WEBVTT 00:00:00.100 --> 00:00:02.660 Thank you, Richard. That's a good message in that song. 00:00:04.320 --> 00:00:07.799 Whenever you think that your life is hard, 00:00:08.800 --> 00:00:14.019 I want you to think about the life of the Apostle Paul 00:00:14.019 --> 00:00:19.440 and the hardship that he went through over a four-year period. 00:00:21.600 --> 00:00:23.339 It began in Jerusalem. 00:00:23.339 --> 00:00:31.880 He was seized by Jewish leaders and charged with inciting a riot. 00:00:33.219 --> 00:00:35.380 The charges were groundless, 00:00:36.480 --> 00:00:40.420 but nonetheless, he was taken prisoner. 00:00:41.420 --> 00:00:44.799 He wound up being taken to Caesarea 00:00:44.799 --> 00:00:50.420 and being imprisoned there for two years, 00:00:50.420 --> 00:00:53.960 but never truly charged with a crime. 00:00:56.200 --> 00:01:00.240 Finally, he got fed up with it. 00:01:01.300 --> 00:01:03.359 He was under arrest. He was imprisoned. 00:01:04.579 --> 00:01:06.819 He appeared before two different Roman governors. 00:01:07.319 --> 00:01:08.599 One succeeded the other. 00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:12.500 It just seemed like they would not do anything. 00:01:12.740 --> 00:01:14.420 They were listening to those Jewish leaders 00:01:14.420 --> 00:01:19.480 who were falsely accusing him of inciting a riot, 00:01:19.960 --> 00:01:23.420 causing all kinds of havoc in that place. 00:01:24.760 --> 00:01:28.540 And so they would listen to Paul, listen to them, but do nothing. 00:01:28.820 --> 00:01:30.560 Finally, Paul got tired of it, and he said, 00:01:30.799 --> 00:01:32.140 I appeal to Caesar. 00:01:32.500 --> 00:01:35.180 And as a Roman citizen, he had that right, 00:01:36.299 --> 00:01:40.740 and they had to send him from Caesarea to Rome. 00:01:40.739 --> 00:01:42.739 He had to travel by ship. 00:01:44.339 --> 00:01:45.159 Now think about it. 00:01:46.099 --> 00:01:49.060 He's been two years in prison. 00:01:50.359 --> 00:01:54.099 He's now going to Rome on the ship 00:01:54.099 --> 00:01:57.319 where hopefully he's going to find some answers, 00:01:57.439 --> 00:01:58.299 get some relief. 00:02:00.179 --> 00:02:04.500 Along the way, a hurricane-like storm comes up. 00:02:04.879 --> 00:02:08.919 For many, many days, they think the ship's going to sink, 00:02:08.919 --> 00:02:11.119 but by the grace of God, it does not. 00:02:11.379 --> 00:02:14.539 But when the storm's over, the ship does run aground, 00:02:15.299 --> 00:02:16.339 breaks up, 00:02:17.419 --> 00:02:20.699 and Paul has to swim to shore, 00:02:21.459 --> 00:02:26.959 most likely hanging on to a plank from the broken ship. 00:02:28.659 --> 00:02:30.579 He finally gets to shore. 00:02:30.899 --> 00:02:32.119 There's a fire burning. 00:02:32.639 --> 00:02:34.339 He warms himself by the fire, 00:02:34.399 --> 00:02:36.259 and all of a sudden, he gets snake bit. 00:02:36.259 --> 00:02:41.280 But again, God's gracious. 00:02:42.539 --> 00:02:43.479 It doesn't faze him. 00:02:45.019 --> 00:02:48.179 He finally is taken to Rome. 00:02:50.340 --> 00:02:52.500 He's going to appear before Caesar. 00:02:53.639 --> 00:02:55.180 He does not know when. 00:02:56.120 --> 00:02:57.639 But as a Roman citizen, 00:02:58.639 --> 00:03:00.579 he is allowed to live 00:03:00.580 --> 00:03:04.100 under what we would call house arrest 00:03:04.100 --> 00:03:06.380 as he awaited his trial. 00:03:07.440 --> 00:03:08.580 He could have visitors. 00:03:09.400 --> 00:03:12.420 People could come and talk with him, 00:03:12.580 --> 00:03:13.640 listen, he could teach. 00:03:14.080 --> 00:03:16.700 He had a lot of freedom in terms of living in that house, 00:03:16.780 --> 00:03:17.320 people coming. 00:03:17.320 --> 00:03:19.980 But at all times, 00:03:20.100 --> 00:03:23.140 he was chained to a Roman soldier. 00:03:23.980 --> 00:03:25.080 No matter who came, 00:03:25.160 --> 00:03:26.220 no matter what they were talking about, 00:03:26.219 --> 00:03:27.460 no matter how he felt, 00:03:29.180 --> 00:03:32.680 he was confined to that one place 00:03:32.680 --> 00:03:36.840 and always chained to that soldier. 00:03:38.159 --> 00:03:40.020 That would be a hard situation, wouldn't it? 00:03:40.879 --> 00:03:44.699 A terrible way to live with no end in sight. 00:03:44.699 --> 00:03:49.119 Well, if you want to read those details, 00:03:49.219 --> 00:03:50.000 the details, 00:03:50.979 --> 00:03:53.479 I want to encourage you to read Acts chapter 21 00:03:53.479 --> 00:03:54.479 through chapter 28. 00:03:54.719 --> 00:03:55.739 Begin in Acts 21, 00:03:55.959 --> 00:03:56.859 go to the end of the book, 00:03:57.159 --> 00:03:59.500 and you can read all that happened to Paul 00:03:59.500 --> 00:04:00.819 over this period of four years. 00:04:02.839 --> 00:04:04.060 What I want to ask you is, 00:04:04.819 --> 00:04:06.099 how would you respond? 00:04:07.560 --> 00:04:08.699 How would you respond 00:04:08.699 --> 00:04:10.099 if you've been in prison for four years 00:04:10.099 --> 00:04:11.299 and no formal charges? 00:04:11.300 --> 00:04:14.439 You appeal, 00:04:15.660 --> 00:04:16.500 you go to Rome. 00:04:17.280 --> 00:04:18.379 You're going to be there 00:04:18.379 --> 00:04:19.819 to get your day in court 00:04:19.819 --> 00:04:21.680 before Caesar himself, the emperor. 00:04:22.639 --> 00:04:23.699 But you don't know when. 00:04:24.680 --> 00:04:25.500 And in the meantime, 00:04:25.639 --> 00:04:26.780 you're just sitting there 00:04:26.780 --> 00:04:27.900 at this one place, 00:04:27.980 --> 00:04:29.139 can't go anywhere else, 00:04:29.620 --> 00:04:31.240 chained to a Roman soldier at all times. 00:04:31.400 --> 00:04:32.439 How would you respond? 00:04:32.580 --> 00:04:33.560 What would you do? 00:04:34.819 --> 00:04:35.840 Here's what Paul did. 00:04:36.139 --> 00:04:37.400 Two things I want to point out. 00:04:38.519 --> 00:04:40.040 He continued his ministry 00:04:40.040 --> 00:04:41.480 of preaching and teaching, 00:04:41.900 --> 00:04:43.300 just as he always had done. 00:04:43.720 --> 00:04:44.360 Look at this. 00:04:44.660 --> 00:04:46.860 This is Acts 28, verses 30 and 31. 00:04:47.540 --> 00:04:49.240 He lived there two whole years 00:04:49.240 --> 00:04:50.300 at his own expense 00:04:50.300 --> 00:04:52.780 and welcomed all who came to him, 00:04:53.100 --> 00:04:54.460 proclaiming the kingdom of God 00:04:54.460 --> 00:04:56.300 and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ 00:04:56.300 --> 00:04:57.720 with all boldness 00:04:57.720 --> 00:04:59.920 and without hindrance. 00:05:00.920 --> 00:05:01.759 He had a lot of freedom 00:05:01.759 --> 00:05:03.860 in that setting. 00:05:04.700 --> 00:05:05.560 Second thing he did, 00:05:05.740 --> 00:05:08.280 he wrote letters to churches. 00:05:08.279 --> 00:05:10.379 He wrote four letters 00:05:10.379 --> 00:05:12.099 that we have in our New Testament. 00:05:12.619 --> 00:05:14.599 Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon, 00:05:15.179 --> 00:05:16.179 and Philippians. 00:05:16.839 --> 00:05:17.859 New Testament commentators 00:05:17.859 --> 00:05:18.439 refer to these 00:05:18.439 --> 00:05:20.259 as the prison letters of Paul. 00:05:21.079 --> 00:05:22.319 Well, today I want us to begin 00:05:22.319 --> 00:05:24.339 a study of the letter 00:05:24.339 --> 00:05:25.579 to the Philippians. 00:05:26.519 --> 00:05:30.019 This is the most positive letter 00:05:30.019 --> 00:05:33.919 of Paul's in the New Testament. 00:05:33.920 --> 00:05:36.360 Some commentators say 00:05:36.360 --> 00:05:38.600 that it's just a letter 00:05:38.600 --> 00:05:40.319 filled with joy. 00:05:41.280 --> 00:05:42.319 One commentator, 00:05:42.439 --> 00:05:43.920 one writer, Stuart Briscoe, 00:05:45.120 --> 00:05:46.220 agrees that joy 00:05:46.220 --> 00:05:47.540 is one of the themes 00:05:47.540 --> 00:05:47.920 of Philippians, 00:05:49.120 --> 00:05:51.540 but it's not the kind of joy 00:05:51.540 --> 00:05:53.080 that we normally think of 00:05:53.080 --> 00:05:55.020 that comes from happy feelings 00:05:55.020 --> 00:05:56.920 or pleasant circumstances. 00:05:58.460 --> 00:05:59.800 Look at how he describes 00:05:59.800 --> 00:06:01.040 the situation. 00:06:01.040 --> 00:06:04.200 Paul talks a lot about joy 00:06:04.200 --> 00:06:05.220 and rejoicing, 00:06:06.500 --> 00:06:10.379 not the I've got a wonderful feeling, 00:06:10.540 --> 00:06:11.840 everything's going my way 00:06:11.840 --> 00:06:12.640 kind of joy, 00:06:13.280 --> 00:06:14.879 but a remarkable joy 00:06:14.879 --> 00:06:16.020 that he could experience 00:06:16.020 --> 00:06:17.020 in prison 00:06:17.020 --> 00:06:19.800 when things were going wrong. 00:06:20.680 --> 00:06:22.080 That is a quality of life 00:06:22.080 --> 00:06:23.259 that is worth knowing 00:06:23.259 --> 00:06:25.420 because we all have our prisons 00:06:25.420 --> 00:06:27.280 of one kind or another. 00:06:27.279 --> 00:06:30.159 One of the ways 00:06:30.159 --> 00:06:31.859 Paul found joy 00:06:31.859 --> 00:06:33.199 in prison 00:06:33.199 --> 00:06:35.099 was just 00:06:35.099 --> 00:06:36.279 what I'm going to call 00:06:36.279 --> 00:06:37.959 he made the best 00:06:37.959 --> 00:06:39.279 of that bad situation. 00:06:40.379 --> 00:06:41.399 And that's what I want us 00:06:41.399 --> 00:06:42.000 to do this morning. 00:06:42.679 --> 00:06:44.159 I want you to open your Bible. 00:06:44.759 --> 00:06:45.599 All these verses 00:06:45.599 --> 00:06:47.079 are not going to be 00:06:47.079 --> 00:06:47.739 on the screen. 00:06:48.319 --> 00:06:49.719 The book of Philippians, 00:06:50.039 --> 00:06:51.019 chapter one. 00:06:52.059 --> 00:06:53.359 Over the course of this message, 00:06:53.419 --> 00:06:53.839 we're going to read 00:06:53.839 --> 00:06:55.119 the first 18 verses. 00:06:55.120 --> 00:06:57.160 So I want you to open your Bible 00:06:57.160 --> 00:06:58.120 and leave it there. 00:06:59.340 --> 00:07:00.899 And what I want us to see 00:07:00.899 --> 00:07:04.420 is how Paul teaches us 00:07:04.420 --> 00:07:06.639 to make the best 00:07:06.639 --> 00:07:09.040 of our bad situations. 00:07:09.800 --> 00:07:10.720 First thing, 00:07:10.980 --> 00:07:12.060 or the first lesson 00:07:12.060 --> 00:07:14.360 in doing that is this. 00:07:15.319 --> 00:07:16.519 Focus on others. 00:07:16.519 --> 00:07:19.299 When you find yourself 00:07:19.299 --> 00:07:21.060 in a bad situation, 00:07:21.740 --> 00:07:23.159 not a lot of hope, 00:07:24.319 --> 00:07:25.599 focus on other people. 00:07:26.379 --> 00:07:27.500 That's what Paul did. 00:07:28.359 --> 00:07:29.479 He entertained people 00:07:29.479 --> 00:07:30.620 coming and going, 00:07:31.180 --> 00:07:32.019 teaching, preaching. 00:07:32.139 --> 00:07:33.419 We read from the book of Acts. 00:07:33.939 --> 00:07:35.240 He wrote these four letters. 00:07:35.599 --> 00:07:36.759 Let's begin with this letter. 00:07:37.019 --> 00:07:37.879 Philippians 1, 00:07:38.879 --> 00:07:39.399 1. 00:07:40.339 --> 00:07:40.939 Paul 00:07:40.939 --> 00:07:42.819 and Timothy. 00:07:43.819 --> 00:07:45.279 Servants of Christ Jesus 00:07:45.279 --> 00:07:47.459 to all the saints 00:07:47.459 --> 00:07:48.759 in Christ Jesus 00:07:48.759 --> 00:07:50.419 who are at Philippi 00:07:50.419 --> 00:07:52.419 with the overseers 00:07:52.419 --> 00:07:53.459 and deacons. 00:07:54.139 --> 00:07:55.299 Grace to you 00:07:55.299 --> 00:07:56.439 and peace from God 00:07:56.439 --> 00:07:57.099 our Father 00:07:57.099 --> 00:07:58.899 and the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:07:59.659 --> 00:08:00.479 Paul writes 00:08:00.479 --> 00:08:01.799 a typical letter 00:08:01.799 --> 00:08:03.139 in terms of the form 00:08:03.139 --> 00:08:04.259 of his day. 00:08:05.019 --> 00:08:06.619 He included Timothy 00:08:06.619 --> 00:08:08.759 just because Paul 00:08:08.759 --> 00:08:09.579 was that kind of guy. 00:08:10.939 --> 00:08:12.019 Timothy had nothing to do 00:08:12.019 --> 00:08:13.319 with the start of that church. 00:08:13.319 --> 00:08:15.339 He was sort of 00:08:15.339 --> 00:08:16.560 Paul's understudy 00:08:16.560 --> 00:08:17.099 at the time 00:08:17.099 --> 00:08:17.759 and associate. 00:08:18.980 --> 00:08:19.620 But it just sort of 00:08:19.620 --> 00:08:20.699 shows us Paul's 00:08:20.699 --> 00:08:22.240 bigness. 00:08:23.819 --> 00:08:24.639 He wasn't concerned 00:08:24.639 --> 00:08:25.860 about getting 00:08:25.860 --> 00:08:26.719 all the attention. 00:08:27.659 --> 00:08:28.199 He includes 00:08:28.199 --> 00:08:29.019 Timothy. 00:08:29.819 --> 00:08:30.939 He addresses them 00:08:30.939 --> 00:08:31.680 as they are, 00:08:31.740 --> 00:08:32.700 as all Christians are, 00:08:32.960 --> 00:08:34.500 saints in Christ Jesus. 00:08:34.879 --> 00:08:35.899 And this is the only letter 00:08:35.899 --> 00:08:36.819 where he actually addresses 00:08:36.819 --> 00:08:37.679 the church leaders, 00:08:38.159 --> 00:08:38.799 the overseers, 00:08:39.100 --> 00:08:39.679 the pastors, 00:08:40.580 --> 00:08:41.059 the elders, 00:08:41.059 --> 00:08:43.379 and the deacons. 00:08:44.699 --> 00:08:45.019 Now, 00:08:45.919 --> 00:08:46.939 here's what I want us 00:08:46.939 --> 00:08:47.419 to think about. 00:08:49.159 --> 00:08:50.159 Paul's situation 00:08:50.159 --> 00:08:52.399 is not only 00:08:52.399 --> 00:08:53.639 awful, 00:08:55.179 --> 00:08:55.639 but he didn't know 00:08:55.639 --> 00:08:56.219 if it would ever 00:08:56.219 --> 00:08:57.500 get any better. 00:08:59.299 --> 00:09:00.379 He didn't know. 00:09:00.519 --> 00:09:00.639 I mean, 00:09:00.639 --> 00:09:01.579 he was no one. 00:09:01.599 --> 00:09:02.519 He was a Roman citizen. 00:09:02.779 --> 00:09:03.359 He had the right 00:09:03.359 --> 00:09:04.359 to appear before the emperor. 00:09:06.099 --> 00:09:07.079 But what if there were 00:09:07.079 --> 00:09:08.839 a thousand people 00:09:08.840 --> 00:09:10.100 ahead of him? 00:09:11.540 --> 00:09:12.560 He didn't know. 00:09:15.120 --> 00:09:16.300 His situation 00:09:16.300 --> 00:09:17.240 was a recipe 00:09:17.240 --> 00:09:18.700 for just sort of 00:09:18.700 --> 00:09:20.280 turning inward, 00:09:21.940 --> 00:09:22.860 feeling sorry 00:09:22.860 --> 00:09:23.720 for himself, 00:09:24.860 --> 00:09:26.540 and just being depressed. 00:09:27.759 --> 00:09:28.280 Well, 00:09:28.300 --> 00:09:29.240 that's not what he did. 00:09:30.519 --> 00:09:31.480 Paul responded 00:09:31.480 --> 00:09:32.940 to this awful situation 00:09:32.940 --> 00:09:34.540 by focusing 00:09:34.540 --> 00:09:35.379 on other people. 00:09:35.379 --> 00:09:37.960 As we saw, 00:09:38.200 --> 00:09:38.740 he continued 00:09:38.740 --> 00:09:39.360 his ministry 00:09:39.360 --> 00:09:39.860 of preaching 00:09:39.860 --> 00:09:40.480 and teaching. 00:09:41.480 --> 00:09:42.820 He wrote letters 00:09:42.820 --> 00:09:43.559 to churches. 00:09:44.899 --> 00:09:45.419 We know 00:09:45.419 --> 00:09:45.939 that he wrote 00:09:45.939 --> 00:09:47.059 this letter 00:09:47.059 --> 00:09:48.120 to the Philippian church 00:09:48.120 --> 00:09:49.919 from prison 00:09:49.919 --> 00:09:51.559 because he refers 00:09:51.559 --> 00:09:52.759 to it four times 00:09:52.759 --> 00:09:53.840 in chapter one. 00:09:54.679 --> 00:09:55.500 You'll see it there 00:09:55.500 --> 00:09:56.019 on the screen, 00:09:56.120 --> 00:09:56.720 verses 7, 00:09:56.840 --> 00:09:57.179 13, 00:09:57.340 --> 00:09:57.720 14, 00:09:57.840 --> 00:09:58.439 and 17. 00:09:59.019 --> 00:10:00.500 He uses the phrase 00:10:00.500 --> 00:10:02.059 my imprisonment. 00:10:02.580 --> 00:10:03.759 That's what the ESV, 00:10:04.120 --> 00:10:04.840 New American Standard, 00:10:04.840 --> 00:10:05.220 uses. 00:10:05.399 --> 00:10:06.100 The NIV talks 00:10:06.100 --> 00:10:07.620 about my chains. 00:10:09.139 --> 00:10:10.060 Paul was in prison. 00:10:11.560 --> 00:10:12.800 He had no freedom. 00:10:13.820 --> 00:10:14.340 He couldn't go 00:10:14.340 --> 00:10:15.120 where he wanted to go. 00:10:15.759 --> 00:10:16.620 He could live there, 00:10:17.000 --> 00:10:17.920 that rented house. 00:10:18.120 --> 00:10:18.920 He could have visitors, 00:10:19.040 --> 00:10:19.820 but he couldn't leave. 00:10:20.200 --> 00:10:20.980 And at all times, 00:10:21.040 --> 00:10:22.019 he was chained 00:10:22.019 --> 00:10:23.840 to that Roman soldier. 00:10:25.440 --> 00:10:25.680 Well, 00:10:27.060 --> 00:10:28.139 Paul spent at least 00:10:28.139 --> 00:10:29.440 four years 00:10:29.440 --> 00:10:30.000 as a prisoner. 00:10:30.139 --> 00:10:30.680 Think about it. 00:10:30.960 --> 00:10:32.120 Two years in Caesarea, 00:10:32.120 --> 00:10:32.900 as we looked at 00:10:32.899 --> 00:10:33.659 or talked about 00:10:33.659 --> 00:10:34.179 a while ago, 00:10:34.980 --> 00:10:35.659 and at least 00:10:35.659 --> 00:10:36.720 two years in Rome. 00:10:38.120 --> 00:10:39.679 He did not know 00:10:39.679 --> 00:10:40.579 if he'd ever see 00:10:40.579 --> 00:10:43.120 freedom again. 00:10:44.120 --> 00:10:46.840 In such a hopeless situation, 00:10:47.840 --> 00:10:49.340 it would be natural 00:10:49.340 --> 00:10:51.459 for him just to sort of 00:10:51.459 --> 00:10:52.519 give up, wouldn't it? 00:10:53.360 --> 00:10:55.340 To just sink 00:10:55.340 --> 00:10:57.079 into despair 00:10:57.080 --> 00:10:58.139 and depression. 00:10:59.620 --> 00:11:01.100 But he did the opposite. 00:11:02.100 --> 00:11:03.280 Instead of just sort of 00:11:03.280 --> 00:11:04.160 turning inward, 00:11:04.220 --> 00:11:04.920 he turned outward. 00:11:06.460 --> 00:11:07.200 Instead of just 00:11:07.200 --> 00:11:08.420 feeling sorry for himself 00:11:08.420 --> 00:11:09.500 and thinking how bad he had it, 00:11:09.639 --> 00:11:10.259 he started thinking 00:11:10.259 --> 00:11:11.360 about other people 00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:13.780 and their needs 00:11:13.780 --> 00:11:14.759 and how he might 00:11:14.759 --> 00:11:15.540 meet them. 00:11:15.540 --> 00:11:18.540 Paul was specifically 00:11:18.540 --> 00:11:19.460 focused on 00:11:19.460 --> 00:11:21.700 other people's need 00:11:21.700 --> 00:11:23.600 to hear the gospel, 00:11:24.460 --> 00:11:25.060 to come to faith 00:11:25.060 --> 00:11:25.600 in Jesus, 00:11:25.960 --> 00:11:26.920 or to grow 00:11:26.920 --> 00:11:27.820 in their relationship 00:11:27.820 --> 00:11:28.440 with him. 00:11:29.879 --> 00:11:30.860 There's a lot of things 00:11:30.860 --> 00:11:32.080 here we need to learn 00:11:32.080 --> 00:11:33.460 from Paul. 00:11:34.840 --> 00:11:35.800 Whenever you find 00:11:35.800 --> 00:11:36.460 yourself in 00:11:36.460 --> 00:11:38.120 a bad situation, 00:11:38.259 --> 00:11:39.300 and life's full of them, 00:11:39.400 --> 00:11:39.680 isn't it? 00:11:40.740 --> 00:11:41.920 We all go through them. 00:11:42.379 --> 00:11:43.259 Hard times. 00:11:43.379 --> 00:11:44.300 Sometimes they're short. 00:11:44.420 --> 00:11:45.460 Sometimes they're long. 00:11:46.820 --> 00:11:47.900 Sometimes we can see 00:11:47.900 --> 00:11:48.660 the light at the end 00:11:48.660 --> 00:11:49.020 of the tunnel. 00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:50.040 Sometimes we cannot. 00:11:51.700 --> 00:11:52.860 But whenever you find 00:11:52.860 --> 00:11:54.000 yourself in a situation 00:11:54.000 --> 00:11:54.640 like this, 00:11:55.240 --> 00:11:57.020 even a hopeless situation, 00:11:57.820 --> 00:11:59.520 don't retreat 00:11:59.520 --> 00:12:01.379 into your own 00:12:01.379 --> 00:12:02.820 little private world 00:12:02.820 --> 00:12:04.640 and just think about 00:12:04.640 --> 00:12:06.180 yourself and how bad 00:12:06.180 --> 00:12:07.100 you have it. 00:12:08.300 --> 00:12:09.600 Focus on other people. 00:12:10.820 --> 00:12:12.080 Talk to other people. 00:12:12.759 --> 00:12:13.320 It may be your 00:12:13.320 --> 00:12:14.280 natural inclination, 00:12:14.620 --> 00:12:15.720 I don't want to talk about it. 00:12:17.580 --> 00:12:18.759 Talk to other people. 00:12:19.900 --> 00:12:21.680 Go see other people. 00:12:21.700 --> 00:12:22.700 Get out. 00:12:22.700 --> 00:12:23.180 Get out. 00:12:24.520 --> 00:12:27.420 Don't just try to hide 00:12:27.420 --> 00:12:29.220 and hope it'll all go away. 00:12:30.360 --> 00:12:32.700 Do what you can to try 00:12:33.340 --> 00:12:34.620 to minister to other people. 00:12:36.000 --> 00:12:37.620 Focus on their needs. 00:12:38.500 --> 00:12:39.120 You know, that's one of the 00:12:39.120 --> 00:12:40.960 ways that God has wired us 00:12:40.960 --> 00:12:42.280 to deal with hardship. 00:12:43.140 --> 00:12:44.640 Some of you in this room, 00:12:44.780 --> 00:12:47.820 I have heard say something 00:12:47.820 --> 00:12:48.840 along this line. 00:12:48.840 --> 00:12:50.680 I went to see 00:12:50.680 --> 00:12:51.540 so-and-so. 00:12:52.379 --> 00:12:53.620 I knew they were having 00:12:53.620 --> 00:12:54.620 a hard time. 00:12:55.360 --> 00:12:56.840 I went to visit them 00:12:56.840 --> 00:12:57.780 to maybe offer 00:12:57.780 --> 00:12:58.759 a little encouragement. 00:12:59.620 --> 00:13:01.200 But they encouraged me 00:13:01.200 --> 00:13:02.320 more than I did them. 00:13:02.320 --> 00:13:06.379 I want you to understand. 00:13:06.980 --> 00:13:08.100 God has made us 00:13:08.100 --> 00:13:08.860 as human beings 00:13:08.860 --> 00:13:09.840 created in His image 00:13:09.840 --> 00:13:12.140 to be relational people. 00:13:13.140 --> 00:13:15.240 And we especially need 00:13:15.240 --> 00:13:16.820 other people in our lives 00:13:16.820 --> 00:13:18.660 when things are going bad. 00:13:18.780 --> 00:13:20.060 When we are tempted 00:13:20.060 --> 00:13:21.980 to be down and out, 00:13:22.340 --> 00:13:22.920 depressed. 00:13:24.200 --> 00:13:25.500 The most natural thing 00:13:25.500 --> 00:13:25.960 for you to do 00:13:25.960 --> 00:13:27.320 is try to write it out yourself. 00:13:28.640 --> 00:13:29.680 Keep silent. 00:13:29.679 --> 00:13:30.339 Oh, I don't want 00:13:30.339 --> 00:13:31.159 to bother anybody. 00:13:32.659 --> 00:13:33.579 Talk to people. 00:13:34.679 --> 00:13:35.620 Find people 00:13:35.620 --> 00:13:37.519 who will listen to you, 00:13:37.739 --> 00:13:38.399 who will care. 00:13:39.279 --> 00:13:40.519 This is sort of an aside here. 00:13:41.599 --> 00:13:43.439 If someone comes to you 00:13:43.439 --> 00:13:46.099 and you can tell 00:13:46.099 --> 00:13:47.259 they're burdened, 00:13:47.319 --> 00:13:48.120 there's a problem, 00:13:48.639 --> 00:13:50.039 and they start talking 00:13:50.039 --> 00:13:51.679 about their situation, 00:13:52.899 --> 00:13:53.679 just so I don't 00:13:54.479 --> 00:13:56.120 step on anybody's toes, 00:13:57.479 --> 00:13:58.359 get too personal, 00:13:58.360 --> 00:14:00.639 let's just say 00:14:00.639 --> 00:14:01.879 they come to you 00:14:01.879 --> 00:14:02.700 and they're discouraged 00:14:02.700 --> 00:14:03.560 and they're down and out 00:14:03.560 --> 00:14:05.720 because their dog died. 00:14:08.220 --> 00:14:10.539 Don't listen to two sentences 00:14:10.539 --> 00:14:12.620 and then tell them 00:14:12.620 --> 00:14:14.039 your experience 00:14:14.039 --> 00:14:15.840 about your dog dying 00:14:15.840 --> 00:14:18.279 and forget about them. 00:14:19.860 --> 00:14:22.279 That happens more times than not. 00:14:23.320 --> 00:14:24.139 You think about it. 00:14:24.399 --> 00:14:25.759 When you have really tried 00:14:25.759 --> 00:14:27.779 to talk to somebody, 00:14:29.179 --> 00:14:30.120 unload a burden, 00:14:30.919 --> 00:14:31.860 get some help, 00:14:33.019 --> 00:14:35.039 just not keep it all to yourself, 00:14:35.720 --> 00:14:37.960 and as soon as you get it all out, 00:14:38.799 --> 00:14:40.419 instead of them listening to you, 00:14:40.960 --> 00:14:42.299 trying to encourage you, 00:14:43.039 --> 00:14:45.460 they tell you their stories. 00:14:46.039 --> 00:14:47.639 Sort of like you show them your scar, 00:14:47.879 --> 00:14:48.860 they got to show you theirs. 00:14:50.100 --> 00:14:51.340 That's not what people need 00:14:51.340 --> 00:14:52.460 who come to see us. 00:14:52.460 --> 00:14:55.580 Human nature is such, 00:14:55.720 --> 00:14:57.720 we make life all about me. 00:14:58.620 --> 00:14:59.620 I'd rather talk about me 00:14:59.620 --> 00:15:00.000 than anybody. 00:15:00.139 --> 00:15:00.700 You had too. 00:15:01.360 --> 00:15:02.180 Not talk about me, 00:15:02.259 --> 00:15:02.879 talk about yourself. 00:15:04.120 --> 00:15:05.800 We need to resist 00:15:05.800 --> 00:15:07.120 that temptation. 00:15:07.960 --> 00:15:10.580 When people are coming to us, 00:15:11.100 --> 00:15:12.580 when they are trying to 00:15:12.580 --> 00:15:14.379 focus on other people, 00:15:15.340 --> 00:15:16.040 let them, 00:15:16.680 --> 00:15:18.480 let them help them. 00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:21.019 The second lesson 00:15:21.019 --> 00:15:21.920 about making the best 00:15:21.920 --> 00:15:22.680 of bad situations 00:15:22.680 --> 00:15:24.300 is be thankful. 00:15:25.600 --> 00:15:26.860 Look for something 00:15:26.860 --> 00:15:28.320 to thank God for 00:15:28.320 --> 00:15:29.980 or to thank somebody else for. 00:15:30.220 --> 00:15:31.060 I want you to look now 00:15:31.060 --> 00:15:32.460 in verses three through eight. 00:15:34.980 --> 00:15:35.700 Paul says, 00:15:35.860 --> 00:15:37.300 I thank my God 00:15:37.300 --> 00:15:40.019 in all my remembrance of you, 00:15:40.920 --> 00:15:43.080 always in every prayer of mine 00:15:43.080 --> 00:15:43.759 for you, 00:15:44.379 --> 00:15:45.399 for you all, 00:15:45.879 --> 00:15:47.420 making my prayer with joy. 00:15:47.419 --> 00:15:48.740 Paul was a southerner. 00:15:49.939 --> 00:15:51.439 He talks about you all 00:15:51.439 --> 00:15:53.019 all the time. 00:15:53.379 --> 00:15:54.079 Look at it. 00:15:55.579 --> 00:15:57.099 Always in every prayer of mine 00:15:57.099 --> 00:15:58.179 for you all, 00:15:58.500 --> 00:16:00.339 making my prayer with joy 00:16:00.339 --> 00:16:01.959 because of your partnership 00:16:01.959 --> 00:16:02.959 in the gospel 00:16:02.959 --> 00:16:04.959 from the first day until now. 00:16:05.500 --> 00:16:06.500 And I'm sure of this, 00:16:06.579 --> 00:16:07.339 that he who began 00:16:07.339 --> 00:16:08.299 a good work in you 00:16:08.299 --> 00:16:09.759 will bring it to completion 00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:11.039 this day of Jesus Christ. 00:16:11.539 --> 00:16:13.219 It is right for me 00:16:13.219 --> 00:16:14.679 to feel this way about 00:16:14.679 --> 00:16:16.139 you all 00:16:16.139 --> 00:16:18.500 because I hold you 00:16:18.500 --> 00:16:19.239 in my heart. 00:16:19.239 --> 00:16:22.199 For you are all partakers 00:16:22.199 --> 00:16:24.000 with me of grace, 00:16:24.699 --> 00:16:26.159 both in my imprisonment 00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:27.539 and in the defense 00:16:27.539 --> 00:16:28.500 and confirmation 00:16:28.500 --> 00:16:29.539 of the gospel. 00:16:30.179 --> 00:16:31.539 For God is my witness, 00:16:32.199 --> 00:16:34.759 how I yearn for you all 00:16:34.759 --> 00:16:36.519 with the affection 00:16:36.519 --> 00:16:38.339 of Christ Jesus. 00:16:38.340 --> 00:16:42.300 I want us to look 00:16:42.300 --> 00:16:43.040 at some of the things 00:16:43.040 --> 00:16:44.899 that Paul was thankful for. 00:16:46.460 --> 00:16:47.440 There in Rome, 00:16:47.840 --> 00:16:48.960 chained to that soldier, 00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:53.160 no real idea 00:16:53.160 --> 00:16:55.920 when or if you'll get set free. 00:16:55.920 --> 00:16:58.000 Look at it. 00:16:58.480 --> 00:16:59.040 Number one, 00:16:59.639 --> 00:17:00.399 be thankful 00:17:00.399 --> 00:17:02.500 for the people in your life. 00:17:03.820 --> 00:17:04.799 Be thankful 00:17:04.799 --> 00:17:05.779 for the people in your life. 00:17:06.700 --> 00:17:07.599 Paul was thankful 00:17:07.599 --> 00:17:10.740 for these Philippian Christians. 00:17:11.759 --> 00:17:13.200 And he thanked God 00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:14.379 for them. 00:17:15.000 --> 00:17:15.460 Look at it. 00:17:15.480 --> 00:17:16.180 Verse three again. 00:17:16.779 --> 00:17:17.720 I thank my God 00:17:17.720 --> 00:17:19.160 in all my remembrance of you, 00:17:20.359 --> 00:17:21.660 always in every prayer of mine. 00:17:23.339 --> 00:17:24.619 He's telling them, 00:17:25.399 --> 00:17:27.500 I thank God for you. 00:17:28.619 --> 00:17:29.700 And then some of the other things 00:17:29.700 --> 00:17:30.200 he says, 00:17:31.359 --> 00:17:32.779 it lets them know 00:17:32.779 --> 00:17:35.619 Paul's thankful for them 00:17:35.619 --> 00:17:37.299 as well. 00:17:37.539 --> 00:17:38.539 He's thanking God 00:17:38.539 --> 00:17:39.699 and that's his way 00:17:39.699 --> 00:17:40.739 of thanking them. 00:17:41.959 --> 00:17:42.719 Let's think about 00:17:42.719 --> 00:17:43.159 some of the things 00:17:43.159 --> 00:17:44.059 that he was thankful for. 00:17:44.759 --> 00:17:45.659 They had responded 00:17:45.659 --> 00:17:46.299 to the gospel 00:17:46.299 --> 00:17:47.539 in Acts chapter 16. 00:17:47.679 --> 00:17:48.359 It tells us about 00:17:48.359 --> 00:17:50.039 Paul going to this place. 00:17:50.519 --> 00:17:51.000 He preached. 00:17:51.099 --> 00:17:51.879 People believed. 00:17:51.979 --> 00:17:52.919 A church was started. 00:17:53.559 --> 00:17:54.779 They became partners, 00:17:55.000 --> 00:17:55.599 he says, 00:17:56.500 --> 00:17:57.339 in the next verse, 00:17:57.459 --> 00:17:58.219 verse five here, 00:17:58.299 --> 00:17:59.479 because of your partnership 00:17:59.479 --> 00:18:00.739 in the gospel 00:18:00.739 --> 00:18:01.619 from the first day 00:18:01.619 --> 00:18:01.979 into now. 00:18:02.599 --> 00:18:03.819 They became partners 00:18:03.819 --> 00:18:04.619 with him in ministry. 00:18:04.719 --> 00:18:05.459 How did they do that? 00:18:05.460 --> 00:18:06.480 One thing, 00:18:06.539 --> 00:18:07.400 they prayed for him. 00:18:07.700 --> 00:18:08.340 Chapter one, 00:18:08.420 --> 00:18:09.259 verse 19. 00:18:09.420 --> 00:18:10.120 We'll look at it 00:18:10.120 --> 00:18:11.980 again another time. 00:18:12.740 --> 00:18:13.880 They really prayed for him. 00:18:14.660 --> 00:18:16.160 They supported him financially. 00:18:16.620 --> 00:18:17.380 He talks about 00:18:17.380 --> 00:18:19.240 the gift they had sent him. 00:18:19.579 --> 00:18:20.480 They'd met his needs 00:18:20.480 --> 00:18:21.180 in chapter four, 00:18:21.259 --> 00:18:21.960 verse 16. 00:18:22.500 --> 00:18:23.240 They even sent 00:18:23.240 --> 00:18:24.360 one of their members, 00:18:24.740 --> 00:18:25.160 a man by the name 00:18:25.160 --> 00:18:26.720 of Epaphroditus, 00:18:27.059 --> 00:18:27.860 in chapter two, 00:18:27.920 --> 00:18:28.480 verse 25. 00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:31.200 It is obvious 00:18:31.200 --> 00:18:33.120 that people in that church, 00:18:33.119 --> 00:18:34.459 they loved Paul. 00:18:36.079 --> 00:18:37.919 They were with him 00:18:37.919 --> 00:18:38.719 as much as they could. 00:18:38.799 --> 00:18:39.739 They supported him. 00:18:40.479 --> 00:18:41.659 And he loved them. 00:18:42.139 --> 00:18:43.139 He talks about it 00:18:43.139 --> 00:18:45.000 specifically in verse eight. 00:18:45.239 --> 00:18:45.779 It's my prayer 00:18:45.779 --> 00:18:46.879 that your love 00:18:46.879 --> 00:18:47.779 may abound more and more. 00:18:47.839 --> 00:18:48.479 And we'll talk about that 00:18:48.479 --> 00:18:49.199 a little bit later too. 00:18:51.199 --> 00:18:52.439 What I want to ask you 00:18:52.439 --> 00:18:53.919 is to think about 00:18:53.919 --> 00:18:54.479 some of the people 00:18:54.479 --> 00:18:55.259 in your life 00:18:55.259 --> 00:18:57.079 that you need 00:18:57.079 --> 00:18:58.720 to thank God for 00:18:58.720 --> 00:19:01.440 and probably 00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:03.440 express thanks 00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:05.059 to yourself. 00:19:07.220 --> 00:19:08.579 Paul is showing us here 00:19:08.579 --> 00:19:09.700 that no matter how bad 00:19:09.700 --> 00:19:11.839 our situation may be, 00:19:12.839 --> 00:19:14.160 it's always helpful 00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:16.319 to count our blessings. 00:19:18.200 --> 00:19:19.519 Thank God 00:19:19.519 --> 00:19:22.379 and thank other people 00:19:22.379 --> 00:19:23.400 that God has used 00:19:23.400 --> 00:19:25.120 to bless us. 00:19:26.660 --> 00:19:27.300 I want you to think 00:19:27.300 --> 00:19:28.140 about some of the people 00:19:28.140 --> 00:19:30.100 that God has placed 00:19:30.100 --> 00:19:31.240 in your life 00:19:31.240 --> 00:19:34.340 who have truly 00:19:34.340 --> 00:19:36.220 invested in you. 00:19:39.340 --> 00:19:41.040 Think of some of the people 00:19:41.040 --> 00:19:43.180 that God has placed 00:19:43.180 --> 00:19:43.840 in your life. 00:19:44.940 --> 00:19:45.759 They've given 00:19:45.759 --> 00:19:46.920 of themselves to you 00:19:46.920 --> 00:19:49.400 and you really are 00:19:49.400 --> 00:19:50.980 thankful for them. 00:19:50.980 --> 00:19:54.180 Think of some of the ones 00:19:54.180 --> 00:19:54.759 who have 00:19:54.759 --> 00:19:57.099 always been there 00:19:57.099 --> 00:19:57.660 for you 00:19:57.660 --> 00:20:00.180 even if you didn't 00:20:00.180 --> 00:20:00.660 really 00:20:00.660 --> 00:20:03.120 pay them a whole lot 00:20:03.120 --> 00:20:03.539 of attention. 00:20:05.120 --> 00:20:05.920 Even if you didn't 00:20:05.920 --> 00:20:07.200 really need anything 00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:07.839 sometimes. 00:20:09.039 --> 00:20:10.079 Think of some of the people 00:20:10.079 --> 00:20:11.240 who've always been there 00:20:11.240 --> 00:20:11.720 for you 00:20:11.720 --> 00:20:13.440 whether you acknowledged 00:20:13.440 --> 00:20:13.900 it or not, 00:20:13.980 --> 00:20:14.759 whether you were thankful 00:20:14.759 --> 00:20:15.880 or not at the time. 00:20:18.700 --> 00:20:19.819 Think about some of the people 00:20:19.819 --> 00:20:20.539 who have invested 00:20:20.539 --> 00:20:21.939 in your spiritual well-being. 00:20:22.740 --> 00:20:23.700 That's the focus 00:20:23.700 --> 00:20:24.659 of what Paul's thankful 00:20:24.659 --> 00:20:25.139 for here. 00:20:26.139 --> 00:20:26.599 Some of the people 00:20:26.599 --> 00:20:27.379 who actually shared 00:20:27.379 --> 00:20:28.319 the gospel with you 00:20:28.319 --> 00:20:29.619 lived like a Christian 00:20:29.619 --> 00:20:30.240 before you 00:20:30.240 --> 00:20:32.859 have taught you 00:20:32.859 --> 00:20:33.980 how to live 00:20:33.980 --> 00:20:34.839 a Christian life 00:20:34.839 --> 00:20:35.879 by their example 00:20:35.879 --> 00:20:37.200 and by their words. 00:20:39.599 --> 00:20:40.539 When was the last time 00:20:40.539 --> 00:20:41.859 you thanked God 00:20:41.859 --> 00:20:43.299 for them? 00:20:43.299 --> 00:20:47.079 Now in thanking God 00:20:47.079 --> 00:20:47.740 for them 00:20:47.740 --> 00:20:49.460 we do that 00:20:49.460 --> 00:20:50.440 genuinely, 00:20:50.799 --> 00:20:51.139 seriously 00:20:51.139 --> 00:20:52.259 but when we 00:20:52.259 --> 00:20:53.079 thank God 00:20:53.079 --> 00:20:53.879 for someone 00:20:53.879 --> 00:20:55.740 it makes us 00:20:55.740 --> 00:20:56.519 think of them 00:20:56.519 --> 00:20:56.779 too, 00:20:56.859 --> 00:20:57.359 doesn't it? 00:20:58.559 --> 00:20:59.460 And some of the things 00:20:59.460 --> 00:21:00.180 they have 00:21:00.180 --> 00:21:01.079 done 00:21:01.079 --> 00:21:02.359 for us 00:21:02.359 --> 00:21:04.740 and in thanking 00:21:04.740 --> 00:21:05.639 God for people 00:21:05.639 --> 00:21:07.059 it should motivate us 00:21:07.059 --> 00:21:07.379 to 00:21:07.379 --> 00:21:09.339 thank them. 00:21:09.339 --> 00:21:12.619 When was the last time 00:21:12.619 --> 00:21:14.720 that you actually 00:21:14.720 --> 00:21:16.079 took the time 00:21:16.079 --> 00:21:18.099 looked them in the eye 00:21:18.099 --> 00:21:19.259 or maybe 00:21:19.259 --> 00:21:20.859 even wrote them a card 00:21:20.859 --> 00:21:22.699 and said 00:21:22.699 --> 00:21:23.779 thank you 00:21:23.779 --> 00:21:25.659 for 00:21:25.659 --> 00:21:27.139 being there. 00:21:27.799 --> 00:21:28.279 Thank you 00:21:28.279 --> 00:21:28.679 for 00:21:28.679 --> 00:21:30.199 what you've done. 00:21:31.720 --> 00:21:32.619 Thank you. 00:21:33.399 --> 00:21:34.519 You've been a blessing. 00:21:34.839 --> 00:21:36.159 God has used you 00:21:36.159 --> 00:21:37.619 in my life. 00:21:37.619 --> 00:21:39.719 You know you may be 00:21:39.719 --> 00:21:40.719 in a terrible situation 00:21:40.719 --> 00:21:41.319 right now. 00:21:42.879 --> 00:21:44.299 Maybe things going on 00:21:44.299 --> 00:21:45.039 in your home, 00:21:45.199 --> 00:21:45.679 family, 00:21:46.479 --> 00:21:47.479 where you work, 00:21:49.019 --> 00:21:49.619 job instability. 00:21:50.779 --> 00:21:51.279 Maybe you've got 00:21:51.279 --> 00:21:52.000 health issues. 00:21:52.119 --> 00:21:52.959 Maybe some school 00:21:52.959 --> 00:21:54.099 problems. 00:21:56.919 --> 00:21:58.500 Why don't you look around 00:21:58.500 --> 00:22:00.699 at who and what 00:22:00.699 --> 00:22:03.259 you can 00:22:03.259 --> 00:22:04.779 give thanks for 00:22:04.779 --> 00:22:05.419 right now. 00:22:05.419 --> 00:22:07.299 I mean life 00:22:07.299 --> 00:22:08.059 may be hard 00:22:08.059 --> 00:22:10.059 but in the midst 00:22:10.059 --> 00:22:10.579 of that 00:22:10.579 --> 00:22:11.259 that's what Paul 00:22:11.259 --> 00:22:11.740 was doing. 00:22:12.740 --> 00:22:13.500 Think about 00:22:13.500 --> 00:22:14.139 who 00:22:14.139 --> 00:22:15.079 or what. 00:22:16.579 --> 00:22:17.639 I can give 00:22:17.639 --> 00:22:18.599 thanks to God 00:22:18.599 --> 00:22:18.960 for 00:22:18.960 --> 00:22:21.399 focus on God, 00:22:21.579 --> 00:22:22.200 focus on the 00:22:22.200 --> 00:22:22.940 other person 00:22:22.940 --> 00:22:24.180 and not 00:22:24.180 --> 00:22:25.279 just get 00:22:25.279 --> 00:22:26.419 swallowed up 00:22:26.419 --> 00:22:27.039 in my own 00:22:27.039 --> 00:22:27.639 pity. 00:22:29.980 --> 00:22:30.899 Why don't you 00:22:30.899 --> 00:22:31.279 even 00:22:31.279 --> 00:22:33.419 reach out 00:22:33.419 --> 00:22:34.299 to someone 00:22:34.299 --> 00:22:35.680 that you 00:22:35.680 --> 00:22:36.399 know loves 00:22:36.399 --> 00:22:36.700 you 00:22:36.700 --> 00:22:38.159 in your 00:22:38.159 --> 00:22:38.539 difficult 00:22:38.539 --> 00:22:39.180 situation 00:22:39.180 --> 00:22:40.460 and just 00:22:40.460 --> 00:22:41.019 let them know 00:22:41.019 --> 00:22:41.779 you're hurting. 00:22:43.099 --> 00:22:43.579 Ask them 00:22:43.579 --> 00:22:43.940 to pray 00:22:43.940 --> 00:22:44.440 for you. 00:22:46.259 --> 00:22:47.119 Maybe ask 00:22:47.119 --> 00:22:47.619 them to 00:22:47.619 --> 00:22:49.079 help you, 00:22:49.200 --> 00:22:49.940 guide you, 00:22:51.059 --> 00:22:52.619 give you 00:22:52.619 --> 00:22:53.359 some advice. 00:22:55.359 --> 00:22:55.720 No matter what 00:22:55.720 --> 00:22:56.180 we're going through 00:22:56.180 --> 00:22:56.639 in our lives 00:22:56.639 --> 00:22:57.200 right now, 00:22:57.200 --> 00:22:59.900 we can 00:22:59.900 --> 00:23:00.680 give thanks 00:23:00.680 --> 00:23:01.480 to God 00:23:01.480 --> 00:23:02.500 for people 00:23:02.500 --> 00:23:04.080 who have 00:23:04.080 --> 00:23:04.519 been a blessing 00:23:04.519 --> 00:23:05.059 to us. 00:23:05.960 --> 00:23:06.720 We can 00:23:06.720 --> 00:23:07.559 give thanks 00:23:07.559 --> 00:23:07.980 to God 00:23:07.980 --> 00:23:09.100 for various 00:23:09.100 --> 00:23:09.620 kinds of 00:23:09.620 --> 00:23:10.059 things 00:23:10.059 --> 00:23:11.799 and we 00:23:11.799 --> 00:23:12.120 can give 00:23:12.120 --> 00:23:12.720 thanks to 00:23:12.720 --> 00:23:13.340 people 00:23:13.340 --> 00:23:15.740 who may 00:23:15.740 --> 00:23:17.039 really need 00:23:17.039 --> 00:23:17.660 to hear 00:23:17.660 --> 00:23:18.559 that you 00:23:18.559 --> 00:23:19.240 acknowledge 00:23:19.240 --> 00:23:19.900 their help, 00:23:20.279 --> 00:23:21.059 their love, 00:23:21.960 --> 00:23:22.819 their blessing. 00:23:23.960 --> 00:23:24.740 Do that. 00:23:25.500 --> 00:23:25.920 Do it 00:23:25.920 --> 00:23:26.600 soon. 00:23:27.820 --> 00:23:28.300 Another thing 00:23:28.300 --> 00:23:28.980 we see here, 00:23:30.240 --> 00:23:30.680 Paul was 00:23:30.680 --> 00:23:31.220 thankful for 00:23:31.220 --> 00:23:31.560 God's 00:23:31.560 --> 00:23:31.980 continuing 00:23:31.980 --> 00:23:32.660 work in 00:23:32.660 --> 00:23:33.160 his life, 00:23:33.360 --> 00:23:34.000 so we 00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:34.240 need to 00:23:34.240 --> 00:23:34.560 learn to 00:23:34.560 --> 00:23:35.080 be thankful 00:23:35.080 --> 00:23:35.539 for God's 00:23:35.539 --> 00:23:35.800 continuing 00:23:35.800 --> 00:23:36.160 work in 00:23:36.160 --> 00:23:36.840 our lives 00:23:36.840 --> 00:23:38.200 and in 00:23:38.200 --> 00:23:38.480 the lives 00:23:38.480 --> 00:23:38.779 of people 00:23:38.779 --> 00:23:39.140 we care 00:23:39.140 --> 00:23:39.460 about. 00:23:40.080 --> 00:23:40.480 That's 00:23:40.480 --> 00:23:41.240 verse 6 00:23:41.240 --> 00:23:42.360 and that's 00:23:42.360 --> 00:23:42.600 what we 00:23:42.600 --> 00:23:42.980 looked at 00:23:42.980 --> 00:23:43.759 last week, 00:23:43.800 --> 00:23:44.259 so we're 00:23:44.259 --> 00:23:44.600 not going 00:23:44.600 --> 00:23:45.500 to go 00:23:45.500 --> 00:23:45.880 there 00:23:45.880 --> 00:23:46.620 anymore. 00:23:46.800 --> 00:23:46.960 Let's 00:23:46.960 --> 00:23:47.460 move on. 00:23:48.220 --> 00:23:48.560 The third 00:23:48.560 --> 00:23:49.080 lesson about 00:23:49.080 --> 00:23:49.519 making the 00:23:49.519 --> 00:23:49.840 best of 00:23:49.840 --> 00:23:49.980 bad 00:23:49.980 --> 00:23:50.380 situations 00:23:50.380 --> 00:23:50.720 is this, 00:23:51.259 --> 00:23:51.640 pray. 00:23:52.680 --> 00:23:53.539 That should 00:23:53.539 --> 00:23:54.340 be natural 00:23:54.340 --> 00:23:54.940 to us as 00:23:54.940 --> 00:23:55.320 Christians. 00:23:55.920 --> 00:23:57.400 But Paul 00:23:57.400 --> 00:23:58.039 in verses 00:23:58.039 --> 00:23:58.700 9 through 00:23:58.700 --> 00:23:59.240 11, 00:24:00.860 --> 00:24:01.900 he really 00:24:01.900 --> 00:24:02.519 takes us 00:24:02.519 --> 00:24:03.120 to school 00:24:03.120 --> 00:24:05.300 about the 00:24:05.300 --> 00:24:05.759 way we 00:24:05.759 --> 00:24:06.220 pray. 00:24:07.420 --> 00:24:07.720 And there 00:24:07.720 --> 00:24:08.279 is so much 00:24:08.279 --> 00:24:08.940 there that's 00:24:08.940 --> 00:24:09.720 contrary to 00:24:09.720 --> 00:24:10.080 the way we 00:24:10.080 --> 00:24:10.720 normally think 00:24:10.720 --> 00:24:11.360 about prayer 00:24:11.360 --> 00:24:12.180 and pray 00:24:12.180 --> 00:24:12.940 that I want 00:24:12.940 --> 00:24:13.259 us to come 00:24:13.259 --> 00:24:13.759 back next 00:24:13.759 --> 00:24:14.140 week and 00:24:14.140 --> 00:24:14.720 let that 00:24:14.720 --> 00:24:15.279 be the 00:24:15.279 --> 00:24:15.740 focus of 00:24:15.740 --> 00:24:16.259 our study. 00:24:17.600 --> 00:24:18.500 Learning to 00:24:18.500 --> 00:24:19.860 truly pray 00:24:19.860 --> 00:24:21.660 in ways 00:24:21.660 --> 00:24:23.660 that Paul 00:24:23.660 --> 00:24:24.400 prayed and 00:24:24.400 --> 00:24:25.820 found answers 00:24:25.820 --> 00:24:26.900 and helped 00:24:26.900 --> 00:24:27.360 people. 00:24:28.680 --> 00:24:29.040 So let's 00:24:29.040 --> 00:24:29.440 move on 00:24:29.440 --> 00:24:29.700 now. 00:24:29.880 --> 00:24:30.019 Number 00:24:30.019 --> 00:24:30.400 four, 00:24:31.640 --> 00:24:32.500 stay focused 00:24:32.500 --> 00:24:33.000 on the 00:24:33.000 --> 00:24:33.700 big picture 00:24:33.700 --> 00:24:34.100 of what 00:24:34.100 --> 00:24:34.600 God is 00:24:34.600 --> 00:24:35.080 doing in 00:24:35.080 --> 00:24:35.600 your life. 00:24:37.060 --> 00:24:37.620 How do 00:24:37.620 --> 00:24:37.920 you make 00:24:37.920 --> 00:24:38.300 the best 00:24:38.300 --> 00:24:38.860 of a bad 00:24:38.860 --> 00:24:39.759 situation? 00:24:40.500 --> 00:24:40.720 Well, 00:24:40.759 --> 00:24:41.380 stay focused 00:24:41.380 --> 00:24:41.740 on the 00:24:41.740 --> 00:24:42.640 big picture 00:24:42.640 --> 00:24:43.779 of what 00:24:43.779 --> 00:24:44.240 God is 00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:44.700 doing in 00:24:44.700 --> 00:24:45.140 your life. 00:24:45.200 --> 00:24:45.300 Now, 00:24:45.340 --> 00:24:45.680 let's look 00:24:45.680 --> 00:24:46.360 again now 00:24:46.360 --> 00:24:47.360 at verse 00:24:47.360 --> 00:24:48.000 12. 00:24:48.680 --> 00:24:49.019 We're going 00:24:49.019 --> 00:24:49.140 to read 00:24:49.140 --> 00:24:49.900 verses 12 00:24:49.900 --> 00:24:50.960 through 18. 00:24:50.960 --> 00:24:52.100 I want you 00:24:52.100 --> 00:24:52.340 to think 00:24:52.340 --> 00:24:52.759 about what 00:24:52.759 --> 00:24:53.140 we've been 00:24:53.140 --> 00:24:53.539 looking at 00:24:53.539 --> 00:24:54.019 so far, 00:24:54.660 --> 00:24:55.079 Paul's 00:24:55.079 --> 00:24:55.640 situation 00:24:55.640 --> 00:24:56.340 and what 00:24:56.340 --> 00:24:56.900 he says. 00:24:57.799 --> 00:24:58.600 I want you 00:24:58.600 --> 00:24:58.920 to know, 00:24:59.039 --> 00:24:59.420 brothers, 00:25:00.380 --> 00:25:00.819 that what 00:25:00.819 --> 00:25:01.340 has happened 00:25:01.340 --> 00:25:01.860 to me 00:25:01.860 --> 00:25:03.259 has really 00:25:03.259 --> 00:25:04.779 served to 00:25:04.779 --> 00:25:05.840 advance the 00:25:05.840 --> 00:25:07.519 gospel so 00:25:07.519 --> 00:25:08.059 that it has 00:25:08.059 --> 00:25:08.840 become known 00:25:08.840 --> 00:25:09.340 throughout the 00:25:09.340 --> 00:25:10.220 whole imperial 00:25:10.220 --> 00:25:11.180 guard and 00:25:11.180 --> 00:25:11.720 to all the 00:25:11.720 --> 00:25:13.039 rest that my 00:25:13.039 --> 00:25:14.240 imprisonment is 00:25:14.240 --> 00:25:14.900 for Christ. 00:25:15.440 --> 00:25:16.120 And most 00:25:16.120 --> 00:25:16.840 of the brothers 00:25:16.840 --> 00:25:18.279 having become 00:25:18.279 --> 00:25:19.259 confident in the 00:25:19.259 --> 00:25:19.940 Lord by my 00:25:19.940 --> 00:25:20.579 imprisonment, 00:25:20.579 --> 00:25:21.639 are much 00:25:21.639 --> 00:25:22.779 more bold 00:25:22.779 --> 00:25:23.919 to speak the 00:25:23.919 --> 00:25:24.460 word without 00:25:24.460 --> 00:25:24.819 fear. 00:25:25.519 --> 00:25:26.279 Some indeed 00:25:26.279 --> 00:25:27.179 preach Christ 00:25:27.179 --> 00:25:27.919 from envy 00:25:27.919 --> 00:25:28.779 and rivalry, 00:25:29.679 --> 00:25:30.179 but others 00:25:30.179 --> 00:25:30.579 from good 00:25:30.579 --> 00:25:30.939 will. 00:25:31.559 --> 00:25:31.919 The latter 00:25:31.919 --> 00:25:32.379 do it out 00:25:32.379 --> 00:25:32.879 of love, 00:25:32.980 --> 00:25:33.419 knowing that 00:25:33.419 --> 00:25:33.960 I am put 00:25:33.960 --> 00:25:34.480 here for the 00:25:34.480 --> 00:25:34.899 defense of 00:25:34.899 --> 00:25:35.379 the gospel. 00:25:35.799 --> 00:25:36.259 The former 00:25:36.259 --> 00:25:37.240 proclaim Christ 00:25:37.240 --> 00:25:38.299 out of selfish 00:25:38.299 --> 00:25:39.339 ambition, 00:25:40.199 --> 00:25:41.299 not sincerely, 00:25:41.619 --> 00:25:42.119 but thinking 00:25:42.119 --> 00:25:43.179 to afflict me 00:25:43.179 --> 00:25:43.559 in my 00:25:43.559 --> 00:25:44.179 imprisonment. 00:25:44.599 --> 00:25:45.199 What then? 00:25:45.480 --> 00:25:46.259 Only that in 00:25:46.259 --> 00:25:46.939 every way, 00:25:47.220 --> 00:25:47.639 whether in 00:25:47.639 --> 00:25:48.559 pretense or in 00:25:48.559 --> 00:25:48.980 truth, 00:25:49.859 --> 00:25:50.419 Christ is 00:25:50.420 --> 00:25:50.880 proclaimed, 00:25:51.600 --> 00:25:51.980 and in 00:25:51.980 --> 00:25:53.240 that I 00:25:53.240 --> 00:25:53.680 rejoice. 00:25:55.140 --> 00:25:55.519 Now if you 00:25:55.519 --> 00:25:55.940 look back in 00:25:55.940 --> 00:25:56.880 verse 12, 00:25:58.220 --> 00:25:58.779 Paul begins 00:25:58.779 --> 00:25:59.500 this section by 00:25:59.500 --> 00:26:00.160 referring to 00:26:00.160 --> 00:26:01.380 what has 00:26:01.380 --> 00:26:01.840 happened to 00:26:01.840 --> 00:26:02.060 me. 00:26:03.500 --> 00:26:03.980 What's 00:26:03.980 --> 00:26:04.680 described in 00:26:04.680 --> 00:26:05.320 detail in 00:26:05.320 --> 00:26:05.900 Acts chapter 00:26:05.900 --> 00:26:06.500 21 through 00:26:06.500 --> 00:26:07.080 28. 00:26:08.539 --> 00:26:09.100 Alec 00:26:09.100 --> 00:26:10.620 Motyer, 00:26:11.820 --> 00:26:12.120 a New 00:26:12.120 --> 00:26:12.420 Testament 00:26:12.420 --> 00:26:13.180 commentator, 00:26:13.820 --> 00:26:14.560 he provides a 00:26:14.560 --> 00:26:15.720 helpful summary of 00:26:15.720 --> 00:26:16.480 what happened to 00:26:16.480 --> 00:26:17.019 Paul, 00:26:18.839 --> 00:26:19.579 we need to 00:26:19.579 --> 00:26:20.000 think about 00:26:20.000 --> 00:26:21.140 again as we 00:26:21.140 --> 00:26:21.559 move on. 00:26:21.660 --> 00:26:22.140 Look at this. 00:26:23.400 --> 00:26:23.960 He says, 00:26:24.740 --> 00:26:26.380 an entirely 00:26:26.380 --> 00:26:27.640 false accusation 00:26:27.640 --> 00:26:28.400 was leveled at 00:26:28.400 --> 00:26:29.079 him by his own 00:26:29.079 --> 00:26:29.420 people. 00:26:30.339 --> 00:26:31.120 He was nearly 00:26:31.120 --> 00:26:32.660 lynched by a 00:26:32.660 --> 00:26:33.599 religious mob. 00:26:34.259 --> 00:26:35.180 He was made the 00:26:35.180 --> 00:26:36.400 subject of unjust 00:26:36.400 --> 00:26:37.059 and unprovoked 00:26:37.059 --> 00:26:38.500 insult and shame. 00:26:39.220 --> 00:26:40.019 He was kept 00:26:40.019 --> 00:26:42.319 imprisoned owing to 00:26:42.319 --> 00:26:43.559 official craving for 00:26:43.559 --> 00:26:44.740 popularity or for 00:26:44.740 --> 00:26:45.059 money. 00:26:46.200 --> 00:26:46.859 Then came the 00:26:46.859 --> 00:26:47.980 prolonged trial of 00:26:47.980 --> 00:26:49.000 the storm at sea 00:26:49.000 --> 00:26:51.140 where his life hung 00:26:51.140 --> 00:26:52.120 as it seemed by a 00:26:52.120 --> 00:26:52.460 thread. 00:26:53.339 --> 00:26:54.059 Eventually when he 00:26:54.059 --> 00:26:55.380 reached Rome, he 00:26:55.380 --> 00:26:56.460 came in the company 00:26:56.460 --> 00:26:57.440 of the condemned, 00:26:58.400 --> 00:26:59.680 bound by a chain 00:26:59.680 --> 00:27:00.980 and destined to 00:27:00.980 --> 00:27:02.480 drag out at least 00:27:02.480 --> 00:27:04.099 two years under 00:27:04.099 --> 00:27:06.160 arrest awaiting the 00:27:06.160 --> 00:27:07.200 uncertain decision 00:27:07.200 --> 00:27:08.160 of an earthly king. 00:27:09.000 --> 00:27:11.299 Nevertheless, still 00:27:11.299 --> 00:27:13.160 imprisoned, still 00:27:13.160 --> 00:27:14.420 chained, still 00:27:14.420 --> 00:27:15.900 unheard, still 00:27:15.900 --> 00:27:16.539 uncertain. 00:27:17.220 --> 00:27:18.320 He looks back and 00:27:18.320 --> 00:27:20.960 declares that what 00:27:20.960 --> 00:27:22.120 has happened to me 00:27:22.120 --> 00:27:23.800 has really served to 00:27:23.800 --> 00:27:25.860 advance the gospel. 00:27:26.680 --> 00:27:27.779 That's just amazing, 00:27:27.880 --> 00:27:28.279 isn't it? 00:27:30.160 --> 00:27:31.660 After all he's gone 00:27:31.660 --> 00:27:34.160 through, the most 00:27:34.160 --> 00:27:35.259 natural thing would be 00:27:35.259 --> 00:27:37.440 for Paul to just be 00:27:37.440 --> 00:27:39.519 depressed, angry, angry 00:27:39.519 --> 00:27:40.519 at God, angry at 00:27:40.519 --> 00:27:43.799 everybody, questioning 00:27:43.799 --> 00:27:45.059 why in the world, God, 00:27:45.119 --> 00:27:46.059 have you allowed this to 00:27:46.059 --> 00:27:46.559 happen to me? 00:27:46.680 --> 00:27:48.059 I have been faithful. 00:27:49.160 --> 00:27:51.900 Why have you allowed me 00:27:51.900 --> 00:27:52.960 to go through four years 00:27:52.960 --> 00:27:55.879 of hell on earth and 00:27:55.879 --> 00:27:56.960 still no end in sight? 00:27:58.539 --> 00:27:59.619 Paul didn't think that 00:27:59.619 --> 00:27:59.839 way. 00:28:00.460 --> 00:28:02.019 He didn't talk that way. 00:28:02.039 --> 00:28:03.119 He didn't write that way. 00:28:04.559 --> 00:28:05.639 This shows that what he 00:28:05.639 --> 00:28:06.720 was doing, he was looking 00:28:06.720 --> 00:28:08.559 at the big picture of what 00:28:08.559 --> 00:28:09.740 God was doing in his life. 00:28:10.179 --> 00:28:11.200 He said he was called by 00:28:11.200 --> 00:28:12.639 God to be, to take the 00:28:12.639 --> 00:28:14.000 gospel to the Gentiles. 00:28:14.759 --> 00:28:17.599 He was called by God to be 00:28:17.599 --> 00:28:18.460 the missionary, the 00:28:18.460 --> 00:28:19.720 evangelist, the church 00:28:19.720 --> 00:28:22.179 starter among the Gentile 00:28:22.179 --> 00:28:22.960 world. 00:28:23.899 --> 00:28:27.079 Well, he didn't want it to 00:28:27.079 --> 00:28:27.960 happen this way. 00:28:27.960 --> 00:28:30.279 It certainly wasn't what he 00:28:30.279 --> 00:28:33.120 planned, but he was now 00:28:33.120 --> 00:28:35.400 there in Rome preaching 00:28:35.400 --> 00:28:38.559 and teaching in what would 00:28:38.559 --> 00:28:40.180 be called the heart and soul 00:28:40.180 --> 00:28:42.180 of the Gentile world. 00:28:44.519 --> 00:28:45.980 So instead of just thinking 00:28:45.980 --> 00:28:48.960 about how bad things have 00:28:48.960 --> 00:28:51.980 been, he looks at it as it's 00:28:51.980 --> 00:28:53.980 all served God's purpose. 00:28:53.980 --> 00:28:57.400 It has advanced the gospel. 00:28:58.940 --> 00:28:59.799 Now I want you to look at 00:28:59.799 --> 00:29:03.019 some of these verses at the 00:29:03.019 --> 00:29:05.319 positive things Paul calls 00:29:05.319 --> 00:29:07.319 attention to that have 00:29:07.319 --> 00:29:10.700 happened as a result of his 00:29:10.700 --> 00:29:13.140 suffering and imprisonment. 00:29:13.220 --> 00:29:15.120 First, he's been able to reach 00:29:15.120 --> 00:29:16.680 the whole imperial guard in 00:29:16.680 --> 00:29:17.360 verse 13. 00:29:17.740 --> 00:29:19.400 That was the official body 00:29:19.400 --> 00:29:21.140 guard of the emperor and the 00:29:21.140 --> 00:29:22.839 ones responsible for guarding 00:29:22.839 --> 00:29:27.500 Roman prisoners, official Roman 00:29:27.500 --> 00:29:28.740 prisoners like Paul. 00:29:29.740 --> 00:29:31.299 One of those soldiers was 00:29:31.299 --> 00:29:33.019 chained to Paul at all times. 00:29:34.759 --> 00:29:36.099 They would have rotated. 00:29:37.839 --> 00:29:39.359 They would over a period of 00:29:39.359 --> 00:29:42.419 two years, no telling how many 00:29:42.419 --> 00:29:44.779 different soldiers, hundreds of 00:29:44.779 --> 00:29:46.679 soldiers would have rotated in 00:29:46.679 --> 00:29:48.619 and out guarding Paul, being 00:29:48.619 --> 00:29:49.480 chained to Paul. 00:29:49.480 --> 00:29:52.599 Well, you know that some of 00:29:52.599 --> 00:29:53.720 those soldiers, they would 00:29:53.720 --> 00:29:54.759 have hated being there. 00:29:54.860 --> 00:29:55.759 They would have hated Paul. 00:29:55.940 --> 00:29:56.980 They would have ignored him. 00:29:57.059 --> 00:29:57.779 They would have tried to 00:29:57.779 --> 00:29:58.880 mistreat him as much as they 00:29:58.880 --> 00:29:59.279 could. 00:29:59.779 --> 00:30:01.779 But being a Roman prisoner, a 00:30:01.779 --> 00:30:03.980 Roman citizen, he had certain 00:30:03.980 --> 00:30:05.819 rights, so they couldn't do 00:30:05.819 --> 00:30:06.480 much. 00:30:08.059 --> 00:30:11.440 But some of them, some of them 00:30:11.440 --> 00:30:14.339 would have listened to Paul as 00:30:14.339 --> 00:30:17.059 he taught the scriptures, as he 00:30:17.059 --> 00:30:18.740 explained the gospel of people 00:30:18.740 --> 00:30:19.160 coming. 00:30:20.339 --> 00:30:21.819 Some of them would have listened 00:30:21.819 --> 00:30:24.519 carefully as Paul dictated the 00:30:24.519 --> 00:30:26.380 letter to the Ephesian Christians, 00:30:27.200 --> 00:30:30.819 to the Colossians, to the man 00:30:30.819 --> 00:30:33.539 Philemon, and to these Christians 00:30:33.539 --> 00:30:34.400 here at Philippi. 00:30:35.400 --> 00:30:37.180 No doubt Paul would have personally 00:30:37.180 --> 00:30:39.539 shared the gospel with those 00:30:39.539 --> 00:30:42.380 soldiers who were interested, who 00:30:42.380 --> 00:30:43.940 asked questions. 00:30:43.940 --> 00:30:47.880 Paul took advantage of that. 00:30:48.960 --> 00:30:50.799 He was excited that he had been 00:30:50.799 --> 00:30:53.400 able to share the gospel with all 00:30:53.400 --> 00:30:55.059 those Roman soldiers. 00:30:56.980 --> 00:30:59.740 Let me ask you, have you ever 00:30:59.740 --> 00:31:00.860 considered that God may have 00:31:00.860 --> 00:31:02.820 allowed you to go through a time of 00:31:02.820 --> 00:31:06.940 difficulty for the purpose of 00:31:07.559 --> 00:31:09.580 touching certain people's lives? 00:31:09.579 --> 00:31:13.539 or that maybe God was just using you 00:31:13.539 --> 00:31:17.379 and your suffering to accomplish 00:31:17.379 --> 00:31:19.720 something that that was just God's 00:31:19.720 --> 00:31:20.059 plan. 00:31:20.159 --> 00:31:20.899 That's how it was going to be 00:31:20.899 --> 00:31:21.439 accomplished. 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:25.980 I have heard of some Christians, and 00:31:25.980 --> 00:31:28.579 you have too, maybe some in here, who 00:31:28.579 --> 00:31:31.220 have gone through, for example, cancer 00:31:31.220 --> 00:31:31.919 treatments. 00:31:31.920 --> 00:31:36.800 If you've ever seen that set up, some 00:31:36.800 --> 00:31:38.060 people, some Christians have gone 00:31:38.060 --> 00:31:39.380 through cancer treatments, they've been 00:31:39.380 --> 00:31:41.259 sitting in a chair, hooked up to an 00:31:41.259 --> 00:31:44.779 IV, getting chemo, and sort of beside 00:31:44.779 --> 00:31:47.039 them, not far away, maybe in sort of 00:31:47.039 --> 00:31:47.600 like a circle. 00:31:47.700 --> 00:31:48.420 I've seen that. 00:31:48.840 --> 00:31:50.900 Somebody else is there hooked up. 00:31:51.560 --> 00:31:53.539 And they could be a little pod of 00:31:53.539 --> 00:31:55.259 people, or just two or three, according 00:31:55.259 --> 00:31:57.519 to how the room is set up. 00:31:58.440 --> 00:32:00.920 I've heard Christians talk about being 00:32:00.920 --> 00:32:03.920 being able to share the gospel with 00:32:04.539 --> 00:32:07.680 people during that time. 00:32:08.600 --> 00:32:10.820 I have heard Christians talk about 00:32:10.820 --> 00:32:12.920 being encouraged by other Christians 00:32:13.460 --> 00:32:15.480 who were going through that same 00:32:15.480 --> 00:32:16.340 experience. 00:32:19.019 --> 00:32:23.200 In such a situation, it may be your 00:32:23.200 --> 00:32:27.019 natural tendency to just feel sorry for 00:32:27.019 --> 00:32:27.340 yourself. 00:32:27.539 --> 00:32:29.400 Why do I have to have this? 00:32:29.400 --> 00:32:31.400 Why do I have to just go through this? 00:32:32.200 --> 00:32:33.720 And just ignore everybody around you. 00:32:34.300 --> 00:32:35.500 Just get over it. 00:32:37.140 --> 00:32:38.180 But we need to learn to look at the 00:32:38.180 --> 00:32:40.560 bigger picture, whatever situation we 00:32:40.560 --> 00:32:43.500 find ourselves in, that God may want to 00:32:43.500 --> 00:32:47.600 use us in our situation to touch somebody 00:32:47.600 --> 00:32:51.680 else's life in various kinds of ways. 00:32:51.680 --> 00:32:53.360 But as Christians, we always have a 00:32:53.360 --> 00:32:56.240 responsibility to touch people in the name 00:32:56.240 --> 00:32:59.320 of Jesus Christ, to share the gospel, to 00:32:59.320 --> 00:33:01.799 demonstrate the difference Jesus makes in 00:33:01.799 --> 00:33:02.460 our lives. 00:33:04.420 --> 00:33:09.279 Paul was able to reach the imperial guard 00:33:09.279 --> 00:33:11.400 because he was outwardly focused. 00:33:11.779 --> 00:33:12.700 I want you to look at something else. 00:33:13.019 --> 00:33:14.000 He was used by God. 00:33:14.279 --> 00:33:17.019 His faithfulness motivated others to be bold 00:33:17.019 --> 00:33:17.440 witnesses. 00:33:17.580 --> 00:33:18.880 Look again at verse 14. 00:33:18.880 --> 00:33:21.320 And most of the brothers, having become 00:33:21.320 --> 00:33:23.920 confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are 00:33:23.920 --> 00:33:27.420 much more bold to speak the word without fear. 00:33:28.660 --> 00:33:31.420 You know, if you would take a public stand as a 00:33:31.420 --> 00:33:37.460 Christian, I mean, let it be known, I'm a follower of 00:33:37.460 --> 00:33:38.120 Jesus Christ. 00:33:38.220 --> 00:33:38.940 I love the Lord. 00:33:39.120 --> 00:33:40.640 I am really trying to serve Him. 00:33:40.900 --> 00:33:46.160 It very well may be, you might be used by God to 00:33:46.160 --> 00:33:49.560 inspire somebody who is a Christian, but they're sort of 00:33:49.560 --> 00:33:51.000 reluctant to take a stand. 00:33:52.000 --> 00:33:54.560 Or God may use you to actually share the gospel to 00:33:54.560 --> 00:33:54.820 someone. 00:33:54.820 --> 00:34:02.480 When I was a student at Clemson in 1975, God used a 00:34:02.480 --> 00:34:03.680 friend of mine. 00:34:04.580 --> 00:34:06.220 We'd gone through high school together. 00:34:06.620 --> 00:34:07.820 We were at Clemson together. 00:34:07.819 --> 00:34:15.799 And in our sophomore year, he took a strong stand to start 00:34:15.799 --> 00:34:17.659 living a faithful Christian life. 00:34:19.319 --> 00:34:23.940 And when he did that, he inspired me. 00:34:25.400 --> 00:34:31.039 And I followed his lead and drawing back closer to the Lord. 00:34:32.000 --> 00:34:33.059 I'm going to be real honest with you. 00:34:33.360 --> 00:34:34.799 We'd gone through high school together. 00:34:34.800 --> 00:34:38.700 We'd done some sinful things together. 00:34:38.820 --> 00:34:39.940 We knew one another well. 00:34:41.519 --> 00:34:45.320 He took that stand in front of me. 00:34:47.200 --> 00:34:52.920 And truly, God used it to get my attention, to draw me back to 00:34:52.920 --> 00:34:53.860 where I needed to be. 00:34:54.000 --> 00:34:57.000 And not long after that, to call me to preach. 00:34:58.740 --> 00:35:04.260 There may be someone in your life today, maybe a family member, 00:35:04.260 --> 00:35:08.100 a friend, maybe somebody who's just sort of an acquaintance, and 00:35:08.100 --> 00:35:10.120 they're looking at you more than you thought they were. 00:35:11.420 --> 00:35:14.380 Maybe they are a Christian, but they're not where they need to 00:35:14.380 --> 00:35:15.460 be spiritually today. 00:35:17.340 --> 00:35:20.240 Maybe they're sort of drifted away from the Lord or even 00:35:20.240 --> 00:35:20.740 rebelling. 00:35:22.480 --> 00:35:26.420 It could be that if you would get serious about, I'm going to live 00:35:26.420 --> 00:35:27.080 like a Christian. 00:35:27.079 --> 00:35:32.599 I'm going to not let whatever it is that's your terrible situation, 00:35:32.799 --> 00:35:34.279 I'm not going to let it defeat me. 00:35:35.059 --> 00:35:39.179 I'm going to be faithful to God no matter what it costs me, no 00:35:39.179 --> 00:35:40.340 matter how much I suffer. 00:35:41.420 --> 00:35:46.559 And in so doing, God will use your witness, your testimony to get 00:35:46.559 --> 00:35:49.880 somebody's attention and draw them back to himself or maybe even 00:35:49.880 --> 00:35:53.019 draw them to him for the first time and save them. 00:35:53.019 --> 00:35:59.460 But I want you to understand, you've got to step up for that to 00:35:59.460 --> 00:35:59.719 happen. 00:36:00.400 --> 00:36:06.259 You can't be ashamed, timid, to actually say, I'm a Christian, to 00:36:06.259 --> 00:36:07.960 rise above the difficulty. 00:36:09.719 --> 00:36:11.440 You can't feel sorry for yourself. 00:36:12.500 --> 00:36:16.659 You can't live life as if it's just about me and my pleasure, my 00:36:16.659 --> 00:36:17.139 convenience. 00:36:17.139 --> 00:36:25.819 Paul's faithfulness motivated others to be bold Christians. 00:36:27.179 --> 00:36:28.219 Yours could as well. 00:36:29.099 --> 00:36:30.239 One more thing quickly. 00:36:30.679 --> 00:36:35.179 Paul didn't let other people's jealousy or impure motives bother 00:36:35.179 --> 00:36:35.559 him. 00:36:36.299 --> 00:36:40.299 Verses 15 through 18, Paul was just concerned that the gospel will be 00:36:40.299 --> 00:36:40.679 preached. 00:36:40.679 --> 00:36:47.679 What we read there, Paul's not talking about people who were trying 00:36:48.379 --> 00:36:49.960 to make his life more miserable. 00:36:50.559 --> 00:36:52.139 He's not talking about false teachers. 00:36:52.480 --> 00:36:54.779 He's talking about people who actually did preach the gospel. 00:36:55.059 --> 00:36:58.199 They were hoping, because of Paul's confinement, they were hoping to 00:36:58.199 --> 00:36:59.679 make him jealous, make him envious. 00:37:00.599 --> 00:37:02.059 They were hoping to bother him. 00:37:02.179 --> 00:37:06.279 They had terrible motives, but he didn't let it bother them. 00:37:06.280 --> 00:37:10.700 I want to encourage you to listen to Paul, look at Paul. 00:37:11.620 --> 00:37:12.440 You be faithful. 00:37:13.740 --> 00:37:17.560 You appreciate when people live a Christian life. 00:37:18.680 --> 00:37:23.780 You appreciate when the Bible is taught, when churches grow, when 00:37:23.780 --> 00:37:26.140 people are being reached and it's not your church. 00:37:27.300 --> 00:37:28.320 Don't be jealous. 00:37:28.480 --> 00:37:29.180 Don't be envious. 00:37:30.240 --> 00:37:33.980 Just be concerned that the name of Jesus is held high and the 00:37:33.980 --> 00:37:35.240 gospel is preached faithfully. 00:37:36.280 --> 00:37:40.880 You know, all of us do go through hard times. 00:37:42.420 --> 00:37:44.940 Sometimes they last longer than we want them to. 00:37:46.720 --> 00:37:49.800 Sometimes we're in the midst of them and there's not one thing we 00:37:49.800 --> 00:37:50.980 can do to change it. 00:37:52.360 --> 00:37:57.320 When you find yourself in that situation next time, ask God to help 00:37:57.320 --> 00:38:01.180 you to make the best of it by doing what Paul did. 00:38:02.180 --> 00:38:04.040 Focus on other people. 00:38:04.039 --> 00:38:10.960 Be thankful for who and what God provides to help you. 00:38:12.199 --> 00:38:12.619 Pray. 00:38:14.059 --> 00:38:21.340 And stay focused on the big picture of what God is doing in your life, in 00:38:21.340 --> 00:38:23.480 you and through you. 00:38:23.480 --> 00:38:24.980 Let's pray together. 00:38:24.980 --> 00:38:25.000 Let's pray together.