Turn with me back to Philippians
1. My hope tonight is that this
will be a real help. That's my hope, that this will
be a real help to each one of us, something that we can take
home with us, something we can leave here with and take it home.
And I pray that the Lord might give us an understanding, a true
understanding and a comfort in what He has to say through the
Apostle Paul right here in these two verses. Verse 12, Philippians
1 verse 12, the Apostle writes, But I would, ye should understand,
brethren, that the things which happened unto me, That's the title of this message,
The Things Which Happened Unto Me, but we're going to put it
in the form of a question. Why do things happen? That's
the title. Why do things happen? A lot of things happened to Paul. A lot of things. We went through
the book of Acts. He endured a lot of things. A lot of things, more than we'll
ever dream of enduring. Look with me at 2 Corinthians
11. 2 Corinthians 11. Verse 23, Paul says, Are they ministers of Christ?
He's talking about other preachers. He said, I speak as a fool. I am more. I'm more of a minister
of Christ than they are. In labors more abundant, in stripes
above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths He said,
I endured more than anybody. I endured more than anybody,
any other man. Verse 24 says, Of the Jews, five
times received I forty stripes, save one. They whipped me five
times with thirty-nine stripes. 39 stripes. Matthew Poole, one of
the commentators, said the whip that the Jews used had three
cords on the end of it. Every time it hit, it lacerated
in three places. Times 39. They literally filleted his back
open. Can you imagine that? Three times
39, whatever that is. 117 or something. He said, that happened to me
five times. Can you imagine the scarring
on his back? Can you imagine? He says in verse 25, thrice was
I beaten with rods. The Jews whipped and the Gentiles
beat with rods. Can you imagine the broken bones?
Can you see a man being beaten with rods? Broken arms, broken
ribs, broken legs. Can you imagine that? They weren't
messing around. They beat him with the intent
of killing him. Verse 25, he says, once was I
stoned. Try to imagine that. Men, the big men, continuously reaching down, grabbing
the biggest rocks they can get a hold of and throwing them at
your head until they believe you're dead. They don't stop
until they believe you're dead. They keep coming and they keep
coming and they keep coming until they think you're dead. Verse 25, he said, thrice I suffered
shipwreck. One of the commentators pointed
out that he wrote this letter to the Corinthians before he
was shipwrecked on the island of Malta. So at least four times,
at least four times he was in a ship that went down. After a while, you would think
his flesh would start to say, I don't believe God is with me. After a while, you would think
he would start saying to himself, I don't believe God is for me.
He is the one who penned, if God be for us, who can be against
us. Don't you think after a while
he'd start saying, I don't think God is for me. Verse 25, he said, ìA night and
a day I have been in the deep.î I had to tread water for over
24 hours out in the middle of the ocean. Verse 26 says, ìIn journeyings
often, in perils of water.î Perils means danger. ìIn journeyings
often, in danger of waters.î in danger of robbers, in danger
of mine own countrymen, in danger by the heathen, in danger in
the city, in danger in the wilderness, in danger in the sea, in danger
among false brethren." He said, I've spent some time in danger. Verse 27, he said, in weariness,
great exhaustion. He said, and painfulness. He said, I've spent some time
where I couldn't do anything but squirm in pain. Couldn't eat, couldn't sleep,
just hurt. That's all I could do is just
hurt. Verse 27, he said, In watchings often, he said,
I've spent hours in fear, just fear, watching behind me, watching
around the corner, watching what's coming at me. Verse 27, he said,
in hunger and thirst, he said, I've experienced hunger and thirst
like, well, like I'll never imagine. Verse 27, he said, in fastings
often in cold and nakedness, beside those things that are
without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the
churches. He said, forget about those things
that are happening to my outward body. Forget about that. He said, I suffer the crushing
inward burden of the word I carry and the souls that I preach it
to. He said, I spend so much time
worrying about men's souls, I don't have time to worry about my own
body. I don't have time for that. Jeremiah, Zechariah, Malachi,
those prophets, God's prophets, they wrote about the burden of
the Word of the Lord. Verse 29 says, Who is weak, and
I am not weak? Who is offended, and I burn not? If I must needs glory, I will
glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. The God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed forevermore,
knoweth that I lie not." So many things happened to the Apostle
Paul. So many things. But he's not
the only one. He's not the only one. We could
look at any of the men and women in Scripture. We could also look
at any of the men and women in this room. I truly do believe that none
of us will have to endure anything like the Apostle Paul did. None
of us. Not like Job did. Not like Paul
did. But every single one of us will
have things to endure. Every single one of us. Things
will happen. They will happen. Now let's see
if we can draw a little comfort and understanding in knowing
why. Why? Why do things happen? Turn with me to Colossians chapter
1. Colossians 1 verse 16 says, For
by Him were all things created, that are in heaven and that are
in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions
or principalities or powers, all things were created by Him
and for Him. And He is before all things,
and by Him all things consist. The first thing we need to realize
in everything is He's the One doing it. He is the One doing it. How often
do we forget that? He is the One doing it. Why do
things happen? First of all, because He's the
One doing it. God is doing it. Look with me
at Ephesians chapter 1. Ephesians 1 verse 11 says, In
whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated
according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after
the counsel of his own will." All things. He's doing it. Whatever it is, all things, whatever
it is, he's doing it. He's doing it. Why is this happening? God's doing it. I don't know every reason why,
but God is the one doing it. Look at 1 Corinthians 8. But to us there is but one God,
the Father of whom are all things, and we in Him, and one Lord Jesus
Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. There's a Father
of whom are all things, and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are
all things. All things. So the first thing
we acknowledge is God is doing it. God is doing it. Whatever it is, He's doing it.
Now why? He's doing it. Now why? I have three reasons. Three reasons
why everything that happens to us happens to us. Here's the
first one. I want to show you a verse of
scripture, and I mean this. Every time I read this verse
of scripture and enter into it, It's a wow moment to me. Every
time, you know sometimes we read a verse of scripture and we pass
right over it, but every time God allows me to enter into it,
it's a revelation to me. The light bulb comes on again
every single time. Turn with me over to Romans chapter
8. Now do we even need to turn? Romans 8 verse 28 says, and we know. We forgot, but we know. Every time we're reminded, it's
like, oh yes, I know that. Thank God he's convinced us of
it. We know that all things work together for good. Oh, that's awful. No, it's not. All things work together for
good. To them that love God, the actual God, the God of Scripture,
the true and living God, the one they have to bow down to.
not the one they control, the actual one that controls them. All things work together for
good to them that love God, to them who are thee called according
to His purpose. If a soul has been placed in
Jesus Christ, first I'm going to say all that soul's troubles
are over. They're all over. As soon as
they're in Him, that's it. It's over. It is all over. If a soul has been placed in
Jesus Christ, if God chose that soul, if Christ died for that
soul, and if God's Spirit has called that soul according to
His purpose, everything that happens to that
soul is for the purpose of good from there on out. From there
on out. And it was always good up until
the time that God revealed himself to him. It was always good. Every single thing that happened
to us in life was conforming us to the image of Christ. It
was bringing us to Christ. Every single thing. After God
puts a sinner in Christ, Every single thing that happens to
them is good, is for the purpose of good. Now, what is good? Well, good is whatever happens
to me that I like. Good is anything that happens
for my benefit, my physical material benefit. Good is God. There is none good but God. All things work together for
God. Everything. Everything is working
together for His will, for His purpose. Everything He does is
good and it's for the good of His people. Every single thing. Alright, now here's the second
reason. This leads us into the second
reason. Go back to our text in Philippians
1. Philippians 1 verse 12 says,
But I would you should understand, brethren, that the things which
happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance
of the gospel. The ultimate good on this earth
The greatest good that this earth can know is the salvation of
a soul. That's the greatest good that
can happen on this earth, the salvation of the soul. And our
Lord said that He would use the means of the preaching of the
gospel. That's what He said He chose.
That means the preaching of the blood of Jesus Christ We preach
Christ crucified over and over and over. Full remission in what
He accomplished on that cross. And the reason is because that's
the means God chose to save souls. To open blind eyes and save souls. And He said, when my children
hear this declaration, that it's finished. When they hear, when
God's Spirit sends that into their heart, it is finished. That is the power of God unto
their salvation. They will respond to it. And Paul said, I know the things
that have happened to me appear to be bad. Here he is in prison.
He's in Rome. And he said, I know it appears
like it's bad. But he said everything that has
happened is good because it's for the furtherance of the gospel. Every single thing. It's for
good and it's for the furtherance of the gospel. Every single thing. If we could get a hold of that
in every facet of our life, why is this happening? Somehow it's
for the furtherance of the gospel. I would love to be dialed into
that. Alright, this just happened. How can that further the gospel? The furtherance of the gospel
is for good. It's for the furtherance of the gospel. The salvation
of a soul. Let me show you that in Acts chapter 8. Acts chapter 8, now this is Paul, the Apostle Paul. His name hasn't
been changed yet. Acts 8 verse 1, And Saul was
consenting unto Stephen's death. And at that time there was a
great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem.
And they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea
and Samaria except the apostles. You envision what if a great
persecution came and literally broke up this church. Everybody
had to go. And they went to Piteville and they went all these other
places. We're not having this anymore. Verse 2, And devout men carried
Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him. As
for Saul, he made havoc of the church. entering in every house
and hailing men and women, committing them to prison. Therefore, they
that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word."
Because of that, that's what they did. preaching the Word. They ran all over the place.
Saul of Tarsus ran them all over the place preaching the Word.
He was just pushing the Word far and wide. Look at Acts 11. Acts 11 verse 19 says, Now they which were scattered
abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen, traveled
as far as Phenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, preaching the word
to none but the Jews only. And some of them were men of
Cyprus and Cyrene, which when they were come to Antioch, spake
unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand
of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned
unto the Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of
the church which was in Jerusalem, and they sent forth Barnabas,
that he should go as far as Antioch, who when he came and had seen
the grace of God, was glad and exhorted them all that with purpose
of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. For he was a good man
and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith, and much people was
added unto the Lord." Every bit of that was the result of what
seemed to be bad things taking place. After God saved Saul, the Apostle
Paul, everywhere he went, God opened a door of utterance for
him. Everywhere he went, God opened
a door to preach. They put him in jail. They handed
him to a Philippian jailer and said, thrust him in the prison.
He preached. They brought him on trial. He
preached. They put him in a ship. He preached. He was shipwrecked. He preached. They put him in a prison in Rome. He wrote and preached. Everything. Everywhere. God opened a door
for the gospel. Everywhere. Now let me show you
something wonderful. See if you enjoy this as much
as I have. This is wonderful. Go back to our text. Philippians 1 verse 12 says, But I would you
should understand, brethren, that the things which happened
unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel,
so that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace. If you have a center margin in
your Bible, you'll see that that translates Caesar's court. Caesar's court. That's where
he's being held prisoner, in Caesar's court. Here Paul sits
in Rome writing this letter to the Philippians. And he says
at the end of verse 12, The things which have happened unto me have
fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel, so that my bonds
in Christ are manifest in all Caesar's court and in all other
places. What does he mean by that? Or
why is he saying that? Look at chapter 4 verse 22. Philippians 4 verse 22. All the saints salute you, chiefly
they that are of Caesar's household. Do you know what that means?
Here Paul sits in his prison in his hired house of Caesar's
house and Caesar's family is listening as these men come and
talk to Paul and he's preaching. He's writing and preaching. And
some of Caesar's family heard the gospel. God saved them. Paul said, don't worry about
the things that are happening. Do not worry about the things
that are happening. God is doing it. It's all good. Everything I'm seeing is good.
And it's all for the furtherance of the gospel. It is all for
the salvation of men and women's souls. Every bit of it. The same
truth holds firm today. Today. Every single thing that happens,
you watch the weather channel, why is all that stuff happening?
Somebody is going to be saved. Every single thing that happens
is for the furtherance of the gospel. The only reason the earth
will rotate one more time, the only reason the sun will go one
more time is because God has still more sheep to call out. That's the whole reason. That's
the only purpose of earth is he's going to call out his sheep.
Everything is happening for the salvation of men's souls. May
God allow us to not be confused and not be concerned and not
be overwhelmed by the things that happen to us. May he settle
us to understand, okay, I understand. Things happen and you don't know
why it's happening, but if God would reveal to us somebody's
salvation through it, I'd do that again. I'd do that again. Everything that happens is for
good, it's for the furtherance of the gospel and there's one
more glorious reason. Go with me to 1 Peter 4. 1 Peter
4. Verse 11, If any man speak, let
him speak as the oracles of God. If any man minister, let him
do it as of the ability which God giveth, that God in all things
may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and
dominion forever and ever. Amen. Why do things happen? Number one, that good might come.
Number two, that the gospel might go farther. And number three,
that God might be glorified. That's the reason, that God might
be glorified. Now I'll leave you with this.
I'll close with this verse of scripture. Go to 2 Corinthians
4. 2 Corinthians 4 verse 15 says,
For all things are for your sakes. Isn't that wonderful? All things
are for the sake of God's people. All things are for your sakes
that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many
Redound unto the glory of God. That's what we're doing here
is giving thanks, isn't it? I love how after our Lord healed
that deaf man, when they all saw it, all the people saw it,
they all cried, He has done all things well. He's done all things
well. Verse 16, for which cause we
faint not. This is how we keep going. This is what strengthens us to
keep going. For which cause we faint not,
but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed
day by day. For our light affliction, which
is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and
eternal weight of glory, while we look not at the things which
are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things
which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not
seen are eternal." May God comfort our hearts and give us an understanding
of that. It's all for good. It's all for
the salvation of a soul. And it's all for the glory of
God. Okay, let's stand together.