This sermon is from the Rev. Charles G. Dennison sermon archive, part of the “Philippians” series, and was preached at Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Sewickley, PA, during a worship service on Sunday, June 9, 1991.
About this sermon
Paul doubles his rejoicing here, and it reflects the perfection of heaven. That heavenly confidence turns his imprisonment into real joy without denying his circumstances. The call to rejoice like Paul offers believers the same confidence.
Sermon transcript
This morning we are reading again from Paul’s letter to the Philippians, the first chapter. We are beginning with verse 12 and we will read through verse 26. fear the word of God. But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel, so that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace and in all other places.
And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident in my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed preach Christ, even of envy and strife, and some also of goodwill. The one preached Christ of contention, not sincerely supposing to add affliction to my bonds, but the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel. What then? Notwithstanding every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached. and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always so now also, Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death.
For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor. Yet what I shall choose I know not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith, that your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again. Pray with me now.
Where would we be without your word, O God? Where would the peoples of the earth be without your word and its power? Our Father, we are asking for your servants who proclaim your word that they may do that with diligence and integrity. And we are praying, Father, for your servants, your people, who are pleased because of the moving of your Spirit in them, to support the ministry of the Word throughout the world. Bless our hearts, give us willing spirits as we are partakers in the preaching and the proclamation of the gospel. May it please you even today, our Lord, to bring forth harvest for yourself, and may we, our Lord, be privileged to see the harvest. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
We are looking at various aspects of this missionary report from the Apostle Paul as he writes to the Church at Philippi from a prison cell in Rome. Before us this morning in particular are verses 18 through 20 of this first chapter. taken there from his missionary report.
Now I want you to keep in mind the orientation of the apostle as he writes. He has well in view another world as he pens the words that appear. He has well in view another world. It is his orientation with respect to that other world that then leads him to speak as he does. I want you to note in the 18th verse, something that we’ve spoken of before.
You have here the Apostle expressing his joy. You may say, extraordinary in that the man’s in chains. Nevertheless, he is expressing his joy, he says He is rejoicing because Christ is preached. There are those in the Church of Rome who wish to take advantage of his imprisonment. He says that they preach out of envy and strife. Still, Christ is preached, he says, and in this he will rejoice.
He goes on to conclude that verse by saying, and yes, furthermore, I will rejoice, I will continue to rejoice. There is then this double rejoicing on the part of the Apostle, this emphatic rejoicing on the part of the Apostle. I rejoice, and then again I will rejoice.” We’ve pointed out the parallel between what Paul says here with respect to himself and what he says later with respect to the Philippians themselves. Turn to the fourth chapter, the fourth verse. that most famous of all verses from Philippians. Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice. There again we find a double rejoicing.
What then the apostle enjoins upon these Philippians later In this letter, namely Rejoicing, he himself is practicing, evidencing early on as he writes. The double rejoicing of the Apostle matches the double rejoicing of the Philippians are to demonstrate as he speaks to them, winding the letter down. Here is something quite amazing, and I wish the full impact of it to register well upon you.
The man does not lay upon these people something he isn’t practicing himself. He doesn’t come to these people and say to them, rejoice, and again I say rejoice, without there being that double rejoicing in himself. Here is a man who is practicing what he preaches. Here is a man who is consistent. Now is it just that the apostle is a principled individual? That he has some sort of inherent integrity that won’t allow him to be double-minded or inconsistent or hypocritical? Not at all. You see, what is at work in the man is that other world to which he is oriented. Think about that other world. Think about glory. Think about heaven.
In heaven, do people’s words match their actions? Do their actions match their words? Is there any inconsistency in people who are brought to glory and are made residents of heaven? Well, to ask the question is to answer it. Is there any inconsistency in heaven? Is there any distance between doctrine and life in heaven? Is there any distance between conviction and practice in heaven? No, not at all. As it is in heaven, so now it is for the apostles.
He strives, he labors, that the consistency that is found in glory might be found in him presently. So therefore, what he would enjoin upon others, what he would ask others to do, he is about himself. He is busy practicing the very same thing. So if he asks Philippian Christians to rejoice, and doubly so, already you find in him that spirit that is rejoicing, and yes, again, rejoicing consistently. It is heaven, it is that other world that informs him in his practice and in his preaching. But this other world, this heavenly world, is coming to bear upon the apostle in this passage in another way.
Not just with regard to the consistency of doctrine and life, belief and practice, but also with respect to the rejoicing itself. Is it that the Apostle is just natively optimistic? Is it that he has an effervescent personality and always looks on the bright side of things? Is it that the Apostle is just simply an optimist?
No, you see, the other world is having its impact on him here. He is determined, in light of that other world, to rejoice regardless of the circumstances. Is that other world a realm of joy? Is there anything in that other world that will diminish joy? Already, So, says the Apostle, the very joy of that realm which is above is expressing itself in him. That which belongs to the higher world is even now triumphing over circumstances in this world. He’s in jail. There is the possibility he may not survive. And yet you have him speaking this way.
I am determined to rejoice in all of my circumstances. because by so rejoicing I confess my bond with that other world in which there is pure joy.” There is a passage from the fourth chapter, a very famous passage indeed, The eleventh verse, where the apostle says this, in light of the joy and the contentment that is to be found in heaven and with Christ. Not that I speak with respect to want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.
Now, it is particularly with respect to these present circumstances that we are pressed on to understand a bit better the mind of the Apostle so that we would grasp hold of just how it is this other world, this future world, this heavenly world is asserting itself in our circumstance. It is the reality of that other world. It is the certainty of it that transforms our present circumstances, that is, busy transforming the present circumstances of the Apostle as he writes. Is there any doubt in the Apostle’s mind with respect to that world that is above? Is there any doubt In the Apostle, with respect to the reality of heaven, hear what he says.
Chapter 3, verse 24, “…our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” He has this world in view as he speaks to these Philippians in his prayer. He says, for I am confident of this very thing, verse 6 of that first chapter, that he who has begun a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. And verse 10, so that you may approve the things that are excellent in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ.
The Apostle Paul is absolutely certain about the reality of heaven. There is no question in his mind whatsoever. There are many people today who want to redefine faith for us, as if faith in its basic definition must take within it doubt. True faith is not faith unless it is mingled with doubt, and God somehow respects doubt. That’s not true. It is faith that justifies. Without faith it is impossible to please God, we are told in Scripture.
There was that man who had the demon-possessed son He had asked the disciples to cast the demon out. The disciples weren’t able. Jesus came down and ministered to the man. He asked the man, do you believe that I’m able to do this? The man said, Lord, I believe. Help thou mine unbelief. That was a prayer of confession. The man wasn’t making excuses for himself. He wasn’t making room for doubt in his definition of faith. He was asking God in Christ to remove his doubt, to free him from it.
Please, as real as Christ would be to you, so real must be the world to which Christ has gone. After all, you see, that is the world to which Christ will bring us. That was the goal all along. Are you confused? Did you think that Christ came in order to make life here a little more comfortable? Some people concentrate on the forgiveness of sins because they’re interested in a clear conscience. Christ came in order to forgive sins so that I can live with a clear conscience.
Well, yes. But the clear conscience is unto a greater goal yet, that you might be brought to glory, that you might be brought to heaven. That’s what it was all about. The Apostle knows of the reality of heaven. He knows of the reality of the Christ who reigns in heaven. He met the Christ on the road to Damascus, the risen Christ. He saw him. He’s testified about him again and again.
There is no doubt in the Apostle about the reality of heaven, nor is there any doubt with respect to the veracity of Jesus Christ. set well then before us, was the reality of that other world, the goal of it, the orientation with respect to it. And it is this other world which informs the Apostle as he writes and enables him to rejoice, and even doubly so.
Is there anything impermanent about heaven? Is there anything transitory about heaven? Do things waver and fall and crumble and disintegrate and decay in heaven? No. We’re talking about a permanent realm. We’re talking about that which is fixed, that which is eternal.
And it is this to which the apostle press And he would have others press towards that mark with him, in light of the reality, the certain reality of glory. Do you fight with yourselves about the emotional rollercoaster that is yours too often evident. One minute you’re up, the next minute you’re down. One minute you’re struggling, depressed. The other moment you’re elated and on top of things. Don’t you realize that the answer to your dilemma is found outside of yourself? It is found in a world that is permanent and fixed and stable and indestructible. Well, not only does the Apostle have well in view the reality of this world, and not only is he supremely and absolutely confident with regard to this world, this world is at work in him transforming his view of his present circumstances.
Now, as you wade into verse 19, if you have a modern translation of that verse, you may be a little confused. The New American Standard reads at the opening of that verse, “‘For I know that this shall turn out for my deliverance,’ or, if you will, this shall turn out for my release.”
And as soon as the Apostle starts talking like that, we think that he has in mind his release from prison. And there are many interpreters of this passage that approach it precisely along those lines. The Apostle is speaking about a release from prison, one that he is expecting and hoping for. But you see, whether or not that release comes is beside the point from the Apostle’s point of view.
For in this circumstance, his imprisonment, he is able to see superimposed upon all the conditions he is presently enduring, the pattern of his life generally, and, as he would hope with respect to his release from prison, so he also has hopes and expectations with respect to his eventual arrival in glory itself. He takes then language that could be interpreted as referring to his release from prison, and he applies it to his deliverance so that he might be brought finally to stand in the presence of Christ. And it is by root of this that the apostle actually transforms his afflictions into those things that are conspiring to bring about glory in him and for him. A complete turning around of the circumstances, the events that presently he faces.
Has he been released from jail? No. Is he still being treated like a prisoner? Is he still suffering? Yes. From an outsider’s point of view, is life all that it should be? No. But yet, in this very circumstance, the apostle is saying, that these afflictions are actually working out for his good and contributing to his eventual arrival in glory. Are any of you in prison for the sake of Christ presently? What about the extremities of your circumstances? How severe are they? As extreme as the apostles?
If our concerns and our afflictions are less, should we not be doing well with them? so that even in these minor afflictions and these daily trials we would see superimposed upon them the pattern of the Lord’s dealings whereby we are brought to glory.
Our afflictions, our difficulties transformed. In the end, of course, we shall be transformed, and our vile bodies shall be changed into the likeness of his glorious body. But even before that day arrives, the power of God is at work in us, so that our momentary light afflictions become occasions whereby we might see the very patterns of heaven the glories of that other world which has been granted to us by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
Amen. Let us pray. Our Father, we pray for such consistency as is found in the Apostle. As he follows Christ, may we follow Christ also. And as the world to which our Savior has gone determines even now the attitude of the Apostle and the way in which he behaves. May that world also be influencing us and transforming us.
We are praying that in the midst of affliction that we may bear, we may rejoice and even doubly rejoice, confident that all things work together for good. to them that love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose. Our Father, we ask that we might rush to your word, that we might rush to you, and that as we do, Lord, may you set plainly before us our heavenly home, and the wonderful consistency and permanency and eternality of it for the good of our souls. We ask it in Jesus name. Amen.
The sermon text provided above is derived from the sermon audio recording making use of generative tools. It has not been manually edited. While transcription tools have a high degree of accuracy, the output may include generative textual, punctuation, and/or formatting errors.