Real Reasons For Joy

Real Reasons for Joy

Philippians 1:1-11

I. Introduction

A. Theme – The Book of Joy – How many of us lack joy?

B. Illustration – Yesterday I was riding my bike on a new road. I knew I needed to turn soon but wasn’t exactly sure which road. Ahead I saw a great downhill thinking I could turn after that. But when I got to the bottom of the hill the road ended. Now I had to turn back around and go back up that hill. It took way longer going up that hill than it ever took going down it. This is like our pursuit of Joy. We look for what gives a moment of gratification but climbing back from its pain is often not worth it. We should seek joy in the right places

C. History

1. Paul goes to Philippi after being called in a vision from a man from Macedonia

2. Paul Meets with Lydia and other worshipers at the river

3. Paul and Silas are thrown in jail and beaten after exorcizing a demon in a fortune-telling slave

4. Paul converts jailer after they escape from the jail

5. By the point of this writing, it is ten years later in Roman Prison

6. He has been in jail for some time and has appealed to Caesar to be moved out of harm’s way (Sanhedrin). He could have been released: Acts 26:323

7. He has no idea what will happen to him

8. Philippian church during this time has grown physically and spiritually

D. Reasons for gratitude leading to joy

II. People (3-4)

A. Explanation

1. Paul thanks God for the people in His prayers

a. They are saints, redeemed by Jesus, and a part of God’s family (1)

b. He has a real relationship that started with Lydia and the Jailer

i. He cares about them as people

ii. He cares about their spiritual growth

c. He is thankful to God for what God has done in drawing them together and what He has done in them.

2. Paul prays for the people

a. The gratitude comes in remembrance while praying

b. The remembrance and prayer bring joy

B. Application

1. People should be the center of our joy

2. We often think stuff is the path to joy, but it never leads there

3. God made us relational beings – We long for others

4. Even the most introverted person would be driven crazy by loneliness

5. Joy often eludes people who are seeking it for themselves, while it is found by those who seek to provide joy to others

6. We should be living for others – Jesus, Others, You

a. For those in our church family

b. For those who are lost and need Jesus

c. For those whom God has put under our protection and care - Family

III. Partnership (5)

A. Imagine how alone Paul could have felt – abandoned by his Jewish friends, jailed for his beliefs, and constantly on the move as a missionary. Yet the churches in Macedonia had provided for his financial needs and cared for him while in prison. They had a kingdom mindset about ministry

B. Explanation - Because of your partnership

1. Partnership = koinonia – Fellowship, but much more than enjoying time together. It is the deep heartfelt belonging to one another because of the common grace and mission

2. They are brought together by Christ and His work, and they share an extraordinary bond because of that call

3. This partnership is the cause of Paul’s gratitude to God in prayer

4. From the first day until now – They have persevered in that work faithfully \

C. Illustration – We learned the power of partnership when we began this campus. We need to realize that to win the community and the world it will take a far-reaching partnership among all followers of Christ

D. Application

1. For Paul, it is important for those who come to faith to share in the partnership – They have a mission God has called them to and they need each other and the power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill

2. In the same way, there is a partnership within our own body

a. We have been brought together as brothers and sisters in Christ

b. We have been given the commission to bring about Kingdom and share our faith with others

3. Our faith in Christ was never meant to be an individualistic faith, but a shared common experience – a building of a body made up of many members

4. You matter in the partnership

IV. Progress (6)

A. Explanation

1. I am sure – convinced – to come to a particular point of view

2. He who began a good work in you

a. God started this work through salvation

b. It is His workmanship and art in you

3. Will bring it to completion

a. This is to know that God is going to recreate us in the image of Christ

b. He will bring us to full glorification

c. On the day of Christ Jesus – When He returns

B. Application

1. Until that point, we are being sanctified and remade in His image

2. There is a sense of assurance in this passage

a. It is not our work to remake ourselves, we would fail

b. God is doing this work redeeming a people to Himself - people without sin and a heart of love for God and others

3. This is why we cannot lose our salvation – God doesn’t fail

4. We should allow for this process and work on it

V. Purpose (7-8)

A. Explanation

1. Paul explains the depths of feelings he has for the believers at Philippi

2. BECAUSE – they are all partakers with him of grace

a. They have experienced the forgiveness and love of God

b. They have seen and believe that Jesus was on the cross for them

3. Partakers

a. In my imprisonment

i. He is jailed in Rome because of His faith in Jesus

ii. He sees it, not as an accident or a judicial misfire, but as part of God’s plan – Whether he lives or dies in this process, the mission is the same – to proclaim the gospel and faith in Jesus Christ

b. And in the defense and confirmation of the gospel

i. That is part of the common mission of all believers

ii. They are all part of this overall plan of God

B. Application

1. It is not enough for us to simply sit back and enjoy the fruit of our salvation

2. We are with Paul in His sufferings

3. We are with the persecuted church around the world

4. We were with the Christians when they were beheaded by ISIS

a. We should acknowledge that they did their part in being faithful to the gospel and proclaiming their faith in Christ

b. We should also be faithful in defending the truth of the gospel and confirming it for people to see

c. Our purpose is to expand the Kingdom of Christ through our own faith and evangelism – We all work in partnership for this central purpose of the people of Christ

VI. Purification (9-11)

A. Explanation

1. His prayer

a. Love – abounds more and more

b. With knowledge and all discernment – Through the knowledge of the Holy Spirit

2. Purpose of the prayer

a. So, you may approve what is excellent

b. And so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ

i. Purification – unmixed with alloy or impurities – To be fully righteous in Christ with no mixture of sin

ii. Blameless -

iii. Both can only come through the atonement of Christ

3. Filled with the fruit of righteousness

a. Fruit only grows as it is connected to its host in a healthy situation

b. For us, that host is Christ, and the fruit is given through the HS

4. That comes through Jesus Christ

5. To the glory and praise of God

B. Application

1. We are to be perfected in Christ

2. This should be the expectation of every believer

3. We are not to simply accept that we are all sinners and therefore I will sin again

4. While we will sin, the norm for Christians should be that we are being sanctified in Christ and growing more like Him

5. The expectation should be that the fruit of the Spirit is growing in us, not rotting

VII. Conclusion

A. Tim Keeler on Joy

Finding True Joy in Christ

Pastor Tim Keller used the following example to show how to find ultimate joy and satisfaction in Christ:

Do you remember when your mother used to say, "Don't eat candy before meals?" Why did she say that? Because she knew it would ruin your next meal. The trouble with eating candy is that it gives you a sugar buzz, and then you don't feel hungry. Candy masks the fact that your body needs proteins and vitamins. The sugar buzz from candy masks your hunger for the real nutrients that you don't have.

Things like sex, power, money, and success—as well as favorable circumstances—act like spiritual sugar. Christians who have these spiritual candies may say, "Sure, I believe in God and I know I'm going to heaven," but they're actually basing their day-to-day joy on favorable circumstances. When the circumstances change, it drives us to God, because when the sugar disappears, when the candy gets taken away, we're forced to pursue the feast that our souls really crave. We'll hunger for the spiritual nutrients we really need.

Source: Timothy Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church, New York, from the sermon "Joy," (preached 4-18-10); to listen to the sermon, click here