Shining Lights in A Dark World-5

Text: Philippians 2:14-18

For the past several weeks, beginning the last Sunday of December, I have been encouraging us to be the Light of Jesus shining in a dark world — a world that according to our text is crooked and perverse.

A world that is in desperate need of the Light that Jesus gives.

Light that leads to eternal Life.

Shining the light of Jesus is what Jesus Himself commanded us to do. He said in …

Matthew 5:14–16 NASB95

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

We shine the Light of Jesus by living as Jesus lived.

The life that Jesus lived attracted people to Him.

He lived a life that was radically different from the religious people around Him.

He spoke in a way that was radically different.

And, make no mistake about this: Jesus lived a life of miraculous power.

Healing the sick.

Delivering the demon possessed.

Raising the dead.

As today’s Worldview calls them: “Power Encounters.”

We too can live lives that are radically different from those who do not follow Jesus.

We can speak words of life.

We can walk in the supernatural.

As we are filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Book of Acts is labeled “The Acts of the Apostles.”

But really it is “The Acts of the Holy Spirit.”

We receive the power for living the miraculous life as we seek God in prayer.

The religious leaders of their day understood what made the disciples different.

Acts 4:13 (NCV) The leaders saw that Peter and John were not afraid to speak, and they understood that these men had no special training or education. So they were amazed. Then they realized that Peter and John had been with Jesus.

Come tonight at 5 pm and let’s spend time with Jesus who will transform our lives.

Invest in a deeper walk with Jesus through the power of the Spirit.

In our text, the Apostle Paul gives us further insight into how to live like Jesus did — to demonstrate the Power of the Holy Spirit anointing our lives:

He begins in verse 14 by first all telling us to do ALL things without grumbling and disputing.

This is a hard one!

As I’ve said before, it seems that griping and arguing are THE American pastime.

Only through the power of the Holy Spirit can we live differently.

Lord help us!

Secondly, in verse 15, we are called to live blameless lives that are innocent of sin and above reproach.

Next, in verse 16 are told to hold FAST and to hold FORTH the Word of life.

The Bible is the Word of life.

We hold onto it and treasure it even as the world rejects it as outdated hate speech and mocks it.

We do that by daily reading.

By regular study.

Even though many reject it, there are some who are hungry for it.

To those who are hungry for truth, hungry for life, we hold forth the Word of Life.

Again, with supernatural power, the anointing of the Holy Spirit, we share the gospel that ...

Romans 1:16–17 (NLT) For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. 17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. …

And then, finally, in verse 17 and 18, the Apostle Paul lets us know that we shine the light when we choose joy and THEN, choose to share that joy with others.

Choose Joy

To share joy, we’ve got to HAVE joy. We’ve got to rejoice.

How do we have joy?

Is it dependent on how we feel, what we are experiencing?

Does it depend on how people treat us?

No!

Those things affect our happiness, but not our joy.

Joy is a choice we make.

A choice to accept what God will give us if we ask Him to do so.

To walk in what naturally flows out of relationship with the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

As 1 Peter 1:8 (NASB95) and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

Have you chosen to walk in the fulness of Christ that includes joy beyond expression and full of glory?

As the TPT renders 1 Peter 1:8: through believing in him you are saturated with an ecstatic joy, indescribably sublime and immersed in glory

How do we respond to the Word in our life?

It is a word of judgement on sin.

It tells of those who failed to please God.

But through relationship with Jesus we can have joy because Jesus delivers us from the wrath we deserve.

In Nehemiah we read of how Israel responded to hearing the Word of God.

Nehemiah 8:8–10 (NASB95) They [Ezra and the priests] read from the book, from the law of God, translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading. 9 Then Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

As Israel heard the Word read by the priests they heard judgement and wrath.

But as Nehemiah, Ezra and the priests encouraged them: God gives grace.

Instead of weeping, rejoice.

Instead of walking in condemnation, walk in the holiness of God, walk in His joy.

His joy will be your strength.

We can rejoice because:

As A.W. Pink reminds us,

“It is both the Christian’s privilege and duty to rejoice in the Lord.”

Because:

we have been rescued from the coming wrath of God;

we have been regenerated by God’s Holy Spirit;

we have been ransomed by Jesus giving His own life;

and we remember that, whereas we had the wrath of God abiding on us,

1 Cor 6:11 says “you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1st Cor 6:11).

Rejoice in that my friend; again I say, rejoice!

Share the Joy With Others

After we choose joy, we need to share it with others.

As a book that I have in my library, written by Joyce Simmons, says: Shared Joy is Double Joy.

Simmons discovered

2 Corinthians 1:3–4 (NLT) All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

She realized that God had called her to share joy and encouragement with others.

God has called all of us to that ministry.

When we share with others, WE are refreshed.

We receive a double-portion.

I posted this scripture on Instagram this morning:

Proverbs 11:25 NASB95

25 The generous man will be prosperous, And he who waters will himself be watered.

Simmons realized that God was calling her to share the joy of the Lord with:

Her husband

Her children

Her friends

Her parents

Senior saints

Her pastor

Her brothers and sisters in Christ

We are NOT called to share complaining and arguing — we are called to share the joy of Jesus.

Paul was in prison, but as this whole book of Philippians tells us, he chose joy.

It was in Philippi that Paul and Silas learned how to praise and rejoice in spite of though times. In Philippi we read that …

Acts 16:22–34 (NASB95) The crowd rose up together against them, and the chief magistrates tore their robes off them and proceeded to order them to be beaten with rods. 23 When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely; 24 and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; 26 and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. 27 When the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!” 29 And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house. 33 And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. 34 And he brought them into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, having believed in God with his whole household.

The Apostle Paul chose the joy of pouring his life into others even though doing so meant prison for him.

Not just in Philippi, but in many places including Jerusalem and Rome.

He knew the risk he was asking the Philippian believers to take.

They too faced the possibility of persecution — even of prison — if they shared the joy of the Lord.

But Paul knew the blessing of sharing with others what God had given him.

He wanted the Philippians to know and enjoy that same blessing.

Because sharing the joy of the Lord so that others can be ministers of joy is worth it.

I know I feel so blessed that over the years, others shared with me so that I could fulfill the call of God on my life.

I see the joy of God in the lives of those who serve Jesus in difficult places — like the workers to Israel who were here last Sunday — and it encourages me in my ministry.

When I read in today’s Worldview magazine about missionaries to Uruguay and the tough challenges they face and yet hear the joy of the Lord and their rejoicing at what God is doing, it encourages me.

How about you?

Are you walking in the Joy of the Lord?

Are you rejoicing in God this morning?

If not turn to Him with your whole heart.

Repent of your sins.

Surrender control of your life to Jesus.

Then you will know the joy of the Lord that is your strength.

The Holy Spirit will lead you to a place of joy.

Even in a place of difficulty you can have joy.

I was reading on Facebook what Sister Cecelia shared with Diane Shaffer about grief.

Written by Zoe Clark-Coates, it says: Grief is holy...yet we often put joy on a platform and keep grief hidden in a back room, as though it is something to be ashamed of. Grief is a sign we have loved, it tells the world we have been brave enough to share our heart with another. So if you feel tempted to hide your sorrow, please remember grief is not only the price we pay for love, it is often the only thing we are left with to show we ever loved at all. Zoe Clark-Coates

But grief over loss, especially the loss of someone very close, is not incompatible with joy.

You can have the joy of the Lord even in the midst of grief.

Maybe this morning your world is torn apart by circumstances and loss — still you can have joy from Jesus.

It comes from the ministry of the Holy Spirit in your life.

Stand with me and let’s pray for the Spirit to pour joy into our lives.