Here’s to your vigorous and healthy growth. Grow well, friend. Philippians 1:12-30: In my devotions this morning, the Word opened to me was from Paul’s letter to the Philippians.
Background: We’re looking at around 61-63 A.D. The city of Philippi was said to be a major city of Macedonia. This city was located on the road from Rome to Asia. At this time, it is believed that Paul was in prison in Rome. He wrote to the church in Philippi, the Philippians, to tell communicate a couple of different things including comfort. “Yea, I’m in prison. Don’t worry about me. God’s in control”.
Paul, who used to be Saul, was a messenger/disciple/follower of Jesus who used to be a Pharisee. This dude knew the Jewish law backwards and forwards. He was a Roman citizen. Actually, Paul- when he was Saul- was a persecutor of those who followed Jesus.
All of that changed for Saul one day on a road headed toward Damascus. Saul literally had a “come to Jesus” meeting. After his encounter with God, Saul was not only physically changed (blind for a bit before being healed by Ananias), but his name changed to Paul. Acts 9:1-31 After this change, Paul devoted his life to serving God and telling others about God.
Paul tirelessly spread the Good News, especially focused on the Gentiles and his work really laid the foundation for Christianity and the church today.
“Philippians 1:12-30: They Can’t Imprison the Message”
Summary: Paul is arrested and sent to prison. In these verses particularly, Paul is telling the church in Philippi that he’s happy as a clam to be in prison. What? Okay, not as a clam, but he is talking an awful lot about J-O-Y. Admittedly, there are times where I really think Paul is completely off his rocker. Old boy is talking about being a prisoner in a jail and he’s happy. And get this: the reason he’s happy is because while in jail, he has the opportunity to tell the other inmates about Jesus. The inmates are interested in his story. They want to hear how he got there and why. And since the old boy is so happy, they really want to know why he’s happy to be up in the jailhouse.
Prior to landing in the slammer, Paul had been strongly opposed and met with many critics-- he brings Greeks in the temple, he talks to the Gentiles, he talks about Jesus—basically there are peeps who really don’t like the dude. But he doesn’t care. He keeps sharing the message of hope and the truly life changing news of Jesus with everyone. And get this little tidbit: some of his worst opposition came from fellow preachers and teachers—guys with a similar vocation as him.
• Guys who were jealous that the crowds listened to Paul
• Guys that were intimidated by his conviction
• Guys didn’t like where he stood when he delivered the word of God
Insane, huh? Weren’t they supposed to be on the same team?
Regardless, Paul kept going, rooted in Jesus, with faith planted in joy. As long as Jesus was being talked about, as long as His name was being shared- Paul didn’t care how it happened. And if old boy being in prison led someone to a life changing experience with Jesus, he was all about being in prison. For some reason, when I think about Paul, I picture a mix between the John the Baptist character in Jesus of Nazareth and Santa Claus. I know, that's odd. He seems like he could be tormented at one moment, but jolly at the next. Either way, I’m pretty sure he just loved talking about Jesus. This is life changing stuff here, folks, life changing.
Ideas for Practical Application:
1. Find joy, even when you feel like you’ve been imprisoned
2. Dead or alive, if we have a relationship with Jesus- we’re on the winner’s podium
3. So your personal naysayers have their motives, their greed and their competitive nature- SO WHAT! What they meant for harm, God meant for good.
4. Live a life where it is evident that “Jesus Lives Here”
5. Work together- don’t go it alone. Go to jail together, all the while, telling everyone you meet about the guy that changed your life the day you met him!
Search it. Consume it. Apply it.
If you seek God, you will find him.
Philippians 1:12-30 (The Message)
They Can't Imprison the Message
12-14I want to report to you, friends, that my imprisonment here has had the opposite of its intended effect. Instead of being squelched, the Message has actually prospered. All the soldiers here, and everyone else, too, found out that I'm in jail because of this Messiah. That piqued their curiosity, and now they've learned all about him. Not only that, but most of the followers of Jesus here have become far more sure of themselves in the faith than ever, speaking out fearlessly about God, about the Messiah.
15-17It's true that some here preach Christ because with me out of the way, they think they'll step right into the spotlight. But the others do it with the best heart in the world. One group is motivated by pure love, knowing that I am here defending the Message, wanting to help. The others, now that I'm out of the picture, are merely greedy, hoping to get something out of it for themselves. Their motives are bad. They see me as their competition, and so the worse it goes for me, the better—they think—for them.
18-21So how am I to respond? I've decided that I really don't care about their motives, whether mixed, bad, or indifferent. Every time one of them opens his mouth, Christ is proclaimed, so I just cheer them on!
And I'm going to keep that celebration going because I know how it's going to turn out. Through your faithful prayers and the generous response of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, everything he wants to do in and through me will be done. I can hardly wait to continue on my course. I don't expect to be embarrassed in the least. On the contrary, everything happening to me in this jail only serves to make Christ more accurately known, regardless of whether I live or die. They didn't shut me up; they gave me a pulpit! Alive, I'm Christ's messenger; dead, I'm his bounty. Life versus even more life! I can't lose.
22-26As long as I'm alive in this body, there is good work for me to do. If I had to choose right now, I hardly know which I'd choose. Hard choice! The desire to break camp here and be with Christ is powerful. Some days I can think of nothing better. But most days, because of what you are going through, I am sure that it's better for me to stick it out here. So I plan to be around awhile, companion to you as your growth and joy in this life of trusting God continues. You can start looking forward to a great reunion when I come visit you again. We'll be praising Christ, enjoying each other.
27-30Meanwhile, live in such a way that you are a credit to the Message of Christ. Let nothing in your conduct hang on whether I come or not. Your conduct must be the same whether I show up to see things for myself or hear of it from a distance. Stand united, singular in vision, contending for people's trust in the Message, the good news, not flinching or dodging in the slightest before the opposition. Your courage and unity will show them what they're up against: defeat for them, victory for you—and both because of God. There's far more to this life than trusting in Christ. There's also suffering for him. And the suffering is as much a gift as the trusting. You're involved in the same kind of struggle you saw me go through, on which you are now getting an updated report in this letter.
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