PHILIPPIANS 1:12 Now I Want You to Know, Brethren, That My Circumstances Have Turned Out

DATE: March 14th, 2010 SERIES: A Life That Is Worthy: Philippians MESSAGE: “I Want You To Know…” TEXT: Philippians 1:12-20 Page 1 of 18 PHILIPPIANS 1:12 Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, 13 so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, 14 and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear. 15 Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; 16 the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; 17 the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, rather than from pure motives, 1 DATE: March 14th, 2010 SERIES: A Life That Is Worthy: Philippians MESSAGE: “I Want You To Know…” TEXT: Philippians 1:12-20 Page 2 of 18 thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice, yes, and I will rejoice. 19 For I know that this shall turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20 according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I shall not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ shall even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. Last week we observed some things in Philippians 1:3-11 concerning Paul’s life and heart  You have a bulletin insert with four verses printed on it

2 DATE: March 14th, 2010 SERIES: A Life That Is Worthy: Philippians MESSAGE: “I Want You To Know…” TEXT: Philippians 1:12-20 Page 3 of 18  Take it home and put it up on your refrigerator  Look at it each time you go the fridge  MATTHEW 10:25 "It is enough for the disciple that he become as his teacher,  Jesus said that we should become like He is  Imitate His life and example  JOHN 6:38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.  Jesus example was to deny Himself and do the will of His Father  And He said it is enough if we do the same

3 DATE: March 14th, 2010 SERIES: A Life That Is Worthy: Philippians MESSAGE: “I Want You To Know…” TEXT: Philippians 1:12-20 Page 4 of 18  1 CORINTHIANS 11:1 Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.  Paul sought to become as his Master  He exhorted us to watch him and then do likewise  EPHESIANS 4:1 I…entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,  As we flip through Philippians we are examining what it reveals about Paul’s heart and life  So we can discern if He is imitating Christ  And thus be worthy of our imitating him  So that we can walk in a manner worthy

4 DATE: March 14th, 2010 SERIES: A Life That Is Worthy: Philippians MESSAGE: “I Want You To Know…” TEXT: Philippians 1:12-20 Page 5 of 18 Last week we observed that as Paul was in a prison cell awaiting a trial date on the charges of treason against Caesar  He wasn’t dwelling on his own dire circumstances He rejoiced at the Philippians growth He rejoiced as he had lots of extra time that he could pray for them He got excited to hear about how they were sharing their faith and leading people to Christ He truly imitated Christ in that he wanted to do the will of the Father and saw his circumstances as part of that will This week we continue

5 DATE: March 14th, 2010 SERIES: A Life That Is Worthy: Philippians MESSAGE: “I Want You To Know…” TEXT: Philippians 1:12-20 Page 6 of 18 I: The Lord Has HIS Plan  PHILIPPIANS 1:12 Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, Remember his circumstances We read in chapter 4 that they had sent him a care package  Along with it they expressed their sympathies at his circumstances and assured him that they were praying for him From the context here in chapter 1 they were praying that he would be released from prison So Paul attempts here to et them straight

6 DATE: March 14th, 2010 SERIES: A Life That Is Worthy: Philippians MESSAGE: “I Want You To Know…” TEXT: Philippians 1:12-20 Page 7 of 18 He tells them that he wants them to know that this is exactly where the Lord wanted him to be  It was no accident  The Lord didn’t wake up one morning and say “Oh, NO!! Paul’s in prison!”  PHILIPPIANS 1:12 Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, It was no accident that Paul was there The Lord had things planned all along Remember how we began this series?  RO 8:26 And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray 7 DATE: March 14th, 2010 SERIES: A Life That Is Worthy: Philippians MESSAGE: “I Want You To Know…” TEXT: Philippians 1:12-20 Page 8 of 18 as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Those weren’t just words Paul wrote them and he lived them This letter to the Philippians is an example The Lord had HIS plan for Paul It included his being in prison

8 DATE: March 14th, 2010 SERIES: A Life That Is Worthy: Philippians MESSAGE: “I Want You To Know…” TEXT: Philippians 1:12-20 Page 9 of 18 II The Lord Produces HIS Results How do we know? We examine the fruit  13 so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else,  The Praetorian Guards were elite units of the Roman Legions  They were the fiercest of warriors and had to swear fealty to Caesar Among their oaths was the swearing to worship only Caesar and they weren’t allowed to listen to the preaching of other religions

9 DATE: March 14th, 2010 SERIES: A Life That Is Worthy: Philippians MESSAGE: “I Want You To Know…” TEXT: Philippians 1:12-20 Page 10 of 18 They were literally unreachable for Christ by any missionary endeavor  But the Lord wanted to reach them So He had Paul imprisoned by them  Guarded day and night  So Paul recognized that and shared Christ with them  They even accommodated him by changing shifts so he had new people to share with the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else Who was the “everyone else”?  Don’t know for sure  We’re not told in the text But it’s not hard to imagine that the guards talked about Paul with family and friends 10 DATE: March 14th, 2010 SERIES: A Life That Is Worthy: Philippians MESSAGE: “I Want You To Know…” TEXT: Philippians 1:12-20 Page 11 of 18  And it’s not hard to imagine that other prisoners were able to hear Paul as he shared Christ with the Praetorians God had HIS plan and He produced results among the Praetorian Guards  An otherwise unreachable group of people  14 and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear. There were other Christians in the prison as well Evidently they were afraid and timid Kept to themselves, didn’t want to rock the boat

11 DATE: March 14th, 2010 SERIES: A Life That Is Worthy: Philippians MESSAGE: “I Want You To Know…” TEXT: Philippians 1:12-20 Page 12 of 18 But when Paul spoke up it gave them courage to do the same  The Lord wanted to strengthen the brthren as they awaited trials of their own  His plan included using Paul to encourage and embolden them To strengthen their fath III: The Lord Uses Us As Vessels  19 For I know that this shall turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20 according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I shall not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ shall even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by

12 DATE: March 14th, 2010 SERIES: A Life That Is Worthy: Philippians MESSAGE: “I Want You To Know…” TEXT: Philippians 1:12-20 Page 13 of 18 life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. The Lord uses people as the vessels for doing His work  He always has When He wanted to bring Israel out of Egypt He used Moses to do it  He could have just caused a huge, sweeping wind to come up and carry them into the Promised Land  He could have just spoken and have them instantly transported  But he used a person All through history God used people to accomplish His will  Joshua  David  Elijah 13 DATE: March 14th, 2010 SERIES: A Life That Is Worthy: Philippians MESSAGE: “I Want You To Know…” TEXT: Philippians 1:12-20 Page 14 of 18  The Other Prophets  Ezra  Nehemiah  John The Baptist  Paul  And us He uses people when they are willing to be used  He doesn’t force us  Some refuse to ever start  Some turn away after starting 2 TIMOTHY 4:10 for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica;  What a sad thing to be memorialized What is revealed about Paul is that HIS heart was intent upon doing the Father’s will

14 DATE: March 14th, 2010 SERIES: A Life That Is Worthy: Philippians MESSAGE: “I Want You To Know…” TEXT: Philippians 1:12-20 Page 15 of 18  And so the Lord used him as a vessel  2 CHRONICLES 16:9 "For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. Just as the Lord supported Paul in prison  His Holy Spirit empowered Paul to look beyond himself to perceive the Father’s will in his particular circumstances The same Holy Spirit produces the same results today through those whose hearts are completely His  19 For I know that this shall turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20 15 DATE: March 14th, 2010 SERIES: A Life That Is Worthy: Philippians MESSAGE: “I Want You To Know…” TEXT: Philippians 1:12-20 Page 16 of 18 according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I shall not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ shall even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. The Philippians were praying for his deliverance  And he understood that and desired that he wouldn’t be put to shame by shrinking from sharing in order to be released but that with all boldness, Christ shall even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.  If he lived, he wanted his life to bring glory to God  If he died, he wanted his death to bring glory to God 16 DATE: March 14th, 2010 SERIES: A Life That Is Worthy: Philippians MESSAGE: “I Want You To Know…” TEXT: Philippians 1:12-20 Page 17 of 18   MATTHEW 10:25 "It is enough for the disciple that he become as his teacher   JOHN 6:38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.   1 CORINTHIANS 11:1 Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.    EPHESIANS 4:1 I…entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,  Christ did Paul did

17 DATE: March 14th, 2010 SERIES: A Life That Is Worthy: Philippians MESSAGE: “I Want You To Know…” TEXT: Philippians 1:12-20 Page 18 of 18 And He desires that we do, too  We then are able to see beyond our selves in our circumstances We’re then able to see that the Lord isn’t surprised at what befalls us  If we love Him  If we’re called according to His purpose  Then He’s got a plan in mind that He wants to use us to accomplish That’s living a life that is worthy