The Reason We Live
Notes
Transcript
Handout
For anyone and everyone who puts their faith in Jesus:
“Sin no longer controls where you go when you die
And Sin doesn’t have to control what we do while we live.” -Andy Stanley
The People listened to the disciple’s testimony!
Everywhere Jesus’ friends taught
people listened and believed.
However,
not everyone accepted the testimony of the disciples
about Jesus’ Resurrection.
The Jewish religious leaders
who had worked so hard to kill Jesus,
now worked hard to persecute His followers.
One of Jesus’ friends,
Stephen, was stoned to death.
A man named Saul
was at Stephen’s execution
and he held the coats for the men
as they threw the rocks that crushed young Stephen to death.
Saul…
well,
he was zealous in his religious devotion
which included hunting down and killing Christians.
Acts 9:1-6 tells us what happened next,
But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”
That encounter with Jesus
radically changed Saul’s life.
Today,
we know Saul by his other name,
Paul.
He traveled throughout the Roman empire
sharing the good news about Jesus.
He also wrote much of the New Testament
which includes several of his letters.
This morning we will begin to study
one of these primary sources-
Paul’s letter to the Philippians.
In this letter,
Paul writes to his fellow Christian’s in Philipi.
It is clear in this letter
that not only does Paul believe in the good news about Jesus,
but that he is also willing to sacrifice everything
to share that truth with others.
Now,
I know that we all come this morning from different places.
You may be watching from home or are here this morning
and you are just beginning to learn about God.
Others of you may have just put your faith in Jesus
and want to learn more about Christianity.
Still others of you have been Christians for a long time.
No matter where we are coming from this morning,
we have a lot to learn from Philippians
as Paul helps to answer the age old question,
“What do I live for?”
That is why we are calling this sermon series,
“The Reason We Live.”
Now,
before we dive into Philippians 1,
allow me to share a personal story.
For those of you who have heard this before
please bear with me.
Because I think it is an important story
Especially for those of you who are joining us
maybe for the first time
to hear a little bit about my family.
In 2015
My wife Kristin, daughter Kayla and I
were driving down 93 South from New Hampton toward Concord.
We were headed to a doctor’s appointment in Concord for my daughter Kayla.
We were on a part of the Highway
where the speed limit was 70 Miles Per Hour.
A young lady approached the onramp
full of distraught and despair.
You see,
she had been fighting with her boyfriend on the phone
and didn’t notice
that the onramp had a curve to it
She took the corner too fast,
and overcompensated her turn on the steering wheel,
which made her car turn in the opposite direction.
She hit us head on as we were going 70 Miles Per Hour.
On lookers reported
that there was nothing that we could have done to prevent this…
One of them said,
It was like, “It was meant to happen”
Many of the rescue workers who came to the scene,
could not believe that we survived the crash.
As I was laying in the emergency room bed,
I started to go through the typical thoughts of
“Why, Why me,
why my family,
why did this happen?”
My daughter who was in emergency room bed next to me
spoke up.
She said, “Daddy…
I think the Lord meant for us
to be in the accident with that lady…”
“Why do you think the Lord wanted us to be in the accident?”
I asked her
“Well” she said
“Had we not been there at that exact moment…
The young lady who hit us,
would have died…”
And then I remembered…
On this particular part of the highway,
just to the East of the fast lane,
was a big ravine that did not have a guard rail…
Had we not been there at that exact moment…
The young lady
would have driven her car off the ledge,
and most likely not survived...
“It was like it was meant to happen…”
We live in a time of chaos,
pandemic pandemonium,
racial protest,
rioting,
increasing unemployment,
economic uncertainty,
and the pressure that comes
into every life and home.
Undesired circumstances,
hardships,
oppression and suffering
Can overwhelm us
just like the young lady who hit us
was overwhelmed with her despair.
Our undesired circumstances of life
can easily overwhelm us
causing us to feel hopeless and alone…
And when we face turbulent times in our lives,
we often ask- why?
Why me?
Why now?
Can I find meaning amid my suffering,
persecution,
or undesired circumstances?
Well, the answer is an emphatic YES.
The Apostle Paul knew what it was like
to face the turbulent waters of life.
While writing to his fellow Christians in Philipi,
Paul was in prison. At that time, the government enforced worship of the Roman emperor as god. As more and more people became Christians, the Roman government saw them as a threat. At that time, the emperor Nero ruled. He mercilessly crucified Christians and fed them to the lions at gladiatorial games. It is even said that he strung them up, lit them on fire, and used them as torches to light his garden parties. Paul was one of the many Christians who remained true to their faith in Jesus in the face of horrible persecution.
So as we read Philippians we find Paul imprisoned for his faith in Rome.
Let’s take a look
Let’s take a look
at how Paul faced these undesired circumstances
in Philippians 1:12-18:
I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.
Yes, and I will rejoice,
For those of you who are taking notes with me,
1. The first key to finding purpose in our suffering is to
Choose to use your undesired circumstances
to advance the gospel (Phil. 1:12-14).
Although there is no way for scholars
to be sure of the location
of Paul's imprisonment
as he wrote his letter to the Philippians,
most scholars believe
that it was during his imprisonment in Rome in the early 60s.
Paul's letter to the Philippians
is known as a 'prison epistle,'
and was likely written
near the end of his imprisonment
This is due to the
upbeat tone of the letter.
Philippians
is one of Paul's most informal letters,
thus reflecting his evident
and overflowing love
for the Philippian believers.
One of the reasons Paul wrote his missive
was to ease the Philippian church's concerns
over his current circumstances.
Which is why Paul begins our text with
“I want you to know brothers.”
In these verses,
Paul is not merely telling the Philippians,
that he is enduring his hardships the best that he can,
keeping his spirits up while he waits for them to pass.
No!
Paul declares to his brothers and sisters in Christ,
that his suffering has served a purpose.
The word “served” in verse 12
is absolutely essential:
"I want you to know, brothers,
that what has happened to me
has really SERVED to advance the gospel.”
The Greek word Paul uses here is
erchomai (er'-khom-ahee)
meaning “to come into being,”
“come forth,”
or “shown itself.”
Implied in this statement is a recognition
of God’s sovereign workings in human affairs.
Paul takes great pains to assure the Philippians
that his current situation serves a purpose
and is a part of providence.
He thus implies
that God is purposeful in all that He does
and all that He allows.
The doctrine of divine providence
teaches that God is in control of all creation.
He is actively preserving it
and guiding it
according to His will.
God is an active participant
in the workings of His creation
where nothing in heaven or earth,
takes place outside of His sovereign guidance.
Charles Spurgeon explains:
“There is no attribute more comforting to His children
than that of God's sovereignty.
Under the most adverse circumstances,
in the most severe trials,
they believe
that sovereignty has ordained their afflictions,
that sovereignty overrules them,
and that sovereignty will sanctify them.
There is nothing for which the children
ought more earnestly to contend
than the doctrine of their Master over all creation —
the Kingship of God
over all the works of His own hands —
the Throne of God and His right to sit upon that throne . . .
It is God upon the throne that we love to preach.
It is God upon the throne whom we trust.[1]” End Quote
Therefore,
God is not a passive observer.
He cannot oversee His plan for Paul
if He is far off
and indifferent to the cares of man.
God is capable of working all things
“together for the good, for those who are called according to his purpose”
as Romans 8:28 attests.
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
What then is God’s purpose
in allowing Paul to suffer?
Let's return to the text,
verse 12 reads,
I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel,
So here we see that the purpose of Paul's suffering
is to advance the gospel.
Paul did not merely say
that the gospel had continued to progress
despite adversity;
rather,
the adversity itself
had turned out
for the advancement of the good news of Jesus.
Let’s continue with verse 13,
Phil 1:13
so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.
“As a result,
it has become clear
throughout the whole palace guard
and to everyone else
that I am in chains for Christ.”
This verse conveys a fundamental truth;
that God intends for Christians
to advance the gospel;
this includes allowing them
to experience undesired circumstances
in order to do so.
Why?
Because God is a God of immeasurable love.
1 John 4:9-10 states,
“This is how God showed his love among us:
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
He sent his one and only Son into the world
that we might live through him.
This is love:
not that we loved God,
but that he loved us and
sent his Son
as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
And church,
out of His love,
He desires
that none “should perish,
but that all should reach repentance”
as 2 Peter 3:9 declares.
God desires
that none should perish,
not even the Roman Imperial Guard.
The Imperial Guard
was an elite group,
whose duty was to protect the emperor.
They had immense influence
and later became known as
"king-makers"
Due to their ability
to enforce their will…
Inevitably,
their nominee
nearly always became emperor.[2]
Through his imprisonment,
Paul witnessed to the imperial guard.
There is another translation
of the second half of verse 13
from the New American Standard Bible
it reads
“so that my chains in Christ have become manifest” or
“so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ
has become well known”
While imprisoned,
Paul was under constant guard.
Over two years,
members of the imperial guard
were assigned to watch over Paul.
And yet these guards
were also under Paul's
evangelistic influence.
His "imprisonment in the cause of Christ"
became well known to the imperial guard.
Evangelist David Padfield explains,
“Paul's imprisonment
had opened the way for preaching the gospel
to the finest regiment in the Roman army!
All the Imperial Guard knew
why Paul was in prison—
and many of them were touched by the gospel.
No wonder Paul declared that his imprisonment
had actually been for the furtherance of the gospel!
The news spread from guard to guard,
to the families of the guards,
and then to Caesar's household!
This very sight
had to give great comfort
and fresh courage
to the brethren at Philippi.[3]” End Quote
Paul was in chains,
but the gospel was not!
The very chains intended to prevent the spread of the gospel
were used to advance it.
God can do the same thing
with our circumstances today.
Just like Paul,
we can use our undesired situations
to advance the good news of Jesus.
It was a regular school day
for seventeen-year-old Rachel.
She dressed in her usual jeans and t-shirt,
brushed her shoulder-length hair,
and went to school.
A few months earlier,
Rachel wrote an essay about her life's values,
My Ethics; My Codes of Life,
where she named compassion
as "the greatest form of love, humans have to offer."
It wasn't always easy for Rachel,
but in one of her journals,
she explained how important it was to her
to be a witness for Christ
and for her life
to have a positive impact on others.
When lunchtime came,
Rachel sat outside on the lawn with her friends,
laughing and smiling as usual,
when Eric Harris walked up to her
with a rifle in his hand.
“Do you believe in God,”
Eric demanded of her.
Her simple yet profound “yes”
was greeted with gunfire.
Rachel Scott was shot four times
and killed on the lawn of Columbine High School
on April 20, 1999.
My wife Kristin was a teenager herself at the time,
and she wrote
“as I watched the news report about that horrible school shooting,
I remember wondering,
how Rachel’s grieving parents would cope.
Two decades later,
I am a parent of my own beautiful daughter.
I cannot even imagine the pain that I would endure,
if I were to lose her.
Rachel’s parents,
Beth and Darrell,
mourned their daughter.
They could have become angry and bitter in their grief.
They could have blamed God for their pain.
Instead,
they found purpose in their suffering.” End Quote
They told Rachel’s story and witnessed
to the source of their hope and faith
in Jesus.
They have advanced the gospel,
speaking at events worldwide,
interacting with dignitaries,
and advising politicians.
Darrell explains,
“In the early days
it was really hard,
but because we were seeing the results we were seeing,
I knew I didn’t have a choice.
This was something God wanted us to do…
it was something we had to do.”[4] End Quote
I do not know the trials you are facing today.
Maybe it is the death or illness of a loved one;
maybe it is the loss of a job,
the uncertainty of unemployment,
financial hardship,
the effects of another's crime,
or a chronic illness.
No matter the situation,
you can choose to find meaning in your suffering
by using it to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Finding meaning in the midst of suffering
is never easy.
This brings us to our second point.
2. It is easier to find meaning in suffering if you Choose to view your suffering or undesired circumstances
through God’s perspective.
We will explore verse 14 a little later,
but for now,
let's skip down to Phil. 1:15-18
It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.
Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,
It reads:
It is true that some preach Christ
out of envy and rivalry,
but others out of goodwill.
The latter do so out of love,
knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.
The former preach Christ
out of selfish ambition,
not sincerely,
supposing that they can stir up trouble for me
while I am in chains.
But what does it matter?
The important thing is
that in every way,
whether from false motives or true,
Christ is preached.
And because of this
I rejoice.
Imagine Paul in prison
experiencing the distress
of restricted activity,
and the pressure of being guarded
and observed by others continuously.
There is a saying,
"don't kick someone while they are down."
But that is what Paul's rivals did.
While he was already 'down,'
his fellow Christians,
the very people
who should be supporting and encouraging him,
chose to oppress him instead
by preaching Christ out of envy and malice.
I’ve said this before,
but sometimes
the people who hurt us most
are other Christians.
For those who were not with us during our series
One Another…
You may not know,
That in the New Testament,
the phrase "one another"
is used over 100 times.
each One another instructing Christians to
love and live with one another
to build each other up.
However,
so often,
we fail to follow
the one another commands.
That was certainly the case
for Paul’s rivals.
But how did Paul handle this oppression?
Let’s take a look at verse 18,
But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.
Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,
Paul states: “But what does it matter?
The important thing is
that in every way,
whether from false motives
or true,
Christ is preached.”
Paul handled the oppression
by choosing to view his situation
from God’s perspective.
From Paul’s perspective,
he had the dirty end of the stick.
He could have complained to the Philippians
about the way the other Christians were treating him.
He could have attempted to
vindicate himself
or slander them.
Instead,
Paul focused on God’s perspective:
some Christians were preaching out of love,
others out of envy,
but God allowed both
because Christ was preached either way.
When we look only at our circumstances,
we may miss God's bigger picture.
Darrell Scott advises,
"I would encourage people
to see through
rather than look at
their circumstances.
If you see through your circumstances the person you want to be,
then your life
and its tragedies
will have a purpose.
If you look at your circumstances,
then you will despair and give up." End Quote
When we choose to see our suffering
through God's perspective,
we begin to see the bigger picture.
In another letter,
Paul addresses the wayward believers in Corinth.
Unlike the Philippians,
the Corinthian church
was divisive and unfaithful.
However,
when speaking about
seeing his circumstances through God’s perspective…
Paul’s message
was the same to both churches:
God sees now
as the favorable time
to use all of your circumstances
to advance the gospel.
2 Corinthians 6:2-10 explains further:
For he says,
“In a favorable time I listened to you,
and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.
Behold,
now is the favorable time;
behold,
now is the day of salvation.
We put no obstacle in anyone's way,
so that no fault may be found with our ministry,
but as servants of God
we commend ourselves in every way:
by great endurance,
in afflictions,
hardships,
calamities,
beatings,
imprisonments,
riots,
labors,
sleepless nights,
hunger;
by purity,
knowledge,
patience,
kindness,
the Holy Spirit,
genuine love;
by truthful speech,
and the power of God;
with the weapons of righteousness
for the right hand and for the left;
through honor and dishonor,
through slander and praise.
We are treated as impostors,
and yet are true;
as unknown,
and yet well known;
as dying, and behold,
we live;
as punished,
and yet not killed;
as sorrowful,
yet always rejoicing;
as poor,
yet making many rich;
as having nothing,
yet possessing everything.
Speaker and teacher Graham Cooke explains,
"In a world where life is unsettling,
ambiguous,
and insecure
only God is unchanging,
unceasing,
and consistent.
He is still planning,
always present,
confident,
and untroubled."[5] End Quote
God is more concerned
with our fulfilling His purpose for our lives
than He is with our comfort.
It is never easy
to think of other people
when you are amid your hardship.
However,
God sees
how He can use your pain
to bring salvation and redemption
to those within your influence.
For "behold,
now is the favorable time;
behold,
now is the day of salvation."
This new perspective
gives us hope
and gives meaning to our pain.
Are you viewing your situation
as something to
get out of as soon as possible?
Or do you see
His love impacting others through you
and your hardship?
Which bring us to the third point
3. By your example, choose to encourage others who are suffering to witness for Christ.
Paul does not only acknowledge his opponents
and their false motives in this passage,
but he also identifies
those whose work for Christ
arose from goodwill and love.
As we see in Philippians 1:15-16
Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.
“Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry,
but others from good will.
The latter do it out of love,
knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.”
The phrase "put here"
is a single word in Greek "keimai."
This term means
"appointed" or
"destined."
This acknowledges Paul's commission.
Paul talks about his calling in Galatians 1:15-16:
But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone;
He who set me apart before I was born,
and who called me by his grace,
was pleased to reveal his Son to me,
so that I might preach him among the Gentiles.
The purpose of Paul's life and ministry is clear:
to advance the gospel.
Paul does not only accomplish this
through his personal witness
but also by inspiring
and empowering the witness of others.
Now let us return to Philippians 1:14,
And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
“And because of my chains,
most of the brothers and sisters
have become confident in the Lord
and dare all the more
to proclaim the gospel without fear.”
Christians around Paul
saw his witness to the Imperial Guard.
Moreover,
they knew and acknowledged his commission
and understood the purpose of his suffering.
His purposeful suffering
and his witness
thus emboldened them.
One way we can advance the gospel through suffering
is by our example.
Every day we are influencing others,
either for good or for evil.
You are not a victim of your circumstances;
you can choose how you will influence those around you.
Because Paul choose to use his imprisonment
to advance the gospel,
his witness
inspired others to preach the good news during their times of troubles,
Is your witness for Christ
inspiring to others?
How are you facing your hardship,
and is it encouraging to those around you?
That brings us to our final point.
4. One way we can encourage others is to choose joy while enduring undesired circumstances or suffering.
Take a look with me at Philippians 1:18,
But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.
Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,
“But what does it matter?
The important thing
is that in every way,
whether from false motives or true,
Christ is preached.
And because of this
I rejoice.
Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,”
In this verse,
Paul uses the word rejoice twice.
Incredibly,
a man who is wrongfully imprisoned
and oppressed by those who should be his friends
can honestly say he has joy.
How do you find joy amid suffering?
It seems like suffering and joy,
by their very definition,
are at odds with each other.
Paul,
however,
while imprisoned and oppressed,
declared,
"I rejoice."
Why?
Because Paul knows
that joy is often
something you have to fight for.
In an interview,
Pastor and author John Piper explains:
What is with the disconnect
about fighting for joy relentlessly
and not having a simple,
steady-state,
natural,
sweet,
resting in joy
as God loves us so much?
What is with that?
The Bible itself very clearly says:
"Rejoice always,
and again I say, rejoice" (see Philippians 4:4).
It says,
"Give thanks for all things."
So why do I talk so much
about not having full joy
and fighting for it
and desiring to have it?
What is the disconnect?[6] End Quote
John Piper’s three reasons for the disconnect Christians may have between resting in joy and fighting for it.
1. Personality.
2. Sin in our lives gets in the way.
3. We live in a broken world filled with troubles.
Piper argues that
there are things in our personalities and experiences
that cause some fruits of the Spirit
to be more or less prominent.
Consider the vibrant and endearing characters
of the famous children's story,
Winnie The Pooh.
The bounding and energetic Tigger
never seems to run out of reasons to be joyful,
whereas the melancholy Eeyore
is always under a raincloud.
That does not mean.
that people of melancholy dispositions
are doomed to be joyless.
Instead,
they may have to fight for their joy harder
than their confident Tigger like counterparts.
Piper’s second reason
for the disconnect Christians may have
between resting in joy and fighting for it
is that sin in our lives
gets in the way.
When experiencing undesired circumstances,
it is all too easy
to allow sin habits to take over.
We act out of fear,
anxiety,
anger,
and frustration.
We may turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms
such as excessive drinking,
unhealthy relationships,
obsessive gambling, etc.
Piper confesses:
The reality is:
John Piper often fails
in having attitudes
and words and deeds
that conform completely to the gospel.
We are supposed to walk in step with the gospel
and walk in step with the Spirit,
But, I don’t fully and completely walk in step
with the gospel in the Spirit.
And these failures,
my failures,
militate against my capacities for joy.
So,
the fight for joy
is a fight against joy-killing sins in my life.[7] End Quote
Piper’s final reason for the need to fight for joy
is that we live in a broken world
filled with troubles.
Jesus talked about this in John 16:33,
where He warns,
"In this world you will have trouble."
Trouble.
Yes,
we have been discussing that very trouble.
But the pain of our undesired circumstances
is just one side to the coin.
As Piper explains:
The existence of pain in this age
means that sooner or later,
joy is going to be mingled with significant weeping.
Another example
is that other people’s weeping
becomes our weeping
if we love them.
Paul says,
“Weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15).
There are always people weeping.
And the more you love,
the more their weeping becomes your weeping,
and the interplay
between our weeping
and our joy
is very difficult
and very complex.[8] End Quote
However,
Jesus does not leave His disciples
with the disheartening declaration
of future trouble;
instead,
He adds,
"In this world you will have trouble,
But take heart!
I have overcome the world.”
The trouble of this world is not the end.
There is hope for our future
when the fulness of the promise is revealed
when in eternity with Christ,
we will have full and everlasting joy.
As Piper concludes:
Full and everlasting joy
will come finally
when this fallen age passes away,
and we are made completely perfect.
Our personalities will be set free
from every obstacle to joy,
and everyone in our experience
will be sharing with us the fullness of everlasting joy (Psalm 16:11).
That will come.
That age is going to come,
and the hope of it,
Paul says,
the hope of glory in Romans 5:2,
the hope of it
sustains us in our present fight for joy.[9] End Quote
Until that time Church,
we will continue to fight for it.
Notice that Paul does not say,
I feel joyful.
Joy in this context is an action-
it is Paul’s choice
to fight for joy during his trials.
Paul knew that joy is not only found
in idyllic circumstances,
but by fulfilling God’s purpose for his life.
Like Paul,
you can fight to have joy amid hardship
by seeing your suffering through God’s perspective
and choosing to use your undesired circumstances
to advance the gospel.
My family’s experience with the major motor vehicle accident
was traumatic.
However,
my daughter taught me
to seek God’s purpose
in even the most challenging circumstances.
Will you join God in what He is doing?
Will you find meaning to your sufferings by:
· Choosing to use your undesired circumstances
to advance the gospel.
· Choosing to see your suffering
through God’s perspective.
· Choosing, by your example,
to encourage others who are suffering
to witness for Christ.
· And, choosing to fight for joy?
[1]Charles Spurgeon, “Divine Sovereignty,” sermon no. 77, New Park Street Chapel, Southwark, May 4, 1856, accessed June 30, 2020, http://www.romans45.org/spurgeon/sermons/0077.htm.
[2]Mark Cartwright, “Praetorian Guard,” Ancient History Encyclopedia, December 02, 2016, accessed June 30, 2020, https://www.ancient.eu/Praetorian_Guard/.
[3]David Padfield, “The Praetorian Guard,” Nondenominational Christianity, accessed June 30, 2020, https://www.padfield.com/2001/the-praetorian-guard.html.
[4]Darrell Scott quoted in Anne Trujillo, “The Inspiring Writings of Rachel Scott Uncovered in ‘Rachel’s Story: Triumph Over Tragedy,’” ABC Denver 7 News, September 18, 2016, accessed June 30, 2020, https://www.thedenverchannel.com/about/community-affairs/rachels-challenge/the-inspiring-writings-of-rachel-scott-uncovered-in-rachels-story-triumph-over-tragedy.
[5]Graham Cooke, “Constant, Continuous Favor is your Promise in Jesus,” Brillianttv, May 24, 2019, video, 2:47, accessed June 29, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUSVk3vaopo.
[6]John Piper, “Do We Have Joy or Fight for It,” interview, April 19, 2016, Desiring God, accessed June 30, 2020, https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/do-we-have-joy-or-fight-for-it.
[7]Ibid.
[8]Piper.
[9]Ibid.