August 16, 2009 – Heaven or Here? Philippians 1:12-26
A home-owner was tired of his house. He’d lived there for many years, and he more he looked around at the house, the years, the neighbourhood, the more he wanted to be somewhere else. His critical eyes saw things that needed doing everywhere, and so he decided it was time to sell and move on.
So he hired a professional realtor to come and look the place over, give him some pointers and begin advertising the home for sale, and at the same time asked them to find a suitable new home for him to purchase.
The realtor took some notes, suggested some basic clean-up of the home and then went back to the office to produce the ads that would run in the paper and online. But before they were sent out, the realtor wanted the owner to approve the copy, so she brought a copy of the ads to the home owner for their approval. On arriving to the house, she sat down with the man and read the newspaper ad to him, ‘Spacious home in well looked-after condition, no reno’s required here. Bright rooms, with lots of windows, a comfortable living area, solid foundation, good roof; simple yet pleasant garden and lots of open grassy back yard for the family to enjoy. A lovely deck for evenings of entertaining friends or sitting quietly to watch the sun set over the park. Located in a safe, quiet neighbourhood with all amenities close by. Come and see for yourself all that this home has to offer. Won’t last long on the market, come quickly. Offered at $-----.’ And she gave the price.
“Read it again,” said the home owner…’more slowly.’ She did, and the owner soaked up every word about the house, then told her not to place the ads, ‘That’s everything I’ve always wanted in a home, I’m going to stay right here.’
Have you ever wished you were someone else’s place, or a different place altogether? Have you ever thought what it would be like to be in the ‘perfect place’? What is that place to you? For me, and maybe for you too, it’s in heaven, with Jesus. The apostle Paul thought that too, but he also wrestled with that thought, why? Let’s look at some more from his letter to the Philippians and read about what was going on in his life that made him wonder about such things. Turn to Philippians 1, verses 12-26 with me. (page 830)
Philippians 1:12-26 (New International Version)
Paul’s Chains Advance the Gospel
12Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. 13As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard[a] and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.
15It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.[b] 18But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.
Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.[c] 20I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.
Footnotes:
a. Philippians 1:13 Or whole palace
b. Philippians 1:17 Some late manuscripts have verses 16 and 17 in reverse order.
c. Philippians 1:19 Or salvation
What ‘happened’ to Paul? In verse 12, he says something ‘happened’ to him. Paul was a church planter, a preacher, a pivotal person in God’s plan to have the gospel preached to all nations. Before he became that man though, he was called Saul. Saul was a Pharisee, wise in all the writings of the law of Moses, and a persecutor of these ‘Christians’ who followed the teachings of some guy who called himself the Messiah, the Son of God. He saw to it that they were publicly huimiliated, brought to trial for breaking the laws of the temple and was even pleased to see some, like Stephen (whom we read about in Acts 7), stoned to death for preaching about Jesus. He made it his goal to ‘destroy the church’, throwing men and women in prison for following Christ.
But Saul had a meeting with the very One he persecuted. The Lord Jesus Himself met him on the road to Damascus and Saul was blinded for three days until a disciple named Ananias who met Saul, commissioned him, baptized him, and fed him. Saul was filled with the Holy Spirit, and immediately began to preach that Jesus, whom he had been so vigorously persecuting, was indeed the Son of God. Saul, whose name was changed to Paul, was God’s chosen man to bring the Good News to the world.
But because he was such an adamant preacher, defying the ‘laws’ against such public speaking, laws which he likely had written, he was often beaten, and several times thrown in jail, which is where we find him here in the book of Philippians…in chains. That’s what happened to Paul. If you want to read more about his sufferings for the gospel, read 2 Cor. 11:16-29.
And being in jail, in chains, Paul says has helped to have the Gospel advanced…give it greater progress, spread the Word. How so? How could being in jail be good? Well, you know how people talk…when anything happens to a celebrity, good or bad, it tends to make the news. My thought is, that if Paul, who was well-known in his day, was thrown in jail, people talked. They’d ask, ‘why?’ And the reason was the Gospel…he’s in jail because he preaches that Jesus is God’s Son. Paul’s in jail because of Jesus…cool! People talk, they ask questions, they have to form decisions….this guy goes to jail because of Jesus…there must be something to this faith. People would start talking, telling their friends and neighbours, forming discussion groups, get together in the local coffee shops (whatever those were back then) and talk about this preacher who gets beaten and thrown in jail because of what he believes in…
Chains – Paul was chained to guards, 24/7, in 6-hour shifts. Big burly guards chained with little Paul who just loved to talk about Jesus…talk about a captive audience! I wonder how many guards put their faith in Jesus and we’ll get to hear their testimony in Heaven?
But what are we ‘chained’ to? A lot of us may feel we’re chained to our job, or chained to our debts or chained in a situation we’re not able to get out of. We may be chained to health problems or chained with a physical challenge. Maybe we even think we’re chained to the wrong relationships? But have we ever thought that these could actually be helpful or harmful chains in spreading the good news about Christ?
Think about it, how can we use the situations we are in to further the gospel? One person may be chained to a job where no one else they work with has a relationship with the Lord. Perhaps they are there to make a difference in someone’s life that brings them to salvation? Maybe another person has a health issue that brings them to see medical professionals who could benefit eternally by the testimony of someone who suffers well, knowing that knowing Jesus is more important than even our health on this earth.
Or perhaps someone is a neighbour to a person or family that does not know they can be loved, and are loved; so much that Jesus gave His life for them on the cross so that they can come to our Holy Heavenly Father with their sins forgiven, if they’ll put their faith in Christ.
What are we chained to…and what can those chains do for someone today?
As long as the GOSPEL is preached, the method does not really matter, it’s the MESSAGE that is important. Paul fusses about people who seem to preach the gospel for the wrong reason…but as long as it is the GOSPEL that is the reason for the method, then says Paul, it’s a reason to rejoice. It should not really matter how we preach the gospel compared to how someone else does. Don’t slam someone’s method, as long as the message is the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Do we have things that we are ashamed of in our past? That’s where they must stay. We must, like Paul, to expect a higher standard of ourselves, now that we are Christians, and not do anything that we would be ashamed of. In verse 20, Paul states that he does not want anything to bring shame to him or the gospel, whether by his living or his dying for it. He knew that in everything that he did or said, he represented Christ and the message of salvation. He did not want anything to be held against him where someone could say, ‘aha…look at what that ‘Christian’ did!’ And we must conduct ourselves in the same way. I listened to a preacher last week who spoke about some Christians being ‘temporary atheists’. Is that possible? Sure it is. Someone who thinks for any moment that God does not see what we do when we are on our own, or even with other people, and does things that are contrary to what God says we should do as believers, is basically saying that, for that moment, God does not exist. I challenge all of us, myself especially, to live EVERY moment knowing that God IS right here with us, He IS watching, and He DOES care about how we conduct ourselves.
Have you seen the bumper stickers on trucks that say something like, ‘if you see this vehicle operated in a dangerous manner, please contact XYZ Company at 1-800-this-driver just-got-in-trouble’. What if we had a bumper sticker like this on our back, ‘If you see this Christian acting in a way contrary to what they believe in, call 1-800-what-a-terrible-testimony?’ Read Matthew 25, about the sheep and the goats, and see how important it is to walk the walk, not just talk the talk about being a follower of Christ.
In verse 21 Paul writes this wonderful thought, ‘For to me to live is Christ, but to die is gain.’ He is ‘torn’ between the thoughts of living here on earth and serving the Lord with all his might, and dying and being WITH Jesus for all eternity. We must realize the blessing of knowing Jesus now that we are alive, not just when we die and go to be with Him in Heaven. In fact we really live only once we give our lives away to God. Like the home-owner I first mentioned, we must realize that what we have now is just what we need. But if we should die, then we get to be with Christ, which is better than being here obviously, but the thing is to realize what a great thing we have now, the ability to live in Him. In Him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28).
Sure, it would be great to put our faith in Christ, get baptized, and suddenly, poof, we die and go to heaven. Cool for us, right? But what about other folks who have not yet put their faith in Jesus? How would they ever hear the gospel if all the Christians were suddenly gone? They need someone to share that Good News with them, and guess what…that’s our job until the day we do…poof…die.
Our purpose is to fulfill the great commission that Jesus gave us before He went back to Heaven. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matt.28:19-21 (NIV)
So, here on earth or livin’ in heaven? They’re both great places, but while we’re here, we have to be sure that we are not so heavenly minded that we’re no earthly good. Stay focussed on the task at hand… reaching out with God’s love and His Good News to each and every person you can. Whether we are chained to that person, or just in the same prison, or maybe simply within ear-shot of them, we are to tell them that Jesus is God’s Son, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and that real life begins with taking that first step of trusting in Him as Lord and Savior. The next steps will come, but not before that first, ever-so-important one is taken. Have you taken that step? It’s the first step towards Heaven, It’s saying yes Lord, Yes I believe, Yes I surrender, Yes, I lay down my life, in exchange for new life in You.
