Cornerstone Church 7.19.15
“JOY: AGAINST ALL ODDS”
Philippians 1:12-30
Last week we began our look at the Book of Philippians.
The Apostle Paul is writing the Church at Philippi from a Roman prison.
While chains shackle Paul his heart is unshackled and filled with extraordinary joy!
* Paul writes the Philippians a letter filled with joy and rejoicing (chain letter).
* Joy permeates through the book fifteen times!
True Joy not dependent on circumstances:
* It is a Joy in the midst of difficult times!
* It is a Joy in the midst of hardships and trials!
* It is a Joy in the midst of a chaotic out-of-control culture, society and world!
o Joy can only originate from a relationship with Jesus Christ as your personal LORD and Savior!
o Joy is a fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT!
Daily we fight the battle to live a joy-filled life for God or we allow circumstances to dictate or control our response or attitude.
“Suppose you go to the Grand Canyon and find a perfect place to sit, and you settle in to take in the magnificence of the view. All of a sudden, a big Winnebago motor home parks right in front of you, spoiling your view! What are you going to do at that moment? You’ve got several choices.
* You could sit there, focused on the Winnebago, gripping and groaning and saying, ‘I wanted to see the Grand Canyon, and I’m sitting here looking at this ugly thing.’
* You could say to yourself, ‘I deserve this. I’ve done some rotten things in my life, and this is what I get.’
* You could become jealous of the people who aren’t behind a Winnebago because they’re still enjoying a great view of the Grand Canyon.
* But there is another option: Move your chair! Go to another place where you can look beyond the motorhome and see the grandeur of what God created.”
“Philippians: The Eight Places Joy is Won or Lost” pg. 36-37 by Tom Holladay
We have bought into the lie from our culture that joy comes from happy, good or perfect circumstances!
It is no wonder many Christians lack joy and happiness!
We get out our joy meter and take readings (or APP from the APP Store):
* If things are going well – the Joy Meter needle goes up (we are happy)!
* If things are going badly – the Joy Meter needle plummets (we are unhappy or having a bad day)!
I get this!
* We think we are having a good day and suddenly we are waiting at a traffic light, after it has turned green for someone who is texting to stop texting, wake up and drive! It is moments like that I wish I had a horn from a Semi Truck mounted to my car!
* You or I read the newspaper or watch the news and learn about another senseless massacre perpetrated by religious extremists or learn how Planned Parenthood has been harvesting Body parts from murdered babies and selling them. It is easy to slip into cynicism!
JOY IN THE BIBLE:
* Joy isn’t perfect circumstances
* Joy isn’t pretending circumstances are perfect (Pollyanna – “Let’s play the Glad Game”)
* Joy isn’t saying everything is okay when it is not okay!
Biblical joy comes from a heart yielded to God and the Holy Spirit understanding the One who rules and reigns our life loves and cares for us deeply and He uses whatever we are going through to either perfect the image of Christ in us or to bring Himself Glory!
OUTLINE: (taken from “Philippians: The Eight Places Joy is Won or Lost” by Tom Holladay)
Look Beyond the Circumstances to See the Results
Philippians 1:12-14
Look Beyond the Personalities to See God’s Plan
Philippians 1:15-19
Look Beyond the Temporary to See the Eternal
Philippians 1:20-26
Look beyond the Bad News to See the Good news
Philippians 1:27-30
LOOK BEYOND THE CIRCUMSTANCES
TO SEE THE RESULTS
Philippians 1:12-14
Phil. 1:12 Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel,
Think about all that Paul went through:
* Illegally arrested in Jerusalem
* Misrepresented before the court
* Shipwrecked on the way for his appeal in Rome
* A prisoner for 2 years waiting for his case to be heard
* Forgotten by friends
DEFINITION OF VICTIM – Look at Paul! Better yet – look at Jesus!
* Paul did not play the victim!
* He joined with Billy Joel to sing:
“I never said I was a victim of circumstances”
“My Life” Billy Joel!
Look at what the text says revealing Paul’s heart attitude:
“…my circumstances have turned out
for the greater progress of the gospel”
“greater progress”
* ESV: “served to advance the gospel”
* Greek term = pioneering woodcutters going before the advancing army to clear away the trees and underbrush.
* Paul’s situation and circumstances are clearing the way for the gospel!
HOW IS THAT SO?
Paul is a “Dead man Walking”
* Paul sees his situation through the lens of Grace-Filled Optimism!
* Paul focuses the lens on what God is doing and not himself!
EVANGELISM
Phil. 1:13 so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else,
It is believed that the full Praetorian Guard = 9,000 Elite Imperial Guards
Paul shared the truth of the gospel with one guard after another.
* He was not embarrassed to talk about Christ.
* His demeanor lifted up and exulted Christ!
o He didn’t waste his words harping to the Praetorian:
* “I’m innocent!”
* “I’ve got rights”
o He didn’t complain about his chains!
He shared Christ with them and because of his outrageous and contagious joy and confidence in God’s purpose and plan.
* Jesus was more than just Paul’s Savior!
* Jesus was LORD of his life!
* Jesus was LORD of every decision he made!
* Jesus was at the core of his being giving purpose to every moment of his life!
Jesus is all the world to me,
My life, my joy, my all;
He is my strength from day to day,
Without Him I would fall.
When I am sad, to Him I go,
No other one can cheer me so;
When I am sad, He makes me glad,
He’s my Friend.
“Jesus is all the World to Me”
Will L. Thompson
One by one each of the guards after hearing the message of the gospel took it back to the barracks and shared it with other guards.
“…became well known throughout the
whole praetorian guard and to everyone else”
ENCOURAGEMENT
Phil 1:14 “…and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.
The followers of Christ were invigorated with a new confidence!
The followers of spoke the Word of God with greater confidence!
* People in our society speak up and share all sorts of weird and often abhorrent ideas.
* Politically correct speech and ideas are off the rails! Pandora’s Box is open!
* The mantra of the day: “you offend me” “that offends me” “you offend me”
Yet by and large we (followers of Christ) often remain timid and do not share the gospel message for Christ.
* It is not our job to condemn the world (Jesus has already done that)!
* It is not our job to judge the world!
* The lost do not need for us to spew out our bitterness and cynicism!
* The lost do not need for us to be unkind!
We do, however, need to proclaim the gospel so they know that they can be set free!
Paul was in chains yet he was free!
Lost people in our world think they are free when in reality they are in chains!
Luke 2:10-11 NASB But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; or today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
The martyrdom of the “Auca Five” in the 1950’s lead to 2 – 3 decades of students answering the call of God saying to Him: “Here am I, send me!”
Not everyone is called to serve as a Missionary, Pastor or in Vocational Christian Ministry.
* We are, however, all called to be witnesses for the LORD Jesus Christ!
* The followers of Christ had far more courage and spoke the Word of God without fear!
God uses our “chains” (circumstances) for His glory and our growth!
LOOK BEYOND THE PERSONALITIES
TO SEE GOD’S PLAN
Philippians 1:15-19
15 Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; 16 the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; 17 the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice.
Yes, and I will rejoice, 19 for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
THERE WAS A NEGATIVE OUTCOME HAPPENING!
Some are preaching Christ:
* For wrong motives
* For selfish ambition
* In order to bring distress and hurt to Paul (intensifying the pain of his chains making them more galling and bitter).
It is thought some were putting Paul down and building themselves up.
* Perhaps out of pride because they thought Paul could have avoided imprisonment if he wasn’t so insistent on going to Jerusalem.
* The couch potatoes and armchair quarterbacks calling out what they thought were better plays for the game!
“Nature, as they say, abhors a vacuum –
and so it goes if you remove a strong leadership.”
“To Live is Christ, To Die is Gain” pg. 33 by Matt Chandler
TWO IMPORTANT THOUGHTS:
We need to remember Paul was a real person with feelings and emotions.
* He may have had a temper.
* He needed encouragement just like we do!
* He may have been hurting inside as he is chained in prison.
o I say all of that because I’m sure this wasn’t easy.
o I’d say in the flesh it was impossible!
Paul rebuked false teachers and teaching!
* When Paul makes the next statement he is not speaking about the religious hucksters that plague Christian Television and peddle a false message, false Messiah, prosperity laden health and wealth gospel.
* Nor is he speaking about Cults as if they are followers of Christ.
Gal. 1:8-9 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!
“Accursed” (anathema, devoted to destruction, doomed to eternal punishment)!
Observe Paul’s perspective as he focuses on Christ and Christ’s Mission:
WHAT DOES IT MATTER?
Christ is preached!
Paul was a gospel man! A Kingdom-minded man!
* Paul did not mind what happened to him as long as the gospel continued to go forth!
* Paul entrusted Himself to God and His plan for His life and let God deal with the rest.
THIS INTENSIFIED HIS JOY!
It liberated him!
Paul kept on building God’s kingdom not his own empire, mega-church or kingdom!
* Throughout the Yuba / Sutter Community there are many local manifestations of the Body of Christ. Each with a unique ministry strategically placed by God like a lighthouse to shine for Him with the gospel and to build up the believers that attend there.
* There is, however, only one church of the LORD Jesus Christ in this community and world that Jesus established and tasked with His mission comprised of all true followers of Christ. I’m speaking of the invisible church.
The visible church can be made up of believers and unbelievers.
The Invisible Church is made up of only true followers of God!
On earth the visible church contains those in the invisible church!
Eph. 4:4-6 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.
The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ, her Lord;
she is his new creation by water and the Word.
From heaven he came and sought her to be his holy bride;
with his own blood he bought her, and for her life he died.
Elect from every nation, yet one o’er all the earth;
her charter of salvation: one Lord, one faith, one birth.
One holy name she blesses, partakes one holy food,
and to one hope she presses, with every grace endued.
The Church is One Foundation
S. J. Stone
We called to faithfully fulfill God’s purpose for us in this community and around the world we equally need to pray and ask God the Father to bless the other local Body of Believers as they strive to make Christ known!
Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice.
Yes, and I will rejoice,
LOOK BEYOND THE TEMPORARY
TO SEE THE ETERNAL
Philippians 1:20-26
Phil. 1:20 according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
Paul not only concentrated on Christ but he also focused on the eternal!
* He lived in light of eternity!
* His earnest expectation and hope is to finish well!
o I do not want to disgrace myself!
o I do not want to bring shame on the cause of Christ!
o I do not want to finish poorly (ship wretched life)!
We live today in light of eternity!
Dwight L. Moody once quipped:
“Some day you will read in the papers that D. L. Moody, of East Northfield, is dead. Don’t you believe it! At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now.”
“To Live is Christ, To Die is Gain” pg. 38 by Matt Chandler
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Phil. 1:21
Living for Christ was everything to Paul!
* Life with a purpose – “to live is Christ”
* Death with confidence – “to Die is Gain”
These comparisons come from Chuck Swindoll. They give insight on a life lived for self instead of life lived for Christ:
* For me to live is money… and to die is to leave it behind.
* For me to live is fame…and to die is being quickly forgotten.
* For me to live is power and influence…and to die is to lose both.
* For me to live is possessions…and to die is to depart with nothing in my hand.
You fill in the blank! Any thing that we do that we think is more important that what God wants us to do is a loss!
“For to me, living means opportunities for Christ,
and dying—well, that’s better yet!”
Philippians 1:21 The Living Bible
For living to me means simply “Christ”,
and if I die I should merely gain more of him.
Philippians 1:21 J.B. Phillips New Testament
Phil 1:22 But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose.
Phil. 1:23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; 24 yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again.
LOOK BEYOND THE BAD NEWS
TO SEE THE GOOD NEWS
Philippians 1:27-30
Phil. 1:27 Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
PAUL IS CALLING US TO MAKE THE GOSPEL LOOK BIG!
“Whatever happens” NIV = “Only This” “This one thing” “Only be sure”
“…conduct yourselves in a manner
worthy of the gospel of Christ…”
THE OUTCOME DESIRED:
“…you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;”
When we do this it will reveal our salvation as we persevere today in Christ-likeness.
Remember the church is God’s New Community:
* It is made up of people redeemed by the blood of the Lamb of God – Jesus!
* It is a living organism made up of individuals drawn by Christ from every language, tribe, race, and nation and made up of Jews and Gentiles, Men and Women, Slave and Free!
WE MAKE THE GOSPEL LOOK LARGE
to the lost by our love for one another!
It is also an apologetic to the lost that their destruction looms on the horizon if they do not submit their lives to Christ.
Phil. 1:28 in no way alarmed by your opponents — which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God.
As Paul closes this section he nails down clearly what it means to be a true Disciple, Follower of Christ!
It was because Paul was a true follower (a bond-servant / slave) to the Master that he could live with outrageous joy, peace and contentment in his life no matter the circumstances!
Phil. 1:29 For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, 30 experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.
BELIEVING IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF THE JOURNEY!
* Jesus suffered so that we might be redeemed!
* Because we are redeemed and are His (Jesus) we will also suffer!
He is talking about become living sacrifices for Christ (living burnt-offerings offered to God)
He is talking about taking up our cross daily and following Him!
* “Bearing your cross” is not being able to have a Starbucks Latte or putting up with a cranky mother-in-law or coworker.
* “Bearing your cross” may have little to do with living in a culture hostile to Christianity!
* “Bearing your cross” has to do with picking up the cross beam of the cross and carrying it to the place of crucifixion where we die daily to ourselves!
IT MEANS THE PURSUIT OF SELF IS OVER!
PURSUING CHRIST IS THE GOAL!
“One remembers what an aging Christian said to John G. Paton in the last century when Paton was planning to go as a missionary to the South Sea Islands (New Hebrides). ‘You will be eaten by Cannibals!’ Paton was warned.
Paton replied, ‘Mr. Dickson, you are advanced in years now, and your own prospect is soon to be laid in the grave, there to be eaten by worms; I confess to you, that if I can but live or die serving and honoring the LORD JESUS, it will make no difference to me whether I am eaten by Cannibals or by worms; and in the Great Day my resurrection body will rise as fair as yours in the likeness of our risen Redeemer.’ PUT THE GOSPEL FIRST!
‘Only one life, ‘twill soon be passed;
Only what is done for Christ will last.’
Put the gospel first!”
“Basics for Believers: An Exposition of Philippians.” pg. 31 by Dr. D.A. Carson
