Sermons
Optimism in the Face of Adversity
Optimism in the Face of Adversity
Introduction: Do you think of yourself as an optimistic person? Optimism is defined as “a disposition or tendency to look on the more favorable side of events or conditions and to expect the most favorable outcome.” (dictionary.com) Are you an optimist? When things are going well it is easy to be optimistic. The real test of optimism comes when things are not going all that well.
We are facing some difficult times in our nation at the present. We don’t know what the future holds. Can we be optimistic? The title of the lesson this morning is “Optimism in the Face of Adversity.”
In Philippians chapter 1 we read of Paul’s optimism. But Paul’s optimism was an optimism in the face of adversity.
Read Phil. 1:12- 24
I. Paul’s Adversity
A. Paul is a prisoner in Rome. 1:7, 13
1. He is probably not in an inner prison with his feet fast in stocks. Acts 28:30-31
2. But he was not free to travel. He was not able to go out and preach the gospel as he had done in
times past. He was not able to visit the churches as he had done.
B. He saw people preaching the gospel with wrong motives. 1:15-16
1. They were even preaching for the purpose to add affliction to Paul’s chains.
C. He would shortly stand before Caesar who would judge his case.
1.Paul states he is confident that he will be released (Phil. 1:25), but also gives the impression
that he did not know for sure (1:20; 2:17, 23-24).
II. Paul’s Attitude in the Face of This Adversity
A. What would be your attitude if you faced such adversity? When trouble comes into your life, how
do you react to it?
1. Do you respond with self-pity? Anger? Bitterness? Despair?
Sometimes it hard not to respond this way, but they are sin. Eph. 4:31-32; Col. 3:8-9
What about Paul? How did he face such adversity? Let’s ask him some questions.
B. Paul, you are in prison, unable to travel among the churches. How are you handling this?
1. He says, “I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually
turned out for the furtherance of the gospel…” (1:12)
a. How is that? He says, “it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest,
that my chains are in Christ.” (v. 13) It was known to the whole palace guard, and in
other places, that he was imprisoned only because of his faith in Christ.
Therefore, he had an opportunity to share the gospel with others.
2.. Also, most of the brethren in the Lord were confident and much more bold to speak the
word without fear. The idea may be that Paul’s confidence and boldness in the face of
such adversity, emboldened other Christians to be confident and bold to preach the gospel.
3. We have examples in Scripture of God turning adversity into victory.
Right at a time that it appeared to be the darkest moment, things turned around for the better.
a. Joseph: It was a dark moment when he was lied about and put in prison
(Gen. 39:19-20)
A) Had God forsaken Joseph? NO!
B) God was working out his plan to exalt Joseph to a ruler in Egypt and save many lives,
to save a posterity through whom the Christ would be born. Gen. 45:5,8; 50:19-20
C) Dark moments, but it turned out to be a great victory.
b. The ark of God taken by the Philistines: 1 Sam. 4:10-22
A) Israel was defeated with a great slaughter, thirty- thousand foot soldiers fell that day,
and the ark of God was taken. The ark of God (the symbol of God’s presence) was
now among the Philistines. Can you imagine what the people were thinking? “What is
going to happen to us?” “Could this be the end of our nation?”
C) God brought on the Philistines destruction and struck them with tumors. The Philistines
decided to send the ark back to Israel.
D) And some years later, the nation of Israel became a very powerful nation in the days of
David and Solomon.
E) God is able to snatch His people out of adversity and bring them great blessings.
c. The death of Jesus was a very dark day.
A) Jesus, the Son of God, suffered and died.
B) But three days later He was raised from the dead, and forty days after that He
ascended to heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. He is King of kings and
Lord of lords.
C) Ten days after His ascension the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles and they began
to preach the gospel. Souls were saved and added to the church. The church is
established. Out of adversity comes wonderful triumph.
d. Let us not despair when things do not go well in our lives. Remember, God is in control.
C. Paul, these preachers out here are preaching from envy and strife, and wanting to add affliction to
your chains. How are you going to deal with that, Paul?
1. Christ is preached, and I can rejoice in that. 1:18
2. But remember, these preachers are trying to hurt Paul. When people are trying to hurt us, it is
hard to want them to have success. But Paul looked on the bright side. He looked at the good
that was coming out of their preaching. In that he could rejoice.
D. Paul, you are about to stand before Caesar. Your life is in his hands. What do you think about
that, Paul?
1. Paul says it will be okay either way, whether I live or whether I die. As a matter of fact, he
says it would be better if he died. 1:20-23
2. Paul says, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
What a statement!!
For Paul to be able to say, “to die is gain,” he had to be able to say, “to live is Christ.”
Gain comes to one in death, only if his life has been for Christ.
a. What if one says, “For to me, to live is money?” Then “to die is loss.”
We know this to be true. The parable of the rich farmer - Luke 12:16-21
b. What if one says, “For to me, to live is pleasure?” Then “to die is torment.”
The rich man was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously (in luxury) every
day. (Lk. 16:19, 22-23) But where did he end up??
c. What if one says, “For to me, to live is fame?” Then “to die is infamy.”
Herod was honored by the people of Tyre and Sidon. The people kept shouting, “The
voice of a god and not of a man!” Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because
he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died. (Acts 12:20-23)
d. What if one says, “For to me, to live is self?” Then “to die is grief.”
Wasn’t that true of the rich farmer (Luke 12;16-19 - consider the personal pronouns – “I”
and “my.”) He ended up losing all which he had stored for himself.
E. Paul, you are in prison. It has turned out for the furtherance of
the gospel.
Paul, some are preaching to add affliction to your chains. But Christ is preached.
Paul, you are about to stand before Caesar. Whether I live or die, it is okay.
This is optimism in the face of adversity.
III. Paul Tells us the Reason for Such Optimism in Chapter 4.
A. “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice.” 4:4
1. When you have no other area in which to rejoice, you can still rejoice in the Lord.
2. You have salvation from sin. God has promised to be with you through all the trials of life.
No one can snatch you away from His love and from fellowship with Him. No one can take
from you the hope you have in Christ. In this we can always rejoice.
B. “The Lord is at hand.” 4:5b
1. The idea here is the Lord is near, He is accessible.
a. He doesn’t say “The day of the Lord is at hand.” Or “The coming of the Lord is at hand.”
2. A prophet of God said to King Asa and to all Judah and Benjamin. “The LORD is with you
while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him,
He will forsake you.” 2 Chron. 15:2
3. Read Heb. 13:5-6.
C. We can find peace through prayer. 4:6-7
1. Are things not going well in your life? Does everything seem to be falling apart?
2. But wait a minute. The Lord is near. He will listen to your prayers. He cares.
1 Peter 5:7; 1 John 5:14-15; 1 Peter 3:12
D. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” 4:13
1. Whether Paul was abased, or whether he abounded, he had learned how to be content.
The key to his contentment was he could do all things through Christ who strengthened him.
Conclusion: Paul, you are in prison. - It has turned out for the furtherance of the gospel.
Paul, some are preaching to add affliction to your chains. - But Christ is preached.
Paul, you are about to stand before Caesar. - Whether I live or die, it is okay.
This is optimism in the face of adversity.
Are you up to your neck in hot water? You don’t see a way out. Everything seems to be going
against you. Remember what you have in Christ (salvation from sin, eternal life, hope of heaven), and rejoice. You can always rejoice in the Lord. Remember, the Lord is near. You can always call upon God in prayer. He will listen. He will never leave you nor forsake you. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.
