The Best Bonds Ever

“So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;” - Philippians 1:13

Intro

The word Bonds means literal ties or bonds. To put it into context, Paul was in prison. It was believed that he was in Roman prison at this point, more specifically, house arrest.

Roman house arrest would have the prisoner literally chained to a guard at all times. Imagine that. There is no privacy in that at all. And so Paul is chained to these guards and he writes this letter to the Philippians.

Here in our text he is speaking about his bonds, not only physically, but spiritually and what affect they had on him and those around him. That is what I would like to look at today.

Message

They were Personal

They were his bonds

They have to made personal. They have to be YOUR bonds. YOU have to be captured. Then...

They were in Christ

Not only do they have to be personal, but who is the person. What are you captured by?

They were Public

Manifest means - Apparent, evident, known or to be recognized or known.

They may have been seeing he earthly bonds but Paul wanted them to see his spiritual bonds. He had been captured by Jesus.

Prisoners stand out. Today they usually wear orange jumpsuits. You can tell they are a prisoner. Is it apparent to others that you are captured by Christ?

Not it what you look like necessarily but what do people see you do?

Do you like like a prisoner of Christ?

Prisoners are obedient to their captor. If not there would be punishment, yet our captor is a good master. He calls us to be obedient so that we can be in fellowship with Him and experience that goodness.

Then we can bring others into captivity.

They were Productive

The palace was most likely Nero’s palace in Rome.

As said before, Paul was chained to soldiers at all times.

What do you think Paul did while he was with these soldiers all the time?

He led them to Jesus. Showing them that the bonds of Christ were the best way to live all of life.

Paul ended this letter to the Philippians in Phil. 4:21-22 with, “Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with me greet you. All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar’s household.”

His bonds were bringing others into captivity.

The word palace means headquarters. Isn’t it wonderful to know that Jesus works even in the headquarters?

Here is the key: Come to Jesus. Let Him work in your headquarters. God will do a work with you in other headquarters once He has captured yours. He is on a conquest or people hearts. He is pushing forward.

God used Paul, who was totally surrendered, to capture Rome, then God used Rome to spread the Word of God to the world.

They were Persuasive

Philippians 1:14 “And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.”

The word waxing means persuade.

Christians were getting more and more confident by seeing Paul’s bonds.

Literally Roman soldiers were serving Nero, who hated God desperately, and getting saved.

They were growing in boldness to share the same bonds with others that they had been captured by.

Without fear.

Does any of this sound like you? If not that is the problem. Jesus as our captain will lead us to share with others. You only share what you have. Have you come to Jesus?