The Advance of the Gospel
I want you to know, brothers, that what
has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has
become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my
imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident
in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without
fear. Some indeed preach Christ from
envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love,
knowing that I am put here for the defence of the gospel. The former proclaim
Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my
imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretence or in
truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. (Philippians 1:12-18)
John Calvin
began his ministry in Geneva in 1536 aged 27 yet the years following were far
from plain sailing. In the city were a group known as the “libertines” who felt that grace was a licence to do as
they wanted. Their lifestyle was so far
from anything Christian that at Calvin refused them the Lord’s Supper. Things came to a head in 1553 when as Calvin
was about to administer the communion, the libertines burst into the church
armed swords demanding the Lord’s supper.
Calvin threw himself upon the table and said "These hands you may crush,
these arms you may lop off, my life you may take, my blood is yours, you may
shed it; but you shall never force me to give holy things to the profaned, and
dishonour the table of my God." At this the libertines were
shamed into leaving the church. This was not the end of Calvin’s troubles but
he was a little like the Apostle Paul, who endured all kinds of hardships for
the sake of advancing the gospel.
Pauls report.
I am sure we
have all read of the conversion of Saul (now Paul) and the incredible
difficulties he faced in the book of Acts.
After all he had been through he now finds himself a prisoner under
house arrest in Rome on trial for his life. When Paul wrote this letter to the
Philippians he had no assurance that he would ever be a free man again. Nevertheless, still under house arrest, still
chained to a Roman soldier, still not having had a trial, and the future still
uncertain, Paul looked on all that had transpired, and wrote in verse 12, “I
want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to
advance the gospel.” That was Paul’s ambition: not his own comfort, but the
advance of the gospel. He went on to explain how the gospel was advancing. He
wrote in verse 13, “…it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard
and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.” Paul could see the purpose
of God in his circumstances; God had put him exactly where he wanted him to be
for the furtherance of the Gospel.
Paul’s Reaction (1:14-17)
Let’s examine
Paul’s reaction. It turns out that there were two reactions by Paul, first,
concerning his friends, and second, concerning his foes. First, let’s look at
Paul’s reaction concerning his friends. Paul wrote in verse 14, “And most of
the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much
more bold to speak the word without fear.” And, again in verse 16, referring to
these same friends, he wrote, they “do it out of love, knowing that I am put
here for the defence of the gospel.” Sometimes, learning about the hardship and
difficulty of fellow believers may strengthen otherwise timid Christians to
speak up for Jesus.
Second, let’s
look at Paul’s reaction concerning his foes. Paul wrote in verse 15, “Some
indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry….” He continued in verse 17,
“proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict
me in my imprisonment.” Who are these who have motives of envy, rivalry, and
selfish ambition? Commentators are
divided some say these men were simply false teachers (with a false gospel)
trying to upset the brethren and draw followers after themselves (such as those
in Galatia). Other contest that the
preachers to whom Paul was referring were indeed preaching the true Christ, but
their motives were all wrong. Paul may have been hurt by their motives but they
were preaching and proclaiming the true Christ.
Either way don't let that disturb you. It has rightly been said that "God can draw a straight line with a crooked stick." I was made aware of the Gospel (not brought to faith - that was many year in the future) through very aberrant teaching. And though this is NOT an excuse for poor or incorrect theology I
think we can agree that Paul was glad that the gospel was advancing for he
concludes in verse 18, “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretence
or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.” Paul’s focus was the
gospel. Paul’s ambition was the advance of the gospel. That is why he rejoiced
when Christ was proclaimed.
Summing it up.
Is the advance
of the gospel first and foremost in your ambitions? You don’t need to be a
preacher or a missionary or a full-time Christian worker to fulfill this
ambition. You put the gospel at the centre of your ambitions when you orient
your life, your vocation, your calling, and even your leisure to see the gospel
advanced. How can this lead to Christian contentment? Let me give you one example from my own
family. My mum, in the last 15 years has
spent quite long stretches of time in hospital with a recurring illness. At times she could get quite down – until one
day she starting witnessing to the nurses and doctors. Now she’s not (by her own admission) a great
speaker or theologian – she has a simple faith.
Yet she realized that she could be bitter about her circumstances or use
them to God’s glory. She said ‘When
else, apart from being in hospital, would I ever get the chance to speak to
doctors or nurses on a regular basis about Jesus?’ Brothers and sisters during this Covid season
God has placed you in the situation and circumstances He wants you in – will
you use it to find contentment in the furtherance of the Gospel?
Prayer for the day.
Oh Lord,
You have given
us charge of such a precious duty of spreading the message of the Gospel to
those in our lives. You have orchestrated
our lives and put us in the places and positions that you would have us to be
in. Let us take the opportunity to do as other faithful men and women have done
to in proclaiming the good news. Help us
when we feel overwhelmed by our circumstances or opposition not to become
discouraged but rather to find our contentment in advancing the Gospel.
We ask in
Jesus’ name.
Amen.
Photo by Denny Müller on Unsplash
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