Servants with the Right Desire

1
Servants with the Right Desire

• 1971 Football
• To Serve we need the right desire
• Paul had the right desire
• Phil 119, 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.
• Paul shows us two kinds of desire

2
Desire to Exalt Christ

• Phil 120, I eagerly expect and hope that I will
  in no way be ashamed,
• First in the negative
• I will in no way be ashamed
• Romans 116 not ashamed of the Gospel.
• Intense Desire to not be ashamed of his life
  while sitting in prison.We also should never be
  ashamed of the Gospel or of serving Christ

3
Not Ashamed So Christ is Exalted

• but will have sufficient courage so that now
  as always Christ will be exalted in my body,
  whether by life or by death.
• Results of Paul's imprisonment
• 13 Christ is made know, despite circumstances
• 18 Christ is preached, despite critics
• 20 Christ is magnified or exalted, despite
  crisis.
• Executed? His desire was to exalt Christ.
• Jesus was more important than his life!
• This ought to be our desire in life.

4
Desire to Serve

• Phil 121-26, For to me, to live is Christ and
  to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the
  body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet
  what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn
  between the two I desire to depart and be with
  Christ, which is better by far but it is more
  necessary for you that I remain in the body.
  Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and
  I 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.

5
Desire / Necessity

• Paul desires to depart and be with Christ (23)
• Certainly had advantages for him
• Depart Soldiers take down tent and move on-
• We do this in death.
• Sailor loosen the ship and sail
• Christians set sail into a greater life.
• Political setting free a prisoner
• Death frees us.
• Used by farmers to unyoke oxen.
• To depart, to lay aside the burdens of life.

6
Necessity

• These are also his desires.
• 24, It was necessary for him to remain and serve
  the Philippians.
• 22, Going on living to bear fruitful labor (hard
  work).He is willing to postpone heaven in order
  to help Christians grow.
• Do we desire to serve to this extent?
• The church will grow, not when we have the right
  buildings or the right leaders but
• When we have the desire to serve and to put
  others needs above our own

7
Expectation and Hope

• Little league baseball 18 to 0.
• What is your desire in life?
• Do you have the right desire?
• What are your expectations and your hopes?
• 1984- 110 baptisms, 1985 10 baptisms
• Paul said Christ was his life!
• Theres where his expectation and hope remained
• For me to live is________ and to die is ________