“Living a Joy-full Life: Be Who You Are”
Phil. 1:1-11
Have you ever, even for a moment, wished you were someone else? Have you ever worried that your life, at its end, would be one of insignificance? Have you ever wondered if you’ll ever measure up? Such thoughts can be crippling.
Whitney Houston was the most-awarded female recording artist of all time. She seemed to have it all, and yet her friend and costar Kevin Costner shared that she struggled with a common problem—insecurity and anxiety about measuring up. When Costner asked her to star in The Bodyguard, she had her doubts. Costner shares what happened on her first day on the set after her hair and makeup were ready: “Whitney was scared. Arguably, the biggest pop star in the world wasn't sure if she was good enough. She didn't think she looked right. There were a thousand things to her that seemed wrong. I held her hand and told her that she looked beautiful … but I could still feel the doubt.” Whitney asked for twenty minutes to collect herself, and then she came to the set. After only four lines they had to stop. Costner took her back to the dressing room so he could show her what he had seen. Costner said: ‘I turned her around so that she could see herself in the mirror and she gasped. All of the makeup on Whitney's face was … streaking down her face and she was devastated. She didn't feel like the makeup we put on her was enough so she'd wiped it off and put on [her own makeup]. It was much thicker and the hot lights had melted it! She asked if anyone had seen … I said I didn't think so. It happened so quick …The Whitney I knew, despite her success and worldwide fame, still wondered ‘Am I good enough? Am I pretty enough? Will they like me?’ It was the burden that made her great, and the part that caused her to stumble in the end.’”(i) Whitney, you may recall, died in a hotel bathtub, her body ultimately destroyed through decades of drug abuse.
The apostle Paul also had issues. He was weak in his physical stature, his voice was poor, and his confidence shaky. Yet he wrote this marvelous, scintillating joy-filled letter. In fact, he wrote it while in prison awaiting a life or death verdict from his trial. How could he be so joyful? From the very beginning of his letter to the Church at Philippi, Paul expresses how the Philippians can live the same kind of joy-filled lives. But he’s also speaking to you. In his introductory remarks he encourages you to be who you are.
First of all, remember that YOU ARE A SPECIAL PERSON. (1) “To all God’s holy people (‘saints’) in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons...” Paul is writing to the saints in Philippi – to all the believers in Philippi. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, YOU ARE A SAINT. If you have received Jesus Christ as your Savior and accepted Him as Lord of your life, you are a saint. True SAINTHOOD IS AN ASSIGNED DESIGNATION NOT AN ACHIEVED STATUS. It is given, not earned. It is a status for the living not an honor for the dead. When you come to believe in Jesus Christ, you are given the destiny and dignity of being a saint.
It means you are assigned, designated, set apart TO GLORIFY JESUS. So be who you are. In the Old Testament God designated certain things and places as ‘holy’, meaning they were to be used only in sacred ways and for sacred purposes. In the New Testament God designates people as ‘holy’, to live in a sacred way and to be used for sacred purposes. As Robert Smith pointed out (ii), Paul says your permanent address is in Christ Jesus. Your zip code may be Philippi, Corinth, New York City, South Haven, Kalamazoo, or Chicago…it may not be next year what it is today. But your permanent address is in Christ Jesus – it never changes. No matter where you live or how popular you are or are not, you are rooted in Jesus Christ and your dignity comes from Him.
That means you are special and valuable, because God has chosen TO HAVE HIS SON JESUS SHINE THROUGH YOU. It’s said pictorially in a little poem entitled What Is A Saint? “What is a saint?” the youngster asked; So his parents set out to explain. By describing Saint Francis, and Bernadette They attempted to make it plain. They told of Matthew, Mark and Luke, and ended with John and Paul; But the boy just couldn’t relate to this and didn’t grasp it at all. Then the parents went to their church and showed him The stained glass windows there; The faces of the elect shone out As they preached or knelt in prayer. The boy was asked if he understood, And he said, “I think I do; From what I’ve seen, I’d say a saint Is a person the light shines through.”(iii) As Tolstoy once put it, you are Christ in miniature, so if you look down on yourself you are committing blasphemy – because you’re telling God He’s a liar. No matter what others say or think, you are holy, you belong to Jesus Christ and He is shining His light through you. So be the special person you are. Embrace your position and identity as a saint.
You are a special person who is in A SPECIAL PARTNERSHIP. (5) “In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” Christians are never in it alone. Paul is thanking the Philippians for sharing with him in the cause of Christ. He reminds them they ARE ALL IN IT TOGETHER. He is not alone – they are not alone. So you are never alone. To be in Christ is to be in the church. That’s why it’s important to be an active part of a local church body. I am moved by all the churches of which I’ve been privileged to be a part – we’ve shared and partnered TOGETHER IN MINISTRY around the world. Here, as Hope Church, we have partnered together and shared in ministry – with each other, with churches in South Haven, in southwest Michigan, with the Regional Synod of the Great Lakes, with the Reformed Church in America, and with missionaries and missions locally and around the world. So be who you are – an active partner with others in ministry and life.
I love how Paul adds another dimension of partnership in verse 7: “It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me.” We share IN THE GRACE OF CHRIST. We all have people who have taken responsibility for our lives. As I look back over my life, which I seem to do more frequently these days, I am overwhelmed with all the significant people who partnered in my spiritual journey. They partook of Christ with me; we were partakers of Christ together. You have partaken of Christ with me. Without them – without you – I would not be who I am or where I am today.
Likewise Paul wants the Philippians to know he has felt their love and deeply loves them. That’s why Paul wants them to know he prays consistently for them. (3, 9-11) “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy… And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.” John Henry Jowett once wrote, “OUR SPIRITUAL COMRADES ARE AMONG THE CHOICEST GIFTS OF GOD’S LOVE.” (iv)
In the movie Toy Story 3, Andy, the owner of Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and other toys, is preparing to leave for college. At the end of the movie, he decides to give his toys to a young girl named Bonnie. The scene starts with Andy entering the front gate of Bonnie's home and showing her the box of toys. Andy tells her, "I'm Andy. Someone told me you're really good with toys. These are mine, but I'm going away now, so I need someone really special to play with them." Then as Andy proceeds to hand the toys to Bonnie, he introduces them by saying something special about each one. He begins with his toy cowgirl Jessie: "This is Jessie—the roughest, toughest cowgirl in the whole West. She loves critters, but none more'n her best pal, Bullseye." Andy then hands Bonnie his toy Tyrannosaurus, Rex, "the meanest, most terrifying dinosaur who ever lived." For the Potato Heads, Andy says, "The Potato Heads—Mister and Missus. You gotta keep em together cause they're madly in love." Slinky the Dog "is as loyal as any dog you could want." Andy blesses Hamm, the Pig, by saying, "He'll keep your money safe, but he's also one of the most dastardly villains of all time, Evil Dr. Pork Chop!" Buzz Lightyear is "the coolest toy ever. Look, he can fly, and shoot lasers. He's sworn to protect the galaxy from the evil Emperor Zurg!" Finally, for his pal Woody, Andy says, "He's been my pal as long as I can remember. He's brave, like a cowboy should be. And kind, and smart. But the thing that makes Woody special? Is he'll never give up on you—never. He'll be there for you, no matter what." (v) That’s the partnership we have with one another. We are God’s special gifts to each other- for life. Let’s be who we are. Let’s engage in the partnership of ministry and grace..
You are a special person, in a special partnership, who is undergoing A SPECIAL PROCESS. (6) “…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” God is at work in and on you! You are GOD’S CONSTRUCTION ZONE! You are experiencing sanctification; you are in process of becoming like Jesus. As Paul wrote the Corinthians (2Cor. 3:18 ESV) “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.” As the Good News Translation states it “All of us, then, reflect the glory of the Lord with uncovered faces; and that same glory, coming from the Lord, who is the Spirit, transforms us into his likeness in an ever greater degree of glory.”
Robert Smith points out that if God can start off with nothing in nature, He can do the same with our lives. “Some of us were rejects. Some of us were voted the most likely to fail in high school. God has taken some of us from the basement of being discarded and made something beautiful out of our lives. Don't sit there like you've always dressed that way. Don't sit there like you've always been on top. God has taken your miserable existence. God has taken your wrecked marriage. God has taken your diseased body. God has taken your nothingness and made something out of it... We believe in a God who can make the impossible possible.” (vi)
Why do we believe that? Because IT’S GUARANTEED. God will complete the process - you will one day be like Christ. As John wrote, (1 Jn. 3:2) the day will come; “But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” How do you know it’s guaranteed? It’s guaranteed because GOD HAS PROMISED AND GOD IS FAITHFUL. The Bible tells us that because of Jesus we have a faithfulness that will never be removed (Ps. 89:33; 138:8), a life that will never end (John 3:16), a spring of water that will never cease to bubble up within the one who drinks of it (John 4:14), a gift that will never be lost (John 6:37, 39), a hand out of which the Good Shepherd’s sheep will never be snatched (John 10:28), a chain that will never be broken (Rom. 8:29, 30), a love from which we shall never be separated (Rom. 8:39), a calling that will never be revoked (Rom. 11:29), a foundation that will never be destroyed (2 Tim. 2:19), and an inheritance that will never fade out (1 Peter 1:4, 5). (vii)
It’s guaranteed because God chose you because He loves you. If He had chosen you because you were worthy or holy you could be disqualified when you slip up or fall short. But finishing the process is not up to you. IT’S UP TO JESUS – AND HE’S FINISHED IT.
Remember Jesus’ last word from the cross? “It is finished.” He had completed the work of redemption – He had paid the price for you – He had sealed the deal. You are saved now and forever – no matter what. In the biographical materials about Martin Luther is an incident concerning a hired maid who worked in the Luther home. One day, in a fit of angry displeasure, she left, quit her work, without giving any notice. Not long after this she became very ill and called for Luther to come visit her. At her bedside he asked her what was the matter. She replied, “I have given my soul away to Satan.” Luther responded, “Elizabeth, listen to me. If, while you were living at my house you had sold my children to a stranger, would that sake have been legal and binding?” The maid said, “Oh, no, for I would have no right to do that.” Then Luther responded, “Very well, Elizabeth, you had even less right to give your soul to the Arch-Enemy; it no more belongs to you than my children do. It is the property of Jesus Christ. He made it and when it was lost, he redeemed it. It is his.” (viii)
You, dear saints, you are His. You are saved. You are holy. You are becoming like Jesus. So be who you are becoming. Never say you cannot change. You are changing. You are in process. DO NOT JUDGE YOUR LIFE BY HOW FAR YOU HAVE TO GO BUT BY HOW FAR YOU’VE COME! If you think of how far you have to go, it is devastating; if you think of how far you’ve come, it’s gratifying. Besides, God is more concerned with testimonies than with titles.(ix) Pharaoh had a title, but Moses had a testimony. King Ahab had a title, Elijah had a testimony. Herodias had a title, Mary Magdalene had a testimony. The Roman rulers had titles; Paul had a testimony! Your titles or names do not matter – you have a testimony. Jesus chose you to be holy and blameless. (Eph. 1:3-8) “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us.”
John of Kronstadt … was a nineteenth-century Russian Orthodox priest at the time when alcohol abuse was rampant. None of the priests ventured out of their churches to help the people. They waited for the people to come to them. John, compelled by love, went out into the streets. People said he would lift the hungover, foul-smelling people from the gutter, cradle them in his arms, and say to them, "This is beneath your dignity. You were meant to house the fullness of God.” (x) Your brokenness does not define you. What others think of you does not define you. Your failures – nor your successes – define you. You are one in whom Jesus Christ, the Son of God dwells. You are meant to house the fullness of God. Be who you are: a special, saintly person - let the light of Christ shine through you. Be who you are: a special partner with those God has given to you – share in Christ’s grace. Be who you are: grateful for and rejoicing in the special process God is working in and through your life – live a life full of God. Be who you are - it’s the foundation of a joy-full life.
(i) Adapted from John Bishop, God Distorted (Multnomah, 2013), pp. 87-88 – from www.preaachingtoday.com
(ii) Robert Smith Jr., Living on the Edge of Whatever Happens
(iii) Source unknown
(iv) John Henry Jowett, The High Calling, Fleming H. Revell Compnay, © 1909 by Fleming H. Revell Company, p. 19
(v) Toy Story 3, Scene 33, "Goodbye Andy," 1:28:55 to 1:32:05; from www.preachingtoday.com
(vi) Robert Smith Jr., Living on the Edge of Whatever Happens
(vii) Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001). Exposition of Philippians (Vol. 5, p. 55). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.
(viii) Adrian Newhouse, What God begins He Also Completes, from Words of Hope – 8/7/77
(ix) Robert Smith Jr., Living on the Edge of Whatever Happens
(x) James Bryan Smith, The Good and Beautiful God (IVP, 2009), p. 162 – from www.preachingtoday.com
