03 - How To Handle The Green Eyed Monster 2012 By Pastor Jeff Wickwire Notes
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PHILIPPIANS—THE CHRISTIAN’S GUIDE TO JOY
Part 3
“How to Handle the Green-Eyed Monster”
Last time we saw that a key to Paul’s joy was his total confidence in the sovereignty of God—he knew that God was in control.
Hence, he could rejoice in jail, viewing his chains as a challenge rather than a problem.
His joy and boldness also resulted in “many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident in my bonds are much more bold to speak the word without fear” (1:14).
And Paul was also aware of something that would bother many of us, but not him. He says:
1:15 “Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill:”
The word translated “good will” is the same word used by the angels in announcing the Savior’s birth: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14).
To preach the gospel out of “good will” is to preach it out of a sincere desire for the well-being of others.
Unfortunately, not all preachers were or are motivated out of such desires. Some were preaching Christ out of envy! They were jealous of Paul—envious of his success and resentful of his influence in the churches.
And some were preaching out of strife. The word for “strife” means “factious rivalry.” Competition had entered the hearts of the individuals with wrong motives.
It is sad how quick we are to run down someone else’s work, especially if it seems to be a little bigger or better than our own. Some people almost choke on any word of praise for another’s ministry.
1:16 “The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; 17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.”
Get this: Those who were preaching from an insincere motive were hoping to add affliction to Paul’s bonds. The word “affliction” alludes to the painful friction of a prisoner’s chains against his ankles and wrists. These preachers were hoping that their success would irritate Paul! But Paul—the king of an overcoming attitude—had a liberating response:
1:18 “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.”
This is the second time Paul uses the word “rejoice.” He could not applaud their motives, but he could and did rejoice that the gospel was going forth. Paul’s joy was unstoppable and irrepressible. When souls were saved he could only say, “Hallelujah!”
Next we see abounding optimism:
1:19 “For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,”
Paul desired that his stand for Christ might be vindicated and that he might be delivered from bringing disgrace on the gospel. He did not want to let the church or Christ down by compromising or misrepresenting the gospel in any way when he went to court.
Look carefully at what the mighty Apostle was relying on: “…your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,”
Though God’s great Apostle, he was never too great to ask for the prayers of God’s people. And he drew from “the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.”
The Holy Spirit would see him through. God would give him the right words to say. Paul’s optimism was based on the solid realities of prayer and the Holy Spirit.
1:20 “according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.”
The word “magnified” means “to make great or to enlarge.” Paul knew that, though Christ filled the universe, to most people He was remote and far away.
He wanted to be a telescope to bring Jesus closer to their consciousness so they could see Him in all His glory and grace. He also wanted to be a microscope to enlarge their vision of Christ—to make the various facets of His awesome life manifest so they could study Him in detail.
POWERFUL TRUTH: Paul had one supreme goal in life: to show men the Lord Jesus.
Is that our goal? Does such a desire reside anywhere in our busy souls? Might we ask God to place within us the same desire that Paul had?
Next, we see how Paul viewed this life:
1: 21 “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
Everybody lives for something or someone. If we were to ask Mr. Man on the Street what he lived for, we might hear: “For me to live is pleasure.” Or, “For me to live is wealth.” Or, “For to me to live is position or power or prestige.”
All of these goals fall far short of Paul’s target. Man’s chief aim should be to glorify God and fulfill His will. I assure you, those who live for pleasure or self are in the end filled with regrets.
Lord Byron, the famous poet of English society, lived for pleasure. It was what he was known for. In a poem about growing old he said,
“My days are in the yellow leaf;
The flowers and fruits of love are gone;
The worm, the canker, and the grief
Are mine alone.”
To Paul, Christ was the reason and meaning to life. And dying meant only to be joined to Him forever. He knew that dying was not the end, but the beginning of eternity. Hebrews 9:27 says, “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.”
THE SOBERING TRUTH: They that live without Christ will die without Christ. Life and death are tied together. Since Paul’s life was to magnify Christ, he could face death as “gain”, not loss.
Next, Paul discusses the blessedness of a fruit-bearing life down here:
1:22-23 “But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.
It’s powerful to consider that Paul was not dealing with whether or not he would live, but whether or not he would “live in the flesh!” Nero could kill the body, but he had no power over life itself. Verse 22 is one of total surrender on Paul’s part. He was completely at God’s disposal.
Paul’s attitude was, “If I am to go on living down here it will simply mean that much more work for Jesus and that much more reward in eternity.” But when he thought of what waits on the other side, he admitted “to be with Christ is far better.”
What awaits the believer is so glorious, so full of joy unspeakable, and so rich a fulfillment of all the longings of the human heart, there is no comparison between that life and this one.
We see next that Paul was ever the unselfish lover of men’s souls:
24 “Nevertheless, to remain in the flesh is more needful for you.”
So much work was left to be done. So many millions lay in the grip of Satan’s claws. The churches in Galatia, Asia, Macedonia, Achaia, and Rome had great needs. Paul’s friends at Philippi who were still going for God needed him. He pulled out his prayer list. Name after name, place after place, and page after page reminded him that he was still needed on this earth.
“Nevertheless,” he sighs, “for me to remain is more needful for you.”
Commentator John Phillips writes, “Paul put his own desires on one side of the scales and his duty on the other, and settled on the side of duty.”
1:25-26 “And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, 26 that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.”
Paul is here admitting that he didn’t believe his time to die had arrived. Perhaps hearkening back to Jesus’ statement to Pilate, “You would have no power over me except it was given you from above,” (John 19:11) Paul leaned on the same truth. Nero could not take him out until God was finished with him. And God wasn’t finished with him.
Paul finally urges the Philippians to be unyielding, undivided, and unafraid in the battle against the enemies of Christ. First:
UNYIELDING IN THE BATTLE: 1:27 “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ,”
Conduct means “manner of life.” Live in such a way that the gospel of Christ is honored before the eyes of a skeptical, hostile world. Don’t compromise. Don’t give up ground to the enemy. Be unyielding in your commitment to Him!
UNDIVIDED IN THE BATTLE: “…so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel…”
This seems to intimate that there were some divisions in the Philippian church. Paul later on in the letter will bluntly name names.
Listen carefully: The things that unite us are far more important than any personality clashes that may divide us. Satan’s strategy is always to divide and conquer. We must therefore be UNDIVIDED IN THE BATTLE.
Unyielding in the battle. Undivided in the battle. And finally,
UNAFRAID IN THE BATTLE: “…and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God.”
He is telling them: “Your calm collective courage in the face of danger and persecution is a sure token to your enemies of the judgment that awaits them.”
The history of Christian martyrdom is replete with stories of men and women subjected to the most inhumane cruelties known to man. They often faced a torturous death with supernatural bravery. This, says Paul, only reminded their torturers that they were doomed.
1:29-30 “For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, 30 having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.”
We are not to think it strange, said Peter, “concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings…” (1 Pet.4:12)
“This has been granted to you,” said Paul, as though some great advantage were being sovereignly bestowed by God. Jesus assured us:
“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.”
NEXT TIME: THE CURE FOR STRIFE