Life-Changing Encounters with Jesus

John 4: 1-16

Jesus Talks to the Samaritan Woman

Jesus and His disciples left Judea and went back towards Galilee. They had to go through Samaria, and they came to a town in Samaria called Sychar. Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well.

It was about noon, and a Samaritan woman came to the well to draw water. Jesus’ disciples had gone into the town to buy food, so Jesus had the opportunity to talk to the woman alone. Jesus said to her, “Will you give me some water to drink?”

The Samaritan woman was surprised, and she said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for water?”

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

“Sir”, the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Jesus used “living water” as a symbol to represent the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit regenerates, giving us inner satisfaction. The woman wanted to draw water from the well, but Jesus wanted to work the Holy Spirit in her life.

Today, the people on this earth think that they can use external things to satisfy the emptiness and desires of their hearts. These external things could be love, career success, power, fame, status, wealth and so on. However, Jesus had proclaimed that only He could give us true satisfaction and happiness.

We often hear people say that they feel empty today, or that they are not living a fulfilling life. Or that they are confused, not knowing what their purpose in life is. They think that it is because they have not achieved the external things listed above.

They tell themselves that as long as they work hard, one day they will receive all these things and they will be happy and satisfied. In the pursuit of all these things, people are blinded to the fact that the dissatisfaction they feel is due to the hunger of their hearts which only God can satisfy.

Each and every one of us lives for a purpose. Jesus says that we would never be satisfied until and unless He is our purpose.

It is not wrong that people pursue love, career success, health, wealth and so on in order to have a better life. God also wants to bless us with all these things. However, if we think that after receiving these things, we will surely be happy and satisfied, then we are wrong.

When we face obstacles in our pursuit of these things, we will be frustrated or even angry. If we fail, we would be depressed, maybe even not able to forgive ourselves. If we succeed, we would find that the happiness and satisfaction that success bring are but temporary. We are not really happy and satisfied, and maybe we would feel even more empty.

Jesus says that we will only find true happiness and satisfaction that comes from our hearts when we worship Him and let Him be the lord of our lives.

The external things that we pursue are idols. Idols are not real and living gods. Idols do not die for sinners; idols do not redeem mankind. Jesus is the true and living God. He died for sinners and redeemed mankind. Idols disappoint; Jesus satisfies the hunger of our lives.

This Samaritan woman was on the brink of despair. It was easy for her to see the dawn of life in Jesus. She said immediately, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”

Unexpectedly, this “sir” exposed the sufferings of her private life. Jesus said, “Go, call your husband and come back.”

“I have no husband,” she replied.

Jesus insisted that she faced the truth, so He said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband.”

Why did Jesus suddenly bring up the woman’s husband? Was Jesus trying to shame her?

Of course not. Jesus wanted to lead her to first understand the problem that she had.

Jesus wanted her to know that, all this while, she had been looking for satisfaction and happiness from a man, and this was wrong. This had caused her to suffer abandonment from men and even lived in sin.

Only by obtaining the “living water” from Jesus could she be saved, giving her life happiness and satisfaction.

Although the woman was very astonished by Jesus’ knowledge of her dark secret, she did not leave that place. She chose to get closer to Jesus, even brought the conversation with Him into the topic of worshipping God.

“Sir”, the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”

“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem… The true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth…” (verse 23)

To “worship in the Spirit and in truth” is to be filled with the Holy Spirit, worshipping God with the truth that Jesus has revealed to us.

After listening to Jesus’ words, the woman knew more about Jesus, and she responded, “Sir, I see that you are a prophet (verse 10) …. I know that Messiah (called Christ) is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

From seeking for water at the well to seeking for living water, then worshipping God; from calling Jesus a Jew, then “sir”, “prophet”, then Christ, we can see that the woman increased in her knowledge of Jesus and subsequently displayed a leap of faith!

Jesus told the woman confidently, “I, the one speaking to you, I am the Christ that you speak of.” (verse 26)

Jesus’ proclamation challenged the woman’s response. The woman immediately took a fresh step of faith, dropped her water jar and ran back into town (verse 28).

The woman came to the well from far away to draw water. However, her action of dropping the water jar signified that she had left her past, burdens and materialistic pursuits behind. This was because she had received the living water from Jesus.

The thirst of her spirit had been satisfied. Her life had been renewed and experienced a breakthrough.

Conclusion

The Bible tells us that sin is not only murder or some serious crimes. In the case of this Samaritan woman, the cause of sin was the search for happiness and satisfaction through things outside of God: idols.

The sin here was breaking the first of the Ten Commandments, “You shall have no other gods before me.”

These “idols” could be other humans, or it could be an ideology, or lots of material things such as love, career success, power, fame, status, wealth and so on.

Jesus wants us all to repent and to be aware of what we really thirst after: temporary satisfaction or long-lasting satisfaction through a relationship with God by believing in Jesus.

The Holy Spirit will then work in our lives, transforming and renewing us in order that we may obtain satisfaction and happiness in our lives. This is the everlasting life that Jesus promised us. It will be like a stream of living water flowing out from within, that the environment will also be affected by the power of God’s salvation.

“Idols” do not die for our sins. Only Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and only He is able to save. If we have Jesus, we will also have satisfaction and happiness. If we fail and sin against God some way or other, God will still forgive our sins.

The Samaritan woman’s life was turned around after her meeting with Jesus. She obtained the living water from Jesus, and she left her water jar, ran back to her people in the town and became the first missionary.

In the past, she hid from everyone else, but now she was the one who proclaimed to them, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” (verse 29)

The woman became a witness for Christ, telling the people of God’s works in her life. She discarded her water jar, and instead became a vessel of living water, bringing people to Jesus!

Through her testimony, many Samaritans came to Jesus and urged Him to stay with them. They heard His words in person and believed in Him, building a relationship with him (4:32-42).

Only Worship the Lord Jesus and Thirst for Him

Initially, Jesus was the one who was thirsty and asked for a drink from the woman. In the end, He was the one who gave her living water. Jesus is the eternal and holy Son of God; all creation was created through Him. But He emptied Himself, gave up the glories of heaven and was incarnated as a human, being restricted by tiredness and thirst just to give the world living water.

While He was on the cross, just before He died, he cried out, “I am thirsty”! This was not an ordinary thirst. It was a thirst from deep within His soul because He carried the burden of sin of the whole world. The Heavenly Father, the source of the living water, turned His face away from Jesus and abandoned Him on the cross.

Jesus had to experience such a cosmic thirst in order for our thirst to be quenched. He died in order that we may live again. He did it gladly because He loves us. He sacrificed Himself unconditionally for us, freely giving us His grace and salvation.

Let us continuously fix our eyes on the cross and understand the sufferings Jesus had to endure to obtain salvation for us. In this way, may the Holy Spirit convict us to discard all “idols” and worship and love Jesus above all.

我主与我同行

路加福音二十四 13-35

往以马忤斯的路上

耶稣从坟墓里复活那一天，有两个门徒离开耶路撒冷，前往一个村子，名叫以马忤斯。那村子离开耶路撒冷约十一公里。他们一路上彼此谈论所发生的事情。他们正交谈议论的时候，耶稣亲自走近他们，与他们同行。耶稣从一位陌生人变成他们的同路人，可是他们的眼睛“受到限制”，没认出他。

耶稣对他们说：『你们边走边交谈些什么事呢？』

他们就站住了，愁眉苦脸。两人中有一个名叫革流巴的，回答耶稣说：『上耶路撒冷过节的人当中，不知道这几天发生的事的，恐怕只有你了吧？』

耶稣对他们说：『什么事呢？』

他们说：『就是拿撒勒人耶稣的事。这人是先知，在神和全体民众面前，说话行事都大有能力。我们的祭司长和领袖竟把他交出去，判了他死刑，钉死在十字架上。但我们一直盼望要救赎以色列的那一位就是他。』

『救赎以色列』意思是复兴以色列，叫他们脱离外邦罗马帝国的压制，重获自由去敬拜神，服侍神，并且成为神圣洁的子民。然而，现在耶稣被钉死在十字架上。他没有在预期中击败外邦政权，反而死在他们的手上！

每个犹太人都会认为遭遇这种事的耶稣，肯定是失败者。他一定不是先知预言要来的弥赛亚。

革流巴继续忧愁的说：『不单如此，耶稣被钉死，这事发生到今天，已经是第三天了。我们当中有几个妇女也使我们感到诧异，因她们清早到坟墓那里去，却找不着耶稣的遗体。他们回来说看见天使显现，那些天使说他活了。我们中间有几个人到坟墓那里去，发现情况就像那些妇女所说的一样；但耶稣呢，他们却没有看见。』

耶稣对他们：『唉，无知的人啊，先知所说的一切话，你们心里相信得太迟钝了！基督不是必须受这些苦，然后才进入他的荣耀里吗？』

于是，耶稣从摩西和众先知开始，把所有关于自己的经文都向他们解释了。耶稣从同路人变成他们的圣经老师。

犹太人一直期待弥赛亚降临救赎以色列脱离欺压和苦难，但是圣经的中心信息，正如耶稣解释的，乃是弥赛亚透过承受苦难来救赎以色列与世人。耶稣基督代替世人承担罪的惩罚，牺牲性命，死在十字架上。这样神对罪的愤怒得以平息，而罪人因此罪得赦免。

基督死了三天后，他复活了，开启了神的新创造。他建立一群神国的新子民。这群神国的子民不但自己与神和好，获得生命，他们也要出去传福音，并且为神的国努力做工，使到这个世界也与神和好，蒙福。这就是神的救恩计划。

耶稣与两位门徒一路走，临近所要去的村子。耶稣好像还要往前走，他们就极力挽留他说：『旁晚了，如今已是日落时分，跟我们一起住下吧。』

耶稣就进去，跟他们一起住下。耶稣从圣经老师变成他们内室的客人了。

他们一同坐席的时候，耶稣拿起饼来，谢了恩，然后掰开，递给他们。他们的眼睛突然开了，认出耶稣来。耶稣从客人变成他们的主。这时候耶稣却在他们眼前消失了。

他们彼此说：『他在路上和我们说话，给我们解释圣经的时候，我们的心里面不是火热的吗？』

在圣经的救恩大蓝图遇见主耶稣

耶稣的身体从坟墓出来后，产生了改变，以致于两位门徒认不出他来。这是一个奥秘，我们恐怕要等到末日众圣徒复活那天才能够完全明白这奥秘。

然而，路加的故事布局提示我们，两个门徒无法认出耶稣是因为他们不明白耶稣受难乃是按照神的救恩计划。当他们明白了圣经所启示有关耶稣在神的救恩大蓝图的地位和角色，就能看见他了。

要充分了解神的救赎计划，我们必须读圣经，了解圣经，掌握圣经中所启示的神的救恩大蓝图。更重要是，我们需要主耶稣作为我们的导师。

耶稣是复活的主，他很乐意与我们一起走每天的道路，成为我们的同路人、导师、客人与生命的主。他要引导和掌管我们的人生旅途，给予我们及时的安慰与指示。问题是，我们渴慕主吗？我们愿意每天来亲近主吗？

我们在个人灵修时，在小组聚会或崇拜，都要打开圣经阅读，并且要祈求主透过圣灵，与我们同在来教导我们。我们当预备心来接受他督责我们的愚昧与不信。我们当愿意领受他给与我们经文全新的信息。

耶稣透过圣灵与我们同在，叫我们的心火热起来。他要一路保守我们，引导我们走过死阴的幽谷，进入光明中，直到那天与他面对面见面。

在主的餐桌与主相遇

路加也邀请我们透过圣餐的掰饼行动看见主耶稣。

《创世记》记载人类的第一餐：『于是女人见那颗树的果子好作食物，也悦人眼目，且是可喜爱的，能使人有智慧，就摘下果子来吃了，又给她丈夫，她丈夫也吃了。他们二人的眼睛就明亮了，才知道自己是赤身露体，便拿无花果的叶子为自己编做裙子。』（创世记3:6-7）

因着人背叛神，犯罪，吃了禁果子，从此厄运与咒诅临到人类与宇宙万物。死亡也进入这世界，以致整个创造界沉沦于腐朽、苦痛和绝望。

呼应上述人类的第一餐，路加讲述新创造临在之后的第一餐：『到了坐席的时候，耶稣拿起饼来，祝谢了，掰开，递给他们。他们的眼睛明亮了，这才认出他来。忽然耶稣不见了。』（30-31节）

这两位门徒从耶稣掰饼的动作认出复活的主。主耶稣从死里复活，成为这新世界，新创造初熟的果子。他穿过了死亡，进入另一方的新世界。这新世界再没有死亡与眼泪。

这两位门徒发现了死亡的锁链被拆开了，神新的创造开启，满溢着生命的喜悦和崭新的无限可能，进入这腐朽和苦痛的世界，进行更新与转化。

现在这个世界正朝向这个全新的创造进发，因为福音在广传，神的同在和治理在世界扩展。初期教会在各方的逼迫，困难重重下仍然可以广传和壮大，就是见证了神的同在使不可能成为可能！

今天主耶稣不以肉身与我们同在。我们作为神的子民，因着圣灵的大能之下，透过『圣餐』的掰饼象征行动，实在化主耶稣的同在。初期教会聚集时惯常以‘掰饼’纪念主（使徒行传2:42）。

结语

路加邀请我们一起走在“以马忤斯的路上”。这趟信仰之旅能使我们遇见复活的主。复活的主已经成就了天父命定的救恩计划。现在他要与我们分享这个救恩计划的奥秘。他也要与我们同在，引领我们穿越人生的困惑、潦倒、忧虑和苦痛。

今天我们面对残缺不堪的世界；令人沮丧和失望的教会，甚至是个人的表现。我们靠自己已经走到末路。我们需要这位复活的主，作我们人生的同路人、导师和生命的主。

耶稣要与我们同在，走遍这生命之旅。他要复兴我们的灵命，帮助我们把错误、邪恶与不公义都矫正过来！他要打开我们的眼睛看见盼望，看见曙光。他要给我们力量，扶我们一把，继续走下去。

我们不要放弃。我们来依靠主得胜。我们来打开圣经，倾听主的话。我们来掰饼守主餐，经历主的同在。神的国度：一个新世界，新创造，新的团契关系就这样降临在我们中间，里头洋溢着爱，喜乐与生命，以及无限恩典和可能性将会出现。

耶稣为你死了，三天后又复活。他要赦免你的罪，并且赐给你永生。你接受了这份礼物吗？谁接受了基督的救恩，就成为新造的人。欢迎你来到神的新世界。基督复活了Χριστὸς ἀνέστη，让我们来庆贺！

Love is in the Air

Songs of Solomon 2:8-17

The Young Woman Adores Her Lover

In verses 8-9, “Listen, I hear my lover coming! He is leaping over the mountains, bounding over the hills. My lover is like a swift gazelle or a young stag. Look, there he is behind the wall, looking through the window, peering into the room.”

女子说：『听啊！我良人的声音。看哪！他蹿山越岭而来。我的良人像羚羊，像小鹿。看哪，他站在我们的墙壁边，从窗户往里观看，从窗格子往里窥探。』

The young woman is surprised to see her lover because he has to journey, or trek, from afar and overcome many obstacles in order to come to be with her. She compares her lover to a gazelle, a fast, sleek animal that easily overcomes obstacles to reach its destination.

He is running towards her with a spring in his step. She is very excited to hear of her lover’s coming. He is also very excited as he runs towards her.

But when the young man reaches her house, he does not enter into it. Instead, he stands behind the wall of her house. He peers through the windows to gaze at her. The woman pays attention to his every move.

The “outdoors” represents freedom, adventure, and new experiences. Conversely, the “indoors” represent safety and life within the confinement of social expectations. The wall and the windows separate the “indoors” from the “outdoors.”

Clearly, the woman is experiencing some obstacles or difficulties. Will she breakthrough from her obstacles in order to be with him?

In verses 10-14, the young woman retells what the man has told her:

My lover said to me, “Rise up, my darling! Come away with me, my fair one! Look, the winter is past, and the rains are over and gone. The flowers are springing up, the season of singing birds has come and the cooing of turtledoves fills the air. The fig trees are forming young fruit, and the fragrant grapevines are blossoming. Rise up, my darling! Come away with me, my fair one! My dove is hiding behind the rocks, behind an outcrop on the cliff. Let me see your face; let me hear your voice. For your voice is pleasant, and your face is lovely.”

10-14节是女子转述男子对她说过的话。

我的良人对我说：『我的佳偶啊！你起来吧。我的美人啊！与我同去。冬天已过去了，雨水止息了。现在地上百花开放，歌唱的时候已经来到；斑鸠的声音在我们境内也听见了。无花果树的果子渐渐成熟，葡萄树开花，散发香气。我的佳偶啊！你起来吧。我的美人啊！与我同去吧！我的鸽子啊，你在磐石穴中，在岩石的隐秘处。求你容我得见你的面貌，求你容我得听你的声音；因为你的声音悦耳，你的容貌秀美。』

In Palestine, winter is the rainy season of clouds, gloom and cold. When winter is past and the rains are over and gone, the young man wants to take his lover into the romantic countryside during the new, budding spring. 

The stimulating and invigorating sights, sounds, and smells of spring energize romantic feelings, saturated with love and life. The whole scene depicts the harmony between humanity and nature.

Over and over again, the young man invites her to come out from the “indoors” to be with him in the “outdoors” of nature. “Come away”, means to leave one’s personal space to explore the world that God has created.

The love relationship between a man and a woman is not one of seclusion but one that is open to the outside world and thereby finds its place in the world that God has created.

The call for her to “come away” requires her to desire to be with her lover in a wholehearted and unreserved manner.

Couples, who are in love or married, ought to find opportunities to be in touch with the God-created nature and to enjoy intimacy between the two; and they together, enjoy intimacy with God, the creator of the world.

The young man addresses his lover with the metaphor, “my dove!” In Ancient Near-East culture, a dove symbolizes the “goddess of love.” It is not easy for the young man to find his “goddess” because she is hiding in the clefts of the rock and in outcrop on the cliff.

The couple is playing a game of hid-and-seek in which she is teasing him. He resorts to simply pleading with her, “let me see your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is pleasant, and your face is lovely”.

The young man is eager to see her face, for even playful separation from her is too frustrating for him.

In verse 15, the Young Women of Jerusalem, as third party in the drama say, “Catch all the foxes, those little foxes, before they ruin the vineyard of love, for the grapevines are blossoming!”

15节，耶路撒冷的众女子，跑出来说：『请为我们捉拿狐狸，就是毁坏葡萄园的小狐狸，因为我们的葡萄正在开花。』

Just as the love between the couple is about to blossom, love-destroying little foxes suddenly appear. Maybe these refer to gossipers or third parties who hinder the two from meeting and falling in love. The Young Women of Jerusalem exclaim, “Catch the foxes and protect the love!”

All of us seated here today have the responsibility to catch the love-destroying and home-wrecking little foxes!

In verses 16-17, the young woman declares, “My lover is mine, and I am his. He browses among the lilies. Before the dawn breezes blow and the night shadows flee, return to me, my love, like a gazelle or a young stage on the rugged mountains.”

16-17节，女子宣告说：『我的良人属我，我也属他，他在百合花中细赏。我的良人哪，等到天起凉风，日影飞去的时候，愿你归回，像羚羊，像小鹿，在崎岖的山上。』

“My lover is mine, and I am his” declares her commitment to her lover.

“He browses among the lilies” expresses the intimate association of the couple, for the woman is often likened to a garden.

This short declaration is deeply rooted in the commitment of reciprocal love between the woman and the man, and in the intimacy that the two enjoy.

Application

First, we see that our song is set in the pleasantness of springtime. Springtime plus the love and intimacy between the man and the woman brings us back to the Garden of Eden.

In the Garden of Eden, God brought Adam and Eve together and established the institution of marriage.

God declares, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. At that time, the husband and wife were naked but they did not feel ashamed (vv. 24-25).

May God bless all married couples here, sustaining our marriages with the mutual love and the unbroken intimate relationship between husbands and wives. A marriage like this is sacred, wholesome and abundant.

Second, this song depicts the man inviting the woman to go “outdoors.” If the “indoors” symbolizes the world of self, then the “outdoors” symbolizes a world beyond the self.

The woman needed to walk out from her self-centeredness in order to experience a world beyond her own self-interest. Love requires each of us to leave our self-centeredness, to be adventurous, to have the courage to face an uncertain future, and to lose our self-interests.

When we fall in love, whether in courtship or in marriage, we must walk out of our self-oriented world in order to understand our partner’s world and to learn to see the world through his or her perspective.

Christ Comes to Seek US  

The Bible in Gospel of John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

God loves the people of the world. He sent his only Son to save this fallen world. The Son obeyed this call of love and stepped out of his self-world. He became a human being and was born into our world. His name is Jesus.

Jesus identified with the people of the world. He lived for thirty-three years on the earth to proclaim the grace and truth of God. He was ultimately crucified on the cross, bled, and died. His blood cleanses the sins of humanity.

Jesus’ sacrifice exchanged forgiveness for the sins of humanity. Three days later, he rose from the dead. He promises eternal life to everyone who believes him.

Jesus traverses through “mountains” to seek for us and invites us to step out of our own self-worlds to experience the abundant life with him. He said, “I came that you may have life and may have it to the full” (John 10:10).

Calling and Blessing

I hope that our dear friends and relatives who are seated here today will join with so many Christians in this hall today, that we would open up our hearts to accept Jesus as savior.

Jesus will surely forgive our sins and lead our lives through an abundant and meaningful journey!

Finally, we want to give our blessing to this newlywed couple.

Today they desire to establish their marriage covenant before God. Before them is an adventure of leaving the comfort zones of their own self-worlds. Before them is also a blessed journey of faith.

May the Lord Jesus be their navigator to lead them into, first, a sweet husband and wife relationship; second, a God-fearing marriage; and, third, becoming a couple that serves the needs of the world out there.

Finding Joy in Suffering

Philippians 1:12-26

Joy in Christ Transcends All Circumstances

Paul was called to be the apostle to the Gentiles. Throughout his ministry, he suffered so much for spreading the Good News. He listed his suffering in 2 Corinthians 11:22-29:

Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have laboured and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?

Paul who underwent so much suffering, wrote this poignant letter to encourage the persecuted Christians of the church in Philippi and to strengthen them in the difficulties they faced. Paul wrote while in prison—that he, too, was suffering for his faith—but he demonstrated that a Christian can have joy in Christ regardless of the circumstances.

How are we going to attain that – rejoice in the Lord even in bad times?

vv.12 -14: We can turn a bad situation into a good one

Being imprisoned would cause many people to become bitter or to give up, but Paul saw it as one more opportunity to spread the Good news of Christ. Paul realized that his current circumstances were not as important as what he did with them.  He chose to turn a bad situation into a good one.

In that, he reached out to the Roman soldiers, who made up the palace guard. The ‘place guard’ here referred to the workers in the emperor’s or provincial governor’s official residence.

As a result of Paul’s courage and boldness, the believers had become more daring and less fearful in proclaiming God’s message. Paul’s boldness was contagious. For these reasons, Paul rejoiced over his imprisonment.

Today, we may not be in prison, but we still have plenty of opportunities to be discouraged—times of indecision, financial burdens, family conflict, church conflict, or the loss of our jobs. How we act in such situations will reflect what we believe.

Whether it is an actual prison or a place that feels like one, by God’s grace we can turn bad situation to good, to serve him faithful and joyfully. We are to find joy even in the midst of suffering. Use suffering to build our character. Don’t resent it or let it tear us down.

Like Paul, look for ways to demonstrate your faith even in bad situations, whether or not the situation improves, our faith will surely grow stronger. When we speak fearlessly for Christ or live faithfully for him during difficult situations, we encourage others to do the same.

Be an encouragement by the way that you live!

vv. 15-19: Maintain a selfless attitude

Paul had an amazingly selfless attitude.

He knew that some were preaching to build their own reputations, taking advantage of his imprisonment to try to make a name for themselves. They were believers who were critical of Paul. Regardless of the motives of these preachers, Paul rejoiced that the Good news was being preached.

Some Christians serve for the wrong reason. Paul would not condone, nor does God excuse their motives, but we should be glad that God uses their message regardless of their motives. So we still can rejoice if we put the well-being of God’s kingdom above our own loss.

If we study Paul’s life in detail, we will realise that Paul in his own time had never appeared to be a promising, super apostle, but the opposite was true. He was despised and slandered even by the very congregation he built up. His active ministry actually spanned less than 15 years. He suffered in so many ways including living in prison.

In such a low esteemed scenario, Paul could have become depressed, discouraged, or disillusioned. He could have wallowed in self-pity and despair. Instead, he regarded his ministry and suffering as being appointed by God.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 4:3-4, “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.”

So Paul persevered through his ministry and completed the race. Paul had exercised extraordinary faith in being obedient to God’s calling.

It was so wonderful that God not only used Paul’s imprisonment in Rome to bring the gospel to the centre of the empire, but also gave Paul lots of time to write letters that would one day end up to be significant part of the New Testament and give us much teaching and encouragement.

But of course Paul only began to emerge as the greatest apostle many years later, definitely not in his life time. So, Paul’s faithful service paid off. God will indeed honour his great servants. We can see this in the lives of many of God’s great servants.

Today, God will surely honour you and me as we step forward to serve him faithfully, selflessly and courageously. We can rejoice in the Lord even if reward and vindication may be realised only in the distant future.

vv. 20-26: Making Christ the centre of our lives

Awaiting trial, Paul thought he could either be released or executed. However, he trusted Christ to work it out for his deliverance. Paul’s prayer was that when he stood trial, he would speak courageously for Christ and not be timid or ashamed.

Paul wrote, “For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better” (v21).

Whether he lived or died, Paul wanted to exalt Christ. Paul found that his whole purpose in life was to serve Christ, worship Christ, to become more like him, and to tell others about Christ, who alone could help them see life from an eternal perspective.

Paul also confidently said that dying would be even better than living, because in death he would be removed from worldly troubles, and not only that; he would be able to see Christ face to face.

For believers in general, death holds no fear, for death leads directly into the presence of Christ. If you are not ready to die, then you are not ready to live. Make certain of your eternal destiny; then you will be free to serve—devoting your life to what really counts, without fear of death.

Paul was torn between two desires: to be with Christ, which would be far better for him or continue to live so that he could serve the needs of God’s people. Finally, Paul said, ‘for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.’

Paul considered the well-being of the church as more important than his own desire to be with Christ. He found the purpose for living when he served the Philippians and others.

We also need a purpose for living that goes beyond providing for our own physical needs. Who are you serving or helping now? What is your purpose for living?

To people who don’t believe in God, life on earth is all there is, and so they set their hope and purpose on romantic love, on career, on politics or a social cause, and on money or wealth and what it will do for us. These are good things, nothing wrong to pursue them. But we are fooled by Satan when we turn them into ultimate things, or when our hearts deify them as the centre of our lives. 

We think that we now are unfulfilled because we simply haven’t’ been able to achieve these things above. And so we can live almost our entire lives without admitting to ourselves the depth of our spiritual thirst which only God can satisfy.

Actually, all the good things outside cannot truly satisfy the thirst that is deep down inside us for they are merely ‘idols’ or ‘counterfeit Gods’. If you make any of them as ultimate purpose of life, it will fail you miserably.

First, it will enslave you. Whatever that thing is, you will tell yourself that you have to have it or there is no tomorrow. That means that if anything threatens it, you will become inordinately scared; if anyone blocks it, you will become inordinately angry; and if you fail to achieve it, you will never be able to forgive yourself.

But second, if you do achieve it, it will fail to deliver the fulfilment you expected. Not only that it can even enhance the inner emptiness or result in suicidal. So many people of substance or extraordinary success can testify to this paradox of life.

The only way to free ourselves from the destructive influence of counterfeit gods is to turn to Christ, the author and finisher of our faith.

Christ died on the cross for our sins. As believers in Christ, we also have died to ourselves and have risen with Christ. We owe everything to Christ. He is our master and Lord; we belong to him. We no longer live simply for ourselves.

Let’s submit to Christ’s rule in our lives, devoting our lives to his service. Let ‘living for Christ’ be our ultimate purpose of life. That is to say, let Christ be the centre of our lives.

In a life of service for Christ, we will gain deep soul satisfaction, incredible satisfaction and contentment that do not depend on what is happening outside of us. For “Christ is enough”; he is the only saviour who if you gain him will satisfy you, and if you fail him will forgive you.

Conclusion

Though Paul was in prison, he was not ashamed but rejoiced that it had resulted in a great spread of the Good News. He desired to be bold for Christ, rejoice in Christ, whatever the consequences, for he knew he was called to live for Christ.

As he made Christ the centre of his life, he was very sure of his destiny on earth and after death. He found and fulfilled the purpose of life that God laid before him.

The outcome was that, God used him mightily to leave the greatest legacy for his kingdom, and he in turn experienced the full power of Christ’s resurrection.

We should imitate Paul’s life and attitudes: ready to turn a bad situation into a good one; maintain a selfless attitude; and let Christ be the centre of our lives. We will be able to experience a life of joy, peace, contentment, prayer, thanksgiving which can transcend all circumstances.