When I began preparing this sermon last Sunday, I had a number of questions about the topic chosen. Yes I believed the Lord was leading me to speak about this idea of Joy. But what was there to say….. in a couple of minutes and it would be over!
So, I kept praying and reading the passage through a several times.The more I did this God began to speak to my heart….I believe He has given me a message to share with you and me today. Shall we begin?
The Oxford English Dictionary defines JOY as a vivid emotion of pleasure, gladness to the mind. A thing or event that causes delight.
The Old Testament compares two types of joy in Psalm 4:7
“You fill my heart with greater joy – than when the grain and new wine abound.”
This verse strongly suggests that inward joy comes from knowing and trusting God- whereas happiness comes as result of pleasant circumstances.
Inward joy is steady- provided we trust God. Happiness however is unpredictable.
Inward joy defeats discouragement. Happiness covers it up.
In Exodus 16 we find this important teaching. In this passage you will remember that the Israelites were being lead on journey through the deserts between Elim and Sinai. Even in that adverse situation the Lord continued to provide for them- bread and meat each day [except on the Sabbath]. The people were given this food because, basically, they had grumbled against Moses and Aaron. Verse 8 when Moses says to the Israelites “ You know that it was the Lord (when) he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in morning, because He heard you grumbling against Him. You are not grumbling against us but the Lord.”
Here in this difficult situation we find the people of Israel, despite God’s excellent care and provision- are grumbling against Him. They were not in a place of joy but a place of discontentment!!
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There is no doubt that the Israelites did not really want to go back to Egypt; they just wanted an easier life. In the pressure of the moment they could not focus on the cause of their stress and discontentment. In this case- it was a lack in trust in God.
When the pressure comes on us, do we resist the temptation to look for a quick escape and even question and perhaps even grumble about our circumstances.
No matter what our situation is - do not fall into the place of discontentment –even taking offence against God. This is not the life of Joy that God desires for us.
In James 1:2 we find this challenge: “Consider it pure joy, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
Note that James does not say if you face trials but whenever you face them.
He is saying that when trials come it is possible to profit from them. Let us not pretend to be happy when we face pain and hardships but have a positive outlook in Christ. James tells us to turn our hardships into times of learning.
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Before I turn to the thoughts and encouragements of today’s Philippians passage, I would like to say some important points about this letter in general.
Philippians is Paul’s letter of joy.
In my Bible- the list of the chapter titles are set out like this: [ Yes, I realise they are not written like this in the original Greek]
Chapter 1: Joy in suffering
Chapter 2: Joy in serving
Chapter 3 : Joy in believing and
Chapter4 : Joy in giving.
As you can see the theme of joy and rejoicing is sprinkled right through the Book of Philippians.
The church in that Macedonian city was a great encouragement to Paul. The
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believers of Philippi had enjoyed a special relationship with Paul, so he wrote to them a letter of personal love and affection. They had brought him great joy (mentioned in 4:1).
Philippians is also a joyful book because it emphasises the real joy of the Christian life. The idea of rejoicing or joy appears 16 times in the four chapters. The pages cry out this tremendous message all the way through:
Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again- Rejoice! (4:4)
In Philippians chapter 1 verses 15-18 – the Apostle Paul demonstrates an amazing attitude. Some were preaching with false reasons – they were attempting to build their own reputations, taking advantage of Paul’s time in prison to make a name for themselves. Regardless of their intentions – Paul rejoiced! Why? Because the gospel was being preached!
Some Christians may serve for the wrong reasons. Paul would not condone this and neither does God. But we should be glad if Christ uses their message to bring others into the Kingdom.
We are not surprised when Paul writes: The important thing is……. that
whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes I continue to rejoice.
Further on Paul speaks of remaining on earth to continue the spread of the gospel and that Christians at Philippi would continue to work with him and experience joy in their faith.
Why is Joy Important to Christians?
1.It is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is: love, JOY, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
2. It is a question of attitude- should we let circumstances get us down we will not be available for God to use us. It comes back to that classic question: “Is the glass half full, or half empty.”
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3. When we are joyful we can be effective in encouraging others in their faith and walk with the Lord. We are more sensitive to God’s leading and available to His service. [ Hebrews 10:24]
4.The Christian writer and minister, Selwyn Hughes tells this story of how not to provide counsel Two woman on a train journey were in conversation. One said to the other: “ I’m sorry I’m not good company at the moment. The reason is that I’m experiencing terrible grief. My husband died recently.”
“Oh, my dear,” said the other woman, ”I can feel for you. I recently lost my dog.”
Yes losing a cherished pet can cause us sorry….. but sharing that with another after the death of a family member is not very sensitive.
In Philippians 2:3,4 Paul reminds us of having a sensitive attitudes towards others:
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests but the interests of others.
This a source of real joy- when look to the interests of others- & not merely our own.
How can we maintain our Joy?
In some ways we cannot just maintain it ourselves because it comes from our relationship with God. It is not a commodity that we simply bottle up and sprinkle over ourselves.
1. I mentioned before the fruits of the Holy Spirit . The Spirit produces these character traits that are found in the nature of Christ. They are the by-products of Christ’s control- we cannot obtain them by trying to get them without His help. If we desire the fruit of the Spirit to grow in us, we must join our lives to Him, we should meditate on them and ask God to build these into our lives.
2.Matthew 6: 33 reminds us to seek first God’s Kingdom and all these things will be given to you. What things ? Things for life- food and drink and clothes?
This means to turn to God first for help; to fill our thoughts with His desires, to serve Him and to obey him daily.
In verse 34, it goes on to say that we are not worry about tomorrow. Planning for tomorrow is time well spent; worrying about tomorrow is time wasted and will invariably rob us of our joy .
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3. Back in Philippians (4:4 and 6) we find Paul encouraging us:
Rejoice in the Lord always!
And in V6: “ Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition , with thanks, present your requests to God.”
Image never being’ anxious about anything’. It seems like an impossibility- we all have worries in our jobs, in our families, at school and university. But Paul’s advice is to turn our worries into prayers.
Do you want to worry less (and to experience more joy)? Then pray more! Whenever you start to worry, stop and pray!
4. Remember the challenge found in James 1:2
Consider it all joy, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that
the testing of your faith develops perseverance. This perseverance goes on to make us mature and complete.
We may not be ready to welcome trials into our lives for they will come. Ask God to help us to face them as we should - knowing what they will produce in us is for our good.
In Summary , what do we know about JOY:
● Let us not confuse Joy with happiness. One comes from knowing and
trusting God; the other from pleasant circumstances.
- When we are in trying and difficult circumstances be careful not to complain
either to another or just in our thoughts. We could be grumbling to the LORD and in a place of discontentment thus losing our joy. - We don’t need to pretend we are happy when facing pain and hardships. But we should strive to have a positive attitude- asking the Lord to turn our difficulties into times of growth and learning.
* Remember to pray, both for the fruit of the Spirit and when we are anxious. It is God’s desire that our relationships with Him and with others are expressed with Joy!
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Ilustration:
Last week at Promise Keepers we were shown a short film clip of an American doctor who was on duty when he was called to give medical care to a man who had just arrived complaining of a sore chest. If fact he didn’t really have a chance to complain – he collapse on the floor of the Emergency Centre.
The man was given immediate attention including CPR and even defibrillation. But unfortunately, he died.
The doctor verified this and even filled in a some forms and just as he was leaving the Emergency Theatre – a good 15 minutes after the man had died, he distinctly heard God telling him to return to the patient and that he was to pray for him.
The doctor’s response to God was to say “But this man is definitely dead !”
But in obedience to God’s instruction he went back and began to pray for the man.
The nurse , still in the theatre, was utterly amazed and screamed :”What an earth are you doing?!”
“I am praying for the man”. There was no reaction.
The Christian doctor asked another doctor to defibrillate the dead patient again.
He too was amazed but did as the doctor told him.
Yes, you have probably guessed it – the dead man came back to life !!
I am sure you can imagine the scene of joy on the faces of the doctor, his family and even the man himself when it was explained what had happened. That man was not a Christian but he soon became one! He cannot explain why God should have spared him at that time. But God is using the doctor and the saved man as living witnesses to the grace and mercy of God as they give their testimonies to thousands of people throughout the US and other countries. They are spreading Joy in the lives of others.
Let us ask the Lord, for us to do the same.
What aspect of Joy do you require from God-talk with Him today!?
-Roger Peel
