A Walk Through the Book of Philippians part 3

Philippians 1:12-18

Philippians 1:12-18

By: Samuel Sorenson

7/3/2022

Introduction

It’s important to know that God loves you and that He has a plan and a purpose for your life. Many times, you may ask yourself if you are worthy of His love? Whatever sins you may have committed in the past that have caused you to be ashamed, many times those sins cause us to feel unworthy of God’s love. But God loved us so much that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. John 3:16-17.

There is no sin that you have committed that God cannot forgive, now there are consequences to sin and the mistakes you make in your teens and twenties will affect you in your thirties, forties, and sometimes for the rest of your life. The important thing to remember is this, that this earth is not our home. God has given us the gift of eternal life and our eternal home is with Him in heaven. Revelation 21:4-5 states, 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said [b]to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” Did God say I make some things new? No, He said I make all things new. However, it does not happen until we are with Him in heaven.

Now there are some things we can choose to make better in our lives. We can exercise, we can eat healthy, we can choose to saturate our minds with healthy things and not things that will make us feel depressed or angry. We can choose how we respond to negative behavior. We cannot necessarily control what happens to us, but being aware of our own actions, we can control how we respond and that friends is life changing.

I had a roommate in Seminary who did not like to exercise. I tried to encourage him to do push-ups, to lift weights, to do something physical, and he was not receptive to it. He did try walking and that helped him some. I later told him that if he did not exercise that his health could degenerate. I told him this to help him understand the seriousness of living an unhealthy lifestyle. I was not trying to shame him, or make him feel bad, I was trying to save him a lot of physical pain later on in life. The choices he makes now will affect his quality of life in the future. Likewise, many parents try to speak into their kids lives to motivate them and seek out a purpose and plan for how they will be productive to society and be loved and respected by others in their community.

Many times, no matter how gentle we are with our words and how we try to help people they are not ready to receive the advice. That is where we can pray for them. We can put it in God’s hands and ask Him to gently nudge them along.

God had a remedy for the world, He refused to leave us in our hopeless sinful condition, He chose to step down from heaven and become a man, live out a perfect sinless life, die a sinners death, and rise again so that whoever believed in Him would not perish but have everlasting life. I am repeating this statement to you because I want you to see the significance of what Jesus did for us.

If I were to ask you today, do you know of a person who knows and understands their calling in life? What would you say? How many people can you think of that are doing what God has called them to do and are content in living that calling out?

I would argue that many people do what they are good at, they do what they know, but many often wonder if that one job is all that there is for them. Brothers and sisters there are three phases a believer goes through.

The first state is the baby Christian phase, that is the state where a person accepts Jesus as their Lord and Savior and is experiencing all of the enjoyable parts of being born again, baby Christians are eager to learn the bible, they are spiritually hungry and are being fed, they may listen to every sermon that comes on the radio, read every Christian book they can find, and eagerly seek out counselors to help them understand what their calling in life is?

The second phase is the adolescent stage of being a Christian, this is the stage where a Christian has learned and grown some, they may have had some discipleship training, they may have started serving in the church, but many of them are not content with just being a pew sitter in the church. Many want a place to serve in their local body and to be seen and heard. They want to live out whatever purpose God has for them on the earth.

The last stage is the mature Christian, this is the stage where a Christian is serving and is actively engaged in their walk with the Lord. This is the stage where a believer is not satisfied with just hearing the Word preached to them, they want to teach or perform a duty for the Lord. The Lord may put a calling to go and preach, or to teach a Sunday school class, or to clean the church, or to suffer for the sake of the gospel. The Lord may put a calling on a believer to do prison ministry and minister to prisoners who have not heard the good news of Jesus Christ. This is the stage that Apostle Paul was at when he wrote to the church of the Philippians.

God has a purpose for every one of His children. His purpose is to commune with them, to walk with them, to protect them, to see them live out the purpose He put them on this earth to do. He wants to see them live out the potential He put in them. Friends it takes courage to share the gospel, it takes courage to walk up to someone you do not know and ask them about themselves.

We have to get over the fear of rejection, the fear of thinking that people do not like us. I hate to break it to you but not everyone we cross paths with will like us. However, there are those who will surprise us, who will listen to us, and who will appreciate us taking the time to get to know them. So, friends let me encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and hear the voice of love. The voice that says come to me all who are heavy laden and heavy burden and I will give you rest, for My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Many of us do not know this but there are two voices competing in our heads the voice of fear and rejection, and the voice of love. If I were to ask you what does the voice of rejection sound like? What would you say? Would you say that it sounds like someone saying no for a date, a job, or a friendship?

Many of us listen to the voice of fear and rejection over the voice of our Lord and Savior and that is not good.

One of the biggest challenges I have had to learn in ministry is to get over the fear of rejection, the fear reaching out to people. The fear of thinking I may be a bother to them. You see Jesus took the time to reach out to people to the weary and downtrodden. He took the time to feed them, to listen to them, to heal them. Now that He is in heaven, He has enabled His followers with His Spirit so that we the church, can be His hands and feet. So that we can minister to the weary and downtrodden.

Jesus said in Matthew 28:18-20, “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go [a]therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Jesus’s last and final commandment was to go out to all the nations and make disciples of them.

With that being said let’s continue our study through the book of Philippians.

Text

Philippians 1:12-18, “ 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 [a]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.

15 Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: 16 [b]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. 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.

Thesis: My purpose in speaking to you today is for you to understand that in seeking out God’s will for your life, you will find the purpose and satisfaction that God has for you.

Context:

The book of Philippians overflows with joy and thanksgiving. Paul wrote to the church in Philippi to thank them for a gift. He reported the joyful news that Epaphroditus, who had brought their gift to Paul, had recovered from his illness and was returning to Philippi. Paul said that he had learned the secret of being content in any situation, and he told them about his situation in prison. He expressed joy that more people were hearing about Christ even if some were proclaiming the gospel with bad motives. Wanting the Christians in Philippi to be unified, he challenged them to be servants just as Jesus was when he “emptied himself” and became a man rather than clinging to the rights of his divine nature (2:1–11). Paul wrote this letter while in prison, probably in Rome about the year a.d. 60.[1]

Last week we looked at three ways to pray for your church. To do a quick recap those three ways were,

1) Pray that your love may abound in all knowledge and discernment

2) Pray that you may approve of the things that are excellent.

3) Pray that you may be sincere and without offense until the day of Christ.

Paul is facing hardships in his life but what is his attitude at this point?

Rather than detail the hardships he faced, Paul took a divine perspective. He recognized that all events could be redeemed for the Lord’s sake, and he took what advantage of that he could to continue his mission. The primary concern was that the gospel would go forward. This happened through adverse circumstances, but as long as it happened, Paul could be joyful.

Paul did not specifically mention his imprisonment. The Greek word states (ta kat’ eme) which simply means “the things to me.” Most likely he included all the events from his imprisonment at Jerusalem through his imprisonment at Rome. These were the riot, the two-year imprisonment at Caesarea, the appeal to Caesar, the threat on his life, the trip to Rome with its shipwreck, his house-arrest and restricted freedom, and the impending trial. However, the focus is on the Roman events. As Paul described them, he spoke in terms of the effect on the soldiers and the Roman church.

The church might have expected the worse, but Paul countered that quickly. The gospel advanced. The Greek term for “advanced” is (prokopēn) and was used in describing blazing a trail before an army, the philosophical progress toward wisdom, and the progress of a young minister. Paul, therefore, saw the events as forging new territory for the gospel. They took Paul into contact with a select group of people, soldiers and Roman officials, who otherwise would have had no relationship to him, and they also prompted a renewed evangelistic effort in the city. While others may have seen the end of missionary activity, Paul saw the new ways the gospel could advance. The events which seemed to inhibit the freedom of the gospel became its springboard. Paul did not say “in spite of” these events, but rather “through them.” There is a note of sacrifice here. Paul’s private concerns did not matter; the gospel did.[2]

A quick explanation, when I say gospel I mean the good news of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Greek word for gospel is euangelion which is translated good news or good telling.

Plural Noun Proposition: Today, I want to look at three heart motives for Advancing the Good News of Jesus Christ.

1) The preaching of Christ out of envy and strife.

2) The preaching of Christ for selfish ambition.

3) The preaching of Christ out of love.

Let us look at the first way Christ is preached, and the good news of Jesus Christ is brought forth.

1) The preaching of Christ out of envy and strife.

Look with me again at the text, the first part of verse 15, “Some indeed preach Christ from envy and strife.

The method of sharing the gospel through “envy and rivalry.” The words always suggest relationships which have gone bad, and the terms normally occur in Paul’s lists of sins to avoid. Paul used the same construction in stating that others preached “out of goodwill.” Certainly their goodwill was not being directed toward the Roman authorities, and it was unlikely that it was goodwill toward the church. In fact, some would no doubt think that the best course of action for the church would have been to remain silent. But sharing the gospel is critical for the growth of the church.

Paul was in prison, but his ministry had been seen and heard throughout the known world. He was ministering to guards and prisoners while he was in prison and writing to the churches throughout the regions where he had planted churches.

Paul was studying different preachers and looking at the motives of their hearts. He was hearing of the gospel being advanced, even if the preachers’ motives were out of envy and strife.

Some of the preachers who preached Christ were opposed to Paul. Now friends I have to give you some context as to why this would possibly happen. Paul did not have the most upstanding past. Before he was a Christian he murdered Christian’s thinking he was doing the work of God. Then Jesus knocked him off of his horse and radically saved him for the purpose of reaching the Gentiles with Christ’s message of salvation.

No doubt these particular Christians did not appreciate the success that Paul had because of his past. They were envious and jealous of his success, but they were still called to share the good news.

Now let’s look at the second heart motive that the gospel was advanced.

2) The preaching of Christ for selfish ambition.

The motivation of the opposing preachers was “selfish ambition” (cf. 1:17). While they may have eyed Rome, hoping that an unfavorable judgment would come, they actually sought to elevate themselves at Paul’s expense. Their insincere preaching intended to bring greater affliction to Paul. Perhaps they thought Rome provided the key to rid the church of Paul and his followers.[3]

There are and were preachers who are out there who only preach Christ not so much out of a love for Christ but because they hope to gain love and popularity for doing ministry. Some want to be rich and famous; they want celebrity status, they want a so called easy life.

Friends Paul did not live an easy life, and neither did Christ, or Christ’s disciples. So, believing that this will be an easy life style is not something one should strive for.

Each of us have differing gifts and talents and each of us are able to perform different tasks, some of you in here today may have wanted to do something different with your lives than you what you are doing now. That is not up to us. God makes some people good with carpentry, some good with being police officers, and holding others accountable to following the law. Others are gifted mechanics or craftsman. And friends we should be joyful and delighted with whatever gifts the Lord gives us.

Colossians 3:23-24, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.”

Psalm 84:10 “For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than dwell in the house of wickedness.”

Friends whatever task the Lord gives you, whether that be a janitor or construction worker, or nurse, or a nurses assistant, God wants you to do that job to the best of your ability. He wants you to minister to people, whether they be your own children, your co-workers, or employer. You may be the only Christian that these people will encounter over the span of their lifetime. Be content with what the Lord calls you to do.

Now, let’s look at the third and final motivation for Advancing the Good News of Jesus Christ.

3) The preaching of Christ out of love.

Paul also described his supporters’ motivations. They preached from “goodwill” and “love.” These relational terms contrast with the descriptions of the opponents. Those of goodwill directed their support toward Paul, just as the others directed their animosity toward him.

One further contrast between these groups indicates how Paul’s imprisonment became the occasion for such attitudes to surface. Paul stated that his supporters knew he was “put here for the defense of the gospel” (1:16), while his antagonists hoped to “stir up trouble for me while I am in chains” (1:17). The first statement, from his friends, reveals a theological understanding of Paul’s unique place in God’s missionary program. The words “I am put here” express the divine purpose of his imprisonment, which was for “the defense of the gospel.”[4]

What separated Paul from so many who preached the gospel was his heart for people, his heart for the lost, and his motivation for seeing Christ’s message of salvation reach the ends of the world. He knew God and God’s heart and he sought out that which God had given him to do.

He took on this calling with pure joy and sacrifice to self. He like Job experienced great physical hardship, a rough reputation, and an uphill battle. However, he counted it all joy for the upward prize of the high.

He prayed for people, and this gave him a heart for people. The more he prayed and sought the Lord the more the Lord would give of Himself to Paul. The Lord wants us to seek Him out and to ask Him, “Lord what is my calling?” He then wants you to step out in faith and act obediently. This will give us a motivation to share the gospel out of love.

The interesting thing that Paul was seeing, was that in all three heart motives, the good news of Jesus Christ was preached. In this he rejoiced and will rejoice in His circumstances.

Closing

My challenge to you today Christian is this, to be seeking and asking the Lord what He wants you to do? Many of us have made grave mistakes in the past and are limited by those mistakes, it may be a physical limitation, such as a disability. It may be criminal mistake that has resulted in a tarnished record. Whatever it may be I want to you to know, that God is not through with you yet.

My purpose in speaking to you today was for you to understand that in seeking out God’s will for your life, you will find the purpose and satisfaction that God has for you.

One way for you to seek out the Lord is through discipleship, right now the leadership team and I are in the process of starting up a discipleship program where mature believers can get with believers who are not at the same place in their walk. Women can get with other women, and men can get with other men. This will strengthen your walk, rather you are the one being discipled or the one doing the discipling.

Karrie is wanting to start a women’s bible study, and I encourage both young and older ladies to join in on that bible study.

For those who are older I want you to know that there are many young people who are looking for someone to speak into their lives, ask the Lord to send those young people to you.

If we are to see spiritual fruit, we must be willing to have the right heart motive that the Apostle Paul was striving after.

Today, I want you to know that if you are a believer God does have a plan and a purpose for your life, however if you are not a believer Satan has a plan and a purpose for your life too.

If you are new here today and you do not know the Lord, I want you to raise your hand and silently say, “Please pray for me Pastor.”

If you are not seeking out the Lord’s purpose and plan for your life, I want you to raise your hand and silently ask, “Please pray for me Pastor.”

Let’s close in a word of prayer.

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Php). (2016). Crossway Bibles. [2]Melick, R. R. (1991). Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Vol. 32, p. 70). Broadman & Holman Publishers. [3]Melick, R. R. (1991). Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Vol. 32, p. 74). Broadman & Holman Publishers. [4]Melick, R. R. (1991). Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Vol. 32, p. 74). Broadman & Holman Publishers.