Philippians 1:19-20 - Homiletics

St. Paul's own hope.

I. HIS HOLY CONFIDENCE . He knows that God will make all things, even this opposition, work together for his eternal salvation. The activity of his adversaries will stimulate him to greater zeal; it will kindle the sympathy of his friends, and lead them to pray for him more earnestly. Mark his absolute self-surrender, his entire submission to the holy will of God.

II. THE SOURCE OF STRENGTH .

1 . Intercessory prayer. He knows that the Philip-plans will pray for him. When they hear of the bitter opposition of his Judaizing adversaries, they will pray the more earnestly that help may be given him in his perplexities and trials. He gladly believes that their prayers in his behalf will be heard. He knows the power of prayer. He, the great apostle, is thankful for the prayers of the humblest Christian. The highest saints are ever the lowliest.

2 . The supply of the Spirit given in answer to the prayer of faith. "My Father will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him." In proportion to the depth, the strength, the reality of prayer, the help of the Spirit is given. That help issues in salvation; " to be spiritually minded is life." The presence of the Spirit in the soul is the earnest, the pledge, of our inheritance in heaven. He works within us that holiness without which we cannot see God. His writing in the heart is the counterpart of those golden characters of love in which the names of God's saints are written in the Lamb's book of life.

III. THE RESULT OF THAT STRENGTH .

1 . Boldness of speech. A gift to be earnestly desired by all Christian ministers: boldness to preach the Word; to be instant in season and out of season; to reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering. It is a rare gift; it requires that strength of conviction, that vividness of hope, that deep humility, which were characteristic of St. Paul. With all his thoughts concentrated on the one great desire of glorifying Christ, with his assured confidence that in nothing he should be ashamed, with his absolute trust in the fulfillment of God's promises, he could speak from the fullness of his own personal experience, boldly, persuasively, with a holy enthusiasm which mightily drew the hearts of men. Oh that we could follow him as he followed Christ!

2 . The glory of Christ. It is this that St. Paul desires with such intense eagerness; not his own glory, not earthly success or earthly comforts, but that Christ may be magnified in his body. He is content to leave the issues of life or death wholly in the hand of God; willing to live, if his apostolic activity is needed for the spread of the gospel; willing to die, if the death of martyrdom would best serve his Master's cause. His one desire is that Christ should be magnified in his servant.

Learn:

1 . To value intercessory prayer, to pray ourselves for others, to desire their prayers for us.

2 . To prize above all things the daily supply of the influences of the Holy Spirit.

3 . To pray for boldness of speech.

4 . But only that Christ may be glorified.