IT’S TIME TO LAUGH (series)
HOW TO ENJOY LIFE
Philippians 1:1-2
This is from the desk of some travel agents concerning people who shouldn’t be allowed to leave home.
1. I had someone ask for an aisle seat so that their hair wouldn’t get messed up by being near the window!
2. A client called, inquiring about a package to Hawaii. After going over all the cost information, she asked, Would it be cheaper to fly to California and then take the train to Hawaii?
3. A man called, furious about a Florida package we did. I asked what was wrong with the vacation in Orlando. He said he was expecting an ocean-view room. I tried to explain that it was not possible, since Orlando is in the middle of the state. He replied, Don’t lie to me. I looked on the map, and Florida is a very thin state!
4. A nice lady just called. She needed to know how it was possible that her flight from Detroit left at 8:20 a.m., and got into Chicago at 8:33 a.m.? I tried to explain that Michigan was an hour ahead of Illinois, but she could not understand the concept of time zones. Finally, I told her the plane went very fast, and she bought that!
When was the last time you had a good laugh? Let me ask you an important question. Was life meant to be enjoyed or endured? To be honest, you might have to do a little bit of both. The problem comes when the enduring is all you are doing. Life should also bring some joy.
Do you think that most people enjoy life? What about you, do you enjoy your life? What does it mean to enjoy life? And, if you are not enjoying life, does the problem lie with you, your situation, or with God?
What would bring joy? If you had more money or material possessions, would you enjoy life more? Jesus said, My purpose is to give life in all its fullness. John 10:10 God wants you to have life in all its fullness, an abundant life. So why don’t we have it?
I’ve observed that a lot of people are not happy because of their perspective on life. They have been led to believe that life should be a certain way for them. They have developed certain expectations concerning what a rewarding life should be like. They have expectations concerning their standard of living, their marriage, their children, their career, and so on. But the real question is whether these expectations are realistic. Our expectations must be based on facts not fantasies. If we have false expectations, what we really have are illusions. And illusion always leads to disillusion.
This morning I’m beginning a new series, It’s time to Laugh. I know I need to laugh more, how about you? Too many people don’t know how to enjoy life. That is why it is so important to study the Bible. As we gain God’s perspective on life, we will learn to enjoy and learn to laugh.
Philippians is one of the most encouraging books in the Bible. It focuses on our relationship with Christ and the joy that comes from knowing him.
Just before we jump in, let me give you a little background.
The city of Philippi (Show map)
The city of Philippi is in northeastern Greece. Alexander the Great’s father, Philip II, conquered the village of Krenides and it’s surrounding area around 356 B.C., and renamed it after himself. This city was important because of the gold mines in the surrounding mountains.
The city is also famous for one of the most crucial battles in Roman history. In 42 B.C. Antony and Octavian defeated the republican forces of Brutus and Cassius. The battle marked the end of the Roman republic and the beginning of the empire. Octavian was later declared emperor and assumed the title of Caesar Augustus.
The church at Philippi
The Philippian church was the first church Paul founded in Europe. Paul was on his second missionary journey and planning to head east when he had a vision the night before leaving (Acts 16). The man from Macedonia called for his help.
Two dramatic conversions marked the church’s birth, Lydia, the business woman, and the jailer. The Philippians had a deep love for Paul, as he did for them. Though the church did not have a lot of resources they alone supported Paul at one stage of his ministry (4:15).
Now, after many years, they once again sent Paul a generous gift in his time of need. Paul opens this letter to his dear friends to thank them for their generous gift, explaining why he was sending Epaphroditus back to them, inform them of his circumstances, and warn them about the danger of false teachers.
The apostle Paul
Paul wrote Philippians, along with Colossians, Ephesians, and Philemon, from jail. These four letters were written during his imprisonment in Rome, some where around 61 AD.
There is a lot more to comment on about Paul, but we’ll do that as we go through our study.
Let’s look at the first two verses, Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:1-2
Paul opened his letter in the fashion that was the standard of his day. It was a familiar pattern: the name of the sender to the name of the recipient followed by a greeting. These greetings could be formal and complex or informal and simple. In the book of Acts are several examples. The apostles and elders, your brothers, to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings. Acts 15:23 Or this one, Claudius Lycias, To His Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings.
An example of a more elaborate greeting is this one from the emperor Claudius to the people of Alexandria in Egypt, Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus Imperator, Pontifex Maximus, holder of the tibunician power, consul designate, to the city of Alexandria: greetings. That certainly is a long way from Dear John.
As I look at Paul’s greeting to the church, I’m tempted to read right past it and miss the significance of what he is saying. In fact, if we understand the implications of the words he uses in this opening paragraph, it will change how we see who we are in Christ and what we have in Christ. It can alter your perspective and enable you to enjoy life.
Paul begins by describing who we are and what we have been given through Christ.
Servants
The first thing Paul does is describe himself and Timothy as servants of Christ Jesus. I don’t know about you, but I don’t get to excited, or full of joy thinking about being a servant. i.e. Janell and I took off last week and one of the things we do on vacation is eat out a couple of times. I loved going to a restaurant and being waited on. Anyone else feel that way? So servants doesn’t bring me joy.
But that’s what Paul calls himself. Actually, the word that is translated servants is more accurately translated slaves. He is saying that his relationship to Jesus is one of total obedience and complete loyalty.
Think about where you were before Jesus and where you are now. You’ve gone from bondage to sin to a child of God. But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin... You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. Romans 6:17-18
Here’s the truth. You were once a slave to sin. This is true for everyone who does not know Jesus. All of us are born with a nature that has a sinful bent. We sin because that is what we want to do, and we can’t quit sinning on our own. We are slaves to sin. We are in bondage to sin.
But Jesus has set us free. We have been set free from sin. But our freedom brings us to another allegiance. Our allegiance has been transferred from our former master to a new master, Jesus Christ. So, you are now a servant or slave of Christ Jesus.
Is that how do you see yourself? Do you see yourself as a servant/slave of Christ? Why am I asking this question and what does that have to do with joy, or laughter?
Many Christians see themselves, not as servants, but as volunteers. A volunteer gets to choose the agenda. A servant does not. A volunteer gets to define the terms of his or her service. A true servant must be obedient to the will of the master. Do you see yourself as a volunteer for Christ or a servant of Christ? Paul saw himself as a slave of Christ. That is where we begin.
Saints
We begin by understanding our freedom from sin and our allegiance to Christ. But we don’t stop there. You see, becoming a servant of Christ brings us into a new position before God. We are now, not just servants, but saints.
Paul addresses his letter to all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi. Once we’ve surrendered to Christ we are placed in the position of being saints.
The word that is translated saints literally means holy ones. It refers to those who have been set apart for God. Most of us are familiar with the Roman Catholic view of saints. The Bible clearly states that every Christian is a saint. A saint is not someone who has performed three miracles and been canonized by the church. A saint is someone who has been set apart by God to be part of his family. If you’ve invited Jesus into your life, the Bible says you’re a saint!
You probably saying, You don’t know my husband/wife. Or, I sure don’t feel like a saint. To that I would reply, Thank God that you don’t have to feel like a saint to be a saint. The way that you start to feel like a saint is to realize that you are a saint. You’ll never feel like a saint and live like a saint unless you start to see yourself as a saint. Remember, you are not a saint because you are perfect. You are a saint because God has said that you are. It’s really as simple as that.
Here’s an amazing truth I’ve observed, we tend to live up to our own image of ourselves. If we have a poor self-image, we will live down to that. If we have a good self-image, we will live up to that. The problem is in who we let define us. Most people let the wrong people define them. If I am going to be defined by anybody, I want to be defined by God.
Not only are we servants and saints, God has a definite purpose for us. Notice that he is writing to all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi. The implication is not simply that they happened to be at that specific location but that they were there for a reason. God had placed them there. They were there to do God’s work in that place.
Do you see that you are placed in a specific location by God? God has a purpose for your life in this place. Where are you now? You are in this place. You are where God wants you to be. The real question is, what are you going to do here?
Are you waiting for the lightning to strike? Are you waiting for some miraculous sign? Quit waiting! Start acting. God has a purpose for your life, a ministry for you.
If you want to enjoy your life, understand your freedom from sin and your allegiance to Christ; you realize your position as a saint and your purpose to do God’s will.
The blessings and benefits
The reason you are who you are is because of what God has given you. You are the recipient of so many blessings and benefits through Christ. Paul mentions two extremely important ones, grace and peace.
Listen to what he says in verse two: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Don’t read past this. If you do, you will miss this truth.
We have been given grace. What is grace? It has been defined as God’s unmerited favor. In other words, grace is getting God’s blessing when we deserve God’s curse. Grace is being forgiven when we deserve to be punished. Grace is getting God’s love when we deserve God’s wrath.
...God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 The fact that Christ would die for us while we were yet sinners is a picture of grace. He didn’t wait for us to clean ourselves up, to make things right, to get our act together. He made the first move. While we were shaking our fist at him, he was reaching out to us.
I was reading about John Newton this week. Although John began his life in a Christian home, he was orphaned at age six. He ended up in a very undesirable living arrangement with a relative. To escape he ran away and joined the British Navy.
He eventually deserted and ended up in Africa where he wanted to sin his fill. But things got worse for Newton. He ended up with a Portuguese slave trader in whose home he was treated very cruelly. At one point the slave trader’s wife, who hated white men, forced him to eat his food off the floor like a dog.
John eventually escaped to the coast and was picked up by a ship on its way to England. While on board he stole some rum from the ship’s supply and got so drunk he fell into the sea and almost drowned.
Later in the voyage the ship encountered a storm and began to sink. He was sent down into the hold to man the pumps. He was sure he would drown and was terrified. As he worked he remembered Bible verses he had been taught as a child. He began to call out to God. As he was manning the pumps he asked Jesus to forgive him and he gave his life back to the Lord.
John Newton went on to become one of the greatest preachers in England. He also wrote quite a few songs. One of his songs begins like this:
Amazing grace! how sweet the sound,That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.
That is grace. We are not only blessed with grace, we are also blessed with the benefits of grace. One of the important benefits is peace. We receive this peace in two different ways.
The first kind of peace is peace with God. Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, and through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. Romans 5:1-2
Peace with God means that the struggle is over. We have surrendered. We’re now on God’s team. We have peace because we are not fighting against God anymore. Our sins have been forgiven.
The second kind of peace is the peace of God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7
The peace of God comes as a result of having peace with God. It is the peace that transcends all understanding. It’s the peace that we shouldn’t have in the midst of the storm but that we do have anyway.
It’s the peace that allows us to trust in God when everything around us is falling apart. You can’t explain this peace. Only God can give a person this kind of peace. And you have it.
So, do you see who you are? You are a servant of God. You are a saint of God. You have been blessed by God! It all begins with our relationship with Jesus.
So, if you want to enjoy your life, you must focus on Jesus and what he has done for you. He has set you free from sin. You now have the privilege to serve him. He has made you a saint. He has given you a purpose for life. He has blessed you with his amazing grace. He has given you his peace. And all of this is just the beginning. There is so much more still ahead.
Have you started to laugh?
