Choose Joy!

Choose Joy!

Text: Philippians 4:1-4

Introduction: We have in this passage a glimpse into Paul’s concern for the churches that he was involved with. It has been reported to him that there are a couple of women in the Philippian church that are not getting along. So, he provides counsel to them to “live in harmony in the Lord.” It’s another way of saying, “Get along with each other!” He even appeals to others within the church to assist them in working out their problem.

Why would he do that? Why would Paul even be concerned that two women were at outs with each other in the church? I mean, it may just be a little spat…it’ll probably work itself out. But notice that his comments about these two women are sandwiched between two statements about joy. Most likely, Paul’s concern for their disharmony was affecting the overall joy of the church.

We also have in this passage a glimpse into Paul’s approach to life. Since his conversion to Christ his life is now characterized by joy. It used to be a life of law and judgment; but now, in Christ he is driven by grace and joy.

Life has been compared to a journey that we are taking. It began at birth and continues day by day as we move to an eternal destination. For the Christian that destination is Heaven. Our journey is not one of drudgery...it is never characterized by dullness...this journey throbs with victory and purpose.

Oswald J. Smith who lived in the early part of the 20th century captured the spirit of joy on the journey with his hymn, titled “There is Joy in Serving Jesus!”

There is joy in serving Jesus,

As I journey on my way,

Joy that fills the heart with praises,

Every hour and every day.

There is joy, joy, joy in serving Jesus,

Joy that throbs within my heart;

Every moment, every hour,

There is joy, joy, joy that never shall depart.

Several things are present when we have Joy through Jesus...

I. We know that we are Headed in the Right Direction

Pilgrim’s Progress is a great metaphor for our journey through life...on our way to heaven. Once that decision is made to let the Lord be the “Way and the truth and the life” the direction of one’s life is a 180 degrees altered.

The matter of repentance involves a serious change of direction. Repentance is a sorrow for sin that leads to a reformation of life. Repentance is a change of direction.

The Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8 upon being baptized into Christ...went on his way rejoicing.

Once we have set our face to following Jesus the result is that our hearts are filled with the joy of knowing that we are headed in the right direction. It is said that Francis of Assisi, as the very first act of every day, declared, “I take joy as my mood for today.”

One of the most intriguing scenes in Scripture is that of Paul and Silas, badly beaten, stripped, and thrown into prison in Philippi. We may reasonably have expected them to attempt to retaliate against their oppressors, complain about their illegal abuse, or busy themselves in self-pity, licking their wounds.

What they did, in fact, was to pray…sing…and praise God! They had been beaten...and incarcerated in the dungeon for preaching the word of God...yet, their spirits are not dampened and their joy is not absent. They were able to do that because they knew they were headed in the right direction...they were faithfully involved in the master’s work. They opted for joy amidst bad circumstances and the effect on others was amazing. Their genuine, inextinguishable joy in Jesus Christ demanded an outlet which opened the door to some unexpected opportunities to share Christ with others.

As a result of Paul’s new life in Christ he could now write his “Epistle of Joy” to the believers in Philippi. Paul’s joy would not be doused! He listed numerous trials and troubles in 2 Cor. 11:23-28 which included being jailed, beaten up, at death’s door often, flogged five times with the Jew’s 39 lashes, beaten by Roman rods three times, stoned more than once, shipwrecked, betrayed, rejected, sleepless nights, and hunger often…but through it all Paul found joy in serving Jesus!

The Christian rejoices in day-to-day knowledge that he is not aimlessly meandering, but he walks, lives, and loves in the glorious hope and promises of the Resurrected Christ.

When a man knows that he is just where God wants him to be, doing just what God wants him to do, he can sing in the face of misery, rejoice in times of persecution, laugh at Satan’s feeble efforts to dissuade him, and praise the mighty power of God which makes it so.

The beloved Don DeWelt founder of College Press Publishing and brilliant mind for the Lord used to say in response to, “Morning, Don...how are you?” He would reply with a wide smile, “Happy and on my way to heaven!”

A nun is reported to have said, “All the way to heaven is heaven!” Radiant joy was one of the most winsome characteristics of the New Testament church. It was this resilient joy that astonished their non-Christian neighbors. The church of Jesus Christ was a joyful fellowship. It is no wonder that we read in the early chapters of Acts that they were held in favor by all the people and that their numbers grew daily (Acts 2:47).

The world cannot long ignore the person who has a song for the midnights of life. An official of a South American country once said to a missionary, “I’m an atheist. I do not accept your gospel, but I hope you are going to continue to preach it. You have a song in your heart and we are very short on music.

G. K. Chesterton said, “Joy is the gigantic secret of the Christian.”

R. A. Torrey is credited with saying, “There is more joy in Jesus in twenty-four hours than there is in the world in 365 days. I have tried them both.”

Then there is this great comment by Billy Sunday, “If you have no joy, there’s a leak in your Christianity somewhere!”

It has been said that no other religion is marked by joy in the way Christianity is. Is it any wonder that the joy of Christians is one of the most persistent themes in the New Testament? In fact, we are here actually commanded to be joyful, “Rejoice in the Lord and again I say, Rejoice!” (Phil. 4:4).

When we choose Joy we realize that we are...

II. Traveling Lighter

Again, the metaphor of Pilgrim’s Progress is helpful. When the pilgrim is at the foot of the cross the burden of sin that has been weighing him down falls from his back and rolls down the hill. His journey from then on, though interrupted from time to time with struggles and distractions and temptations is still a much lighter journey because it is still true that “burdens are lifted at Calvary!”

Sad to say, however, that some Christians seem to still be laden with heavy burdens...like they pick up their load again and continue to carry them. We must realize that Jesus meant what He said, “Come unto me and I will give you rest....”

We can travel lighter on this road toward heaven because we are able to distinguish the difference from that which is nice and that which is necessary. We begin to understand the difference between that which is temporal...temporary...and worldly and that which is eternal...everlasting...and spiritual.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippian church encouraging them to lay the past aside and press on to the goal that was ahead. The Hebrew writer in chapter twelve urges us to “throw off everything that hinders us and the sin that so easily entangles.”

That’s why Paul could write about his contentment in every circumstance. It didn’t matter if he had a lot or if he was without…he still had Jesus and that meant Joy. That’s why he could sing at midnight. That’s why he could find joy in suffering for Jesus. That’s why he could say, “For me to live in Christ and to die is gain!” That’s why James could write, “Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials.” (1:2).

Amy Carmichael, an Irish missionary to India, who was beset often with pain because of a condition called neuralgia which meant the nerves in her body would cause pain throughout, had this to say about the joy the Christian has, “Joys are always on the way to us. They are always traveling to us through the darkness of the night. There is never a night when they are not coming.”

A Scotsman said, “I am happier now when I’m not happy, that I used to be when I was happy.” He knew the joy that God had promised. Colonel Sanders, who made world-famous his “finger-licken-good” fried chicken requested that at his death Pat Boone should be asked to sing: “He touched me, and oh the joy that floods my soul.”

Another blessing of choosing Joy through Jesus is knowing that...

III. I’m not Alone

I’m not alone because Jesus promised that He would be with me “unto the end of the age.” He has also made clear His promise that He would “never leave me nor forsake me.”

Do you remember that promise of Jesus that where two or three are gathered together in his name that he is in there midst? So often, we relate that to gathering in a building and at a church service...or even in the home for a prayer time. But, why can we not also apply it to this journey as we are walking along...traveling through life...bearing one another’s burdens...while we are on the road he walks with us...he is there and we are not alone.

I’m not alone because He fulfills this promise through the wonderful presence of His Holy Spirit in my life.

“You’ll never walk alone” can only truly be appreciated by the Christian who has put his trust and commitment in Jesus Christ.

An awareness of this joy that we have in Christ is captured in a statement by Walter Knight, “Joy is the flag that flies over the castle of our hearts announcing that the king is in residence today.”

I’m not alone because traveling with me are other pilgrims and together we encourage each other in this journey from here to heaven. We are in community together.

Life in the church should never be a place of criticism and pettiness...rather we should keep in mind that we are fellow-travelers and we need to help keep each other on the path.

Paul knew that there were joy-wreckers. They came in the form of critics who did not trust his claim to apostleship. They came in the form of false teachers who sought to undo his evangelistic work. They came in the form of spiritual enemies led by their devious captain Satan himself. Yes, they came again and again, but the resolve Paul had as a follower of Christ and the spiritual resource he had through God’s Spirit were more than enough to be victorious over every assault. Paul chose joy…that’s why he could sing at midnight in a dark dungeon.

Paul was ever concerned when he saw these joy-wreckers spoil the church’s advancement. He was concerned upon learning that Euodia and Syntyche were not getting along. He was concerned when he learned that the Corinthian church was sadly divided (1 Cor. 1:10ff). He was concerned because he knew that full Christian joy would have difficulty thriving in such circumstances.

Because of that the Apostle Paul said in this very letter, “Let us press on!”

Choosing Joy also helps us understand that...

IV. The End of my Journey is just the Beginning

Our joy depends, not upon present circumstances, but upon a person. About 200 A.D. Clement of Alexandria remarked, “Jesus has turned all our sunsets into sunrises.”

Because of Jesus we can even radiate joy in the face of death itself…knowing that the grave is not the end…not for the Christian…it is only a brief stop on the way home!

Do you remember P.P. Bliss’s “Beyond the Sunset?” It’s a great reminder of what’s down the road.

“Beyond the sunset, O blissful morning

When with our Savior heaven’s just begun!

Earth’s toiling ended, O glorious dawning,

Beyond the sunset, when day is done.”

And of course, from time to time we sing, “When we all get to Heaven...what a glorious day that we be!”

Heaven is truly a wonderful place...you don’t want to miss it! That is why Paul’s swan song in 2 Timothy is so powerful. “The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me---the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:6-8).

Conclusion: The Bible is our road-map for this journey and Jesus is the way to the Father. There is room for many more on this road to heaven...are you on it? And, for those of us who are traveling this heaven-road we are motivated and filled with joy because of the promises our God has given us.

So, let’s choose Joy for our mood and be always conscious of radiating it from our lives. Let us commit to making our church a beacon of peace, hope, optimism, and joyous fellowship.

There are people around us who are bombarded every day with negative messages…they are besieged by doom and gloom…they are overwhelmed by fear. We have this wonderful opportunity to shine…to radiate joy. So I say to you this morning, “Choose Joy for your mood…live joyfully in the face of shadows.” One day our joy will reach its ultimate goal and we will experience the joy that throbs within our hearts when we see Jesus face to face!

As a result, we are able to sing...

Until then my heart will go on singing,

Until then with joy I’ll carry on,

Until the day my eyes behold that city,

Until the day God calls me home.