Greetings From Caesar's House — Carter Conlon

Paul's Captivity and the Furtherance of the Gospel

Philippians chapter one if you go there in your New Testament, please with me. I Have a message for you today entitled greetings from Caesar's house. Greetings from Caesar's house father. I thank you for the touch of heaven in this sanctuary today.

I thank you for mercy Lord, this is a kingdom of mercy. I thank you Lord for Your willingness to partner with us with all of our struggles and our frailties and our failings. God Almighty and all of our questions, but yet you come to us and you call us your own Lord you invite us to rule and reign with you for all of eternity.

Father I thank you God Almighty that you don't even ask me today to stand and speak this in my own strength. For if I had to I couldn't do it. It's only by the abiding presence of your Holy Spirit that I can even understand your word let alone speak it and so I'm asking you to overshadow my frailty and Speak to your people feed your sheep Lord.

I'm asking God for an anointing on every heart That's gathered here today that that we can understand your word and grasp it and desire it. I ask Lord that you take us out of Common thinking and bring us in to that which comes from your heart and your mind.

So everyone here the purpose for their life deliver the oppressed set free God those that are wounded. I'm asking Oh God in Jesus name that you do what only you can do so that when people leave here today They would say in their heart only Jesus could have done this for me.

Father, I thank you for it with all my heart in Jesus name. Amen. Philippians chapter 1 and beginning at Verse 12, this is the Apostle Paul and he's writing from Caesars house and He's a captive in this place and he's writing a letter to those that he has established in the Lord.

Verse 12. Philippians chapter 1 but I want you to know brethren That the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel. So that it has become evident to the whole palace guard and to all the rest that my chains are in Christ and Most of the brethren in the Lord having become confident by my chains are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

Now here's Paul and he's telling this Believers in Christ and he's speaking to you and I today through the Word of God that What looks to be a bad situation? has actually Furthered the cause of Christ in the world.

You know, we we have viewpoints. We all have viewpoints of what we think ministry should look like what we think the results should be. How it should all go and that that's the dilemma of my heart. It's the dilemma of your heart all of us.

We get a vision of what our life should be and when it doesn't turn out that way. We spend our whole time trying to get out of the very place where God has actually put us. So that we can be a testimony to the people there of who he is and Paul was saying I want you to know.

Paul's Ministry in Caesar's House

Like in the natural people are looking at the Apostle Paul and he's he's he's been falsely accused he's been there are people who are threatening to kill him the compromised religious authorities of his day are In cahoots really with the secular leaders wanting to be rid of him.

They're calling him a troubler in Israel they're saying that the things that he's speaking are strange, etc, etc and of course, he's he's had to appeal for his own safety to Caesar and People would be looking at that and saying isn't that tragic what happened to the Apostle Paul how he was taken as a captive and and Instead of having this miracle ministry in some stadium in a city.

He's more or less confined to the Corridors of Caesars Palace as it is or see where Caesars dwells. But Paul says I want you to know these things that happen to me have turned out for the furtherance of the gospel.

Paul is saying I'm seeing something happen through my life that couldn't have happened if God had not put me in this place. I'm reaching some people that wouldn't have been reached if I were not here.

It looks to be captivity. But how many know the Word of God cannot be bound the scripture says you cannot bind the Word of God you can. You can try all you want. But heaven and earth are going to pass away one day, but the words of God are not going to pass away.

They are eternal words. They cannot be bound. They cannot be eliminated. They cannot be eradicated and God help any society that tries to do that. So it's become evident he says in verse 13 to the whole palace guard soldiers in other words and to all the rest all the Attendants all everything that would go on in a place of authority and government and power all these Things that are happening all day passing through the corridors.

It's become evident Paul says that I have been captivated for a divine purpose. It's become evident to them that I was sent here by God, even though in the natural it looks to be a really unpleasant situation and Other believers he says in verse 14 have been emboldened to stand when they see God's Purpose in and through my life that it cannot be stopped by my circumstance and that's what I want you to understand today.

I know this is a hard time to be alive. This is a hard moment in history right now and circumstances are coming against those who want to live for God. Circumstances are coming against everybody in this generation.

But I want you to know that if Christ is in you the purpose of God in your life can't be stopped by your circumstance no matter what that circumstance is and I love it at the end of the Philippians right near the at the back when you go to chapter 4 and verse 22 He says all the Saints greet you but especially those who are of Caesars household.

All the Saints but especially those like Paul. It's it's a code in a sense Paul saying folks pray for me. I'm winning a lot of people to Christ here where I am right now, and there's a zeal there's an exuberance among those who are of Caesars household where They're supposed to be in a place of all authority of all knowledge of all power of a dominant society and all the rest of It but yet I am winning them to Christ in this place.

The Light of the World in a Dark Place

Jesus said in Matthew 5 14 you are the light of the world. A city that's set on a hill cannot be hidden. You are the light of the world God has placed inside of your life and inside of mine his Holy Spirit His eyes his voice his strength his divine purpose you you're the light to this darkened world and Your must and I must be set in a in a prominent place like a lighthouse for example is set in a prominent place.

Where it can be seen by people for miles it warns them of impending danger and points the way to safety. But just as a lighthouse needs to be seen it too must be stationed in a place where it can technically see.

To be seen you must be in a place where you can see you must be able to see. You must be able to See your purpose. You must be able to understand why God has planted you where he has and he won't Withhold it from you if your heart wants to see it.

He'll show it to you. Jesus goes on to say Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a lampstand and it gives light to all who are in The house and that's the way it was with Paul. He was placed by God in Caesars house.

Just like with the lighthouse Paul was placed by God at the entrance of a dangerous place. I want you to hear me on this. Some of you have been placed by God at the entrance of a dangerous place. People are living in danger there, even though they don't know it.

In Paul's case. It was a place where by subtlety by threat by force a dominant society was trying to impose its values and its will on Everyone within its perceived domain. This was a dangerous place and It was here that God chose to position his chosen servant Paul in the same way.

If you're a faithful servant of God, don't be surprised at where God may choose to position your light in this darkening hour of history. Don't be surprised That you are where you are and instead of trying to get out of where you are I think it's a better thing to say God show me your purpose for my life where I am.

Help me to flourish where I am. Help me to win people to you where I am in spite of the fact that I seem to be captivated in spite of the fact that People in the natural look at me and think my life is an absolute joke.

I'm off track. I'm bigoted. I'm whatever they're saying of the Christian person in this hour say God your word can't be bound. Your Holy Spirit can't be hidden. So Lord give me the courage to stand. Even if it looks that I am feeble I have the power of the God who created this universe living inside of this earthen vessel.

I have a light and don't let me hide it under a bushel. Help me God in The strength of Christ to stand in a visible place and let the testimony of what you're doing in my life Be seen especially at this darkened hour of time.

Paul said that the Corinthian Church in 1st Corinthians 12 18 God has set the members That's of his church of his body each of them in the body just as he pleases. In other words the talent he's given you the function he's called you to the ability the location.

Everything that you do both inside and outside of the assembled place where we're worshiping today is ordained of God. Nothing is a fluke. Nothing is by happenstance. I have learned that More than one time throughout my life.

I now know that nothing. I gave my life into the hands of God. I've been in places where I've said what am I doing here? I've been in places where I've tried to get out of where I was only to later find out the purpose of why I was There I found over the years that all things do work together for good to those who love God and are the called According to his purpose there.

There's no such a thing Unless I have willfully chosen to vacate the the purposes of God for my life there's no such a thing as a Christian person with an honest heart being in a place that Where the fruit of God cannot be born and will not be born through your life.

It's his choice. I Don't know how we got it so turned around in our generation that we think that we can make a choice and he somehow has To bless it. It's his choice. It's his choice. What marriage you're in?

It's his choice. What job you're on. It's his choice. What country or city you live in? It's it's his choice. What paycheck you take home? It's it's his choice. Everything is his choice. The children you have it's his choice.

It's all God everything has Come from his hand. Everything is in his hand. There's there's no happenstance in this life with him, but listen now Just like with Paul you you cannot Allow or be captivated with the change that your situation provides for you.

Every situation provides its change. I'm telling you There are threats everywhere you go. I've lived through that. I know what that's all about. I know what it's like to have people walk in an office when I had a secular job and pointed my face and said we're Gonna get you People who had actually the power to do it, but there was a power within me that was stronger than what was in them the Apostle Peter Says it this way in first Peter chapter 4 Beginning at verse 12.

Suffering as Part of Faithful Christian Witness

He said beloved don't think it's strange concerning the fiery trial Which is to try you as though some strange thing happened to you. But rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings that when his glory is revealed you may also be glad With exceeding joy if you're reproached for the name of Christ blessed.

Are you for the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you on their part? He's blasphemed, but on your part he is is glorified. Don't don't think it's strange. It's not a strange thing it's it's only in a season a generation where the Christian Church was marginally at best at least accepted in society that that everybody kind of the focus shifted and Jesus became something that someone that was just supposed to his whole reason for being was just to make us happy and healthy and more prosperous than everybody else and when everybody saw so lifted up and so high and Doing so well on our job and everything else.

They were all going to slap their foreheads and say who is your God? I want to follow him. But in reality, that's not the way it works. Jesus said in this world. You shall have tribulation. But be of good cheer.

I've overcome the world. In other words, you're gonna have trouble. There's going to be times that you're gonna be pressed down. You're gonna above strength as Paul said in Asia where you're going to despair of living.

And if it hasn't come your way yet, hang on it's coming your way. Everyone who's here you're gonna get to that point where your only prayer is a scream and a groan and a tear. You can't even get words out.

You don't know what to say anymore. You feel like hell is coming against you from from every side everybody who lives for God knows these moments these. These valleys are the shadow of death. We all know them, but we also know That we come out the other side with a testimony.

Goodness and mercy have followed me will follow me all the days of my life. And I have discovered That there is a divine purpose for the sunny days and the rainy days. When the field is dry and when the field is soaked, there's there's a purpose.

For when I feel happy and when I feel overwhelming sorrow when things are going my way and when things seem to be going the wrong Way there is a divine purpose. God if you will just allow me to see your hand.

Finding God's Purpose in an Unexpected Breakdown

I Remember one time I were driving home with this is way back years and years ago and I was pastoring in Canada and I was driving home and with two ministers and and In the middle of nowhere on a highway where there's not there's so there's so few houses there and The engine on my car literally blew up.

I mean it blew a hole in the engine the engine was gone. It was finished and we're pulled over on the side of the road and one of the pastors said to me What are we gonna do now? We're in the middle of nowhere and I looked and I said well everybody has to be somewhere and right now.

This is where we are. There must there must be a purpose to this. I remember one of the guys just shook his head. So there he goes again always believing there's a divine purpose to everything. And so we're standing on the side of the road.

There's no cell phones back then there were but they were RadioShack ones. You know, there were big ones with the antenna and I remember Said well here we are and as we're talking this this truck. You know that you can put a car up on it pulls In front of us as I see you guys are stuck you want I can't do anything for you here.

But I can take your car to somewhere where they can fix it. I said sure that'd be nice. I'd really appreciate that so he put it on his truck and he took it to this garage in a little town not too far away and Dropped it off.

And so I walked into the garage and lo and behold the owner of this place is a man I knew from years ago a part of a Christian ministry and I started talking to him. I found out he's not serving God his wife died he got discouraged and depressed and walked away from the Lord and so I was able to sit there and I was able to minister to him and and encourage him and pray with him and and and try to help him to get back to God and I could see the Softening start coming into his heart again, and then he told me says I can't fix your car.

He said but I can send you home with it was quite a distance. And so he loaded up on a truck and similar kind of truck and for no charge sent me home with my blew-up car. They dropped it off in my driveway and When I got home this phone rang and it's one of the elders in the church that I pastored back then and he said I've been trying to get a hold of you for like over a day now.

He says I've been trying to call you. I've been trying to find you. I said, what do you need? He said well the Lord put on my heart in prayer this morning that something was wrong with your car and I was to pay To have it fixed.

Folks I'll tell you there are there is no. If it was all for that man if it was all for that man, is it not worth it folks. Is it not worth the inconvenience? Is it not worth the trouble? You know, it would be nice.

It would be nice if I was so spiritual that God could speak to me clearly on the highway. I thought of that after I said couldn't you just you know. Couldn't you just talk to me and it's like the Lord was saying you weren't listening.

So I had to get your attention somehow. I Wanted you to minister to that man and you were you would have just passed by and so he will do what he has to do to get us where we need to be and What looks to be a bad situation what looks to be is if we've somehow got a hold of the short end of the stick.

We're actually in the will of God doing the work of God and I thank God for having learned that time. I could tell you stories that keep us here till 6 o 'clock tonight of of times that I've seen the hand of God In situations like that and you get to learn.

As you get older you just get to learn there's no such thing as coincidence. God's hand is in everything and so. You're you're you're sitting at school young person in the in the where you should be in the classroom that God's Appointed you to and he's in the cafeteria.

Beside the people whether they're nice or nasty. It doesn't matter. He's you're appointed by God. You're you're a light in the darkened world. And there's nothing the devil can throw at you that can extinguish that light or take away the victory.

Don't think it's strange. Peter says don't think it's strange. It's not a strange thing. It's it's part of walking with God in a darkened fallen world. That darkness will always try to extinguish the light but darkness can't put the light out as a matter of fact the darker it gets The brighter the light becomes.

Thank God for that with all my heart. People are going to need you. People are going to need your testimony people in your classrooms people in your work environment people in your neighborhood people in your own home.

Your own family are going to need you. No matter how strong or how weak you might feel. I'm sure Paul had days when he walked in as a captive and must have felt like oh god. I don't see your hand in this, but I'm going to trust you.

I'm going to believe that all things do work together for good. But even if you should suffer for righteousness sake Peter said you are blessed and. Do not be afraid of their threats nor be troubled but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and always be ready to give a defense.

To everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. Having a good conscience that when they defame you as evildoers those who revile your good conduct in Christ Might be ashamed in other words.

Don't be drawn into the same spirit that they are of. Sanctify the Lord God in your heart. That the light that's in you will expose. The fact that they are living they are thinking they are walking they are partakers of an eternal darkness.

Don't be drawn there. Don't let the Conflicts of this society start to take your mind your heart your thinking. Sanctify the Lord God in other words set apart Your life for the purposes of Christ let that be the reason that you live that that be why you are where God sends you.

Always always let your speech be seasoned with grace. Filled with grace seasoned with salt. Speech that stirs hunger in people's hearts speech that heals and preserves that which is right and holy and good.

Do not be afraid of their threats. You see Paul's inner strength came from the fact that he could see who he was in Christ and he could see who Christ. Wasn't him nothing. It wasn't hidden. His purpose of being on the earth was visible to him first.

Seeing People Through the Eyes of Christ

He saw What people who live in the flesh don't see. He saw the worth of every person in the eyes of Christ. That's what Paul saw whether there's soldiers that were mocking him whether their temple. Attendance that were scorning him.

It didn't matter. People who in their own arrogance thought they held all power in their hands. Paul Saw the value of every person in the eyes of Christ. You need to pray now as I do. God give us your eyes.

Give me your eyes. I don't want to see people with eyes of hatred. I don't want to judge them God Almighty. I want to see people that you died for created in the image of God. I want to see their value.

I don't care what they're doing. You don't care how they're living. I want to see their value. I want the eyes of Christ. This lighthouse has to have the eyes of Christ in this generation. Paul saw the passionate love in God's heart for every soul.

He understood it wasn't just a verse that he was throwing out of people. He understood that God so loved the world. He gave his only begotten Son God So loved the world. Paul had and saw this passionate love of God and I'm sure soldiers felt it.

I'm sure attendance felt it. I'm sure the mockers felt it. He saw the cross of Christ as the purest expression of that love. I Can just envision Paul and Caesar's palace as it was saying God if you would do that for me.

What a small sacrifice it is for me to endure these chains and to endure this humiliation that I have to endure. Most likely every day for the sake of those that are around me, especially those of Caesars household.

Paul had a vision he saw the lostness of humankind. How lost this generation is how lost people are how lost they are running? To and fro all through every facet of our society looking for something and they don't know what it is.

They're looking for. He saw the waves he saw the rocks he saw the peril of those who are on a journey. Which they're incapable of navigating on their own. Folks ask God for the eyes to see when you're if you happen to be watching the news and you're seeing some of the things That are going on and in our time ask him for the eyes to see.

Young men young women people lost forever. There really is a place called hell the absence of God indescribable Indescribable Sorrow forever and ever and ever and ask God for the eyes to see. These waves these rocks the perils the journey there the fact that they can't get through if I don't tell them.

Paul saw the incredible privilege he'd been given to be a visible expression of God's love to those who lived in darkness and Who without the safety of God's mercy to them through Jesus Christ would perish forever.

It was a privilege to be a light. It was not something to be just endured. It was something to be embraced. Something to rejoice in God. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you that you can be seen in me because if you couldn't they would not be persecuting me.

He saw the God's purpose through his life could not be Conquered no matter the depth or the breadth of the forces which opposed it. That's why Paul the Apostle Says to the Ephesian church that the eyes of your understanding being enlightened you might know what is the hope of his calling the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints and What is exceeding greatness of his power towards us who believe according to the working of his mighty power?

Which he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in heavenly places far above all Principality all power might and dominion every name that is named not only in this age But also in that which is to come.

And has put all things under his feet and gave him to behead over all things to the church. Which is his body the fullness of him who fills all in all. Paul saw it. He saw the power of God not only the purpose but the power and he saw I can't be conquered.

The things that God has determined to do through my life cannot be stopped because he is God and men are not. No matter what opposes it he sits at the right hand of all power and all authority. Every name that is named is in subjection to Jesus Christ and He has put his light inside of my life.

The Calling of the Weak and Ordinary

I Have nothing to be ashamed of. It's a message that can lead to eternal life. And lastly to the Corinthian Church Paul says you see your calling brethren. I Guess the question is my heart this morning.

Do you see your calling? Not many wise according to the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put the shame the wise and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put the shame things which are mighty and base things of the world and things which are despised God has chosen and The things which are not to bring to nothing the things that are that no flesh should glory in his presence not only those of us who God has chosen in mercy to Bring honor to his own name through we can't glory because we know what we are and the longer you walk with God the more You will know what you are without him, but also no fallen humanity can boast.

That in itself it possesses a strength greater than the strength of God. Even in Caesars household. I want you to consider this for a moment. Paul is a captive in Caesars household and Caesars household are Partakers of an empire that has pomp and circumstance has an emperor who thinks he's God by the way has armies with soldiers with Shiny armor and helmets with huge plumes on them chariots with white horses by the hundreds parading through the streets.

Polished marble in their foyers in their lobbies polished floors attendance everywhere trumpets announcing everybody coming through. Phenomenal, they are the dominant world power of their time. They are taking over the world.

It's Rome. Nobody has the power to resist them yet in the middle of that palace Historians say Paul was about five foot seven, by the way, I don't know how true that is. But they say that's about what he was.

So here's this little guy five foot seven no offense if you're five foot seven, please don't take offense. But he's a prisoner. He's accused he's standing in the midst of all of this pomp and circumstance and might and Dominion as as it has a expounded on itself and the soldiers even the soldiers Who are part of this conquering army army are looking at this man?

And on one hand they have the power of Rome and all it represents on the other hand, they have a captive named Paul and They're looking at Paul and they're saying I'm going with this guy for real. I'm going with this guy because I see something in him Stronger than anything I've ever known before whereas these people on this side are Insatiably lusting for more and more and more power.

They never get enough. They're never satisfied there. You know that you can never make them happy. All they can do is conquer and when they conquer they want to conquer more and they're turning to depravity within and they're starting to disintegrate from inside.

And over here's this man. He's got something in his life. He's got a light in his eyes got something in his voice. There's something in his whole demeanor that tells me that what is inside of him is more powerful than anything We have over here.

Don't think in your classroom your workplace Wherever it is that you are. Don't think that people are not watching you every moment of the day. They will laugh. They're ridiculed. They'll criticize. I'm sure there were a lot of soldiers.

They had to laugh. You're forced to laugh because if you don't laugh, you're not part of the crowd over here. But there are some soldiers. There are some attendants. There are there are some even perhaps in places of authority I don't know are suddenly looking and they're just seeing something in this man that can't be conquered.

Something in this man that loves in spite of being scorned and rejected. You see if you will choose to stand On your college campus you choose to stand in your workplace you choose to be a Christian you Sanctify the Lord God in your heart and don't be afraid of their threats.

The Peter said the Spirit of God and of glory rests upon you and it will expose the dark expose the fallacy Of people who live in darkness and somehow think it's strength when it isn't. And they will turn to you years ago.

I was Very very vocal Christian in my workplace and I was came under a lot of fire because of it. But the worse it got for me the more men I was able to lead Christ it's amazing because they saw something.

The police officers are very observant by nature and they just watched and I was able to lead more men to Christ when I was in the fire than when I wasn't because they saw something and They themselves as Paul said some Have some brethren in the Lord having become confident by my chains are more bold to speak the word without fear.

In other words when they saw that the strength that Paul had couldn't be Overpowered they were given courage to speak themselves About this new life in Christ. How many here would like to be able to live a life where people around you say I'm going with you.

I'm going with you. You might be the guy or girl who's laughed at in the college classroom and you're called out a date and you're vilified and you're called Stupid but I'm going with you. Because I see something in you.

I don't find anywhere else on the job. How many would like to have your co-workers? Suddenly come to you in times of crisis and just say I'm Wherever you're going and whoever your God is. I want that for my life.

That's why Peter says in the middle of all the trial Sanctify the Lord in your heart set the Lord's work apart in your heart and then be ready to give an answer to every person Who asked you a reason for the hope that is in you with meekness and fear first sanctify God.

I said Lord, I'm going to find your purpose here. I'm not going to live my life to get out of this place. But I'm going to find your purpose here if there's a day that you I leave it because you've taken me out.

And not only am I going to find your purpose. But I'm going to find the people that you died for whose hearts are open to you. I'm going to be a light set on a hill that cannot be hidden even in Caesars household.

Responding to Despair With Purpose and Hope

You see that's the gospel. That's the power of the gospel that's where the power of the Holy Spirit really is found. And I know there's people here today that I have sense in my heart. There's More than one here today who's been contemplating suicide.

You've so lost a sense of purpose and identity so tired of where you are and You've been looking to get out and the Lord hasn't taken you out. Because of it you've lost hope even for the future but today if you're willing to let God heal rekindle that hope in your heart and show you the divine purpose for where he Has you and why?

You are there God Almighty Should be our cry today. Let me find your purpose for my life where I am. Let me be a light in the very place in the marriage the home the job family community the city the town.

Where you've put me, let me find your purpose right where I am. And for some that's a radical departure from the way you've been thinking because you've been living to get out. The Lord says what if I don't want to take you out?

What if I have chosen to put you there for a divine reason would you be willing to pray and say God? Would you show me would you open my eyes? Would you help me to see? You give me a spiritual heart and a spiritual mind.

Let me see why I am where I am and use my life for your glory. If that's the cry of your heart today, I'm just gonna open the front of this auditorium. So you can respond in the annex you could step between the screen same thing at North Jersey campus and at home.

For those that are listening at home. And we're just gonna pray together. I'm just gonna say God. Would you help us all? Would you help all of us? To find strength and to find purpose. So that we could say like Paul what looks to be bad has actually turned out for good.

Let that be my story. Let's stand together and we're gonna worship for a few moments. If that's you slip out of your seat, please just come the balcony go to either exit. The main said just come just come you need you need that purpose in your life again.

You need hope for the future. Just slip out of your seat and just come and join these that are making their way here and we'll pray together in just a Few moments. I want to just give you a word of encouragement.