First Things First
Troubleshooting is really an artful science. Something breaks down—cars, computers, or congregations—and some combination of technical know-how, gut instinct, time management, contextual awareness, and good prioritization come together in a spinning whirlwind of problem-solving. Some people are really good at it; they just walk right up to the problem and poke the root cause in the eye. Mechanics hear a noise and say, “Dollars to donuts, that’s the serpentine belt, but we should probably check the heat shield first.”
Have you ever met somebody who’s just terrible at this art? They spend 45 minutes obsessing over something that might be a problem with their new hedge trimmer, only for somebody else to tap them on the shoulder and point out they haven’t plugged it in yet.
The same is true in our congregations and in our souls, friends. Too often, we can get our priorities mixed up. At other times, it’s easy to let a unique problem distract us from the main things. On top of this, it is really easy to completely misread the room of our own hearts (Jer. 17:9).
In Philippians 1, Paul lays out a troubleshooting guideline for us. There’s a problem, and he’s guiding the church through solving it. We’ll look at both the problem and Paul’s solutions.
The Problem: Imprisoned!
Paul is in jail (Phil. 1:12–13). That’s a big deal because Paul’s the apostle to the Gentiles. What’s more, the Philippians have sent a good stack of money Paul’s way so that he could preach the gospel without concern for material needs. Imagine sending $50,000 to a missionary so they could be free to preach the gospel, only for them to get thrown in jail for aggravating the wrong people. Nobody really needs $50,000 in jail, right? They’ve got food, clothing, and shelter—kind of.
But the problem is probably far more sincere than that. This church loves Paul, and he’s in trouble. The gospel needs Paul, they think; he’s the apostle to the Gentiles.
In many ways, this is probably the occasion for the whole letter. Paul is re-establishing the contours of their gospel partnership in his imprisonment.
The Solution: The Gospel Advances
That gospel partnership is exactly the solution Paul points to in response to this crisis. He gives two reasons not to panic about his imprisonment. First, he’s evangelizing his guards, and it’s spreading! “All the rest” know Paul is in jail for Jesus (not treason, nor sedition, nor aiding and abetting). So then, the message is, “Don’t panic, Philippians, the gospel is still advancing!” Besides, not only is Paul still preaching the gospel, but most of the brothers have been emboldened to preach without fear! So, what’s the solution? Even in chains, the gospel goes forth. Take heart!
GASP! Another Problem: Insincere Preachers
It’s like Paul can read minds in verse 15: “Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from goodwill.” He’s anticipated an objection to his solution. (The Philippians, then, are like the doctor who’s always suggesting lupus.) Paul admits that it’s a real problem—some people really do preach Christ for bad reasons.
It happens today, too. Sometimes, the gospel comes forth from the lips of a liar, a cheat, or a swindler. We don’t need to look far in an age of prosperity preachers to find such a thing. We’re right to call out their hypocrisy; we’re right to challenge the weaknesses of their preaching (pronouncing anathemas if necessary!). Paul truly tags these brothers with the charge of envy and rivalry. But, little Philippians, what Paul won’t let you do is panic. He has a solution…
The Solution: The Gospel Advances
I love Paul’s tone here: “What then?” is how the ESV renders it. We could even translate it as “What does it matter?!” (BDAG [Bauer’s Lexicon] 1007c). It’s the sort of off-hand confidence that puts people at ease. Paul is unconcerned about the insincere teachers because the gospel goes forth nonetheless.
How can Paul be so assured that it's not that big of a deal? We have to peek ahead at verse 19 for a clue. “This will turn out for my deliverance,” Paul writes, “through the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” It might sound trite, but Paul is confident that God will sort it out, whether Paul lives or dies.
So, there it is: Paul can endure all kinds of hardship and keep preaching because he trusts in the wisdom and power of God—the very message he’s preaching.
Take heart, no matter what happens, because the gospel is true. What’s more, because the gospel is true, it will all turn out for your deliverance. So preach and keep preaching. It’ll be okay.
Remember the last time someone rebooted a piece of software that wasn’t working, and this fixed it? Reboot your soul with gospel hope the next time something goes wrong in church, churches, or your own soul. That’s New Testament troubleshooting you can live by.