“Paul experienced more joy than the rest of us do. . . . It wasn’t that Paul looked at the world through rose-colored glasses. His gaze was focused on something different. We are naturally focused on ourselves. Paul was focused on the mission. He did not find his joy in ideal circumstances, but in seeing people find hope in Jesus.”- Randy Frazee
“Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.”- Philippians 1:12-13 (NIV)
In Principle #3: See the Glass as Half Full of The Joy Challenge, Randy Frazee calls our attention to the word rejoice at the end of verse 18. Because in the previous verses Paul shared what caused him to rejoice. He rejoiced over the opportunities afforded to him and the gospel due to his imprisonment.
Above all, even though he had been through the ringer and back, Paul glossed over what happened to him (verse 12). Perhaps that’s why the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write the treatise on joy.
Furthermore, Randy takes note of the word advance, also in verse 12. Advance is a Greek military terms that refers to an army of engineers. They preceded the troops to open the way into new territory. As a Roman citizen, a member of the palace guard watched Paul 24/7. Most significantly, the guards changed shifts every four hours. Thus, the guards provided a captive audience for the gospel six times a day.
In conclusion, Randy explains:
“Paul discovered his circumstances opened the way for the message of Christ to go to the world through the mighty influence of Rome. Paul’s imprisonment gave him and audience he would not have otherwise had. As a Roman citizen, because he made his appeal to the emperor, Paul was the emperor’s prisoner (although Paul preferred to think of himself as ‘the prisoner of Jesus.’)”
Today’s question: What Scriptures uplift you to keep focused on the mission? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “The content of the preaching”
