Happiness Through Being An Example Series

Happiness Through Being an Example

Jeffery Anselmi / General

Be Happy / Happiness; Joy; Obedience and Disobedience / Philippians 2:12–18

Live the kind of life that will make others want to follow Jesus.

INTRODUCTION

• One of the things we search for in life is happiness. There are so many things out there that can make finding happiness difficult.

• We tend to link our happiness to the circumstances surrounding us.

• If our circumstances are good, we are happy; if they are not, we struggle with being happy.

• When we think of the link we make between happiness and circumstances, we see that the Apostle Paul does not seem to have this link.

• Paul had been through so many trying circumstances since the day he met Jesus on the road to Damascus.

• In America, we tend to imply that coming to Jesus makes life easy, and if it doesn't, you must have done something wrong.

• How can Paul, who had faced and was in the midst of some trying circumstances, able to maintain joy and happiness despite the circumstances he found himself?

• Sometimes, I'm not too fond of Paul, if I am not careful, I can also easily allow myself not to be happy, and I have not been through a fraction of what Paul faced in his life as a disciple of Jesus.

• As we seek to find the key to being able to be happy, even when the circumstances would not seem to allow it, in our passage today, Paul offers us the keys to being happy, even when it looks like we cannot.

• In the text today, we will see that Paul understands something essential concerning life; life is not all about me.

• When we start to grasp the concept that life is not all about me, I have a deeper purpose for my life than just satisfying me and my rights, wants, and desires, it changes something within our soul.

• In Philippians 2:12-18, we will see three areas that we are called to be an example to those around us.

• We need to realize that God has called us to be like everyone else; we are not to be like those who have not given their lives to Jesus.

• When things are falling apart around us, we need people who are faithfully following God to be examples of how following Jesus is not only about entering heaven but following Jesus will bring blessings in this life.

• People need to see that we are different and that we are different because Jesus makes a difference in our lives.

› The Big Idea of the Message is simple: Live the kind of life that will make others want to follow Jesus.

• Let’s turn to Philippians 2:12-18, we will begin with verses 12-13.

Philippians 2:12–13 CSB

12 Therefore, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

13 For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose.

SERMON

Finding happiness through

I. Endeavoring to be an example of faithful obedience.

• Verse 12 begins with, THEREFORE. Therefore denotes that what Paul shares with us ties back to the example of Jesus back in verses 6-11 in this chapter.

• Verses 12 offers an exhortation, while verse 13 gives incentives to obey exhortation in verse 12.

• When you read verse 12, one can sense the love that Paul has for the people.

• One of the great things about being a leader in God’s church is loving the people. Look at the encouraging way he opens this verse.

Philippians 2:12 CSB

12 Therefore, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

• The word OBEY means to obey as a result of hearing.

• The Philippians were following God and keeping His commands found in the Gospel!

• These folks were genuinely obedient to God. They were not on special behavior if Paul was around. They were obedient when he was not around.

• The blessing in this thought tells you these folks were faithful to God, not to Paul.

• Do you act differently from a faith standpoint when certain people are around you? I don't know, like Grandma?

• If you find yourself doing that, maybe your faith is in the wrong place, or perhaps you are trying to impress the wrong people? Do you think that God knows you are different around different people?

• With that said, we have certain people we are around where we want to be on our best behavior; however, since God is always with us, shouldn't we strive to be our best all of the time?