Our Salvation in Jesus Christ does not merely give us hope for some point in the future. I don’t want to take away anything from that important aspect of salvation-a salvation that gives us assurance that someday we will be with Jesus for eternity either by our physical death or the rapture of the church. How wonderful is that going to be!
But salvation is so much more. The Apostle Paul in the Book of Philippians is going to tell us that our salvation gives us a new look, a new perspective, on life so that changes how we deal with things that come into our life.
We need that new perspective because as a new Christian, we quickly learn that just because I gave my heart, my mind, and my soul to Jesus that does not remove the old problems of life from attacking you or new ones from coming upon me.
Let me prove my point, how many of you since you have become a Christian have had a problem in your life. Raise your hand! Just like I suspected. How many of you have a problem you are dealing with right now? Raise your hand!
We need that new perspective of salvation because life is going to throw its junk at us. It did to the Apostle Paul. He was thrown into a Roman prison for preaching Christ. If I was put in prison for teaching about Jesus from this pulpit-that is some junk. If you were put in prison for telling your neighbor about Jesus- that would be some junk. If you were put in prison for reading your Bible in some public place- that would be some junk. Listen people, those things are not far-fetched as we might have thought twenty or thirty years ago. I can see them happening in the coming years.
Well, Paul is in prison for just that- preaching Jesus. He could have become bitter and given up. But he doesn’t, he looks at his situation from that new perspective- God’s perspective- the one that comes with our salvation.
Let’s read today’s Scripture and take a look at this new perspective we should all possess. Turn in your Bible to Philippians 1 :12-14 then 19, and we will read portions of the remaining part of the chapter.
Scripture #1 Reading
Philippians 1:12–14 (NKJV)
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.
Philippians 1:19 (NKJV)
19 For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
Point #1
From our new Godly perspective, I can see that my suffering puts Christianity into action and shows me the power of God at work.
Paul says in verse 12 that we just read “things which happened to me”. What has happened to Paul is that he is a prisoner of Rome. It says that he is in chains and under the constant watch of the palace guard.
If I did not have a Godly perspective all I could see was Paul having been placed in prison. But from my Godly perspective, there is a whole lot more going on than just Paul is in prison. Paul sees his situation from God’s perspective, and he writes about it.
And Paul’s writing expands my Godly perspective to see what Paul sees. He says that he is not sitting quietly under guard, he is telling those who guard him about Christ. As a pastor, I have seen people who were not vocal about their relationship with Christ become vocal in a hospital bed about their connection to Christ. If you enter their room, you are going to hear about Jesus.
I have seen people whose back is against the wall, openly talk about their relationship with Christ who would have never spoken about it if things were going well. In your life, you probably have had the same type of encounters too.
The second things that my Godly perspective allows me to see is other Christians strengthen by how Paul is handling his imprisonment. He was not bitter about the situation; he did not give up because the situation was bad. Instead, he made the most of the situation, and others have seen it, and they were strengthen in their faith.
I cannot help but be reminded how Toxie’s Pat handled the situation while the cancer was growing in her body. She demonstrated so much spiritual strength and I know personally, she strengthen my faith, and I heard so many other Christians tell me that they were also strengthened.
Thirdly, I see people praying. For some people, praying is not a necessity until there is a crisis that they need to pray for. Probably a lot of us don’t pray for Brenda Schenk on a daily basis. But since I heard at the Brotherhood meeting last Monday a week ago that she was in the hospital, Anne and I began to pray daily for her. And probably many of you in church have been praying for her. It was Brenda’s hospitalization that got the church praying!
And finally, with all this sharing Christ, with Christians being encouraged in the faith and praying, God is going to act. And that is what Paul said that he saw: God supplying in his life and other people’s lives what was needed.
Do you see the difference from the world’s perspective: Paul is in prison, that’s it. The Godly perspective reveals to us that there is a whole lot more going on.
Scripture #2 Reading
Philippians 1:21–23 NKJV
21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.
Point #2
From our new Godly perspective, no matter the outcome of my suffering, I win.
Paul says that if I make it out of this prison, my life will be lived serving Jesus, I win. But if I don’t make it out of imprisonment and if I die as a result of my imprisonment, I win. Paul says leaving this world and being with Christ is far better.
And for the Christians brothers and sisters that know you, it is a win for them also. If you are overtaken by your suffering and die, we know from a godly perspective to be absent from the body is to be present with God. It is so much easier to preach a service or attend a service where you know the person was a Christian and so you know now that they are with Jesus in heaven.
It has got to be rough for someone with a worldly perspective to attend a funeral not knowing what happened to their loved one. You have to be thinking in your mind was my Christian friends right about heaven and hell. Did they just go to the grave and that is it? That person walks away from the funeral unsettled not knowing what happened to that person after his or her death. They lost.
With the Godly perspective that comes with salvation, I have the assurance that I will see my loved ones again. My friend or family member is gone, but I knew that they lived for Christ, I win.
Scripture #3 Reading
Philippians 1:29 NKJV
29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,
Point #3
From our new Godly perspective, I see value in the suffering that I am going through.
If you have a worldly perspective, troubles, problems, and suffering are worthless. They have no value. They take away the enjoyment you want out of this life. These sufferings are killing your time to seek the pleasures of this world.
In my godly perspective, suffering is not to be regarded as something worthless. Suffering, for me, as a Christian is not worthless.
James tells us in chapter 1 of his Epistle to “count it all joy when you fall into various trials.” Peter tells us in 1 Peter “in this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have ben grieved by various trials.”
In both cases, James and Peter tell us that our suffering produces some great character building in our life. The value of my suffering is that it produces growth within me.
So, suffering internally does something in me. But suffering also does something externally for the kingdom. Your suffering and the way you handled it might add folks to the kingdom. At the very least when I suffer outwardly, other are able to see Jesus in me.
From the worldly perspective, suffering has no value, but as a Christian, I see the internal and external benefit of suffering.
Conclusion
Living with a Godly perspective is an integral part of our salvation. It means seeing life though God’s perspective rather than world’s perspective.
How are you looking at life? God’s perspective or the world’s perspective!
