Lesson 4
Joy ... Because Christ Is Preached
Philippians 1:12-18
Are you happy? That is, I suppose, one of the most basic issues in life. All of us, to some degree, are in pursuit of happiness. What I am asking you today is, have you found happiness? Are you joyful?
You may be thinking, "Pastor, you don't know how difficult the circumstances of my life are!" "How could I be happy?!"
Here is a truth for you to learn: Your joy does not depend on your circumstances. You can be joyful in spite of what happens to you. Happiness may be affected by happenings, but it is not determined by circumstances. Happiness does not come from things which happen outside of you, but from things which happen inside of you. Joy is a state of mind, not a set of circumstances. You may not be able to change your circumstances but you can change your mind. You can determine to have joy.
This truth is illustrated in our text, Philippians 1:12-18. The first 11 verses comprise the introduction to the epistle: a greeting, words of endearment, and a prayer. The real body of the letter begins in 1:12. 1:12-26 is a single passage of which the theme is "joy in ministry". The key phrase in this passage is 18b. Thus, it is there that we need to begin our study and understanding of the passage.
I. The Delight That Paul Experienced, 1:18b.
"I do rejoice and I will continue to rejoice."
A. A Present Condition Of Joy - "I do rejoice".
Paul is saying, "I have joy." Is everything easy and comfortable for Paul? No! He is in prison. Do you see, then, that Paul's joy was in spite of his circumstances and not because of them? Paul did not allow his present circumstances to steal his joy. That is a mark of spiritual maturity. What does it take to steal your joy? God's word tells us to "Rejoice in the Lord always" (Phil. 4:4). It says, "Rejoice evermore" (I Thess.5:16) Nothing should steal our joy! Therefore, Paul is able to say, "I do rejoice."
Since Paul understood that his happiness did not depend on his happenings, that joy came from an inward decision, he determined that he was going to keep on rejoicing. He was not going to allow anything that happened to him or around him to rob him of joy. What faith and confidence this man had to have to be able to say, "I will rejoice."
II. The Difficulties That Paul Endured, 1:12.
This whole passage begins by Paul making reference to "the things which (had) happened to (him)". Perhaps the Philippians were aware of those things so Paul felt no need to list them. The question still that we must ask is "What things had happened to Paul?"
It is clear from both the Book of Romans and the Book of Acts that Paul had always wanted to come to Rome.
· Romans 1:10-15; 15:28-29; Acts 19:21.
After completing his 3rd missionary journey, Paul set out for Jerusalem. His friends warned him not to go (Acts 21:4,11-15). But Paul went anyway. Notice what happened ...
A. Acts 21:30-33 ® Mobbed @ Jerusalem.
B. Acts 22:22-27 ® Arrested, appeals Roman citizen.
C. Acts 23:33 ® Moved to Caesarea.
D. Acts 24:26-27 ® Rots in prison for 2 years +.
E. Acts 25:9-11 ® Appeals to Caesar.
F. Acts 27:7,9 ® Shipwrecked in route to Rome.
G. Acts 28:16,20,30 ® Roman house arrest/ 2 years.
All this happened over a period of about 4 years. Paul's trip to Rome was not under the circumstances which he had expected. He arrived in Rome as a prisoner instead of as a missionary. These are the things that had happened unto him. Paul was still in what he referred to as "my bonds" (13,14,16). He was still under Roman house arrested, constantly chained to a Roman soldier.
When you see what Paul's life had been like for the previous four years, his joy is even more amazing. We can muster up enough gumption to keep a good attitude when our adversities are short-lived and when we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. But when great difficulties persist, for 4 years, and there is no definite end in sight, a good attitude can erode away. How can we be expected to maintain joy? Paul did! How?
III. The Developments That Paul Enjoyed, 1:12-18.
How could Paul have joy in the midst of such difficulties? Paul's answer (v.12), "My difficulties have served to advance the gospel." Verse 12 mentions the "furtherance of the gospel". The word furtherance is an interesting word. It means to advance through difficult going. It would be used to describe the foremost ground troops which would advance, clearing a path for those that follow.
Paul had laid out his plan for the advance of the gospel. He had planned on visiting Rome and then going on to Spain. But the things which happened to Paul were not the things which Paul had planned to happen. Instead, there was 4 years of imprisonment. One might think that the advance of the gospel would have been halted by such a development. But now Paul realized that his imprisonment had not hindered the gospel at all; in fact it had served in advancing the gospel. * II Timothy 2:9 "Wherein I suffer trouble as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound." Thus, since the gospel was being advanced because of Paul's imprisonment, he was able to have joy. Paul's fetters furthered the gospel; his adversities advanced the gospel; his prison promoted the gospel; his bonds broadcast the gospel.
Paul was single minded. The passion of his heart was the furtherance of the gospel. His first concern was not his own comfort and ease. His primary concern was not for personal freedom to travel and a successful ministry. His biggest desire was not to get out of jail and off to Spain. Paul had one concern. He was single minded. The passion of his heart was the advance of the gospel. Therefore, however God choose to get that done was fine with Paul, even if it meant hardship and suffering for him. When the passion of your heart is the furtherance of the gospel, then your own personal difficulties which actually serve to advance the gospel, do not rob you of joy, they bring joy.
I contend that the reason why there is an absence of joy among Christians today is because we are not single minded about the advance of the gospel. It is not the passion of our heart. We are just as interested, if not more, in personal comfort and ease as we are in the souls being saved. Honestly, how many people do you know who single desire in life is to advance the cause of Christ, no matter what personally happens to them? That was the kind of person Paul was. That is why he could rejoice amid difficulties.
In the verses that follow (13-18) Paul explains exactly how the gospel had been advanced through his imprisonment. There were basically 2 ways.
A. Paul's Impact On The Palace, 13.
The Roman soldiers who guarded Paul (Acts 28:16) were part of the elite palace guard. They worked in six hour shifts. So Paul, over a period of 24 hours would be literally chained to 4 different soldiers. We think about Paul being chained to a soldier but consider it this way ... if you were a pagan soldier how would you like to be chained to Paul for 6 hours at a time! I'm not sure who was chained to whom! Obviously Paul's ministry continued in spite of chains. These soldiers heard the gospel. Everybody in the palace, yea, everybody in Rome knew that Paul was in prison for the cause of Jesus Christ (13).
Some of them even became Christians as a result (see 4:21-22). Paul's imprisonment gave him an opportunity to witness to people whom he wouldn't be able to otherwise. Jesus said this would happen (Luke 21:12-13). Often, we decide that some aspect of our life beyond our control prevents us from witnessing. We need to come to the point that we see those things as opportunities instead of obstacles. What are you "chained" to? Is it a desk? It is an assembly line? Is it classroom? Is it a car? Is it your housework? Look for opportunities to witness for Christ instead of reasons for not being able to.
B. Paul's Impact On The Preachers, vs. 14-18a.
Paul says that his imprisonment has resulted in his fellow Christians having confidence, boldness and fearlessness to speak the word of God (14). Courage is contagious! Paul's willingness to endure suffering caused other men to be more courageous in proclaiming God's word. In must be pointed out that there were 2 kinds of preachers in Paul's time. Paul talks about both kinds in verse 15-18.
1. There were those with wrong motives:
a. envy, 15 - jealous resentment of Paul's success.
b. strife, 15 - rivalry (comparing and competing).
c. contention, 16 - selfish ambitions; argumentative.
d. insincerely, 16 - hypocritically.
e. hoping to add affliction, 16 - wanting to make things harder for me.
f. in pretense, 18 - for the wrong reasons
2. There are those with right motives:
a. good will, 15 - the right reasons.
b. love, 17.
c. knowledge, 17 - they know I am committed to defending the gospel.
d. in truth, 17 - pure motives
Both kinds are brothers (14). Both are "in the Lord" (14). Both are preaching Christ (15-16). Preaching Christ is synonymous with winning souls to Christ. Preaching the God's primary instrument through which people are saved.
· I Cor. 1:21b "... it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
The truth is, both kinds are still around today. There are saved men, soul winners who do God's work for the wrong reason. The power of the gospel does not depend on the character of the preacher. Some do it for the right reasons, some for the wrong reasons. The important thing is, Paul says, Christ is preached. Therein I do rejoice and will rejoice. The motives of their preaching did not bring joy to Paul, but the fact of their preaching did.
The things that have happened to me
Are not by chance I know -
But because my Father's wisdom
Has willed to have it so.
For the "furtherance of the gospel"
As a part of his great plan,
God can use our disappointments
And the weaknesses of man.
Paul rejoices because his circumstances have served to advance the gospel to the palace and to preachers, not all of whom preach with pure motives but who nevertheless preach Christ. Paul rejoices in spirit of chains and critics so long as Christ is preached.
If you and I will be single minded, like Paul, about the advancement of the gospel, then no matter what happens to us, we will have joy.
Are we single minded concerning the gospel?