<p style="text-align: left;"><b>Summary</b>:<br>Paul explains that his circumstances have actually advanced the gospel. His imprisonment has become widely known as being for Christ, and because of this, many of the brothers have gained courage to speak the word of God more fearlessly. He acknowledges that some preach Christ out of envy and strife, while others do so from goodwill. Some act out of love, knowing that he is appointed for the defense of the gospel, but others proclaim Christ from selfish ambition, thinking they can add distress to his imprisonment. Yet Paul declares that, whatever their motives may be, Christ is being proclaimed, and in this he rejoices and will continue to rejoice.<br> <br><b>Teaching</b>:<br>Our faith is connected to Christ. Our hearts are connected to Christ—our intentions, motives, and purposes are all connected to Him. Therefore, in whatever we do, Christ must be seen in a way that is pleasing in our sight. And if God has begun His good work, it must be carried through to the end.<br><br>Paul’s position is that whether someone preaches the gospel with good intentions or with bad feelings toward him, if the gospel is still being proclaimed and people come to believe, then he rejoices in that. This is exactly what a servant of God looks like.<br><br>A servant becomes a servant in order to please his master. Paul is God’s servant. So even if others envy us, are jealous of us, or speak against us, we should not be overly troubled by it. If we fail to focus on Christ and instead live for ourselves, that is in vain. The One who is directly related to us is Christ.<br><i><br></i><i>Excerpt from the sermon by Pastor Lee, May 5, 2026</i><i><br></i><i>Philippians 1:12-18</i></p>
<!-- -->
