Do you ever get the feeling that life is not fair - or that everything is going wrong - or that you just can't take one more thing happening to you? If that's you - you are not alone! Many of us have been in the same place!
And so have many of the characters in the bible!
The writer of the letter to the Philippians was a man named Paul. As we began the third study in our Philippians series - we found out that Paul went through a pretty rough phase in life.
Our bible passage for the night opened with this: Brothers and sisters, I want you to know that the things that have happened to me have actually advanced the gospel. (Philippians 1: 12). We spent most of the evening finding out - just what was it that had happened to Paul.
First off - he was falsely accused of breaking the temple rules and of teaching against the Jewish law and faith. (which he had not done). A riot broke out and the people tried to kill Paul. He was saved by the Roman guard and taken in custody! He was almost flogged by the Romans - until he revealed that he was a Roman Citizen. He was held in jail for a while and then sent off in a ship for Rome. While on board ship - there was a great storm and finally they were shipwrecked .
But it doesn't stop there! Nope - the plot thickens! While on Malta - waiting to be rescued - Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake - but didn't die. Once rescued - Paul was taken to Rome and placed under house arrest for two years. While under house arrest - he had to pay rent for the house and feed the household. But wait - he can't leave the house to earn money.
Now surely Paul had the right to whine and complain! And is that what he does? Threw a big pitty party or maybe a nasty temper tantrum?
Nope! Checking back in our bibles -we find instead that Paul rejoiced.
Would that be your reaction to all of this?
re·joice
rəˈjois/
verb
verb: rejoice; 3rd person present: rejoices; past tense: rejoiced; past participle: rejoiced; gerund or present participle: rejoicing
feel or show great joy or delight.
"he rejoiced when he saw his friend alive"
synonyms:happiness, pleasure, joy, gladness, delight, elation, jubilation, exuberance, exultation, celebration, revelry, merrymaking
"news of the war's end unleashed a spectacle of rejoicing in the streets"
And so have many of the characters in the bible!
The writer of the letter to the Philippians was a man named Paul. As we began the third study in our Philippians series - we found out that Paul went through a pretty rough phase in life.
Our bible passage for the night opened with this: Brothers and sisters, I want you to know that the things that have happened to me have actually advanced the gospel. (Philippians 1: 12). We spent most of the evening finding out - just what was it that had happened to Paul.
First off - he was falsely accused of breaking the temple rules and of teaching against the Jewish law and faith. (which he had not done). A riot broke out and the people tried to kill Paul. He was saved by the Roman guard and taken in custody! He was almost flogged by the Romans - until he revealed that he was a Roman Citizen. He was held in jail for a while and then sent off in a ship for Rome. While on board ship - there was a great storm and finally they were shipwrecked .
But it doesn't stop there! Nope - the plot thickens! While on Malta - waiting to be rescued - Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake - but didn't die. Once rescued - Paul was taken to Rome and placed under house arrest for two years. While under house arrest - he had to pay rent for the house and feed the household. But wait - he can't leave the house to earn money.
Now surely Paul had the right to whine and complain! And is that what he does? Threw a big pitty party or maybe a nasty temper tantrum?
Nope! Checking back in our bibles -we find instead that Paul rejoiced.
Would that be your reaction to all of this?
re·joice
rəˈjois/
verb
verb: rejoice; 3rd person present: rejoices; past tense: rejoiced; past participle: rejoiced; gerund or present participle: rejoicing
feel or show great joy or delight.
"he rejoiced when he saw his friend alive"
synonyms:happiness, pleasure, joy, gladness, delight, elation, jubilation, exuberance, exultation, celebration, revelry, merrymaking
"news of the war's end unleashed a spectacle of rejoicing in the streets"