Rejoicing in the Advance of the Gospel

If you have your Bibles…open to Phil. 1

Has anyone ever tried to help you and you were not thankful for their help? You just were not thankful because their help or the way they wanted to help did not line up with your goals at that moment.

You see this pretty often with babies and toddlers….you give them what they want, and they are happier than anything else…but it you wipe their face when it’s filthy….oh that is a declaration of war…

if you want to lay them on his back to change him, he will counter by trying to turn himself into a pretzel….

and if you want to stop them from rolling headfirst down the stairs…well, that is seen as an act of betrayal of the highest order.

But as parents, we know what is more important, what is necessary, what will actually be best for him.

Of course as parents, we are seeking to teach all our children, even at the youngest age to be thankful for these things…be thankful that mommy or daddy, or your brother or sister is serving you…is helping you get clean, or be safe….but in order for our little guy to be thankful…he is going to have to see that the goal of the person who is serving Him is better than His goal of doing whatever he wants. That will take some time.

I think that often describes us with our relationship with God…the Lord is working to do something good and necessary… in and through us but, we often struggle being thankful because our goals are not aligned….

-He is completing the good work He started in us, and He is working to advance the gospel…

- He is helping us to prioritize gospel partnerships, to remember His amazing work in our lives, and to pray in a Christ focused way…

- and the reality is, we all need to grow in being thankful…believing that God our heavenly father actually knows what is best for us…and what is best for us revolves around the good news…the Gospel….

This year we are focusing on Growing in Gospel Gratitude…because, let’s be honest, we could all use some of that…

We are studying the book of Philippians we are going to see that we grow in gospel gratitude by being focused on and excited by the spread of the gospel…

• The spread of the gospel even and especially through our circumstances, through ministering to the people God places around us, and by courageously influencing others to have that same gospel focus.

So this morning we will focus on Gospel gratitude by Rejoicing in the Advance of the Gospel

So please turn in your bibles to Philippians 1:12–14…that is on page 154 in the bible under the seat in front of you and look with me for 3 key perspectives that help you rejoice in the advance of the Gospel.

12 Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel,

13 so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else,

14 and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.

With our time this morning let’s consider….

I. View your circumstances as a platform for gospel ministry

I think we can all be honest with one another for a moment, when we interpret out lives, we often interpret them through our circumstances.

When someone asks you, ‘how are you doing’ the answer to that question often reflects in how the outside circumstances are impacting your life.

You are “good” when the circumstances of life are good and easy.

When your circumstances are not good, when your stock portfolio is doing poorly, when the exam that you are studying for went poorly, when your child is sick (or you are sick) when your car breaks down, when your identity has been hacked by Russian agents, when you are in quarantine because of COVID…and on and on…we tend to frame our wellbeing through the gride of what is happening to us.

And many times, those things that are happening to us are beyond our control…or if they are somewhat within our control, it is only marginal or we have made small error.

But here is that point…should we view our circumstances as a measure of our wellbeing, or should we view our circumstances as just simply that…the circumstances we find ourselves in.

First, let’s…

Consider the high platform of trials and suffering

Philippians 1:12 — 12 Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel,

Paul is in jail…not because he was a thief, not because he murdered someone…he was in jail for one simple reason…the proclamation of the gospel.

He wanted to be proclaim the gospel so that people could hear the good news and not spend eternity apart from God in Hell…and the world responded by putting him in jail.

And so did Paul sunk into deep despair?

Did he begin to lament how this wasn’t fair?

Did He began to question….should I have just gone into business like all my buddies?

Nope.

He would consider this a privilege and a joy…he would see this as an opportunity for the proclamation.

His attitude reminds me a lot of what we see in the book of Hebrews…

“But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one.” (Hebrews 10:32–34)

Now, just pause there for a moment.

Consider some of the greatest trials that you have had in your life.

Perhaps it was health related.

Perhaps you lost something: a job, a friend, a family member…and others could see the suffering you were going through.

Here is my point, as you consider some of the greatest public trials and difficulties that you have gone through…you had a choice in that moment.

How will you view the circumstances that you find yourself in.

Will you interpret your wellbeing through your circumstances…will you find your joy in the space you find yourself in?

Or, will you view the circumstances and the means by which to demonstrate the glory of God?

Will you view it as privilege and joy to suffer so that you have a megaphone to point people to Christ?

Will you be able to say, look at all that I am going through…and as you look at me…look at Christ?

In order to do that…we must

Embrace being part of something bigger than yourself

We live in the age of self…everything tends to be about me and how a thing will impact me.

No doubt that this has been a struggle since the garden, but until relatively recently, people needed to live in community for survival.

Everyone loves the idea of being apart of something bigger than themselves, as long as they can see the direct impact on them…now.

But what if that impact will lead to a negative circumstantial outcome in the moment? We tend to shy away from that type of action.

While we are not to this point in our study yet, notice how Paul embraces being part of something both in our passage and a future one…

“But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.” (Philippians 2:17,)

How can Paul think that way? How can he have such a focus on others in the face of his own suffering?

Because he had a deep abiding belief in the sovereignty of God and the trustworthiness of that plan.

Can you speak this way?

“On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use?” (Romans 9:20–21, NASB95)

1 Corinthians 15:1–6 — 1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep;

Here is a challenge for us all to consider this morning….are we willing to be apart of something bigger than ourselves…even if that means, negative circumstantial impact on our own lives?

Are you willing to be like the Apostle Paul, and allow God to use you however he thinks is best in his plan?

I am sure many of us are saying, “Amen, yes, use me!” I know that is how I would respond to such a question…but the proof is in the pudding.

One of the great take aways from our time today is to look at the circumstances that Paul finds himself in…in jail…yet filled with joy because he is being used by God…and to be willing to be apart of something that God is doing…even if that means there will be a negative impact on your circumstances…

But there is great examples of how God has used such negative examples…all for his plan.

1. 1. Consider the reversal examples from scripture

Consider for a moment. Joseph being sold into slavery...yet God used it for good to bring food and deliverance to God’s people [expand]

Or consider…Ruth enduring a famine, loss of her husband, and living as a foreigner showing what it looks like to honor the Lord [expand]

Of consider David being pursued and attacked by King Saul throughout much of his early life…[expand]

Consider Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego….

Could you reasonably say this in the face of such a negative circumstance?

““If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. “But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”” (Daniel 3:17–18, )

So, dear brothers and sisters, if we have such a powerful history of the men and women of God standing up and being willing to endure incredible circumstances, all for the proclamation and advancement of the gospel…are you willing to be counted among them.

It can be a small as being willing to talk with people about the gospel.

There is in all of us, a hesitancy that rises when we consider sharing the good news of Christ…Satan loves to put in our minds how this might negatively impact our lives.

We wonder, what will be the negative outcome of telling a boss, a co-worker, family member or friends about Christ.

But it can be even as large and public as what is happening here with the WL City ordinance 31-21…

• Do I really want folks to know my beliefs about this?

• I don’t want to share that on social media…that might lead to some negative impacts in my life…I better keep it to posting about football and the latest meal that I cooked.

Here is the point…Paul viewed his circumstances not as the measure of his wellbeing…like many of us do…rather he viewed his circumstances as a platform for Gospel ministry.

He even considered it a great joy when he suffered in that platform…will you?

The second thing that ties into our circumstances is to…

II. See the people God has sovereignly placed around you in a Christ centered way.

When life is hard, it is easy to just turn on yourself…to look at yourself and not to look up and around….but what does Paul do…he takes time to…

Consider the opportunity of the Praetorian Guard

Philippians 1:13 — 13 so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else,

We don’t know much of what happened in these short verses…what was well known? We know it was leading to gospel conversations and opportunities, but there is so much about what was happening that Paul purposely keeps from us.

But what is clear, is that Paul, being imprisoned for his faith…the cause f Christ, his situation has become well know.

Remember, this is in the days before national news media and social media. Word spread by people talking with other people...and that message has spread far and wide.

Paul had not just seen his negative circumstance as a sovereign plan of God type event…he saw it as a megaphone…

But he didn’t get such a broad platform by gripping and complaining.

He didn’t get such a well known story by being angry and crying out at the injustice that had been done to him.

He suffering for Christ well…it is remarkable how scripture just weaves itself together so well…notice how Peter picks up on some of what is happening in Paul’s life…

“Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority,… For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men… For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.” (1 Peter 2:13–20, NASB95)

Paul had functioned this way…he bore up under his injustice circumstances…and that he lead to an impact around him.

So as we get excited about the advance of the gospel we should…

Marvel at the exponential Expect an impact of “Everyone else”

We don’t exactly know who “everyone else” is…but most likely it is everyone else who is also in the emperors residence, other imperial officials…

We know this because of how Paul ends the letter…

Philippians 4:22 — 22 All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household.

Colossians 1:3–6 — 3 We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel 6 which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth;

We often are unaware of how God is using our story to impact the lives of others, some of whom we may not even know.

I think that is a chance for us to consider a few different angles to the groups of people.

Parents, let me address you first.

Do you think that when you encounter a negative situation, that your kids are watching?

• When the car breaks down on vacation, when a leak happens under the kitchen sink, when the heat doesn’t turn on and the house is freezing…when you are stuck in traffic…the list goes on and on

• But, when you encounter a negative situation that God put you in…are you thinking, there are people all over watching, and some of the most important people watching are my children?

I have the privilege of doing counseling on Mondays, and while we don’t counsel too many youths and teens, it does happen from time to time. Normally we will meet primarily with the parents, with the goal of equipping them, but eventually we may bring in a teen.

Normally the parent is warning us to “fix their kids” and our goal is to fix the parents.

But what is remarkable, and I can see it in my own life…is the parents complain that the child is stubborn, the child is arrogant, the child is angry…and they sit there befuddled, like—how did this happen.

And while it is not always the case, many times after getting to know the parents for a number of weeks, all you want to do is show them a mirror to help them understand where the children learned to act in such a manner.

The point there is, you are on display, and you can use that display to impact others.

Husbands and wives, you can probably see where this is going…are you expecting to impact your spouse?

We could tease that out in a number of ways here, but here is my point, Paul says his negative circumstance through the lens of God’s good plan, and he began to see it as a way to impact others for Christ.

So then, what is our connection for a moment with thanksgiving? If the book is about joy and thanksgiving...what is the connection here?

Do you remember in Acts 16, when Paul and Silas were thrown in prison for preaching the good news?

“When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely; and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.” (Acts 16:23–24)

Now this is different than his impressment in Philippi, but how did he respond?

“But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them;” (Acts 16:25, NASB95)

Here is my point, look at how Paul was acting in the midst of terrible circumstances….singing hymns of praise!

He was worshiping...and we know that from those actions, eventually even the man responsible for Paul’s detention was saved.

We can grow in our thankfulness when we have the right perspectives on what is happening…

Brothers and sisters, in the midst of terrible circumstances, you have an amazing platform, and part of that platform is the people that are around you…they are watching you…they are looking at you…and you can impact them.

In fact, this might be a great time for a HW assignment. It is said that if you are not in the midst of suffering, it is because you either just went through it or you soon will be…

If that is true, then here is my recommendation…get ready.

The armor of God works best when it is already on….

So here is your hw…write out a plan for how will you respond when hard times comes your way...i mean sit down, put on paper...here is the truth that I am going to dwell on…here are the actions that I am going to commit to, here are the things that I am going to value.

And in this plan, you fill it with God’s word.

No doubt that when trials come…you can do this work…but how much better if you were already there…that you actually had a plan for when suffering comes…

Or, with that plan… you would be ready to share it with a friend in need…someone who was suffering…

You did not have to hunt in your Bible for hope and truth…you had it ready for you.

As we think about Paul’s testimony…

III. Be aware that your testimony can impact many others to testify.

3. Consider the Impacts of your story

While there can be a myriad of impacts, our text here gives us three ways that our story can have impacts…

First,

Begins with Growing trust in the Lord

Philippians 1:14 — 14 and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.

We have all seen this in our own lives, when God has come through, it leads to greater trust in the Lord.

We have also seen how when someone is trusting in the Lord, that can encourage us as well.

But it will also lead to…

Points others to the source of growing in courage

Courage is not about how strong you are, or how good you are…courage is about your relationship with the one who is all powerful and in control of all things…it is about obeying Him and what He says in His word…that is what courage looks like.

A great example of courage in the bible is Joshua…

God encourages His people by saying…

Joshua 1:6–9 — 6 “Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 “Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. 8 “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. 9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Meaning, the process is a bit like a flywheel, the more you trust in God, the more courage you are going to have…and that momentum will grow.

when you proclaim Christ...it…

Helping others overcome man centered fear

We all struggle with the fear of man to some degree…Matt 10:28 reminds us…

Matthew 10:28 — 28 “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

At this point you and I are not fearing for our lives…but there is increasing pressure on Christians to not stand up for what the Bible says…not stand up that only Jesus is the way, the truth, the life and that no one comes to the Father but through Him….as it says in Acts that…

Acts 4:12 — 12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

The bottom line is that we can’t love people and share the gospel with people if we are afraid of what they think of us, or what they might do to us…

1 John 4:18–19 — 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. 19 We love, because He first loved us.

One of the scariest things for many is choosing to place their trust and faith in God. They are not sure how God will view them, how he will receive them…and yet by proclaiming the gospel boldly, and living a life of trust, and courage…we will be able to help others do the same.