- In order to help the Philippians (and us) cope with stress, Paul takes us inside his own inner world and shows how he is dealing with two stressful situations.
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Video cover image by Parihar Saab unsplash
- Today’s passage is about How not to be Anxious in Stressful Situations
- First I am going to give a recap of last week’s message
Recap from last time
- The most remarkable thing about Philippians is how Paul opens up his heart and his emotions
- Paul tells us that his affection towards them is actually Jesus’
- For God is my witness that I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
- Read these as the words of Jesus:
Story 1: Contentious rivals
- Near the end of the letter (4:6) he says “Do not be anxious about anything”
- Now he opens up his heart as to how he deals with anxiety with two stories about himself
- and then one applied to them
- Today we are going to look at the rest of Ch.1 —vs 12–30
- Three stories: 2 about Paul, and are happening right now
- The last one is in the future, and is about the Philippians
- All three of them are about stressful situations
- Paul tells the first two, to show how he handles stress
- And then the third is to teach the Philippians how they can do the same.
- They all follow the same pattern, and I am going to color-code it so you can see this pattern.
- whether (AY-teh) / whether (AY-teh) is a way of speaking in Greek, which sets out two possibilities
- Not that common, Paul is the only one to use it in the N.T.
- But he uses it 3 times in Philippians, all in this passage today
- and once in each situation
- Which is why I am so sure that today’s three stories are to be taken together.
- Personal story:
- Took me an hour to get to the brunch yesterday$..
- You can see how this might have made the Christians bolder.
- But what about the envy & contention?
Philippians 1:12–30
A. Contentious rivals
- I want you to know, brothers and sisters,
that things concerning me have actually turned out for the advancement of the gospel. - The fact my chains are in Christ has become clearly known to all the imperial guard and everyone else
- and most of the brothers and sisters,
trusting in the Lord because of my chains,
more than ever are daring to speak the word without fear - some, on the one hand from envy and contention
- some, on the other hand, from goodwill, are proclaiming Christ
- the latter out of love, knowing that
for the defence of the gospel I am placed here - the former out of selfish ambition, are proclaiming Christ,
not sincerely, thinking they can add distress to my chains - What’s the result?
Only that in every way,
whether in pretence, or whether in truth,
Christ is being proclaimedand in this I rejoice!
B. Threat to survival
- Yes, and I will continue to rejoice
- for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance
through your prayer and the the help of the Spirit of Christ, - according to my confident hope that in no way will I be ashamed
but in complete boldness, even now as always
Christ will be magnified in my body
whether through life or whether through death - because for me, to live is Christ and to die is gain
- and if I’m to live in the flesh, this for me is fruitful labor
but what I would choose I do not know, - and I’m torn between the two
having the desire
—to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far - —but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.
- and being convinced of this, I know that I will remain
and will continue with all of you
for your progress and joy in the faith - so that your boasting in Christ Jesus might abound
through me because of my coming again to you.
C. Challenge from anti-Christian opponents
- Only conduct yourselves in a manner [live as a citizen] worthy of the gospel of Christ
that whether I come and see you or whether I am absent,
I might hear of you
that you are standing firm in one spirit,
with one mind contending together,
for the faith of the gospel. - and not being terrified [like horses] in any way by your opponents
which is to them a sign of destruction,
but to you of salvation, and this from God - that to you it has been granted, concerning Christ
not only to believe in him but also to suffer for him - having the same struggle, that you saw in me
and now hear of in me.
- Paul gets clarity about his ultimate goals: the message and kingdom of Jesus
- Then he can say v.18
- Get some clarity about your ultimate goals
- Then you can deal with anxiety by saying “whether... whether...”
- Nothing that God wants to do can be stopped!
Story 2: Threat to survival
- God has used and blessed me, and I have been bold and not ashamed of Jesus
- But, there is a problem—I might get sentenced to death
- whether I live
- whether I die
- The name of Jesus will lifted up through me
- whether I die
- Here the question is the outcome of the trial
- He is optimistic, but there is still a possibility he might get condemned to death
- This time he unpacks his “weather.. weather...” for us
- Why is he not anxious? —because both ways are good
Story 3: Challenge from anti-Christian opponents
- This story is a joint challenge—will they face it together, or will the Philippians be alone?
- When Paul had been there, he had been such a great leader
- In the prison, singing
- They needed him now—would he come?
- Here is the truth: v.29 Suffering for Jesus is an honour
- strange to our ears
- Stories:
- Losing our internet this week
- Huge wave of persecution in China right now
- Uncertainly about my immigration
- Look at the options, and if your goal, are God’s, they are all good!
- Then you don’t have to worry
- The real trick is to my goals get aligned with God’s goals!