Blog » Paul’s Letter to the Philippians
Wednesday June 12, 2013 Jeff Lampl
NOTE:
I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
Philippians 1:12-14 (ESV)
Philippians 1:12-14 (ESV)
Philippi has an interesting history. It was founded by Philip, father of Alexander the Great, in 368 BC. It lies at the juncture of Europe and Asia, where Turkey meets Greece today. More than 300 years later it was the site of a great battle. Julius Caesar had been assassinated by Brutus (“et tu Brute” on the Ides of March). Mark Antony, Caesar’s heir and “boyfriend” of Cleopatra, went after and defeated Brutus, where? At Philippi in 42 BC.
But Philppi, this city of legendary historical figures, has its greatest glory in the fact that it is here that Christianity found its way to the western world. On his second missionary journey Paul had dream beckoning him to come to Europe (Acts 16). Paul did so, met Luke there (note the first use of “we” in Acts 16) and the rest is history (literally!)
It is from prison in Rome to this little church that Paul writes words that in a sense rewrite history. He writes that empires and prisons and military power are only pawns in the hands of God to advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Today Philippians is best remembered around the world as a letter of joy, a statement that confidence in God, not in the circumstances of life so dependent on power or lack thereof, is the solid rock of the good life.
“Salvation is confidence in God” (Dallas Willard), no matter what comes your way.
Would you say that your life can be described as confidence in God?
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