Paul's Perspective on Suffering

from verse 12 through to verse 26. So we're in Philippians chapter 1, we're starting in verse 12 and we're reading through to verse 26.

Philippians 1 · chapter mention

And just as you're turning that up, just to reinforce what Connor was saying,

we do have a busy week this week in the life of our churches and I do encourage you to come along to Summer Bible Week

and just a little bit more detail, a Summer Bible Week in the mornings, it's in Middleton in a new venue.

It's now in the My Place community building, which is, if you know Middleton, it's right in the middle of town

where the big oval roundabout is, opposite the Super Value entrance. And as you come, if you use the public car park,

which is just parallel with the oval, it's the tree-lined car park, you'll see it. And if you park there and come over for 10 o'clock,

it'll be lovely to see you there. And then in the evening, it's in Court Baptist.

And then just to say again, just to remind you of this, revision event. Revision, making the church your lifetime career,

no matter what your job is. So the purpose of that evening is not just for people who are thinking of going into full-time ministry,

but how all of us minister throughout our lives in the context of the local church, as followers of Jesus,

no matter what we do. So I encourage you to consider coming along to that, anyone from 16 and up, on Friday, at Joy's.

But let's just read Philippians chapter 1 and we'll read from verse 12.

Philippians 1 · chapter mention

Paul writes,

Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.

As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.

And because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God

more courageously and fearlessly.

It's true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.

The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defence of the gospel.

And the former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely,

supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.

But what does it matter?

The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true,

Christ is preached.

And because of this, I rejoice.

Yes, and I'll continue to rejoice,

for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.

I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed,

but will have sufficient courage so that now, as always,

Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

If I'm to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labour for me.

Yet, what shall I choose? I don't know.

I'm torn between the two.

I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far,

but it's more necessary for you that I remain in the body.

Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and will continue with all of you

for your progress and joy in the faith,

so that through my being with you again,

your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.

May God bless reading of his word this morning.

What I want us to think about, as you keep your Bibles open,

I don't have any visual aids or anything like that on the PowerPoint,

so maybe that's maybe a bit more demanding this morning if you're used to them,

but just keep looking in the scriptures and we'll be fine.

That will drive us through.

We're going to just look through this passage bit by bit this morning.

But what we want to think about is Paul's perspective on suffering.

Alex and Connor have already referred to this reality of suffering in all life,

in all human existence in this world,

and we want to think about Paul's perspective as a believer on this reality of suffering.

The man who drove me around Ethiopia about 10 years ago,

when I went over with SIM,

we just did a couple of weeks of teaching there amongst the Sudanese,

who were over the border and who were there in Ethiopia because of the war in Sudan,

and we did a two-week talk there.

The guy who drove me around saw his dad taken away by the authorities when he was six.

His dad was a pastor,

and he described to me, actually through tears as he was driving,

that he didn't see his father for two years from the ages of six to eight.

And it was simply because his father was a man who preached Christ.

And that was an affront to the regime in Ethiopia at that time,

and so he suffered.

I don't know if you heard in the news this week,

but there are now proposed anti-terror laws in Russia,

which we hear about a lot, especially in the UK and other parts,

this anti-terror legislation.

Well, Russia is introducing anti-terror laws,

which will come into effect on the 20th of July,

unless Putin can be persuaded otherwise.

And part of his anti-terror legislation in Russia

will be to prohibit any activity

designed to recruit people into a religious group.

That means that from the 20th of July,

if you are sharing your faith as a Christian in Russia,

unless it is in an official church building,

you are breaking the law,

and you will be subject to the punishment of the law.

It means that you cannot invite people to religious events.

It means that you cannot hold meetings,

as so many of the evangelical churches do,

in people's homes anymore.

It is against the law.

Evangelicals in Russia are preparing themselves

for persecution again by the state.

So it does raise the question,

as we can never assume that that won't happen in Ireland

at some point as well,

is it worth it

to come to know Jesus personally,

to begin to talk publicly

about what you know to be true in your heart,

and then not only to end up maybe unpopular

amongst your peers,

but maybe end up imprisoned,

cut off from family,

friends, and society,

all because of a public faith in Jesus.

Surely this is going to break our faith,

if it happens to little old us.

Surely we are going to be crushed,

and we will ask that repeated question perhaps,

why did I become a Christian anyway?

Maybe this morning as you come in here,

you are carrying, even now,

some personal weight of suffering

that is connected to your faith,

as well as suffering that is just connected to being human.

Well, Paul gives us a perspective on our suffering

in this passage.

It shows how a person

who is alive in Christ,

despite terrible consequences

for confessing Jesus as Lord,

can understand the suffering

they may be under.

Indeed, what we find in this letter

is that Paul expresses

consistently joy,

even as a man

who is sitting in chains

because of his faith.

And so Philippians gives us

reasons why Paul

and why we

can even be joyful

as we face,

like Paul did

in this letter,

also,

sorrow upon sorrow,

he writes.

Because he was struggling

as a prisoner,

and yet he was full of joy.

How could that be?

How can he be like that

as he suffers?

Paul is in prison.

It's around AD 61.

And the reason for the letter

very possibly rests

on the shoulders

of the messenger

from the Philippian church

who brings this letter back

to the Philippian church.

That is Epaphroditus,

the elder,

who comes

and brings a gift

to Paul

as the Philippians

hear that

he is in prison

for the gospel.

So it's very possibly

motivated

as a letter

of thanks,

a thank you letter

to the Philippian church.

But as a pastor,

Paul can't help

but shepherd

the people

that he's writing to.

And so from prison,

he encourages the church

to continue

in Christian unity

and love

following the example

of Christ's humility.

we get that very famous

passage in verses 5 to 11

which is possibly

the quote of an ancient hymn

in chapter 2.

But what we see

in Philippians

is that Paul knew

these people very well

that he writes to.

And so as well as

visiting this church

which is right on the top

of the Aegean Sea

between Turkey

and Greece

right at the top

on the coast,

this is where Philippi is.

We read about it

actually in the beginning

of Acts 16

or throughout Acts 16

we get an account

by Luke

of how Paul

was involved

in the planting

of that church

and how the Lord

established the church

there.

But what we see

is

throughout this letter

is this key theme

of joy.

The word is found

16 times

throughout the letter.

There's other words

as well like

fellowship

and partnership

and gospel

that are repeated

all the way.

But in all of this joy

we have no doubt

that even as this letter

is being penned

Paul is suffering.

He's languishing

in prison.

He was attacked

by those who opposed

his message about Jesus

whilst he was in prison.

We know in other parts

of the New Testament

that he was beaten

he was imprisoned

he was shipwrecked

throughout his ministry

all because of this

grand motivation

of his

to communicate

the gospel

of the Lord Jesus.

And yet we read

of a man

who had

the capacity

to look beyond

this very real

suffering

in his life.

His focus

did not rest

on the pain

that comes

from being a Christian

and a witness

to the gospel.

He was looking

beyond it.

He was looking

beyond his

difficult circumstances.

And so

what does Paul

tell us

about his

understanding

of his

very real

suffering?

Let's just go

through the text.

First of all

verses 12 to 14.

Remember the heading

for this sermon

this morning

is Paul's

perspective

on suffering.

And the first thing

we see is

he explains

to the Philippians

in verses

12 to 14

that his

suffering

was firstly

advancing

the gospel.

Paul could

see

that his

difficult

circumstances

meant

that Jesus

was being

discussed

and gossiped

about

when if Paul

hadn't been

in prison

that wouldn't

have happened.

Look at

verse 12.

I want you

to know

brothers

that what

has happened

to me

has really

served to

advance the

gospel.

You see

the good

news

to all

people

that everyone

needs to hear

the truth

concerning

people

and the truth

concerning

God

as revealed

through his

son

Paul was

passionate

about that

good news.

So much

so

that it

relieved

his pain

as he

remained

locked up

to know

that the

gospel was

being advanced

even through

his circumstance

that he was

in.

And wherever

he was

we don't

know exactly

he was either

on the coast

in Caesarea

Philippi

or he may

have been

at Rome

and we're

not sure

or even

Ephesus

in prison.

But what we

know is

that he

is delighted

to know

that the

local

Roman

guard

around

that prison

and everyone

around it

knew that

Paul was

in prison

in front

of them

there

because of

what he

said about

Jesus.

Jesus

was being

proclaimed

as alive

and glorified

by Paul.

The one

that Jerusalem

wanted dead

was alive

and would

save people

from their

sins

right in

that circumstance

where Paul

was imprisoned.

And Paul

found that

a source

of joy

in his

suffering

that some

more people

had the

opportunity

to hear

the good

news

of Jesus

Christ.

That's

massive

isn't it?

As I

contemplated

this again

recently

this week

there's a

whole

revolution

going on

in Paul's

psyche

as it

must in

all of

our

psyches

as

Christians.

He's not

saying

what about

me?

There's a

selflessness

here in

Paul

just in

verses 12

to 14

there's a

kindness

for people

there's a

humility

where Paul

is no

longer at

the center

of Paul

Christ

is.

The good

news

is.

The gospel

is.

Paul no

longer

worships

himself.

He

worships

the living

Jesus.

And that's

why he can

say in

verse 12

guess what

guys?

what's

happened to

me?

It's

advancing

the

gospel.

Isn't

that amazing?

Look at

verse 14.

Because of

my chains

most of

the brothers

in the

Lord have

been

encouraged

to speak

the word

of God

more

courageously

and more

fearlessly.

You see

Paul's

present

pain

was also

doing

something

else.

Not only

was it

advancing

the gospel

but it

was also

how it

was happening

was it

was opening

up the

message of

the gospel

in this

very specific

way.

In this

bad situation

Paul

was encouraging

those younger

in the faith

to speak up

not by him

telling them

but by them

hearing of

his situation.

His example

was an

inspiration

to those

who partnered

with him

in the

gospel.

There was

a fearlessness

to witness

to the

living

Christ.

And we

can become

more confident

in the gospel

fearless

dare I say

especially

as we're

inspired by

those who

have gone

before us.

And how

can we be

inspired by

those who

have gone

before us?

Well we read

about the

apostles,

we read

about Paul

as we

get into

the word,

as we

get into

the example

of Paul's

life.

That can

be an

inspiration

for us

to be

fearless

Christians

today.

But also

as we

look around

us in

the church

and we

hear

accounts

of people

witnessing

to Christ.

Maybe even

at cost,

great cost,

within a

family that

is opposed

to the

gospel and

yet there

is one

light,

there is

one Christian

there in

that family.

It can be

an encouragement

to us,

can't it?

And in

our day

and our

age,

we need

Christians

to inspire

us to

continue on

in our

witness.

Verse 14,

it reminds

us,

doesn't it,

that we

need good

examples of

evangelists,

people who

are willing

to speak

up for

Christ.

And our

fearlessness

for Christ

can be

encouraged

through

these

examples

of

others

and

that's

why

we

need

Christian

biographies

to read

as well.

Are you

going on

holiday?

Have you

been on

holiday yet?

Just seek

out,

bring a

Christian

biography,

an account

of somebody

who at

the cost

of everything

went and

served

Christ,

maybe

cross-cultural,

read something

like that

because it

can inspire

us to be

fearless as

we come

back home

again and

serve in

our local

churches.

I don't

know if

you've

watched

Show Me

Age

now,

Spartacus,

that film

from the

early 60s

by Kirk

Douglas,

and you

know the

line,

don't you,

when the

centurion

catches all

of the

men in

chains and

wants to

know which

one is

Spartacus.

And one

stands up

and says,

well,

I'm

Spartacus,

and then

somebody else

says,

well,

I'm

Spartacus,

and before

you know it,

they're all

saying,

I'm

Spartacus.

It's that

powerful moment

in the film

where everybody

is confident

enough to

identify with

the one the

Romans actually

want to

imprison.

And this

is what's

happening,

this is the

dynamic of

what's happening

as Paul

languishes

in prison.

we know

that he

was suffering.

We see

that in

other parts

of the

letter.

He refers

to this

fear of

sorrow

upon

sorrow

if the

elder

who came

from

Philippi,

Epaphroditus,

had died

because he'd

taken very

ill when

he visited

Paul.

And at

times we

know that

Paul felt

alone as

this pioneer

missionary of

the gospel

of God

to the

world.

But we

see that

in this

prison cell

he is

joyful

because

others are

inspired to

speak out

with Paul's

message

courageously

no matter

what the

cost.

You see

the gospel

was propagating

itself

through the

Holy Spirit

as Paul

expressed

this joy

of knowing

the gospel

was advancing

through him

being there

and through

others being

inspired to

speak up

for Christ

because they

knew he

was there.

Maybe just

turn quickly

to Romans

8 to

get the

real rich

perspective

of where

Paul's coming

from in

all of

this.

Romans 8

just verses

17 and

18.

Here's

what can

drive us

to have

the same

perspective

as Paul

in our

suffering.

Or maybe

just verse

18 of

Romans 8.

Paul just

says as

he thinks

about the

future glory

to come

that is

reserved for

him as a

Christian.

He says

I consider

that our

present

sufferings are

not worth

comparing with

the glory

that will be

revealed in

us.

That's

Paul's

perspective

and it's

what keeps

him faithful

to his

gospel

proclamation

even as

it results

in him

being in

chains.

Can we

have that

perspective?

Considering

our present

sufferings

even if

they're

connected

to our

witness as

Christians

as not

worth comparing

to what is

reserved for

us as

Christians.

So we

see that

Paul's

perspective

on suffering

means that

he understands

that the

gospel is

advanced in

verses 12

to 14.

What about

verses 15

to 18?

We also

see something

interesting

that even

Paul's own

assassination of

character

advances the

gospel.

In verses

15 to 18

we read

that there's

a lot of

argy-bargy

going on

as Paul

is in

prison as

well.

You see

Paul was

also aware

of those

opposed to

him as

a leader

or just

as Paul.

And he

describes

these people

as those

who were

publicly

proclaiming

Jesus

but maybe

for the

wrong reasons.

Some of

them he

refers to

preaching

the gospel

maybe or

proclaiming

the gospel

in some

way out

of envy

and rivalry

with Paul.

There was

some bad

blood.

There was

some opposition.

There were

those who

were competing

with Paul

and seeking

to undermine

his ministry.

They were

maybe even

in the church

proclaiming

Jesus

for the

wrong reasons

out of a

selfish ambition

with insincere

hearts

thinking that

they would

make more

trouble for

Paul whilst

he was in

prison even.

And of

course

can you

imagine how

that would

feel when

you're in

that powerless

place in

a cell.

That's when

those things

can really

get to you

and you

really do

suffer

psychologically

perhaps as

you feel

let down

and abused

by those

outside the

cell.

There's no doubt

that Paul must

have been

deeply hurt

and there's

no doubt

we can see

that sin

was prevalent

even in the

church as

Paul was

languishing in

prison.

And also

there would

have been

those who

were belittling

the gospel

that Paul

was in

prison for.

There were

the Judaizers

Paul's

constant thorn

in his

side who

kept saying

and he

keeps dealing

with in his

letters there

were this

group who

kept saying

that yes

it's great

to be a

Christian but

you need to

add all of

our Old

Testament

traditions as

well really

to believe in

the gospel.

And they kept

saying this to

the Greeks who

were coming from

a pagan background

coming into

the church and

they were

saying oh it's

great that you

know Jesus but

have you been

circumcised?

Have you gone

through this?

Are you making

sure that you're

ceremonially clean?

They were a real

pain in the neck to

Paul and his

ministry because

their practice and

their teaching was

undermining the

gospel of Christ.

And they were

jumping up as well

at this time.

Paul writes about

them in chapter 3

of the letter.

They were taking

the opportunity to

say well you see

this proves that

what Paul says

is wrong.

They were

preaching this

Jewish tradition

was needed for

a person to be

saved.

But in verse 18

here is Paul's

conclusion to

all of the

argy-bargy.

To all of the

trouble that's

connected as well

to him being in

prison.

What does he

say?

He has come to

a position in his

mind hasn't he?

In verse 18

despite all the

sinful motives and

the fallen rhetoric

of people he's

saying that Christ

is being preached.

Christ is being

put on the map.

Christ is being

referred to.

And so even as

he is being hurt,

even as he is

being publicly

slighted and

receiving this

character assassination

as a person,

Paul is saying

yeah, it's

okay.

Because Christ

is being

referred to.

That means

even as the

gospel is being

explained by

those who

reject it.

Well you see

this is what

Paul believes

back in prison

and they may

have been

explaining.

Paul is saying

it doesn't

matter.

Christ is

being preached.

preached.

The Spirit of God

can only have

helped Paul to

have this joyful

perspective whilst

in prison.

Even though there

were those attacking

him as they preached

Christ or as they

referred to Christ.

And Paul's

perspective on his

pain is to look

beyond the immediate

experience of that

pain in the

present, in his

circumstance, the

way people were

hurting him.

And he looks

beyond it again.

He keeps looking

at the horizon of

glory.

He is not dwelling

in the present

suffering.

He is looking

beyond it.

He could see that

the kingdom of

Christ was being

advanced no matter

what and that was

the source of his

joy.

And so we

must acknowledge

that in all

circumstances for

us this morning,

if we are

Christians, all

our circumstances

can be good

if we believe

in the sovereign

God of the

Bible.

Paul's

circumstance as a

follower of Christ

was God's

sovereign means

of saving

Paul from

death and

from hell.

And so Paul

rejoiced because

his imprisonment

meant that the

gospel was being

gossiped around.

And now we

read in verses

15 to 18 that

Paul was joyful

because he knew

that his present

suffering was

actually part of

this process of

being Christ's

disciples.

His suffering

were reinforcing

his new identity

in Jesus.

They proved that

he was actually

like Jesus,

being led to

future glory.

And he knew

it.

He knew that

his pain was

somehow empathizing

to some degree

with the pain that

Christ went

through when

he, the creator

of the heavens and

the earth,

suffered pain for

him.

Look at verse

19.

For I know

that through

your prayers

and the help

given by the

spirit of

Jesus Christ,

what has

happened to

me will turn

out for my

deliverance.

So we've got

to reflect on

this now,

won't we,

for a sec,

before we move

on?

What are

you doing

with your

circumstances?

What are

you doing

in your

circumstance

that you've

carried in

here this

morning?

The one

that's with

you all the

time.

The new

one that has

arrived and

you don't

want.

Are you

trying to run

away from

it?

Do you

perceive it as

some kind of

punishment from

God?

Do you see

it as a

reason to

sulk with

God and

sulk with

God's

people and

maybe disobey

him?

Back in

Romans 8,

Paul says,

doesn't he,

in verse 28,

that in

all things

God is

working out

his purposes

for those

who love

him.

Paul's

perspective on

suffering is

that God is

leading him

leading him to

glory through

his suffering

and therefore

he's looking

beyond it

and so

should we.

Keeping

perspective.

Lastly,

verses 19

to 26,

we see that

even the

prospect of

death

secures us

in the gospel

and this is

what Paul saw

as he has

this perspective

on suffering

suffering in

his life.

Look at

verse 20.

I eagerly

expect and

hope that I

will in no

way be

ashamed but

will have

sufficient

courage so

that now as

always Christ

will be

exalted in

my body

whether by

life or

by death.

Do you see

how positive

Paul is?

Paul knew

that his

pain was

as a result

of his

witness to

Christ and

to the good

news and

so he

knew that

Jesus was

being exalted

through the

suffering in

his life and

so then there

is this

overconfident

if you like

eager expectation

and future

hope in

his life

as a servant

of Jesus.

He was

confident that

he would be

able to stand

before Jesus

in the future

as one who

fought for the

cause of

Christ in

his life.

he was

looking forward

to the

reward from

Jesus as

he hid in

Christ in

the present

and represented

him.

He was

convinced and

he was

delighted in

Jesus his

savior and

he was

privileged even

to know that

he was Jesus

was being

exalted in

his body as

a prisoner of

the Lord

Jesus.

us.

But the

truth is

as Paul was

probably wrestling

with this in

his cell

pain and

suffering and

dislike and

unpopularity and

disdain as a

Christian we

don't want it

do we?

We avoid putting

ourselves into

that situation.

We maybe fear

the pain we can

receive because of

what we think

it means to

us.

But here's the

true perspective.

For Paul he

is rejoicing

knowing that

that pain of

the present

experienced because

of his public

faith in

Jesus is

leading him to

future glory.

And so he's

looking forward

to that.

He knew his

time in prison

wasn't

embarrassing.

He knew that

his suffering

wasn't

pointless.

He knew that

it was leading

him to

Christ.

Today,

do we,

the Lord's

people,

share Paul's

clear conviction

on suffering?

does our

suffering

actually

increase

our focus

and worship

on the

Lord?

Or are we

just bad

tempered

Christians?

We need

him.

And we need

Paul's

perspective

or we

cannot be

active,

vital

believers

in our

churches.

others.

Much of

our lives

can be

about

focusing

on what's

most

comfortable

in the

West.

Isn't

that true?

What's

the easiest,

most lucrative

way for

me to

proceed

through life

while I'm

still here?

And of

course,

we don't

want to be

irresponsible.

We need

wisdom,

especially if

we're bringing

up children.

We need

to know

how we're

to progress

and plan

through life.

But for

Paul the

Apostle,

he has

this grand

perspective

that we

all should

own this

morning.

He

realised that

the circumstance

of his

life,

even if it

meant

chains,

was part

of this

investment

for the

future

reality

of seeing

Jesus.

His

journeys

from town

to town,

confronting

people with

the truth

in the

synagogues

of the

day,

were

confirming

the power

of the

gospel

in his

own

life.

His

future

was being

secured

as he

lived out

the gospel

even in

a prison

cell.

He was

looking

beyond

the

present.

And it

helped him

to put

his present

suffering

in

perspective.

in the

evangelical

world,

the

common

assumption

and the

common

false

doctrine

is that

if anything

bad is

happening

to us,

we must

pray it

away,

and if it

doesn't

go away,

our faith

obviously

isn't

strong

enough.

How do

we square

that common

presented

teaching in

churches

with what

Paul says

here?

Because what

Paul is

saying is

the polar

opposite to

the health,

wealth,

prosperity

gospel that

is so

common on

our TVs

and in

our churches

even in

Cork.

we can

be lifted

like

Paul's

word,

like

Paul's

life

through

the reality

of future

glory in

Christ in

our present

sufferings.

As

Christ's

subject,

Paul was

certain that

his suffering

was not in

vain.

it was

God's

route

for Paul

to enter

glory.

And because

of that

perspective,

Paul had

on his

present

pain,

I want

us to

see that

something's

happening.

Look at

verse 21.

Because

Paul didn't

just,

he's not

focusing on

the present.

Oh,

life's

tough.

How are

you getting

on?

Oh,

I'm really

struggling with

this.

He wasn't

focusing

completely on

the present

suffering.

He was

focusing on

the future,

verse 21.

For to me,

you know,

look,

this is the

sum up of

my life,

says Paul.

For me,

well,

you know,

it's either

to live,

live is

Christ,

and whatever

that means,

including

prison,

and to

die is

gravy.

To die

is gain.

here's the

great

summarizing

verse of

the suffering

Christian.

Here's the

glorious

context in

which Paul

places his

sufferings in

prison.

And so for

us,

friends,

it reminds

us that

we are

in a

victorious

life.

Not

because of

us,

but because

our life

is in

Christ.

Christ.

And that's

what we

can say

this morning

if we're

in Christ

this morning.

If we're

identifying

with his

death as

our death,

his resurrection

as our

resurrection,

as his

defeat over

our sins,

as something

we understand

and believe

in,

if we

understand

that,

his life

is our

life.

And so as

you go on

into verses

22 to

36,

we read

this wonderful

bubbling

debate that

Paul has

in the

cell between

toying in

his own

mind with

what's best,

I'm not

sure,

all hinging

on verse

21.

To paraphrase,

he's going,

well look,

on the one

hand,

if I stay

alive,

that means

serving Jesus,

and that

means being

fruitful for

God,

which is

going to

be rewarded.

Or on

the other

hand,

well maybe

if I die

tomorrow,

if they

execute me,

I'm

immediately

caught up

into the

presence of

the Lord

Jesus,

which is

going to

be wonderful.

Which one

will I

choose?

I don't

really

know.

I tell

you what,

I'd like

to stay

alive,

because it

means I

can be a

blessing to

you,

says Paul.

And he

shares this

loving decision

as a

pastor to

this church

that he

saw formed.

He says,

look I want

to stay on

earth,

I want to

minister to

you,

I want

to see

you encouraged

through my

ministry to

you,

so that

your faith

progresses in

joy.

And when we

see each

other in

the flesh

again,