We are studying through the book of Philippians, and we are in Philippians chapter 1 this morning, verses 12 through 14, and I have entitled the message, Paul Encourages the Church in the Providence of God. I think you'll see why I've titled it that way as we proceed on here this morning. Now, you might remember that Paul founded the Philippian church around 49 A.D. That was really the first convert that was recorded was Lydia there in Acts chapter 16. And Brother Mark pointed out this morning that by A.D. 60, the gospel had moved on into England. I found that to be interesting. However, Lydia was the first convert there in Europe, and it seems to me that the conversion of Lydia was a very good illustration of the work of God in the conversion of the soul. It says in Acts 16.14 that the Lord opened Lydia's heart so that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. It is good. that the church in Philippi was begun by a work of God, you see. It was a work of God in her heart. It didn't begin with a mere profession by Lydia. It didn't begin with the manipulation of Lydia by the preacher, but it began with an opening of the heart by the Lord Himself. There is no other way for a man to be saved. Salvation can never be by rote prayer or by the performance of some work or some ritual. Salvation involves an opening of the heart unto the things of God. Now this example of Lydia would imply that the heart of man is at first closed to the things of God. The fall of man by the sin of Adam has closed the heart of all men. The Bible says in Romans 3, verses 11 and 12, there is none that understandeth. There is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way. They are together become unprofitable. There is none that doeth good. No, not one. Sin has closed the door and the fallen nature of man has barred the door. Depravity has stolen the key and the door cannot be opened. No one can open it. The sinner himself cannot open the door. First of all, the sinner does not want to open the door. The will of the sinner takes its direction from the sin nature, you see. And the sin nature dictates the will of the sinner. The things of the flesh, excuse me, the sin nature says, I am lusting after the things of the flesh. And the sinner says, the things of the flesh I will have. The sin nature says, I covet my neighbor's goods. And the sinner says, my neighbor's goods I will have. And so you see that the door to the sinner's heart is locked, first of all, by the sinner's nature. He is bound by his own nature. He is locked into it. The Bible indicates that he is enslaved to his nature. Now, some people like to say that man's will is free. Not so. He is enslaved. to his own nature. He is not free to act contrary to his own nature. He is bound to act consistently with his own nature. His nature dictates what he wants to do. And a man acts and does according to his nature. He can never act contrary to his own nature. Therefore, the sinner cannot unlock the door of his own heart, but also know that the preacher cannot open the door of the heart. The door of the heart is not only locked to the sinner, but it is also locked to the preacher. The preacher does not have the key to the heart. The preacher cannot pry the lock off of that door. The preacher has no magic words, no incantations, no secret formula. The preacher cannot open the heart by manipulation or by persuasion. He cannot open it by the eloquence of his words nor even by sound argument. For the door of the heart is locked shut and cannot be opened by natural means. The Bible says the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it in Jeremiah 17 9? And because the heart is absorbed into its own wickedness, man is locked into a condition that theologians call total inability. The Bible and because the heart is excuse me, the Bible says in John 644, no man can come to me except the father which hath sent me draw him. Those were Jesus' words. Paul said in Romans 7.21, I find then a law that when I would do good, evil is present with me. And again, Romans 8.7 and 8, the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then, they that are in the flesh cannot Please God. And 1 Corinthians 2.14, But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. The Bible refers to this condition of spiritual inability as being dead. You hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins. So you get a clear sense of inability, I think, when you go to a funeral and you view the body in the casket. You understand that the body, the corpse, has no ability to act or to think or to contribute anything whatsoever. And as to our spiritual condition before God, Paul said, we are dead. in trespasses and sins. We are lying there, as it were, a spiritual corpse, and there is no ability in a spiritual corpse to do anything. No, a spiritual corpse cannot even believe. If a man is to be saved, there must be a miracle. There must be a divine miracle. Notice that it says the Lord opened her heart. Jesus Christ stood outside the heart of Lydia and he opened her heart by his great power. Now Matthew 19 26 says with men this is impossible but with God all things are possible. One day Jesus stood outside the tomb of Lazarus Lazarus was dead. He had been dead for four days and his body was decaying and it was stinking. And Jesus called to that dead body and said, Lazarus, come forth. And Lazarus came out alive. Now, this was a physical resurrection, which illustrates what Christ also does in the spiritual realm when he saves a soul. Jesus calls that soul to life. He opens the door of the heart, which could not be opened by the sinner, nor by the preacher. And all of this teaches us that salvation is a great work of God. The heart is opened only by a new birth. This is why Jesus told Nicodemus, you must be born again. So God opened Lydia's heart and she was saved and her household was saved. Look how gracious the Lord is often in our families. When he opened Lydia's heart, he also opened the hearts of those in her household. Now, let me say here that God is not obligated to save our sons and our daughters, as some say he is. He is not compelled by some law or some supposed covenant to save our offspring or even our spouses. But He often does. Out of His great mercy and kindness to us and to further display His grace and for His own glory, He many times saves those in our households And after saving Lydia, God saved her household. Now, soon thereafter, Paul and Silas were thrown into prison, and while he was there, the jailer was saved and also his household. Soon thereafter, Paul and Silas were in prison, and while they were there, the jailer was saved and also his household. I want you to notice here how easily God builds the church. It's hard for us to build the church, but it's easy for God to build a church. One day there were no members, and in a few days there were two entire households belonging to the church. By the time Paul left town, there was a church meeting in Lydia's house And there was a house full of brethren in Acts 1640. And Paul said goodbye to all of them. This little church begun at the riverside and perpetuated in Lydia's house was not snuffed out in the next few years, even though Christianity was not a legal religion in this Roman province. It seems that Christianity flourishes in the face of trouble. and in the face of persecution. And Jesus said, I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. Let me say that there is no force in heaven nor in earth that can snuff out the church of Jesus Christ. Against all odds, the church will stand. And it seems that the church in Philippi grew and prospered in the face of opposition and suffering. The Philippian church kept up with Paul in his travels and they sent him aid when he was in need. Perhaps they sent him money and perhaps they sent him food and clothing, other necessities. And it seems that there was a great bond of affection through the years between the church at Philippi and Paul. Now, I want to show you a little bit this morning about the circumstances of Paul at his writing to the Philippians. Now, you might remember, and we talked about this just a moment ago, in the book of Romans that Paul had often desired to go to Rome to preach the gospel. And Rome was the center of the world. At that time and given Paul's nature, he no doubt wanted to take the gospel to the center of the world and he said in Romans 113. Now I would not have you ignorant brethren that oftentimes I purpose to come into you, but was let hitherto. And then he says in Romans 110 making request if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come under you. Notice how Paul asked God if he might have a prosperous journey into Rome. God, he says, give me good traveling mercies. Make my way straight and comfortable. This was the prayer of Paul that God might give him a prosperous journey. It's interesting to me that sometimes our prayers are answered in most unusual ways. Let me show you how Paul got to Rome now in Acts 21 through 28. It explains how Paul ended up in Rome. It began with his return to Jerusalem after his third missionary journey. To affirm that he was still in a living in obedience to God, he went to the temple to participate in a ceremony. And there he was accused of teaching against the law and violating the temple. Paul was attacked by a mob. Now, he might have been killed, except that he was rescued by the Roman soldiers. And so the Roman soldiers kept him in custody to protect him from his Jewish enemies. As time went on, Paul became a point of contention between the Jewish and the Roman authorities. And they had hearings. And hearings were held before the governors, Festus and Felix. And Paul had an audience with King Agrippa. And there was no disposition brought to Paul's case. So as a result, Paul languished for two years in a prison in Caesarea where the Roman army was garrisoned. Eventually Paul appealed to Caesar and he was dispatched by ship to Rome. We just read that on the way to Rome there was a great storm over many days and eventually the ship could not bear up under the winds and the storm and after many days of great peril and after casting overboard all the weights of the ship The ship finally ran aground and broke into pieces, and Paul and all those on the ship were finally saved when they swam to shore. Paul asked for a prosperous journey to Rome, but God's will was that he would have a most unprosperous one. Sometimes God's will for us is quite different than what we expect, isn't it? And it's quite different sometimes than what we ask for. It is often quite mysterious how God works, which also reminds me of one instance in my own experience. It was my last year of law school. I took a little vacation with my two little girls at the time to Village Creek State Park near Wynn, Arkansas. Many of you probably know where that's at. I was nearly through with my schooling and I was very thankful. that God had carried me through it all, even though I had no money when I started law school, no money when I finished, no security at all. I remember that night when I went to bed in our little cabin there, I prayed and thanked God for keeping me healthy. And I asked him to keep me healthy for a little longer, if he would, so that I could complete school that year. The next morning, we went outside and the kids began to swing on a grapevine and I told them to watch me. I'd show them how to do it. The grapevine broke and I fell down the hill, breaking my ankle, and I finished law school in a wheelchair. Now, sometimes God's will takes a different turn from our will, doesn't it? And so it did with Paul. Paul was finally taken on to Rome where he was placed under house arrest. Paul had not committed any crimes against Roman law, so he was not placed in the common prison, but he was placed in a house, it says, with a Roman guard. In Acts 28.16 it says, and when he came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard, but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him. So it also appears that Paul was bound with a chain. Perhaps he was bound to the Roman guard 24 hours a day. It says in Acts 28 20. For this cause, therefore, have I called for you to see you and to speak with you because that for the hope of Israel, I am bound with a chain. So while Paul was chained in this house, possibly to a Roman guard, he nevertheless had many freedoms. He was allowed to have visitors, it says, and he was allowed to preach the gospel to all that came in unto him. It is apparent that the Roman guards who were chained to him got a constant dose of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the gospel began to be circulated throughout Caesar's court. It says in our text for this morning in Philippians 1.13, it says, so that in my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace and in all other places. It was while Paul was under arrest in Rome that he wrote this little letter to the Philippians. Now, Those in the Philippian church may have been somewhat confused and even offended at Paul's sufferings. Perhaps they were tempted to question God and to question their own faith, you see. Perhaps they imagined that Christianity would be all health and wealth and prosperity. And perhaps the suffering of Paul would be a stumbling block to many who receive the gospel. by His ministry. The same is true of us today. We receive the Gospel at first with great joy and expectation, don't we? And then we learn by and by that there is suffering in the Christian life. Sometimes we are arrested for the Gospel. Sometimes we suffer shipwreck. Sometimes we are carried where we would rather not go. Circumstances of life lead us into unpleasant places and we might be tempted to turn our back on the gospel. Now, when we come to our text for this morning, Paul wanted to instruct these Philippian believers so that they would not stumble at his suffering. So take a look at Philippians chapter 1 and verse 12. And Paul says, But I would that ye understand. I want you to see first of all here that Paul made a wish. Now, notice that it says, I would. That is, Paul says, I wish. Now, shackled under those under house arrest in Rome, Paul had a wish. Now, you would have thought that Paul might wish for his freedom. Perhaps he might wish for a little privacy or better food or better conditions. for himself, but no, Paul made a wish for the Philippians. This is a good example for all of us, but especially for the ministers and the leaders in the church in particular. Pastors and deacons and teachers, though they have their own trials and sufferings, should be much concerned about the needs of others in the church. Paul exhorts this attitude upon everyone, though, in the Philippian church. Take a look at Philippians 2.4. Philippians 2.4. He says, Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. And while Paul was incarcerated in Rome with his own troubles, Paul's mind wandered away from himself and he made a wish for his dear church. in Philippi. Now I want you to now see the substance of the wish. This is also found in Philippians 1.12. It says, But I would that ye understand. It is good for Christians to seek understanding. Let us not always be ignorant, but let us seek to know the Word of God. Let us study to show ourselves approved. There is much to learn about our God, and may we seek understanding about His ways. But then let us also seek to know His will, you see. It is not our will that will prevail, but it is His will. When we pray, we pray Thy will be done. And it is good to seek His will and to understand. what the will of the Lord is. It says in Ephesians 5.17, Wherefore, be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. But then we should also keep our eyes open so as to understand what the work of God is. Our God is a God of purpose. He is not an arbitrary God. Nothing just happens. Rather, God controls all things, and He has a purpose for all things. Even when we cannot see a purpose, God has a purpose. Now, we have talked in the Women's Bible Study about God's decree, and I asked this question, how do you know what God has decreed? And the simple answer must be, when you see it happen. The Bible says in Ephesians 1.11, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. So open your eyes and watch what happens in the world and see God's workings with understanding and be aware that not only does God have a purpose in comfortable things, but He has a purpose in uncomfortable things. When pleasant things come our way, God has a purpose. And when suffering comes, He has a purpose. And Paul had a wish that the Philippians would understand that this was true. Now, specifically in our text, Paul wanted them to understand the providence of God behind his sufferings in Rome. Look at 112 again. It says, But I would have you understand, brethren, that the things which have happened unto me have fallen out rather under the furtherance of the gospel. Now, I doubt that any suffering of a Christian has ever been for nothing. It has always been for something It is either for the ultimate good of the sufferer or for some greater good, you see. In this case, the suffering of Paul was for the greater good of the furtherance of the gospel. This should teach us that the furtherance of the gospel is a very high priority indeed. It is the chief mission of the church. It is one of those high purposes of God. It is a thing very much worth suffering for. And it is something for which God may ask us to suffer. And Paul was asked to suffer beatings and to suffer chains and to suffer shipwreck and to suffer the arrest of his liberty. for the sake of the gospel. Paul was locked first in Caesarea for two years and then in Rome for two years for the sake of the gospel. I want you to notice here that the gospel of the great good that came out of the suffering of Paul was the furtherance of the gospel. This is the plan of God for the gospel. It shall be furthered. The gospel is never in retreat, but it is always advancing against the enemy. The gates of hell shall not stand against it." The gospel is pictured as an advancing force that will batter down the gates. And this is a very apt picture of what the gospel does. The gospel of Jesus Christ advances into all the world It began in Jerusalem, but quickly advanced into Judea and Samaria and the uttermost parts of the earth. The gospel spreads out here and there until it finds the elect of God. And when it finds one of God's elect, it batters down the gates of hell around the heart. It binds the forces of Satan and it does a saving work. in the heart. The gospel of Jesus Christ is an advancing army, and it destroys the enemy on every battlefield. Did you know that the gospel has never lost a battle? It is 100% victorious. It has found every precious sheep. It has secured the heart of every single one who is written in the Lamb's Book of Life. It has changed the life of everyone whom the Father gave to Christ. Not one of those has the gospel ever failed to win. It says in Romans 1.16, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth. And Paul said, I would have you understand that my sufferings have fallen out under the furtherance of the gospel." Whatever the size of our church, whatever the scope of our ministry, one of our great duties is to further the gospel. We are willing as individuals and as a church to sacrifice. We are willing to suffer if necessary that the gospel might be advanced. When you call the pastor, you didn't ask too much of him, as I recall, but you did ask that he preach the word. Almost every one of you said preach the word. And that is a sign of a mature and an understanding church. Now, many might have said build us buildings or increase our numbers or grow our bank account. But instead, you overwhelmingly said preach the word. This is a very good and lofty goal of the church, to preach the Word, for the Word of God is undefeated in all of history. The philosophies of men have a losing record. Human reasoning always finishes low in the standings. But the true and pure Word of God has proven to be unbeatable. As to those things to which the Word of God speaks, it has never been wrong. And in the war over the souls of the elect, the Word of God has never been shown to be ineffective. It is the undisputed champion in God's plan of redemption. And therefore, we are willing to suffer all things for the furtherance of the gospel. But now I want you to see how the gospel was furthered First of all, because of the sufferings of Paul, the gospel was furthered in the palace and all other places, it says in verse 13. That is, it went out into all of the Roman places. Remember, Paul was chained to Roman guards 24 hours a day, and the commentators seem to suggest that the guards took six hour shifts so that during one 24 hour period, Paul had four different guards chained to his wrist. Now, you have to have some compassion on these guards, don't you? Here they were chained to a preacher for six hours a day. Not just a preacher, but a preacher whose only goal in life was to preach Christ. And Paul must have preached his heart out because the news of Paul and Christ began to filter out into the whole palace. You can chain the preacher, but you cannot chain the word of God. Paul was confined, but the word of God was not confined. The word of God ran out into the palace so much so that Paul says it went to all the places. I suspect that it went to the emperor and to the courtiers and to the magistrates and to the soldiers. But look, the imprisonment of Paul had the effect of also emboldening other Christians to preach the gospel. Take a look at Philippians 1.14. And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident in my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Now, you might remember in the Old Testament that when David slew Goliath, The whole Israeli army was emboldened, and they charged onto the battlefield with great confidence and great resolve. And when the brethren saw the example of Paul, their leader, they also rushed onto the battlefield with the gospel. When they saw the comfort which Paul had in his own sufferings, when they saw the consolations that he had in Christ, when they saw him bearing up under the shackles they were encouraged." This teaches me that pastors need to bear up under burdens. Pastors need to have great consolation in Christ and in the furtherance of the gospel. Pastors need to see and understand the providence of God in all things, and then perhaps the people will be more encouraged in their own sufferings. Now I would have you see here also the great power of God over His enemies. The enemies of God intended to discourage Paul. They intended to discourage the church. They intended to stifle the gospel. But instead, they were overruled by God's providence. Their efforts to discourage Paul only encouraged him. Their efforts to make the church timid only made it more bold. Their efforts to hurt the gospel helped it. Such is the great power of God over his enemies to cause them to further the gospel. And lastly, I would have you see the wondrous grace of God upon his preachers and upon his people. to encourage them in their suffering for the gospel. God will always pour out His grace in time of need. God's grace will bring comfort out of our suffering. God's grace will bring rejoicing out of despair. And God's grace will bring courage out of fear Let our text for this morning be an encouragement to you. I don't know what shackles you are in. I don't know what prison doors are holding you. I don't know what circumstances have befallen you, but I know who controls all of those things. And I know that there is reason for great hope if you belong to Jesus Christ. Would you bow with me, please? Our Heavenly Father, now we bow before you. We thank you for this wonderful example that you've given to us. Paul's example of suffering for the furtherance of the gospel. May this same mind be also in us. May we view our sufferings as your will in our life. May we also understand that they are light afflictions, that they are temporary afflictions, And yet our great comfort and joy will be forever. Be with us now. Help us to mind these things. Help us, Lord, to not grieve and despair. Help us to be comforted and to rejoice. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.