Text: Acts 28:30, Philippians 1:12-14, Title: Perspectives on Prison, Date/Place: NRBC, 11/8/09, AM
A. Opening ill: talk about the movie The Apostle, about the closing moments singing in prison, Dave Ramsey
B. Background to passage: Our text tells us that Paul spent another two years in a Roman prison, and this is after spending two years in Caesarea in prison. For those of you who are Type A people like me, who always have to be doing something, this seems like a waste. Even from a human standpoint, having the church’s greatest missionary, and one of the only ones at the time, locked up preventing church plants, street preaching, new cities and mission trips. And during this time Paul is concerned that the church will think like that. So he writes a little passage in a letter that he writes in prison to a church, and he says just the opposite. And as one commentator wrote, this is part of Paul’s ministry to form Christ in us by showing us that suffering and persecution is part of God’s strategy to take the gospel into the families, cities, and nations of the world.
C. Main thought: My prayer and thought today is that we reevaluate suffering in light of biblical teaching and God’s purposes in the world, as well as reevaluate our reaction to it in our lives; for in this room is a mountain of suffering, heartache, loss, pain, and injustice, but it is not without purpose nor without comfort.
A. Affliction into Advance (v. 12)
1. Paul uses a word here that was used of advancing armies to speak of the progress of the gospel of Christ. It doesn’t make sense to speak of missionaries advancing the kingdom while they are in prison. And by these things that happened, he is probably talking about the riot in Jerusalem, the jail there, the attempt on his life, the two-year prison in Caesarea, the shipwreck, and Roman imprisonment. The Philippians would pray and think like we would—Get him out, Lord. But Paul says this is my ministry. And all this is advancing the cause. Then he proceeds to give two reasons, but I want to quickly add a third that he doesn’t mention. While in Caesarea he commissioned Luke to write Luke and Acts. While in prison in Rome, he wrote the “Prison Epistles.” Here is a smattering of what he wrote in Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.
2. Philip 1:21, 2:5-11, 3:8-9, 4:13, Col 1:15-18, 2:9, Eph 1:4-6, 2:8-9, 3:20-21, 5:25-27, 6:10
3. Illustration: Read the Hudson Taylor quote from my desk, tell about Heather and Andrew’s marriage
4. How often do you benefit from and cling to promises like these? God used what should have been an immensely painful and frustrating time to bless every literate Christian from the 120s on…millions and billions of believers. How many copies of this letter were printed, will be printed? How many languages has it been translated into. How many churches are founded on these principles in these books? How many missionaries were called into missions through these words? How many people were set free from legalism? How many marriages were transformed? How many spiritual battles fought and won? All of these things because Paul was in prison. You will never know the full impact of your ministry on this side. You will never know the ramifications of how you handle suffering and pain and injustice and loss.
B. Pain into Proclamation (v. 13)
1. Not only did God afflict in faithfulness, redeeming it into advance, but he turned the pain of being chained to another, separated from friends and church, and little aid to the thorn into an opportunity to proclaim the source of true freedom and joy. Paul says that it is clear to the entire palace guard (the elite personal guard of the emperor himself) that he is imprisoned for Christ and serves Him. And as if that wasn’t good enough, he says “to all the rest.” Paul’s imprisonment, thus Christ’s worth and value, were the topic of conversation in the palace of the emperor because of this “hindrance!” Now he didn’t say that any were converted (although probably some were), but there was much joy and glory b/c they heard the gospel.
2. Psalm 119:75, Rom 8:18, 28, 2 Cor 4:17, Gen 50:20, 2 Tim 2:9,
3. Illustration: SCC’s song called “I’m Free,” remind them of our disappointment that schools were closed in Peru b/c of swine flu, but then God providing a way to use all that we had prepared,
4. Think of those that will never hear the gospel because they don’t work in a hospital with all the believers that are sent there. Think of all those who are not waitresses that will never hear and see the gospel because they don’t work at restaurants filled with believers who witness to them. Know that God can and will turn your pain into His glory. Your pain is an opportunity for gain—yours and His! Let the good news of Christ be on your lips, ready in an instance, especially in pain and suffering, as the only explanation for your good attitude, and willingness to suffer for the cause of Christ.
C. Imprisonment into Empowerment (v. 14)
1. Paul’s second proof of the advancement of the gospel is that the church in Rome has become emboldened to preach Christ. He says that have grown in their confidence (because of Paul’s fearless example) and challenged the opposition in the midst of danger. So the hindrance would keep one man down, has provided for scores to go forth in power to do what is being hindered. The church has gotten fired up because Paul was in prison. The gospel went out by 20’s instead of by 1’s.
2. Acts 8:4, 11:19-21, Heb 10:34, 13:13,
3. Illustration: tell about the youth rally and the kids saying that they would go in the place of Rachel Scott on mission with Teen Mania. Tell about all the people who came to know Christ and were emboldened by the death of a 16-yr old student who really loved Jesus in Knoxville in the early ‘90’s,
4. Maybe I should go to prison? Been trying to think of ways to fire the church up, and get more of you out there sharing the gospel. Maybe next year instead of FCW, we should have Preacher in the Big House Week! Or really anyone in the church who suffers well for righteousness sake may embolden the rest of us to live in a way that may invite suffering. The seed of the church is the blood (and suffering) of the martyrs. Would not be surprised if you saw an movement of missionaries after the slaying in 1956 in Ecuador. Know that your suffering well is accomplishing more than you know.
D. Application:
1. There is no situation beyond redemption
2. You must realize that God IS in this, possibly not caused, but at least ordained and allowed
3. Avoidance of pain is not the goal NOW “it seems to be woven into the very fabric of our consumer culture that we move toward comfort, toward security, toward ease, toward safety, away from stress, away from trouble, and away from danger. It ought to be exactly the opposite! “He who would come after me let him take up his cross and die!” –Piper,
4. Death is not the worst possible outcome
5. There is purpose in your pain, and pain of those around you
6. Our hope is not in comfort, but in the One who can provide it or withhold it
7. Our highest desires should be His glory and fame
8. The advance of the gospel is most important, and should bring us joy
9. Rejoice when suffering for righteousness sake “… Christ intends for the Great Commission to be a presentation to the nations of the sufferings of his cross through the sufferings of his people. That’s the way it will be finished. If you sign up for the Great Commission, that’s what you sign up for.”
10. Ask God to open your eyes, and refocus your heart upon Him, help you rest/rely/trust in Him
11. Learn to be comfortable not knowing the reasons for affliction
12. Under false accusation and persecution strive to demo Christ
13. God may use you in redemption in the lives of others, so resist self-pity, love Christ, and minster
A. Closing illustration: the best-selling book in history besides the bible is now The Purpose Driven Life, but prior to 10 years ago, it was Pilgrim’s Progress. The author John Bunyan (1628-88) spent 12 years in prison for the cause of the gospel. Arrested a year after his second marriage, he left his young wife with four kids from the first marriage. To support them, he made laces for boots and shoes and sold them from prison. He also wrote nine books the first six years in prison, and two the last six; mainly because one of them was Pilgrim’s Progress. He wrote letters to many people on the outside who had read his books and were seeking counsel. He conducted worship services in the prison and out (when he could be sneaked out). All the while, innocently imprisoned for Christ, and advancing the gospel.
B. Recap
C. Invitation to commitment
Additional Notes
• Is Christ Exalted, Magnified, Honored, and Glorified?
