Tag: gospel

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Philippians 1:17b – The Human Herald

Paul, writing about spiritual forces. (Grok)

… not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 

Summary: Looking at Paul’s letter from a human perspective reveals a Paul who is, like us, an imperfect vessel. 

As you no doubt remember from our last meditation, Paul is talking about the people who preach Christ for unchristian reasons. So far, Paul has mentioned that they are motivated by “envy and rivalry” (Verse 15) and “selfish ambition” (Verse 17a). In this passage, he adds that they hope to “stir up trouble” for him while he is in prison. 

Who would do such a thing, and why?

There are a lot of things we could talk about here. Who is stirring up trouble for Paul, and why? What kind of trouble are they “stirring up?” How does this translate to the divisions among churches today? 

Instead of delving into these worthy topics, let’s take a slightly different tack and consider Paul himself. 

Paul is a human being. It is true that God is speaking through him when he writes his letters. However, like the pen or the ink we choose to write with, Paul’s words leave us with an imprint of his personality as well as the words he is speaking on behalf of the Lord. 

Remember that Paul wrote the following in his letter to the Ephesians: 

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12)

Our struggle is not personal. It is not about you and me … or Paul. It is about Jesus and his message of salvation for all of humanity. 

Is it really surprising that Paul, unfairly confined by false accusations and chains, is a little bit frustrated? Is it possible that the Paul who wrote the words describing who our struggle is with slipped for a moment? On the one hand, he tells us our enemy is not “flesh and blood,” and here, in this letter to the Philippians, he describes an enemy of flesh and blood? Are these two letters written by the same hand? 

Yes. 

Paul is a human being, too. Jesus didn’t call him to be perfect. Instead, he was called to be a herald to proclaim the name of Jesus far and wide (Acts 9:15). 

Application: Remember that you and I are human. 

Food for Thought: Who was the “trouble” in this passage really “stirred up” for?

Please click ‘’Continue Reading” for comments.

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Philippians 1:16 – Carry On

Picture of an eagle's head. (Pixabay)

The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 

Summary: Paul’s description of those who shared the Gospel out of love touches the heart as we explore the relationship Paul had with his followers. 

The word Paul uses for “love” is that well-known Greek word, “agapē.” This form of love is most often associated with God’s love for us. 

Human love is often transactional. We “love” in a way that demands “love” in return. If we are not loved as we think we should be, human love can turn to hate in an instant. 

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Philippians 1:14b – Contagion

Picture of people proclaiming God's Word with the Lion of Judah in the background (Grok)

… most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.

Summary: Confidence in the Lord is something every true believer desires. In this life, we are engaged in a spiritual battle. Our primary weapon is to proclaim the Gospel without fear. 

Paul’s chains were made of iron. They were heavy, they bruised and chaffed the skin, and they could not be ignored. There are other chains in this life that are not as obvious. One of them is fear. 

The online dictionary defines “fear” this way:

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Philippians 1:13b – Ralphus and Salina

A picture of Ralphus and Salina at dinner. (Grok)

[As a result] … it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.

Summary: It requires some imagination to open up the mind to what Paul means when he describes the “whole palace guard” being aware that he is in chains for Christ. 

Meditations are the playground of theology. When we meditate on a passage like this, it is okay to have some fun. For example, let’s imagine that one of the palace guards is a man named Ralphus. Ralphus is married to Salina, and the two of them live near the palace in a small apartment. 

Our scene opens late one evening as Ralphus gets home from work. 

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Philippians 1:12 – Paul’s Bad Day

Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 

Summary: Comparing ourselves to Paul puts our own experiences in an interesting light. 

Most of us have had a bad day now and then, but very few of us have ever had bad days like Paul’s bad days. 

Imagine going to work and ending up in prison — for years! Or, you are just minding your own business, trying to do your job, and somebody stirs up a riot against you. Before you get to your first coffee break, soldiers grab you and drag you off to be flogged or beaten with rods. Then, just before you clock out for the day, an angry crowd gathers around you, physically carrying you outside the city limits while simultaneously beating you up on the way. Once outside the city, they all pick up rocks and throw them at you until, bruised and bleeding, you black out from the pain (2 Corinthians 11:21-27).

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Philippians 1:5 – Good News

A picture with the word "GOSPEL" floating in the center and the following acronyms scattered around the word "GOSPEL" -- CPU, CFO,ROI, MBA, SAT, DNA, MRI, ASAP, DIY, PIN (Grok)

… because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,

Summary: Words matter, and the Bible’s words matter the most. Helping people understand the gospel is often a matter of making sure we are using words correctly. 

What does it mean to have a partnership in the gospel? 

The word “partnership” seems straightforward. Paul acknowledges the support he has received from the Philippians. The word “gospel” is a little different. 

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Colossians 4:4 – A Cry for Help

Picture of a plane towing a banner that reads "JESUS SAVES"

Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.

Summary: Communication is an art form. Over communicating can actually garble the message. Paul asks for prayer to ensure he speaks clearly.

As we look at this passage, the first question is, “What is ‘it’?” If we back up to verse 3, Paul is asking for prayer so “God may open a door for our message ….” The message, of course, is the Gospel (Colossians 1:3-6). 

Paul follows up his request with our passage for this meditation. He wants to “proclaim it clearly.” 

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Colossians 2:4 – Fine-Sounding Arguments

I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.

Summary: Some things never change. One of those unchangeable things is the tendency of people to share their ideas about how God works. Unfortunately for them, there is only one right answer: Jesus.

Ever since Adam and Eve sinned, mankind has had a problem. Instead of only being able to “see” God’s will, sin caused their “eyes …[to] be opened” (Genesis 3:5). As a consequence, our “eyes” are opened, too.

Which “eyes” are we talking about? We are not discussing physical eyes because Adam and Eve could already see. We are talking about the inner eye of the mind, the part of our being that takes in information and decides what we will do.

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