Rejoice in Christ (Philippians 1:12-18)

When I first introduced Philippians a few weeks ago I said that we would come across four major “joy stealers” that often appear in our lives and that we would also see the proper response to those things that creep into our lives and rob us of the joy we should have. So today as, we look at Philippians 1:12-18, we’ll encounter what I know to be the two biggest “joy stealers” for me personally. The first is circumstances, and the second is people.

Circumstances

I think we’d all admit that it is much easier to be joyful when things are going “our way,” or when things are going “according to plan,” than it is when they seem out of control. But there is a big problem with only being joyful when things are going our way, and Isaiah 55:8, 9 addresses this where the LORD says:

For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.

Often we have “our plans” and God (metaphorically speaking) is sitting in heaven laughing because He knows that it’s not His plan, and that it’s not going to happen. I bet all of us can look back and think of circumstances that changed our lives, and at the time we were upset, but now we see how God used them to bring us to where we are today. So it is important that our joy be in something above circumstances, because often, as we only see what’s happening now, circumstances drag us down; and it’s only looking back that we can see how God used them for His glory and for our good. So our joy must transcend circumstances.

People

Secondly, and I don’t know about you, but I’m sure that there are some people who were created just to drive me nuts. I mean, how often are you having a good day, and then you see that person coming, or that name pop up on the call display, and all you can think of are excuses and ways to get away? I’m sure we’ve all been there, because there are certain people that, for whatever reason, always rub us the wrong way. And a lot of times those same people have this strange ability to frustrate us, and completely rob us of our joy. On a more serious note, there can be people in our lives that we trusted, and that we rejoiced in, only to find out later that they betrayed us, or “stabbed us in the back.” And that can cause deep hurt, and seemingly deplete us of our ability to feel joy; which again, is why our joy must transcend circumstances, and people!

So if we’re not to have our joy founded in temporal things like people and circumstances, where should our joy be found? In Christ! In verse 21 Paul says: “For me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” And that’s the model for us, to find joy in Christ! Which, in turn, will enable us to endure trying circumstances, and trying people without “losing our cool” or our joy.

Now as we look at Philippians 1:12-18 we’ll see how Paul, in a real life situation, found his joy in Christ, not circumstances or people. It says:

But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ: and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defence of the gospel. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.

So Paul starts off by telling them that everything that had happened to him resulted in the gospel being proclaimed in ways that had been impossible up to that point; which is absolutely incredible, because when Paul says “the things which happened to me” I believe that he must be referring to all the events of Acts 21 right through to 28. And if you’re familiar with that story you know that none of those things seemed good, but here Paul begins telling how God worked them all together for His glory.

As a refresher, basically what happened in those last 8 chapters of Acts is this: Paul goes to Jerusalem, and while he is there, enters the temple to present himself as having been purified according to the law, to show that he was not an enemy of the Jews. And that was okay, because he himself was a Jew. But those who were in the temple accused him of bringing gentiles in, which was strictly against the law, and thereby defiling the temple. So they started to beat him, which caused the roman soldiers to come, who then thought that he was an Egyptian terrorist! So he was imprisoned, and for the next two years he was kept in the city of Caesarea, and had to appear before two Roman governors, Felix, and Festus, as well as a king named Agrippa. During that time he was the focus of both religious and political plots. So eventually, because his case seemed to be going nowhere, he appealed to Caesar, which meant that he would be sent to Rome and judged by Caesar himself; which was Paul’s right because he was a Roman citizen. While on his way to Rome he was shipwrecked and had to spend 3 months on the island of Malta, until finally he arrived in the city where he was placed under house arrest for several more years.

And that long experience is what Paul succinctly sums up by saying: “the things which happened to me.” And none of those things sounds like a good experience, or like it would possibly result in the furthering of the gospel, but nevertheless it did; because Paul chose to see God at work, even in a bad situation.

It is interesting to note that words translated as “furtherance of the gospel” literally mean that there was a “pioneer advance of the gospel.” Paul’s long, crazy, ordeal resulted in the gospel being preached in places it otherwise never would have been able to reach.

We know from Romans 1:13 that Paul had always desired to go to Rome and preach the gospel, but was never able to. Now, he had no choice but to go to Rome, only he was going as a prisoner, not a preacher. Definitely not the circumstances he would have envisioned, nevertheless, Paul saw that it was God’s plan, and so he chose to rejoice. And later, as he wrote to the Philippians, he had the big picture; he could see why God had brought him to Rome as a prisoner, instead of preacher. And he tells us God’s plan, as he saw it, in verses 13 and 14 where he says:

So that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ: and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

So we see two major, unforeseen, results of Paul’s imprisonment. First, the gospel reached into the prestigious Roman Praetorian Guard, and the Praetorium itself. And second, other believers were strengthened in their faith, and began proclaiming the gospel more boldly.

In verse 13 where it says; “that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ;” it is simply saying that it had become obvious to everyone that Paul was in prison for no other reason than for preaching the gospel. His chains were in Christ, not some wrong doing.

Where it says “the whole palace guard, and to all the rest” what’s literally there in the Greek is simply: “To the whole Praetorium, and to all the rest.” The word “Praetorium” refers to the judgement hall, or court of law, where they would have been examining Paul’s case. In this instance that would be the very courts of Nero, the Caesar in Rome at that time, whom Paul had appealed to. So because of Paul’s chains the gospel had made its way into the very courts of Caesar, and Nero nonetheless, which would have been highly improbable any other way; but in this case they would have been forced to hear the gospel as they examined Paul’s unique appeal. And we know that some were even saved because in chapter 4:22 he sends a greeting from the saints of Caesar’s household.

Having said all of that, when it says “Praetorium,” the palace guards are certainly included in the idea. The Praetorian Guard were an elite group of Roman soldiers that guarded Caesar’s palace, and also guarded “high profile” prisoners like Paul. We know from history that Paul always would have had one of these soldiers chained to his wrist, and that their shift changed every six hours, and in Paul’s case this went on for several years. This means that he would have had the opportunity to witness over and over to many of these men, and lead some of them to Christ! As I was thinking about this I realized that they would have been there to hear Paul dictate his letters to a scribe, so they would have heard the Scripture first hand, and they also would have been with him as he visited with fellow believers, like Epaphroditus from Philippi, and spoken with them about spiritual things. They also would have heard him, a man who prayed without ceasing, pour out his heart to God. And as I thought about this, I realized that it was a real privilege for them to be chained to this man. Indeed, it was almost as if they were his prisoner, his captive audience, for those six hours. And I find that absolutely incredible! But that is the way that God works, even in bad circumstances.

So the first unforeseen, and otherwise impossible, benefit of Paul’s imprisonment was the salvation of some in Caesar’s household. The second, in verse 14, was boldness on behalf of Paul’s fellow believers. It says:

“And most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.”

Now, it’s hard to say why this is, but often persecution serves to strengthen true believers. It gives boldness to people who, before, may have been idle in their walk with the Lord. And I don’t have all the answers as to why this happens, but I would say this: Trials and persecutions, a “testing by fire,” reveals what you are truly made of. It’s in those moments of intense pressure that you’ve either got it, or you don’t. So in a lot of ways I think that persecution is good for the church. It purges her, and weeds out those who are in it for the bounty they were promised in Christ, or the ease they expected, and what it leaves are believers who are fully committed to the cause of Christ, and even willing to die for Him.

Persecution for the church is a lot like the process of refining gold; it is brought through intense heat so that the dross rises to the top and can be removed, then when it cools you are left with something pure and beautiful.

In Zechariah 13 verses 8 and 9 we are given a beautiful picture of persecution, and what it serves to accomplish. There it says:

“And it shall come to pass in all the land,” says Yahweh, “that two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, but on-third shall be left in it: I will bring the one –third through the fire, will refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘this is My people’; and each one will say, ‘Yahweh is my God.’”

In this passage we see intense persecution where two-thirds die, and the remaining third is brought through the fire; but in that, they are purified, and they are taught to pray. “They will call on My name, and I will answer them.” It says. Next to this verse in my Bible I’ve written a quote from Dr. John Piper. He says: “Put in the fire, for the sake of prayer.” And I have that there to remind myself that when hard times come I must call upon God before I can expect His deliverance. And it is in those times of calling upon God that He comes beside us, and strengthens us to do His will, no matter how difficult it might be.

I’m sure that’s what the believers that Paul speaks of in Philippians had experienced: the strengthening of God, in the midst of trials.

And I’m not some sick, twisted man, who likes trials and suffering, but there is a sense in which I pray that we would know what it means to suffer for the sake of Christ. And that the church would be purged of those uncommitted, and unwilling, people who call themselves “Christians.” And in their place would be true believers who know the words of Psalm 73 by experience where it says: "Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." I don’t enjoy suffering, but if it brings us closer to our saviour, we should embrace it.

Back to Philippians; we see that God used Paul’s less than ideal circumstances to strengthen those in the church, and to even see some from Nero’s own household come to faith in Christ. So Paul could have real joy, despite his circumstances, because he chose to see God working through his situation.

Now, as we look at verses 15-17, and then 18, we’ll see how Paul could have real joy, despite what some people were trying to do to him. 15-17 says:

Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defence of the gospel.

Paul’s chains definitely encouraged a preaching of the gospel, but with two very different motives. Some people began preaching the gospel because they genuinely loved Christ, and loved Paul, so they were speaking on his behalf, aiding his ministry while his liberty was restricted.

Others saw Paul in chains and began to preach the gospel simply to spite him, thinking that it would make his time as a prisoner worse. It is generally agreed upon that this was a group of people known as the “Judaizers.” The reason this is assumed is because they were like arch-enemies of Paul. All throughout his epistles we read that wherever he went, the Judaizers followed soon after, teaching a legalistic gospel.

They taught that, in order to be saved, you not only had to believe on Jesus Christ, but you also had to keep the Old Testament Law (i.e. be circumcised, stuff like that). So Paul often rebuked them, teaching salvation as we understand it, by grace alone, through faith. Because of that, they didn’t like Paul very much and would have been happy to see him in prison, and happy to make his suffering worse if they could by being the ones to preach the gospel instead of Him. We see in them (or whatever group this was) a classic example of doing the right thing, but with the completely wrong motives. It says that they preached Christ “from selfish ambition, not sincerely.” And assuming that this is referring to the Judaizers, they also would have begun adding Law to the gospel; not that the Law is bad, but it can’t save, so they were going about everything all wrong.

But Paul’s response to this, in verse 18, is truly awesome. He says:

“What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.”

Paul’s response was joy! I’m sure he thought it was unfortunate that some people were going about preaching the gospel all wrong, and doing it with the wrong attitude, but nevertheless he could rejoice in the fact that no matter what, people were still gaining some knowledge of Christ. And that is admirable.

Could you imagine if there were people going around, doing something you loved to do, simply to spite you? Those are the type of people that, if I’m not careful, can really bug me. It can be very hard to find joy when people are going out of their way to make you miserable, but Paul could do it because his joy was in Christ.

I think if Paul could have spoken English he would have like this:

Jesus First

Others Second

You Last!

This is a great way to remember how to have joy, even in adverse circumstances, and in the presence of trying people. And Paul exemplifies this mindset in our passage today. His first concern was that the gospel make a pioneer advance and that it be preached everywhere! His second concern was that people be reached by that gospel and that they come to know Christ. So it didn’t matter to him how this happened, because it tied in with his first goal. Christ was preached, and glorified, while others were reached with the truth. And his last concern was himself! Because his priorities were straight, he could have real joy, despite people, and despite circumstances.

In closing, remember that when circumstances aren’t going your way, they’re going God’s way, and that He has a bigger plan. So during those tough times, you must choose to find joy in Christ, His goodness, and your relationship to Him. And make sure you use those trying times to deepen your relationship with Christ, because it is then that we are most acutely aware of our need for Him, and of His presence as He wraps His arms around us to comfort us, and to deliver us. Also, don’t waste suffering! Always learn as much as you can of God during those times, and learn everything that He has to teach you, so you don’t have to do it again. Remember that God puts those people into our lives that rub us the wrong way, to mould us, and teach us, to be more like His Son. So learn to love them, and learn to forgive. In Christ you can do it!

Finally, in every situation, remember to put Jesus first, others second, and yourself last! Only then will you find true joy, no matter what.