Rocky Road Devotions: In Chains for the Gospel

Thursday, December 2, 2021

And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear. It’s true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives. They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News. Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my chains more painful to me. But that doesn’t matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice.

Philippians 1:12-18

If there has ever been a missed understanding about enduring hardship, insult, or even death connected with serving God, it is the difference between causation and choice. Some people see the Gospel as causative; the Gospel puts you in bondage. But Paul endured the bondage of chains in a smelly, damp, cold, and dead-end Roman prison by choice. That choice was because of love for Christ, and a growing sense of willingness to suffer for the opportunity to proclaim that message. It’s not a choice taken lightly, or without consequences.

Paul put to rest the notion that it is acceptable to despise those whose motives are less than pure, or even having involved themselves in ministry for gain, or to bring shame on others. Paul said that kind of distraction means we must keep our eye on the ball…the bigger picture is that Christ stays in the foreground, not our hardship. And, when your love for Christ is greater than your love of the applause of people, you will rejoice at whatever lifts-up the name of Jesus.

Jealousy! OK…there…I said it.

Jealousy has soured many a ministry. When those who would minister allow jealousy any kind of foothold, the green monster will eat you alive…from the inside-out. And if you think you’re immune to that possibility, we need to talk. I have served smaller churches for the past four decades. From personal experience I say with no hesitation that seeing other ministers with larger ministries (more people, more public adulation, more financial rewards) is a seedbed for feeling the chains more than your connection with Christ.

If you don’t believe me, just ask Simon the Sorcerer.[1] He was fascinated with what Peter and John were able to do, laying-hands-on people and seeing the Holy Spirit manifested, doing mighty acts that got the attention of great crowds. Simon approached Peter with a bribe to get this power. Peter told him to put his jealousy on hold. (Peter had no problem understanding that, having been a shallow believer, denying Christ on a Friday evening just months prior).

Remembering some personal hardships, my bride and I have often lamented having had to move so often. It began with moving from Florida to New Orleans to attend seminary. Over the span of our marriage we’ve moved 23 times. It’s nomadic…here for a while…there for a season. You can’t put down roots and gain that sense of long-held relationships when you’re always stuffing a U-Haul truck. Yet, the hymn that was being sung when we responded to the call to serve was Wherever He Leads, I’ll Go. The Gospel didn’t put us in chains…we offered our lives to serve Christ. And in surrendering our lives to the chains, there were some things we let go, and some things from which we were freed. And, after 40 years, we rejoice in both.

For You Today

Jesus said[2] that it would be better to never commit to Him than to start and then quit, or try to change the terms of service. In this dance Christ leads, we follow. If it leads to chains, so be it…your rewards in glory will be a hundred-fold greater than any suffering for a season.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!