Chains, Critics, and Crisis

“May the Lord bless you.” I have said that to many people and I have had many people say that to me. I have come have a new view of what it means for the Lord to bless you.

We see blessings as things that benefit us.

God sees blessings as things that are used in our lives to grow His kingdom.

God many times uses strange tools or blessings to help spread the gospel and grow His kingdom.

In Philippians 1:12-26 Paul shares three tools that enable him to take the gospel to places it could have not gone without these strange blessings.

Philippians 1:12-14

Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.

Paul’s Chains

Paul’s chains accomplished two things:

One, they allowed him to have contact with the lost.

Paul was chained to a Roman guard 24/7. The guards got to hear Paul talk about Jesus all day long, every day. They got to see the passionate love that Paul had for Jesus. They got to learn how God had changed his life.

Paul had contact with a group of people that he would not have had to the level he had it without his chains. 

There are times when God allows “chains” on His people to get them to accomplish an advance in the gospel that could never happen any other way.

Two, they gave courage to the saved.

Paul’s chains encouraged other believers to speak the word of God with more courage and speak fearlessly.

The word speak in this passage doesn’t mean preach. It means everyday conversation. These believers were encouraged to talk about Jesus everyday as they went about their normal activities.

Not everyone is called and gifted to preach, but all can talk about Jesus in their everyday conversation.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is letting “chains” advance the gospel.

Philippians 1:15-19

It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me, while I am in chains. 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. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through the prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.  

Paul’s Critics

The church was experiencing contention. There was envy in the church and where there is envy, there is strife.

There was no envy in Paul’s heart. He didn’t care why the gospel of Jesus was preached, as long as it was preached. Paul cared about only one thing – The Gospel.

Paul rejoiced over the fact that the gospel was being shared.

How could he rejoice when there was a group that was trying to make him look bad?  

Two things allow Paul to have the confidence to rejoice:

The prayers of the people

The Spirit of Jesus

Paul knows God will deliver him no matter what the circumstances are or how hard his critics try to discredit him.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is being focused on God and His kingdom, not people.

Philippians 2:20-26

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. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far, but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.

Paul’s Crisis

Because of Paul’s chains, Jesus was known.

Because of Paul’s critics, Jesus was preached.

Because of Paul’s crisis, Jesus was magnified.

Paul wanted to operate both as a telescope and as a microscope.

Telescopes bring distant things closer. Paul wanted to bring Jesus closer to people.

Microscopes make small things look bigger. Paul wanted to make Jesus look huge.

Paul’s crisis was whether this could be best done present on the earth or in heaven with Jesus. Paul preferred to be with Jesus but came to believe that God wanted him to stay present with the believers.

Paul was not afraid of life or death. Either way, he wanted to glorify Jesus in all he did.

Paul saw death as a departure. The word depart here means to take your tent and move on.

Paul saw life as a temporary assignment. His real home was in heaven with Jesus. While Paul was here on earth, he had one single desire: to honor Jesus by doing God’s will.

Raise the Roof and Remove Walls is, in life or in death, obeying and honoring Jesus.

Whether through chains, critics, or crisis, we are to allow God to use it all to exalt Jesus and spread the gospel.

In Life or in Death, Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls

                                              Joe