LIVING JOYFULLY IN LIFE
STUDIES THROUGH PHILIPPIANS
PHILIPPIANS 1:1-2 PAUL AND TIMOTHY, BOND-SERVANTS OF CHRIST JESUS, TO ALL THE SAINTS IN CHRIST JESUS WHO ARE IN PHILIPPI, INCLUDING THE OVERSEERS AND DEACONS: 2 GRACE TO YOU AND PEACE FROM GOD OUR FATHER AND THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
OPENING ILLUSTRATION: ACCORDING TO SHERWOOD WIRT, C.S. LEWIS ONCE TOLD HIM, “THERE IS TOO MUCH SOLEMNITY AND INTENSITY IN DEALING WITH SACRED MATTERS, TOO MUCH SPEAKING IN HOLY TONES. THE TRAGIC LOSS IN ALL THIS PIOUS GAMESMANSHIP IS TO THE INDIVIDUAL IN THE PEW, WHO BEGINS TO FEEL THAT IN THE MIDST OF THE RELIGIOUS RAZZLE DAZZLE HE CANNOT GET THROUGH TO THE LORD HIMSELF. WE HAVE LEARNED THAT JOY IS MORE THAN A SENSE OF THE COMIC, MORE THAN EARTHLY PLEASURE, AND TO A BELIEVER EVEN MORE THAN WHAT WE CALL HAPPINESS. JOY IS THE ENVIRONMENT OF GOD AND THE GOOD THINGS THAT VOME FROM THE HAND OF GOD. IF OUR NEW FREEDOM IN CHRIST IS A PIECE OF ANGEL FOOD CAKE, JOY IS THE FROSTING. IF THE BIBLE GIVES US THE WONDERFUL WORDS OF LIFE, JOY SUPPLIES THE MUSIC. IF THE WAY TO HEAVEN TURNS OUT TO BE AN ARDUOUS STEEP CLIMB, JOY SETS UP THE CHAIR LIFE.”
INTRODUCTION: THE LETTER TO THE PHILIPPIANS IS AQ LETTER OF JOY. WRITTEN BY PAUL, THIS LETTER REFERS TO JOY OR INWARD HAPPINESS 16 TIMES IN ONLY FOUR SMALL CHAPTERS. IT IS AND WILL BE EVIDENT TO SEE THAT PAUL HIMSELF HAD FOUND THE INWARD JOY THAT HE NOW COMMUNICATES TO THE PHILIPPIANS. AT IT VERY CORE IS THE DISCOVERY THAT JOY IS POSSIBLE IN WHAT EVER STATE HE WAS IN. PAUL KNEW THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE TO BE JOYFUL REGARDLESS OF EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
TRANSITION: THIS IS OUR GOAL ALSO, OVER THESE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS – TO COME TO GRIPS WITH WHAT IT TAKES TO BE JOYFUL PEOPLE IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF OUR LIFE.
1. UNDERSTAND THE ROOTS OF JOY – SERVANT HOOD TO JESUS
a. THIS LETTER WAS WRITTEN BY PAUL WITH TIMOTHY AS HIS COMPANION
b. PAUL CALLS THEM BOTH “BOND SERVANTS” OF JESUS CHRIST
i. DESIRE TO SERVE
ii. DESIRE TO SERVE OBEDIENTLY
iii. UNDERSTANDING THAT WE ARE NOT OUR OWN, BUT HAVE BEEN BOUGHT WITH A PRICE
1 CORINTHIANS 6:20 FOR YOU HAVE BEEN BOUGHT WITH A PRICE: THEREFORE GLORIFY GOD IN YOUR BODY.
c. IMPORTANCE OF SERVANT HOOD TO CHRIST
i. WE CANNOT BE A SERVANT OF CHRIST UNTIL WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE SLAVES TO SIN
ii. BECOMING A SLAVE – IN THE WORLD OR BY SIN
1. WE CAN BECOME A SLAVE BY CONQUEST
PSALM 19:13 ALSO KEEP BACK YOUR SERVANT FROM PRESUMPTUOUS SINS; LET THEM NOT RULE OVER ME; THEN I WILL BE BLAMELESS, AND I SHALL BE ACQUITTED OF GREAT TRANSGRESSION.
2. WE CAN BECOME A SLAVE BY BIRTH
PSALM 51:5 BEHOLD, I WAS BROUGHT FORTH IN INIQUITY, AND IN SIN MY MOTHER CONCEIVED ME.
3. WE CAN BECOME A SLAVE BY DEBT
ROMANS 6:23 FOR THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH, BUT THE FREE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.
iii. WAYS TO BE FREED FROM SLAVERY
1. EARN OUR FREEDOM – ALL WE EVER EARN IS DEATH
2. BUY OUR FREEDOM – WE HAVE NOTHING TO BY IT WITH – ALL OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS IS AS FILTHY RAGS.
3. REDEEMED BY ANOTHER – ONLY WAY FOR A BELIVER TO BE FREED FROM SIN
ROMANS 8:1 THEREFORE THERE IS NOW NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS.
ILLUSTRATION: BOICE IN HIS COMMENTARY WRITES, “SOMEONE WHO HAS NOT EXPERIENCED THIS REDEMPTION FROM SIN WILL WANT TO ARGUE THAT THIS IS MERELY AN EXCHANGE OF SLAVERY TO ONE MASTER FOR SLAVERY TO ANOTHER. BUT THIS IS FAR FROM AN ACCURATE PICTURE. NO CHRISTIAN WOULD EVER COMPARE THE TWO EXCEPT IN TERMS OF A TOTAL ALLEGIANCE. IT IS TRUE THAT WE HAVE BEEN SLAVES TO SIN, AS ALL MEN ARE, AND THAT WE ARE NOW SERVANTS OF CHRIST. BUT THE SECOND SERVICE IS NOT AT ALL LIKE THE FIRST. IT IS A BONDAGE OF LOVE AND GRATITUDE, A RELATIONSHIP THAT WE COULD COMPARE QUITE CLOSELY TO MARRIAGE. IF YOU ARE MARRIED, YOU KNOW THAT A PERSON IS NOT AUTONOMOUS IN MARRIAGE. YOU ARE NOT FREE TO DO ANYTHING YOU WANT—TO MARRY ANOTHER, TO LEAVE THE HOME, ABANDON THE SPOUSE. BUT YOU ARE FREE—FREE TO SERVE, FREE TO GIVE, FREE TO LOVE YOUR FAMILY. IT IS THUS THAT CHRIST RULES US; IT IS THUS THAT HE RULES YOU. HE IS YOUR LORD; YOU ARE HIS BRIDE. HE IS THE MASTER; YOU ARE HIS TO DO HIS BIDDING. THIS WILL NEVER BE SLAVERY. IT IS THE WAY OF JOY AND PEACE AND GENUINE SPIRITUAL SATISFACTION.”
BOICE EXPOSITIONAL COMMENTARY - AN EXPOSITIONAL COMMENTARY – PHILIPPIANS.
2. UNDERSTANDING THE PROGRESSION FOR JOY
a. GRACE AND PEACE
i. THE SOURCE IS GOD THE FATHER AND THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
ii. JESUS IS THE ONE WHO PROVIDES THE MEANS OF GRACE – HIS DEATH ON THE CROSS
iii. GOD THE FATHER IS THE ONE WHO APPLIES GRACE TO US THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY CHRIST.
b. ORDER IS IMPORTANT
c. WE CANNOT HAVE PEACE UNTIL WE HAVE GRACE
i. GRACE IS EXPERIENCED
1. NOTHING WE CAN DO ON OUR OWN
2. IS NOT EARNED
3. IS ONLY GIVEN APART FROM OUR ACTIVITY
a. GOD IS NOT GRACIOUS TO US BECAUSE OF WHO WE ARE OR WHAT WE DID.
b. GOD IS GRACIOUS TO US BECAUSE OF WHAT CHRIST DID ON OUR BEHALF
c. GRACE IS UNMERITED
4. GRACE IS GIVEN IN MEASURE ABOVE OUR ACTIVITY
ROMANS 5:20 THE LAW CAME IN SO THAT THE TRANSGRESSION WOULD INCREASE; BUT WHERE SIN INCREASED, GRACE ABOUNDED ALL THE MORE,
5. GOD’S GRACE WILL CONTINUE ON UNTIL ETERNITY
2 CORINTHIANS 4:14-15 KNOWING THAT HE WHO RAISED THE LORD JESUS WILL RAISE US ALSO WITH JESUS AND WILL PRESENT US WITH YOU. 15 FOR ALL THINGS ARE FOR YOUR SAKES, SO THAT THE GRACE WHICH IS SPREADING TO MORE AND MORE PEOPLE MAY CAUSE THE GIVING OF THANKS TO ABOUND TO THE GLORY OF GOD.
ii. PEACE IS EMBRACED
1. WE HAVE NO ACTIVE PART IN PEACE
ROMANS 7:25-8:2 THANKS BE TO GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD! SO THEN, ON THE ONE HAND I MYSELF WITH MY MIND AM SERVING THE LAW OF GOD, BUT ON THE OTHER, WITH MY FLESH THE LAW OF SIN. 1 THEREFORE THERE IS NOW NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS.
2 FOR THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS HAS SET YOU FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND OF DEATH.
2. IT IS A BY PRODUCT OF RECEIVED GRACE
3. WE NEED TO RESPOND TO THE GRACE OF GOD
d. THE NATURE OF PEACE
i. PEACE WITH GOD
1. GRACE ALLOWS US TO HAVE PEACE WITH GOD
2. BEFORE JESUS CHRIST WE WERE AT WAR WITH GOD
a. NO CONTROL OF THE BATTLE
b. UNDER CONTROL OF ANOTHER
ROMANS 8:7 BECAUSE THE MIND SET ON THE FLESH IS HOSTILE TOWARD GOD; FOR IT DOES NOT SUBJECT ITSELF TO THE LAW OF GOD, FOR IT IS NOT EVEN ABLE TO DO SO,
3. PEACE WITH GOD IS THE CESSATION OF SPIRITUAL HOSTILITY WITH GOD THROUGH OUR SALVATION.
ii. PEACE OF GOD
1. THIS IS AN INTERNAL CHANGE
COLOSSIANS 3:15 LET THE PEACE OF CHRIST RULE IN YOUR HEARTS, TO WHICH INDEED YOU WERE CALLED IN ONE BODY; AND BE THANKFUL.
PHILIPPIANS 4:7 AND THE PEACE OF GOD, WHICH SURPASSES ALL COMPREHENSION, WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS IN CHRIST JESUS.
2. IT IS A VOLUNTARY CHANGE
a. DOES NOT HAPPEN AUTOMATICALLY
b. MUST WANT AND WILL IT TO HAPPEN
3. BRINGS PEACE IN BOTH OUR EMOTIONS AND THOUGHTS
3. UNDERSTANDING THE RECIPIENTS OF JOY
a. PAUL DECLARES THAT IT IS THE SAINTS, REGARDLESS OF POSITION, THAT ARE THE RECIPIENTS OF GOD’S GRACE AND PEACE AND THEREFORE, GOD’S JOY!
b. WHAT ARE SAINTS
i. FIRST THEY ARE THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST
ii. SAINTS IS A TITLE THAT APPLIES TO ALL CHRISTIANS. YOU ARE A SAINT!
iii. IN FACT, FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST ARE NEVER REFERRED TO AS SINNERS AFTER SALVATION
1. WE HAVE ASSUMED THAT TITLE OURSELVES WITHOUT ANY BIBLICAL BASIS.
a. “SINNERS SAVED BY GRACE”
iv. TO BE A “SAINT” IS NOT A SIGN OF PERSONAL HOLINESS
1. WE ARE NOT SAINTS BECAUSE WE ARE HOLY
2. WE ARE SAINTS BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN SET APART
a. SET APART FROM SIN
b. SET APART TO GOD
1 PETER 2:9 BUT YOU ARE A CHOSEN RACE, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR GOD'S OWN POSSESSION, SO THAT YOU MAY PROCLAIM THE EXCELLENCIES OF HIM WHO HAS CALLED YOU OUT OF DARKNESS INTO HIS MARVELOUS LIGHT;
AN ILLUSTRATION OF THIS TRUTH COMES FROM THE LIFE OF THE LATE HARRY IRONSIDE OF CHICAGO. DURING THE EARLY DAYS OF HIS MINISTRY BEFORE THERE WERE AIRPLANES, DR. IRONSIDE USED TO TRAVEL MANY MILES BY TRAIN. ON ONE OF THESE TRIPS, A FOUR-DAY RIDE FROM THE WEST COAST TO HIS HOME IN CHICAGO, THE BIBLE TEACHER FOUND HIMSELF IN THE COMPANY OF A PARTY OF NUNS. THEY LIKED HIM BECAUSE OF HIS KIND MANNER AND HIS INTERESTING READING AND EXPOSITION OF THE BIBLE. ONE DAY DR. IRONSIDE BEGAN A DISCUSSION BY ASKING THE NUNS IF ANY OF THEM HAD EVER SEEN A SAINT. THEY ALL SAID THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN ONE. HE THEN ASKED IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE ONE. THEY ALL SAID THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE ONE. THEN HE SURPRISED THEM GREATLY BY SAYING, "I AM A SAINT; I AM SAINT HARRY." HE TOOK THEM TO VERSES OF THE BIBLE SUCH AS THIS ONE TO SHOW THAT IT WAS SO.
BOICE EXPOSITIONAL COMMENTARY - AN EXPOSITIONAL COMMENTARY – PHILIPPIANS.
c. SO, WHY NOT TAKE A MOMENT WITH ME AND DECLARE YOU SAINTHOOD. YOU ARE SAINT ___________
c. JUST A THOUGHT ON “INCLUDING OVERSEERS AND DEACONS”
i. AN EXAMPLE OF WORKING TOGETHER IN CHRIST FOR THE FURTHERANCE OF THE GOSPEL
ii. THE WORK OF A SERVANT BENEFITS THEIR MASTER AND THOSE WHO THEIR MASTER DESIRES TO HELP
iii. A ONE PERSON TEAM WILL NOT STAY IN THE GAME LONG. PAUL WAS ENFORCING THE CONCEPT THAT WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER
THOUGHTS TO TAKE AWAY AND APPLY
1. WE ARE ALL SERVANTS OF CHRIST IF WE ARE IN CHRIST
2. THE FOUNDATION OF JOY COME FROM THE GRACE AND PEACE WE HAVE THROUGH CHRIST
3. YOU ARE A SAINT
