Why your joy helps others

Intro

Read Philippians 1:24–26 “Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.”

A Harvard Study

asked

10,000

middle

and high school

students

the following question,

‘what

is most important

to you?’

48% said

high achievement

as their

high priority.

30% choose

happiness.

And only

22% chose

caring

for others.

In a concluding statement

the researchers

said

‘some youth

made it clear

that their self-interest

is paramount.

If you are not happy

life

is nothing.

After that

be successful

and then

only

if you have leftover energy

help others.

Selfish.

We live in a selfish world.

Me, me, me.

What do I get from this?

Now lately

You have been learning

a lot

about having joy.

And you might think

well isn’t that selfish too?

That I am getting joy

for myself?

All for me?

But the truth

is that

the Christian life

of having

great joy.

Is ultimately

not just

for you.

But for others.

So today

we’re going to learn

how your

joy

actually

helps others.

That’s why

our title today is

why your joy helps others.

So that you

can help

this selfish

selfish world.

1. You become selfless (v.21-24)

Let’s look at v.21, ‘For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.’

Continuing

from the previous verses

where Paul

shared his life’s purpose

to bring glory

to God

he now

reveals

even more

fully

in this phrase.

‘For to me’

Paul is saying

‘I don’t know about you’

but this

is my purpose.

Because not everyone

even Christians

are not totally

sold out

on this

that ‘to live is Christ’

and ‘to die is gain’.

Paul reveals here

that the Christian life

is not a promising

business proposal.

I take 40%

you take 60.

I was watching

this new youtuber.

He’s this engineer

in his mid 30s

but he quit

to become a content creator

full time

To follow his dreams.

He saved enough

money

so that he wouldn’t

have to work

another job

and focus fully

on content creation.

But he only

had enough money

to last him 1 year.

So if he succeeds

he achieves his dream

and if he fails

that’s it.

He said, ‘if I fail

that’s the end of the rope

for me.’

And that’s the situation

Paul was in

if he gets released from prison

all is good.

But on the other hand

if he gets executed

well that’s it.

It’s over.

But for Paul

this is not 50/…

Its not win/lose

this is a win/win!

Because if I live

I get to serve

and spread the gospel more!

And if I die

I get a new

perfect

heavenly body

and get to be with Jesus

forever!

Remember students

your joy

never runs out

it is infinite

because

you constantly

live

in a win/win

scenario.

You live

you get to bring glory to God.

You die

you get to enjoy heaven

forever.

How incredible is that?

Now

as amazing

as this is

for Paul

it didn’t mean

he had no preference.

Look at v.22, ‘but if live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell.’

Paul is saying

if I die

I get to go to heaven

but if I live

I get to serve more

help others more

but I don’t know

which

I actually

would prefer.

That’s why

he says in v.23, ‘for I am hard-pressed between the two’.

I’m torn

between both options.

I don’t know

what to decide.

Do I want

pizza

or do I want a burger? (pizza or burger)

I don’t know

they’re both great.

But as time goes on

you eventually

choose one.

What I like to do

when I don’t know what to choose

like what to watch

what game to play

or what to eat.

I do spin the wheel.

I remember when trying

to choose

between 3 Ben & Jerry’s flavors

I liked

the chunky monkey

the half baked

and the cookie flavor.

But I couldn’t choose.

So I spun the wheel.

And it landed on

chunky monkey.

But I was like

you know

actually

I don’t want chunky monkey

because I don’t want to become

a chunky monkey

and I ended up going

with half baked.

I realized

for me

the wheel

doesn’t actually choose

for me

it just shows

what I really don’t want

which ends up showing

what I do want.

And for Paul

what he

really wants

is to be

with Jesus.

He says at the end of v.23, ‘having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.’

He’s saying,

I rather die

so I can be with Jesus forever.

And that

is far better.

If I die

I don’t have to suffer anymore.

I don’t have to be tempted anymore.

I don’t have to get sick

or get injured anymore.

I can be in pure bliss

enjoying Jesus

for eternity.

Students what an incredible

reality

that as a Christian

death

has no power

over you.

The fear of dying

is gone

because of what

Jesus did

for you

on the cross.

That if you died

right now

you will immediately

go into the presence

of Jesus.

And enjoy being with Him

in eternity.

There’s no soul sleep

where you wait

in the lobby

until you can finally

come in.

No you are immediately

brought in

to Jesus

after

death.

How wonderful is that?

1 John 4:18 (ESV)

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

Those who fear death

fear it

because they are afraid

to be judged

in hell

for eternity.

But if you are a Christian

that’s not your problem

anymore.

Because

of the love of God

who has sealed

and secured

your salvation

forever.

Back to Paul

it is better

for him

to die

and be with Jesus.

But note

what I said.

It’s better

for

him.

But not

for others.

v.24, ‘Nevertheless to remain the flesh is more needful for you.’

Paul is saying

but if I continue

living

it’s better

for you.

In fact

it’s necessary

for you.

Because living

helps others.

And this is why

suicide

is so destructive.

Because the person

doing it

thinks

they are doing a service

to others

by removing themselves

from the picture

because they see

themselves as a hinderance

to the lives

of others.

But in reality

they are harming

others.

Because life

is not only

a gift

to the person

but your life

is a gift

to others.

People are helped

by your presence

your life.

Your aura.

Simply by you existing

and living.

And taking that away

hurts you

and others.

It is selfish.

But Paul

was the complete

opposite

of selfish.

He was selfless.

Have you guys seen

those Tiktoks

where they’re like

‘take $5

or double it

and give it

to the next person?’ (double it challenge)

Anyone? (raise your hand)

Ok so

this challenge

was done in some company office

and it go to a very high amount.

And the video creator

was getting more and more

anxious

every time he asked

because they amount

became so high.

He asked one of the higher ups

this offer

and it was around $10,000

and you know what he said?

He said, double it and give it to the next person!

What?

$10,000??

In Paul’s mind

someone is offering him

$1 billion dollars

but he’s like nah

double it and give it to the next person!!

What humility!

What love!

what selflessness!

If I could enjoy and have

the greatest thing in life

I would rather

take that.

But to help you

I will sacrifice

my preference

for your

good.

For your benefit.

Why?

What is making

Paul

so selfless?

His joy.

His joy

in the Lord

has made him selfless.

Paul became a true servant.

With his life’s mission

to help others

have joy too.

Even if

he would rather

be in heaven

he would rather

be comfy

and cozy.

He’s here

to help others

because of his sacrificial

heart

and selflessness.

Students

wouldn’t it be better

to just stay home

one

Sunday

and just

not

go to church?

Sleep another

2-3 hours

in a nice

warm

soft

bed?

Enjoy

a nice

morning walk

in the beautiful

Sunday morning

breeze?

Wouldn’t that be better?

But when you have joy

it makes you selfless

so that you do

not what’s best

just

for you

but for others.

You see

those who

skip church

in favor of their bed

and their own

personal comfort

don’t

have joy.

They try

to find joy

by getting

as comfortable

as possible.

But they don’t

get it.

Because true joy

only

comes from Jesus.

And when you enjoy God

and have joy,

you come

to church

to help

one another

because joy

makes you selfless.

Students

just by making

one another

laugh

even just smile

because you

are here

is so helpful

to one another.

Psalm 100:1–2 (ESV)

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness!

Serving others

serving God

always comes

from a place

of gladness

of joy!

This is why

your joy

is not

just for you.

God wants you

to be full of joy

enjoyment

and pleasure.

Don’t ever

forget that.

But God

also

designed

your joy

to help others

by first

giving you a heart

of selflessness.

1 Corinthians 10:24 (NKJV)

Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being.

So students

let your joy

overflow

into the lives

of others

by being selfless.

The reason

people don’t serve

is because

they don’t have joy

to give in the first place.

You can’t pour

unless

you have water in your cup

in the first place.

Don’t live your life for you

but for God

and for others.

2. It gives others a model for following Jesus (v.25-26)

v.25, ‘And being confident of this,

Paul not only knows

that continuing to live

helps others

he is certain.

He is confident.

It’s one thing

to know something.

But unless

you are confident

you don’t

truly

know it.

I ask you

how tall

is that skyscraper

over there?

You say

2000 ft

I think.

I ask are you confident

about that?

And you say no.

Then you don’t

really

know

the height

of that skyscraper.

But Paul

being confident

that being alive

helps others’

joy

says in the continuing in v.25, ‘I know that I shall remain and continue with you all’

Even though

I have something far better

heaven

and eternity

with Jesus

I will

live on

to be with you.

But that’s not all.

He says in the rest of v.25, ‘for your progress and joy of faith’.

I will live

on

for you

because I am certain

that living

will help

you.

It will help

your progress

meaning

help you grow

as a Christian.

And help

your

joy of faith.

I will help

you

have more joy

in faithfully

following Jesus.

As your student pastor

there is only

2 things

I want

for you

if you are a Christian.

Obviously

if you are not a Christian

then I want

you

to be saved.

But if you are a Christian

it is my hope and desire

that you read your bible

every day

and

that you have joy in the Lord.

So many teens today

have no joy.

So much suffering

so much depression

and suicide

in teens today.

I want you

to have more joy

and the only way

is if you

enjoy God

students.

And I want to help you

by first

enjoying God

myself.

So that

I

have joy

that I can share

with you.

And by seeing

the joy of the Lord

in me

it will be the example

and model

for you.

So that then

you

can also

become a model

for others

to have joy

too.

And for others

to bring

more

glory

to God.

For the final verse

I prefer

the ESV:

Philippians 1:26 (ESV)

so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

Paul wants

to be a powerful reason

for others

to give glory

to Christ Jesus.

He says in me.

I want to be a model of joy

for you.

By living on

through the suffering

of being in prison

and being unfairly

attacked

by others

and coming back

to the church

with great joy

he becomes

a model

for others.

You see students

Paul

didn’t have

to share

any of this.

Because this is a hypothetical scenario

Paul thought of

in his mind.

The same as would you rather?

Would you rather

have a private beach

or a private chef? (private beach or chef)

It’s hypothetical

you don’t literally

have this option.

Paul couldn’t literally

choose

to live or die.

But he shares

this struggle in his mind

to choose

to show you

the example

of a joyful

Christian life.

He wants to be the model

of the Christian life

for you.

That this

willingness

to live for others

not

myself

is what

other

Christians

need

to have

too.

Being a model

for others

is what we see

also

in Hebrews 12:1

Hebrews 12:1 (ESV)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

In the chapter

before Hebrews 12

the author of Hebrews

talked about all

the Old Testament

believers

like Abraham

Moses

and David

and their

faithfulness to God.

They

are the cloud of witnesses.

They are our example.

Our model of faith.

But of course

we have the perfect model

Hebrews 12:2 (ESV)

looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus as our perfect model

was able

to lay aside

his rights

and comfort

and die

for us

because of his

untouchable

unmatched

joy.

And this joy

Jesus gives

to you.

John 15:11 (ESV)

These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

How wonderful is that?

So students

your joy helps others

because

it gives others a model

for following Jesus.

Who

is gonna reach

your middle school

your high school

your friends

your classmates

your family

for Jesus?

Not me.

You.

How?

By having a great

infectious Joy

your community

that God

put

you in

will look

at your

light

your

joy

and want it

too.

They will ask you

‘why are you so happy

all the time?’

And then you can talk about Jesus

because

you

have become a model

of joy

for others.

Gospel/conclusion