Confident in the Lord

Philippians Study Recap

We are studying a letter that was written around 62 AD, therefore it is a letter that is nearly 2,000 years old.

It is a letter to the Church in Philippi, a gathered people who are dear to Paul in their support and encouragement to him.

It is a letter that Paul writes with certainty that it will encourage them to continue to run the race of their faith towards completion. A certainty that comes from the fact that God is the one who has began the work and therefore will complete the work.

So far, we have worked our way through the first 11 verses of this letter. To help us then in our preparation for tonight, let’s read through those 11 verses.

Let’s then read Philippians 1:1-11

Philippians 1:1–11 ESV

1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

As we continue to study the book of Philippians, is there anything we need to review or go back over from Philippians 1:1-11?

Confident in the LORD: Philippians 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. 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.

As we walk through our time this evening we want to remember the three steps of our process as we walk through our passage.

3 Steps of our Study:

First, we make observations, answering the who, what, when, where, why, how questions.

Second, we seek to interpret the things we observe that need clarifying.

Third, we seek to make application that flows from the interpretations of our observations.

Observations of Philippians 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. 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.

What observations should be made here?

Pause to allow them to draw some of these out.

Paul’s imprisonment has served to advance the gospel. (Philippians 1:12)

Paul’s imprisonment has become known throughout the whole imperial guard. (Philippians 1:13)

And to whatever extent to all the rest covers.

Paul says his imprisonment is for Christ (Philippians 1:13)

Paul’s imprisonment has lead others to become confident in the Lord (Philippians 1:14)

They are now more bold to speak the word without fear

Interpretation of Philippians 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. 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.

What is meant by saying that Paul’s imprisonment has served to advance the gospel? How can something like this advance the gospel? And how does it advance?

Paul’s imprisonment helps to advance the gospel as it shows there is a Christ.

For it is on account of Christ that Paul is imprisoned.

This means that there is one who truly believes there is a real Christ, a Messiah King who has come. And of course then that this one is worth suffering for.

Paul’s imprisonment helps to advance the gospel as it shows the surpassing worth of Christ.

Philippians 3:7–11 ESV

7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Paul believes that Jesus is truly worth living and dying for as he refuses to stop preaching Christ.

For we see that it is on account of Christ that he is imprisoned for.

Paul’s imprisonment helps to advance the gospel as the news spreads.

It spreads to the whole of the imperial guard as they hear that a man is imprsioned for preaching about this Christ, this Jesus.

The gospel goes forth as Paul is imprisoned as he continues to preach even from within.

This news is even spreading to those outside of the imperial guard, to all the rest (to whatever extent that means).

How has Paul’s imprisonment led to more confidence rather than discouragement?

Paul’s imprisonment leds to confidence because despite Paul’s imprisonment, the gospel continues to advance. Not even imprisonment can stop the spread of this gospel and its advancing in the world.

Paul’s imprisonment and the continued advancing of the gospel proves that what God has began, he truly will complete. That not even circumstances such as imprisonment can stop his work.

Philippians 1:6 ESV

6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Paul’s imprisonment and the continued advance of the gospel teaches us further about the Sovereignty of God and helps us to continue to abound more and more in love, even for that of our enemies.

Paul’s imprisonment and the advance of the gospel teaches us that there is no need to be anxious about anything.

Philippians 4:6–7 ESV

6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

God’s kingdom, his gospel advances. Nothing will stop it. Therefore there is no need to be anxious about the completion of his plan and purposes.

Likewise, how does Paul’s imprisonment cause them to not fear instead of fear?

This goes back again to what was already stated.

Philippians 3:7–11 ESV

7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

The surpassing worth of Christ outweighs imprisonment and even death itself if one rightly believes in Jesus.

Therefore there is no reason to fear rejection, imprisonment, or even death itself if Jesus is worth more than life itself.

Application of Philippians 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. 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.

With our interpretations and observations made so far, how then do you think we should apply Philippians 1:12-14 to our lives if we are Christians?

Pause, allowing others to answer here first. Even write the answers on the board or the screen.

The advance of the gospel is not dependent on our circumstances, good or bad.

This means we do not need freedoms for gospel advancement. Whether from prison or even the gurantee of religious freedom. And this can bring us confidence and hope.

This means that when trials, hardships, challenging seasons of ministry come, we should not grow discouraged by the lack of gospel advancement. But continue pressing on, trusting that it will indeed advance.

This is not a license to slothfulness, but an encouragement to faithfully keep pressing onward in our gospel proclamation.

The advance of the gospel is truly counter culture.

Prison serves to advance the gospel.

A hindrance in imprisonment serves as a help for gospel advancement.

The chains of imprisonment serves as Freedom for others to be freed from sin and fear.

We should have confidence and boldness in the gospel.

The gospel is truly the power of salvation

Romans 1:16–17 ESV

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

We need not try and package the gospel up as something else, trying to make it more beautiful than it is.

2 Corinthians 2:17 ESV

17 For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.

We are not trying to sell the gospel, but tell of the surpassing worth of Jesus, that he is worth even our comforts, our freedom, and our lives.

We need not fear.

If we believe that Jesus is real, we should not fear what may come in following him.

If we believe that sin is forgiven in Jesus, what should we fear?

If we believe that God is for his people, why should we fear?

If we believe that God is Sovereign over all things, why do we fear?

If we believe that God’s glory is coming, what is there to fear of the present?