WEBVTT

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 Well, good morning, church. It's good to be with you all today. Our sermon text today is Philippians

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 chapter 1. We're looking at verses 12 through 18. Philippians chapter 1. If you're new to reading

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 the Bible, if you're new to Christianity, if you're new to the Bible, just a quick way of

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 orientation. The big numbers are the chapters. The small numbers are the verses. So that should

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 help you find your way around. And today we're going to look at chapter 1, verses 12 through 18

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 of the book of Philippians. So this fall, what we're doing is we're walking step by step through

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 Paul's letter that we call the letter to the Philippians to this church in a city called

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 Philippi. And we're doing so because we want to learn what it means as a church to be citizens

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 of the gospel. You know, we live in a time when there are a number of very loud and very different

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 and at times very compelling visions of what it means to sort of live life well, what it means

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 to kind of do this human thing. But, you know, as the church, we're not meant to be sort of blown

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 and tossed or captivated and compelled by these kind of competing narratives that are around us,

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 whether they be on the left or on the right, whether they be kind of so-called progressive

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 or so-called conservative. Rather, as the church, we're meant to have our identity rooted and grounded

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 in the radical distinctiveness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We're meant to be citizens primarily

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 of the gospel so that when we love our neighbors, when we engage with our communities, then we really

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 are salt and light to the glory of God and not just another kind of echo in the echo chamber.

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 Now, when Paul wrote this letter, he was writing to Gentile Christians in a Roman colony. Philippi was

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 a Roman colony, so the people in Philippi were citizens of Rome. They were citizens of that great

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 empire that was uniting the known world politically, and it was ruled under the great Caesars who were

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 telling a story about peace flowing through their rule to the ends of the earth. This was Rome.

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 But Paul's helping this small church in the midst of that to become who they truly are.

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 He wants to help these citizens of Rome become citizens of the gospel, citizens of Jesus Christ,

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 and to live a life worthy of Jesus. And that's what we want too. That's what we want too as a church.

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 So we're going to jump in, and we're going to read verses 12 through 18, and then I'll pray for us,

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 and then we'll dive in. So chapter 1, verses 12 through 18, after a kind of greeting and a prayer,

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 Paul writes this. He says,

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 I want you to know, brothers, and remember that Greek word includes men and women, brothers and

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 sisters, I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the

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 gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and all the rest that my

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 imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my

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 imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed preach Christ from envy

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 and rivalry, but others from goodwill. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the

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 defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, but thinking

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 to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth,

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 Christ is proclaimed. And in that, I rejoice. Let's pray together. Our Father in heaven,

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 please help us, as we've just sung, to present our lives before you now. Lord, help us to open our

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 hands before you. And God, we ask that by your Holy Spirit, you would speak into the depths of our

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 souls right now. God, we know that your word is living and active, and it pierces down to the depths

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 of who we are. So we pray that you would do that deep work today as we attend to your word.

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 Lord, lift our eyes and our hearts up to you, Lord Jesus. Help us to become more the kind of church

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 that you long for us to be. We ask this in Christ's name. Amen.

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 So you have to imagine that when Paul's friends in Philippi heard that he had been arrested and put

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 in prison and eventually shipped off to the capital, to the city of Rome for trial, you have to imagine

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 that they were quite worried. I mean, what was going to become of their friend, the Apostle Paul,

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 and what was going to become of his mission, to proclaim the unsearchable riches of Christ to the

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 nations? You have to imagine they were pretty worried. After all, it's pretty hard to plant churches

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 when you're chained up in house arrest, right? Paul's imprisonment seemed like a major setback,

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 a massive hindrance to the plan. And they might have even been thinking, how could God have allowed

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 this? And what's worse, they maybe had even caught wind that there were some Christians in Rome or

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 maybe in some surrounding cities that were not supporting Paul in his prison, in his imprisonment,

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 but ridiculing him. Now that Paul was out of the way, so to speak, they could step up and preach

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 Christ eager to show how much better they were than Paul. You know, oftentimes I think we can be

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 like the worried Philippians, can't we? We think that above all, God must use our strength and our

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 strategies to bring about his purposes. Now there's nothing wrong with planning and strategy, and there's

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 nothing wrong with giving our best efforts. Paul had a strategy, right? And he poured all of his

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 strength into it. Read the book of Acts, and you'll see that what becomes pretty clear is that Paul has

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 a strategy. He would find a sort of city center of a region, he would go there first, he would preach

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 to his fellow Jews, then he would turn to the Gentiles, he would establish the fledgling church with

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 godly leaders, and then he would head to the next city, knowing that if a church had taken root in the

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 city center, then the gospel would radiate out from there to the surrounding region. And that's what we see in

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 Acts. But what happens when our strategy and our strength get curtailed, get hindered by trial and weakness?

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 Is everything lost? When your good, godly ambitions are seemingly thwarted by physical illness, say, or a lack of

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 financial resources, or a global pandemic, what do you do? When your strategy meets nothing but setback

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 after setback, how should you respond? Well, here's what Paul wants his friends at Philippi and us today to see.

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 This passage is showing us that God can use even our trials, even our setbacks, even our greatest

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 hindrances to advance the gospel. It's not just through our strategy and our strength, but also and

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 especially through our weakness and dependence that God's gospel goes forth. What has happened to me,

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 Paul says, has really served to advance the gospel. Think about it. What's really going on?

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 Well, Paul's in prison. He's stuck. He's awaiting trial, maybe awaiting execution. Yes, all that's true.

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 But what's really going on, Paul says, it's really served to advance the gospel.

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 Our trials are not meaningless. In fact, they are the very means that God uses to spread

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 the life-saving message of Christ crucified and risen. And what we see in the rest of the passage is that

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 God uses our trials, God uses our setbacks to advance the gospel in at least three ways. So we're

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 going to look at those three ways that God advances the gospel through our trials. First, in verse 13,

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 we see that God uses our trials to advance the gospel in the hearts of unbelievers. In other words,

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 God uses our trials to reach those that we might not have reached before. Verse 13 says,

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 it's become known because of my imprisonment, Paul says, it's become known throughout the whole imperial

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 guard. And to all the rest, that my imprisonment is for Christ. All those guards that kept watch over

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 Paul, all those administrators who work in what he calls the imperial guard, that is the praetorium,

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 these were sort of the executive offices of the empire found in Roman cities throughout the

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 Mediterranean, they're all hearing about Paul. But not just about Paul, they're hearing about this one

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 that Paul proclaims. This guy Paul has been talking about some new emperor who's taken the throne.

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 And it turns out it's a crucified Jew named Jesus. And according to this Paul, his death has brought true

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 peace and true justice to the whole world. And everyone, absolutely every man, woman, and child is being

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 called to bend their knee in allegiance to him alone. And to find reconciliation with God by grace.

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 And to find a whole new life in this broken and hurting world.

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 Because God raised Jesus from the dead.

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 Now imagine citizens of Rome hearing that message.

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 Not just strange, but profoundly countercultural.

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 You see, Rome advanced through strength and through power.

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 And yet, this King Jesus won his victory and advanced his kingdom through a cross.

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 It's pretty countercultural today too, isn't it?

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 It's very easy for us to exalt in the powerful, in the brash.

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 You know, we get excited when things hit quick and hit hard.

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 The best defense is more offense, as we learned from watching Cobra Kai, if you've seen that.

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 We think real freedom is having our own way.

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 And yet, and yet, on the throne of the universe sits a king with nail scars in his hands.

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 And who demands our utter allegiance to him and his way, the way of the cross.

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 And for this message to get through, to reach those it might not reach otherwise,

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 God uses not just our strength, but our weakness.

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 And not just our triumphs, but he uses our trials.

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 And that seems pretty fitting, doesn't it, when you think about it?

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 That God would not just use the strategy and strengths of Paul to advance the gospel,

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 but also his weakness and imprisonment.

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 After all, isn't the gospel the message of how God became weak to save us?

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 And in becoming weak ourselves, then our lips don't just speak the message,

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 but our lives live it.

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 And the message of Jesus, then, is able to reach those that otherwise we could not reach.

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 You know, have you ever thought that your non-Christian friends,

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 yes, we'll hear the gospel through your well-thought-out answers to their questions.

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 There's a good place for that.

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 But they'll also hear the gospel, perhaps even more clearly,

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 when they see how you endure through suffering and trial.

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 You know, it's easy for Paul to talk about Jesus as king

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 when he's traveling footloose and fancy-free through the Roman Empire,

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 but when his hands and feet are in chains,

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 and he still speaks about the good news,

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 how much greater must that have struck the hearts of those hardened soldiers

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 assigned to watch over him,

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 those pragmatic administrators just running an empire?

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 It'll be the same for us, friends.

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 God will open new opportunities and new hearts through our weakness,

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 through our supposed setbacks that in our strength we could never reach.

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 So the first thing we see is that through our trials,

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 God will advance the gospel in the hearts of unbelievers.

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 But second, God doesn't just use our trials to advance the gospel in the heart of unbelievers.

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 He uses our trials to advance the gospel in the hearts of our fellow believers as well.

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 God's able through our setbacks to reach those we might not have reached before,

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 but he's also able to empower and encourage those we might not have empowered or encouraged before.

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 Look at verse 14.

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 Paul says,

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 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment,

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 are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

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 Now, it was a scary thing to go to prison in the first century.

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 It's a scary thing to go to prison in any century.

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 But when Christians saw Paul go there for the sake of Christ,

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 and when they saw how God used Paul there,

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 it's as if that venom of fear was sucked out of their hearts.

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 If God can use prison for his purposes,

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 then what have we to fear?

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 What can this empire really do to us ultimately if God is our God?

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 The God who can use a prison to advance his freedom.

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 The God who can use a cross to defeat evil.

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 The God who can swallow up death in the resurrection.

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 If this is our God, why are we afraid?

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 And when we face trials with the assurance that this God is in control,

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 our fellow believers will see us and take courage too.

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 This is one of the great benefits of reading Christian history,

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 of reading missionary biographies,

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 of learning about the saints who've gone before us,

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 like Ida B. Wells, the anti-lynching activist,

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 or like Hudson Taylor, the pioneering missionary to China,

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 or like Athanasius of Alexandria, the defender of orthodoxy.

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 All these, in their own way, stood up for Christ

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 in the face of great danger and great trial.

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 And we can read their stories and be encouraged

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 to speak the word without fear.

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 Right now, in our adult class,

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 happening on the second floor next door,

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 we're highlighting some of these stories.

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 So, since you're here at the 9 a.m. service,

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 and you're not at that class,

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 later in the week, you can listen to it on the podcast,

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 and you can be encouraged to speak the word more boldly,

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 without fear.

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 But brothers and sisters, don't you see,

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 your story can encourage others too.

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 The trials that you face,

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 they can become evidence of God's gracious work in your life.

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 They become testimonies to God's powerful gospel

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 as you cling to Him,

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 and find your peace and joy and strength in Him,

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 even through hardship.

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 The trials that you face will encourage others just the same.

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 They're not wasted in God's providence.

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 God will use them,

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 not just to reach others you might not have reached,

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 but encourage those,

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 to encourage those you might not have otherwise encouraged.

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 Through your trials,

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 others will become more confident in the Lord,

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 to speak the word more boldly and without fear.

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 So friends,

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 be comforted by these verses.

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 What trial or hindrance are you facing right now?

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 Maybe it's a professional setback.

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 Maybe it's a relational hardship.

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 Maybe it's a health crisis.

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 But in the hands of our sovereign God,

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 He's able to take it

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 and use it

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 and to come close to you

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 and to advance the gospel,

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 not just in the hearts of those outside the church,

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 but in the hearts of those inside the church as well.

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 But now there's one more area

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 where God advances the gospel through our trials.

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 Paul says,

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 first,

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 He's going to do it in the hearts of unbelievers.

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 And second,

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 He does it through the hearts of believers.

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 But third and last,

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 through our trials,

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 through our setbacks,

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 God will advance the gospel

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 in our own hearts too.

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 You know,

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 up to this point in the text,

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 everything kind of seems pretty rosy.

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 Yeah,

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 Paul's in prison,

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 but yay,

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 the gospel still advances.

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 But you know,

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 it's not all pretty.

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 It's not all such a straight,

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 easy line.

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 We learn in verse 15

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 that when Paul went to jail,

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 some of his fellow believers,

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 turned their backs on him.

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 And they started preaching Christ more fervently

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 really out of a desire

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 to kind of put Paul down.

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 Or as verse 17 says,

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 to afflict him in his imprisonment.

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 Now,

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 it's hard to kind of reconstruct

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 exactly what was happening here historically,

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 but it doesn't seem like

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 these opponents of Paul

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 were preaching a false gospel.

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 It doesn't seem like

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 they were preaching a wrong gospel

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 or a false gospel

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 because we know from Paul's other letters

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 that he would have never rejoiced in that.

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 So it wasn't the message

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 of these opponents

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 that was the problem.

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 Rather,

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 Paul says,

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 it's their motivation.

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 They saw themselves

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 as rivals of Paul

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 and perhaps they didn't care

00:18:18.159 --> 00:18:18.819
 for his methods

00:18:18.819 --> 00:18:19.919
 or care for his style.

00:18:20.119 --> 00:18:20.879
 Perhaps they were jealous

00:18:20.879 --> 00:18:21.519
 of his gifts.

00:18:21.699 --> 00:18:23.000
 Perhaps they were envious

00:18:23.000 --> 00:18:23.759
 of his office

00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:24.659
 as an apostle.

00:18:24.779 --> 00:18:25.240
 Who knows?

00:18:25.500 --> 00:18:26.459
 But whatever it was,

00:18:26.579 --> 00:18:27.699
 when Paul went to prison,

00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:28.859
 they stepped up

00:18:28.859 --> 00:18:30.059
 and started preaching Christ

00:18:30.059 --> 00:18:30.959
 all the more fervently,

00:18:31.079 --> 00:18:31.379
 it seems,

00:18:31.380 --> 00:18:32.960
 in order to put Paul down

00:18:32.960 --> 00:18:34.180
 to discredit him.

00:18:34.700 --> 00:18:35.000
 You see,

00:18:35.060 --> 00:18:35.900
 Paul's not so great,

00:18:36.040 --> 00:18:36.780
 they might have been saying.

00:18:37.100 --> 00:18:37.420
 After all,

00:18:37.440 --> 00:18:38.200
 he landed in prison.

00:18:38.560 --> 00:18:39.320
 What good is Paul?

00:18:39.500 --> 00:18:40.120
 Where is he now?

00:18:40.340 --> 00:18:41.720
 Let us proclaim Christ to you.

00:18:41.900 --> 00:18:42.440
 You don't need him.

00:18:43.040 --> 00:18:43.640
 Listen to us.

00:18:44.300 --> 00:18:45.280
 Let us proclaim to you

00:18:45.280 --> 00:18:46.380
 that Jesus is king.

00:18:48.840 --> 00:18:49.440
 Now look,

00:18:49.640 --> 00:18:51.000
 Paul certainly does not

00:18:51.000 --> 00:18:52.840
 excuse these motives.

00:18:53.840 --> 00:18:54.520
 In fact,

00:18:54.520 --> 00:18:56.160
 he is kind of exposing them

00:18:56.160 --> 00:18:56.940
 in this passage,

00:18:57.040 --> 00:18:57.340
 isn't he?

00:18:57.339 --> 00:19:00.579
 But rather than

00:19:00.579 --> 00:19:01.799
 taking offense at them,

00:19:01.919 --> 00:19:02.639
 rather than trying

00:19:02.639 --> 00:19:03.619
 to sort of rescue

00:19:03.619 --> 00:19:05.019
 his own personal reputation,

00:19:05.220 --> 00:19:05.740
 rather than trying

00:19:05.740 --> 00:19:06.500
 to sort of silence

00:19:06.500 --> 00:19:07.179
 his rivals,

00:19:07.539 --> 00:19:08.359
 what does Paul do?

00:19:09.259 --> 00:19:09.980
 What does he do

00:19:09.980 --> 00:19:10.720
 when fellow Christians

00:19:10.720 --> 00:19:12.000
 are questioning his ministry,

00:19:12.500 --> 00:19:13.059
 ridiculing him

00:19:13.059 --> 00:19:13.699
 for being in prison,

00:19:14.099 --> 00:19:14.899
 making themselves out

00:19:14.899 --> 00:19:15.539
 to be the good guys

00:19:15.539 --> 00:19:16.459
 and Paul the bad guy?

00:19:17.039 --> 00:19:17.819
 What does he do

00:19:17.819 --> 00:19:18.659
 when his good name

00:19:18.659 --> 00:19:19.379
 is at stake?

00:19:22.319 --> 00:19:22.759
 Shockingly,

00:19:23.419 --> 00:19:24.319
 Paul says,

00:19:25.159 --> 00:19:26.099
 what then?

00:19:27.339 --> 00:19:28.759
 Only that in every way,

00:19:29.000 --> 00:19:29.699
 whether in pretense

00:19:29.699 --> 00:19:30.659
 or in truth,

00:19:31.679 --> 00:19:32.599
 Christ is proclaimed.

00:19:33.059 --> 00:19:33.699
 And in that,

00:19:33.980 --> 00:19:34.519
 I rejoice.

00:19:36.019 --> 00:19:38.119
 So what if my name

00:19:38.119 --> 00:19:39.299
 is being dragged

00:19:39.299 --> 00:19:40.079
 through the mud,

00:19:40.339 --> 00:19:40.839
 Paul says?

00:19:41.439 --> 00:19:42.879
 So what if other people

00:19:42.879 --> 00:19:44.279
 want to jump in my place?

00:19:44.679 --> 00:19:46.439
 Is Christ being proclaimed?

00:19:46.859 --> 00:19:48.579
 Is the gospel faithfully taught?

00:19:48.699 --> 00:19:49.339
 If so,

00:19:50.259 --> 00:19:51.319
 then in that I'll rejoice.

00:19:52.079 --> 00:19:52.879
 My reputation

00:19:52.879 --> 00:19:53.679
 at the end of the day

00:19:53.679 --> 00:19:55.019
 isn't worth comparing

00:19:55.019 --> 00:19:57.059
 to the reputation of Christ.

00:19:57.339 --> 00:20:00.740
 Now,

00:20:00.779 --> 00:20:01.779
 do you see what's happening here?

00:20:02.919 --> 00:20:04.000
 In these verses,

00:20:04.119 --> 00:20:04.919
 in this whole section

00:20:04.919 --> 00:20:05.720
 of Philippians actually,

00:20:06.159 --> 00:20:07.279
 Paul is modeling

00:20:07.279 --> 00:20:08.240
 for the Philippians

00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:09.339
 and for us

00:20:09.339 --> 00:20:10.559
 a heart

00:20:10.559 --> 00:20:12.179
 that values

00:20:12.179 --> 00:20:13.779
 and rejoices

00:20:13.779 --> 00:20:14.720
 in the advance

00:20:14.720 --> 00:20:15.459
 of the gospel

00:20:15.459 --> 00:20:17.539
 more than our personal comfort

00:20:17.539 --> 00:20:18.740
 and more than

00:20:18.740 --> 00:20:19.859
 our personal reputation.

00:20:21.139 --> 00:20:22.019
 In other words,

00:20:22.199 --> 00:20:23.259
 through the trial

00:20:23.259 --> 00:20:24.759
 that Paul is facing,

00:20:25.660 --> 00:20:27.119
 the gospel is advancing

00:20:27.119 --> 00:20:28.220
 deeper and deeper

00:20:28.220 --> 00:20:29.359
 in his own heart.

00:20:30.160 --> 00:20:31.299
 The supreme worth

00:20:31.299 --> 00:20:31.859
 of Christ,

00:20:31.940 --> 00:20:33.000
 of Christ proclaimed,

00:20:33.299 --> 00:20:34.519
 is more and more

00:20:34.519 --> 00:20:36.720
 taking the uppermost place.

00:20:37.759 --> 00:20:39.640
 What Paul cares most about

00:20:39.640 --> 00:20:40.920
 is Jesus.

00:20:41.779 --> 00:20:42.400
 Does it matter

00:20:42.400 --> 00:20:43.619
 that people are slandering him?

00:20:43.740 --> 00:20:44.319
 That he's losing

00:20:44.319 --> 00:20:44.980
 his reputation?

00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:45.779
 That some people

00:20:45.779 --> 00:20:46.720
 have a personal axe

00:20:46.720 --> 00:20:47.480
 to grind with him?

00:20:48.339 --> 00:20:49.359
 Through that trial,

00:20:49.440 --> 00:20:49.879
 Paul's saying,

00:20:49.960 --> 00:20:50.180
 look,

00:20:50.180 --> 00:20:51.360
 I'm seeing more

00:20:51.360 --> 00:20:51.560
 and more

00:20:51.560 --> 00:20:52.279
 that what really

00:20:52.279 --> 00:20:53.460
 matters is Christ.

00:20:56.299 --> 00:20:57.120
 So what about

00:20:57.120 --> 00:20:57.900
 in our hearts?

00:20:59.779 --> 00:21:01.140
 When hard times come,

00:21:01.220 --> 00:21:02.160
 can we say,

00:21:03.019 --> 00:21:04.779
 Christ is proclaimed

00:21:04.779 --> 00:21:06.640
 and in that I rejoice?

00:21:06.640 --> 00:21:08.960
 Can we say that

00:21:08.960 --> 00:21:10.460
 when our best laid plans

00:21:10.460 --> 00:21:11.279
 go awry?

00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:12.940
 When fellow Christians

00:21:12.940 --> 00:21:13.759
 ridicule us?

00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:16.580
 It's hard,

00:21:16.900 --> 00:21:17.500
 isn't it?

00:21:17.500 --> 00:21:20.700
 We live so much

00:21:20.700 --> 00:21:21.359
 of our life

00:21:21.359 --> 00:21:23.539
 wanting comfort,

00:21:24.099 --> 00:21:24.940
 good friends,

00:21:25.400 --> 00:21:26.119
 a good name,

00:21:26.559 --> 00:21:27.400
 a good job,

00:21:27.839 --> 00:21:28.460
 a good living,

00:21:28.960 --> 00:21:29.559
 good health.

00:21:30.779 --> 00:21:32.339
 And all of those things

00:21:32.339 --> 00:21:33.359
 are, well,

00:21:33.420 --> 00:21:34.079
 they're good things,

00:21:34.240 --> 00:21:34.420
 right?

00:21:35.279 --> 00:21:36.119
 There's nothing wrong

00:21:36.119 --> 00:21:36.519
 with them.

00:21:37.519 --> 00:21:38.779
 But if they're threatened

00:21:38.779 --> 00:21:40.980
 or if they're taken away,

00:21:42.200 --> 00:21:44.119
 can we still rejoice?

00:21:44.119 --> 00:21:47.579
 Can you still rejoice

00:21:47.579 --> 00:21:48.979
 because the greatest good,

00:21:49.839 --> 00:21:51.859
 the advance of God's gospel,

00:21:52.459 --> 00:21:54.919
 is still undaunted?

00:21:57.419 --> 00:21:59.879
 How do we get our hearts

00:21:59.879 --> 00:22:02.959
 to stop loving lesser things

00:22:02.959 --> 00:22:05.659
 more than we love the gospel?

00:22:08.199 --> 00:22:09.739
 Well, the good news is

00:22:09.739 --> 00:22:11.939
 we can't do it on our own,

00:22:11.940 --> 00:22:14.080
 but God can.

00:22:15.680 --> 00:22:16.980
 Through the Holy Spirit,

00:22:17.680 --> 00:22:20.440
 our hearts do change.

00:22:20.640 --> 00:22:22.820
 And how does the Holy Spirit do it?

00:22:23.820 --> 00:22:25.259
 The Holy Spirit does it

00:22:25.259 --> 00:22:26.799
 by shining the spotlight

00:22:26.799 --> 00:22:27.880
 on Christ

00:22:27.880 --> 00:22:28.980
 in the midst

00:22:28.980 --> 00:22:30.240
 of our trials and weaknesses.

00:22:31.539 --> 00:22:32.779
 When comfort

00:22:32.779 --> 00:22:33.880
 or approval

00:22:33.880 --> 00:22:35.180
 or our reputation

00:22:35.180 --> 00:22:36.340
 fall away,

00:22:36.779 --> 00:22:37.740
 when our trials

00:22:37.740 --> 00:22:38.539
 and setbacks

00:22:38.539 --> 00:22:39.039
 show us

00:22:39.039 --> 00:22:40.320
 how fleeting they are

00:22:40.319 --> 00:22:42.220
 and how insecure they are,

00:22:42.379 --> 00:22:43.379
 the Holy Spirit

00:22:43.379 --> 00:22:44.200
 in those moments

00:22:44.200 --> 00:22:45.259
 of trial comes

00:22:45.259 --> 00:22:46.939
 and He shows us Christ,

00:22:47.579 --> 00:22:48.419
 who He is

00:22:48.419 --> 00:22:49.740
 and what He's done

00:22:49.740 --> 00:22:50.599
 and what He's doing

00:22:50.599 --> 00:22:51.399
 right now,

00:22:51.619 --> 00:22:52.399
 right here.

00:22:54.000 --> 00:22:55.279
 How do you get to the place

00:22:55.279 --> 00:22:55.980
 where you rejoice

00:22:55.980 --> 00:22:57.059
 in Christ being proclaimed

00:22:57.059 --> 00:22:58.279
 more than you rejoice

00:22:58.279 --> 00:22:58.960
 in your own comfort,

00:22:59.319 --> 00:23:00.119
 more than you rejoice

00:23:00.119 --> 00:23:01.019
 in your own reputation?

00:23:02.159 --> 00:23:03.259
 You get there

00:23:03.259 --> 00:23:04.939
 when you see afresh

00:23:04.939 --> 00:23:07.740
 what Christ has done

00:23:07.740 --> 00:23:08.660
 for you

00:23:08.660 --> 00:23:09.579
 through the working

00:23:09.579 --> 00:23:10.500
 of the Holy Spirit.

00:23:12.700 --> 00:23:13.559
 When you see

00:23:13.559 --> 00:23:14.779
 that He's done for you

00:23:14.779 --> 00:23:16.099
 what no one

00:23:16.099 --> 00:23:17.660
 or no thing else

00:23:17.660 --> 00:23:19.839
 has or can do.

00:23:21.480 --> 00:23:22.559
 Can the idols

00:23:22.559 --> 00:23:23.799
 of comfort

00:23:23.799 --> 00:23:25.859
 or the approval

00:23:25.859 --> 00:23:26.420
 of others

00:23:26.420 --> 00:23:27.799
 compare with Christ?

00:23:29.799 --> 00:23:31.279
 Christ gave up

00:23:31.279 --> 00:23:32.460
 His comfort for you

00:23:32.460 --> 00:23:34.660
 and Christ gave up

00:23:34.660 --> 00:23:35.960
 His reputation for you.

00:23:35.960 --> 00:23:37.980
 The Lord of history

00:23:37.980 --> 00:23:39.380
 became a servant.

00:23:40.440 --> 00:23:41.900
 The all-powerful one

00:23:41.900 --> 00:23:42.860
 became powerless

00:23:42.860 --> 00:23:43.759
 and died

00:23:43.759 --> 00:23:45.360
 for your sins

00:23:45.360 --> 00:23:46.400
 and for mine.

00:23:47.319 --> 00:23:48.579
 And because of that

00:23:48.579 --> 00:23:50.240
 God raised Him up.

00:23:51.500 --> 00:23:52.740
 And in the resurrection

00:23:52.740 --> 00:23:54.100
 God the Father

00:23:54.100 --> 00:23:55.799
 was proclaiming

00:23:55.799 --> 00:23:56.980
 the ultimate

00:23:56.980 --> 00:23:58.880
 divine yes

00:23:58.880 --> 00:24:00.160
 over the price

00:24:00.160 --> 00:24:01.000
 that Jesus paid

00:24:01.000 --> 00:24:02.680
 and over the divine love

00:24:02.680 --> 00:24:03.759
 that Jesus demonstrated.

00:24:04.180 --> 00:24:04.779
 It's as if

00:24:04.779 --> 00:24:05.380
 in the resurrection

00:24:05.380 --> 00:24:06.060
 God says

00:24:06.060 --> 00:24:06.820
 yes

00:24:06.820 --> 00:24:08.680
 this is who I am.

00:24:08.920 --> 00:24:09.900
 Not a tyrant

00:24:09.900 --> 00:24:10.760
 who makes others

00:24:10.760 --> 00:24:11.720
 pay for their crimes

00:24:11.720 --> 00:24:12.840
 so that I can get better

00:24:12.840 --> 00:24:13.740
 but the God

00:24:13.740 --> 00:24:15.600
 of self-giving love

00:24:15.600 --> 00:24:16.440
 who pays

00:24:16.440 --> 00:24:17.820
 your price

00:24:17.820 --> 00:24:19.220
 in your place

00:24:19.220 --> 00:24:21.180
 and my price

00:24:21.180 --> 00:24:22.380
 in my place.

00:24:25.080 --> 00:24:25.760
 Christ

00:24:25.760 --> 00:24:27.280
 is King.

00:24:28.320 --> 00:24:29.420
 The crucified

00:24:29.420 --> 00:24:30.300
 Jesus

00:24:30.300 --> 00:24:32.000
 is the risen Lord

00:24:32.000 --> 00:24:33.980
 and the world

00:24:33.980 --> 00:24:35.339
 cannot stay the same.

00:24:37.380 --> 00:24:38.039
 You know friends

00:24:38.039 --> 00:24:38.420
 the church

00:24:38.420 --> 00:24:39.160
 is the one place

00:24:39.160 --> 00:24:39.579
 on earth

00:24:39.579 --> 00:24:40.960
 where heaven

00:24:40.960 --> 00:24:42.339
 has broken through

00:24:42.339 --> 00:24:43.599
 to stay.

00:24:44.740 --> 00:24:46.160
 And with our citizenship

00:24:46.160 --> 00:24:46.779
 in heaven

00:24:46.779 --> 00:24:48.259
 we form

00:24:48.259 --> 00:24:49.400
 a colony

00:24:49.400 --> 00:24:50.220
 on earth.

00:24:50.640 --> 00:24:51.500
 This earth

00:24:51.500 --> 00:24:51.920
 that God

00:24:51.920 --> 00:24:53.019
 is reclaiming

00:24:53.019 --> 00:24:54.079
 for His glory.

00:24:55.460 --> 00:24:56.640
 Will we lose

00:24:56.640 --> 00:24:57.259
 comforts

00:24:57.259 --> 00:24:57.900
 as we live

00:24:57.900 --> 00:24:58.440
 as citizens

00:24:58.440 --> 00:24:59.160
 of the gospel?

00:24:59.160 --> 00:25:00.400
 Probably so.

00:25:01.960 --> 00:25:03.140
 But if Christ

00:25:03.140 --> 00:25:03.779
 is proclaimed

00:25:03.779 --> 00:25:04.680
 if the king

00:25:04.680 --> 00:25:05.600
 is getting glory

00:25:05.600 --> 00:25:06.680
 and the kingdom

00:25:06.680 --> 00:25:07.700
 is breaking through

00:25:07.700 --> 00:25:08.980
 and the new creation

00:25:08.980 --> 00:25:09.820
 is taking root

00:25:09.820 --> 00:25:10.720
 so be it.

00:25:11.440 --> 00:25:12.279
 We are living

00:25:12.279 --> 00:25:12.820
 for something

00:25:12.820 --> 00:25:13.300
 bigger

00:25:13.300 --> 00:25:14.160
 and better

00:25:14.160 --> 00:25:15.420
 and more lasting

00:25:15.420 --> 00:25:16.420
 than mere comfort.

00:25:17.980 --> 00:25:19.340
 Will our reputation

00:25:19.340 --> 00:25:19.840
 suffer

00:25:19.840 --> 00:25:20.460
 as we live

00:25:20.460 --> 00:25:20.920
 as citizens

00:25:20.920 --> 00:25:21.580
 of the gospel?

00:25:22.420 --> 00:25:23.460
 Will even fellow

00:25:23.460 --> 00:25:23.920
 Christians

00:25:23.920 --> 00:25:24.720
 disappoint us?

00:25:25.060 --> 00:25:25.620
 Maybe even

00:25:25.620 --> 00:25:26.400
 ridicule us

00:25:26.400 --> 00:25:27.019
 as we follow

00:25:27.019 --> 00:25:27.600
 in the footsteps

00:25:27.600 --> 00:25:28.820
 of our crucified king?

00:25:29.019 --> 00:25:29.860
 As we follow

00:25:29.860 --> 00:25:30.720
 in his footsteps

00:25:30.720 --> 00:25:31.380
 and choose

00:25:31.380 --> 00:25:33.100
 service over power?

00:25:34.560 --> 00:25:35.740
 Choosing gentleness

00:25:35.740 --> 00:25:36.560
 over anger?

00:25:37.060 --> 00:25:37.900
 Choosing forgiveness

00:25:37.900 --> 00:25:38.720
 over fear?

00:25:38.860 --> 00:25:39.780
 Choosing justice

00:25:39.780 --> 00:25:40.540
 and righteousness

00:25:40.540 --> 00:25:41.840
 over the status quo?

00:25:43.620 --> 00:25:44.180
 Yes

00:25:44.180 --> 00:25:45.280
 as we do this

00:25:45.280 --> 00:25:45.960
 in Jesus' name

00:25:45.960 --> 00:25:46.700
 our reputation

00:25:46.700 --> 00:25:47.660
 will suffer.

00:25:48.740 --> 00:25:49.700
 But if the name

00:25:49.700 --> 00:25:50.180
 of Christ

00:25:50.180 --> 00:25:50.940
 is exalted

00:25:50.940 --> 00:25:53.080
 if our king

00:25:53.080 --> 00:25:54.259
 and our redeemer

00:25:54.259 --> 00:25:55.740
 is getting praise

00:25:55.740 --> 00:25:57.059
 if his name

00:25:57.059 --> 00:25:57.759
 is great

00:25:57.759 --> 00:25:58.819
 then let ours

00:25:58.819 --> 00:25:59.480
 be small.

00:26:00.440 --> 00:26:01.740
 Let our puny

00:26:01.740 --> 00:26:03.039
 little matches

00:26:03.039 --> 00:26:05.259
 be outshone

00:26:05.259 --> 00:26:06.240
 by the burning

00:26:06.240 --> 00:26:06.980
 radiance

00:26:06.980 --> 00:26:08.259
 of his glory.

00:26:08.480 --> 00:26:08.980
 If Christ

00:26:08.980 --> 00:26:09.660
 is proclaimed

00:26:09.660 --> 00:26:10.500
 then let us

00:26:10.500 --> 00:26:10.920
 rejoice.

00:26:13.120 --> 00:26:14.240
 And if the road

00:26:14.240 --> 00:26:14.900
 that God has

00:26:14.900 --> 00:26:15.200
 for us

00:26:15.200 --> 00:26:15.960
 is one of weakness

00:26:15.960 --> 00:26:17.140
 and dependence

00:26:17.140 --> 00:26:18.200
 and not just

00:26:18.200 --> 00:26:18.799
 of strength

00:26:18.799 --> 00:26:19.920
 and strategy

00:26:19.920 --> 00:26:22.440
 then let us

00:26:22.440 --> 00:26:22.900
 rejoice

00:26:22.900 --> 00:26:24.960
 because we

00:26:24.960 --> 00:26:26.560
 are sharing

00:26:26.560 --> 00:26:27.960
 the sufferings

00:26:27.960 --> 00:26:29.060
 of Christ himself.

00:26:30.900 --> 00:26:31.680
 Paul says

00:26:31.680 --> 00:26:32.180
 in this text

00:26:32.180 --> 00:26:33.560
 that his imprisonment

00:26:33.560 --> 00:26:34.280
 isn't just

00:26:34.280 --> 00:26:35.220
 for Christ

00:26:35.220 --> 00:26:36.759
 but it literally

00:26:36.759 --> 00:26:37.880
 says my imprisonment

00:26:37.880 --> 00:26:39.000
 is in Christ.

00:26:40.420 --> 00:26:42.420
 We are walking

00:26:42.420 --> 00:26:43.680
 in the footsteps

00:26:43.680 --> 00:26:44.580
 of our Savior

00:26:44.580 --> 00:26:46.160
 in union with him

00:26:46.160 --> 00:26:47.300
 as we walk

00:26:47.300 --> 00:26:47.860
 through trial

00:26:47.860 --> 00:26:48.400
 and suffering

00:26:48.400 --> 00:26:49.100
 and setback.

00:26:49.099 --> 00:26:51.500
 And as Paul

00:26:51.500 --> 00:26:51.959
 will tell the

00:26:51.959 --> 00:26:52.379
 Philippians

00:26:52.379 --> 00:26:53.199
 in chapter 3

00:26:53.199 --> 00:26:54.480
 let us share

00:26:54.480 --> 00:26:55.279
 in Christ's

00:26:55.279 --> 00:26:55.719
 sufferings

00:26:55.719 --> 00:26:56.879
 so that we too

00:26:56.879 --> 00:26:57.279
 may share

00:26:57.279 --> 00:26:58.000
 in his resurrection.

00:26:58.419 --> 00:26:59.319
 Let's press on

00:26:59.319 --> 00:27:00.579
 to make Jesus

00:27:00.579 --> 00:27:01.139
 our own

00:27:01.139 --> 00:27:02.039
 because he

00:27:02.039 --> 00:27:02.599
 has made us

00:27:02.599 --> 00:27:03.359
 his own.

00:27:06.480 --> 00:27:07.240
 So friends

00:27:07.240 --> 00:27:07.699
 when trials

00:27:07.699 --> 00:27:08.139
 come

00:27:08.139 --> 00:27:09.759
 and when setbacks

00:27:09.759 --> 00:27:10.199
 happen

00:27:10.199 --> 00:27:10.959
 and when the

00:27:10.959 --> 00:27:11.559
 best laid

00:27:11.559 --> 00:27:12.539
 plans of mice

00:27:12.539 --> 00:27:12.980
 and men

00:27:12.980 --> 00:27:13.779
 ultimately

00:27:13.779 --> 00:27:14.619
 go awry

00:27:14.619 --> 00:27:16.419
 remember

00:27:16.419 --> 00:27:18.559
 at the end

00:27:18.559 --> 00:27:18.859
 of the day

00:27:18.859 --> 00:27:19.299
 our greatest

00:27:19.299 --> 00:27:20.039
 good is not

00:27:20.039 --> 00:27:20.879
 threatened at all.

00:27:21.319 --> 00:27:21.899
 Christ has

00:27:21.899 --> 00:27:22.279
 made us

00:27:22.279 --> 00:27:22.639
 his own

00:27:22.639 --> 00:27:24.179
 and the gospel

00:27:24.179 --> 00:27:25.119
 will advance

00:27:25.119 --> 00:27:25.859
 through our

00:27:25.859 --> 00:27:26.339
 weakness

00:27:26.339 --> 00:27:27.219
 as much as

00:27:27.219 --> 00:27:27.519
 through our

00:27:27.519 --> 00:27:27.979
 strength

00:27:27.979 --> 00:27:29.299
 and his gospel

00:27:29.299 --> 00:27:29.839
 will advance

00:27:29.839 --> 00:27:30.159
 through our

00:27:30.159 --> 00:27:30.839
 setbacks

00:27:30.839 --> 00:27:31.799
 as much as

00:27:31.799 --> 00:27:32.099
 through our

00:27:32.099 --> 00:27:32.579
 successes

00:27:32.579 --> 00:27:33.979
 not just in

00:27:33.979 --> 00:27:34.259
 the hearts

00:27:34.259 --> 00:27:34.919
 of unbelievers

00:27:34.919 --> 00:27:35.879
 not just in

00:27:35.879 --> 00:27:36.159
 the hearts

00:27:36.159 --> 00:27:36.639
 of believers

00:27:36.639 --> 00:27:37.219
 but in our

00:27:37.219 --> 00:27:37.699
 own hearts

00:27:37.699 --> 00:27:38.039
 too.

00:27:39.739 --> 00:27:40.299
 And if that

00:27:40.299 --> 00:27:40.839
 be so

00:27:40.839 --> 00:27:42.559
 and Christ

00:27:42.559 --> 00:27:43.279
 is proclaimed

00:27:43.279 --> 00:27:44.819
 that no matter

00:27:44.819 --> 00:27:45.480
 what comes

00:27:45.480 --> 00:27:47.259
 we can always

00:27:47.259 --> 00:27:47.680
 rejoice.

00:27:48.839 --> 00:27:49.579
 Let's pray.

00:27:56.559 --> 00:27:57.440
 Our Father in

00:27:57.440 --> 00:27:58.079
 heaven we pray

00:27:58.079 --> 00:27:58.579
 that by your

00:27:58.579 --> 00:27:58.940
 spirit

00:27:58.940 --> 00:27:59.799
 you would

00:27:59.799 --> 00:28:00.680
 grant us

00:28:00.680 --> 00:28:03.059
 to begin

00:28:03.059 --> 00:28:03.579
 to imitate

00:28:03.579 --> 00:28:04.279
 the example

00:28:04.279 --> 00:28:04.859
 that we see

00:28:04.859 --> 00:28:05.079
 in the

00:28:05.079 --> 00:28:05.759
 apostle Paul

00:28:05.759 --> 00:28:06.660
 in these

00:28:06.660 --> 00:28:07.019
 pages

00:28:07.019 --> 00:28:09.200
 to be able

00:28:09.200 --> 00:28:09.680
 to say

00:28:09.680 --> 00:28:10.920
 with joyful

00:28:10.920 --> 00:28:11.579
 confidence

00:28:11.579 --> 00:28:12.619
 not that

00:28:12.619 --> 00:28:13.639
 his circumstances

00:28:13.639 --> 00:28:14.379
 are good

00:28:14.379 --> 00:28:16.159
 but that

00:28:16.159 --> 00:28:16.699
 you the

00:28:16.699 --> 00:28:17.179
 good God

00:28:17.179 --> 00:28:17.699
 take any

00:28:17.699 --> 00:28:18.419
 circumstances

00:28:18.419 --> 00:28:19.799
 and advance

00:28:19.799 --> 00:28:20.319
 the gospel

00:28:20.319 --> 00:28:20.919
 our greatest

00:28:20.919 --> 00:28:21.239
 good.

00:28:23.759 --> 00:28:24.519
 Oh Lord

00:28:24.519 --> 00:28:24.919
 help us

00:28:24.919 --> 00:28:25.559
 to live

00:28:25.559 --> 00:28:26.259
 as your

00:28:26.259 --> 00:28:26.619
 church

00:28:26.619 --> 00:28:27.119
 in this

00:28:27.119 --> 00:28:27.679
 confidence

00:28:27.679 --> 00:28:28.279
 this week

00:28:28.279 --> 00:28:30.779
 and we

00:28:30.779 --> 00:28:31.419
 pray Jesus

00:28:31.419 --> 00:28:31.959
 that your

00:28:31.959 --> 00:28:32.339
 beauty

00:28:32.339 --> 00:28:32.899
 and your

00:28:32.899 --> 00:28:33.379
 majesty

00:28:33.379 --> 00:28:34.039
 and your

00:28:34.039 --> 00:28:34.339
 worth

00:28:34.339 --> 00:28:34.779
 would become

00:28:34.779 --> 00:28:35.219
 more and

00:28:35.219 --> 00:28:35.759
 more real

00:28:35.759 --> 00:28:37.000
 to all

00:28:37.000 --> 00:28:37.279
 of my

00:28:37.279 --> 00:28:37.759
 brothers and

00:28:37.759 --> 00:28:38.239
 sisters and

00:28:38.239 --> 00:28:38.579
 friends in

00:28:38.579 --> 00:28:39.019
 this room.

00:28:39.819 --> 00:28:40.479
 Help us

00:28:40.479 --> 00:28:40.979
 to turn

00:28:40.980 --> 00:28:41.539
 from trusting

00:28:41.539 --> 00:28:42.220
 in ourself

00:28:42.220 --> 00:28:43.720
 and place

00:28:43.720 --> 00:28:44.120
 our deepest

00:28:44.120 --> 00:28:44.640
 trust in

00:28:44.640 --> 00:28:44.819
 you.

00:28:45.640 --> 00:28:46.079
 We ask

00:28:46.079 --> 00:28:46.420
 this Father

00:28:46.420 --> 00:28:46.740
 in Jesus

00:28:46.740 --> 00:28:47.099
 name.

00:28:47.940 --> 00:28:48.180
 Amen.

00:28:48.180 --> 00:28:48.279
 Amen.

00:28:48.279 --> 00:28:48.299
 Amen.

00:28:48.299 --> 00:28:48.319
 Amen.

00:28:48.319 --> 00:28:48.339
 Amen.

00:28:48.339 --> 00:28:48.360
 Amen.