Phil. 1:12-18; Acts 20:22-24; 21:10-14, Keys to Joy (2)

·        A third key to joy for Paul in prison was what we might call the gospel’s advance.  There are two evidences in today’s passage that Paul’s imprisonment was aiding in the advance of the Gospel.  In other words, Paul was in chains but the Word of God was not in chains (2 Tim. 2:8-10).

o   First, the gospel was advancing among the palace guard as well as to all the rest, likely a reference to Caesar’s household, or to his fellow-prisoners (like Onesimus), or to others influenced by the guards.  Of these guards A. T. Robertson says: “There were originally ten thousand of these picked soldiers, concentrated in Rome by Tiberius. They had double pay and special privileges and became so powerful that emperors had to court their favour. Paul had contact with one after another of these soldiers.”  This is so amazing.  How difficult to get the gospel into these inner circles of the power of Rome.  Unless you had someone like Paul chained to one after another of these influential soldiers.

o   Second, the gospel was advancing elsewhere because many more brethren were being encouraged by Paul’s imprisonment to preach the gospel more and more.  Now here is where the bond-slave mentality really comes into play.  There were two kinds of preachers.

§  Some were preaching from a motive of envy and strife (v15).  These two words often appear together and are the basis for basically every destructive argument.  So what is Paul talking about?  The problem with these preachers is not doctrinal or Paul would rebuke them.  The likely scenario is that they criticized Paul for ending up in prison.  Remember how Paul was warned not to go to Jerusalem because trouble was waiting; he would be abused and imprisoned.  Even the Holy Spirit was said to be warning him.  Yet he went anyway, out of loyalty to the Lord Jesus, his Master.  These preachers might have considered Paul arrogant.  But Paul, the bond-slave, knows this is not about him.  He doesn’t care what others think of him (1 Cor. 4:1-5).  He is rejoicing because Christ is being preached.

§  Of course others were preaching from a motive of goodwill and love (v17).  These are not  ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner (2 Tim. 1:8).  In those words do you not see the bond-slave mentality: Paul was not the prisoner of Rome; he was the prisoner of Christ!  Perhaps we can also remember Jesus’ instruction to His disciples in Luke 10:17-20.  They returned from a preaching assignment and were all excited about what great things they were able to do.  What did Jesus tell them?  Don’t get excited about the miracles or crowds; rejoice in your salvation!  Paul rejoiced in the advance of the gospel.  What “excites” you?  What gives you full joy?