Joy At Risk | Philippians 1

Opening Remarks: A couple of weeks ago we started a new series on JOY out of the book of Philippians. The first message was essentially a look at the fact that we all have a choice when it comes to joy. We can’t choose our circumstances but we can choose our responses.

The world needs to see those who choose JOY over misery, because misery characterizes our culture. Everywhere you look, people are downcast, discouraged, critical, and miserable. That’s expected without Christ, who is the source of Joy. But why do so many Christians lack Joy? We have the Lord. Our eternity is secure. We have the Holy Spirit, which is supposed to produce the fruit of the Spirit in us, and Joy is listed second on that list in Galatians 5, right behind love.

If there’s one place that Joy should be found, it should be in the lives of believers. And I couldn’t think of a better example of Joy than Paul’s letter to the Philippians. This is his happiest letter. Either he’s in a really good mood writing this, or he genuinely has Joy. He simply writes to a joyful church out of a joyful heart. But before you think it’s because his life was good, think again. He’s chained to a Roman guard as a prisoner under house arrest.

But he still writes about joy or gladness or cheerfulness about a dozen times. And the reason is because Joy is the result of a right relationship with Jesus Christ. Paul wasn’t perfect, but he was right with Jesus Christ. And it shows up in his writings.

Three times he mentions how joy comes through one source: In the Lord.

Philippians 3:1 “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.”

Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.”

Philippians 4:10 “But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.”

Paul didn’t have an easy life, but he had a source of joy no matter what he faced. The Philippians didn’t have it easy either. They lived in a wicked culture. Many of them had been disowned for having faith in Christ. They suffered persecution for their Gospel witness. But Paul’s message is simple: A right relationship with Jesus Christ can provide you joy, no matter what you’re facing.

Joy is less an emotion and more a state of being. It’s the result of a choice. Joy isn’t connected to your job. Or where you live. Or a relationship. Or your health. Or wealth. It’s connected to a source outside of all those things - A relationship with Jesus Christ.

The secret of Paul’s joy was to know Christ and live for Him. He mentions Christ by name 18 times in the first chapter alone. He says in Philippians 1:21 “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

Paul had it figured out. And he gave the Philippians, and us by preservation of Scripture, some genuine help in the area of having joy in spite of circumstances.

There’s just one problem: This isn’t a lesson we learn once and then never have to deal with again. There are some lessons you can learn once and be good, but I’ve discovered in life that the most important lessons require more than one pass for me to actually learn them.

Illustration: Raising children, read books that make it seem like it’s a one time event and the child learns, not my experience, most children require lesson repeats and reviews before they actually learn most lessons.

First Time Obedience

Responding Correctly To Instruction

Cleaning Room

Doing Chores Correctly

You can teach the lesson, and then it’s like an hour’s time or a night’s sleep erases all information and they start over like they have amnesia.

It’s frustrating, but we do the same thing with the Lord.

We learn a lesson about temptation

Or responding incorrectly to our spouse

Or trying to go a few days without our devotions

So we learn the lesson and it stings, but a few days later it’s like we never learned it at all.

And the same thing is true of Joy. You can focus on Christ and choose to respond correctly to your circumstances and you think you’ve got it figured out, but then a new set of unexpected circumstances shows up out of the blue and guess what you do? You forget everything you’ve ever learned like you have spiritual amnesia.

Before we get into the verse-by-verse exposition of Philippians, I want to point out some things that put our joy at risk. Truth is, the choice to rejoice in Christ in spite our circumstances is sometimes daily decision. Sometimes it’s a many-times-a-day decision.

You can have Joy one moment, then something happens that distracts you or takes your mind off of Christ and the Joy disappears.

One man named Ken Baugh said it this way, “Joy leaks. One minute you can be on top of the world, and the next minute in the pit of despair. To hold on to a joyful state of mind seems as pointless as trying to carry water in a holey bucket.”

It’s like a car with an oil leak. You can fill it up, but if you think filling it up once means you don’t have to check it again, you’re going to find yourself in a big mess one day. You’ll soon be needing to add more.

The same it true with Joy. If you don’t make deliberate decisions to have it, it will leak out with the normal grind of daily life.

As great as the church at Philippi was, their joy was at risk due to the daily grind of life.

The Philippian church had been around for about 10 years, which means some had been saved as long as 10 years.

When they heard about Paul’s imprisonment, they sent a love offering with Epaphroditus.

In return for their kindness, Paul wrote to express his gratitude.

Typical of Paul’s letters, he also addressed issues that were present in the church. Based on what Paul wrote, Epaphroditus must have told Paul that there were problems with growing division in the church.

Philippians 2:3 “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”

Philippians 3:2 “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.”

Philippians 3:18–19 “(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)”

Philippians 4:2 “I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.”

Paul wrote these exhortations because he knew one thing was certain - Joy cannot exist among people with a self-centered attitude.

Here’s the truth about joy: It leaks. If you lack diligence, your joy will be stolen.

And tonight I simply want to bridge the gap between last time - You can have joy in spite of your circumstances - and next time - Joy is grown in an environment of fellowship - By pointing this out - No matter how much you want joy and no matter how long you’ve had joy, it can leak, because it has many thieves.

Tonight I just want to give you a few Joy Thieves.

I. Sin is a Joy Thief.

1. David suffered the loss of joy due to his sin.

Psalm 38:3–8 “There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; Neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: As an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds stink and are corrupt Because of my foolishness. I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: And there is no soundness in my flesh. I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.”

Psalm 51:8 “Make me to hear joy and gladness; That the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.”

Psalm 51:12 “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; And uphold me with thy free spirit.”

2. Peter wept bitterly after he denied the Lord.

Matthew 26:75“And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.”

Peter’s sin led to his bitter sorrow. Joy and sin can’t co-exist.

Proverbs 29:6 “In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare: But the righteous doth sing and rejoice.”

Transgression brings a snare. It is hard to sing when you are in a trap! Those who live righteously have reason to sing and rejoice.

II. Circumstances are Joy Thieves.

We’ve already looked at the reverse of this truth.

We often think that riches and stuff and the newest things and great health can contribute to our joy, when in fact the more you have the less joy you tend to have. You can read about it - lottery winners often have the most tragic lives.

Circumstances are takers only - Meaning they can’t give you joy, but they can definitely take it away.

The Philippians had circumstances threatening their joy. Persecution. Families disowning them. The Government coming down hard on them.

What circumstance in your life is robbing you of joy today?

Financial burden?

At odds with a family member or co-worker?

Too much to do and too little time to do it?

Circumstances can’t add to our joy, but they can certainly take away from it.

III. People are Joy Thieves.

“To dwell in love with saints above— Oh that will be glory! But to dwell below with saints we know— Ah! That’s a different story!”

Christopher J. H. Wright

That was happening in Philippi. If someone had asked Euodias why she didn’t have joy, she would have said, “Oh, that Syntyche is something else.” And Syntyche would have said, “I can’t stand Euodias. She’s the reason I’m unhappy.”

Sometimes we do that very thing. We blame our lack of joy on other people. And while it’s true that some person whom you just don’t like or rubs you the wrong way may seem like the reason you don’t have joy, the real reason is you’re choosing to focus on that person rather than finding your joy in the Lord.

In Ephesians 6:12, Paul said, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

“Flesh and blood” means other people. They’re not your problem, but sometimes we live like they are.

Here’s another way this works: Trying to please people. You think you have to make them happy or not disappoint them. But that’s impossible. Live for an audience of one.

IV. Worry is a Joy Thief.

Think of all the things that you’ve been worried about lately.

That project at work. Taking that test to get that promotion.

Kids graduating and going out into real life. How are they going to do?

That health burden that doesn’t seem big to anyone else but is huge to you.

How you’re going to pay that bill for work that had to be done. There’s just too much month for your money and you’re worried about it.

The reason many of God’s people don’t have joy is because they left the back door unlocked and worry snuck it.

Which of these are robbing you of your joy today?

Sin, Circumstances, People, or Worry? So I want to give you an overview of four things that can protect us from Joy Thieves from each chapter in the book of Philippians.

These actually originated with a scholar named Warren Weirsbe, so I want to give credit where credit is due:

Chapter 1 - Joy Comes From Having A Single Mind

Weirsbe said this, Paul “did not look at Christ through his circumstances; rather, he looked at his circumstances through Christ – and this changed everything.”

When you’re focused on your circumstances, it’s like looking through a telescope. It magnifies what you’re focused on and everything else seems smaller.

But when you look at circumstances through the lens of Christ, Christ is magnified and everything around you looks smaller.

Philippians 1:20–21 “According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

Having a single mind means your focus is on one single thing, Jesus Christ, and everything else becomes smaller.

Weirsbe said that a single-minded Christian focuses on the fellowship with others, furtherance of the Gospel, and faith regardless of life’s circumstances. If you want to counteract the Joy that has been robbed from your life, you must point that spiritual telescope to Jesus Christ and let Him be magnified or made bigger while everything else becomes smaller.

Chapter 2 - Joy Comes From Having A Submissive Mind

The focus of chapter 2 is how you deal with other people.

vs. 1 - He’s talking about fellowship of the Spirit

Vs. 2 - Be likeminded, be of one accord, of one mind

Vs. 3 - Don’t do anything that is about strife or pride, get low and lift others up

Vs. 4 - Don’t be consumed with your stuff. Make meeting the needs of others your business.

If we aren’t careful, we can become a church of strife and contention. One good way to fight against it is to simply serve. That’s what Jesus did. He humbled Himself and served others. That’s the mind of Christ. Submitting yourself to the needs of others led to His joy after His crucifixion and glorification.

Few things make you feel better than being selfless.

Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:21 “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” Submission to each other is a key to joy.

Chapter 3 - Joy Comes From Being Spiritually Minded.

It’s so easy to be focused on worldly, temporal things.

Money, cars, boats, motorcycles, promotions, vacations, stuff.

But our citizenship isn’t down here. We are to be focused on the things that matter in heaven.

Illustration: This shows up in our commitment to the things of God. If you miss church for work, what does that say about your priorities? We need to address these things. Do we believe Matthew 6:33 or not?

God will bless you long term if you put Him first in the short-term.

Chapter 4 - Joy Comes From Having a Secure Mind.

Philippians 4:6 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

It’s a sin to be anxious, full of cares. Paul commands it.

Bro. Gaddis said that “Worry is wrong thinking about people, circumstances and things.”

Do you think wrongly about some person in your life?

Do you imagine something happening to them in revenge?

Do you fixate on what’s wrong or what could go wrong? Those troubling or unknown circumstances? You spend weeks worrying about things that may or may not happen. You get an ulcer for something that may never be an issue.

Stop focusing on things that rob your joy. Focus on the Giver of Joy - Jesus Christ.

Here’s what we need: Joy produced by focusing on Jesus.

Application:

Are you leaking joy? Not in a good way. It’s disappearing somehow.

Could it be because of some sin in your life that no one knows about?

Maybe there are circumstances acting as thieves to you joy?

Is there a person in your life that you’re allowing to rob your joy? It’s not their choice, it’s yours.

Maybe you’re consumed with things. You’re earthly minded, not heavenly minded. It’s all about job, money, promotion, prestige, a nicer car, new wardrobe, just stuff.

Those things aren’t wrong, but they can’t bring you joy, and if you’re not careful, they’ll rob you of it.

This all goes back to what we talked about last time: Rejoice in the Lord.

A single mind that magnifies Christ will make everything else look small while He becomes big.

Are you single-minded - your life is about Christ? Or something else?

Are you submitting in your relationships?

Do you have a spiritual or earthly focus?

Do you have a secure mind that doesn’t fret or worry over things you can’t control?

Conclusion

The secret of Paul’s joy was the single mind; he lived for Christ and the Gospel. He had an attitude that said, “It doesn’t matter what is happening to me or how hard things are, that which matters the most is that I know Jesus Christ. A single-minded focus on Christ puts everything else in perspective.

Illustration: Guys ringing doorbell today. I asked, “Did we lock the back door?!?”

Here’s the thing: Joy is possible for all of us, but some of us need to lock the back door and keep the thieves out. Worry is a thief. Don’t wallow it in. Circumstances steal joy. Lock the door. Refusing to submit to others is like going to bed with your back door open. Focusing on earthly things is just inviting a robber into your house.

Maybe some of us need to lock the back door and refuse to let anything in that threatens our Joy. Have a single-minded focus on Christ and ignore everything else. That’s the key to joy.

Do you have Joy?

If not, what is robbing you of it?

It’s time to close the back door and keep the thieves away.