Today we're going to continue our series in the book of Philippians. And I want to tell you that it's a joy to preach to a mature congregation, a congregation that is committed, a congregation that knows the Lord, a congregation that wants to hear what the Bible says. And today some of those things are very easy and even sweet. And some of the things that we're going to hear today are not so easy. In fact, they're hard and not so sweet. A little edgy. But this is the Word of God, and I know that you want to hear the Word of God, and I want to preach the Word of God, because it's the Word of God that endures forever. It's the Word of God that sanctifies us. It's the Word of God that changes our lives. It's the Word of God that gives us that confidence that faces death, when we face death. One of the great Puritans said that there's no doctrine that has any validity except that doctrine that's valid in the face of death. And Paul, as we know, was facing death, and we're all facing death one of these years, maybe decades, maybe four or five decades, but in a hundred years, We'll all be wherever we're gonna be forever. So it won't be long. So get your, the text is in your bulletin. Our text for the day is Philippians 1, 12 through 18. Give attention to the reading of the perfect word of God. But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happen to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard and to all the rest that my chains are in Christ, and most of the brethren and the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some, indeed, preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill. The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains, but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached, and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice." May God add His blessing to the reading and the hearing of His Word as we approach this text. When Paul wrote this text, We find him in circumstances in which we could not fault him if we actually heard him moaning, and we heard him groaning, and we heard him complaining. And if we heard him just saying, I just want to get away from life, and I want to get away from everything. I want to get away from the world. I want to get away from people. I don't want any more responsibilities. And think of who he was. He was God's chief apostle. He was God's chief apostle to the Gentiles. He was very famous. Everyone knew who Paul was, even if they'd never met him. He was probably, many scholars think that he was the best educated man walking the face of the earth. Now that's a big statement. There's no way to measure, to actually know that. But he was well educated. He was experienced and He was influential. In fact, an Episcopal bishop once said that everywhere that he went, they served tea, and everywhere that the Apostle Paul went, they had a riot. He was very influential. but he had powerful apostolic gifts. And he founded churches all over the Roman Empire and he had been used of God to write more of our New Testament than any other author, anyone else. And by now, we know that Paul was We don't know exactly when he was born, but he was born in a 10-year period, either 5 BC to 5 AD, somewhere in that window. So when he wrote this book, he's about 60 to 63 years old, which is a time of life when many men look forward to enjoying the fruits of their lifelong labors. Many pastors by that age are looking forward to a relaxed schedule, a little more golf, maybe a lot more golf. And if you're successful in ministry like Paul was, you could expect to live off your book sales and speak at a lot of conferences and retreats. And just think about this. Paul, being the author of the majority of the Newer Testament, How many billions of Bibles have been printed? What are the royalties that are due him? The royalties that are due him. And I think God is paying him in spades. But here's the question. Where was Paul when he wrote this? Instead of being out on the golf course, he was in prison in Rome. He was awaiting a trial by a tyrant judge who could easily execute him. He did not have any comforts except maybe a little relief in that he was not yet in a dungeon cell. He was not in the strictest confinement that was going to come later. But he was in his own rented house and people were allowed, visitors were allowed to come, says Acts 28 30. But he was literally chained to a Roman guard 24 hours a day, every day, and this is probably ankle change. We also don't know if it's wrist change or ankle change, but probably ankle change. And he was also, we know that he was cold. He wanted warm clothes. He had already spent two years in jail, in a jail in Caesarea, and without any crime on his part. Not only that, but he was being, as we read in our text, unfairly criticized. There were people who were jealous of Paul. There were people who didn't like Paul simply because of his status. They wanted to tear him down, so they would preach another gospel to compete with him. They would preach against Paul in order to make him look bad in people's eyes. And if you were to read the entire New Testament, you would see that Paul was was accused of every category of every sin in the Bible. He was accused of everything. And they would say things like, well, if God was using Paul, if Paul were God's man, then do you think that God would let these kinds of things happen to him? Or if Paul were really serving God, would he be in chains? Would he be connected to a stinking Roman? They hated the Romans, and they probably hated Paul as much. So they were promoting their ministries at Paul's expense, and Paul's circumstances were enough to make most men unhappy, would make most men quit their duties. And yet, what do we find here? We find in verse 18 that Paul is rejoicing. He's rejoicing, and he's not being frivolous in his rejoicing. But why is he rejoicing? How could Paul be filled with joy in these dismal circumstances that would be thought to hinder and short-circuit most men? Well, I think the apostle would say to this point, well, people, I'm glad you asked because I want you to know the answer. Look at verse 12. In verse 12, we start here. He says, but I want you to know. Paul is saying, I want you to know. Henry wants to know. And we're gonna tell Henry. And I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happen to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel. My translation of this is, but I want you to know, brethren, about the tough things that have happened to me and that the things which happen to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel. He wants them informed. You see, as Christians, God does not want us, He says in the book of Isaiah, He does not want us to be like dumb animals of the field that need a bit and a bridle in our mouths to turn our head which way to go. He wants His Word to direct us. He wants our brothers who are sanctified to help direct us as he uses them. God is involved in teaching his people and loving his people and guiding his people. And so God wants us to know him and Paul wants us to know what God is doing with him. These people in Philippi, what is he doing with them? He is chained to a Roman in a house in Philippi, waiting judgment, and what's happening? What are these Romans chained to him? These Romans who are chained to him are nothing but candidates for the gospel. They can't get away until their shift is over. They're stuck with him probably 12 hours a day. One today and another one tomorrow and another one the next day. They're stuck with him. Paul wants people to know what's going on. He wants the people in Philippi to know. He wants you to know because you're reading this book and we're preaching through this book. And he wants those to know whom you can influence by what you know about this book and about God's work and about God's message through Paul. So the news of God's powerful gospel is one thing he wants us to know. Romans 1 16, for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the, what's the word? Power of God unto salvation. You see, God is not playing I've got a secret with his people. Even though, listen here, he does keep secrets from those who are not his people. Look at the next word. I want you to know brethren. This is important. This is a nuance that's really more than a nuance. This is a plank. This is a platform that Paul stands on. Brethren, this is brethren only. This is not for everybody. Have you ever met somebody and that you talk to them about Bible study or reading the Bible or you ask them, what do you think that verse says or something? And they'll say something like this, I really, don't understand the Bible. You ever heard that? Why do they not understand? Well, because God, the Holy Spirit, is not dwelling in them, opening their eyes, giving them the insights that they need yet. just by having the question and just by having the yearn to know is an indication that God the Holy Spirit is working in them to draw them to Himself. But God says that the truths of the gospel and the truths of His ways are for the brethren to know in detail, but not for everybody. Listen to this, Mark 4, 9 and following. And he said to them, this is Jesus, he who has ears to hear, let him hear. So the person without ears to hear, they don't hear. But when he was alone, those around him and the 12 asked about the parable. And he said to them, to you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God. But to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that seeing they may see and not perceive." So they can see the event, they can hear the words, and they can even define the words, but they won't perceive, and this is on purpose. Hearing they may hear and not understand. lest they should turn and their sins be forgiven them." They're not the elect. They're people who are not the elect and they will never know what the elect can know. And also, Christians who have the mind of Christ is where the Holy Spirit has worked and given understanding that others don't have. In fact, others are forbidden. 1 Corinthians 2, 9. Listen to this. Eye has not seen, neither has ear heard, nor has entered the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. Now, how do you come to love Him? because He quickens you and tells you about Himself, and He draws you to Himself, and You become His because your arms are too short to box with God. Going on, but God has revealed Him to us through His Spirit, for the Spirit searches all things. Yes, even the deep things of God. No one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Yet we have received not the Spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. You hear that freely given to you. In fact, God is God is giving you he's given you the Bible He's given you the church. He's given you many commentaries in America We have no excuse to not know the things of God no excuse whatsoever He's freely given these things to us, but none of them do any good until he gives us his spirit gives us eyes to see ears to hear and And then we do. But he's purposefully hidden these things from the lost. These things are for the brethren. And Christians read this and they get it. And non-Christians read this and they don't understand. There could be a non-Christian here today who would not understand what I'm saying. You mean it's not for me? And in fact, they could be offended because these truths are offensive truths. These truths are for God's people. This is information that we need to truly serve Him as He is, an electing God, a God who runs His world His way, and we're part of that. We need to know that. And then, also in verse 12, We read that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel. I wish that I had Jason's prayer and Mike's prayer and Jimmy's prayer, because they actually prayed this point of my sermon. Nothing happens that God doesn't decree. Your heart doesn't beat unless God decrees it. Eyes don't see unless God decrees it. In fact, in Exodus 4, 9, 10, and 11, God even talks about what He holds back. He says, am I not the one who made the blind blind and the lame lame and the deaf deaf? And then He goes on to talk about what He can do by giving us sight and hearing and ability to walk. We are people that are in God's providence. The things which happened to me. Now, of course, the things that happened to Paul have turned out for what? Paul's not going to talk about, you don't know how cold it was last night. You don't know how that Roman snored that was chained to me last night. You don't know how little I got to eat last night. You know what he cares about? Here's what he cares about. He cares about the fact that the gospel is going forward. He cares that the gospel is going forward and that all these things that are happening to him, and all of these things are happening to him, yet he's not putting them up here so everybody can see them. I'm having to tell you about them you had to you'd have to study to find these things out but you know that Paul what he does put forward is the furtherance of the gospel and These things don't just happen his coldness Who set the temperature who set the thermostat on the world in his location that night? It was God God made it cold and he made Paul cold with it. So nothing just happens unless God decrees it. Nothing will happen. That includes things like the fall. That includes things like the crucifixion of Christ. Romans 8, 28, I bet you've all thought about this, and we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God and those who are the called according to His purpose. The word purpose there are planned events, events that God planned. God has planned your life. and you are supposed to cooperate with him. Daniel 4.35, he does according to his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. And no one can resist his hand or say to him, what have you done? Proverbs 16.9, man plans his ways, but God directs his steps. And then in the same chapter, Proverbs 16.33, one of my favorites, men toss dice, but God turns up the spots. So, you know, when you go to Las Vegas, you're not gambling. You're just throwing your money away as God intended you to throw it away. Nothing just happens, which brings us to another point. When you think about God and you come to worship Him, you're not worshiping luck, You're not worshiping chance. You're not worshiping fortune. I wish y'all could hear R.C. Sproul's diatribe against luck, fortune, and chance. He shatters it. The bottom line is there are no such things. There are no such things. In a universe that is run by the Lord God Almighty, who works all things according to His will, there is no such thing as chance. I'm going to tell you a little story that I wasn't planning to but I'm going to. Joy and I had just gotten married and she got all these plates and napkins and dishes and all this kind of stuff. And you know what else she got? She got a gift certificate. So because she pitied me, she gave me the gift certificate because that's what husbands get, right? The gift certificate. I didn't get a gun. I didn't get any bullets. I didn't get anything. There was a racquetball court in my backyard, literally. So I took this gift certificate to the store, and I was going to trade it in for a racquetball racket. And I go up to the cash register, and I lay it on the counter, give the girl the gift card. And she says, oh, a gift card. Is it your birthday? And I said, no, it's my anniversary. So she rings me up, and she gives me my receipt, puts it in a little bag, and she says, good luck on your marriage. And I said, ma'am, thank you very much for your concern for my welfare, but I have good news for you. There's a sovereign God who runs the universe, who loves me, gave his son for me, and is working all things after the council's will for my good. She said, what did you say? I said, ma'am, thank you for your kindness toward me, but let me let you know that there's a God in the universe who loves me, has given his son for me, runs the universe for my good and for all people's good. She said, she puts her key in the cash register, or she turns the cash register, turns it on, she says, can I talk to you right now? So we went to the break room, about right there, and she told me that she had been thinking about suicide because she was so hopeless. Luck, chance, and fortune will not give you any hope because they don't exist. So those were days pre-cell phone. So I called Joanne, and Joanne got to lead her to the Lord because she was a piece of fruit ready to fall to the ground. She had also contacted Jehovah's Witnesses to find out if they could help her. So by God's grace, we beat them. But there's no such thing as luck, chance, or fortune. And if you're even thinking those things, then that is the enemy of God. You're slapping God off of His very throne if you hold those things. So, today in your confession of faith, I ask you, what are the decrees of God? And you said, the decrees of God are His eternal purpose according to the counsel of His will, whereby for His own glory He has foreordained whatsoever comes to pass. Think about that. He foreordains whatsoever comes to pass. Ephesians 1.4, He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world. Ephesians 1.11, in Him we also obtained an inheritance being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works most things after the counsel of His will." Did you catch it? How many things does He work according to the counsel of His will? all things according to the counsel of the Lord. Does he leave anything out? No, not at all. And then listen to Romans 9.22 and following. What if God, wanting to show his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory." And when is beforehand? Before the foundation of the world. Even us, whom he called. How did he call you? He said, The Holy Spirit to convince you of your sin and misery, enlighten your mind in the knowledge of Christ, renew your will, and cause you to embrace Christ as he offered him to you in the gospel. Beforehand for glory, even us, whom he called not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles. Any Jews in here? So all of us are second-class citizens, but we're in, right? we're in. And then, as he also says to Hosea, I will call them my people who were not my people. That's amazing. But then the second one, short of catechism, question 11, what are God's works of providence? God's works of providence are his most holy, wise, and powerful, preserving all his, and governing all his creatures and all their actions. Think about what this is saying. He says in Matthew 10, the Lord has established his throne in heaven and his kingdom rules over all. Jason prayed this in his prayer. Matthew 10, 29 and following, are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin and not one of them falls to the ground apart from your father's will? Not one of them falls to the ground unless God decrees it. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Just ask Chester. Do not fear, therefore. You are of more value than many sparrows." So you're of more value than a lot of sparrows. But here's something that we need to always remember. We are not as valuable as the gospel or the work of the Lord. We are expendable and we need to live that attitude of I'm expendable in this life because I am eternal in the next. I am His to do with me whatever He sees fit. And so few Americans, I'm gonna blame it on Americans, so few Americans think that because we've got it so easy, we've got it so cush. What can keep you from coming to church? Little rain. What can keep people from coming to church? secular job what can keep you from coming to church a little headache you know people could sit here in the chair and have and have a headache just as much as they sit at home and have a headache now if you're if you're sick and contagious don't come but if you can come I want to love I want people and I want to personally love God so much that that nothing unless it's extraordinary could keep me away from the worship of God. You are not as valuable as the gospel and neither am I. You're not as valuable as the work of the Lord and neither am I." And Paul was completely convinced of this truth about himself and also was Jesus. Now, Jesus, as God the Son, could have His way at any time and all times. In fact, the Bible says that He gave up His life that was not taken from Him. In Acts chapter 2, verse 23, a lot of people have a hard time with this. Acts 2.23, the Scripture says, or 2.22 and 23, men of Israel, hear these words. Men of Reformation Bible Church and women, hear these words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves also know, him being delivered by the predetermined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death. Okay, so, God decreed that lawless people would take his son, his perfect son, and put him to death. And then in Acts chapter 4, 27 and 28. For truly against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together to do what your hand and your purpose determined before to be done. Jesus was crucified because God sent him to be crucified for us who believe. It was not an accident. Was it done by evil men? Yes. Was it done by God? Yes. Who hardened Pharaoh's heart? God hardened Pharaoh's heart. And who else hardened Pharaoh's heart? Pharaoh. So God is working his purpose out in our lives. So we see this as we get close to the end in our experiences and our labors. I've said many times that God is more interested in your holiness than your happiness. He is more interested in your effectualness for the gospel than he is for your comfort. He wants you to serve Him, to exert ergs is the Greek word. The Greek word erg is the word work or energy. We get the word work and energy from it. He wants you to study the Bible. He wants you to learn to do apologetics, to be able to defend the faith. He wants you to have the courage to go out and face people, face them down if you have to. face-to-face and be able to give an account of the truth of the gospel and the faith that is in you. First Thessalonians 1-6, And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction. You see, Paul knew that when he went places to tell the gospel, he was going to be afflicted. It was not going to be easy. You know, I've been a few places to talk around the country, and I go to a nice hotel, and I sleep in a nice bed, and they pick me up in a nice car, and I eat nice food, and Paul didn't have any of that. He might not even have the clothes that he needed to stay warm or the food he needed to keep his stomach from growling. much affliction, and he says, with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became examples to all who believe, for from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth. This passage in Philippians chapter one is about you doing your part to become competent to sound forth the gospel. And he says, the things that God has happened to me, is what Paul's saying, for his gospel and kingdom's sake, are more important than me. And whether you're convinced of that for yourself, it really makes no difference whether you think that's true about you. The Bible says it's true about you if you're a believer. I remember James Kennedy down at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, he said, People tell me, they'll come to me and say, well, you teach me how to do evangelism because I've never done evangelism. And he says, and you're claiming to be a Christian and you've never done evangelism? You see what he's getting at? Have you ever done evangelism? I mean, real evangelism? Where you could lose a friend? where you could lose a job, where you could get beaten up. You see, we are called to proclaim the gospel. All of us. We're to do it knowingly, we're to do it with the brethren, we're to do it in God's providence, and we're to do it whether it's hard or deadly. Amen? Amen. Please prepare yourselves now to receive the supper of the Lord.