Motive II

“Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.” (Philippians 1:15-16 ESV)

Not just love for God, and not just love for neighbor, but love for Paul himself motivated the Christians in Rome to proclaim Christ. Paul declares that it is the knowledge that Paul was in prison for the defense of the gospel and love for Paul that motivated these believers, emboldened them, to proclaim the gospel.

Think about that for a moment. What does the one have to do with the other?

There's nothing like persecution to make us stop and take inventory of what we believe and whether or not it is really worth believing. Anybody can be a Christian when being a Christian is popular. Anybody can give an opinion when that opinion is the popular one. But when being a Christian becomes unpopular, or when being a Christian can get you thrown in prison or even killed, then we stop and count the cost and make decisions about whether or not Christ is actually worth it. At this point many just stop being Christians. 

When the gospel is popular then telling the good news actually can make us beloved. But when the gospel message becomes unpopular or even hated then we have to ask ourselves whether it is really worth telling. When speaking about Christ can get us thrown in prison or even killed, then only those of us who really believe the message and are sold on its value will still proclaim it.

And that's where Paul finds himself. To him the message must be proclaimed at any cost. Think about it. Everyone in the whole Imperial Guard, and presumably in Caesar's own household as well, knows that Paul is imprisoned "for Christ." The fact that Paul is willing to suffer imprisonment for Christ is a powerful witness to the truth and value of Christ. Anyone can make a truth claim, but Paul is willing to die for his. That's powerful stuff--not just for unbelieving Romans, but for believing ones as well. His testimony of faithfulness through persecution speaks volumes about the value of his message to unbelievers and believers alike. No wonder his imprisonment has emboldened so many to preach Christ!

And there are some of the more timid brethren who, for one reason or another, may have otherwise remained silent who will now speak up about their faith. Why? Out of love for Paul himself. How can they watch him suffer for what they, too, claim to believe and not take up his cause? So, seeing his faith and faithfulness, they add their voices and thus add credence to his faith and message.

In the news almost daily we hear of fellow Christians around the world who are suffering for their faith. They speak a different language, they wear different clothes, they have funny-sounding names, but they worship and love the same Christ. They are brothers and sisters. Men are beheaded. Women and children are raped and sold into slavery. Whole villages are plundered and pillaged and burned, hundreds and thousands are murdered for the crime of being Christians. How shall we love them? How shall we show our fidelity to their cause? Seeing them martyred for their faith, do we dare remain timid about ours? It is time to speak. It is time to be bold. It is time to proclaim Christ no matter the cost. Love for Christ, love for the world, and love for the persecuted Church demands it.

Prisoner For Christ

I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. (Philippians 1:12-13 ESV)

What if God loves you but doesn't have a wonderful plan for your life? Or, what if God loves you and his wonderful plan for your life isn't exactly what you would think of as a wonderful life? The gospel call of Jesus and the gospel life lived by his immediate followers did not really resemble the prosperity gospel preached by many of our modern American television or mega-church preachers. Jesus did not come to give us prosperity in the sense that most people think of when they think of prosperity. God's plans for you, though wonderful, may include copious amounts of heartache, grief, and suffering.

Witness the words of Jesus in Luke 9:

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. (Luke 9:23-24 ESV)

Jesus called on his would-be followers to deny themselves--their hopes, their dreams, their plans for prosperity--and follow him instead. He told them that if they held onto those hopes and dreams and plans for prosperity then they would lose everything, but that if they were prepared to lose everything then they would find that they had found something of infinite worth.

How valuable is Jesus to you? Is he worth giving up your own hopes for? Is he more valuable than that dream you've been chasing? Is he worth more than a prosperous, successful (in earthly terms) life? He should be, and until he is you will not know what it means to be a genuine follower of Christ, for until you are willing to lose your life for his sake you will never have life in the genuine sense.

Now let's look at Jesus' words to Ananias about Paul when he sent Ananias to Paul to baptize him:

But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” (Acts 9:15-16 ESV) (emphasis mine)

What if God had chosen you specifically to live a life of suffering for the sake of his name? How would you like that? Would you be okay with that? What if I told you that if you are a Christian that is exactly what God has done?

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, (2 Timothy 3:12 ESV)

God has called us to give up everything for him if need be. God has called us to exchange our lives for his, to trade in our dreams and plans and goals for the life he has chosen for us. And let me tell you this, you will never be happy, never be satisfied until you do. Paul explains that "it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest" that his imprisonment is for Christ. What a testimony!

What is your testimony? Have you given everything to him? Are you willing to lose all to gain Christ? Is the idea of suffering okay as long as you have Jesus along with that suffering? I hope so and I am praying that it is so for you.

Reassurance

I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, (Philippians 1:12 ESV)

As we read this letter from Paul to the Philippians we are touched by his love for them. It is a very personal and affectionate epistle. Because Paul knows them, and knows human nature, he is concerned about their faith and wants to give them some assurances.

Let's try to put ourselves in their shoes. They are obviously concerned about Paul and his well-being. They have taken a collection, even sacrificed, to supply some of his needs while in prison. They have sent one of their own, Epaphroditus, not only to bring Paul this gift, but also to remain, if necessary, and minister to Paul while he is there. Concern for him is at the forefront of their minds.

But there is likely more going on than this. These saints at Philippi are all relatively recent converts to the faith. It has been at the most ten years since Paul and company founded this church in Acts 16. Now that the Church is facing adversity and persecution they may be entertaining doubts. What if God is not really in this? What if it all isn't true? What if they've bought into a lie? After all, if this is a work of God, then why is it that Paul seems to be defeated, silenced?

True, Paul and Silas were jailed the very first time they came to Philippi, so the concept of opposition is not new to the Philippians. But that first time Paul was jailed he was miraculously released and even apologized to before he left the city. Not this time. This time Paul has been imprisoned for several years. An imprisonment that began in Jerusalem has extended itself to Rome with no end in sight. Further, the Empire, it seems, has turned against the Church it once tolerated. If God is for them, if this is a work of God, then why are they experiencing so much adversity? And if the gospel Paul preaches is indeed the gospel of God, then why has God silenced him? Could Paul be wrong? Or if Paul is right, is God powerless against the might of Rome? Maybe God just doesn't care.

Add to that the fact, as internal evidence would indicate, that these Philippians themselves are beginning to suffer persecution for their faith, and that from the very Empire of which they are citizens. At the moment, some might point out that the Roman god (Caesar) seems to hold power over the Christian God (Jesus). What is going on?

Sitting there in that Roman prison Paul probably realizes that at least some of them may be having these thoughts, and so he writes to reassure them.

I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, (Philippians 1:12 ESV)

Say what? Paul, be real. You're in prison. You, who have preached the gospel to more people in more cities across more miles than anyone in history, have now been silenced, shut up in prison. And you're telling us that what has happened to you has really served to advance the gospel? How can that be?

But it is so.

Before we get into why this was so (and we will) I want to take a moment to reassure you. I don't know what your circumstances are, what adversity you might be experiencing, or what doubts you may be entertaining because of it, but I want you to know that God is still on his throne. God is still at work in the world. God is marching through history, through his Church, bringing glory and honor to his name. 1950 years have passed since Paul's imprisonment and the gospel has not been quenched. Indeed it has been preached all over the world and is even now being proclaimed to more people groups and in more places than ever before in history. And it still faces opposition. And that opposition will fail as it always does. And the Church will come out stronger because of it.

Take heart. Whatever you are facing, God is with you. He will not forsake you. His faithfulness is to all generations. And he will not rest until he has put all enemies under his feet. 

Persecution

It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. (Philippians 1:7 ESV)

The Philippian believers have been privileged to share in Paul's grace--not grace from Paul, but the grace of God lavished upon Paul. How so?

Every good thing we have, including the gifts God has given us for ministry, are undeserved. Paul has been gifted for ministry in many ways and the Philippians, through the ministry of Paul, have been partakers of that grace. They have been blessed spiritually by the gifts God has graciously given to Paul. Now they are reciprocating that grace right back to Paul by sending him a gift by the hand of Epaphroditus. They have taken this collection to give to him to meet his needs while in prison. Now, as Paul's ministry continues, they are partakers of that grace along with him. They have sacrificed of themselves to share in his suffering. No wonder he holds them in his heart!

Grace, then, is not the only thing they have in common with Paul. They also have suffering. It is likely that Paul, here, alludes to something that is mentioned specifically later in the letter--that is that the Philippians themselves are also suffering persecution for the sake of the gospel. Persecution of the Church is starting to spread throughout the empire. While Paul is imprisoned in Rome the Christians at Philippi and elsewhere are suffering as well.

Persecution is the norm for the Church. It is not expected that the Fellowship of the Gospel should pass through this world without trials. We are on a mission for the King and we can expect the enemy to be lying in wait. Jesus himself said, "In the world ye shall have tribulation." (John 16:33 KJV) Paul said, "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." (2 Tim. 3:12 KJV)

Just take a look at Church history. The Church, the true Church made up of the blood-bought people of God throughout the ages, has always faced the flames of persecution. "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church," said Tertullian and he was right. There has not been a time since the apostles when Christians were not being persecuted somewhere for their faith. And that's how it should be.

Jesus calls us to follow him. He says, "Take up the cross and follow me." What does it mean to "take up the cross" if not to be willing to suffer and die if need be for his sake? Many have felt the truth of that calling in their own flesh before we came along and many more will after we have passed. It is a privilege to suffer for his cause. It is a privilege to suffer for the sake of the gospel. It is a privilege to suffer for his name's sake.

Oh, and I wish to leave you with one more thought. Back in that upper room, on the last night that Jesus had with his disciples before he was betrayed, he made them that promise that I quoted above: "In the world ye shall have tribulation." But that's not all he said. He continued with this: "But be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."