Reading Plan:
Philippians 4


Our Thoughts:
Steve Jobs, the late founder of Apple and genius behind its remarkable success, patented a standard yet surprising way of closing out his keynote addresses.
No, I’m not talking about the black turtlenecks.

After giving updates on the stunning growth of the company and introducing new products and software updates, he would pause just when you thought it was all coming to a close and with dramatic effect say, “But there is one more thing.” After all the wowing updates and impressive new products, he somehow always managed to save the best for last, and we always loved it.

Paul runs this play in the closing to his letter to the Philippians. Amid his standard closing words of greetings, he slips in something of an atomic bomb that would not have been lost on the Philippians. After the updates on Epaphroditus’s healing and his own soul’s flourishing under the worst of conditions, and after giving them nugget after nugget of gospel gold, he almost nonchalantly delivers “one more thing.”

"All God’s people here send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household (vs. 22).”

Hang on! Did Paul just say some of the villainous Emperor Nero’s staff had become followers of Jesus?!

Yep, that’s what he said.

In the inner courts of the inner circle of the lordship of Caesar, brothers and sisters staked their faith on the creed, “Jesus is Lord!” Wow! Paul straight up says, “Hold up, wait a minute, let me put some Gospel in it!”

“Especially those who belong to Caesar’s household.”

We are talking about Paul, the prisoner, disciple-maker of everyone from the peasant servants to the Praetorian Guard. Paul, a citizen of Rome, hidden away in a Roman jail where he would be sidelined—a threat to perhaps only a forgotten cellmate—infiltrates the emperor’s household.

How’s that for a well-played “one more thing”?

This is not the persuasion of Paul, but the power of the gospel. Talk about a mic drop! This is it!

“Especially those who belong to Caesar’s household.”

Take that Nero!

This great gospel of the grace of God in Jesus Christ upends its enemies not by breaking down their doors but by infiltrating their minds and hearts with the love of God. No barrier can ultimately withstand this gospel. On a certain unknown date in the future, either willingly or not, from Caesar’s household to Caesar himself, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess “that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:10-11).”

That is to say, no matter what you are going through in your life right now, you can be confident that in the end, Jesus wins.

I’m dropping the mic now.


More Questions:
• Had you ever felt the dramatic voice behind Paul’s “one more thing?” Does reading the text in this way excite you? How so?
• Do you really believe that the Gospel is God’s final word and answer to sin, death, and the brokenness the world continues to endure?
• Do you have a powerful story of how the gospel has broken into your life or into the life of someone close to you? Let us know by replying to this email. We’d love to hear your story!


Prayer:
Jesus, thank you. Thank you for overcoming by bowing down. You win by losing. You are risen from the dead and are now reigning forevermore. We are on the right side of history by aligning our lives with you. Come, Holy Spirit, and fill us with the mind of Christ and the fullness of God. In Jesus’ name, we pray, amen.


Author: Blake Houston