Invulnerable Joy
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Perhaps one of the most potent forms of being a witness, of being light in our world right now is the command that Paul gives us in Philippians 3:1. Finally, my brothers (and sisters), rejoice in the Lord!
As Christian people we should rejoice! Think of the potential impact that rejoicing could have on our community right now? In most people’s opinion are there many reasons to rejoice in 2021?
And yet we are commanded to rejoice no matter the circumstances. The idea of joy and rejoicing has been a major theme of Paul in his letter to the Philippians.
4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy,
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,
25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith,
2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.
18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.
28 I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious.
29 So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men,
1 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity.
Joy and rejoicing should be an essential immutable part of every believer’s life.
1 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
The idea of being a joyful person, being a person who is able to rejoice no matter the circumstances, actually becomes a test of our salvation. In what way? I think the Bible makes it clear that only Christians are those capable of experiencing lasting joy.
“Our rejoicing is always something that results from a realization of our position in Christ. My joy is the product, almost the by-product, of my concentration upon my relationship to God in Jesus Christ.”— Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Therefore, no one but the Christian can truly rejoice! And we can rejoice at all times, in any circumstance, since our relationship with God through Christ never changes. Our joy is invulnerable!
32 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me.
If God ever allows us to get to the place where we are left all alone, all that this world has to offer is stripped away from us, our joy will still remain! Why? Because the Father is with us.
1 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
So Paul’s command to rejoice in the Lord is depended upon our relationship with God. Thus, it is entirely logical that Paul takes some space in his letter to make sure that the Philippians were truly Christians.
To write the same things to you is not trouble (causes Paul no hesitation, he is not reluctant to do it, he does not shrink back from writing these things!).
On the other hand it is safe for the Philippians or it is in their best interest.
The idea is Paul has talked about this before, and he is going to talk about it again. And he is not going to apologize for going over the basics of salvation yet again with them.
Importance of knowing well the basic doctrines of the faith- Foundations!
Why? True joy is dependent upon a correct understanding of doctrine. Nothing can rob you of your ability to rejoice more than uncertainty about doctrine.
2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.
Beware the dogs,
Beware the evil workers
Beware those who mutilate the flesh
False teachers, Judaisers, Wanted to add something to Christ
3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—
We are the circumcision?
True circumcision- not talking about the church being Israel- rather being born again as child of God was not external, like the false teachers were advocating.
11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,
12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.
13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,
14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—
Are you one of the circumcision?
Why is this such an important question? Why is Paul highlighting this to the Philippians?
Because it is at the very heart of our ability to rejoice!
How can I become a person who is always rejoicing?
You must be in a right relationship to God- you must be a Christian!
How can I know if I am a Christian?
Paul gives us three evidences of our salivation:
Evidence #1- You will worship God by means of the Holy Spirit
Evidence #1- You will worship God by means of the Holy Spirit
3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—
οἱ πνεύματι θεοῦ λατρεύοντες[1]
the ones worshiping/serving by the Spirit of God
[1] This verb is used in the NT to describe worship or service as an expression of the inner worship of the heart by faith. C.f. Rev. 22:3 and John 4:23-24. This kind of worship cannot be accomplished through religious ceremony. It cannot be expressed through the righteousness of our own works.
There is a right way to worship God, and there is a wrong way. There is false worship and there is true worship. Which kind of worship do you participate in?
Judaisers- wrong way, must be circumcised, go back to the Jewish ceremonies and rituals. Thinking of worship as something external and formal only is a wrong way to think about worship.
A Christian is one who worships God by the Spirit of God.
23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.
24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
My friend, are you really a Christian? How can I tell? Do you really worship God?
How can you tell if you are really worshiping God by the Spirit of God?
Do you worship as a matter of duty or are you aware of a desire to worship?
Do you worship as a matter of duty or are you aware of a desire to worship?
Do you find the idea of worshiping God a chore, or is it a delight of your heart to come before God and offer him praise?
If you are a Christian you have the Holy Spirit within you and He will work upon you so that you will worship God and you ought.
Do you have to force yourself to worship God, or are you conscious of being moved or led by the Holy Spirit to worship God?
Do you have to force yourself to worship God, or are you conscious of being moved or led by the Holy Spirit to worship God?
Illustration: Being forced to go to church when you were a child v.s. experience of reading your Bible, or meditating (riding my bike) on the Word and we are moved, we are prompted, there is a leading in our spirits to cry out in worship!
Walking around the church this week praying through Ps 100.
3 Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
“This consciousness of being moved inwardly and being gripped and led is characteristic of worship by the Spirit.” —Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Is your worship of God cold and formal, or is it warm and full of love?
Is your worship of God cold and formal, or is it warm and full of love?
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.
Is your worship of God dependent upon your location?
Is your worship of God dependent upon your location?
Do you have to be in a church service to worship God?
Or do you ever think about worship apart from a church building or specific location?
20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.”
21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.
23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.
Does your worship have the right balance of fear and fellowship?
Does your worship have the right balance of fear and fellowship?
28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,
Not formal cold worship- but not fleshly worship either! Acceptable worship mixed with reverence and awe! Godly fear!
But at the same time:
15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
Approach God will acceptable worship- reverence/ awe / fear- and yet cry out to him “Abba!”
How can I know if I am a Christian?
Paul gives us three evidences of our salivation:
Evidence #2- Your ground of boasting will be in Christ Jesus alone
Evidence #2- Your ground of boasting will be in Christ Jesus alone
3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—
We are the circumcision- the one’s of the circumcision of Christ not made with hands- we have been united to Christ and have been made spiritually alive in Him!
How do we know this?
We are the ones worship by the Spirit of God
We are the ones boasting in Christ Jesus
The second great test that the Apostle gives to see if we really are Christians deals with our attitude towards the Lord Jesus Christ. What place does Jesus occupy in your life?
What should the attitude of a Christian be towards Jesus?
Paul says Jesus should be the one whom you boast about!
Boast- to show off verbally! We must glory in Christ, we must be proud of Christ, we must talk loudly about Christ!
Paul has used this word before in Philippians.
26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.
Depart and be with Christ- far better
To remain is more needful for you all! Why- joy and progress in the faith
SO THAT your ground of boasting might abound in Christ Jesus because of me
This is opposite of the Judaisers- the dogs, evil workers
19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.
They were boastful of their own good works, of their circumcision, or their religious duties. But a Christians makes his boast in Christ alone!
This is one of the most essential tests that differentiates a Christian from an nonbeliever. What is the place of Christ in your life?
Is Christ essential? Is He central? Is He absolute? What would happen in your life if suddenly you found out that Christ had never existed? Would your life go on unaffected?
If nothing changes then my friend you are not a Christian! For the Christian Christ is the one they constantly boast about!
14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
What is it about Christ that should make us boast in Him alone? The message of the gospel!
His Person!
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
His Work for Me in Salvation!
20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
His Work for me in Sanctification
30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
The person who believes all that must make his boast in Christ! Christ is everything!
Illustration:
Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and king,
The triumphs of His grace!
My gracious Master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad,
The honors of Thy name.
Hear Him, ye deaf;
His praise, ye dumb; Your loosened tongues employ
Ye blind, behold your Savior come;
And leap, ye lame, for joy!
Is Christ that to you? Do you boast in Him? Do you glory in Him? Can you honestly say that Christ is everything to you and that without him you are nothing? Do you realize your utter dependence upon him for your salvation?
How can I know if I am a Christian?
Paul gives us three evidences of our salivation:
Evidence #3- You will take no confidence in your flesh
Evidence #3- You will take no confidence in your flesh
3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—
We are the circumcision- the one’s of the circumcision of Christ not made with hands- we have been united to Christ and have been made spiritually alive in Him!
How do we know this?
We are the ones worship by the Spirit of God
We are the ones boasting in Christ Jesus
We are the ones who put no confidence in the flesh
What did Paul mean by that? We don’t have to wonder, he explains it quite well!
4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:
5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;
6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
7[ἀλλʼ] ἅτινα ⸉ἦν μοι κέρδη, ταῦτα ἥγημαι
BUT everything that was gain to me, these things I have reckoned to be
διὰ τὸν Χριστὸν
because of Christ
ζημίαν.
loss.
So to Paul that which WAS (at one period of time in his life) “gain” were things like his family history, his pedigree, his religious standing in his community, his education, his zeal, his title as a Pharisee, his own self-righteousness, his own ability to keep the law, the way he was held in high esteem by his nation. Paul is saying, at one time in my life- this is how I defined what was “gain” in my life. This is what Paul valued. This is what was important to him. This is what he lived for.
How about you friend? What did you used to consider as gain in your life? Religion, your standing in the community, the way other people thought about you, how much money and power you possessed, entertainment, pleasure, recreation, ease, family?
What do you still value today? How would you define that which is gain in your life and that which is not gain?
Has there ever been a time in your life where at one time you used to take confidence in earthly things, in things of your flesh, but now you have reckoned them to be loss because of Christ. You take no confidence in your flesh, but you now you trust in Jesus Christ alone for you salvation?
Are you a Christian?
Are you one who is able to rejoice no matter the circumstances?
Only someone in right relationship to God through Jesus Christ can experience true invulnerable joy.
How can you know if you really are a Christian?
You will worship by the Spirit of God
You will boast in Christ alone
You will take no confidence in your flesh
If you are not a Christian I invite you to put your faith in Jesus today!
If you are a Christian- rejoice in the your position in Christ! Rejoice that you have Jesus and He has you and nothing can take that away!
“Our rejoicing is always something that results from a realization of our position in Christ. My joy is the product, almost the by-product, of my concentration upon my relationship to God in Jesus Christ.”
Let this joy flood your soul and rejoice!