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THE PROGRESS OF THE GOOD NEWS (PHILIPPIANS 1:12-30)

REFLECTION

The progress of the Good News is the theme for our reflection. Progress means a forward or onward movement to an objective or a goal. The Good News is the message of salvation summarised in John 3:16-17 as “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”( John 3:16-17). The question for our consideration is should suffering or hardship affect the progress of the Good News? In other words, should believers stop preaching the Good News because of pain and agony?

Beloved in the Lord, Paul’s answer is an emphatic no! Paul’s example and experience tell us that we must use every situation or condition to labour for the progress of the Gospel. It is for this reason that he wrote to encourage the church in Philippi, “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. (Philippians 1:12-14) In other words, Paul re-emphasised the fact that we should not preach the Good News only when we are happy or comfortable but most importantly we must proclaim the Good News in times of discomfort and hardship.

It is instructive to note that Paul’s preaching of the Good News in chains is an act of obedience to His Master Jesus, for our Lord Jesus had said to the disciples “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:34-38).   No wonder, Paul in training Timothy for the pastoral ministry said to him, “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; (2 Timothy 4:1-2) In other words, we must advance the progress of the Good News at all times regardless of the conditions we find ourselves in. We must allow our current situation or condition to curtail the progress of the Gospel. It is for this reason Jesus commissioned and assured the disciples, ” “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20). Beloved in the Lord, you and I may not be in prison like Paul, however, we must be determined to labour for the progress of the Good News in times of sickness, distress, disappointment, persecution and any other form of suffering or hardship, for the Jesus has assured us that “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:11-12)

In summary, we have learnt that we have the mandate as disciples of Christ to labour for the progress of the Good News irrespective of the situation we find ourselves in. So long as God graciously gives the grace even in times of challenges or hardship we must preach the Good News. Shalom.

PRAYER

Holy Spirit, grant us the strength to labour for the progress of the Good News at all times. Amen.