David Donnan

My notes from Sunday, October 11th, 2026

Intro

• Recap of Paul and Timothy from last week.
• Memory Verse Philippians 1:6 NLT
• Scripture Background

Reflection

Big Idea: Christ brings about Great Reversals

Where is Paul in prison at? This is one of the debates in biblical studies. Paul has told us he is in chains. The interpretive issue here is Paul got arrested a lot.

Paul was one of the most important leaders of the first century church. He was also the least likely. The book of Acts is the story about his conversion and when he meets Christ he was literally trying to go kill other Christians. This is how much he hated Christians. Yet, Christ reverses his life.

Then Paul goes around and plants or starts churches. He tells people about Jesus and begins communities of followers. We are probably going spend some time in Acts next week but what I want you to think about is Paul was a hero and leader to a lot of these churches.

Luke and I are going to hear N.T. Wright speak in a few weekends. N.T. Wright is arguably one of the greatest living Christian scholars and theologians and he is going to speak on St. Simons.

So I was like, “I got to get me a ticket to that” Guess how much it cost? $90 dollars. They better let me sit on his lap and tell him what I want for Christmas.

Now this guy is not an apostle and a lot of church nerds are excited he is coming… now think of someone who is just a whole different level. The leader of the church. Telling about God, telling people outside of Jews they can be a part of God’s story, that Christ has died.

The Philippians raised money for him, sent gifts to him, partnered with him for this new movement and move of God.

Then he gets arrested!

Is the movement over? Yeah, we may still believe in God but we saw a lot of the ministry riding with Paul and Timothy.

They likely would have been crestfallen. This is hard news. Like Nick Saban leaving Bama. This iconic hero of faith is now arrested… As Rocky would say in Project Hailmary sad sad sad.

So where is the reversal?

Check this out:

12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.

This is what God does!

There is a great reversal happening. What has happened to Paul may seem bad but it has actually served to advance the Gospel!

Paul is witnessing to the guards around him. And wherever he is imprisoned at the believers around him are becoming more bold because, “If he is in chains and not losing hope and even continues to share what more can God do in me?”

Church, we are all going to be in similar situations. Similar in which it looks like hope is gone, our season or life did not turn out how we expected, our challenges are going up fast than gas prices… yet we do not lose hope. God calls us to continue.

The rest of the verses tell us how to do this.

Paul is going to compare two different groups here which are sharing the gospel:

15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Two groups. One preaches out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill and with love.

Church, did you know there are mean Christians out there?

We were at General Conference in Africa and there was a preacher from the salvation army. She said you know there are people who know a lot about Jesus are mean. She said I even know someone who had PhD in Holiness and was mean. She it was myself. And challenged us operate out of love of Christ.

There will always be so called Christians who have the head knowledge of Christ… but they do not have the love of Christ… and before you go make the list of who that it is STOP. This is about making sure we do not fall into the camp of everything we do is out of envy.

Finally, how does God help us to do this. We are looking at chapter 1 through this lens of God doing this good work in us and bringing to completion.

Look at these last few verses:

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

All the bad here turns out for good. We do not know how but check out the verbs here “expect” and hope”. Expect and hope that we will not be ashamed but have sufficient courage that Christ will be exalted somehow in our lives.

Now this is hard. God if your asking do not give me sufficient courage. I need more than sufficient, I want an overflow, I want you to show me the next step, I want you to lift the fog and mystery of life and show me all the steps and how they connect…

Yet, God in his goodness does not do this. He gives a sufficient amount to go on. This amount was enough for Paul and it will be enough for us.

The Gospel is Christ has given it all on the cross for us and in payment of our sin, so we now join in the story of God’s people. We all have a part to play.

And now, in our story, we can and will have great reversals.

One more thought. I have been reading one of the scholars Nijay Gutpa and listening to a podcast his has on Philippians and he was talking about in the first avengers movie there is this scene where Thor is fighting Iron Man. Thor is a norse God who can summon lightening with his hammer. And in his battle with Iron man he thinks he can really beat iron man by really charging up his hammer and hitting him with lightening. Well after he hits Iron Man it actually just charges his suit up and makes it stronger.

God wants to do this in my life and yours.

The Gospel brings the reversal, we can share Christ not with wrong motivations, but with Love, and we can do it with God’s grace and just the right amount of courage.