Proclaiming Jesus fearlessly

How do we view what happens to us, especially if it prevents us doing what we want to do? Paul wanted to proclaim the good news of Jesus in Rome on his way to Spain, but what happened? He ended up getting arrested in Jerusalem and then held as a prisoner in Caesarea for the next two years, all because the Roman procurator wanted to appease the Jews. He finally made it to Rome but as a prisoner because he had to appeal his case to the highest court – Caesar himself.

Paul could have thought, as we might think: what a waste of time! I could have had two years of teaching the lost but I’ve been in prison. Notice how Paul viewed all of this.

“Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually resulted in the advancement of the Good News. And so my imprisonment in the cause of Messiah has become well known throughout the whole Praetorian Guard and to everyone else. Because of my imprisonment, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord to dare more than ever to speak the message fearlessly.” (Philippians 1:12-14 TLV)

What had happened to him – his imprisonment – had actually helped to advance the good news of Jesus! How, we might ask? Because Paul was chained to Roman soldiers all day (see Acts 28), they had no choice but to hear Paul as he taught and dictated letters to groups of Christians. They heard the good news of Jesus and living as a Christian. Because they heard it was spread throughout the entire Praetorian Guard and beyond. Can you think of any other way the message of Jesus could have reached this group of people?

In addition to this, because of Paul’s imprisonment other Christians had become more confident in their speaking about Jesus without fear. Paul was showing that even as a prisoner a Christian could not only survive but still have influence.

“Some are proclaiming the Messiah out of envy and strife, but others out of good will. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defence of the Good News. The former proclaim Messiah not sincerely, but out of selfishness—expecting to stir up trouble for me in my imprisonment. But what does it matter? Only that in every way, whether in dishonesty or in truth, Messiah is being proclaimed—and in this I rejoice!” (Philippians 1:15-18)

It might seem hard to believe that some Christians were actually trying to make conditions for Paul as a prisoner even worse! Perhaps they thought that if more proclaimed Jesus that the Roman authorities would take it out on Paul and make him an example so that the Christians would be silenced.

What was most important? Paul was happy that Jesus was being proclaimed no matter what the motivation. Whether Christians were telling others the good news out of love or out of a desire to harm him, he did not care because Jesus was being proclaimed. That alone was cause for him to rejoice.

Some today get upset when Christians teach others and they aren’t doing it the way they would like it to be done. Perhaps they are using different methods or different means of being trained. Even though we may think it could be done a different way, with a better emphasis, or better training, may we learn to rejoice as Paul did and realise that what is important is that Jesus is proclaimed.

May we learn to speak a good word for Jesus fearlessly and rejoice when others are doing the same. In this way, those around us can hear and obey the Messiah.

Image created by Chat GPT by Jon Galloway.

Readings for next week: Romans 11-16; Philippians 1-2