Keeping the Right Perspective

Good morning again, If you have a copy of God’s word open it up to Philippians chapter 1. I have titled the message this morning, “ Keeping the Right Perspective.”

Now this is our forth message in the book of Philippians, week by week this book continues to wreck me as I study it, because I want to live and believe like Paul does, and every single time I open up this book I am more encouraged than ever. And as I read through this text and pondered its words I thought to myself this text we are in today is key for my ministry. I must believe it with my whole heart, and I believe each and every one of you need to believe it as well. As we progress in this text today Ill flesh out why I think Paul is good at keeping the right Perspective. Something many of us may lack. Paul had a great perspective and we will see that even more next week. But his perspective is something we need to closely look at. I believe having the right perspective ends up shaping how you live your life, and how you do ministry.

Lets read the words of Paul, and dive into the text this morning…

Philippians 1:12–18 (ESV)

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.

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.

Today what I would hope you would see as we move through the text is this…

Keeping the right perspective means keeping your eyes on Jesus.

If you remember the intent of this letter was to give an update to what was happening to Paul. And Paul as we know is in prison in Rome, and what he wanted to go to Rome and preach Christ to the believers there, but he found himself going there because he was arrested. Not on his own free will.

We know from the scriptures that the people of Philippi took care of Paul, and they love him so he greets them as we saw the last few weeks, and now he tells them, I want you to know… and what he does in the text is not just pout because he is in prison in fact, He tells them what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. Not many of us with have that perspective if we are selves were in chains.

If you are taking notes I want you to write a few things down…

Everything that happens in life is meant to advance the gospel.

Ill get to Paul’s current situation as he is writing to the church at Philippi in a moment. But Paul has been through a-lot.

We see the word advance here in the text, we need to know what that mean’s in the context of what is Paul is writing. The greek word for it was used of blazing trail before an army, or progressing in wisdom and the progress of a young minister.

Paul has seen the gospel advance all throughout the known world at that time. Even through great hardships and sufferings. I just want to remind you of some of the things Paul had been through he had been kidnapped, beaten, threatened, arrested many times, accused, interrogated, shipwrecked, bitten by poisonous snakes, and so much more, and yet he uses all that to advance the gospel.

Most people would not see all those opportunities to Further the gospel, but Paul did. Remember Paul in prison sang songs and prayed while he was bound in chains tell an earthquake from God came, and released him and then he shared the gospel.

He saw bad situations like even being in Jail as an opportunity to advance the gospel. He did not care where he was or what he was going through as long as the message keep getting out, because his eyes were on Jesus.

If we had our eyes so set on Jesus we would take him everywhere we went just like Paul did. I even read this week something powerful, the author said, “Paul showed that the key to maintaining joy in ministry is simple:Stay focused on Jesus. (Stay focused on Jesus) Sounds simple enough doesnt… Make the gospel the focus of your life and ministry. Not just part of it, all of it, and see how he works through that.

which leads me into my next point this morning…

WE are to be faithful where God has placed us.

Sound familiar? Tired hearing it, I have said this 100 times in 100 different ways.

But Paul is the perfect example of this… He went place to place various different challenges, but he faithful no matter what. He doesn’t say it is easy, but he knows the absolute sovereignty of God placed him where he was to live his life, and he lives as though he has been forgiven of much, one who loves Jesus, and who keeps his eyes on him and is faithful through everything. Thats the kind of guy I want to be church family. To be faithful were God has placed me no matter the situation.

It says here in the text that Phil 1:13

Philippians 1:13 ESV

13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.

For so many ministers this kind of sentence would be a huge blow to their ministry. For someone like Paul who planted many churches, witnesses to thousands of people, saw many come to Christ. This could appear to be the end for him, but he does not see it that way, and he lets the church of Philippi know that to encourage them.

Paul now has a luxury that I don’t have as a pastor and he looks at that way because he has an audience that is literally chained to him. You guys are going to leave when this message is over you can even leave now if you really wanted to, but Paul seen this as an opportunity to advance the gospel to be faithful where God put him. Using his situation to advance the gospel.

Now who he is talking about in this text is the imperial guard, these are the best guard people the ones who have all the power in Rome, and so Paul is like I hit the jackpot with this one, not only am I in the most influential city in the world at the time, but I get to preach my heart out making it known to these people that my God is worth being in these chains and I am going to tell you about him.

When I worked at the Pharmacy for years, I grew in my faith, and I told everyone about Jesus, and while I was not as good as this as Paul and made alot of mistakes along the way I made sure that ever person I worked with heard the gospel sometimes heard it alot over and over again for years, and some people believed that message, some people argued with me about it, some were straightened by that message, but some even hated the message, and the messenger.

I want you to know Paul doesn’t say all these guards believed, but sure heard, but they sure heard. Friends we are good at talking about things. WE are good at talking about things we love, but so often we don’t even talk about what we love most, and that is Christ. Paul is all about Jesus, I think this is what it would be like when you first met Paul, I referenced this on Wednesday night as well. But I am sure when he came in ever place his message started like this…

1 cor 15:1-4

1 Corinthians 15:1–4 ESV

1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word 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 in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

I am sure the guards and him talked about a variety of different things, but I am sure of this he made Jesus known to all of them first, we have people in our lives that we have never shared the gospel with, Paul made sure that he preached Christ.

He made sure to be faithful were he was and he did that because he kept his eyes on Jesus. We can do all these great things for God, but if we dont make his name known in the process it is all for nothing eternally. x2

Next point I want you to notes of is this…

Our lives should motive others to live for Christ.

last week I borrowed a thing another pastor does if you can’t say amen then say ouch..

As I grow as a Christian I can’t help but look back and see all the times I could have caused another brother or sister in Christ to maybe stumble, to look away from Jesus, and even Paul did some bad stuff, but he says look. Phil 1:12-14

Philippians 1:12–14 (ESV)

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. we get to verse 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.

He is telling them look, I know you are worried about me but the gospel is advancing many people are still coming to Christ, and guest what because I am in prison, others are doing the work and becoming more bold, and doing it without fear.

I am sure the church of Philippi wants Paul to be there ministering to them, teaching them, but because he is in prison others are stepping up because he is being bold in his chains.

If you have ever studied about missionaries doesn’t that really fire you up. When you see people lay it all out on the line for something they truly believe. Does it not motive you to do the same.

I am convinced that the world seems so dark to us so often, because the other side is just louder and more passionate about their message, then we are are. Living out what they actually believe and we are not.

Paul is saying I am in prison I am sharing Christ people are knowing him by faith, its spreading from my jail cell. And Church I want to encourage you that people are being bold because of it and so should you…

Charles Spurgeon said, “You have sometimes seen a widely spreading oak tree cut down, and you have missed its grateful shadow. Yet afterwards you have discovered that many little trees, which would have been dwarfed beneath its shade, have grown more rapidly in its absence.

In like manner, the removal of some eminent servant of the Lord Jesus Christ has made room for others to spring up, and more than fill his place.

I am afraid that so many us fail to see how important our lives truly are. Or how big of impact we can really make.

Let me read you something… The book of Philippians should cause us to pray and pursue several Christian qualities, and one of them is courage.

One pastor had a pastoral staff member do something that he had only dreamed about. As his colleague was driving one day, the car in front of him accidently hit a guy on a bicycle and knocked him down. The cyclist got up. He then pounded on the hood of the driver's car. In his rage he then went over to the driver's side door, opened it, and began kicking and punching the driver--who happened to be a 75-year-old man!

My friend was sitting behind this scene and was faced with a decision.

What should he do? Should he get out and help? To make things more complicated, he also had a little baby in the back seat! Determined to help, our pastor proceeded to get out of the car and pull the cyclist off of the older man. As he did, the cyclist wouldn't stop. He got physical with our pastor, too, and even tore his shirt off in his effort to get back. to assaulting the driver. So our pastor had to make another decision.

Should he punch this guy? He decided yes. And with one uppercut punch, he knocked this guy out! When the police came and verified the story from all the witnesses, who honked and clapped when this originally happened, the policeman asked our pastor, "How many times did you punch him?" He said, "Honestly, just once." The policeman said,"That's what everyone else said." Later, I told my wife-who knew I was impressed--that I've dreamed about doing this!

As I told this story, our congregation erupted into applause. Their excitement wasn't due to his mighty punch (though it did amaze many!) but the fact that he took up for this older man.

So listen to this.. So I asked our church, "How many of you would have gotten out of the car and tried to stop this assault, even if the guy was bigger than you?" Most nodded in affirmation. Most would get out and do something. They would have courage to intervene.

Keep listening.. (Then I asked, "How many of you would go speak the gospel to a 75-year-old man who is sitting alone at a restaurant, if you knew that he was not a Christian? Would you even engage in spiritual conversation with him?" Why is it that we find it easy to be courageous in physical matters but difficult in this spiritual matter?Why are we cowards when it comes to speaking the gospel? Could it be because there's a deeper conflict going on? Could it be that speaking the gospel is warfare? I think so. Let us pray for great courage as we make the gospel known to people. Let us think on the affliction of other missionaries and pray for God to grant us boldness in making the gospel known.

Let us follow Paul’s example of trying to be faithful in all circumstances, advancing the gospel, being faithful where he has put us, and doing so when others are watching it might just cause them to live for Christ as well. That is the biggest knock on myself and many of you sometimes we just don’t live for Christ in all our situations.

Paul continues though with something that was truly going on during the time, and even our time today.

Next point is helpful to understanding this…

Your motives will shape your ministry..

Paul as I have already stated had the right perspective had the right heart, but Pauls’ imprisonment brought out different sides of different people. We see that today as well. Some people were inspired by Paul some were not.

You may or may not have heard of Pastor James Coates but he got arrested during covid in Canada and it inspired people to be faithful even when they were threatened, but it also enraged people . If you have the right motive and you approach this text you are going to see, Paul may be arrested, but I am going to go out do my part and preach Christ to honor him and other faithful servants, or you may so a different direction.

On Wednesday night I said whatever fills your cup will overflow from it.

Paul in this text isn’t even saying these people who preach Christ from envy and rivalry are not believers.

In fact if they were unbelievers I believe he would have called them out like he did the Galatians. Paul does not shrink away from people who distort the gospel.

Remember in Gal 1:6-10 he said this…

Galatians 1:6–10 ESV

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. 10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Paul isn’t saying that here in Philippians. He isn’t accusing them of false teaching he is accusing them of false motives.

WE can have the right theology and the wrong motives.

And I think that is a warning to us that you can be saved and have the wrong motives.

If I am honest envy and jealousy can easily creep into our lives, and our ministries. This is one of the reasons I said at the beginning that this study is wrecking me. All of us have things that get to us… that cause us to take our eyes off Jesus. And sometimes thats what others are doing whether good or bad.

Its interesting how envy and jealously creep in our lives sometimes. Sometimes it shows up in trying to compare ministries, something I have to run away from, because I praise God that people down the street or next town over our being saved, when I don’t see it on a regular basis like some churches seem to do, things like that can consume you if you are not careful. Especially as a pastor.

For you it may be your friend got the job you didn't it. Got the house you didn’t, got the vacation you didn’t, have the life you want, the feeling of envy and jealously can creep in so fast, and if you are not careful it can cause you to take your eyes off Jesus.

Paul had people who loved that he was in prison, so they could gain followers for themselves. Isn’t that crazy.

They were living life with selfish ambition. For even churches today to often they see other churches as competition rather than partners. Pastors if they are not careful can make it more about themselves than the message. Church family Making Christ known is my greatest desire as a Pastor, just like it was for Paul. And if I keep my eyes on Jesus my motivations will be pure, and right, but if not I can go the other way.

It probably wasn't a surprise to Paul that others envied him in fact its easy to envy those who have great success. that goes beyond ministry doesn it.

Some people want to be envied but for Paul he knows he has a mission to be carried out by God, and he could ultimately care less what others did when he was in chains as long as Christ was proclaimed. He had the right heart, the right motivations in ministry. He had the right perspective, because he kept his eyes on something greater.

This is best seen in book of 1 Thes 2:2-6

1 Thessalonians 2:2–6 ESV

2 But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. 3 For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. 5 For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. 6 Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ.

I love this because he tells the people, we had alot happen to us, you know at Philippi they were arrested and beaten, they say we haven’t been treated so well. but we came to you with boldness in our God, not there own selves, despite all the conflict they had they appealed to them with a pure heart not trying to deceive anyone or trick anyone to believe, but to just preach the gospel so that God was gloried.

They were not like those in the text here in Philippians who preached from envy, or rivalry, or selfish ambition, they preached to advance the gospel to fulfill what the Lord had told his people to do when he ascended to heaven.

Despite these different motives though Paul rejoiced. For the sole reason Christ is proclaimed.

so my last point today is this.

Believers must rejoice when Christ is proclaimed.

v18 is hard for me sometimes because it bothers me when people use the name of Christ for personal gain.

Not does it bother me it infuriates me that someone would take something as good as Christ and the message of the gospel, and distort it for Personal gain, yet we have Paul here saying in Phil 1:18

Philippians 1:18 (ESV)

18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

I look to Charles Spurgeon for guidance when he says.. Sweet forgetfulness of self! So long as Christ is glorified, Paul does not mind how he himself fares, nor what unkind motives towards himself may cause other preachers. This is real Christianity.

in this I rejoice The apostle was in prison, in great jeopardy of his life. He was much troubled by many who had begun to preach Jesus Christ, but did not preach Him in a proper spirit. He was also often depressed by that which came daily upon him, the care of all the churches. Yet while he looked in the face the evils that surrounded him, he was able to see beyond them, and to believe that the consequences of all his trials would be real and lasting good. He felt sure that it was a good thing for him to be in prison; that it would be a good thing even if he had to die there; that it was well that many were preaching Christ, even though some did it of ill will. For Christ was preached, and the result could not be evil. And the troubles and trials of the churches were good, for somehow or other they would be overruled for God’s glory.

Oh to have such a perspective when Christ is preached. Because his name never returns void.

But still what do we do with those who preach Christ with non proper motives, I believe we rejoice if the gospel is clear ( If they preach like Paul preached in 1 Cor 15. As much as you may love Jesus and want to be faithful to him at every turn the message is to big for you to carry on your own, He died not you. he rose from the dead not you. And he uses peoples own hearts no matter the state of it to advance his kingdom. He uses good and bad motives to accomplish his purposes, And he will do so until he returns.

But we must also discern those who preach to us, and we do it like we learned last week with Love, and Knowledge. SO we can know how to truly discern, we have to have all those things connected. We need to call out those who distort the gospel, who add to it, who use it for gain while they profane the name of Jesus. Teaching false things about him, but also rejoice when he is name is being proclaimed.

So to kind of wrap this up today.. Keeping the right perspective means keeping your eyes on Jesus. Now with all the points I mentioned today and everything that has happened in Pauls life and your own life. I want you to really think how God has given you a specific life, with specific people around you, and I want you to know for a fact that what you are doing in this life matters. No life is to small for the kingdom of God.

Treat your life like Paul, and take the darkness that you have been through and turn it into the light of the gospel. In fact you never know who the Lord may bring in your life and you need to be ready to show them who Jesus Christ is. Be faithful where God has placed you, and do it from the right heart and I think I stress this to you every week, you can only have a right heart if you have been changed by Jesus Christ, 1 Cor 15:3-4

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 ESV

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

and IF you believe that you can have a right heart with a right perspective but you can only be changed by him by Repenting of your sins, which means you turn from them, and put in your faith in Christ is the only way you can be saved. The only way you can have a true right perspective.

The natural man could not have had the response that Paul has writing to the Philippians. Man its my new goal in life to just have the joy of this man who had went through it all, who is a self proclaimed chief of sinners like me, but has been so radically changed from the heart to have joy in the chains of prison knowing that what he has done in this life was to advance the gospel, and others are taking his imprisonment as a reason to be bold, I hope this message motives you to live for Jesus, oh to have the faith that the right perspective.

Let us pray..