Would you please turn with me in your Bibles to the epistle of Paul to the Philippians. Philippians chapter 1, and I'll be reading verses 1 through 18, and our text being verses 12 through 18. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever. And dear people of God, this is God's word. Philippians 1, beginning reading at verse 1. Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons, grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. It is right for me to feel this way about you all since I have you in my heart. For whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer, that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God. Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the Word of God more courageously and fearlessly. It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am not here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this, I rejoice. Dear congregation, Paul, when writing the Philippians, is imprisoned. Probably it is the imprisonment in Rome where Paul writes these words. He was taken to Rome as a prisoner and he was kept under guard there in Rome. and while there, he had many people come to visit him. He had opportunity to speak to them, and while there, he writes this letter to the church in Philippi. And it should be very clear to you from the words that we have just read, but also I am sure you know from past study of the epistle of Paul to the Philippians that Philippi had a dear place in the heart of Paul. And that is very clear in the words that he writes to the church. There was a great love for Paul, a great affection that Paul had for the Philippians and that they had for Paul. They sent Epaphroditus to bring gifts to him and those things which he needed. They were a comfort to Paul. And Paul now writes in order to comfort them. And he was concerned, when we consider the words of verses 12 through 18, there was a concern in Paul's mind that the people in Philippi were anxious about his situation. And he didn't want them to be overly concerned and overly anxious about it. And his reason is very simple. His reason is that the gospel is being advanced. And therefore, Paul isn't sitting there in that guarded room, depressed, self-centered, worried. But he tells us that he is rejoicing. He tells us that he is praising God and rejoicing because the gospel is being advanced even while he is in chains. Despite several things. despite man's external methods to prevent the gospel, to quench the gospel, indeed, his chains, his imprisonment, and despite mixed internal motives to advance the gospel. Paul rejoices, despite man's external methods to prevent the gospel and despite mixed internal motives to advance the gospel. you see the external methods to quench and to prevent the gospel was putting Paul in prison was imprisoning him you read about this in Acts chapter 28 and when Paul is brought to Rome in Acts chapter 28 the Romans were saying there's nothing wrong with this man it's very similar to the arrest of Jesus Christ where Pilate says I find nothing wrong with this man well the Romans when they questioned Paul found nothing wrong with him but they were pressured by the Jews and they buckled under the Jewish pressure and continued to hold Paul imprisoned. And in our minds, we would think that, well, that's the end. That's the end of Paul's career. Paul was called by God to be his witness, to be his missionary to the Gentiles. And from a human standpoint, Paul's witness and evangelistic work must now be done. He's in prison. Where can he go? What can he do? Sure, there are some who would come to visit him, but really, what great effect could he have any longer? But the fact is that even in prison, Paul became a witness. Became witness to the guards who were there. And here you see, God's logic is not our logic. Because if Paul were free to walk around Rome, to go to the synagogue or go to preach in houses or on the hills or wherever Paul would have gone to preach, probably the Roman soldiers, the Roman guards would not have gone to go hear him. And so God's logic is, well then, we'll bring the Gospel to them. And so Paul is imprisoned and Paul then has opportunity with a very captive audience to teach and to bear witness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Prison was the ideal setting for Paul's witness. to Roman soldiers. And Paul rejoices then that the gospel is being advanced even and in spite of his chains. And one can imagine, you know, as this letter is brought back to the church in Philippi and, you know, whoever it is comes forward and tells the congregation we got a letter from Paul and the excitement that the congregation must have felt as, you know, they began hearing the letter and then realizing that Paul is imprisoned. Of course, they were very anxious about that. And then Paul says, I don't want you to be concerned. I don't want you to be anxious about what is happening to me. And then Paul tells them that the gospel is being advanced. You can imagine that there's at least one family who had a knowing smile. And that would have been the Philippian jailer and his family. The Philippian jailer and his family knew precisely what Paul was saying. that God is able, even when his servants are imprisoned and in chains, God is able to bring about changed hearts and changed lives through the gospel. And Paul then rejoices and encourages the church in Philippi to join him. The Philippian jailer learned that no circumstances could be a barrier to the advancement of the gospel. but paul says not only the guards but also all those who came came to visit him all the people paul was able then to to teach and to disciple them we read of that also in acts chapter 28 and to be an encouragement to them so much so that they came they left encouraged emboldened to bear witness throughout rome and wherever they lived and so paul here is saying i rejoice Rejoice with me that the gospel is being advanced. Because of Paul's situation, others became confident and bold to speak the Word. And they probably left thinking, you know, if Paul's personal hardship led to fruitful witness in prison, then certainly I can trust that Christ can work in me some way to bear witness to Him. See, God's logic is not ours, and God's ways are not our ways. And we may find ourselves wondering at times whether we are in a position to bear witness to Jesus Christ. Or we might even think that really our circumstances, as they are, are not such that we can be a witness to Christ. Well, frankly, if that's on your mind, that's rubbish. We can be His witness whether you are a homemaker. You have your children. You have your neighbors. You have those with whom you come in contact. If you work in an office, you have people with whom you come in contact. Wherever you are. If you're a student in school, you can bear witness to Jesus Christ wherever you are. And Paul rejoices that he's in prison. And if there's any place where you might think that, well, there it is, that's it. Paul rejoices that even there, the gospel is being advanced. And he says it is obvious. It became obvious to the guards and to everyone else that my chains are for Christ. It became obvious to all, the guards, the visitors, the other prisoners. No doubt throughout this period of time that the guards had to look at Paul, to listen to Paul. they realized that his only crime was his loyalty to Jesus Christ because it became obvious to them. No doubt Paul, like Daniel, prayed regularly. Paul was filled with joy that was probably in stark contrast to any other prisoners that these guards had ever guarded and watched. Paul had a stream of visitors coming and it was evident to them as they watched these visitors coming to Paul that there was great love between them. Paul loved those who came to visit him and those who came to visit loved Paul and they supplied all of his needs. And it became obvious then that Paul's chains were for Christ. Actually, congregation, the words here are that Paul says my chains are in Christ. And there's an important distinction. Certainly they are for Christ. Certainly Paul is imprisoned because of what he had been doing for Jesus Christ. But his chains are in Christ. That is what he says in the original. in Christ. And what Paul is saying is it became obvious to everybody that I was in chains because I am in union with Jesus Christ. And if they hated Christ, they're going to hate me. That is what Paul is saying. And if they persecuted Christ, they're going to persecute me because I am in Christ. And that's a favorite phrase of Paul that he and all believers are in Christ Jesus. And Paul then says, and I think this tells us too and gives us a glimpse of what is the Gospel that Paul here is rejoicing is being advanced. It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And Paul rejoices that the Gospel is being advanced and that there are those who are preaching Christ. Well, this seems to me amazing that it needs to be repeated, but it does again and again. That the gospel is that we are sinners. That God demands perfect obedience and you and I cannot do it. You and I cannot meet that demand. This morning we heard the law read and it teaches us of our sins. But the gospel is that God then sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take away our sins, to cleanse us, to impute to us His perfect righteousness so that when God then looks upon us, He declares us as being righteous and reconciles us to Himself. That is the gospel. That is the glorious gospel. Jesus died for our sins. He rose again for our justification. And this is precisely what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15. He says, which Paul then declares to the people, is centered upon Jesus Christ and what He has done for us. It's not our own works. It's not in our own keeping of the law. But it is in Christ who kept the law and who died and took the penalty that belonged to us upon Himself so that we might be reconciled to the Father. And Paul now is rejoicing that that message is being heard by sinners. and it is changing their lives. And being in Christ, Paul is like Christ. And the very care that Paul has for the congregation in Philippi shows that he was like Christ. His situation, of course, was very uncomfortable. You can imagine being guarded 24 hours a day. But He was like Christ in His concern for others. In John chapter 13, 21, we read, When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit. In John 13 and following, Jesus here is anticipating what is going to happen to Him. His arrest and His betrayal and crucifixion. All of these things. He's anticipating this and He's troubled. But then right after that, in John 14, 1, Jesus says to His disciples, Let not your hearts be troubled. The very same words. Jesus was troubled in spirit, but then He says, let not your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in Me. And a little later He says, I will pray to the Father that He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you. So Paul, being in Christ, Christ is like Christ and rejoices then, not self-centered, worried about what's going to happen to him, but he rejoices that Christ is being preached and the gospel is being advanced. in spite of man's external methods to prevent and quench the gospel. But also despite mixed internal motives to advance the gospel. Verse 15 and following, Paul then becomes very brutally honest. Not everything, you know, is hunky-dory here. Not everything is just fine. But there are some who are preaching the gospel, preaching the word of God with very poor motives. Not everything is as it should be. They had false motives. Envy and strife and personal ambition. They preached with insincerity. And their intent was to hurt Paul, to damage Paul. Now, this is, I think, somewhat of a difficult passage. Our first reaction in reading this passage, I think, would be to think this must be then a false gospel, that a different gospel that these people are proclaiming, if Paul can describe them using those very harsh words. But I don't think that that bears out. They are not preaching a different gospel like Paul is condemning in Galatians chapter 1, where Paul says, if anybody brings to you in a different gospel other than what you had heard from me, let them be accursed. There's no way that if a different gospel was being proclaimed, that Paul could say, I rejoice. He could not rejoice if a different gospel, if some false gospel was being proclaimed. And so what we have here is it seems possible that one can preach the gospel, the true gospel, out of false motives. Just like those in Matthew chapter 7 where they said, Many will say to me on that day, Jesus said, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in your name, and done many wonders in your name? Now, Jesus doesn't dispute the fact that they did these things. But he said, depart from me. I never knew you. God can even spread his gospel through such wicked vessels. Despite this, the gospel is being advanced, and Paul rejoices. But there are others, of course, when Paul says, did so with good motives, true motives. goodwill and love. They certainly had a love for Paul. They were deeply concerned about Paul but also rejoiced with him. They had a love for others. Therefore, they proclaimed the true gospel to them. But most of all, they had a love for Jesus Christ and wanted His gospel to go forth and wanted others to hear. And so what we find in these is precisely what Paul then is seeking in the Philippian church. If you just jump ahead with me to Philippians 2, verse 1 and following. If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, not like these others who are preaching the gospel with these false motives, but in humility, consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only on your own interests, but also on the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. And Paul then rejoices that there were some who were going out with that attitude, with that mindset to spread the word and to spread the gospel. And what is Paul's response to all of this? I rejoice. I rejoice. Why? Because Christ is preached. This is central. Now, this says something, I think, to you and to me. It says the application to me as a minister of the Word is one of self-reflection. It's very possible for me and for those who've been called to proclaim the Gospel to do it right, to say the right words. But our motives can be false. Our motives can be wrong. And I need to daily say, search me, O God, know my heart, try me and know my thoughts, see if there be any wicked way in me and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I need to say that because I do not want to be one who preaches the gospel with false motives. Even if others may rejoice in it. Because I know that man looks on the outside and man hears on the outside, but God looks on the heart. And so I need to guard that. But you, congregation, I want to say rejoice when the gospel is preached and advanced. Now, you might be thinking to yourself, well, of course. Of course we will rejoice when the gospel is proclaimed and advanced. But now I want to say something. And it is not something that is a result of any discussion that I have had with anybody here. And what I am saying now, I said to my church last week when I preached this sermon at Bethel. But there is among some congregations the character and among some people the proclivity to chew up and spit out their pastor at every opportunity. Rather than rejoicing that they have a man who preaches the word and who preaches the gospel. They would rather find little nitpicky problems. You know, you do not have a congregation that has that reputation, I might add. So just, you know, but we all need to search our hearts on that. And I'm sure, you know, you have a large church and your pastors can't be everything and respond to every possible need that all 700 or whatever of you might have. It's impossible. But people can become very upset with their ministers and their pastors about certain things that they see maybe should have been done differently here or maybe should have been done differently there. well, I am certainly here to tell you that I as a pastor know very well that I am, well, just a clay chipped pot with many faults, many problems. And I'm sure that your pastors can stand up and say, yeah, we know that as well in ourselves. But if they are teaching the gospel, if they are proclaiming Christ and Him crucified, and if they rejoice in that, rejoice with them. Be glad. Do you know how many churches there are who do not have ministers who preach the gospel? They're all around. People are starving. Rejoice, dear people of God. Rather than allow their sins to eat away. This is what Paul was doing. Rather than allowing the sins of these with false motives to eat away at his soul, he determined that his attitude, he refused to let that determine his attitude toward ministry. Paul was determined to exalt Christ. And this is a snare, I think, to many of us. This is a snare to many of us That when we see a problem or when we see an issue that could have been done better here or there, that we allow it to embitter us toward the church and toward the ministry. To develop a streak of bitterness when we see errors in others. And then what happens is that the way in which we present the gospel can be dominated by our criticism. Our criticism of others. Rather than the exalting of Jesus Christ. And the result is something that's rather unattractive. Rather harsh. And does not commend Christ. And to recognize then, false motives or errors in others need not produce an un-Christ-like response in us. Or an un-Christ-like temperament. Rather, what we must do is join with Paul and rejoice. Rejoice that the gospel is being advanced, is being proclaimed. Rejoice that sinners are coming to know Jesus Christ and believe. Congregation, I believe that you are greatly blessed. You are blessed that you have the word of God preached faithfully. Week after week, rejoice in that. And find every opportunity then to spread that, whatever situation you are in, and to be witnesses for Jesus Christ. Amen. Father in heaven, we come before you thanking you, Lord, that you encourage us in your word and that though we might look around us and become discouraged because of the state of things in the world and in the church, that, Lord, we ought to see, notice, and rejoice that the gospel is being advanced. And we thank you, Lord, for all the various efforts in which this is taking place, those of which we know and those, Lord, of which we do not. We pray, Lord, that you would give us eyes to see and ears to hear and the courage to take every opportunity afforded to us to be your witnesses for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.