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The Triumph of the Gospel

Philippians 1.12-20                                                           K.  Elijah Layfield

Philippians 1:12-20 NASB  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, 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 will 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 will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

If you have read Desiring God or if you were at the last Revolution, you have heard of George Otis.  He wrote The Last of the Giants , and concluded with a chapter titled “Risky Safety.”  He says: 

Should the Church in politically or socially trying circumstances remain covert to avoid potential eradication by forces hostile to Christianity?  Or would more open confrontation with prevailing spiritual ignorance and deprivation—even if it produced Christian martyrs—be more likely to lead to evangelistic breakthroughs? . . . Is it conceivable that Christianity’s failure to thrive in the Muslim world is due to the notable absence of Christian martyrs?  And can the Muslim community take seriously the claims of a Church in hiding? . . . The question is not whether it is wise at times to keep worship and witness discreet, but rather how long this may continue before we are guilty of ‘hiding our light under a bushel’ . . . The record shows that from Jerusalem and Damascus to Ephesus and Rome, the apostles were beaten, stoned, conspired against and imprisoned for their witness.  Invitations were rare, and never the basis for their missions. (John Piper, Desiring God, pg 228.)

The key to the progress of the gospel is suffering and risk taking.  Or, to say it negatively, the key to the progress of the gospel is not Palm Springs and silent witnessing.  The church is so rampant with believers who do not show the fruit of conversion that for the last generation, we have stressed, “Live a life that causes people to ask.  Be a Christian, for heaven’s sake.”  Well, we’ve failed and now we don’t speak the gospel and we don’t live the gospel and people are going to hell never seeing Christ’s surpassing beauty on earth.  How we need radical risk-taking Christians that show how Christ is valuable!  What about you?  How valuable is Christ to you? 

We are on verses 12-14 of chapter one tonight.  We have seen how in verse 1, God has radically saved this zealous Jewish persecutor of the church so that God’s grace would be seen in saving such a opponent of the gospel.  Now, this Jewish man is in prison writing to these Gentile believers with the hope that grace and peace would be multiplied to these non-Jewish believers in verse 2.  We see in verses 3-5 that grace has caused Paul to be thankful for these believers, to pray with joy for these believers and to fellowship in the gospel with these believers.  Verse 6 has Paul laying a foundation of assurance for these believers about their salvation-the good work of God from the beginning.  In 7 and 8, Paul’s affections for the believers is seen and it amazes me.  In 9-11, is Paul’s prayer of love for the continuation and completion of the believer’s faith. 

I want us to consider the triumph of the gospel in verses 12-14 under three headings:
1.    The Continuance of the Gospel
2.    The Captivity of the Apostle
3.    The Courage of the Believer

1.    The Continuance of the Gospel

Philippians 1:12  “Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel ,”

Can you hear the Philippians?  "Paul that’s so wonderful.  God loves us so dearly, and you love us so dearly.  God’s work is going to be accomplished.  We are going to stand complete on the day of Christ.  All is well."  Then, can you hear the accusations?  "Why are you in prison, Paul?  Surely the gospel is being impeded by your imprisonment.  Why isn’t God rescuing you, Paul?  If God can not rescue you, can he complete our faith?" 
    The response of Paul is sweet.  "I want you to know, brethren.  I want you to understand, brothers and sisters.  Do not suspect.  Do not guess.  Do not hope.  Know this, that the gospel is marching on."  It has not left Paul.  Paul, in his circumstances is progressing the gospel.  There is no stopping the gospel.  You can not imprison the gospel.  You can not stop the gospel.  How Christians need to be jolted awake.  They are on the winning side!  Do not fear, the gospel will prevail. 
It will prevail because it is the means by which Christ is building His church.  (Matthew 16:18)  "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of [Hell] will not overpower it.”  You can not stop Christ from building his church.  The gospel is the power of God for salvation.  Do not think that the gates of Hell win as the believer is imprisoned.  Hell does not win as you are being mocked.  Hell does not when as you lose your possessions.  Hell does not win as you are losing your wife or husband or children for the gospel.  Hell does not win as you are losing your own life for the gospel.  Hell is being defeated.  The gospel is moving on.  The gospel is proving that Christ is glorious, worthy, holy and faithful. 
Because of this, the gospel is worthy of suffering.  2 Timothy 2:8-9  “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel,  (9)  for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned.”  Paul does not say in this that he suffers for Jesus Christ, namely.  “For which” not “for whom”.  He suffers for the gospel.  He knows that the gospel is the power.  He suffers that others might hear the word of God.  Though Paul might be imprisoned the Word of God is not.  In fact, in bringing Paul to Rome, the Roman government is funding this missionary journey.  You don’t have money for a missions trip?  Get imprisoned in China.  The gospel is glorious and worth our suffering and will conquer our temporal impulses of worldly pleasures.

2.    The Captivity of the Apostle

Philippians 1:13  “so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else,”

    Here we find the first reason that he gives that the gospel is not being thwarted by his imprisonment and it does not seem to be very weighty at first glance.  The first reason is because everyone is learning about his imprisonment.  Big deal.  I’m sure that if I was arrested tonight, everyone would know about that arrest as well.  Yet, at least three things are happening in this imprisonment.  1.  Paul is suffering.  2.  Christ is being Exalted.  3. The word about Paul’s suffering for Christ’s exaltation is spreading.
    Let us not sugarcoat the prisons of those days.  Paul is not on vacation.  Prisons were cold, dank, smelly, cells.  No food, no TV, no swimming pool, no gym, no recreational games , no Americanized board seeking the best for the welfare of the prisoners in this prison.  Paul is not sight-seeing in Rome.  Paul is in prison because he refused to stop preaching the gospel.  Yet, while he suffers in the prison, his mouth is not in chains.  Yes, the gospel is progressing.  You can’t stop these Christians by putting them in jail.  You put them in jail and they suffer with joy.  You kill them and more pop up.  Imprison Christians and the gospel is continuing. 
    I pray that it is obvious to you when you read “imprisonment in the cause of Christ” what that means.   It means suffering for the gospel.  It means suffering that the gospel appears as attractive.  People give thought to what they seem to deem as foolishness when men start being imprisoned and killed for it.  People pay attention and say, "Maybe Jesus is more important than I had thought.  Maybe, if he is willing to suffer for this Jesus, maybe Jesus needs to be considered more.  What about Jesus makes a man want to suffer?"  We know, that by the grace of God, a light illumines a lost and fallen mind and he sees the glory of Christ.  He sees His majesty.  He sees His preciousness.  He sees the weight and worth of His glory and knows why Paul is suffering.  He knows that Jesus is worth more than imprisonment.  He knows that Jesus is worth death.  This magnifies Jesus.  Imprison Christians, make them suffer, the gospel is marching on, all the while magnifying and glorifying the Savior and satisfying the dying believers. 
    The word about Paul’s suffering for Christ’s exaltation is spreading.  Why is it good news that the word about Paul’s suffering is spreading?  Look who it is spreading in, “the whole praetorian guard”.  These are the emperor’s secret service guys.  You don’t just put Barney Fife on a national traitor like Paul.  Every two hours, another guard is exchanged and chained to the apostle Paul.  Do you want to take one guess as to what that praetorian guard is hearing for the two hours that he is chained?  It’s not a 15 minute sermon about his uncle Ralph’s dog that cornered that cat one day.  It’s not stories that may or may not illustrate the gospel.  The guard hears the gospel and why it is that Paul is in prison for it.  Guards are being saved as they see the surpassing value of Jesus Christ.  How we need to learn to take moments of apparent world imprisonment and turn those moments into our being instruments of grace.
    It also says, “and to everyone else”.  Everyone is learning about this little Jewish rabbi who is suffering because he loves Jesus Christ.  Surely it would have been shaming to have the evangelical, conservative, denominational brethren learn that you were in jail.  You can’t keep face when you love Jesus.  You can’t worry about what people think.  Yet, this grips this church today.  The visible church is not ruled by a Master named Jesus, they are ruled by a master named man.  The cultural church says, "You don’t do stuff, like getting arrested.  You don’t do stuff, like witnessing to your waiter.  You don’t make a spectacle of yourself for everyone to see.  You have to look like everyone else, act like everyone else, talk like everyone else."  Brethren, do not be conformed to what the world says prosperity and social renown is.  I am sure that many people thought that Paul was a crazy, poor, attention deprived, pitiful little man.  Do not pity those who gain everything when they die!  And, do not pity those that suffer, because through them the gospel is pressing onward. 

3.    The Courage of the Believer

Philippians 1:14  “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.”

Here we find the second reason that he gives that the gospel is not being imprisoned by own captivity.  I want to handle this verse with two questions. 
Why did Paul’s imprisonment increase their trust in the Lord?  Why does seeing Paul in prison make the believers in Rome trust in the Lord?  I am sure that if Paul was scared of dying, loathing his imprisonment, sullen and depressed about his capture, their trust in Christ would not increase.  Yet, what if they, upon their visits, viewed a conquering Paul.  What if they see in Paul, Romans 8:38-39  “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,  (39)  nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  What if they saw that in the imprisonment, Paul was not forsaken by Christ, but drawn near by Christ.  Why do we have stories of God’s faithfulness in the Bible?  It is to get us to trust in God, and not in man.  Paul was God’s manifest faithfulness in a prison cell.  The Philippians then believed, "Surely if the Lord can sustain Paul in prison, He can sustain me when I’m not in prison.  If can satisfy the soul of a believer that has nothing but Christ, he can satisfy me.  He is worth our trust.  Maybe, if Paul is conquering this imprisonment by satisfaction in the glory of Christ, maybe Christ is sovereign as Lord in bringing this imprisonment to magnify His Name."

Why does imprisonment increase courage?  The answer: the truth of the gospel is seen.  In Paul, they see a man who believes that Christ is worth dying to gain.  They see Jesus in Paul, they see his love for others and it lights a kindle in their hearts.  Why is it easier to witness with more believers than yourself?  Why do you need to go as a group to go downtown to witness?  You need strength.  You need someone to go first sometimes.  Paul went first.  Paul became the leader to the feast of God’s glories.  Do not wait on someone to lead you.  Step up.  Christ is with you, be encouraged.  Paul understood this.  Talk of your brave men, your great men, 0 world! Where in all history can you find one like Paul? Alexander, Caesar, Napoleon, marched with the protection of their armies to enforce their will upon men. Paul was eager to march with Christ alone to the center of this world’s greatness entrenched under Satan, with "the Word of the cross, " which he himself says is "to Jews, an offence; and to Gentiles, foolishness.” 
    Their courage increased when they saw unbelievers repent.  There is nothing more encouraging than to have a believer see the glory of Christ for the first time.  That is one of  the most joyful things in heaven and on earth.  When you live the gospel and you see others cherish it, you are refreshed. 
    Also, they were able to speak the word of God without fear because they saw that His promises were coming true.  Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved, that’s true.  He will never leaves us, nor forsake us, that’s true.  If those are true then maybe Romans 8:16-17 is true, “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,  (17)  and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”  Well if all those are true, then what do I have to fear?  Beat me, stone me, mock me, shame me, kill me, I am an heir.  God has promised and He cannot lie.  Then we shout Psalms 27:1-2  “The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread?”  My life is hidden with Jesus Christ, who it as the right hand of the Father on high, you can not take it from Him.  Believer, God’s eternal plan will stand, the gospel will not be stopped and we shall be gloriously saved.

Application:  Oh that we would live lives based on eternal truth and not trivial temporal vanities.  Brethren, do not moan the circumstances that befall you.  Do not grumble.  The gospel, focus on the gospel.  The center of the gospel is Jesus Christ.  Will you let goods or kindred go for the sake of the gospel?  Believers, let us make the most of every circumstance.  No one you meet is a coincidence.  Let them know about your life in the cause of Christ.  Do not fear what others will think.  Focus on Christ who strengthens you.  The worst thing might be they laugh at you and you never see them again, they best thing is that they believe the gospel and you seen them again in heaven.  Christian, do not wait for a leader to stir up your heart.  Take the initiative to stir up those around you.  Don’t let your circumstances conform you, you conform your circumstances to the progress of the gospel.  Do not fear men.  Do not fear losing social status.  With fear on my heart, I want to close with this:

“The New Hebrides [a chain of eighty islands in the South Pacific] had no Christian influence before John Williams and James Harris from the London Missionary Society landed in 1839.  Both of these missionaries were killed and eaten by cannibals on the island of Erromanga on November 20 of that year, only minutes after going ashore.  Forty...eight years later John Paton wrote, “Thus were the New Hebrides baptized with the blood of martyrs; and Christ thereby told the whole Christian world that he claimed these islands as His own.”

When Paton revealed his plans to go to these Islands…

A Mr. Dickson exploded, “The cannibals! You will be eaten by cannibals!” The memory of Williams and Harris on Erromanga was only 19 years old. But to this Paton responded:  Mr. Dickson, you are advanced in years now, and your own prospect is soon to be laid in the grave, there to be eaten by worms; I confess to you, that if I can but live and die serving and honoring the Lord Jesus, it will make no difference to me whether I am eaten by Cannibals or by worms; and in the Great Day my Resurrection body will rise as fair as yours in the likeness of our risen Redeemer".

He sailed for the New Hebrides (via Australia) with his wife Mary on April 16, 1858, at the age of 33.  They reached their appointed island of Tanna on November 5, and in March the next year both his wife and his newborn son died of the fever. He served alone on the island for the next four years under incredible circumstances of constant danger until he was driven off the island in February, 1862.

Today, 93 years after the death of John Paton, about 85% of the population of Vanuatu identifies itself as Christian, perhaps 21% of the population being evangelical.  The sacrifices and the legacy of the missionaries to the New Hebrides are stunning, and John G. Paton stands  as one through the gospel progressed greatly.

"My circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel."