Philippians 1:18 What does it matter? Just this, that Christ is proclaimed in every way, whether out of false motives or true; and in that I rejoice.
Paul is writing from prison to reassure his followers in Philippi that he's doing OK, that he's still preaching and proclaiming the gospel, and that he hasn't lost heart. He doesn't believe that his imprisonment means God has abandoned him, and neither should the Philippians. He is praising God in prison even for the way in which he's been able to share the good news about Jesus Christ with his guards and fellow inmates and many of them have come to follow. That's Paul: always finding a way to share his faith.
In our age of division in the church, we often use metaphors from the business or political world when we talk about the church. It can be easy to begin to think that we are in competition with the church down the street that calls itself Lutheran or Methodist or Catholic or Presbyterian. Paul here reminds us that we're not. I don't care how Christ is proclaimed, I don't care who gets the credit, I don't even care what the motives of the proclaimers are: God can work with it. God can bring good news and hope out of anything. So let's just get on with the business of proclaiming Christ.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Worship with us for the Second Sunday in Advent this Sunday at 8:30 and 11. Our choir will present a special cantata at both services: "Let the Whole Earth Sing." http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a full calendar and details.
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