God has done good things because of Paul’s time in a prison

Now more people know and trust Christ

Bible reference

Philippians 1:12-20

Introduction

Paul writes to the Philippians from a prison. (This prison might have been in Rome. Rome was then the capital city of the people who ruled.) A prison is not a good place to be. Perhaps the Christians in Philippi were afraid about what might happen to him.

But Paul says this. What happens to him does not matter. He only wants to talk to more people about Christ. And the prison has given him the chance to do this.

There were Christians in Rome before Paul arrived. Some of them were not happy when Paul came. Maybe because Paul was a greater Christian leader than they were.

Questions to ask

1:12 ~ What good thing has God done because Paul is in a prison?

1:13 ~ What new people have heard about Christ because Paul is in a prison?

1:14 ~ What other good things have happened because Paul is in a prison?

1:15-17 ~ What wrong reasons do some Christians in Philippi have when they speak about Christ?

1:16 ~ What good reason do some Christians in Philippi have when they speak about Christ?

1:18 ~ What is most important for Paul?

1:18-19 ~ Paul says that he will continue to be happy. Why? (3 things)

1:20 ~ What does Paul want or hope? (3 things)

Something to do

Paul writes of ‘the things that have happened to me’. This suggests that he did not choose these things. Have things happened to you that you would not have chosen? Think about how God might use these things.

Read verse 14 again. Sometimes people become braver when bad things happen. Do you know about any examples? If you do, talk about these examples.

‘what has happened to me will have good results for me.’ Think about this. What might the ‘good results’ be? Think about all the possible results.