November 2, 2014
Being Joyful
Gospel Pioneer
Phil. 1:12-21
(Advance Slide #1)
Introduction
The section of scripture that we will study today is like ‘Paul’s Missionary Report’
(Advance Slide #2)
- He wanted to go to Rome as a preacher not a prisoner.
- He is writing a congregation that supported him.
- When others seemed to have given up on him they were there financially and even spiritually.
(Advance Slide #3)
Paul did not find joy in ideal circumstances, he found his joy in winning others to Christ.
- Maybe this congregation was on the verge of division.
- There had been some arguing and quarreling.
Yet, he hopes to encourage them and cheer them up with this letter!
Text
(Advance Slide #4)
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. Phil. 1:12-14
Besides Christ, Paul and the Philippian Christians have something else in common.
- They are both facing trouble!
(Advance Slide #5)
- Yet, Paul informs the reader that sometimes good come from bad situations.
- It is too easy to focus on what is going wrong in our lives.
- Paul could have done this.
- His imprisonment can be read about at the end of Acts.
- It was not pretty and he could have found some sympathy.
- But he was happy about the good that was happening.
- “Even though I am in chains...God’s Word is not!”
No one can tie down the gospel!
(Advance Slide #6)
- This passage is similar to an OT passage that we are also familiar with...Gen 50:19-20
- After all that happened to Joseph he could have been bitter towards his brothers.
- In fact, after Jacob’s death they thought Joseph would finally enact justice.
19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. Gen. 50-19-20.
There are some people that just seem to find good in every circumstances.
(Advance Slide #7)
- “advance the gospel” - inspite of what’s happening to me the gospel continues to progress!
- He says that he is in chains “in Christ.”
- He doesn’t describe his situation as “in behalf of Christ Jesus” but “in Christ Jesus.”
One would think that the Christians would have looked at Paul’s situation and said, “I don’t want that to happen to me.”
- But the exact opposite happened!
- They were, “much more bold to speak the word without fear.”
- They stood firm and didn’t hold back!
(Advance Slide #8)
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. Phil. 1:15-18
So, Paul has learned about some negative things happening as well as what really matters too.
(Advance Slide #9)
- Some were preaching from “envy and rivalry.”
- So who were the ‘bad guys’?
- Some suggest they might have been Judaisers.
- They might have preached the gospel to get Paul in trouble.
- Others suggest that they were pagans trying to make Paul look bad.
- Another possibility was that it was a group that was jealous of Paul.
(Advance Slide #10)
“It doesn’t bother me!”
- They must not have been preaching the right message.
- In his letter to the church in Galatia he indicated the importance of preaching something other than the true gospel - Gal. 1:6-8.
- Paul does not call down a curse on them?
- They were apparently preaching the truth and people were being saved!
Then there were those who preached out of love!
- “Glory to God, Jesus is being taught!”
- That is all that matters, not my situation or even your own!
(Advance Slide #11)
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. Phil. 1:19-21
(Advance Slide #12)
People must have faith in God and that He is in charge.
- Paul rejoices in what HAS happened and what WILL happen!
- Real confidence is putting our trust in Jesus.
“I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance”
- No matter how bad it seems God will work through it all!
- He is in charge of it all and will work it out for good!
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Rom. 8:28
Paul has a threefold joy/hope:
- I will not be put to shame.
- I don’t want to back down because of what people will say.
- I want Jesus to be exalted no matter what!
Lesson
Paul was a pioneer for the gospel.
(Advance Slide #13)
- He used several tool at his disposal...I think we can learn from these.
(Advance Slide #14)
His Chains - vs. 12-14
Paul never complained about his ‘chains’...(i.e. his circumstances)
- Instead he used them to advance the gospel.
Sometime God allows chains to be placed on His people and they (you and I) have to determine how they will be a pioneer.
- When you have the single mind, you look on your circumstances as God-given opportunities for the furtherance of the gospel.
- You will rejoice at what God is going to do instead of complaining about what God did not do.
What situation do you find yourself in that can be used to the glory of God?
(Advance Slide #15)
His Critics - vs. 15-19
Criticism is usually very hard to take!
- Particularly when we are in difficult circumstances like Paul.
- How was the apostle able to rejoice even in the face of such diverse criticism?
- He possessed the single mind.
- vs. 19 indicates that Paul expected his case to turn out victoriously (“to my deliverance”) because of the prayers of his friends and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
Paul was not depending on his own dwindling resources; he was depending on the generous resources of God
How will you face the critics, whose desire is to rob you of your joy?
(Advance Slide #16)
His Crisis - vs. 20-21
Because of Paul’s chains, Christ was known (Phil. 1: 13)...
Because of Paul’s critics, Christ was preached (Phil. 1: 18)...
But because of Paul’s crisis, Christ was magnified! (Phil. 1: 20).
Paul could have been convicted and then executed.
- To the Christian with the single mind, Christ is with us here and now!
- Yet, as we have already seen, Paul used this crisis to exalt God.
Are you going through a crisis now?
- How can you use it to magnify God?
PRAY
Conclusion
We should follow Paul’s example in what we’ve studied today.
(Advance Slide #17)
- In all that we do we should live ‘in Jesus Christ’ and have the same desire and hope that he had:
A hope that will not put Jesus to shame.
A hope for real boldness to stand firm.
A hope that no matter what we do Christ is exalted in everything we do.
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