April 3, 2020, (Spread of the Gospel)
In continuing our reading plan, today we look at Philippians 1:12-14. In this section, we read about how God used Paul to spread the Gospel in a very difficult season. It reads:
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. (Phil. 1:12-14; NASB)
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Examine your situation and see the good
- Ask God what He wants you to learn, how He wants you to grow, and what is He teaching you through these things. Paul could have been deeply depressed about his imprisonment, but saw the “joy” in that he was there for the cause of Christ by advancing and progressing the gospel message
- Encourage others
- Paul encouraged the Roman believers and the Philippians by being bold and courageous and telling others about Christ. Whether through word or deed, we all can look for ways to encourage fellow believers to do everything we can to advance the gospel
- Progress and Advancement of the Gospel Message
- The Greek word used for progress or advancing (prokopēn) the gospel was used to describe blazing a trail before an army.[1] Paul, therefore, saw the events as forging new territory for the gospel. They took Paul into contact with a select group of people, soldiers and Roman officials, who otherwise would have had no relationship to him, and they also prompted a renewed evangelistic effort in the city. While others may have seen the end of missionary activity, Paul saw the new ways the gospel could advance. The events which seemed to inhibit the freedom of the gospel became its springboard. Paul did not say “in spite of” these events, but rather “through them.” There is a note of sacrifice here. Paul’s private concerns did not matter; the gospel did.
- This is where it is interesting for us in this new day. The virus has spread all over, and now many churches are scrambling to learn how to stream their services. Some have had more successful weeks than others. Some are dealing with overwhelming challenges; while some are already experienced in the live stream universe. (It should be remembered that we are also facing attacks from Satan and his demons as they try to derail these streaming experiences. It is something we need to remember to pray against.) Whatever the case may be, churches, pastors, and missionaries are blazing a new trail on reaching members and the masses through these trials and tribulations. Through all of these “circumstances” God is using something that we tend to see as a hindrance into something mighty and magnificent. People are now tuning into churches that others would never have tried to go to or attend. A friend of mine is pastor of a small church that has 80 normal congregants. The first week of live streaming, they had 500 people viewing their service. The next week, 3,000 people tuned in to see the service. Think about that for a second and what God did. The service experienced all sorts of technical issues and was not smooth, but the fact remains that 2,900 people viewed a church service that otherwise would never have attended any service.
- When we come out of this, our churches are going to be far more experienced in live streaming and identifying ways to connect with the online community. We can view this with eyes that see the negative or we can take Paul’s approach and see the positive. So, when the next tribulation comes, our churches will be ready and have planned ahead for something like this. It is not easy, and it takes a lot of work. It is grueling and stressful. But God is going to do something so good that it is beyond what we can imagine. And He is already at work doing something amazing.
DEEPER EXPOSITION:
In verses 12-26, Paul reveals the internal and external pressures he is facing. He rejoices because, despite physical persecution and social ostracism, the Gospel is being proclaimed with much success. Although Paul desires to be in heaven with Jesus, he realizes that God is keeping him on earth in order to help the Philippians to continue their successful proclamation of the Word of God. From his own experiences Paul wanted the believers at Philippi to learn an important truth: there are no accidents with God. Instead of Paul’s ministry being curtailed because of his bondage, it was being advanced.
Verse 12: Paul uses the statement “I want you to know” to introduce an important declaration regarding a misunderstood matter. Because of this love for Paul and their confidence in his ministry, they had given repeatedly and generously, even out of their poverty for the support of this missionary outreach. They saw this as a great investment in the kingdom.
Rather than detail the hardships he faced; Paul took a divine perspective. He recognized that all events could be redeemed for the Lord’s sake, and he made the best of his situation to continue his mission. Paul’s primary concern was that the gospel go forward. This happened through adverse circumstances, but as long as it happened, Paul could be joyful. Paul wanted the Philippians to know that his imprisonment (“circumstances”)[2] was advancing the gospel, not hindering (“have turned out”). This information would comfort the Philippians, who were concerned about Paul’s welfare and who needed assurance that their prayers for Paul and their gifts to him had not been in vain.
“Progress,” “advance,” or “furtherance” (prokopēn) could suggest a pioneer beating or cutting a path through a densely forested area. Paul’s imprisonment was a strategic advance in the kingdom of God because it was clearing the way for the gospel to infiltrate the ranks of the Roman military (v. 13).
Verse 13: Paul’s imprisonment furthered the gospel in two ways. First, the praetorian guard (or imperial/palace guard; praitōriō) heard it as Paul preached in prison. Second, “everyone else” (or “all the rest”), meaning Paul’s visitors, heard the gospel. Some of those visitors included leaders of the Jews in Rome (Acts 28:17)
The Praetorian Guard consisted of several thousand highly trained, elite soldiers of the Roman Empire who were headquartered at Rome. For the one to two years that Paul had been under house arrest in Rome, different soldiers had taken turns guarding him. Though Paul resided in his own rented facility (Acts 28:30), he was guarded by these soldiers all the time. The custom was for a prisoner to be chained at the wrist to a soldier. Because they were chained to Paul, they had no other choice but to listen to him proclaim the gospel; they were not supposed to beat him into silence because he was a Roman citizen (Acts 16:37-38). Although Paul could not go to the world to preach, in this way God brought the world to Paul. Also, Paul considered his imprisonment to be the result of God’s sovereign will. His viewpoint looked past the pain and inconvenience and instead looked at it being for “the cause of Christ.”
All in Rome who came in contact with Paul heard about Christ. It was well known that he was not under guard for being a lawbreaker. Instead he was “imprisoned” or “in chains for Christ” (Phil. 1:13). In an effort to silence the truth, the authorities had incarcerated the one who spoke it, but their plan did not work.
Verse 14: Paul’s incarceration had another effect: it encouraged those who had been reluctant about speaking for Christ (v. 14). Many believers who saw Paul in chains in Rome became encouraged (or growing in confidence or boldness) to preach the gospel with boldness, emphasizing the outward aggressive demonstration of an inward character and feeling of courage.
Although they could be imprisoned just as Paul was, the Roman believers were emboldened by Paul’s courage and were able to proclaim the message about Jesus Christ fearlessly. Large numbers of believers became bold for Christ when they saw how God was spreading the gospel through Paul. The positive response Paul received in the face of opposition caused others to speak more courageously and fearlessly for Christ. Paul’s confinement was doing what his circumstances outside of prison could never do.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Also has reference to the philosophical progress toward wisdom and the progress of a young minister. The opposition to Paul in Rome has essentially brought it before the leaders, where Paul may otherwise not have been able to go.
[2] “Paul did not specifically mention his imprisonment. The Greek text says simply “the things to me” (ta kat’ eme). Most likely he included all the events from his imprisonment at Jerusalem through his imprisonment at Rome. These were the riot, the two-year imprisonment at Caesarea, the appeal to Caesar, the threat on his life, the trip to Rome with its shipwreck, his house-arrest and restricted freedom, and the impending trial. However, the focus is on the Roman events. As Paul described them, he spoke in terms of the effect on the soldiers and the Roman church.” Taken from Richard R. Melick, The New American Commentary: Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, (Nashville:B&H Publishing, 1991).