SCRIPTURE: Philippians (NIV) 1:12 Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.
OBSERVATION: Paul is writing to the church he had started in Philippi. He is writing from Prison. He could have written about how the Jewish leaders had tried to kill him. He could have written about how the Roman governor was taking the side of the Jews and how he was forced to appeal to Caesar. He could have written about his trip to Rome on a boat that was destroyed in a storm. He could have written about being in prison…BUT HE DIDN’T!
He wrote about how all these troubles had served to “advance the gospel!” I know it was not those troubles that advanced the gospel, but it was Paul’s attitude in those troubles that advanced the gospel!
No wonder everyone in the palace guard heard about Jesus through Paul’s presence.
APPLICATION: We all have troubles. Hopefully not as big as Paul’s, but troubles we have. And when people come to visit, do they hear about how much pain we have, or how difficult it is to get the help we need, or the poor food we have to eat, or… Or do they hear about the scripture we read in the Bible this morning, or about haw God has answered our prayer for someone we love, or about the wonderful message we heard on Sunday…
How many of the people with whom we come in contact know that Jesus is the main part of our life?
PRAYER: Holy Spirit, use me, my family, my work, my good and bad times, yes, and my troubles to spread an awareness of Jesus. May people come to tie thoughts about me to thoughts about Jesus. Amen
Pastor Leon
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