Bold To Speak The Word
Our Bible passage, introduction to Sunday 24th May service and hymns are below.
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Our principal verses are:
Php 1:12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;
Php 1:13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;
Php 1:14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
Php 1:15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
Php 1:16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
Php 1:17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.
Bold To Speak The Word
Paul’s friends in Philippi had heard that the Apostle was in prison. Their concern was twofold, first, for the wellbeing of the Apostle himself and secondly for the damaging effect his confinement would have on the spread of the gospel. To address their first concern the Philippian brethren sent a gift by their minister Epaphroditus for the Apostle’s support and comfort. They helped to carry Paul’s burden and for their ‘fellowship in the gospel’, Paul thanked them.
A strange outcome
Then, in our verses today, Paul addresses the second of these concerns. He tells the Philippians that far from curtailing the spread of the gospel the things which had happened to him had, ‘fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel’. Instead of Paul’s imprisonment inhibiting the work of grace, as might be expected, his troubles had advanced it. Paul being in jail led to the spread of the gospel partly by his being chained to the guards, partly through a new courage among his friends and partly due to envious rivalry amongst local preachers.
A captive audience
Paul credited this unexpected outcome to the prayers of his Philippian friends. Despite his circumstances he believed himself highly blessed. As he awaited trial Paul had the liberty of dwelling in his own hired house. Friends could visit him and hear him preach. He was in the continuous custody of a soldier to whom he was bound with a chain, yet even this meant his captors regularly heard him preach. His ‘bonds in Christ’ and the efforts of his enemies to have him convicted had added to his notoriety and increased him fame. Both Paul and his gospel were being noticed and spoken of in the highest circles.
Bold to speak
Furthermore, some who until now had been timid and cautious were given more courage to preach the gospel themselves because of Paul’s chains. Some within the church at Rome who previously held back were heartened by the Apostle’s example and proved willing to step up to fill the gap his absence from the pulpit had left. Paul knew the Lord would not leave Himself without a witness. Sometimes it takes the boldness of one to embolden another and so it proved following Paul’s incarceration.
Indwelling sin
Paul had noticed something else. There was another group of preachers who were preaching Christ out of envy and thereby generating strife. It seems counterintuitive that this could be good. How could such preaching tend to the furtherance of the gospel? Because Christ was indeed preached notwithstanding the perverse motivation for doing so. There are many strange notions can cross a preacher’s mind. Oh, that our motives were always pure! Such is the curse of indwelling sin.
Sinful ambition
Some men were jealous of Paul and wished to excel him in prominence. Some sought to gain an advantage in church leadership while Paul was held in prison. Some ambitious young preachers became competitive, seeking to shine brightest in reputation and esteem amongst the saints. They preached Christ to recommend themselves to the Lord’s people. They provoked strife by vying against others who preached to the same end. Yet out of this confusion the name of the Lord Jesus was exalted in the preaching of salvation by grace.
Of good will
Some did preach out of good will. These men knew the gospel in their own souls and esteemed Paul highly for his faithfulness in the ministry. They preached to honour the Lord Jesus out of love for Him and they laboured to promote and defend the gospel Paul preached. They knew Paul’s imprisonment was not for any crime he had committed. He suffered for Christ’s sake and these men were ready and determined to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Apostle in their mutual love of Jesus Christ.
Gospel power
The Philippians need not be concerned; Paul wasn’t. As he surveyed the situation of his captivity and its effects he saw that all things were working together for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. Paul understood that the church would be blessed in the midst of persecution and God’s gospel would not be hindered or constrained, even if it meant being preached by men of low character out of poor motives. Paul knew the power is in the message not the messenger.
Christ’s witnesses
This passage ought to encourage us all, especially as we grow older and find ourselves wondering about the wellbeing of the church and the preservation of the true gospel. Be assured, brethren, there will always be a witness maintained until the gospel has secured its purpose and Christ’s church has been gathered in. Paul’s attitude here is a fine corrective to the despondency of every age which imagines things are getting worse and worse and soon there will be no witness at all. That is not true. The Saviour said, ‘I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out’.
Amen
Hymn 377
Encouragement to Pray. Isa. 45. 19-25; Ps. 9. 10
S. Medley L.M.
1
My soul, take courage from the Lord;
Believe and plead his holy word;
To him alone do thou complain,
Nor shalt thou seek his face in vain.
2
Upon him call in humble prayer,
Thou still art his peculiar care;
He’ll surely turn and smile again,
Nor shalt thou seek his face in vain.
3
However sinful, weak, and poor,
Still wait and pray at mercy’s door;
Faithful Jehovah must remain,
Nor shalt thou seek his face in vain.
4
Though the vile tempter’s hellish rage
Will, with his darts, thy soul engage,
God through the fight shall thee sustain,
Nor shalt thou seek his face in vain.
5
Though the corruptions of thy heart
Daily new cause of grief impart,
Pray that thy lusts may all be slain,
Nor shalt thou seek his face in vain.
6
Though sharp afflictions still abound,
And clouds and darkness thee surround,
Still pray, for God will all explain,
Nor shalt thou seek his face in vain.
7
In him, and him alone, confide;
Still at the throne of grace abide;
Eternal victory thou shalt gain,
Nor shalt thou seek his face in vain.
Hymn 374
Prayer for Increase of Faithful Ministers. Matt. 9. 38
J. Berridge 148th
1
Send help, O Lord, we pray,
And thy own gospel bless;
For godly men decay,
And faithful pastors cease;
The righteous are removèd home,
And scorners rise up in their room.
2
While Satan’s troops are bold,
And thrive in number too,
The flocks in Jesus’ fold,
Are growing lank and few;
Old sheep are moving off each year,
And few lambs in the fold appear.
3
Old shepherds, too, retire,
Who gathered flocks below,
And young ones catch no fire,
Or worldly-prudent grow;
Few run with trumpets in their hand,
To sound alarms by sea and land.
4
O Lord, stir up thy power,
To make the gospel spread;
And thrust out preachers more,
With voice to raise the dead;
With feet to run where thou dost call;
With faith to fight and conquer all.
5
The flocks that long have dwelt
Around fair Zion’s hill,
And thy sweet grace have felt,
Uphold and feed them still;
But fresh folds build up everywhere,
And plenteously thy truth declare.
6
As one Elijah dies,
True prophet of the Lord,
Let some Elisha rise
To blaze the gospel-word;
And fast as sheep to Jesus go,
May lambs recruit his fold below.
The church at Philippi was anxious that the gospel of God would be hindered by Paul's extended period in prison. However, the Apostle wrote to reassure them that the Lord Jesus would accomplish all His purpose and that far from hindering the gospel "the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel". The Apostle explains why this is so.