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I greet all of you in the blessed name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our text for today’s message is taken from Philippians 1:12-14.
We whould read the Bible with our hearts in tune
Whenever we read the Bible, do we read the bible only with our minds, intellectually so to speak, or do we read with our hearts in tune? When we read with our hearts in tune, our emotions will naturally be involved. We must be careful not to read the Bible only with the mind and without the emotions to fully understand.
We must learn to put ourselves into the shoes of the Bible characters and try to feel how they have felt when they went through all those circumstances. For example, we may just simply read the passage about Abraham sacrificing Isaac in the book of Genesis. Unless we identify with Abraham’s struggles, we will not understand what it means to potentially lose a son. Ultimately it is on this same basis that we understand what it meant to God when He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to Calvary.
How the Phillipian Christians were feeling as they received this letter from Paul
So let us put ourselves into the shoes of the Philippian Christians. It had been at least four years since they had seen Paul. They had heard rumours about the things that had happened to him. They knew about his imprisonment and that he was sick, and they were worried. Perhaps there would be many questions they had running through their minds: Was Paul still in prison? Has he already been sentenced? Has he been martyred for his faith in Jesus Christ? The Philippians had no idea and no way of knowing the answers to all these speculations.
Finally, they receive a letter from Rome written by Paul himself. At last, they knew he was still alive. They must have been very eager to read this letter. But then the first 11 verses of this letter were all referring to the Philippians. What we want to hear is news regarding you, Paul, and you talk only about us, the Philippians. Let’s say your mum is sick and she’s in a very difficult situation, and there’s no way you can get in touch with her. You are so anxious, so worried, and finally you receive a letter from her. And you must be shaking with excitement as you read the contents of her letter. But all she talks about is you: ‘Hope you are well, have you been eating well, have you finished all your assignments’ etc. Well that is a glimpse of how the Philippians would have felt.
Then finally, the Apostle Paul talked about himself in verses 12 to 14, which is the passage we want to consider for today’s message. Allow me to read for you: "But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; so that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; and many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear." (Phillipians 1:12-14)
So all the rumours they had heard about Paul were true. After all, he was still in prison, the future was still very uncertain, he could lose his life, and yet he sounded so positive. How could anything good come out of such a devastating situation? Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."
Well the title of our message for today is ‘Are All Things Really Working for Good?’
I. For the advancement of the Gospel
Let us begin with verse 12: "But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel." (Phillipians 1:12) In other words, Paul was saying, "I want you to understand this, Philippians. That my circumstances, my imprisonment, the things that have happened to me, turn out to be for the advancement of the gospel."
With just one sentence, Paul explained that his suffering was for the great purposes of God in history. Firstly, we must understand that the things that had happened to Paul were quite different from the things Paul had planned for himself.
Paul was called to be an apostle to the Gentiles and for years, he had carried the gospel faithfully to various parts of the world. He had travelled to many places: to Syria, Crete, Macedonia, most of modern-day Turkey, and through Greece. And he wanted to visit or to bring the gospel even as far as the West, to Spain. But he decided to return one more time to Jerusalem and stop over for a visit in Rome. So all these were Paul’s plans for the gospel work. But his plans were not fulfilled. Instead, he found himself to be a prisoner for preaching the gospel and perhaps he would never be free again.
When things in our life seems to be working well, but then something bad happens
Take a moment and consider this: when all your plans were destroyed, and on top of that came the pain and physical suffering, how would you feel? Would you not be devastated? On top of that, especially when your plans were all pertaining to the gospel of Christ, for the glory of God and His kingdom? Have you ever experienced anything like that? You have planned certain things in your life; things seem to be working well; your family has just started attending church; your children have come to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ - everything seems to be moving according to plan. Then all of a sudden the situation changes. Something happens and you have to experience intense suffering.
Some years ago we had a preacher from the Philippines, Preacher Dominino, whom some of you would remember very fondly. He visited our church and preached to our young people. Dominino was a former drug addict and God graciously saved him, delivered him from the bondage of drug addiction. Then he felt the call to serve God full-time. He enrolled into the Far Eastern Bible College. He studied very hard and persevered. He was equipped with the knowledge of God’s Word and finally, he graduated. He prayed for a life partner. God provided him with a wife and blessed him with a son. He started a ministry and then went on to start another ministry.
Things seemed to be working perfectly well. And all of a sudden he was stricken with cancer. It was a very rare form of cancer. Subsequently the Lord took him home.
Dear friends, we may be faithfully doing the Lord’s work; something like that may also happen to us, to our family and to our children. Can anything good come out of suffering? When we look at suffering from a worldly perspective, there is absolutely nothing good. But when we look at suffering from a spiritual perspective, then we begin to understand God’s sovereign and eternal purpose.
Purpose of suffering
Suffering may come into our lives for different reasons and purposes. God has different purposes for permitting suffering to come upon us. Some suffering is corrective, especially when we fall into sin - it is intended to get us back on the right track when we have gone astray. As Proverbs 3:11-12 says, "My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth."
If you are a son of God, you are a child of God and you have sinned against God - surely God will chastise you and that chastisement is corrective. He may allow certain trials to come into your life to correct you.
Another kind of suffering is instructive. It is intended to build us up, to mould us into the person God wants us to be. As 1 Peter 1:6-7 says, "Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ."
Paul’s sufferings was for a purpose - that the gospel might be preached
But Paul’s suffering was neither corrective nor instructive. It was simply suffering permitted by God for a purpose - that the gospel might be preached to others. That was why Paul said in verse 13, "So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places." (Phillipians 1:13)
Here, the word ‘palace’ was a reference to the palace of Caesar. In other words, through his imprisonment, Paul was able to witness the gospel to the guards belonging to Caesar’s palace. Allow me to briefly explain this. In those days, the guards of the palace were the official bodyguards of the emperor. They were called the imperial guards, who were dispersed throughout the city of Rome to keep the general peace as well as to protect the emperor.
At this point, Paul was imprisoned in Rome and he was chained to a Roman imperial guard. Ever since his arrest in Jerusalem, he had always been chained to a guard except for those brief moments whereby he was on board the ship carrying him to Rome. Although Paul was given much freedom, and for a while he lived in a private house and he was allowed to have visitors, but there was always a guard. So he was now in the care of this guard watching over him, and this guard was also protecting the emperor, belonging to Caesar’s palace.
While Paul was chained to this guard, he could have murmured and complained, ‘This is not fair. I hate the Roman law; I hate the Roman Emperor and this soldier represents the Roman Emperor. I cannot stand the sight of him.’ This negative attitude would surely affect the guard, right? But that was never Paul’s attitude.
Paul knew that he was a soldier for the Lord Jesus Christ and this guard was someone in need of salvation. So, it was his responsibility to evangelise to this guard. And not only to this guard but to the next one who replaced this guard for the second watch and to the one who replaced him for the third watch. There were several batches of guards.
And so in time to come, Paul had been able to preach the gospel to most of the imperial guards - one by one. Take a moment and think of how Paul must have lived his life, even in prison, to have such a great impact on a group of tough soldiers who pledge their allegiance only to one man - the emperor. We do not need a great imaginative mind to comprehend the situation. Not only would the soldiers hear his preaching and teaching; they would also experience firsthand his patience, his endurance, his perseverance, his convictions, his humility and his genuine love as they watched him day by day.
They’ll be wondering, here is this man who is in prison not for something that he has done like some terrible crime, but for preaching the gospel. This man should be thinking about himself and about his own pathetic situation. But all he spoke about was Jesus Christ. Who is this Jesus that he is so fond of, that he is frequently speaking about? Who is this Jesus who has transformed this man so much so that he no longer is concerned about his own life, only Christ? I want to know this Jesus.
The outcome of Paul’s suffering
Many of these Roman soldiers became believers. How do we know? Turn with me to the last chapter, Philippians 4:22. Paul says, "All the saints salute you” - or greet you – “chiefly" - which means especially - ‘they that are of Caesar's household” - referring to the imperial guards. That was a clear indication that the imperial guards had come to believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ through Paul. So Paul's predicament led to the conversions of the imperial guards.
But not only the imperial guards were saved. Remember Paul was allowed certain freedom for a while. He lived in a private house and he was allowed to have visitors. So what did he say to those visitors? What did he do to those visitors? Well Acts 28:30-31 tells us what Paul did. Allow me to read for you: "And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came unto him” (Acts 28:30) He welcomed all the visitors and what did he do? "Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him." (Acts 28:31)
‘No man forbidding him’ because by then the soldiers would have come to believe in the gospel. That was why Paul was able to say at the last part of verse 13 that the gospel had spread to all the other places. Can you see how our response to the situations of life is so crucial and it can affect the people around us, even leading them to salvation?
God willing, obviously, our lives cannot save them no matter how well we live our lives. But it is the gospel we preach in the midst of suffering that is able to save them. And if I may add this, the gospel we preach in the midst of suffering is most powerful.
The Apostle Paul was triumphant over his circumstances. How can we apply his situation into our lives? Just as Paul was chained to a prison guard, in a sense, you and I may also be chained to something. Perhaps you have been tied to a desk at work, or you have been tied to your housework especially when your children are young and need constant care. Soon you may be tied to a sick bed and you may never see beyond your hospital bed or your hospital room. You want to share the gospel but you felt so constrained and restrained.
Well, my friends, all these circumstances should not be the cause for discouragement. If you are in such a situation it has been given to you by God. And if it has been given to you by God, it can be used for His glory. You can bear witness to your colleagues who come by your desk. You can share with your little children who come to you as you do the dishes at the kitchen sink. You can pass the gospel tract to every nurse and every visitor that comes by your hospital bed.
If you are faithful God will bless your efforts and you will see spiritual fruit. Then you will realise that you are not limited by the circumstances of life. Most importantly, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not limited. Then you will be able to say, like Paul, ‘The things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel.’
II. For the strengthening of the brethren
Let us move on to our second point: for the strengthening of the brethren. It was not just the imperial guards and the visitors who were affected by Paul. But his imprisonment also had a strengthening effect on the other Christians. Look at verse 14: "And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear." (Phillipians 1:14) Paul’s courage and faithfulness during his imprisonment had caused many of the brethren to have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.
You can imagine how devastated the Christians would be when they heard that Paul was arrested and imprisoned for preaching the gospel. Many of them would be afraid, at least reluctant to openly share their faith for fear of being arrested. But when they saw the response of Paul, that even imprisonment could not stop him from preaching the gospel, they moved from fear to courage. And that was the result of his example. When they saw how God had protected him and blessed his ministry despite persecution and imprisonment, their courage was renewed. Their zeal and enthusiasm intensified. His strength became their strength. His example had touched their lives.
Dear friends, fear is very contagious. But just as fear is contagious, courage is also contagious too. Everyone of us knows that as Christians, we ought to always be ready to testify for Jesus Christ - that is true. But it is equally true that many Christians are afraid and the reason is simply because there is a lack of godly examples. No one can become bold and courageous overnight. We need godly men and women, fathers and mothers, husbands and wives, who are able to articulate their faith by example.
Response to trials can encourage others to move from fear to boldness
When children watch their parents go through very difficult trials. Even to the point of death and yet hold on to Christ never letting Him go - very faithful to the very end, those children will be affected. Their faith will be strengthened tremendously.
Maybe today you are experiencing certain trials: certain pain, rejections, hostilities, loss of jobs, financial situations have changed, sicknesses and even death. Remember, you must not look at the trials from a worldly perspective, but from a spiritual perspective. God has placed you in that position for a purpose so that you can respond to the adversity in good faith with boldness and courage. And your response will move the hearts of the people from fear to boldness.
That is what Paul said in verse 14, ‘My bonds, my imprisonment, because of my Lord Jesus Christ, has caused many to be strengthened in their faith so much so that they are now able to preach the word of God without fear.’ Which implied that there was a time they were fearful but because of his response to the adversities, they moved from fear to boldness.
Has your life ever had that kind of effect on the people around you? On other Christians, or your own children? It is certainly not easy to evangelise to strangers, we all know that. It is not easy to share in places where people are hostile to the preaching of the gospel. When we go through trials and tribulations, when we are lying on our sick beds, it is our natural human tendency to murmur and complain. But we must remember that every experience we go through is not just a learning experience for ourselves - it is also a learning experience for the people around us, especially our children.
If we shy away, if we respond negatively, if we run away from difficult situations, if we murmur and complain - the people around us will be discouraged. But if we face the challenges and issues of life with boldness and courage, like Paul - even imprisonment could not stop him from preaching the gospel - the people around us would be encouraged. They will be moved from fear unto boldness.
God is in control
Our God is in control of everything, isn’t He? Not just the things happening around us, but even our lives. Our lives on this earth are just but like a vapour. We have a definite time - no more, no less. God has appointed. And God is in control.
Every month we have our Monash Gardens worship services and there was this elderly sister in Christ who loved to attend our services. But all of a sudden she was sort of bedridden. She could not attend our services. She was very sad. She could not get herself out of bed and we had to visit her in her room. She requested prayers. She asked all of us who visited her to pray for the Lord to take her home because she was in great pain. We said to her that it must be the Lord’s will.
Then for about two months, we were not able to have our worship services at Monash because there was a virus outbreak in the residential home. Last Monday, we were able to resume our worship service and when we visited the home, humanly speaking, we were expecting to hear that this dear sister in Christ had gone home to be with the Lord. To our surprise she walked into the room. She was strong and healthy and she joined us for our worship service. After the service, she said to me this, ‘God has a purpose in raising me up from the bed of affliction. There is still work for me to do. To evangelise to my unbelieving family members.’ She is 95 years old and what a wonderful testimony.
Perhaps you are in your 60s, 70s, or even 80s. Why would God allow you to continue living in this world? To make more money? To buy a retirement home and then travel around the world? While all these things may not be wrong and sinful, is that all there is to life? Think about this - is that all there is to life? If heaven is a better place; if spending our eternity with our Lord is definitely better than lingering in this world, why would God not just take us home to be with Him? It is because there is still work for us to do. We have unfinished work.
And then we have to ask ourselves - what has my life got to do with the gospel? What has my life got to do with the brethren around me? If we look at life from this biblical perspective, dear friends, whatever circumstances that may come into our lives - we may be afflicted with illnesses, we may be lying on our deathbeds - we would be able to understand that my God has a sovereign purpose. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.
Let us, all of us, respond to the circumstances of life with these two spiritual and heavenly perspectives. Our lives, whatever be the situation, whether in sickness or in good health, whether in riches or in poverty, let us live our lives for the advancement of the gospel. And let us live our lives for the strengthening of the brethren.
Closing prayer
Let us pray. Our Father in heaven, we thank Thee for enabling us to consider these three verses. That even imprisonment could not stop the Apostle Paul from glorifying Thee and honouring Thy precious name. Even his suffering, his imprisonment, Paul acknowledged that it was for the advancement of the gospel and it was for the strengthening of the brethren.
What a wonderful testimony. Help us, O Lord, that as we live our remaining days on this Earth, that we live with these two spiritual and heavenly perspectives. Our lives, whatever be the situation, may be lived for the advancement of the gospel of Christ. The very gospel that saved our souls. And let our lives be lived for the strengthening of the brethren too, that others when they watch and experience firsthand from our lives, they may see just as the people had seen from the life of Paul - our patience, our endurance, our perseverance, our convictions, our humility and our genuine love.
May each and every one of us be able to live out this truth in our lives to the glory of Thee. We pray all this in Jesus' name. Amen.