Joy Over Loneliness

Introduction

Philippians 1:1–11 (ESV) — 1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

From: Paul (and Timothy)

To: Saints in Philippi

Philippi was a city in the northeast part of the Roman province of Macedonia. It was a strategic city in the First Century as it had an abundance of natural resources such as water supplies, wood, metals, and gold mines on the Hill of Dionysus. Also had port and important road.

Founded almost 400 years before Jesus was born. Conquered by the Romans around 168 BC.

When: Most likely around 62 AD

Paul is in prison under house arrest - chained to a Roman guard most likely in Rome awaiting trial that will ultimately lead to his death.

Why: as a thank-you for sending their gift with Epaphroditus

as an encouragement

as explanation of Epaphroditus’ absence

as relational communication

Themes:

Joy

1:4 - prays with joy

1:18 - rejoices that the gospel is spread

1:25 - will remain living on earth, for the Philippians’ joy in the faith

2:2 - asks the Philippians to complete his joy by being unified

2:17-18 - is glad and rejoices for the spiritual growth of the Philippians even if it costs Paul his life

2:28 - sends Epaphroditus, that the Philippians might rejoice

2:29 - tells the Philippians to receive Epaphroditus with joy

3:1 - as a final statement tells the Philippians to rejoice in the Lord

4:1 - tells the Philippians they are his joy

4:4 - tells the Philippians twice to rejoice in the Lord — joy is the antidote to anxiety and fear

4:10 - rejoiced in the Lord at the Philippians’ concern for him

Gospel

The Philippians were partners with Paul in the gospel.

1:5 - partnership in the gospel

1:7 - partakers of grace with Paul

3:3 - women who have labored side by side with Paul in the gospel

Paul views his imprisonment as an advancement of the gospel.

Philippians 1:12 (ESV) — 12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel,

Paul has been called to defend the gospel.

Philippians 1:16 (ESV) — 16 The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.

Paul’s only goal is that the gospel is preached.

Philippians 1:18 (ESV) — 18 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,

Paul calls the Philippians to live a life worthy of the gospel.

1:27

Christ

Christ is named 18 times in the first chapter of Philippians alone.

There is no true and lasting joy apart from Christ.

Paul’s Joy For the Philippians:

is expressed by the fact that he has them in mind, in heart, in prayer.

Paul has them in mind. (3-6)

3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy,

Interesting that he remembers them with joy:

In Philippi Paul planted his first church in Europe.

Acts 16 we read about Paul in Philippi:

Shortly after arriving and meeting with some of the God-fearing residents, Paul and his friends are harassed by a demon-possessed girl.

Cast demon out

falsely accused

illegally arrested

beaten and thrown in prison

humiliated throughout the city.

Why does he remember with joy?

5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.

met Lydia - key person for planting of church in Philippi

She and her household trusted in Christ

Little girl was freed from demonic possession

Thrown in prison but God moves in miraculous way and through an earthquake opens the doors. Instead of escaping, Paul and Silas stay

Prison guard places his faith in Jesus and whole household as well.

Plants church and remains for some time.

6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

v 6 - The work God does for us - salvation

The work God does in us - sanctification

The work God does to us - glorification

Until then, we have:

The work God does through us - service / Participation

“We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).

7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.

Paul has them in heart. (7-8)

partakers with me of grace,

Shared in fellowship - koinonia - common - common life

ILLUST - "Fellowship of the Ring" - strangers become bound by an adventure / experience

Are you willing to share life with other believers?

v 8 - Affection = bowels. Paul loved the Philippians with a gut level love

2 Things that will cause people to find unity, refocus on what really matters, and experience life-change:

Crisis

Adventure

(Our best stories are told about a crisis or an adventure)

Paul has them in prayer. (9-11)

Prayer for them is for abounding love, discerning love, and a sincere character which results in God’s glory.

9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more,

Abounding love

v 9 - "love may abound"

agape love

Love is both the ribbon and the bow that bind believers together - Christ's love for us gives us the material (ribbon) through which we love each other (bow)

How did Paul love them? He suffered with them

How did they love Paul? They sacrificed for him - material and sending Epaphroditus

How do we love each other?

John 13:35 (ESV) — 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Romans 5:5 (ESV) — 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Christians who practice love always experience joy; both come as a result of the presence of the same Holy Spirit. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy” (Gal. 5:22).

Warren W. Wiersbe,

with knowledge and all discernment,

Discerning love

Illust - to some, a car is a car, but I discern cars.

10 so that you may approve what is excellent, (the result of the abounding love with knowledge and discernment)

and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, (the outcome of approving what is excellent)

11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Sincere character

Sine Cera - without wax

ILLUST - To be sincere is to be without hypocrisy or duplicity. It means to be pure, unmixed. “In ancient Rome fine pottery was relatively thin and fragile and often developed cracks while being fired. Unscrupulous shops would fill the cracks with a hard, dark wax, which would be concealed when the object was painted or glazed but would melt when the pottery was filled with something hot. In ordinary light, the deception was usually undetectable, but when held up to the sunlight it was clearly exposed, because the wax appeared darker. Reputable dealers would often stamp their product sine cera (“without wax”) as a guarantee of high quality.” It’s easy to make the spiritual correlation. To be sincere is to be the real deal. Blamelessness means “without stumbling or offense,” to live a God- honoring life before God and others.

How sincere is your character?

How mature are you?

Your Joy Over Loneliness:

Speak encouragement rather than talking about your discouragement.

Focus on others rather than yourself.

We live in a ME culture.

Social media is a way to have a voice in a more removed way through which people say things they might not otherwise voice.

Many times it is used as a way to vent or complain or express our happiness or frustrations.

Remember, Paul is in prison and possibly heading to trial which will ultimately lead to his death.

How many times did Paul complain or talk about his circumstances as bad as they were?

How many times in our passage does Paul encourage the believers in Philippi?

His focus was not on himself — it was on Christ and what He was doing in the believers in Philippi.

“But Jason, every time I focus on others, I get hurt or they don’t understand.”

WARNING: This can only work if you have your identity in Christ!

If you do not have your identity and worth secured in Christ — what He ways about you — then you will look to others to give it to you.

Your focus on others will actually become a focus on yourself.

The more we focus on and encourage what Christ is doing in others, the more we realize what God is doing in us and our encouragement to others becomes an encouragement to ourselves.

Share meaningful life with other believers.

Some are lonely because they are not sharing life with other believers.

Reasons why?

Bad experience

Hurt in the past

Experienced ‘plastic’ Christianity

Face it: church people can be extremely hurtful,

“The church is perfect and then the people show up.”

but, when lived correctly, the church is a community like no other.

Dead Sea is dead because it is always receiving and never giving.

Hiding

With sin

From accountability

Share Meaningful life.

Join our Life Group!

Give everything to and for God through prayer.

Paul spends his moments in prayer requesting other’s growth and God’s glory — not on his own circumstances — that he leaves to God.

Paul’s prayer is less for the reasons for his loneliness and more for the people he longs for.

He gives over the relationships that are so important to him.

Christ was the primary relationship for Paul.

He didn’t need another relationship to make him feel whole, happy, or joyful.

He wasn’t lonely because Jesus promised to never leave Paul or forsake Paul.

He could have joy with just Jesus. Just Jesus.

Philippians 1:2 (ESV): Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Mix of Greek and Hebrew greetings

Grace

Peace - shalom - not just absence of bad but presence of all that fills and flourishes

Single person, you can have joy with just Jesus

Widow/widower,

Wife to the deadbeat husband or husband to the distant wife,

You who feel like no one would know if you were gone,

With Jesus as your first relationship, you can :

Focus on others rather than yourself.

Share meaningful life with other believers.

Give everything to and for God through prayer.

Conclusion