“弟兄们，我愿意你们知道，我所遭遇的事更是叫福音兴旺， 以致我受的捆锁在御营全军和其余的人中，已经显明是为基督的缘故。 并且那在主里的弟兄多半因我受的捆锁就笃信不疑，越发放胆传 神的道，无所惧怕。 有的传基督是出于嫉妒纷争，也有的是出于好意。 这一等是出于爱心，知道我是为辩明福音设立的； 那一等传基督是出于结党，并不诚实，意思要加增我捆锁的苦楚。 这有何妨呢？或是假意，或是真心，无论怎样，基督究竟被传开了。为此，我就欢喜，并且还要欢喜； 因为我知道，这事借着你们的祈祷和耶稣基督之灵的帮助，终必叫我得救。 照着我所切慕、所盼望的，没有一事叫我羞愧。只要凡事放胆，无论是生是死，总叫基督在我身上照常显大。” 腓立比书 1:12-20
一篇讲道的实质在于传道人是不是践行他所传讲的。保罗在9-11节中祷告，信徒能够明白什么是神看为喜悦的事，并能够因为明白神的心意而越来越爱神。在实际生活中，保罗因为基督的缘故而坐牢（第13节），他看见他所遭遇的一切使得其他信徒的信心比以往更加坚固，并且有许多传道人起来放胆传道（第14节）。这个结果看起来是个利好局面，直到我们看到为什么会有诸多传道人纷纷出现……有些人在此时放胆传基督竟然是为了加增保罗所受的痛苦（第17节）。但是，保罗知道天父的心意。他的属灵眼睛让他看见，处境是艰难的，但是神允许这些事如此发生。无论结局是生是死（第20节），他都因为知道自己看似糟糕的处境能够使得更多人归信基督而欢喜（第18节）。他的爱心增长了。他爱神和爱众人的心增长了，即使是对那些为了苦害他而传道的人。他爱这些人因为他在“知识和各样见识上”有了新的看见（第9节）。
当你思想自己当下的处境的时候，你看见神在其中的作为吗？你愿意允许神在其中做工，好让你的爱心也如保罗增加吗？保罗如此行，他的生命满有喜乐与平安。当我们允许耶稣来为我们的生命掌舵，我们也能拥有这样的喜乐与平安。
Philippians 1: 12-20. The substance of any sermon is whether the preacher follows what he preaches. Paul here has prayed in verses 9-11, that we may know what God views as excellent and in doing so, our love for God will overflow because we have seen God's heart. In real life, Paul is imprisoned (vs 13) and has understood that this circumstance has caused other believers to be more trusting in the Lord (vs 14) than before, and many evangelists have been sharing Christ more than before. This result of course sounds like a winning situation until you see why the evangelists have been doing it…they are preaching so that Paul will be blamed more and more and suffer more and more (vs 17). Yet, Paul knows the the purposes of the Father. He can spiritually see that though the circumstance is difficult but it is God approved and whether his ending is life or death (vs 20), he is excited by the knowledge that his current terrible circumstance is bringing believers to Christ. His love grows. His love for God and his love for the people (even those who are preaching to increase his suffering). He loves them because his eyes have been opened in 'real knowledge and discernment' (vs 9). Do you look at your circumstance and see God's working his part in you？ Are you willing to let him work and then to love him and his people more？ Paul did and his life reflects the joy and the peace we too can have when Jesus is in the driving seat.
