Grace For The Journey

  The Book of Philippians was written at a time when Paul was arrested for proclaiming the Lord Jesus Christ.  He was under house arrest in Rome, awaiting his hearing and verdict.  The church at Philippi heard about Paul’s ordeal.  They collected a love-offering for him. A disciple named Epaphroditus was commissioned to deliver their gift to Paul.  Likewise, Epaphroditus was to remain in Rome as long as necessary, to serve Paul on the behalf of the church.  Epaphroditus became sick.  God mercifully healed him.  When he was able to travel, Paul sent Epaphroditus home, to relieve the concern of the Philippians.  Epaphroditus returned to a hero’s welcome.  After the Philippians rejoiced over his safe arrival, they resumed their origins concern about Paul’s circumstances and gospel work.

Epaphroditus then read the letter that Paul wrote to them.  The letter was read to the assembly.  It began with Paul’s greeting, thanksgiving, and prayer in Philippians 1:1-11. The saints were encouraged.  When they reached verses 12-14, their interest piqued. Now they would receive the news they were anxious to hear:  In Philippians 1:12, the Bible says, “I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.”  

To friends eager for an update,

Paul acknowledged  some things happened to him.

They were unplanned, unwanted, unpleasant things.

But Paul did not dwell on the details.

His focus was on the outcome of the ordeal.

It was not about what happened to him.

It was about what happened to what happened to him.

Verse 12 says that what happened to Paul served to advance the gospel.

In one sentence Paul

Shifts the legitimate interests

Of the Philippians

From himself to

The great undeterred

Purpose of God in history.”

Things happen to Christians.  You do not have to do wrong for things to happen to you.

Adverse things happen to faithful Christians.

But things do not just happen.

God is in control.

Man has his wickedness.

But God has His way.

The Lord is able to employ, manipulate, and overrule your circumstances for His glory and the good of others.  Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Do you believe that?  Then forget what happened to you and focus on what happens to what happens to you.

THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN 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

Look beyond what happens to you and trust the Lord rules over and works through the circumstances of life.  The verses for our blog today remind us of three powerful truths

The Lord Rules Over The Circumstances Of Life.

Paul’s concerned friends wanted an update about his welfare.  They also wanted to know how his state of affairs affected his missionary work.  After the introductory section of the letter, Philippians 1:12-17 reports Paul’s circumstances.

His opening statement is the prism

Through which everything

He writes should be seen.

It is his spiritual perspective

Of his worldly circumstances.

Verse 12 reads: “I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.” 

 The Lord takes our life-lessons

And

Uses them to teach others about Him.

This “learn-and-return” system is often short-circuited when we do not want people to know what happened to us.  Paul was the apostle who founded the church at Philippi. Yet he did not seek to maintain a perfect image before them.  He writes, “I want you to know…”  

Paul desired to do more

Than pass on information.

He wrote to teach a lesson

And

Clarify a misunderstanding.

The Philippians knew about Paul’s troubles.  It is why they sent Epaphroditus to Rome with an offering.  But they did not properly interpret his troubles.  The one in the driver’s seat has blind-spots.  So does the one in the passenger’s seat.  Observing it does not necessarily mean you understand what is going on better than the one who is experiencing it (We see that in the encounter of Job and his friends).

Paul wanted his brothers and sisters in Philippi to know his story.

But he did not

Describe the scenery,

Explain the plot,

Or

Identify the villains.

He focused on

The end result.

The full story is recorded in Acts 21:17-28:31.  But nothing recorded in Acts by Luke is mentioned here in Philippians by Paul.  He does not talk about the mob attack, false arrest, unfair trial, shipwreck, or imprisonment.  He summarizes the whole ordeal with an ambiguous phrase: “what has happened to me.”  Some of us do not want others to know what happened to us.  Others constantly gab, vent, whine, and fuss about it.

With no direct reference

To his personal concerns,

Paul explains how his

Circumstances should be understood.

This godly perspective

Requires godly patience.

Life is lived forward.

It is understood backwards.

This is why you should be slow to give up.  An immediate response to what happens to you may cause you to miss the redemptive purpose of what happens to you.

Paul trusted the Lord

Through circumstances

He could not understand.

Now he testifies, “I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.”  

 This is the ironic providence of God.

You would assume Paul’s confinement

Would have hindered the gospel.

It advanced the gospel.

The gospel did not advance

In spite of his confinement.

It advanced

Through his confinement.

The Lord transformed a setback into a springboard.  The same God who used Moses’ rod, and Gideon’s pitchers, and David’s slings, used Paul’s chains.

Little did the Romans realize

That the chains they

Affixed to his wrists

Would release Paul

Instead of bind him!

This text is not just a personal testimony; it is pastoral counseling.  Philippians 1:29 says, “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in Him but also suffer for His sake.”  

 The Philippians were not in prison.

But they endured suffering.

Paul’s experience was their example.

The Lord ruled over their circumstances.

This biblical truth speaks to whatever confines you today.  It may be . . .

• The restrictions of youth.
• The weakness of old age.
• The pain of sickness.
• The challenges of family life.
• The responsibilities of work.
• The scarcity of finances.
• The valley of indecision.

There are things in your life that confine you.  But you do not have to live with the “If-Only” syndrome.

The “if-only” syndrome

Seduces you into thinking

You have to be

In a certain place

For the Lord use you.

The antidote is to recognize

That the Lord can use you

Right where you are!

God’s logic is very different than ours.  We assume that the circumstances must be right if we are to be really effective Christians.  But . . .

God is not waiting for

The circumstances

To be right;

He is committed

To producing

Really effective Christians,

Whatever their circumstances may be.”

What is the gospel?  It is the good news of the saving work of God in Christ.  God created us to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever.  However, all of us have sinned and fall short of His glory.  But God sent His Son Jesus who lived the life of righteousness we should have lived and died the death of punishment we should have died.  God raised Him from the dead.  If you trust the finished work of Christ for salvation, your sins are forgiven graciously, completely, and eternally.  But the gospel is more than a ticket to heaven.  It is a way of life.  Philippians 1:21 says, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”  

 The test is not whether you want

To go to heaven when you die.

It is what you are willing to

Joyfully endure to advance the gospel.

The word “advance” was used of soldiers who removed obstacles and established roads for marching armies.  This was Paul’s imprisonment.  He was on lockdown.  But the gospel progressed.  The imprisoned preacher charted new territory.  His chains destroyed barriers to the gospel.

This was not just the Lord’s providential orchestration.

It was Paul’s consuming passion.

To ask Paul, “How are you going?”

Was to ask Paul, “How is the gospel doing?”

It did not matter to Paul what happened to him.  If the gospel advanced, Paul was content, even if it meant he did not taste freedom again.  What does the gospel mean to you?  

Here is why you put the gospel first.

There are things that happen to you

That you cannot handle, understand,

Or overcome unless you view

It from a gospel-centered perspective.

True Christianity is a life of gospel sacrifice.  The Bible says in 2 Timothy 2:8-9, “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal.  But the word of God is not bound!  Therefore, I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.”

Tomorrow we will look further into these fantastic and freeing truths.

This is God’s Word For Today … This Is Grace For The Journey

Rest and Rejoice in this eternal truth!

Pastor Terry

Ephesians 4:7 – “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”

Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”