Go ahead. Make my day.

Have you ever been in a situation where someone wants to make life worse for you?  Someone who should be on your team?

This is pretty much what is happening with Paul.  There are very real Christians in Rome who are thrilled that Paul is in prison.  They don't like that Paul says that you can be a Christian without following all the Jewish laws.  So ... they want to make it worse for him.  They want to get Paul in trouble.  Big time.  

What they come up with is proclaiming Christ ... Paul's way.

• Everyone ...  you, me, Mother Teresa ... needs forgiveness because of sin.  Romans 3:10-12, 23

• Without forgiveness ... without our sin debt being paid, we will be separated from God forever.  Romans 6:23

• But, the great news, the glorious news is this.  Jesus paid our debt!  He paid the price when he chose to die on the cross.  Romans 5:8

• When we trust God by really believing that this is true, our sin is forgiven. Romans 10:9-10; 13

• `When we believe in Jesus ... when our sin is forgiven, we have peace with God.  Romans 5:1

• We have peace with God because there is NO condemnation for our sin.  None.  Zilch. Zippo.  Romans 8:1

• And we have the confidence that there is nothing, now or ever, which can separate us from God's love. Romans 8:38-39.  

In Paul's way of proclaiming Christ, there is no need for circumcision or following dietary laws.  All you have to do is come to Jesus.

These Judaizers figure that if  they proclaim Christ Paul's way, that other Jewish people will get really mad and make things worse for him.  At the very least, the more they preach about King Jesus, the madder the Romans will get at Paul since he absolutely will not worship Caesar.

They proclaimed Christ so that Paul would get in trouble.

But Paul is all like, "Who cares? If I die, I get to be with Jesus. Go ahead. Make my day."   

Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will.  

The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 

The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, 

not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.

What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretext or in truth,

Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice.

Philippians 1:18

So, here's what it has to do with my life...

• I just wonder, am I proclaiming Christ in my words and in my actions SO clearly that people who really don't like me KNOW what I believe?  

• If I were to get arrested for my faith, would my enemies think they could get me in MORE trouble by proclaiming Christ? 

• Can I pause long enough to look at painful circumstances and consider how they might actually be used to advance the gospel? 

What about you?  Is there anyone in your life who'd like to cause you harm?  Do you see any way that their actions could advance the gospel?  Do you think you could possibly, possibly pray and ask God to show you how this situation might be a platform for proclaiming Christ in your corner of the world?  

We're finishing up our third week at the riverside.  I am loving this pacing.  By moving at a verse-or-two-a-day pace, I can really take the word into my life. What about you?  I'd love your thoughts.  Comment or send me an email to cynthiafin@gmail.com.  It would make my day!  :)