Series: Philippians
Sermon: “The Church in Chains”
Philippians 1:12-18
Pastor John Bright
Philippians 1 “12 But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, 13 so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; 14 and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
15 Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: 16 The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; 17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.”
Today is going to be one of those sermons without jokes and bad puns – you know how much I love that! I will be teaching on the persecuted church. If you have been with me in Bible Study, you know that I don’t enjoy looking up that information. It really makes me sad in my spirit, despite the call of Paul to rejoice in his being in chains.
We were all shocked by the tragic death of George Floyd on May 25th. Did we miss anything else going on since then?
• 07/02/2020 India (International Christian Concern) – According to Asia News, two Christians died after being beaten and tortured by police in India. The incident occurred in India’s Tamil Nadu state. Jayarad and his son, J. Fenix, were arrested on June 19 after keeping their phone business open beyond the hours of the COVID-19 restrictions. The two Christians were part of the “nadar” caste, considered among the disadvantaged castes by law in India. The murder of the two Christians has created a public outcry in India.
• 07/01/2020 Pakistan (International Christian Concern) – According to local reports, Nadeem Joseph, a Christian from the TV Colony of Peshawar, the capital of Pakistan’s Khybar Pakhtunkhawa province, died yesterday as a result of gunshot wounds he received on June 4. Twenty-six days ago, Joseph and his family were attacked by Muslim neighbors because they purchased a home in what their neighbors determined to be a ‘Muslim-only’ neighborhood. On June 4, 2020, Nadeem Joseph, his mother-in-law, Elizabeth, and his brother-in-law, Babar Masih were attacked by Muslim neighbors wielding guns in front of their home in TV Colony. The attackers were Salman Khan and his sons. According to Joseph and his family, Khan attacked because they purchased a home in what Khan claimed to be a ‘Muslim neighborhood’.
• 07/01/2020 Iran (International Christian Concern) – On June 21, seven Iranian Christians converts from the southern city of Bushehr were sentenced for “propaganda against the state.” All seven were arrested in July 2019 after Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS) raids discovered Bibles and other Christian literature and iconography in their homes. Despite Iran’s assurance that it never imprisons citizens based on their beliefs, these seven Christians were sentenced solely because of their faith. Iran is an officially Islamic government and routinely rated one of the top abusers of religious freedom in the world.
Is it hard to hear about this in a day when we have lost our joy over the church building being shut down by the Virginia Conference? Is it hard to hear Paul explaining that his imprisonment has had a desirable outcome? That question leads us to the first take-away from this scripture:
A BAD SITUATION CAN BE GOOD FOR GOD
“12 But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, 13 so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; 14 and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.”
Let’s get straight to some good news – where the church is persecuted it grows. I mentioned those arrested in Iran. Here is some news about Iran back in 2017 from Voice of the Martyrs.
24 May 2017. One of the worst countries in the world for Christians to be living in is also the country where the church is growing the fastest. That country is the Islamic Republic of Iran, which is listed as the eighth worst Christian-persecuting country in the world on the 2017 Open Doors USA World Watch list. But now, Iran has gained the distinction of being the leading country in the world where the church is growing and influencing the region for Christ, according to the Christian persecution watchdog.
Last year the mission research organisation Operation World listed Iran as having a 19.6% rise in its Christian population annually — more than any other country in the world, according to Mission Network News.
https://vom.com.au/iran-persecution-causing-church-growth/
All you have grown up in a church world that did everything it could to keep folks comfortable – peaceful – and willing to make a contribution whenever the plate is passed. There is another church world out there that is as old as the Church itself. Listen to what the second-century Church Father, Tertullian, wrote “the blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church.”
There have always been martyrs in the Church and there always will be. Maybe not where we live, in our church world – but God has a special plan for them according to Rev. 20:4 “4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”
Paul is trying to send a message of Good News to the Philippians who had learned of his imprisonment and sent him assistance. In those days, a prisoner was not given clothing or anything needed for personal hygiene. Prisoners who survived were given food and other help. Otherwise the prisoner would starve to death on “bread and water.” Like us – Paul had no control over his circumstances. There will be two possible outcomes for him, death or release. Paul, instead, focuses on how God can use the worst of circumstances to advance His Kingdom.
Here we see that Paul connects his suffering to the suffering of Christ – his chains are “in Christ.” Paul is surely there because he has proclaimed Christ as Lord. He tried to take that message to the Jews in Jerusalem after going to the Gentiles. That landed him in hot water and in Roman custody. Actually, you could make the case that being in Roman custody saved him from being murdered by the Jews. (Acts 23)
The suffering of Christ had a purpose – the redemption of every Believer! How does the Good News that Christ died for your sins – how does that Good News get out to the ones who need it? We pay preachers for that. We support missionaries to go to other countries and tell them. There are TV preachers and websites and Christian radio stations around the world. In Paul’s day, it was his own suffering that was noticed by the guards. It was his imprisonment - his chains – that was making others become bold.
That reminds me of Acts 4 where Peter and John are arrested after the healing of the man who had been born unable to walk. The religious leaders threaten them – “18 So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” When they leave that place and return to join the other Believers, they pray for BOLDNESS – “29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.”
The next take away - GOD GETS THE RESULTS DESPITE THE MESSENGER
“15 Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: 16 The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; 17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.”
There seems to be two groups who are sharing the Good News with boldness. One group would appear to have personal problems with Paul – they are not preaching a false gospel as others are doing. They are preaching a true gospel – for which Paul is thankful and joyful – but their motives are in opposition to Paul’s motives. Just like God can work – in spite of Paul’s imprisonment – God can also work in spite of the selfish motives of these Believers. Paul does not use the old “the end justifies the means” argument. No – their means/motives are not what is rejoiced – THE GOSPEL MESSAGE GOING FORTH IS ALL THAT MATTERS.
I remember the old days of televangelists. A church I served in Portsmouth was in the neighborhood with the first little tv transmitter that Pat Robertson used to start broadcasting. Then there was Jim and Tammy Fay Baker. His fall from grace was very public as was the fate of others in that day. Yet those ministries were still leading folks to Christ even as their motives changes and grew dark. That was not the case with all of those folks. Back when televangelists became a standing joke, at least one left tv and kept spreading the gospel, building schools and orphanages and clinics in Africa. Ernest Angley – a faith healer – took the gospel around the world. There are lots of folks with good intentions – are they perfect? No – nobody is. Can God get results working with imperfect people? OH GOD, I HOPE SO… OR WE ARE SUNK!
Paul put it this way in 1 Cor. 1 – “18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”
20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”
In that day and in this day – the message of the cross given to save those who will listen in the main thing.
Stephen Covey – author of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” – taught folks that to be successful, remember the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.
Is feeding the hungry the main thing? Is visiting the prisoner the main thing? Is offering folks who have fallen down a hand up the main thing? These are all important and necessary for the Believer and the Church… but are they the main thing?
If you are listening to this, let me ask you a question – is this all there is? The secular humanist point of view is that this is it. We are born. We live. We die. There are moments of joy and pain and these mean little in the end. In some ways, they are much better at getting their message out, but it’s a lie that has left millions in this world hopeless. Today – let me offer you a message of hope! Hope for healing your broken heart. Hope for a deliverance from the guilt and shame. Hope for a life that is eternal and that new journey can begin today. Just bow your head and ask God to forgive all that is past. Ask God to send the Holy Spirit to live in you from this day forward. Ask God for the faith to receive Jesus as your Savior because Jesus died for you. It was His sacrifice on the cross that makes our forgiveness and freedom possible. Please contact me or another Believer if you make this choice. What about the folks that made that choice long ago? Today – choose to make the main thing the main thing again in your life. Please contact me for any help you may need in this. Charles Spurgeon was saved in 1850 and went on to lead many to Christ. I want to leave you with a quote from the man known as “The Prince of Preachers” – ““Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you're not saved yourself, be sure of that!”
Just think about that and let me know what comes. Amen.
