Rev. David Holwick
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey        
March 1, 1998                                       
                                                       Philippians 1:12-19
                        MAKING THE BEST OF THE WORST
                        ============================

  I. The most productive time of your life...
      A. What were the circumstances?
      B. For me, times of pressure and opposition.
          1) Breaking a long-term relationship, changing jobs, losing
                health, precarious finances...
          2) Easy-going times are for coasting.
      C. Paul is telling the Philippians about events in his life.
          1) "What has happened to me..."
          2) Typical of first century letters.

 II. Easier to witness in some places than others.
      A. Church is easy, jail is harder.
          1) Paul was in a hard place.
          2) House arrest.
          3) Couldn't visit his churches.

      B. Worshipping problems.
          1) Some worship problems more sincerely than they worship Lord.
              a) Their lives revolve around difficulties.
          2) Others ignore problems.
              a) Real Christians don't have problems.
              b) They pretend everything is rosy.

      C. God wants us to put problems in right perspective.
          1) Realize God has allowed the problem.
              a) Human circumstances lie in God's hands.
          2) It can make us more knowledgeable and useful for him.
              a) God doesn't just work IN SPITE of our circumstances,
                    but THROUGH them.

              b) Example of church in Cuba:
                    Atheist country for past 30 years.
                    Yet churches are thriving.
                       Methodists go from 6,000 to 50,000.
                       Testimony of Cuban pastor in our association.

III. Paul's perspective.
      A. It has worked out for furtherance of gospel.
          1) Furtherance = advance like an army in spite of obstacles.
          2) Love of Jesus was Paul's main motivation in life.

      B. One advantage: witnessing to Praetorium guards.
          1) Rome's elite; 9,000 men.
          2) Jail enabled him to reach men that other Christians couldn't.
              a) When someone backs up his word with his life, people
                    stop, look and listen.

      C. Other Christians were encouraged to be bold.
          1) First century people were timid, just like us.
          2) After all, they were outnumbered a million to one.
          3) Previously, Paul's effectiveness got them off hook.
              a) When we witness, we encourage other Christians.
              b) Reason for testimonies.

 IV. A downside.
      A. Other Christians had different motives.
          1) Selfish ambition.  (insincere politicians)
          2) They wanted more influence at Paul's expense.

      B. Who were these Christians?
          1) Many think they were phonies, false.
              a) Evangelist Marjoe in the 1970's.
              b) Got rich preaching the gospel but didn't believe it.

          2) Most of Paul's opponents probably weren't fakes like this.
              a) They are said to preach Christ and are included with
                    the "brothers" (never said of heretics).
              b) It is not their content, but their attitude and spirit.

          3) Insincere Christians.
              a) Personal ambition cloaked in religious garb.
              b) Continual problem in church - it is too human.
                  1> Christianity Today article on Jimmy Swaggert.
                        His 7,000 seat sanctuary is almost empty.
                        He still preaches with fire, and showbiz.
                  2> Easy to take eyes off Christ.

      C. Paul's focus.
          1) He could have resorted to criticism.
              a) He focuses not on personalities, but ultimate outcome.
              b) Christ is being preached.
          2) Don't let people get your eyes off Jesus.
          It was a 99 degree September day in San Antonio.
          Two women were running around a car in near hysteria.
             One was a mother, the other an aunt.
          The object of their frenzy was a 10-month-old baby accidentally
             locked inside the car.
          A neighbor attempted to unlock the car with a clothes hanger.
          But soon the infant was turning purple and had foam coming
             from her mouth.
          It had become a life-or-death situation when Fred Arriola, a
             wrecker driver, arrived on the scene.
          He grabbed a hammer and smashed the back window of the car to
             set her free.
          Was he proclaimed a hero?
             He said, "The lady was mad at me because I broke the window.
          I just thought, What's more important - the baby or the window?"
          Christians too often focus on the window...
                                                                    #1906

          3) Is Paul saying motives don't matter?
              a) Each person will be judged for their motives and work.
              b) But even if we are phony, God may still use us.
                  1> Marjoe was a fake, but his converts could be genuine.

  V. Are you advancing the Good News?
      A. One barrier - our sense of sinfulness.
          1) Our motives are never completely pure.
          2) Preach him anyway.  (then repent)
              a) Example of backslidden Baptist who witnessed to me.
              b) God is not limited by sinful humans.

      B. Paul's one goal was to honor Jesus.
          1) Is this your desire?
          2) Use your circumstances to sharpen your message.



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