January – 20 – Rejoice in All Circumstances

Sunday School Lesson

January 20

Rejoice in All Circumstances

 

Devotional Reading: 1 Peter 4:12–19

Background Scripture: Philippians 1:12–21

 

Philippians 1:12–21

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;

 

13. So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;

 

14. And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

 

15. Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:

 

16. The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:

 

17. But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.

 

18. What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

 

19. For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

 

20. According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

 

21. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

 

Key Verse

I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel.

—Philippians 1:12

 

Lesson Aims

After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:

 

1. Recall the difficult circumstances in which Paul expressed his joy in Christ to the Philippian church.

 

2. Explain how the gospel produces persistent joy even in difficult circumstances.

 

3. Createa plan for expressing persistent joy in Christ through one’s present circumstances.

 

HOW TO SAY IT

Caesar	See-zur.
Grecian	Gree-shun.
Macedonia	Mass-eh-doe-nee-uh.
Nero	Nee-row.
Philippi	Fih-lip-pie or Fil-ih-pie.
Philippians	Fih-lip-ee-unz.
Poliomyelitis	poh-lee-oh–my-uh-lie-tuhs.
Praetorian	Pree-tohr-ee-uhn.
Via Egnatia	Vee-uh Egg-nay-shuh.

Introduction

1. Observation of Persistent Joy

Why do some people respond to hardship differently than others? That question drove Francis Collins, former head of the Human Genome Project and later director of the National Institutes of Health, to look for an answer.

Collins was in his residency as a physician when he realized how differently his patients responded to devastating illnesses. Some seemed more resilient under the stress of pain and with the knowledge that their illnesses were terminal. In time, Collins realized that many of the resilient patients were Christians with deep personal faith. He began investigating Christianity and eventually came to faith himself.

Our text is one of the great expressions of Christian faith that is resilient in the worst of conditions.

 

1. Lesson Context

Paul’s letter to the Philippians was written to Christians in Philippi, a city in Macedonia (northern Greece). Paul founded the church there during his second missionary journey (Acts 16:11–40). Philippi was a well-established, prosperous city on a major Roman road, the Via Egnatia, which connected the east and west coasts of the Grecian peninsula.

Philippi had a rich history, of which its inhabitants were proud. In 42 BC, war between factions of the Roman ruling classes came to an end with a battle fought near Philippi. The victors rewarded their soldiers by granting them nearby lands, establishing Philippi as a Roman colony.

Paul wrote this letter while a prisoner (Philippians 1:7, 12–14). Though some scholars have suggested other possible places and times in Paul’s life, it remains most likely that Paul wrote Philippians while under house arrest in Rome (Acts 28:16–31), awaiting trial before Nero. This was during Paul’s first Roman imprisonment of AD 61–63, with another following in AD 67.

For the Philippian Christians, those circumstances likely prompted a crisis of faith. Accustomed to taking pride in all things Roman and to looking up to Paul, God’s apostle, they had to come to terms with their hero’s imprisonment at the hands of Rome.

But the church had problems in addition to this crisis. Conflict and rivalry had begun to threaten the church’s unity. Paul mentions by name two who were in conflict (Philippians 4:2, 3). But the letter’s contents suggest this was an example of a wider problem.

 

1. Gospel Advanced

(Philippians 1:12–14)

1. Unexpected Result (v. 12)
2. But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel.

 

Reports of Paul’s imprisonment doubtless produce dismay among the Christians in Philippi and elsewhere who have learned of Jesus from Paul. Has God abandoned Paul? Has Paul been unfaithful to God? Or is Paul’s gospel false, his God no god at all, and Paul an imposter?

Paul’s answer is more than just a face-saving strategy. It is more than just making the best of a bad circumstance or looking for the silver lining in a dark cloud. Paul interprets his circumstances according to the gospel of Jesus. As God brought His salvation to the world in the suffering and death of Jesus, so now He extends His salvation into the world through the suffering of Paul. The good newsof God goes forward by the same means that it came into existence: by faithful, lowly, self-sacrifice for others.

 

What Do You Think? What are some ways our church can better serve leaders who labor under various kinds of restrictions and hindrances?   Digging Deeper How will it make a difference, if at all, if those restrictions and hindrances are self-inflicted?

1. Unexpected Places (v. 13)
2. So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places.

 

Paul could already point to tangible expressions of the gospel’s advance. As a prisoner of the Roman emperor, Paul was guarded day and night by members of the Praetorian Guard, an elite military unit entrusted with the safety of the emperor and other high imperial officials. These highly trained, loyal soldiers were a potent expression of Rome’s power and prestige. This was the last place one would expect the gospel of Jesus, the story of a man whom Rome crucified as a rebel, to spread.

Yet this was the very result of Paul’s imprisonment. As the Roman centurion at the cross confessed Jesus’ divine supremacy (Mark 15:39), so now Rome’s most celebrated soldiery hear the same declaration from a lowly prisoner in their custody. For Christians, such a circumstance should not be an occasion of despair but a reinforcement of joy.

It is interesting that Paul says his bonds are known throughout the palace. He thereby emphasizes that the message of Christ is being made known through the life of the messenger. Paul’s captivity reflects Jesus’ own lowliness in arrest, trial, and death. For Paul, the messenger and the message are inseparable.

 

What Do You Think? Under what circumstances should we draw attention to our restrictions vs. downplaying or keeping quiet about them? Why? Digging Deeper How will your answer change, if at all, with the level of threat that is present?

1. Unexpected Means (v. 14)
2. And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

 

Paul explains how his testimony has affected other believers (brethren in the Lord) in Rome. Once fearful, they are now much more bold to speak the word of God despite dangers and opposition. Paul’s courage renews their own, as they rediscover what it means to follow the Christ who suffered on their behalf. As Paul’s bonds have been the means of spreading God’s message to the imperial guards, so has the gospel been unbound among the Christians of Rome.

Unexpected Joy

My late wife, Pat, contracted poliomyelitis when she was 11 years old. It happened during one of the last major epidemics before the Salk vaccine was developed. As a result of the disease, her weakened back became a source of severe chronic pain.

She struggled for decades as doctors prescribed various therapies and medications, but no cure ever came. Then came post-polio syndrome, which never relented. However, Pat’s faith in Christ proved to be her anchor, giving her a strength of spirit many people could not comprehend.

Pat eventually died of colorectal cancer. During her decline, a score of dedicated Christian “lady-sitters” (as Pat called them) stayed with her while I was at work. Perhaps the most interesting result of these saints’ gift of grace was their response to their visits with Pat. I couldn’t count the times they told me, with tears of joy on their faces, “I came here to bless Pat with my presence, but she blessed me with hers instead!”

God’s gifts of grace sometimes come in the removal of the problem. At other times, He strengthens us to endure our trial. Others may experience blessings vicariously as they observe our response to either situation or both. And that may be the bigger picture that we dare not miss!

—C. R. B.

 

1. Christ Preached

(Philippians 1:15–18a)

1. Contrasted Motives (vv. 15–17)

15, 16. Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds.

 

Not every Christian’s boldness stems from pure motives, however. Some are motivated by selfish desires. They want Paul’s prominence for themselves, or they see Paul as an obstacle to their own ambitions. So with Paul in prison, they preach about Jesus in hope that they will become as well-known and influential as Paul, eclipsing him as a Christian leader.

Those who preach from envy and strife are acting with motives that contradict the message they preach. They preach the selfless Christ, but for selfish reasons. Such inconsistency cannot stand for long. Paul highlights these opponents to warn the Philippian Christians. The envy and strife in their congregation stem from similar motives of selfishness.

 

What Do You Think? What steps can we take to identify and disarm threats to church unity?   Digging Deeper What Scripture texts support your conclusions?

17. But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.

 

In contrast, many desire for Paul the best and want to follow his bold example. Their preaching of Christ reflects Paul’s sincere dedication. In them is no contradiction between motive and message. Regardless of their circumstances, the love they express in their preaching is the reflection of God’s love. Their respect for Paul is based on Paul’s own faithfulness to his message. They know that his suffering is for the sake of Christ who suffered for them, that by word and life Paul defends the gospel, the story of Jesus.

Paul’s preaching while a prisoner of the Roman Empire demonstrates in the present the power of Christ, who gave himself in death in the past. Paul’s steadfast faithfulness in hardship brings a victory that reflects the victory of Christ in His death and resurrection. True faith in the true gospel creates a love that hardship can challenge but never overcome fully.

 

1. Triumphant Gospel (v. 18a)

18a. What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached.

 

Certainly Paul has every right to condemn those who oppose him, we may think. But consider Christ’s response to His own enemies. Falsely accused, He made no defense (Mark 14:60–62; 15:2–5). Subjected to torture, He prayed for His enemies (Luke 23:34). Mockingly invited to use His kingly power by which He had saved others to save himself, He stayed on the cross to the end (Mark 15:29–32). Paul’s response to his rivals reflects Jesus’ selfless sacrifice.

Paul is unconcerned to restore his reputation or maintain his standing. For him, Christ is everything. The fact that Christ is preached, even if it means shame for Paul, is evidence that the gospel is advancing. Those who preach with impure hearts will doubtlessly stand in judgment before the God who examines the heart. But until that day, the gospel will go forward even in cases of insincere preaching.

 

III. Results Considered

(Philippians 1:18b–21)

1. Joy Is Experienced (v. 18b)

18b. And I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

The word therein points to the reason Paul can rejoice. That reason is not his circumstances as such, but the fact that Christ is preached regardless. That reality makes Paul’s situation tolerable to him, even as his ministry circumstances during his missionary journeys have caused him to vacillate from despair “even of life” (2 Corinthians 1:8) to being “not in despair” (4:8). Is this true of us as well?

 

What Do You Think? In what ways can you be a greater source of joy to others?   Digging Deeper Categorize your responses in terms of attitudes and actions.

 

1. Spirit Is Supplied (v. 19)
2. For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

 

Paul now explains why his joy in Christ will continue even in the most extreme circumstances. This was no theoretical exercise for Paul. He is in Roman custody, awaiting trial before the emperor. The outcome of the trial may mean his death. As happened to the Lord Jesus previously, Paul is about to stand trial before the Roman imperium for his very life. His readers knew this grim reality all too well.

Yet Paul speaks with complete confidence that the outcome of his trial will be salvation. Further, that salvation will come because of the Philippian Christians’ prayers to God, and likewise through what God’s Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus Christ, will supply. Paul has complete confidence that the victorious power of God at work in his ministry will continue to bring victory.

Here Paul is using salvation in a way that may be hard for us to hear, as we are so used to the term in a Christian context. For the people of Paul’s world, salvation is most often used in a military or economic sense. People were “saved” when their army triumphed, protecting them from invasion, or when a benefactor gave them needed food in a famine or managed governmental affairs effectively in a crisis. Normally one thinks that salvation for a prisoner means being found not guilty at trial and being set free without penalty.

Paul, however, is viewing salvation at this point from the perspective of the gospel. By that he does not simply mean salvation as escaping eternal punishment and experiencing life with God in Heaven at death, though that promise plays a key part in his meaning. Rather, salvation for Paul is the entirety of life as a follower of Christ. Faith in Christ means not just life with Christ after death; it means life with Christ in the present. It means restoration to the life for which God made humans, the life that reflects the very nature of God as revealed in Jesus.

The life that Paul leads as a Christian—the life of proclamation, of fellowship, of suffering, and now of imprisonment—is the saved life, the true life. God’s people rely on God’s power for this life as they pray continually for His provision. The Holy Spirit empowers this life, a life like the life of Jesus, God’s true king. The saved life is the God-supplied, Spirit-empowered, Christ-honoring life.

 

1. Christ Is Glorified (vv. 20, 21)

20a. According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed.

 

Arrest is shameful. Imprisonment is shameful. Trial is shameful. Execution is the supreme shame. But Paul says he cannot be made ashamed, even though these were his circumstances and perhaps his prospects.

Why this indomitable confidence? Paul’s view of shame and honor have been transformed by the message of Jesus. Jesus willingly accepted the very shame that Paul faces: arrest, trial, and execution. Yet God vindicated Jesus through that experience, granting Him triumph by His resurrection. The same God will vindicate Paul. Nothing can take away the honor that Paul has by his identity with Jesus. In following the way of the cross of Christ, Paul has no shame.

 

20b. But that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

 

In fact, Paul is bold. Before the supreme tribunal of his world, Paul can count on God’s power to enable him to declare boldly that Jesus, not Caesar, is the world’s true king. The one whom Rome crucified now rules at God’s right hand and will return to judge His enemies and to share His victory with His people.

By this bold, faithful proclamation, Paul makes the name of Jesus great. Unlike those who preach for selfish motives, Paul’s life and message are consistent. He proclaims the crucified and risen Christ, and he lives as one who understands that Christ’s way is the way of true life, of salvation. Paul’s boldnessbefore the tribunal, not giving in to the fear of what might happen, will reflect Jesus’ own determination. Paul’s confession will be faithful like Jesus’ own confession (1 Timothy 6:11–16).

In this way Paul will glorify Christ, demonstrating to the world who the world’s king truly is, by shaping his life in Christ’s mold. Thus he will glorify Christ whether in a life of continued ministry or in a deaththat reflects Christ’s own selfless faithfulness. Focused on Christ, Paul can express joy in even the most extreme circumstances, and he does.

 

21. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

 

This brief verse is certainly one of the best known, best loved, and most widely memorized verses in the Bible. It brings Paul’s discussion of his circumstances to a rousing climax. Its simplicity belies the challenging ideas it presents.

To think of death as gain defies human experience. Death marks the failure of our bodies, the end of our activity, the end of our earthly consciousness. It would seem that death can only be gain if life has become utter loss, if life has become living death.

But the gospel transforms that understanding. Because Christ died and rose for the sake of unworthy humanity, death means something very different for Christ’s followers. By raising Christ from the dead, God demonstrated His unfailing faithfulness to His people. As Christ rules at God’s right hand, He administers that same faithfulness to His suffering followers. Having promised that in losing their lives they will find them (Matthew 10:39), Christ assures His people that even death cannot separate them from His love (see Romans 8:34–39).

So to die is gain, as it means experiencing the triumph that Christ brings even in death. That triumph yields what Paul discusses in the following context: to die is to be with Christ, free of the suffering of this age, sharing His triumphant rule in Heaven (Philippians 1:23). That is surely a gain greater than any loss the believer can experience.

Alongside that promise is another statement: to live is Christ. What Paul means by that short pronouncement he goes on to explain in the following context. Paul’s present life reflects Christ’s life as a life of self-giving service for others. Jesus explained to His disciples this implication from His death: their purpose, like their master’s, is to serve all (Mark 10:41–45). Paul describes his life as labor for bearing fruit (Philippians 1:22), serving the Philippian Christians and others (1:24, 25). Living, for Paul or for any follower of Jesus, is Christ in that it is focused on rendering to others the joyous, selfless service that Jesus rendered to us.

 

What Do You Think? What more needs to happen for you to make Philippians 1:21 your own conviction?   Digging Deeper How does the fact that death is an enemy, not a friend, influence your response? (Compare Genesis 2:17; Romans 1:32; 5:14, 17; 1 Corinthians 15:25, 26; Hebrews 2:14, 15; 9:27.)

Living in Extremity

The apostle Paul knew about living under extreme conditions. So did many of his converts throughout the Roman Empire. Most of us are not likely to experience the deprivations or persecutions they did.

Of course, we all have our occasional “trying times.” Our experience may be getting laid off from a job during a recession, having our house destroyed by a tornado or flood, or having to replace one of our family cars because of an accident. And most of us know of a few people who really are living in extremity. But the average American lives in a state of privilege compared with the majority of the world.

A Gallup poll a few years ago showed the United States median per-capita annual income to be $15,480. Five countries in Europe ranked above the US, the highest being Norway at $19,308. The contrast with the poorest area surveyed, which was sub-Saharan Africa, is striking. Tenth from last on the list was Zambia at $287. At the very bottom in per-capita annual income was Liberia at $118. Not many of us can imagine living in such an extremity!

In some of those countries, poverty-stricken Christians also have to deal with the reality of religious persecution by anti-Christian governments and terrorist groups. What does all of this suggest to us about our attitudes and behavior?

—C. R. B.

 

Conclusion

1. The Joy of Service

Why are some people able to express joy in every circumstance, even the painful ones? It has to do with how God made us and with how, in Christ, He has remade us. We were made not to hold on to our lives but to give them away. When we try to hold on, we run away from our divinely created purpose. We mar our divine image. We destroy our joy. When we learn to let go, we discover again the reason we exist. We find our true selves. We reflect our true king. We find true joy.

Paul found a way to serve others even as a prisoner. He knew that even in the bleakest circumstance, God provided a means for him to glorify Christ in self-giving.

How do your circumstances present opportunities for you to serve selflessly? How has the faithful God delivered that joy to you before? Are you ready to discover how He will do so again?

 

1. Prayer

Father, by Your Spirit we ask that You empower us to give our lives freely for others as we rejoice in Your Son who gave His life freely for us. We pray this in His name. Amen.

 

1. Thought to Remember

Real life and real joy come from freely giving life and joy to others.

 

 

 

KID’S CORNER

How to Rejoice while Suffering

January 20, 2019

Philippians 1:12-21

 

 

Philippians 1:12-21

(Philippians 1:12) Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel,

Paul loved the Christians in the Philippian Church because he had led many of them to faith in Jesus Christ, and they had remained obedient servants of Jesus Christ. They supported his missionary work by their prayers, their financial assistance, and by sometimes sending someone from their church to help Paul in his ministry or in prison. Paul’s letter to them reported that even though he was in prison, the spreading of the gospel continued through his efforts. And advancing the gospel was more important to Paul than any suffering he might experience while serving Jesus Christ, his Lord and Savior.

(Philippians 1:13) so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else,

A member of the imperial guard took Paul to Rome as a prisoner. The imperial guard was composed of official guards, subject to the orders of the Roman Emperor, and Paul had appealed his case to the Emperor. Paul had been shipwrecked and saved by a centurion of the imperial guard while a prisoner on the way to Rome. Paul shared the gospel with this centurion. Everyone who guarded Paul heard about Christ, and about how Christ had saved everyone from death when his ship sank. Eventually, all the imperial guard learned about Jesus Christ and that Paul was a prisoner because he believed in and taught about Jesus Christ. His willingness to suffer for his faith in Jesus Christ convinced many that his faith was authentic and firmly grounded in the truth of and about Jesus Christ.

(Philippians 1:14) and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.

Because Paul kept teaching the good news of Jesus Christ even in the face of danger and the threat of persecution, he served as a good example and still serves as a good example for us. He did so prayerfully, wisely, and with the leading of the Holy Spirit. Though he often suffered, he taught everyone about the faithfulness of God to him and about how God used every experience to help him teach more people about Jesus. Therefore, no matter what the personal cost, others in the church were encouraged to teach about Jesus too.

(Philippians 1:15) Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will;

Paul had many amazing, inspiring, and wonderful stories to tell about Jesus Christ and Christ’s faithfulness and help. The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to sacrifice to share the gospel in various situations, and Jesus Christ remained with him and rescued him many times when in danger and suffering. Christ’s faithfulness to Paul and Paul’s steadfast faith in Christ influenced some people to envy Paul, so perhaps they proclaimed Christ in order to prove that they preached Christ better than Paul did. Others preached Christ because they prayed and hoped that their listeners would receive and accept the good news of salvation from their preaching.

(Philippians 1:16) the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel;

The proper motive for proclaiming the good news about Jesus is love for God, Christ, the Church, and those who do not yet know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Rather than assume that Paul’s imprisonment was God’s punishment for some hidden sins, and they could do better than Paul could, they preached Christ knowing the real reason Paul suffered imprisonment was because he loved Christ and others and tried to explain the truth of the gospel to those who initially rejected Christ or might reject Christ and persecute him for his preaching.

(Philippians 1:17) the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment.

The opposite of preaching from love and seeking the good of others is preaching in order to promote one’s personal self-interest, to advance one’s career, to make more money or to have power over others. Selfish ambition is the opposite of love for God and others, and its root is self-centeredness. Some preached the gospel to try to prove that they were superior to Paul, and because they were not in prison, they assumed they were superior to Paul. They wanted to gloat over Paul and make his suffering worse. Furthermore, Paul suffered affliction as he prayed fervently that those proclaiming Christ from selfishness would not eventually mislead faithful Christians away from the true gospel.

(Philippians 1:18) What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice,

Paul did not justify those who preached from a wrong motive. He did not say that it was okay to preach from a wrong motive, as though it did not matter to God whether a person preached from love for God or supreme love for self—selfishness. Paul did mean that he was not going to let the false motives of some and the efforts of some to hurt him bother him. He could rejoice in the fact that the gospel of Jesus Christ was preached, and some came to saving faith (even though the gospel was preached by some who had a false motive or unchristian reason for preaching). Thankfully, God can use the misguided efforts of some to save others.

(Philippians 1:19) for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

Paul knew the vital importance of prayer—Jesus sometimes prayed all night. Paul told the Philippians how crucial their prayers were for him to continue to preach the gospel effectively. Paul also acknowledged how important the Spirit of Jesus Christ was to direct and empower Christian prayer, to work upon the hearts and minds of those who came to faith through Paul’s preaching, and to work on those who imprisoned or persecuted him, so they would act better and perhaps come to faith in Christ too. Paul did not believe he should just sit and wait and suffer in prison to see what would happen next; rather, Paul asked for prayers that he would be delivered from prison to continue his missionary journey—he believed and taught that praying Christians could make a difference because God answers prayers.

(Philippians 1:20) according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

Paul trusted in prayer and Jesus Christ, who inspired and answered Christian prayers. Therefore, he expected to honor Christ by what he said and did, as well as by whatever happened to him, because Christ would be with him and work in and with him. Paul did not take these blessings from Christ for granted, and that is why he said it was his “eager expectation and hope” when he spoke boldly. He wanted to live faithful and die faithful; then, either way he could exalt Christ. He prayed that if he died his death would honor Christ, but he also prayed to keep living so he could keep honoring Christ in this world.

(Philippians 1:21) For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Jesus lived with Paul spiritually, and Jesus Christ filled Paul with His spirit, the Holy Spirit. Paul chose to follow Jesus Christ at all times and leave the consequences of his following Jesus Christ with Jesus Christ, his King and Redeemer. He lived for Christ at all times and for him “living is Christ.” He obeyed Christ at all times, so if the best result of his obedience was that “he died” this was also gain for him—for he would go to live with Christ in heaven, which would be far better for him personally.

 

 

How to Rejoice while Suffering

January 20, 2019

Philippians 1:12-21

 

“I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel” (Philippians 1:12). On his missionary journeys, the Apostle Paul proclaimed the truth about Jesus Christ, and his endeavors often led to his persecution and imprisonment by religious and political leaders. In addition to imprisonments, Paul suffered countless floggings and was often near death. Five times he suffered the thirtynine lashes. Three times he was beaten by rods, and once he was stoned (2 Corinthians 11:23-25). Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians during one of his imprisonments, but instead of complaining, Paul rejoiced that the Lord and he had used his imprisonments as opportunities to proclaim the good news. Even all his guards knew that Paul was in prison for his courageous preaching about Jesus Christ. Jesus too had suffered unjustly: being arrested at night, convicted of a crime during a mock trial, and dying by crucifixion. But God the Father honored Jesus’ faithful obedience, raised Jesus from the dead, and seated Jesus at His right hand. Paul learned from Jesus’ example. Both rejoiced while enduring pain and suffering for they knew that through their labors many would believe in Jesus and receive God’s just and merciful forgiveness for their sins and the gift of eternal life. Setting an example for Christians, Paul looked at his sufferings as opportunities to serve Jesus Christ in new ways and teach different people the good news about Jesus’ death and resurrection. Paul rejoiced while in prison because he knew that the Lord Jesus would work through him to save many of his listeners from sin and death. Furthermore, Paul used his confinements as opportunities to write letters to encourage believers to keep speaking fearlessly about Jesus.

 

 

Thinking Further

How to Rejoice while Suffering

January 20, 2019

Philippians 1:12-21

Name _____________________________

 

1. Thinking of the good consequences of Paul’s imprisonment, can you think of any other examples in the Bible when something bad happened to someone and God worked it out for good?

 

 

2. Since Paul was a faithful apostle of Jesus Christ, how would you explain to someone why Paul was in prison?

 

 

3. What are some of the ways Paul serves as a good example for other Christians to follow?

 

 

4. What might you say to someone who expressed envy or jealousy of another Christian?

 

5. What are some good reasons for telling others about Jesus Christ?

 

 

 

Discussion and Thinking Further

 

1. Thinking of the good consequences of Paul’s imprisonment, can you think of any other examples in the Bible when something bad happened to someone and God worked it out for good? After Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den and God saved him from death, the Babylonian king honored God and Daniel; some came to believe in the true God, and some were encouraged to remain faithful to God when facing persecution or death. After Jesus died on the cross, God raised Him from the dead, so He could save His people from their sins.

 

2. Since Paul was a faithful apostle of Jesus Christ, how would you explain to someone why Paul was in prison? The Apostle Paul loved God and others, so he proclaimed Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, so people could know the truth and follow the truth in Jesus Christ. Until Jesus Christ returns, Christians will face opposition as Paul did, especially from those who hate God and the truth. The way those who follow Jesus Christ face opposition and persecution in the power of the Holy Spirit according to the Scriptures can lead some to trust in Jesus and encourage His followers to remain faithful and obedient to Him. Paul’s imprisonment enabled him to witness by life and words to guards, prisoners, and their families, to those he might never otherwise meet. We can be faithful and be placed in hard places to share the good news about Jesus with people we might not meet anyplace else.

 

3. What are some of the ways Paul serves as a good example for other Christians to follow? Paul kept rejoicing and giving thanks to God even when suffering or facing death. Paul kept obeying God and proclaiming the truth about Jesus despite opposition from non-Christians and those in the church who wanted to afflict him. Paul kept on loving God and chose not to complain against God when he suffered or did not achieve the results he expected from his labors and prayers.

 

4. What might you say to someone who expressed envy or jealousy of another Christian? God has given the Church a variety of gifts and God has given different individual Christians different individual gifts. When we envy another Christian (or anyone), we criticize God for giving people the gifts He has given to them. If we envy someone, we may not understand why they have their gifts and why we have ours, and we need to give God thanks for all the gifts He gives to everyone without being jealous of others. Rather than envy others, we need to focus on faithfully using the gifts God has given us in the best way we can as we pray for God to help us use His gifts wisely in the power He gives us.

 

5. What are some good reasons for telling others about Jesus Christ? We love God. We love our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. We love others. We want to obey Jesus Christ because we love Him. We love the Word of God and we want to share the truth of the Bible with others. We want others to love and honor God and Jesus Christ too. We want others to receive and follow Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.

 

 

Word Search

How to Rejoice while Suffering

January 20, 2019

Philippians 1:12-21

Name _____________________________

 

A Y X R E J O I C E C U G A V

I M P R I S O N M E N T I Z B

T N E D I F N O C O D X G L X

L I G L O R D A X I L M V A M

K E U D F G Y C B Y O N X I X

E H P J W S Q R H T B T H R Z

G S F S E N V Y L R F W Y E W

O U N L O F U J S A I U O P X

Q F A E N G S M G H V S J M H

H Y Z R F M T U J O M I T I E

V C J B D E I S S Y S X R B J

J P A R J P D P U E B H Z S W

H G X E A X V E L I J E V O L

F N F D R C O A S A T I W M T

A M P U O P U K W L K A L Q B

 

Gospel

Imperial

Guard

Imprisonment

Christ

Confident

Lord

Bold

Speak

Preach

Envy

Rivalry

Love

Defense

Rejoice

 

 

True and False Test

How to Rejoice while Suffering

January 20, 2019

Philippians 1:12-21

Name _____________________________

 

Circle the true or false answers. Correct the false statements by restating them.

 

1. Whenever Paul was in prison, evangelism stopped. True or False

 

2. The gospel is good news about Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection in

behalf of sinners. True or False

 

3. Paul rejoiced that his Roman guards knew he was in prison for Christ.

True or False

 

4. When they learned Paul was in prison, out of fear most of the Christians

stopped talking about Jesus. True or False

 

5. Everyone who preaches Christ does so with good will and never out of

envy or rivalry. True or False

 

6. Those who preach with good will do so out of love. True or False

 

7. No one ever preaches Christ out of selfish ambition. True or False

 

8. Some preached Christ thinking they could afflict Paul. True or False

 

9. Paul got angry, unhappy, and unforgiving whenever he learned that some preached Christ in pretense. True or False

 

10. Paul did not want to die for Christ, because he knew his death would

dishonor Christ and make him feel ashamed. True or False

 

 

True and False Test Answers

Philippians 1:12-21

 

1. False
2. True
3. True
4. False
5. False
6. True
7. False
8. True
9. False

      10.False

 

 

Prayer

Father, by Your Spirit we ask that You empower us to give our lives freely for others as we rejoice in Your Son who gave His life freely for us. We pray this in His name. Amen.