At LBC, we want to make it easy for you to jump in and worship on Sundays. We believe a big part of this is coming to Sunday service prepared! Each week, we provide the sermon text, some discussion questions, the songs we will sing, and anything else we think you need to know to prepare your heart to worship the Lord this Sunday!
This week we have a guest preacher, Ryan Spencer! Ryan is a missionary and brother-in-law of Pastor Mike.
Ryan will preach from Philippians 1:12-21, and then will give a presentation on missions after the service!
Sermon Text:
Phil. 1:12-21
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. 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.
15 Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 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. 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, 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. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Discussion Questions:
1. How has God used Paul's discomfort, suffering, and self-sacrifice for good? (v. 12-14)
2. How is Paul's mission God centered, rather than self-centered?
3. What role does the Philippian church play in Paul's missionary work? (19)
4. What does it mean "to live is Christ, and to die is gain?" How can we adopt that same mindset in our lives?