whether he lived or died, Christ would be glorified. For Paul that was reason for joy. ”

2.    Fruitful labor

Paul rejoices in his hard work for the good of the church. Too often we do work hard in this life, but for the wrong reasons. We work hard for our own good and well-being. After all, you have lots of bills to pay, that means that you need more money for yourself. We work hard and we play hard. We spend our money and our time on the things that make us happy, that we enjoy doing. Truly, we should enjoy ourselves, but we should not lose sight of why we have been given the things that we have. We have our lives, our time, and our possessions, not so we can accumulate more for ourselves, but in order to serve our neighbors. 

Many people in the world take the opposite approach. Rather than working hard in this life, they look forward to  death as the answer to their suffering, seeking it out at all costs. They have done nothing but work hard, to no fruitful end, but to even more pain and suffering. They have tried to end their addiction to drugs or alcohol, only to go back when things get hard. They have no money for anything. They cannot keep a job. Their suffering affects not only them but also those around them. The children try to remain quiet, keep dad or mom happy, as they sleep off another drunken night, yet nothing they do is ever good enough and they get the belt again, or worse, as we have heard in the Casey Anthony trial.

What do they do, when it seems as though their lives are nothing except for constant pain and suffering? The debt never ends.  They cannot take the pain any longer . They are hurt, physically , emotionally, and mentally. They listen to the world which states There’s no way out except death.  You are too addicted. It is better to just end your life, everyone would be better off without you. We even hear this with regards to our elders. You are old, too much of a burden on society, just end your life now. They take the authority over their lives into their own hands.  They violate the fifth commandment, killing themselves or letting doctors do it for them, instead of placing their hands and lives into God’s care, trusting that everything will work out for the glory of Christ. 

As Christians we do not fear death, nor do we run towards it.  Many times we are like Paul, hard pressed between the two, and we leave the decision in the hands of God. 

While He gives us our flesh and breath, we do the hard labor He gives us to do. We care for our neighbor and their needs, of both body and soul. We meet their need by telling them that there is a way out of pain and suffering. A way found not in death but in the One who has conquered death, Jesus Christ. He works out everything, no matter how bad the situation, for His good, for His glory, and the glory of the church. 
Paul is confident that everything will turn out for his good because he knows that the church in Philippi is lifting him up in prayer. We do likewise in the prayers of the church when we pray for those who are sick or ill or have other needs. Whenever I see a fire truck, police car, or ambulance, I always say a short prayer that the Lord would protect them and guide them in caring for the people that they serve. If I do not, the kids very quickly remind me to do so. It is also one of the reasons why we have family nights so that we can meet each other’s physical as well as spiritual needs. Is this hard labor? Yes, at times, but it is also fruitful labor as we grow together in Christ.

We d this because we have been made new creatures in, and because of, Jesus Christ. In Baptism we put on Christ. We are clothed with His righteousness, won for us on the cross of Calvary. As Luther remarks, we daily drown the old Adam within us. We daily live in the knowledge that our sins are covered with Christ’s righteousness. We drew strength for our lives from Christ. Our constant desire is the same as Paul’s, to know Christ more deeply and to serve him more completely. Paul often remarks that he is a slave of Christ with no will of his own, totally submissive to his master’s will. Christ was the secret, the source, the summary of the apostle’s life. Christ filled his life with joy and enabled him to effectively communicate that joy to others. Christ does the same thing for you today in your thoughts, words, and actions.

3.    Worthy lives

This joy that we have as Christians is evident throughout our lives. As our text continues, “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ,”  Our lives manifest the faith that we have been given, and the joy that we are filled with because of Christ. He has covered our sins. He has shed His blood, redeeming our souls. Dying, He has destroyed the power of death by rising again on the third day. We have nothing to fear. If we live, it means fruitful labor, serving our neighbor and meeting their needs so that we can rejoice together over the wonderful abundance of God’s provisions. If we die, it means gain, as we will be with Christ which is far better. “At the moment of their physical death, all that will change for the better. What believers possess spiritually by faith here on earth they will have by sight in eternity. In eternal life they will see Christ face-to-face and glorify him with perfect service, adoration, and joy. As Paul saw it, death was gain, for death would bring more of him to Christ and more of Christ to him. If Christ was being glorified in the apostle’s life on earth, how much more would Christ be glorified through Paul’s perfect worship and service in eternity. 

Like Paul, we look forward with joy to this glorious day. Knowing that whether we live or die, Christ will be glorified in our bodies now and in life everlasting.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard, and keep, your hearts and minds, in Christ Jesus. Amen.