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FAITH IN FOCUS
Phil. 1:12-30
Introduction
There was a shoe salesman who was sent, by his company, to a remote part of the country. When he arrived, he was dismayed because everyone went around barefooted. So he called the company to report, "No prospect for sales. People don't wear shoes here."
Later another salesman went to the same territory. He too immediately sent word to the home office. But his telegram read, "Great potential! People don't wear shoes here!"
This story is not dissimilar to that of the 12 spies who Moses sent into the Promised Land to investigate it before Israel was to invade the land God had promised to them. 10 spies came back with reports of giants too big to defeat. But Joshua and Caleb came back saying they should enter the land - that God would protect them.
The attitude of the ten spies were that of what they could and could not accomplish, while Joshua and Caleb's attitude was toward that which God had promised.
Here is another story. The noted English architect Sir Christopher Wren was supervising the construction of a huge cathedral in London. A journalist thought it would be interesting to interview some of the workers, so he chose three and asked them this question, "What are you doing?" The first replied, "I'm cutting stone for 10 shillings a day." The next answered, "I'm putting in 10 hours a day on this job." But the third said, "I'm helping Sir Christopher Wren construct one of London's greatest cathedrals."
Do you see the difference in perspective and attitude here?
Let me give you another illustration. Both the hummingbird and the vulture fly over the deserts in America. All vultures see is rotting meat, because that is what they look for. They thrive on that diet. But hummingbirds ignore the smelly flesh of dead animals. Instead, they look for the colorful flowers of desert plants. The vultures live on what was - they live on the past. They fill themselves with what is dead and gone. But hummingbirds live on what is - they seek new life. They fill themselves with freshness and life. Each bird finds what it is looking for.
What are we looking for in life? Do we look for that which is wrong or not perfect, or do we look for that which brings hope and fulfillment?
Paul had every reason to be negative about his present situation while being confined to house arrest at Rome - but as we shall see today his attitude was very different.
Read Phil. 1:12-30
So what was Paul's attitude?
1. PAUL'S ATTITUDE TOWARD HIS CIRCUMSTANCES (vv. 12-14)
Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.
Here is Paul, locked up in prison for the last two years simply for proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Just as the Jews had tried to eliminate the following of Jesus by crucifying Him, here they were again, wanting to eliminate Paul from telling others about Jesus by trying to get him eliminated as well. The problem for them, though, was that Paul was a Roman citizen and could therefore appeal to Caesar. Subsequently, he was shipped off to Rome two years ago, nearly got killed in a ship wreck, and then ends up in house arrest waiting his trial which had been delayed now for 2 whole years.
Paul had every reason to have an attitude problem, but he didn't - instead he was rejoicing because the gospel had been shared in Rome due to his imprisonment.
What Paul is celebrating is that good had come from the circumstances he found himself in. Now this wasn't just some kind of positive thinking exercise on Paul's behalf, but the truth was that the gospel was going out to more people with him behind bars, as it were, then it would with him out on the street corner preaching his heart out.
The word used here for 'advancement of the gospel' is similar to the expression you would use to describe the progress of an army or expedition. It means to "cut down in advance". A bit like cutting away trees and undergrowth or clearing paddocks to open new ground for growing Sugar Cane.
What Paul is saying, "My imprisonmnet hasn't closed doors, but it has opened doors to new spheres of work and activity for the sake of the gospel - more people are getting to hear about Jesus Christ!!!"
How can Paul say this, it still sounds like mere positive thinking technique to me?
Because Paul had appealed to Caesar he was handed over to the "captain of the guard" and allowed to live by himself under the care of a soldier who was to guard him (Acts 28:16). Ultimately, although still under guard, he was allowed to have his own rental house - house arrest (Acts 28:30), which was open to anyone who wanted to come and see him.
Here's the picture. The Imperial Guard were the finest soldiers in the Roman Empire, their reward was retirement after 12 years service. I guess today's equivalent would be the SWAT Squad or anti-terrorist squad - thoroughly trained and seasoned killing machines. Over two year's imprisonment Paul had the opportunity to speak to every member of that guard, they couldn't get away because Paul was chained to them, one by one. What an opportunity!!! These soldiers would hear Paul speak about the Lord Jesus Christ and hear him encourage and support his friends in their ministry. The end result was a number of them coming to know Christ as their personal Savior.
There was also a second advantage for Paul's imprisonment.
Paul's life and testimony, while in prison, only served to motivate the Christian church all the more to reach out to the unsaved world. Because of Paul's example they were given a fresh courage to preach the gospel and witness for Christ.
William Barclay says this, "Paul's bonds had removed the barriers and given him access to the flower of the Roman Army, and his bonds had been the medicine of courage to the brethren at Philippi."
Why could Paul be so positive about his own situation?
Because his priority wasn't what he would gain or lose from the situation - in fact personal thoughts of well being weren't even a part of the picture. Paul's focus and priority was that Jesus Christ would be proclaimed, and that people would have the opportunity to come to know Jesus Christ as Savior. Paul's focus was for others.
What is our attitude, our focus, our priorities? When we come to church, do we come to see what we can get, or do we come to see what we can give in our worship to God, and in ministry to each other.
I read a little quip in a book on Tuesday which said, "There are two types of people in the world - those who come into a room and say, "Here I am!" and those who say, "Ah, there you are!"
Are you a "Here I am person" wanting people to give to you. Or are you a "There you are" person. Willing to reach out and give to the Lord and to others, using the gifts He has given to you.
2. PAUL'S ATTITUDE TOWARD HIS RIVALS (vv 17, 18)
There was once this boss who approached one of his most ambitious men and told him, "I've had my eye on you. You're a hard worker, and you've put in long hours. You're very ambitious."
"Thank you," replied the employee.
But the boss added, "So consequently, I'm going to fire you. It's men like you who start competing companies."
I guess this is a strange way to treat a productive employee, especially in this day and age of productivity and supply. But what the story highlights is the competitive nature us people have. Unfortunately, this competitiveness, from time to time, is expressed in the Christian church. This isn't a new development as we find in this passage that there were some who had the wrong motives and were trying to compete against Paul. So Paul highlights here that some preached the gospel out of "envy and rivalry" while others preached the gospel out of "good will".
Now it is important to note here, the one's preaching out of "envy and rivalry" were preaching the gospel. They were not trying to preach a different gospel as we find the Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses doing today. Their rivalry was toward Paul himself but Paul had an amazingly selfless attitude. He knew that some were preaching to build their own reputations, taking advantage of Paul’s imprisonment to try to make a name for themselves.
What's Paul's reaction?
Paul's reaction is found in verse 8. He says, "But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice."
Regardless of the motives of these preachers, Paul rejoiced that the gospel was being preached.
What a guy, Paul is saying, in effect, "that is all I ask for. I'm not here to build my own kingdom, but to build God's Kingdom. Therefore, my so called rivals and I work towards the same cause - it is this which makes me happy."
Paul's focus, then, is not on revenge or even to tell others who this rival group was. At the end of the day, after all their efforts to oppose Paul, for what reason we don't know, they have only succeeded in doing the thing that matters most to him and the thing his friends also do: They have preached Christ.
Some Christians serve for the wrong reasons. Paul wouldn’t condone, nor does God excuse, their motives, but we should be glad if God uses their message, regardless of their motives.
Last week, I mentioned something of denominational rivalry. We are not here to oppose one another. We may differ on some minor points of theology, but we agree on more than we disagree, and this is what we need focus upon. What is important is that Christ is preached, that people come to know him in a personal relationship and that people are growing into maturity within their relationship to God. And it is to this that I think Paul would give a loud AMEN.
You see Paul wasn't self-centered, he was Christ centered. He put his own opinions aside for the sake of the gospel. His positive perspective on his circumstances led him to a positive perspective on his future. That's why in verse 19 he said, "for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance."
Verse 20 highlights his purpose of life. He writes, "I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. "
This wasn't Paul’s final imprisonment in Rome. But he didn’t know that. Awaiting trial, he knew he could either be released or executed. However, he trusted Christ to work it out for his deliverance. Paul’s prayer was that when he stood trial, he would speak courageously for Christ and not be timid or ashamed. Whether he lived or died, he wanted to exalt Christ.
As it turned out, he was released from this imprisonment but arrested again two or three years later. Only faith in Christ could sustain Paul in such adversity.
I feel for those who don’t believe in God. Life on earth is all there is, and because of this it is natural for them to strive for this world’s values—money, popularity, power, pleasure, and importance. But for Paul, to live meant to develop eternal values and to tell others about Christ, who alone could help them see life from an eternal perspective.
Paul’s whole purpose in life was to speak out boldly for Christ and to become more like him. Because of this Paul could confidently say that dying would be even better than living, because in death he would be removed from worldly troubles, and he would see Christ face to face.
John in 1 John 3:2-3 wrote,
"Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
The Christian life is a process of becoming more and more like Christ. This process will not be complete until we see Christ face to face, but knowing that it is our ultimate destiny should serve to motivate us to purify ourselves as the verses I read says. To purify means to keep morally straight, free from the corruption of sin.
Someone wrote in response to verse 21 of this passage we are looking at today, "If you’re not ready to die, then you’re not ready to live. Make certain of your eternal destiny; then you will be free to serve, like Paul—devoting your life to what really counts, without fear of death, instead living with a joy and hope deep within your heart that the world could not offer."
Paul had a predicament - he desired most to be with Christ in Heaven, but he didn't sit around, as I described last week, and wait until the train came along to pick him up. Paul had a purpose for living when he served the Philippians and others. In the same way, we also need a purpose for living that goes beyond providing for our own physical needs.
So ask yourself, who can you serve or help? And what is your purpose for living?
4. PAUL'S CHARGE TO THE PHILIPPIANS (vv 27-30)
Paul compares his own struggle against unfavorable outside forces, which he has just described, with the Philippians own outside opposition. It is here that he introduces the theme of unity with one another and describes how this unity will come about.
What does Paul tell them?
Just as Paul conducted himself in a way worthy of Christ, despite opposition within and without the Christian Community, so Paul urges the Philippians to cope with the problems they face in a manner worthy of Christ.
The phrase to stand as "one man" literally means to stand "in one spirit and soul". Paul is saying to the Philippians that they are to be united in spirit, because they have all experienced the work of God's Spirit. The message is the same for us. Individually and as a church, as we receive opposition from family, friends, school friends and work mates because of our love for God - stand firm together that through our love and unity others will come to know Christ.
At different times in our lives we come under many pressures. At work a boss may tell us to do something we know is unethical and sometimes illegal.
I have a friend of mine who is in the printing industry. He was promoted 3 years ago to the role of Managing Director for his firm. After about 6 months he began to get concerned as he discovered his boss was involving the company in unethical and illegal practices. Warren's dilemma was this - does he stand up for that which is right and lose his job, or does he do what his boss says and compromise his obedience to Christ? For Warren there was no question. He told his boss he could not do as he was asked because, as a Christian, he could not involve himself in immoral and unethical practices.
Warren lost his position and was demoted to a sales position losing about $10, 000 on his annual income due to his stance. The outcome, 3 years later, is that Warren now owns the company, running a business that is ethical in its practices. His stand for Christ on the short term seemed to the world to be a ridiculous sacrifice in climbing the corporate ladder - but God had other things in mind.
Have you been tempted or led in any way that is not a standard Christ would want for you?
We are called to live a life modeled after Christ. As you are obedient to him He will guide, nurture and provide for you. Rest in His arms, give Him the steering wheel of your life and you will receive blessing and comfort and necessary daily provisions - just trust him and let go of those things you hold tightly onto. Have a Christ like attitude and disperse with any attitude that calls out for a self absorbed focus.
By Scott Douglas, Burdekin Baptist Church, 1st November 1998