Rejoice in The Lord

Introduction

There is a true story, you can find it in your bible, about a young man of influence, power, and wealth. Also known as the rich-young-ruler. And this man, as important as he was in man's eyes, as influential as he was, made one serious error in life that would be the worst one ever, and indeed the worst a person could ever make. You see, he had the chance to actually see and meet Jesus face to face himself, and even received a personal invite from Jesus to follow Him, to one of his close followers. But you know what, he couldn’t do it and he didn't. Because following Jesus meant putting aside, laying aside, or selling all of his possessions. Well, he had spent his lifetime getting those, and saw them as more important and precious than Jesus. So, he walked away sorrowful from Jesus. He didn’t want to lose the power, influence, and positions he had. He didn’t want to lose the life he had built up for himself, he didn’t see the real life he could gain as important enough, so he walked away lost and fallen. He found his joy in material things, in trips, in power, in position, in influence, in money, in getting, in all the world's pleasures. But indeed, one day that man lost it all, as every rich and poor person alike loses all their world possessions one day. Jesus charged him and us today, find joy in me and not what you can get. Brothers and sisters, what gives you joy? Where do you seek it and where do you run to for it and what can you do to make the answer more and more be “In the Lord?”

Prayer

Father God, we thank You for Who You are. A great Big God who sees each and every one of us here and cares deeply about us. We ask this day, as we are continuing in this time of worship to You, reading Your Word and hearing Your Word, that You refine us with it. Mold us, make us, shape us, rearrange us so that we can be more like You, and made more into the image of Christ. Help us be a people who love You and love others so much that we are moved into action by whatever it is You are going to show us about Yourself today and what that means in our lives. Help us do this, because all too often our selfish and sinless flesh war against our will to follow Yours. As we are doing this, and as we are coming into Your Word today, we ask that You take away any distraction that we may have, and make it go as far away as it possibly can, because we want to see and we want to know You better. I ask these things for your glory and in Jesus Christ’s Holy and precious name that I pray, Amen

Context

In last week’s text, Paul wrote to the church at Philippi, the importance of being unified. That of course included being unified together as a church body yes, but especially that they together and as individuals were unified with Christ. That their wants, wills, and desires were the same as Jesus. That their mission was to please God, and not themselves. That when they moved or chose not to move, it was because it was what the Lord Jesus wanted them and their church to, as we (you and I, believers, followers of Jesus) are blood-bought children of God. And we, the Church, and in it’s expression here, Dotsonville Baptist Church, are the bride of Christ, and so we are to align ourselves with our loving master, savior, and Lord. With that comes that we are seek and pursue Christ-likness above all other things, remembering His example and that no matter the difficulty it lead to for Him, Jesus always sought God the Father’s will while He was hear on earth, even to the point of emptying Himself and dying on the cross that our sins would be forgiven.

In this week’s text, we see Paul repeat Himself. He goes back and repeats some of the themes he had told them and us once again for our benefit, specifically about rejoicing in the right things and rejecting what is wrong. As, it so easy to get joy in wrong, to get joy in evil, in sin. The world all around us, the very one you live in and lay your head down at night, so much of it seeks to deceive you and turn your head away and distract you from what really matters, what’s really good and worth celebrating and rejoicing, and what’s bad and should be rejected. Even seasoned believers can get this wrong, so watch out, and hear this truth; Many will rejoice in what is evil, but we are to rejoice in The Lord. So, let’s see what Paul writes to them and us about this, about rejoicing in The Lord. Let’s jump in and From the text, I want you to see and do these actions as you live a life that rejoices in The Lord.

Message

The first action to see and do is to: Have confidence in Jesus 1-9

3 In addition, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. To write to you again about this is no trouble for me and is a safeguard for you.2 Watch out for the dogs, watch out for the evil workers, watch out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision, the ones who worship by the Spirit of God, boast in Christ Jesus, and do not put confidence in the flesh— 4 although I have reasons for confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised the eighth day; of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; regarding the law, a Pharisee; 6 regarding zeal, persecuting the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law, blameless.7 But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ[a]—the righteousness from God based on faith.

Paul writes to them, he reminds them, rejoice, rejoice in the Lord, find your joy in Him! Yes, i’ve said it before, but it’s not trouble for me to say it again, because it is important and it’s important for you to remember it! So then, watch out for evil teachers and workers who have been going around and disrupting you and us (you see there was a group of Jews going around confusing everyone, at this point they had been doing it for awhile, about the importance of circumcision, at this point they have gotten everything wrong and simply mutilating themselves instead of using the act as an outward sign of allegiance with God). We (the faithful, believers, Christ followers), are the new family and called of God, and we worship God truly by the one and very Spirit God. Our boast is in Jesus and our confidence is in Jesus and what He has done, not anything else! So then, don’t let those false people and evil rejoicers distract you, no matter how good they may seem to our eyes, if they have reason to boast, it is all in the wrong. By their own logic and rules, I far surpassed them in every single way, but I, I who went further than all of them, to the point that I brought harm to believers under the high priests blessing and orders, consider all that zeal and action nothing but an absolute waste and abomination. Rather, of much much, so much worth is knowing Christ Jesus as Lord, because of Him, my old ways, no matter how highly esteemed I was or how important people thought I was, I consider that all a loss and of no value. Rather, I would gain Christ and be with Him, having Jesus’ righteousness and not the false righteousness that comes through the law, I want the righteousness of God based on faith in God, the lasting and true and perfect righteousness that comes through confidence in Jesus and what He has done for us!

So, what then does it mean to have confidence in Jesus? It means that you understand that you are a sinner, in need of forgiveness, and that by Jesus’ blood shed by His death on the cross you can be forgiven of your sin debt if you have faith. If you have confidence that God has said and what God has offered it is true, forgiveness, a full pardon, for anyone who really wants it.

Let me tell you a story. There was once a man, and he had a goal, to climb a mountain, one of the ones you can climb nearby in the hills here in Tennessee. He wanted to go climb a mountain, but he wasn’t sure he could do it. He wasn’t in the best shape in the world, but he was in good enough shape. But, he let that scare him, and affect his actions and decision making. Also, you know the drive there is somewhere around 4 hours or so. He has a good car, but the furthest he had ever driven it was 3 and half hours, so he let that scare him and shake his confidence. Now one day, he gets the courage to drive there, and overall he is so rattled and walks with so little confidence, that he gets to the start of the trail and says, “wow, i didn’t think i’d get this far.” Well, I better get in the car and go back home, I better not risk the climb and the drive. That was a man who let his lack of confidence rule him isn’t it?

That, brothers and sisters, is exactly how we are to not live our lives in Christ. We can go forward, pursing God’s will and seeking, going about our lives with Confidence, because we know in the end how everything is going to end up, we know that Jesus has promised to never leave us or forsake us, and we know that we have a great big God who is directing all things for good for those that love Him! So then, remember that the evil in the world will try to rob you of your confidence in God, in Jesus, in truth, in God’s word, in everything God has revealed to us about himself. When that happens remember this, Many will rejoice in what is evil, but we are to rejoice in The Lord. And when you go through the difficulty that comes in that moment, remember to walk with confidence and rejoice that you are getting to be a part of suffering for God’s purpose.

The next action to see and do is to: Pursue the heavenly goals 10-14

10 My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, 11 assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead.12 Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not[b] consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, 14 I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly[c] call in Christ Jesus.

Listen to what Paul says here, Paul a man who wrote to the church at Corinth to imitate him as he imitates Christ. Paul says what his goal is, that he would now Jesus the one with the same power, the same God that rose Him from the dead on the third day, Paul also says that it is my goal to know not shy away from suffering for God (just as Jesus did) and become more and more like Christ my life and death; assuming that I will know more and more of it as I pursue this worthy goal. Know this though, though I am one of the apostles hand chosen by the Lord Jesus Himself, I have not yet reached this goal and am not perfect, but I will make every effort to be because Jesus is so important and precious to me. No, I have not yet reached my goal, but I pursue it, I pursue the heavenly things as God lays them before me. So now, once I was a terrible sinner, now I forget what has passed, look forward and reach toward the goal and prize ahead that our heavenly Father has given me in Christ Jesus. I will pursue and I urge you to pursue heavenly goals, and not selfish and wicked and evil goals.

Pursuing the right things, the right goals, can make all the difference in your outcome can’t it? Whether or not you reach the perfection that you hoped for, a success of some kind often depends on what your goal is and how worthy it is. Let me give you an example, once there were two 15 year olds who were very good friends. One had high goals for himself, he wanted to be a doctor and go to Harvard medical school when he got older, so he buckled down, studied hard, got a part time job so he could get good study materials, and set about this goal. The other friend, didn’t really have a plan, just figured he would go about as life led him, and didn’t make any kind of plans. Well, a few years pass, they both turn 18, the first friend didn’t make it into Harvard, but did get accepted into Vanderbilt to be a medical student! The second, still didn’t really have a plan, but knew he needed to do something, so he got his first job. Time goes on a little more, both the boys are 26, the Vandy man is now a doctor and is a few years into what would be a real and fruitful career for himself. The other has a stable job and is crunching the numbers to get his first apartment. Goals make a big difference don’t they?

So then, what are the heavenly goals, what are the things that we as believers, as followers of Jesus should be pursuing? Well, each person is going to different particulars as God gifts and equips us. However, here is the general framework. I like to sum it up this way, here our mission is that, “we are to be and make disciples of Jesus that: “Love God, Love People, and Make Disciples.” That’s what Jesus calls the two greatest commandments and the great commission He gives all believers, your heavenly goal believer, has something to do with those. Know this though, there are a lot of people and things all around you that would prefer you don’t do that. That would prefer you do just the opposite. Instead of celebrating when you do those things, they would prefer that you sit on your hands, do nothing, and pursue the things that benefit you and what you want. Remember, Many will rejoice in what is evil, but we are to rejoice in The Lord. So then, one way we rejoice greater in the Lord, by the pursuit of heavenly goals, that is, pursuing God and what He has revealed to you as your mission He has called you to.

This takes us to

Another action to see and do is to: Remember your heavenly citizenship 15-21

15 Therefore, let all of us who are mature think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will reveal this also to you. 16 In any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained. 17 Join in imitating me, brothers and sisters, and pay careful attention to those who live according to the example you have in us. 18 For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction; their god is their stomach; their glory is in their shame; and they are focused on earthly things. 20 Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21 He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of his glorious body, by the power that enables him to subject everything to himself.

Paul charges us, so then, let’s all mature in this way (and those of us that are mature) think this way, that God is our prize, that He is the most important thing. And, if you find yourself doubting or deceived about this falsehood, know that and also look for it, and God will reveal this to you in that situation. So then, from what you have learned and what you are learning about the truth of your life in Christ Jesus, live up to it. Find good examples and live up to them. Observe those that are bad examples, you know the ones that seek only after their own good, their own profit, the ones that find glory and delight where they should find shame, the ones that are focused and racing after earthly things, reject their examples! Because our citizenship, where we are from, is not the same as them. We are children of the living God, the creator God of the universe, and our home is with Him where He is! In the meantime, we await for the savior to return to us that He may usure in the next age and transform everything back into the glory and splendor that was and is God’s design for the world and for us! Remember your heavenly citizenship, live up to, and do not be tricked into the citizenship of the fallen and sinful world.

There once was a lesson that Jesus taught a group of people, a parable, a story with a lesson, that this reminds me about so much. In it, a young man gets a little wild, and to put it simply, he tells his dad, “Go ahead and give me everything that’s coming to me.” He takes all the money, his entire inheritance, and goes off and blows it in a foreign land. In a short while, he has take what would be considered a wicked and evil job for his people, being a pig tender. Being so poor and so hungry, he looked at the gross slop in the feeding trough and wished he had at least that to eat. Then after a while of suffering through this, he remembered his fathers house, how he was loved, cared for, how even the lowest servants there were living a much much better life then he was right then. He ran away from his fathers home, his citizenship per-se and then remembered how good he had it. So, he left the foreign land, came home (hoping to be taken in as servant), and from a long distance his father saw him coming (and despite the evil that the son did to the father), he ran out to meet him, embraced him, and took him in as a beloved son again.

Brothers and sisters, remember your heavenly citizenship. Remember your loving heavenly father, who created you, breathed life in your longs, and gives you every good thing that has ever come your way. Furthermore, remember how He sent Jesus to the cross for you, and how Jesus did it for you as well, that you and many others would be saved and be able to experience a full and forgiven relationship with God once again. The world wants you to forget this, but must remember your heavenly citizenship, that everything you see and live in right now is temporary, but everything that has to do with our souls are eternal and have eternal consequences. So, remember, Many will rejoice in what is evil, but we are to rejoice in The Lord. Find joy in what God does, oh you children of His, and reject what the children of the evil one find joy in.

Conclusion

Beloved, so, what then does it mean to rejoice in the Lord? Let me tell you, it isn’t empty, it isn’t shallow, it isn’t just a song you sing, it isn’t just a face you put on while here in church. It’s a lifestyle. A lifestyle that that keeps nothing back from God, because it was all His anyways. It means you delight and strive after what God would want in any situation, not what would make you comfortable or simply get you what you want. It means you renew your mind daily, seeking a deeper and deeper and more growing relationship with Him, diving deep into His world, relying deeply and prayer, and are always seeking for His will in your life to be revealed, then you go about it. It means you will have to say no to things that you used to say yes to sometimes. It means ultimately, that you lay your life down at the savior's feet and say “More of you, and less of me Lord, that you would be glorified.”

Father God, we thank You for Who You are. A great Big God who sees each and every one of us here and cares deeply about us. We ask this day, as we are continuing in this time of worship to You, reading Your Word and hearing Your Word, that You refine us with it. Mold us, make us, shape us, rearrange us so that we can be more like You, and made more into the image of Christ. Help us be a people who love You and love others so much that we are moved into action by whatever it is You are going to show us about Yourself today and what that means in our lives. Help us do this, because all too often our selfish and sinless flesh war against our will to follow Yours. As we are doing this, and as we are coming into Your Word today, we ask that You take away any distraction that we may have, and make it go as far away as it possibly can, because we want to see and we want to know You better. It’s in these things that I ask and in Jesus Christ’s Holy and precious name that I pray, Amen.