Living for the Advancement of the Gospel
Philippians 1:12-18

I. What or Whom Are You Spending Your Life?
1. The Pudding guy story
2. Need: Sadly, many are spending their lives on the temporal rather than the eternal.
3. Many spend their lives for Careers, or Marriage/Family, or for Pleasure.
4. Textual Idea: Paul showed that our lives should be laser-focused on making much of King Jesus by living for the advancement of the gospel, regardless of the circumstances.
5. Sermon Idea: Live for the advancement of the gospel, regardless of the circumstances.
6. Interrogative: How do we make much of King Jesus by living for the advancement of the gospel regardless of the circumstances?
7. Transition: Our text gives two ways we can make much of Jesus by living for the advancement of the gospel, regardless of the circumstances.
II. Division 1 Statement: Live for the advancement of the gospel by obedience (1:12-13).
A. Explanation
1. Define obedience: Willful Surrender
a. Because Paul was sold out to Christ, God used him greatly to advance the gospel (1.21" class="scriptRef">Phil. 1:21; 1;5; 7; 16; 27; 1 Cor. 9:16), as we see also in the text.
b. If God is going to use us to advance his Gospel, regardless of the circumstances, we must surrender our wills, desires, passions, and plans for His will for us (Phil.1:21).
2. The Sovereign Surprise (1:12-13).
a. The Metacomment (1:12)
b. The Surprise (1:12)
1. God in his providence uses Paul’s imprisonment as a primary means to spread the gospel in Rome.
2. What is the Gospel?
a. Its Essence- Term; Text-1 Cor. 15:3-4
b. Its Extent- 1 Cor. 15:1-2
c. The Result (1:13)
3. Illustration: John Bunyan and Pilgrim’s Progress
4. Argumentation: Living obediently to Jesus results in a Gospel-centered lifestyle that advances the gospel regardless of life’s circumstances.
5. Application: You can be used by God to advance the gospel by rejecting a Self-centered lifestyle, and embracing a Gospel-centered lifestyle by getting informed
a. Let God feed you His Word (Ps. 119:105; 2 Tim. 2:15).
b. Let God equip you to contend for the Faith (Jude 3).
6. Let God use your chains (your job; family; community) to advance His gospel.
7. Be humble and courageous in the face of persecution (1 Peter 5:6; 2 Tim. 3:12).
8. Transition: So, live for the advancement of the gospel, regardless of the circumstances, by obedience.
III. Division 2 Statement: Live for the advancement of the gospel, regardless of the circumstances, by example.
A. Explanation
1.God uses Paul’s example of Gospel-centered living to encourage the people of God to live for the advancement of the gospel v.14.
a. The Detractors- Their Message; Their Means; Their Motives (1:15a; 17).
b. The Supporters- Their Message; Their Means; Their Motives (1:15b-16).
2. The Conclusion of the Matter (1:18).
3. Illustration: Life Shadowing Story
B. Argumentation: “Your actions are blazing a trail that others will follow for good or ill.” Titus 2:9.
C. Application: You can live in such a way that will encourage other Christians to live for the advancement of the gospel, regardless of the circumstances
IV. Conclusion: Visualization: Quote from JD Greear from his book, Gospel: Recovering the Power that Made Christianity Revolutionary, p.23.
Reiteration: So, live for the advancement of the gospel by obedience and by example.
Action: Beloved, spend your life on the eternal.
Appeal: Make much of King Jesus by living for the advancement of the gospel and watch God use you for His glory and your good.