Series: Letter from a Jailbird                                                                                       BFUMC           

Sermon: Joy: The Subtle Elf                                                                      Philippians 1:12-21

THOMAS ODEN IN CUBA

Thomas Oden, who is a famous Methodist Theologian and writer, visited Cuba in 1994.  Methodists have grown from 6,000 to over 50,000.  Oden says nothing short of an Acts-type spiritual revolution has taken place.  People both young and old are turning to Christ, away from the official atheistic governmental party line.  Christianity, despite the great personal costs laid out by Castro, has been growing. 

One long-time Cuban believer has said:  “The search for meaning is just as crucial as the search for bread.  While the economy around us is falling apart, Christians are living in a state of special grace.  It is not difficult for Cubans to see the difference between the people of God and those who are desperately trying to live without faith.  Ordinary Cubans are becoming aware of the church as a life-saving community.”

What can we learn from this?  That God will continue to advance his gospel throughout the world, even through the weakness and suffering of his people.  God is able to use what we think as being set-backs, and turn them around to his advantage.  This doesn’t make suffering good, but God works through means we find undesirable.  On the other hand, big churches with huge budgets can be devoid of the Spirit.  These are some lessons that Paul is trying to teach the Philippians in our passage.  “I got thrown in prison, but God used even my weakness for the advance of the gospel.  When I am weak, then I am strong.”

FROM TEXT TO CONTEXT

Let’s examine the passage carefully.  First we will try to understand it in its original context.  Then we will try to build a bridge from that world to this world.  In v. 12, Paul writes clearly in response to their inquiry.  They sent Epaphroditus asking about Paul’s welfare and to bring their financial gift.  “How are you?  Are you being well treated in prison?  Have you been beated?  Do you have proper clothing for the coming winter?”  Their questions are undoubtedly very personal.  We know this because we know about the patterns for ancient letter writing.  People didn’t communicate often, a primary theme in letters was to simply relay basic circumstances of life.

What is so interesting about this?  Paul doesn’t answer the questions we know they must have been asking.  He starts by writing about his conditions like most other responses in ancient letters, but he centers it all on the advancement of the gospel.  In short, Paul doesn’t talk about his own affairs at all, but talks about the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Some may cynically see this as a neurotic hyper-active adult.  But something much more powerful is going on.

Paul lives for this gospel of Jesus Christ.  That is his life.  The great theologian Karl Barth said that this was perhaps the clearest indication of the divine nature of Paul’s apostolicity.  He says this in verse 21, For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.  He is doing well if the church is doing well, and that is all there is to it.  Paul lives for Christ and his church.  Would that we would care as deeply as does he about God’s Church on earth. 

THE KEY TO JOY

This really is one of the keys to Paul’s joy.  We said earlier that joy is a primary theme in Philippians.  Here he is in prison, awaiting trial and possibly execution.  But he had given his life to something greater.  He lived with eternity’s value in mind, he lived for something that was far more important that his own comfort.  So How has the gospel faired?  Well, you might think that Paul’s imprisonment put his proclamation of the gospel to a halt.  But Paul says the opposite happened on two fronts (as opposed to what you might expect – mollon).

FIRST CONSEQUENCE OF PAUL’S IMPRISONMENT – V. 13

How?  In two ways.  First, word of Paul’s imprisonment for the gospel of Christ has spread throughout the Roman Praetorian Guard.  The Praetorian Guard, or Imperial Guard, was Ceasar Augustus’ brainchild.  They were a elite guard of Roman soldiers stations near official or royal residences.  They were probably guarding Paul as he waited his audience with Ceasar in Rome.  They would learn of Paul’s situation while on duty watching Paul in prison.  There were about 9,000 of these troops in Rome at the time.  Paul didn’t throw away the opportunity to preach to them while they were in his locale.  They may have been sympathetic to Paul, because he was in prison for no crime other than the proclamation of the gospel – which was not technically a crime.  Paul is saying: Don’t be discouraged about my imprisonment.  As a result, many in the Roman guard are hearing about Jesus.  We know that Roman soldiers were often very receptive to the gospel.

Paul could have moaned about his condition.  The food is terrible, the roof leaks, I’m cold all the time.  This is not what he says at all.  He says: You know I have an incredible opportunity to be used of God right here in prison.  What can we learn from this?  We may not like the hand of cards that life has dealt us.  But, instead of complaining, we should do everything we can do to do what is right with what we have, and where we are.  You can, in whatever circle of influence you have, however insignificant, you can be a light for Jesus Christ.  You can do something good for God, right there. 

Story of two Nike salesman, sent to establish Nike sales in Africa.  Both wrote back to their supervisors after their first month.  One said: I request a transfer.  People in Africa do not wear shoes, so there is no use for a Nike salesperson here.  The other said: You wouldn’t believe this place.  No one here wears shoes.  Tremendous possibilities await me with no competition. 

SECOND CONSEQUENCE OF PAUL’S IMPRISONMENT

Second Result of Paul’s Imprisonment - The Christians there in Rome are increasingly encouraged to dare to preach boldly.  How does this work?  You would think the opposite would be the case.  Perhaps the Christians are aware that the Roman guards are very impressed with Paul.  This encourages them, because they know that if they are thrown in prison, most Roman soldiers will by sympathetic.  The reason may be more basic.  Cuba today might be a good example.  The more Christians were thrown in prison, the more boldly the preached the gospel.

They thought: If that person will be that brave, to risk everything for Christ, I will do the same.  Sometimes you need an example, a pattern to follow.  I became a Christian my senior year in high school.  While at first I was vocal about my faith, I eventually became more reserved.  I joined a group called Youth With A Mission, and was around many other Spirit-filled Christians – people who were bold for their faith.  They were willing to be open about their faith in Christ.  Being around them affected me, it made me bolder, and gave me an example of what a real Spirit-filled Christian life looked like.  Paul’s imprisonment had something like this kind of effect. 

FALSE AND TRUE PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL

VS. 15-18

This is a perplexing passage for a number of reasons.  It is difficult to know exactly what kind of envy and rivalry was going on.  It is difficult to square with Paul’s comments about other false preachers.  In other places, Paul is not nearly as positive.  At other times, he says specifically: what they are preaching is false, and if you believe it you are jeopardizing your faith.  He is stronger in places, requiring even that people be removed from the church for false doctrines.

Apparently, something a little different is going on.  Here is the situation as I can gather.  I think many early Christian leaders were embarrassed of Paul.  He wasn’t personally impressive and seems to be so into the “God’s strength is made perfect through my weakness.”  Here we have a prisoner as the main representative of the Church.  This had to have been a terrible embarrassment to the Roman Christians.  We need a version of Christianity that looks better to get the crowds interested.

Some were angry at Paul for being so bold, and probably think that if he had been more careful he wouldn’t have been thrown in prison.  Some are wondering: if Paul is executed, the church will probably fall apart.  Some believe that Paul’s preaching is a little off: having a right relationship with God was supposed to ensure a person from this kind of thing.  God protects his own, doesn’t he?  These people were embarrassed by Paul, and think he is extreme.  They wanted to spread a more appealing type of Christianity.  They wanted to provide an alternative to Paul that says, “God blesses the faithful and protects them from such trails.”  Paul’s version is, “When I am weak, then I am strong in Christ.  God has a plan for even my sufferings.”

HOW DARE YOU!

How would you respond if this were you?  You’ve given your whole life for the spread of the gospel.  You had given up the comforts of a settled life.  You had been beaten many times, imprisoned four or five times.  Virtually all creature comforts had been lost just to tell people about the salvation gift of God in Jesus Christ.  Now you are in prison, and these Christians are embarrassed of you.  They are actually motivated in preaching your message, just to get people to be Christians without being followers of Paul.  They are motivated to provide an alternative to you. 

How do you respond?  I know my response!  How dare you?  I am an apostle of Jesus Christ who has suffered!  You measly idiots!  You are no longer a part of the church!  I excommunicate you!  Don’t you know that I am the great apostle Joel!!!  I Joel, as an apostle, have the authority to excommunicate you and all your ilk.  That is my response.

Look at his response!  It is amazing!  (Read verses 17 and 18).  Paul is completely willing to put aside his pride.  He does not excommunicate these folks, even though he is deeply hurt by them.  But he puts aside his feelings for the sake of the greater cause.  Even though they do not like me personally, at least they are preaching Christ.  I rejoice in this.  What is the Key to Paul’s incredible attitude?

THE SUBTLE ELF

Paul lived for the gospel.  For me to live is Christ, to die is gain.  He lived for something that went beyond himself.  Most people live for themselves.  They make virtually every decision based on what will help them personally.  They care about and live for themselves first and foremost.  Religion is fit into that paradigm; it is primarily a vehicle by which I find spiritual self-actualization.  God is there to make me feel spiritually satisfied.  That kind of God is not God at all but our servants.

Paul lived for the Kingdom of God.  His own feelings in the matter were secondary.  He was driven by his desire to see the gospel of Jesus preached to all.  Even those who didn’t like him were doing that.  This is the key to Paul’s joy.  Joy is never obtained by seeking it.  Joy is obtained by seeking God, and the joy itself is a byproduct. 

Joy is a subtle elf,

you only find it when you forget yourself.

Paul’s passion for Christ challenges us.  Christ needs to mean more to you.  Christ needs to be the center of your universe.  Christ needs to be your joy.

THE NATURE OF JOY

This passage unlocks for us the apostolic vision of job.  It teaches us about the nature of Christian joy.  Joy is not the self-satisfied delight that everything works out the way we want.  It is the settled peace that arises from making the gospel the focus of life and understanding that God is able to advance the gospel under life’s most difficult circumstances.  The advancement of the gospel was Paul’s primary goal in life.  If we lack joy in life, then we must ask ourselves if we are addicted to our own happiness.  Should we be more connected to the goals of God’s purposes in our lives.  Jesus said it simply: Seek first God’s Kingdom.  Everything else comes next.  Joy is a subtle elf.  You only find it when you forget yourself.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

First: Don’t complain about the hand of cards life has dealt you, but learn to honor God right where you are.  Don’t be the kind of person who lives for yourself.  Don’t be afraid to live your lives completely for Jesus Christ.  You do not give up joy, you find joy only when you choose to stop seeking after it but seek God’s kingdom instead.