"getting Good Out Of Bad Cicumstances"

Title: “Getting Good out of Bad Circumstances” Scripture: Phil. 1:12-21

Type: Expository Series Where: GNBC 5-21-23

Intro: One historian has commented before that “The British have a knack for losing battles yet winning wars.” That’s an interesting take on history. In our culture we have a phrase something very akin to this: “If you say that someone has lost the battle, but won the war, you mean that although they have been defeated in a small conflict they have won a larger, more important one of which it was a part. If you say that someone has won the battle but lost the war, you mean that they have won the small conflict but lost the larger one.” Life is full of conflict, setbacks, and losses. However, God is in the business of making good out of bad circumstances and events in our lives. Romans 8:28 clearly teaches this principle: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.” (NIV) The apostle Paul certain saw this in his own life. He experienced it. He lived it, and he wrote to others about it as well, just as he did here in Phil. 1:12-21.

Prop: Exam. Phil. 1:12-21 we’ll realize 3 Good results Paul saw take place because of his bad circumstances.

Prop: 1. Paul writes to Philippians out of deep concern. The last 3 yrs. had been very trying for the apostle. Church at Philippi was very concerned for their beloved founder and apostle. 2. . In 42 BCE Mark Antony and Octavian defeated Brutus and Cassius, the assassins of Julius Caesar, in a battle at Philippi. Philippi experienced the highest privilege of a Roman municipality.

3.

Prop: Let’s look at Phil. 1:12-21 so as to realize 3 Good Results Paul saw take place as a result of his bad circumstances.

I. 1st Result: The Gospel Advanced in Spite of His Imprisonment. Vv. 12-13

A. Paul Weighed His Personal Suffering in the Balance of the Gospel’s Progress.

1. As

a. It appears as though the Philippian Christians believed a lie that we often believe still today. Their thinking went along this line: “Someone as faithful in ministry to God as Paul was should be exempt from all personal suffering.” (Pentecost p. 29). Yet this certainly is not the case then or today.

b. V.12 – (Read). Essentially, Paul is now looking back over the past 3+ yrs. of his life and he is summarizing them for the benefit of the Philippians. The Gospel had actually gone forth BECAUSE of his imprisonment! You cannot stop the Gospel! You cannot stop the Kingdom of God! The Kingdom of God does and will continue to advance! It is God’s Kingdom, and whatever situation we find ourselves in, we find that the Gospel can make a difference.

2. Paul’s “end goal” was to see the Gospel gain momentum wherever he went and with whatever he did.

a. “that my circumstances have turned out” – Six little words in English that covered a multitude of delay, defeats, and yes, detentions. But notice, he shrugs these off as of little or no importance in comparison of the “end goal” – The advance of the Gospel. Illust – Read in Acts 21 – Jews in Asia rise up against Paul and have him arrested. Acts 23 after being in prison he is about to be brought to trial and Paul’s nephew uncovers an assassination plot against the Apostle again by the Jews. However, a concerned centurion fulfills his duty to protect the Roman citizen, and nearly 500 soldiers, horsemen, and spearman whisk him away to safety. When Paul is imprisoned at Caesarea, Felix is looing for a bribe to release the apostle. Doesn’t. Stays in jail another 2 yrs. until Festus comes along. Finally, after languishing in prison finally sent off to Rome for trial!

b. Illust: Wow! That’s a lot of “circumstances”!!! Yet Paul is dismissive of the offense and affront to his person, pleasure, or personal prosperity. That is of little concern to him as long as the Gospel was going forth. (Friend are you and I more concerned about offenses and affronts to our pride, pleasure, or prosperity than we are to the progress of the Gospel?)

B. Because of Paul’s Imprisonment, Elite Individuals Had Heard the Gospel.

1. Paul outlines the extent of the individuals who had been positively influenced by his imprisonment.

a. V.13 – “throughout the whole praetorian guard”. – these were the elite palace guard of Roman soldiers who were directly responsible to the emperor. (Richards Bible Dictionary. p. 809). Could also refer to the civil servants who helped administer the empire. The “everyone else”, could obviously include their support staff. Regardless, some VERY important individuals were being influenced for the Gospel’s sake. Illust – Can you imagine if had the opportunity to talk to the entire Secret Service detail to the President? What, if you had the ear of The Joint Chiefs of the Armed Services? What if you had something “bad” happen that opened the door of access to share the Gospel with all those types of individuals?