Philippians 1:20
20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that 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.

Believer, Purpose— Hope: the great Christian believer has only one great expectation and hope—to magnify Christ in his body.
1.  Note the words “earnest expectation”. It means to gaze into the distance with the head erect and outstretched just like a watchman on a tower. It is aiming one’s attention at an object with concentration, eagerness, and intensity. It is turning the eyes away from everything else and focusing upon one object and one object alone. It is total concentration upon a person’s desire.
2.  Note what Paul’s expectation and hope was. Remember Paul was in prison being charged with a capital crime which carried with it the penalty of death. The one hope of most prisoners would be release from prison or else to have the death penalty reduced to a lesser punishment. But note Paul’s “earnest expectation and hope”: to magnify Christ in his body. Paul’s mind was not upon his terrible plight and circumstances; it was upon Christ—upon magnifying Christ in his body. As a prisoner he wanted to guard his body from…
•  wondering and questioning God
•  becoming discouraged and depressed
•  becoming complacent and lethargic
•  becoming inactive and undisciplined
•  denying and turning away from God
•  reacting and cursing God
Paul knew the weakness of the human body, how it tended toward doubt, questioning, self-centeredness, pride, boasting, self-satisfaction, indulgence, extravagance, habit, lethargy, complacency, laziness, enslavement, bondage, and neglecting and ignoring God. Since his conversion, Paul had totally committed himself to magnifying Christ. And there was only one place where Christ could be magnified and seen: that was in his body. The only place that men can see Jesus Christ living is in the body or life of a person. Jesus Christ was no longer on the earth; therefore, He could not be seen unless Paul and others allowed Christ to magnify Himself through their bodies. Paul knew this; therefore, he gave his body to Jesus Christ.
3.  Note the reference to “by life, or by death.” Paul was facing death. He did not know if he was going to die or continue living. If he was to be executed, he wanted to be as faithful as ever and to magnify Christ in death. If he was to be declared innocent and set free, he wanted to continue to magnify Christ in his body.
4.  Note why Paul wanted Christ to be magnified in his body: that he might not be ashamed in anything. Paul knew that he was going to face the same thing that every believer is to face: the judgment seat of Christ. He knew that everyone of us has to give an account for what we have done with our bodies while on earth. In fact, Lehman Strauss points out that it had been only about four years earlier that Paul had written the piercing words:

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10).

When believers face Christ in judgment, the experience will not necessarily be peaches and cream.
⇒  There will be some believers who will be ashamed.

“And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming” (1 John 2:28).

⇒  There will be some believers who will suffer loss and look like a burned out building.

“Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (1 Cor. 3:13-15).

This is what Paul meant: he did not want to be ashamed when he stood before Christ. He loved Christ with all of his heart, for Christ had done so much for him. Therefore, his one expectation and hope was for Christ to be magnified in his body. He wanted Christ to be honored both in his life and in his death. Above all, he did not want to be ashamed when he stood before his wonderful Lord.

“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it” (Luke 9:23-24).
“Neither yield ye your members [bodily parts] as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God” (Romans 6:13).
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).
“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Cor. 6:19-20).