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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 …
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We hold onto it and treasure it even as the world rejects it as outdated hate speech and mocks it.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:
Simmons realized that God was calling her to share the joy of the Lord with:
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