Living In Joy Sermon Ii: Joy Sees The Good, Seizes The Chance, Shares The Gospel Series

LIVING IN JOY SEES THE GOOD . . . SEIZES THE CHANCE . . . SHARES THE GOSPEL

A farmer began to look at his farm through critical eyes. Everywhere he looked, he saw something wrong. So, he decided to sell his farm and move somewhere else. He contacted a realtor who came out to look things over.

The next day the realtor called to get the farmer’s approval of an ad to run in the newspaper. The ad described the farm as being “in a good location, with a well-maintained house, sturdy barns, lush pasture, a beautiful pond, fertile soil and a great view”. The farmer listened intently then asked the realtor to read it again.

After he heard the realtor’s description of his farm the second time, the farmer exclaimed, “Don’t put that ad in the newspaper. I’ve always wanted a place like that. I think I’ll stay right where I am.”

Often our situation is better than we think! We just need to see the good and seize the opportunity to make the most of it. It’s really a matter of attitude adjustment because bad feelings about ourselves and our situations are nothing more than consequences of negative thinking.

As a person thinks in his or her heart, so is he or she! Since Christ has come into our hearts, we have the power within us to make attitude adjustments; since we have the joy . . . the love of Jesus . . . the peace that surpasses understanding down in our hearts, there is nothing to hinder us from changing the way we look at ourselves and our situations. So, why not turn negatives into positives?

That is exactly what Paul did while living under house arrest awaiting his chance to appear before Caesar to appeal his case – Philippians 1:12-14 . . .

Living in joy, Paul displayed a three-fold positive attitude: His grand attitude enabled him to see his situation - chained to his guard - as a good thing; so, he seized the chance to let God turn his negative situation into a positive outcome.

Paul’s imprisonment had opened the way for preaching the gospel to none other than the finest regiment in the Roman army - the Imperial Guard whose job it was to keep the peace and protect the emperor. Although Paul lived in private quarters while in protective custody, he nevertheless was chained to the wrist of a guard. Thus, Paul’s chains advanced the gospel!

The guardsmen knew why Paul was in prison; many of them were touched by the gospel of Christ; and the very sight of all this gave his coworkers at Philippi renewed courage to preach the gospel and to witness for Christ.

Do you see Romans 8:28 at work here? “In all things, God works for the good of those who love the Lord!” I suggest a prayer for people living in joy:

“God, give us eyes of faith to see - beyond our circumstances . . . personal challenges from God’s perspective . . . that God weaves everything that happens to us into the tapestry of His perfect plan for our lives!”

Paul’s grand attitude enabled him to see the good and seize the chance . . . but there was a second type of adjustment that contributed to sharing the gospel with joy - a gracious attitude – Philippians 1:15-19 . . .

Nothing bothers me more than a critical spirit, and a judgmental attitude, on the part of any Christian!

Yes, for sure, there are always going to be those who do what they do for Christ out of a heart of love. Motive is one of those unknown factors that I must leave where it belongs – in the hands of the Judge of us all.

As a saint of God gifted with the power of discernment, Paul’s assessment of those who preached and taught in the name of Jesus I respect. I believe him – that there were those motivated by their own partisan intent and self-ambition, whose jealousy and hatred of Paul went so far off the deep end as to wish him harm, and yea, even sought him killed. A sad state of affairs indeed!

Nonetheless, in the face of it all, under pressure from all sides, despite his venomous critics, the old apostle steadfastly did not care who among preachers of the gospel received the credit . . . what other preachers said about him or did to discredit him . . . how unfriendly his foes were toward him.

All that mattered to Paul was that Christ be preached, that people’s needs be met, that God’s enemies be defeated.

Couldn’t we learn a lesson or two from this old apostle who knew what he was doing and how to get it done?