• 腓立比书 1

问候

1基督耶稣的仆人保罗和提摩太写信给住腓立比、在基督耶稣里的众圣徒，以及诸位监督和执事。 2愿恩惠、平安从我们的父上帝和主耶稣基督归给你们！

保罗为腓立比信徒祷告

3我每逢想念你们，就感谢我的上帝， 4每逢为你们众人祈求的时候，总是欢欢喜喜地祈求， 5因为从第一天直到如今，你们都同心合意兴旺福音。 6我深信，那在你们心里动了美好工作的，到了耶稣基督的日子必完成这工作。 7我为你们众人有这样的想法原是应当的，因为你们常在我心里；无论我是在捆锁中，在辩明并证实福音的时候，你们都与我一同蒙恩。 8我以基督耶稣的心肠切切想念你们众人，这是上帝可以为我作证的。 9我所祷告的就是：要你们的爱心，在知识和各样见识上，不断增长， 10使你们能分辨是非，在基督的日子作真诚无可指责的人， 11更靠着耶稣基督结满仁义的果子，归荣耀称赞给上帝。

我活着就是基督

12弟兄们，我要你们知道，我所遭遇的事反而使福音更兴旺， 13以致御营全军和其余的人都知道我是为基督的缘故受捆锁的； 14而且那在主里的弟兄，多半都因我受的捆锁而笃信不疑，越发放胆无所惧怕地传道。

15有些人传基督是出于嫉妒纷争；有些人是出于好意。 16后者是出于爱心，知道我奉差遣是为福音辩护的。 17前者传基督是出于自私，动机不纯，企图要加增我捆锁的苦楚。 18这又何妨呢？或是假意或是真心，无论如何，只要基督被传开了，为此我就欢喜。

我还要欢喜， 19因为我知道，这事藉着你们的祈祷和耶稣基督的灵的帮助，终必使我得到释放。 20这就是我所切慕、所盼望的：没有一事能使我羞愧；反倒凡事坦然无惧，无论是生是死，总要让基督在我身上照常显大。 21因为我活着就是基督，死了就有益处。 22但是，我在肉身活着，若能有工作的成果，我就不知道该挑选什么。 23我处在两难之间：我情愿离世与基督同在，因为这是好得无比的； 24然而，我为你们肉身活着更加要紧。 25既然我这样深信，就知道仍要留在世间，且与你们众人一起存留，使你们在所信的道上又长进又喜乐， 26为了我再到你们那里时，你们在基督耶稣里的夸耀越发加增。

27最重要的是：你们行事为人要与基督的福音相称，这样，无论我来见你们，或不在你们那里，都可以听到你们的景况，知道你们同有一个心志，站立得稳，为福音的信仰齐心努力， 28丝毫不怕敌人的威胁；以此证明他们会沉沦，你们会得救，这是出于上帝。 29因为你们蒙恩，不但得以信服基督，而且要为他受苦。 30你们的争战，就与你们曾在我身上见过、现在所听到的是一样的。

• 腓立比书 4:7

上帝所赐那超越人所能了解的平安，必在基督耶稣里，保守你们的心怀意念。

被抓进监狱隔离监禁，并不是保罗计划的一部分。

保罗以制作帐篷为业，同时宣讲上帝的福音。他的入狱乍看之下似乎中断了他带职宣教的事业，但他却清清楚楚地写道：“我所遭遇的事更是叫福音兴旺。”（腓立比书1:12）

这话怎么讲呢？腓立比书1:13节明白地说，福音得以闪亮发光，正是因为保罗的入狱给了他一个机会来显明，不论情况有多糟，他“受的捆锁”最终是“为基督的缘故”，因此他心甘情愿被铐在上帝的主权上。

保罗在他当时的处境下所表现出来的盼望，对于“御营全军”来说，一定是超凡脱俗，所以他们也都理解了福音中的盼望。

对于目前处于相对隔离状态下的你和我，应该如何将这些经文运用到工作和生活中来呢？事实上，我们也像保罗一样，拥有一个独特的机会，就是现在这个糟糕的处境，来展现出福音中的盼望。与其说这个处境会阻挠我们活出盼望，不如说正是因为这样的处境，才使我们得以活出福音的盼望。那应该怎样做呢？

要关注，但不要焦虑。我们有没有理由关注新冠病毒？当然有。但我们有没有理由为新冠病毒感到焦虑呢？完全没有，因为我们有“上帝所赐、出人意外的平安”，而这平安是因为基督已经应许必要救赎我们和这个世界（腓立比书4:7）。在这个人人都没有安全感的时期，我们所表现出来的终极安全感会让福音在我们的同事、顾客和朋友眼中充满魅力。

要比平时给予周围的人更多的关心。无论身边的同事为公司或者团队提供的“价值”有多少，我们作为基督徒，应该比平时更关心他们。这个时候多问问身边的人关于他们和家人的身体健康等私人问题，不仅是合宜的，更是极富人情的。让我们成为他们身边真正关心他们“整个人”的同事。

要明确分享我们的盼望。以上两个建议能向人提示，我们之所以爱人如己，是因为我们有福音作为我们的终极动机。不过，我们迟早都必须用话语把福音明明白白地讲出来。现在正是最佳时机。线上办公室的同事和街坊邻里们，此刻比任何时候都更渴求盼望——对世界的盼望、对工作的盼望，以及对自己的盼望。作为基督徒，我们拥有属灵的“疫苗”，可以永远为他们提供盼望。让我们鼓起勇气，“放胆传上帝的道，无所惧怕”（腓立比书1:14）！

• 花点时间向神献上感恩与祈求

• Philippians 1

Greeting

1Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,

To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 7It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

The Advance of the Gospel

12I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. 14And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

15 Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 16The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. 18What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

To Live Is Christ

Yes, and I will rejoice, 19for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, 20as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. 21For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. 25Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

27Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. 29For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

• Philippians 4:7

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Isolation through imprisonment was not a part of Paul’s plans.

At first glance, his imprisonment must have looked like a disruption to his attempts to spread the gospel through his work as a tentmaker and preacher. But Paul stated very clearly that “what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel” (Philippians 1:12).

How? As Philippians 1:13 makes clear, the gospel was able to shine precisely because it gave Paul an opportunity to show that, regardless of circumstances, he was ultimately “in chains for Christ,” willingly shackled to the sovereignty of God.

That hope in the context of Paul’s circumstances must have seemed otherworldly to “the whole palace guard.” Thus, they too came to understand the hope of the gospel.

What application can we draw from this text as you and I work and live in relative isolation? We, like Paul, have unique opportunities to demonstrate the hope of the gospel, not in spite of our circumstances, but precisely because of them. How?

By showing we are concerned, but not anxious. Do we have grounds to be concerned about coronavirus? Of course. Do we have grounds to be anxious? Absolutely not, because we have “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding” because of Christ and his promise to redeem us and the world (Philippians 4:7). In this time of great insecurity, our ultimate security can make the gospel winsome to our co-workers, customers, and friends.

By demonstrating uncommon care for those around us. Now more than ever, Christ-followers should be the ones demonstrating extraordinary concern for the people we work with, beyond what “value” they provide to our companies or teams. This is a moment in which asking more personal questions about family and health is not only acceptable, but sensibly humane. Let us be the co-workers known for caring deeply for the “whole persons” we work with each day.

By sharing our hope explicitly. The two suggestions above can serve as hints to the gospel as our ultimate motivation to love our neighbors, but at some point, we must share the gospel with our words. Now is as good of a time as any. The people in our virtual offices and neighborhoods are craving hope more than ever before. Hope for the world. Hope for their work. Hope for themselves. As Christians, we have the spiritual vaccine that can provide that hope forever. Let us be bold enough to share it and “proclaim the gospel without fear” (Philippians 1:14)!

• Take a moment to give thanks and prayers to God