Today is the anniversary of the day when Martin Luther posted his 95 theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenburg, Germany. This event took place on October 31, 1517 and launched the Protestant Reformation. Christians should be thankful for the way God used Martin Luther. The two most popular doctrines of the Protestant Reformation that became the battle cry for Protestants are sola scriptura and sola fida, which teach that Scripture alone has the authority to bind the consciences of believers and that salvation is by grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ alone.
"I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God. Amen."
Believe it or not lasting joy is found in a relationship with God and a life lived for Him. What’s truly unfortunate, however, is that there are many in our world today who are trying to find it without Him.
The reason why our book stores are filled with “self-help” books and why we constantly feel as if there is more to life than what is right in front of us is because there is. Each and every one of us has a “God-Shaped/God-sized void” in our lives that can only be filled by God Himself.
C.S. Lewis once said, “If I discover within myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” And we are. The truth is there is no lasting joy in a life lived without God. Solomon is clear on this in Ecclesiastes 1 when he explains to his readers, “Life under the Sun, or life without God, is vanity.”
Fortunately for us, God did not intend for us to live life without him. Although Solomon diagnosed the problem, God provides the solution by sending His son.
"God cannot give us happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing." -C.S. Lewis
Many today are hesitant to commit to Christ because they truly believe that the enjoyment to be had through living worldly is better than anything Christianity can offer. Classical Greek Philosopher Socrates proved this mentality is nothing new when he said, “Happiness is unrepentant pleasure.” What we find in Philippians 1:27-30, however, is that joy is found not through living worldly, but through living worthy.
EXPERIENCING JOY THROUGH LIVING WORTHY
1) BE GOOD CITIZENS OF GOD'S KINGDOM (v. 27a)
27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ,
The phrase “Let your manner of life” is very unique and literally means, "Behave the way citizens are supposed to behave.” This would have meant a lot to the people of Philippi because they were a Roman colony and took that association seriously. Knowing that, Paul uses this phrase to encourage the Christians at Philippi to conduct themselves as good citizens of God's kingdom and live worthy of that association.
2) STAND FIRM WITH INTEGRITY AS BELIEVERS (v. 27b) so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind.
Even though Paul comes to terms with the fact that he is going to continue on a while longer with the Philippians in ministry, he tells them that he does not know when he will see them again. Instead, he encourages them to live with integrity, which is why he says, "no matter what happens...live worthy" and also says "whether i come and see you or am absent...stand firm."
May this be true of us. No matter if we are at church, at home or in the workplace, may we live out our faith by valuing integrity, standing firm in the faith and being the church in the world.
3) WORK TOGETHER TO ADVANCE THE GOSPEL (v. 27c)
striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,
The word translated "striving side by side" is where we get our English word "athletics" and carries with it the idea of working together on the same team. Like athletes on a team, Paul expected the Christians at Philippi to work together with one mind focused on one goal—to advance the faith. For this to happen, Paul is clear that they have to be unified—putting aside personal differences so they can be faithful to do what God has called them to do.
How sad it is that so much time and effort has been lost because of internal issues in our churches? The one thing I think Satan wants to happen more than anything else is for the church to find opposition within itself so that it never gets around to fighting the real opposition in the world. For the church to make an impact in the world, believers have to die a bit to pride, personal preferences and petty differences for the sake of the Gospel.
4) EXPECT OPPOSITION FROM ENEMIES OF THE CROSS
28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.
When Paul says “those who oppose you” we don’t know with certainty who this group was. Were they inside the church or outside the church? Did they oppose the church with false doctrine or with a standard of living that was not consistent with the Christian faith? Paul doesn’t say. What we do know is that the Philippians had opposition and Paul tells them to not be alarmed by it because the future end for "enemies of the cross" is destruction. He also give a word of comfort for those facing opposition for Christ by assuring them that their opposition is proof that they belong to God and are faithfully doing what He has called them to do.
5) ACCEPT SUFFERING FOR THE CAUSE OF CHRIST
For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.
Paul shows in this passage that while suffering is unpleasant it is in fact a sign of favor from God. He tells the Christians at Philippi that in the same way belief has been granted, so also has suffering. Suffering, though difficult, teaches believers about and serves to strengthen their faith.
“If I discover within myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world” –C.S. Lewis
When we think of joy, we often think of the opposite or absence of pain. The truth, however, is that safety and security are far from certain in this life, which means if our happiness is contingent upon the absence of suffering it is uncertain whether we will be able to remain joyful in this life. What Paul shows us from Philippians 1 is that joy can be experienced no matter what happens.
EXPERIENCING JOY NO MATTER WHAT
1) BE PURPOSEFUL NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS (vv. 20-21)
20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
In these verses, Paul shows that he never loses the sense of purpose that he has. Whether he regains his freedom or goes on to be with the Lord, his purpose is constant—that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored…whether by life or by death. The reason he could have this mentality is because he held loosely to the things of this world and was Christ-centered.
It doesn't matter how tightly we try and hold on to the things of this world, they are temporary. John is clear when he says, “The world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 Jn. 2:17). The world is passing away meaning its appearance of permanence is deceptive. Therefore we like Paul need to loosen our grip of the world and cling to Christ who is permanent. Augustine in a sermon on this text wrote, “Hold fast to Christ. For you he became temporal, so that you might partake of eternity” (Homilies on the First Epistle of John 2.10).
2) BE HOPEFUL NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS (vv.22-24)
22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.
Paul here struggles with which outcome he should desire more. After some discussion, he seems to have a stronger personal desire to depart and be with Christ, but is hopeful no matter what happens. When things don’t go according to plan, especially when trouble comes, although it is OK to be honest with God about troublesome circumstances it is also important to remember that God is in control and trust in Him regardless.
3) BE FAITHFUL NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS (vv.25-26)
25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.
Here it seems as if Paul comes to terms with the fact that he will continue with his earthly ministry. Although he was prepared and even looked forward to departing to be with the Lord, he willingly shelves this personal desire so that he can faithfully continue to labor for the cause of Christ. It is also important to note that Paul sees the spiritual benefit in God's decision even though he has a greater personal desire for the alternative. He shows confidence in v. 25 that through his continued faithfulness God will grow the Christians at Philippi.
I think the reason our faithfulness often gets put on hold when things don’t go according to plan is because we fail to see the spiritual benefit in the alternative. When times get tough our response is often, “Really God? This? How can any good come from this?” When we begin to question whether or not there is spiritual benefit in the dark storms of life, I think it is helpful to look to the cross.
Although Jesus understood the horror of the cross, he also understood the spiritual benefit of the cross and went willingly even though his disciples had a difficult time accepting his death because they saw no benefit in a crucified Messiah. For example, Peter tried on more than one occasion (Mt. 16:22; Jn. 18:10) to prevent Christ from going to the cross. The ironic thing is that although many failed to see the importance of the cross, it ends up being the most important and spiritually beneficial accomplishment in all of human history. Through the cross the impossible (being right with God) is made possible due to the person and work of Christ.
If God was at work in the darkest moment of history and if the cross is the most important and spiritually beneficial accomplishment in all of history, then we should trust that He is at work in the darkest of storms and trust that there is spiritual benefit for us in seemingly tragic circumstances.
All of our plans for tomorrow’s activities can be shattered by a thousand unknowns whether we stay at home under the covers or ride the freeways. -John Piper, Don't Waste Your Life.
When I was young, I used to think that the greatest thing in the world would be to own a time machine. I thought it would be great to go back in time knowing what I know now and live life with uncertainties removed. The truth of the matter is that we hate uncertainties don't we? We think that if only we could remove uncertainties we would be able to sleep better at night.
Yesterday I continued with the series on Joy from Philippians and how it is found in unlikely places and under unlikely circumstances. In Philippians 1:12-19, Paul shows how joy can be experienced in times of uncertainty.
I talked previously about the fact that Paul is in prison and uncertain about His future and in the text for today we are going to discuss how there were several uncertainties surrounding Paul and the ministry.
EXPERIENCING JOY THROUGH UNCERTAINTY
1) SEE THE GOD SIDE OF A DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCE (v. 12)
I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel,
The Philippians were concerned for two reasons--first for Paul's well-being and second for the future of the Gospel. In response, they sent one of their own to accompany Paul. Paul then writes to assure them that there was good in this difficult circumstance. He informed the Christians at Philippi that God had actually used his imprisonment to advance the gospel. He basically says, “Yeah I’m in prison and may die here, but here is the good news..."The Gospel is advancing all the more through my imprisonment."
One thing the enemy wants more than anything is for you to ruin an opportunity to make much of God in a difficult circumstance. Paul truly saw the God Side of his difficult circumstance. May this also be true of us.
2) REMAIN FAITHFUL IN UNCERTAIN TIMES (vv. 13-14)
So that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.
Although Paul was down in that he was confined to prison at Rome, he was certainly not out. While in Prison at Rome he had freedom to teach, preach, and write and makes mention in v.13 that he has remained faithful to the cause of Christ by making Him known in chains. He says "it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard (the elite troops housed in the emperor's palace) and to everyone else (others probably in the palace, other believers, those who came to visit Paul, those in power, and members of the Jewish community) that my imprisonment is for Christ."
Often when times of uncertainty and difficulty come our spiritual life gets put on hold until it has past. Paul, however, did not miss a beat but remained faithful in uncertain times because he realized that his current circumstances were not as important as what he did with them.
3) KNOW THAT GOD CAN USE ANY SITUATION FOR HIS GLORY (vv. 15-18)
Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of rivalry, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.
Another issue Paul faced while in prison was that there were some who were preaching Christ out of envy and rivalry with their minds set on afflicting Paul. Paul simply responds by saying, "What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice." Paul rejoiced because whether they had false or pure motives, Christ was being preached.
I believe if it was written in Paul’s day, his favorite song would have been, "In my life Lord." Paul, however, might have added some verses to his version. His song might be sung, "In these chains Lord, Be glorified, Be glorified...Whether in life or in death Lord, Be glorified, Be glorified...Through the words of the arrogant and envious Lord, Be glorified, Be glorified."
What's the song you need to sing? "In my financial difficulty Lord, Be Glorified, Be glorified...Through the loss of a loved one Lord, Be glorified, Be glorified...In my bout with cancer Lord, Be glorified, Be glorified?” Know and trust that God can use any situation for His glory.
4) RELY UPON THE PRAYERS OF GOD'S PEOPLE AND THE PROVISION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,
Paul’s strength to continue on in this period of uncertainty came from two sources. First, Paul was encouraged knowing that fellow believers were holding him up before the Lord in prayer. He also recognized and was thankful for divine assistance as well. Paul was encouraged and confident in this difficult circumstance because of the provision of the Holy Spirit. The word provision describes a full and sufficient supply of what is needed. In other words, Paul is making the point that the Holy Spirit is his sufficient resource for everything.
When you are in your time of need, how do you handle it? Let me encourage you, no matter the situation to do two things. 1) Seek out prayer from the people of God 2) And rely upon the power and presence of the Spirit.
CONCLUSION:
Paul could have become depressed, discouraged, or disillusioned. He could have wallowed in self-pity and despair. He could have demanded answers to the uncertainties he faced, but instead, he regarded his imprisonment as being appointed by God and did not waste this opportunity to make much of Him in this time of uncertainty. He never got angry with God, but instead was grateful for the way God cared for him through the prayers of His people and the provision of His Spirit.
"My cross is not my wheelchair; it is my attitude. Your cross is your attitude about your dead-end job and your in-laws. It is your attitude about your aches and pains. Any complaints, any grumblings, any disputings or murmurings, any anxieties, any worries, any resentments or anything that hints of a raging torrent of bitterness--these are the things God calls me to die to daily." -Joni Eareckson Tada
Today is the anniversary of the day when Martin Luther posted his 95 theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenburg, Germany. This event took place on October 31, 1517 and launched the Protestant Reformation. Christians should be thankful for the way God used Martin Luther. The two most popular doctrines of the Protestant Reformation that became the battle cry for Protestants are sola scriptura and sola fida, which teach that Scripture alone has the authority to bind the consciences of believers and that salvation is by grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ alone.
