Choose Joy!
The apostle Paul was in chains but the gospel was not. The Roman government had seized the apostle and imprisoned him for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, intending to cut off the apostle’s ministry and strike enough fear into the hearts of all who might be tempted to take his place. Despite his confinement, the apostle Paul continued to have a ministry. In a twist of divine irony, the praetorian guards, consisting of some 9000 men, become his mission field. In God’s sovereignty the guards became Paul’s captives. In 12-hour shifts, Caesar’s elite military warriors were chained to the apostle, forced into his company. Many fell under the spell of God’s servant, captivated by Paul’s unstoppable faith, unruffled peace and his unquenchable joy despite his difficult circumstances.
I. A Deliberate Disentanglement-Philippians 1:15-20a
Paul was well aware that the motives of some who were proclaiming the gospel message of Jesus Christ were less than pure. Paul addressed the self-promotion that some were seeking by writing, Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife. They proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment (Phil. 1:15; 17). Some were jealous of Paul’s successful ministry and resented his influence in the Roman church. They were preaching the gospel of Christ out of hearts infected with envy, promoting rivalry and factions within the church. Others seized on the vacancy left by Paul as an opportunity to step into the public eye for the advancement of self. Some deliberately tried to compound Paul’s difficult circumstances. And what was Paul’s response to this tragic misuse of the gospel message? What then? Paul asked. Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice (Phil. 1:18). The contentious crowd was not preaching error or a false gospel. Paul would not have taken any pleasure in doctrinal inaccuracy. They were preaching the truth, but with impure motives. Paul knew God would deal with each accordingly. Joy was Paul’s response. By an act of his will, Paul chose joy. Joy in the Journey.
II. A Proper Perspective-Philippians 1:20b-26
Paul’s heart desire was that Christ be exalted in (his) body whether by life or by death (Phil. 1:20). Paul lived deliberately. He was consciously engaged in a life devoted to Christ and the spread of the gospel. Because he considered himself dead, crucified with Christ, physical death hardly held any threat to him. No one couldn’t threaten Paul with heaven! Whether by life or by death, Paul intended to glorify Jesus Christ and exalt His holy name.Paul had narrowed the purpose of his life to one single-minded goal. For me to live is Christ and to die is gain (Phil.1:21). Paul’s practice was closely tied to his position in Christ. Paul fully understood who we are in Christ. He knew God had seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:6). So surrendered was Paul to the will of the Lord Jesus Christ, so lost in his passion for proclaiming Christ, so close was his walk of faith with Christ that in his mind he was already home.Paul was hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary (Phil. 1:23) for the sake of those who remained. Paul was certainly grateful he would not make the final decision. If God allowed his release from the prison sentence, it would mean the continuation of a fruitful life in the service of the King. If God in His sovereignty called him home, he was certainly ready to see Jesus face-to-face. Paul did not fear anything this life tried to threaten him with, nor did he fear anything the veil of death tried to frighten him with. Christ was his life. Living or dying both represented Christ to him. The lure of seeing Jesus pushed him towards the direction of eagerly anticipating stepping into glory but the need for so many young converts to be discipled and for the gospel to be proclaimed drove Paul to desire to stay and be involved in kingdom work. No matter what happened, Paul chose joy. Joy in the Journey.
III. A Call to Consecration-Philippians 1:27-30
While we live in this world, we are certainly not of this world. As members of the blood-bought church of the redeemed, we have dual citizenship. We are American citizens (or whatever nationality you were born into) and we are citizens of a heavenly kingdom ruled by God the Father, God the Son and God the Spirit. Prior to our conversion, we were dead in our trespasses and sins. Formerly we walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. We pandered to the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest (See Ephesians 2:1-3). We lived in Satan’s camp and were held captive under his sway. We were sinners by birth, by nature and by choice. But God was rich in mercy. Ephesians 2:4-5 says, But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved). God did not leave us in our sin. He sent His Son. While we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly (Rom. 5:6). God demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Rom.5:8). Hallelujah! What a Savior!Christ died for us. Is it too much to ask that we live for Him? Paul wrote, Therefore, I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship (Rom.12:1). In light of the cross, is this not our reasonable service to God? Is it beyond the reach of reason that, having received the free gift of salvation, we might be responsible to live a holy and righteous life? Paul wrote, Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ (Phil. 2:27). We are called to holy living. The call of consecration lifts us above the earthly realm of the downward pull of the world, the flesh and the devil. That is, we are to live a life marked by the aggressive pursuit of personal holiness and practical righteousness. How is it done? By the renewing of the mind. The mind must be renewed before the behavior can be transformed. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect (Rom. 12:2). Renew your mind. Live in obedience to God’s Word, dependence on God’s Spirit, and confidence in the Lord Jesus. Do you want joy? It is yours without end in Jesus Christ. Choose Joy in the Journey.
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