“Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household” (Philippians 4:21-22).
Why do you suppose Paul said this? Did you catch Paul’s sneaky little mention of Caesar’s household? Normally Paul’s greetings would be of the saints greeting one another. And that element is here in Paul’s goodbye. But then he mentions Caesar’s household. It was a sign to his readers. Paul wasn’t simply a prisoner. His testimony for Christ made it not only to his guard, but even into the halls of Roman power.
Are you part of political movements designed to address America’s moral crisis? There are many Christian political organizations trying to restore what is referred to as America’s godly heritage. Such groups protest, engage in court cases, and lobby lawmakers about issues like abortion, pornography, human trafficking, and religious freedoms. There’s nothing wrong with being involved in such movements. But if we want to have a transformative effect for Christ in the political world, maybe a few of us should go to prison.
Paul witnessed to Caesar’s household because of his prison time, not because of his free time. His witness began with the guards, then testifying before magistrates, then Roman governors and kings. Some within the halls of power were brought to faith in Christ. Paul, wisely, doesn’t name them in order to keep them safe. But he does tell his readers that the halls of power had been penetrated with the simple message of the Gospel. And if it hadn’t been for Paul’s suffering in prison, perhaps they never would have come to know Christ. Perhaps we should rethink some of our political efforts and turn them into spiritual efforts.
Memory Verse
“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God” (Romans 13:1).
Application
Would you like to make a difference in the halls of power? Instead of just considering political change, consider what you must do to bring about spiritual change in the halls of power.