When you watch a basketball game for the first time, you may be filled with all kinds of emotions, but when you know who will win, you can settle into the joy of victory.
In other words, joy is multiplied when victory is secure. This week, we will look at more marks of a faithful follower but they’ll be centered on gospel progression.
Philippians 1:12-19 NASB
12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, 13 so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the praetorian guard and to everyone else, 14 and that most of the brothers and sisters, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear. 15 Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from goodwill; 16 the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; 17 the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking that they are causing me distress in my imprisonment. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice.
But not only that, I also will rejoice, 19 for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
There are three marks of a faithful follower:
1. A passion for gospel progression or advancement
2. Gospel confidence – confidence in the power of the gospel
Advancing the gospel is a mark of a faithful follower.
Paul wasn’t focused on the pain of being in prison but instead saw this as an opportunity. He didn’t care about his own good, he cared more about the gospel and that it would be advanced.
The gospel is the fertile ground in your life no matter what happens around you. It should grow anywhere we are. We must be obedient in sharing the gospel.
Paul saw prison as a place where he was sent by God, not man. We should have the same passion for the gospel to progress, in such a way that everywhere is an opportunity for the gospel to progress. He knew he was on a mission and not being sidelined.
You could take this very perspective and look at your current situation as an opportunity rather than as a liability. Your work could be a place to share your faith instead of an experience that you just have to overcome. Even parenting can be seen as an opportunity to share the gospel.
This paradigm shift is available to you if you would just choose it. This shift could be used in every part of your life. See every situation as an opportunity to proclaim the gospel and bring God glory in every part of your life through the words you speak and the things you do.
Paul used every opportunity, even in prison, through his words to lead people to the gospel. As a result, the Praetorian guard, who protected him day and night, got to hear about Jesus and everyone else.
He also saw the impact of his imprisonment in how his brothers and sisters in the gospel were encouraged. If Paul can share the gospel, so can every one of us. He could’ve been distracted by pain, affliction, or discouragement but instead, he was focused on advancing the gospel.
Instead of worrying about how to get out of this situation, he was able to leverage the situation to see God’s agenda progress. God has an amazing way to use us in our brokenness to heal someone else’s brokenness.
If you lack the passion to share, pray at a specific time every day until the Lord sends you with a passion to a neighbor or a family member.
A faithful follower is marked by confidence in the gospel’s power.
Paul didn’t care about the person’s motive, he just wanted to see Jesus preached to the world. Even though some people didn’t like him, his focus was not broken.
Have you ever been distracted so much that it kept you from sharing the gospel? We must keep our eyes on the prize. We can’t be distracted by sideways energy to the point where we are not moving the gospel forward. We have to let the heavy lifting be done by the Word and gospel of Jesus Christ, instead of being worried about what others are doing. The gospel is what has the power, even in the craziest situations. We can’t be so distracted by preference and tradition that we don’t allow the gospel to move forward.
A faithful follower is marked by a spirit of hope and joy.
Paul made a commitment to continue to rejoice. Paul chose an attitude of joy every day, instead of being distracted by discouragement or even by accolades.
You are a representative of Christ, so you make a choice every day to walk in hope and joy. What is your focus today? Are you focused on life circumstances or are you focused on gospel progression?
Let’s commit today to advancing the gospel no matter what is happening in our lives.
