Sermon Tone Analysis

12 But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, 13 so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; 14 and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

In verse 5 we have the phrase "fellowship in the gospel," in verse 7 "confirmation of the gospel" and now "furtherance of the gospel."

The gospel is one of the cardinal reasons for our taking up space on earth.

What part have we played in the furtherance of the gospel?

God is far more interested in the furtherance of the gospel than he is in politics.

Are we coupled to the Great Commission?

The reason Paul could recognize God's plan for his imprisonment is that it advanced the gospel.

When we get to the Judgment Seat of Christ, God is not going to ask us how well we manicured our lawns.

He is going to ask us what part we played in advancing the cause of Christ.

Obviously God wants us to care for our lawns, if only for our neighbor’s mental health!

It is a question of majoring on majors.

However, we often major on minors.

We make much ado about things of little consequence.

We squander our energies.

We prostitute our time making religious daisy chains.

PRINCIPLE: God's plans to use us transcend our ability to anticipate, from a finite perspective, the global strategy of reaching those without Christ.

God has factored adversity into our lives.

This often makes no sense to us but nevertheless advances the gospel.

APPLICATION: Are you absorbed in advancing the gospel?

Have you placed yourself in the infinite hands of God to get the gospel out?

Evidently the church at Rome was typically ineffective in reaching these men.

Paul came to Rome as a prisoner and was able to evangelize this Praetorian guard.

He had a captive audience.

One guard at a time was chained to him.

Each shift he had a new opportunity to share Christ.

Can you imagine the talk of the barracks?

"Have you been chained to that Paul yet? Boy, are you going to get an ear full!

All he can talk about is that Jesus Christ and his death and resurrection for our sins."

Paul was an effective witness one man at a time.

That is where most Christians fail--one on one testimony.

The most effective way to reach people for Christ is one on one.

I doubt that any of the Praetorian guards attended the stated services of the church in Rome or any evangelistic services.

We are the best witness to our relatives, neighbors and friends.

We are the best Christians some people 14 Philippians know; it may be that we are the only Christians some people know.

"to speak the word without fear" Fear disappeared from their witness.

The prayer of the church shortly after it began was "grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word" (Acts 4:29).

One of the least common denominator in witnessing is boldness.

If we are not confident of what we are sharing we are dead in the water before we begin.

People will know that we do not believe what we are saying.

PRINCIPLE: Confidence vanquishes fear.

Paul's great model of sharing his faith under adversity and winning some of the Praetorian guard to Christ encouraged Christians to share their faith.

APPLICATION: Are we a witness to Christians? Do we model the dynamics of witnessing for our faith?