Sharing in the joy that comes from obedience...

This week, we have been looking at a section of a letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to early followers of Jesus  that is recorded for us in our Bibles called the book of Philippians. And it is in this section of this letter that we have discovered the timeless truth that our joy grows when we respond to what Jesus has done for us by living in obedience to Him. In Philippians 2:12-18, we see the Apostle Paul reveal three different ways that our joy grows when we respond to what Jesus has done for us by living in obedience for Him. So far, we have discovered that our joy grows as our obedience provides the evidence of our salvation. As followers of Jesus, when we carry out the salvation that we have received from Jesus in such a way that results in submission and obedience to Jesus and the message and teachings of Jesus as One who is worthy of awe and reverence, we provide the evidence of our salvation for the world to see.

 

Second, we have seen the Apostle Paul reveal for us the reality that our joy grows because our obedience is the result of God’s ongoing activity in our lives. As followers of Jesus, God is actively at work in our lives to empower us with the desire to live our lives in way that follows the message and teachings of Jesus and that accomplish His purposes in a way that pleases Him. And God is actively at work in our lives as followers of Jesus to give us the desires and the ability to become more like Jesus as a result of the relationship we have with Jesus.

 

Third, the Apostle Paul revealed for us the reality that our joy grows as our obedience reveals and reflects Jesus to the world. As followers of Jesus, our obedience to Jesus is to be without any behind the scenes murmuring or any disputes that lead to disunity. As followers of Jesus, our obedience to Jesus results in us being blameless and purely innocent in the sight of others.

 

And as followers of Jesus, our obedience to Jesus results in us revealing our relationship as a child of God to the world around us. A relationship that is to be morally blameless in the midst of a morally bent and twisted world; a relationship that reveals and reflects Jesus to the world; a relationship that maintains a grasp on the message and mission of the gospel; A relationship that makes others proud when Jesus returns. A pride that one’s effort and work was not without result. Today, we see Paul conclude this section of his letter by addressing the current circumstances that he found himself in Philippians 2:17:

 

 But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.

 

Paul uses a word picture of a sacrificial offering that would be conducted a part of the Jewish religious system to reveal the reality that regardless of how his current circumstances turned out, he would rejoice and he wanted to express the joy that he had over what God was doing in the lives of the members of the church at Philippi. Even if Paul was going to lose his life as a result of his imprisonment for proclaiming the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel, he would rejoice in the impact that the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel had in the lives of the members of the church at Philippi. Even if Paul lost his life, Paul would rejoice for their confident trust in Jesus. Even if he lost his life, Paul wanted the members of the church to rejoice with him for their confident trust in Jesus.

 

You see, Paul could experience growing joy in his life because his joy was not tied to his circumstances but transcended his circumstances. Paul could call the members of the church at Philippi to rejoice with him because Paul experienced an attitude of delight in life that took the long view of God’s activity in the lives of the members of the church at Philippi in spite of his current circumstances. The Apostle Paul understood that joy is a mind-set that produces a quality of life that recognized the eternal significance and impact that the obedience of the members of the church at Philippi revealed. Paul found an growing attitude of delight in life because Paul recognized that the obedience of the members of the church at Philippi provided the evidence of their salvation and the ongoing activity of God in their lives so that they would become more like Jesus in character and conduct and so that they would reveal and reflect Jesus to the world.

 

And in the same way today, our joy grows when we respond to what Jesus has done for us by living in obedience to Him. Our joy grows as our obedience provides the evidence of our salvation. Our joy grows because our obedience is the result of God’s ongoing activity in our lives. And our joy grows as our obedience reveals and reflects Jesus to the world.

 

So here is a question to consider: Are you still trying to experience joy by trying to earn God’s favor through your behavior? Are you still trying to find joy based on your performance for Jesus instead of the joy that flows out of your relationship with Jesus? Or are you responding to what Jesus has done for you by striving to live in obedience to His message and teaching?

 

Are you experiencing the growing joy that comes as a result of living in a growing and maturing relationship with Jesus? Are you experiencing the growing joy that comes as a result of your obedience to Jesus providing the evidence of your salvation by Jesus? Are you experiencing the growing joy that comes as a result of experiencing God’s activity in your life as you are used by God to reveal His Son Jesus to the world?

 

Because our joy grows when we respond to what Jesus has done for us by living in obedience to Him...

 

 

A growing joy as our obedience reveals and reflects Jesus to the world...

This week we are looking at a section of a letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to early followers of Jesus while in prison facing the possibility of death that is recorded for us in the Bible called the book of Philippians. Yesterday, we looked on as the Apostle Paul commanded followers of Jesus throughout history to "work out your salvation with fear and trembling”.

We discovered that the point behind the Apostle Paul’s command here is that salvation is not something that we simply receive as a follower of Jesus. Salvation also is about something that we live out in our day to day lives as followers of Jesus. The issue that Paul is addressing here is not salvation. The issue that Paul is addressing is how we live out our salvation as followers of Jesus. The issue that Paul is dealing with is how saved people live out their salvation.

Paul’s point is that as followers of Jesus we are to carry out the salvation that we have received from Jesus in such a way that results in submission and obedience to Jesus and the message and teachings of Jesus as One who is worthy of awe and reverence. We saw Paul reveal for us the timeless truth our joy grows when we respond to what Jesus has done for us by living in obedience to Him.

We saw Paul reveal for us the reality that our joy grows as our obedience provides the evidence of our salvation. As followers of Jesus, we are commanded to live in obedience to the message and teachings of Jesus with a reverent respect of God in awe of God’s nature and character. And as we carry out the salvation that we have received from Jesus in such a way that results in submission and obedience to Jesus and the message and teachings of Jesus as One who is worthy of awe and reverence, we provide the evidence of our salvation for the world to see.

We discovered that Paul is not addressing salvation, which is how we are rescued from our selfishness and rebellion so that we can experience forgiveness and the relationship with God that we were created for. Instead, Paul is addressing the issue of sanctification, which is the process by which God works in us so that we become more like Jesus in character and conduct.

 

Second, we saw the Apostle Paul reveal for us the reality that our joy grows because our obedience is the result of God’s ongoing activity in our lives. As followers of Jesus, God is actively at work in our lives to empower us with the desire to live our lives in way that follows the message and teachings of Jesus and that accomplish His purposes in a way that pleases Him. And God is actively at work in our lives as followers of Jesus to give us the desires and the ability to become more like Jesus as a result of the relationship we have with Jesus.

Today, we will see Paul reveal for us a third way that our joy grows when we respond to what Jesus has done by living in obedience to Him in Philippians 2:14-16:

 Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.

Because of the reality that our obedience provides the evidence of our salvation from the selfishness and rebellion that separated us from God and because of the reality that God is actively at work in our lives to give us the desires and the ability to become more like Jesus in our character and conduct, Paul commands followers of Jesus throughout history to do all things without grumbling or disputing. Now what is so interesting here is that the word for all, in the language that this letter was originally written in, literally means all.

When Paul uses the word grumbling, this word refers to an utterance made in a low tone of voice. This word refers to conversations that occur behind the scenes, so to speak. This word refers to conversations that are talking about someone instead of talking to someone. In addition, when Paul refers to disputing, he is referring to disputes or arguments.

Now a natural question that arises here is “Why would Paul make these specific commands here?” I believe the reason that Paul made these specific commands here is due to the fact that both grumbling a disputing produce division and dissension. Last week, we looked on as Paul commanded the members of the church at Philippi to placing others first in a community that is marked by gospel-centered unity that is based on our mutual encouragement as a result of our faith in Christ, our mutual love for Jesus, and the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence that connect us to Jesus and one another.

But nothing destroys community and unity faster than when people talk about others instead of talking to others, right? Nothing destroys community and unity faster than when people are engaged in disputes and arguments. Paul is following up his command for community that is marked by gospel centered unity by commanding followers of Jesus throughout history to rid themselves of the grumbling and disputing that will destroy community and unity.

After giving the command to rid themselves of the grumbling and disputing that will destroy community and unity, Paul provides three reasons behind the command. First, Paul explained that by ridding themselves of any grumbling and disputing, the members of the church at Philippi would prove yourselves to be blameless. Now when Paul uses the word prove here, this word means to come into possession of certain qualities of characteristics. The quality or characteristic that they would possess would be that they would be blameless. The word blameless here literally means to be without fault.  Paul’s point is that by ridding themselves of grumbling and disputing, the members of the church at Philippi would be without fault in the sight of others.

Second, Paul explained that by ridding themselves of any grumbling and disputing, the members of the church at Philippi would prove yourselves to be innocent. The word innocent here literally means to be pure or innocent morally.  Paul’s point is that by ridding themselves of grumbling and disputing, the members of the church at Philippi would be innocent in the sight of others.

Third, Paul explained that by ridding themselves of any grumbling and disputing, the members of the church at Philippi would children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. To be above reproach is to live in such a way that no one can point a finger of accusation against another that is accurate. Paul’s point here is that by ridding themselves of grumbling and disputing, the members of the church at Philippi would reveal their relationship as a child of God in a way that no one could accuse of being otherwise.

And as a result, the members of the church at Philippi would stand in stark contrast to those in the world around them, who Paul describes as a crooked and perverse generation. The word crooked refers to someone who is morally bent or twisted, while perverse is to depart from any moral standard or values. And as a result of living in a culture that was morally twisted and without any moral values, the members of the church at Philippi appear as a light that provides guidance and direction to an otherwise dark world as they revealed and reflected Jesus to the world.

Paul then explained that as they maintained a grasp on the message and teachings of Jesus in a way that revealed that they possessed a relationship with Jesus, the members of the church at Philippi would be a reason for Paul to take pride in the fact that all of his efforts to proclaim the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel had not been without purpose or result. Upon Jesus return to earth at the end of God’s story here on earth, all of the efforts that Paul had made on behalf of the members of the church at Philippi would be revealed to have accomplished something of kingdom value that would transcend the current circumstances that he found himself in.

And it is here that we see the Apostle Paul reveal for us the reality that our joy grows as our obedience reveals and reflects Jesus to the world. As followers of Jesus, our obedience to Jesus is to be without any behind the scenes murmuring or any disputes that lead to disunity. As followers of Jesus, our obedience to Jesus results in us being blameless and purely innocent in the sight of others.

And as followers of Jesus, our obedience to Jesus results in us revealing our relationship as a child of God to the world around us. A relationship that is to be morally blameless in the midst of a morally bent and twisted world; a relationship that reveals and reflects Jesus to the world; a relationship that maintains a grasp on the message and mission of the gospel; A relationship that makes others proud when Jesus returns. A pride that one’s effort and work was not without result.

Friday, we will see Paul conclude this section of his letter by addressing the circumstances that he found himself in...

Our joy grows when we respond to what Jesus has done for us by living in obedience to Him...

At the church where I serve, we have been spending our time together looking at a letter that was written by the Apostle Paul and that is recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible called the book of Philippians. And as we have looked at this letter, our hope and our prayer is to be able to answer the question "What is joy?" along with sharing the several timeless truths that the Apostle Paul found as he lived a life that was marked by joy.

This week, I would like for us to spend our time together picking up where we left off last week. And as we jump into the next section of this letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to early followers of Jesus while in prison facing the possibility of death that we will discover another timeless truth when it comes to finding joy. So let’s discover that timeless truth together, beginning in Philippians 2:12:

So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;

Paul begins the section of his letter to the members of the church at Philippi with a command. When Paul uses the phrase “so then”, he is basically saying “In light of the reality that I have called you to be united together in gospel centered community that is based on our mutual encouragement as a result of our faith in Christ, our mutual love for Jesus, and the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence that connect us to Jesus and one another. In light of the reality that I have called you to rid yourselves of selfish ambition or exaggerated self examination and to instead humbly consider others more important than yourselves. In light of the reality that I have called you to follow the example of Jesus, who did not consider His personal status as something to be used to achieve an advantage over others but instead set aside His status for the needs of others. In light of the fact that you have always strived to follow the message and teachings of Jesus whether I was with you in Philippi and even more so now that you have heard of my imprisonment. In light of all that, I am commanding you to do something. And what I commanding you to do is to work out your salvation with fear and trembling”.

Now as soon as you heard the phrase “work out your salvation with fear and trembling”, a thought immediately popped into your mind. And if you were able to share that thought with me, the conversation would sound something like this: “Well Dave, is Paul saying that we have to earn our salvation? Is Paul saying that we could lose our salvation? Because that is what it sounds like. It sounds like Paul is saying that we need to work for our salvation. It sounds like we are to work for our salvation with fear and trembling because we could do something that results in us either failing to gain our salvation or in us losing our salvation. I mean, why else would Paul say work out your salvation in fear and trembling?”

If those thoughts and questions are running through your mind, I just want to let you know that those are great thoughts or questions. To understand what Paul is communicating in these verses, we first need to define some terms and remind ourselves of what Paul previously said in this letter. When Paul uses the phrase work out, this phrase, in the language that this letter was originally written in, literally means to bring about or carry out a matter. What Paul is commanding followers of Jesus to bring about or carry out is their salvation.

When Paul here is referring to salvation, he is referring to the salvation that has occurred as a result of our rescue from selfishness and rebellion through faith in Christ. The point behind the Apostle Paul’s command here is that salvation is not something that we simply receive as a follower of Jesus. Salvation also is about something that we live out in our day to day lives as followers of Jesus.

The issue that Paul is addressing here is not salvation. The issue that Paul is addressing is how we live out our salvation as followers of Jesus. The issue that Paul is dealing with is how saved people live out their salvation. When Paul commands followers of Jesus to work out our salvation, he is talking about living in obedience to Jesus by following the message and teachings of Jesus in light of the fact that we have been rescued by Jesus. You see the issue is obedience, which Paul defines as working out, or carrying out, in community with one another the salvation we have received from God.

And as followers of Jesus, we are to carry out our obedience to the message and teachings of Jesus in community with one another in fear and trembling. When Paul uses the word fear here, this word refers to a reverent respect toward God and Jesus that produces submission and obedience to Jesus. Similarly, the word trembling conveys the sense of trembling or quivering in awe of someone.

Paul’s point is that as followers of Jesus we are to carry out the salvation that we have received from Jesus in such a way that results in submission and obedience to Jesus and the message and teachings of Jesus as One who is worthy of awe and reverence. Now you still might not be convinced that the issue here is how we live out our salvation and not salvation itself. If I have just described you, I want to direct our attention to what we looked at two weeks ago in Philippians 1:27-28:

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; 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 we discovered two weeks ago, Paul commanded followers of Jesus throughout history to live our day to day lives in response to all that Jesus has done for us in a way that makes much of Jesus and that revealed and reflected Jesus in our character and conduct to others. Paul explained that regardless of how his circumstances turn out, he would hear that the members of the church at Philippi were living lives that remained firmly committed to the message and teachings of Jesus and that were not intimidated by those who opposed Jesus.

Paul then unpacked that by not being intimidated by their opponents, they were providing the evidence of their rescue from selfishness and rebellion as a result of placing their trust in the message of the gospel. You see, the members of the church of Philippi were not to be intimidated by their opponents in order to earn their salvation. Instead, the fact that they were not intimidated by their opponents was the evidence of the salvation that they already possessed.

And it is here that we see that Apostle Paul reveal for us a timeless truth when it comes to finding joy. And that timeless truth is this: Our joy grows when we respond to what Jesus has done for us by living in obedience to Him. And in Philippians 2:12-18, we see the Apostle Paul reveal three different ways that our joy grows when we respond to what Jesus has done for us by living in obedience for Him.

First, in verse 12, we see Paul reveal for us the reality that our joy grows as our obedience provides the evidence of our salvation. As followers of Jesus, we are commanded to live in obedience to the message and teachings of Jesus with a reverent respect of God. As followers of Jesus, we are commanded to live in obedience to the message and teachings of Jesus in awe of God’s nature and character. And as we carry out the salvation that we have received from Jesus in such a way that results in submission and obedience to Jesus and the message and teachings of Jesus as One who is worthy of awe and reverence, we provide the evidence of our salvation for the world to see.

Now you still might not be convinced that you cannot lose your salvation. If I just described you, tomorrow we will look at what the Apostle Paul has to say next, because it is what the Apostle Paul says next that we see a second way that our joy grows when we respond to what Jesus has done by living in obedience to Him….

Our joy grows as we follow the example of Jesus by placing others first in a community that is marked by gospel-centered unity...

This week, we have been looking at a section of a letter that is recorded for us in the Bible called the book of Philippians. We looked on as the Apostle Paul commanded early followers of Jesus to make the joy that he was already experiencing in his life grow by living together as a community of faith in such a way that they were united in their heads, hearts, and hands when it came to living in community with one another and engaging in the kingdom mission that they had been given with one another.

We saw Paul reveal for us the reality that a church does not just experience unity because they want to have unity. A church experiences unity because they are committed to live in community with one another that is centered on and that is committed to the message of the gospel and the kingdom mission that they have been given by Jesus.  And as followers of Jesus live in community with one another that is centered on and that is committed to the message of the gospel and the kingdom mission that we have been given by Jesus, the result is a growing joy.

We looked on as the Apostle Paul commanded followers of Jesus throughout history to do nothing that is motivated by a desire to advance one’s own selfish agenda or to exaggerate one’s status in the eyes of others. Instead of being all about one’s own agenda and one’s own status in the eyes of others, Paul commanded the members of the church at Philippi to with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves.

The point behind the Apostle Paul’s command is that, as followers of Jesus, we are to live in such a way that places others before ourselves. Paul revealed for us the reality that our joy grows when we consider others more important than ourselves. A trait of gospel centered unity is that those in gospel centered community consider others moiré important than themselves and place others before themselves.

Wednesday, we saw Paul command the members of the church at Philippi and us here today to have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus. If Paul was giving us this command in the language we use today, the command would sound something like this; be dominated by the same kind of thinking that dominated Jesus; have the same focused mindset that Jesus had.

Paul’s point here is that although Jesus existed from all eternity as God, He did not consider and regard His high position as God as something that needed to be held onto or asserted in order to achieve personal advantage or prestige. In other words, Jesus never played the “God card”. Although He had every right to do so as the Creator of the universe, Jesus never played that God card. Jesus never used who He was in order to achieve personal advantage or prestige.

Instead of playing the God card, Paul explains to us in verse seven that Jesus emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant. Jesus laid aside His Divine prestige and prerogatives in order to engage and enter into our world.

Paul used a play on words here to reveal the reality that while Jesus could have kept a firm grasp on His Divine status and privilege, Jesus chose to let go of that status and instead chose to enter humanity to grasp and embrace the form of a condemned slave. Jesus entered into humanity and took on human nature so that He could not only be truly Divine; Jesus entered humanity and grasped and embraced the form of a condemned slave so that He could experience the human condition and the most profound and humbling manner. And Jesus purposefully laid aside His Divine status and the divine prerogatives so as to be able to die.

Paul’s point here is that Jesus Christ, as God in a bod, abandoned His entitlement so He could embrace humanity. And Paul’s point here is that as followers of Jesus our joy grows as we follow the example of Jesus. Our joy grows as we follow the example of Jesus who did not consider his personal status as something to be used to achieve an advantage over others. Our joy grows because we follow the mindset of Jesus who set aside His status for the needs of others.

Now you might be wondering “Well Dave, what Jesus did does not sound like it produced joy for Jesus. What Jesus did does not seem like it would produce a growing joy in the life of Jesus? So why would I even think that following the example of Jesus would result in my joy growing?” Great questions. Today, we see Paul provide the answer to those questions in Philippians 2:9-11. Let’s look at it together.

 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Here we see Paul reveal for us the reality that Jesus example of considering others as more important than Himself will provoke a response from the entire universe. First in verse nine, Paul states that Jesus example of considering others as more important than Himself, resulted in God highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name. Paul’s point here is that because Jesus willingly chose to consider others as more important than Himself, God responded to Jesus focused mindset by raising Him to the highest of heights.

Paul continued by stating that God did this by giving Jesus the title that is above every other title. In verse ten and eleven Paul then reveals for us the response of the entire universe to the example of Jesus considering others as more important than Himself. Paul explained that our response to the example of Jesus will be that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. At the end of God’s story here on earth, all humanity will respond to example of Jesus considering others as more important than Himself. All of humanity will bow their knee, which is a sign of submission.

Paul is explaining that at the title that God gave Jesus, every being and power will submit to His prestige and preeminence; whether the beings and powers reside in the Heavenly places, whether the beings and powers reside on earth, or whether the beings or powers reside under the earth. There is no place in existence that will not submit to the title that God gives His Son Jesus. 

In verse 11, Paul concludes this section of his letter by stating that not only will every being and power submit to the title that God gives His Son Jesus; Paul states that every tongue will confess the title that Jesus Christ is Lord. The word Lord is given to one who is in the position of authority. Paul’s point is that every being will openly and publically declare and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is large and in charge. This response of submission and acknowledgment of the mindset of Jesus will result in God receiving glory. This glory is the honor that comes from the recognition of the status or performance of someone.

As a result of God’s eternal plan and the focused mindset of Jesus to accomplish God’s plan of rescue, God will receive the maximum honor that He is so worthy of. You see, the reason why following the example of Jesus will result in growing joy is because Jesus had a mindset, an attitude of delight in life that took the long view and was not based, limited, or tied to external circumstances. Jesus is a mind-set that produces a quality of life that recognized the eternal significance and impact that His circumstances would have when it came to the advancement of the kingdom mission that He had been given. Jesus found joy in the midst of the difficult circumstances that He faced because Jesus understood that God was at work through His difficult circumstances in a way that provided the opportunity for the rescue of all humanity. And as a result, as followers of Jesus our joy grows when we follow the example of Jesus.

And it is here that we see that Apostle Paul reveal for us a timeless truth when it comes to finding joy in that our joy grows as we follow the example of Jesus by placing others first in a community that is marked by gospel-centered unity. Our joy grows as we are united together in gospel centered community that is based on our mutual encouragement as a result of our faith in Christ, our mutual love for Jesus, and the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence that connect us to Jesus and one another.

Our joy grows as we consider others more important than ourselves when we rid ourselves of selfish ambition or exaggerated self examination and when we humbly consider others more important than ourselves. And our joy grows as we follow the example of Jesus, who did not consider His personal status as something to be used to achieve an advantage over others but instead set aside His status for the needs of others.  

You see, that is why the church is the hope of the world. That is why the church is so central to what God want to do in the world and in the lives of His followers. That is why followers of Jesus are called by God to partner with what He is doing in the world by partnering with a local church. Because as we have seen this morning, our joy grows as we follow the example of Jesus by placing others first in a community that is marked by gospel-centered unity.

So here is a question to consider: Where are you trying to find joy? Are you at a place in your life where you are growing in joy?

Because the timeless reality is that our joy grows as we follow the example of Jesus by placing others first in a community that is marked by gospel-centered unity...

Refusing to play the "God Card"...

This week, we are looking at a section of a letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to early followers of Jesus while in prison facing the possibility of death that is recorded for us in the Bible called the book of Philippians. Yesterday, we looked on as the Apostle Paul commanded the members of the church at Philippi to make his joy complete. The Apostle Paul wanted the joy that he was already experiencing in his life to grow in his life. Paul then explained that how the joy that he was already experiencing in his life would grow in his life as the members of the church at Philippi lived together as a community of faith in such a way that they were united in their heads, hearts, and hands when it came to living in community with one another and engaging in the kingdom mission that they had been given with one another.

You see, the Apostle Paul could command followers of Jesus to make the joy that he was experiencing grow in his life because the Apostle Paul understood that joy grows as a result of the gospels activity in the life of a community of believers. And in the same way today, as followers of Jesus, our joy grows as we are united together in community. A church experiences unity because they are committed to live in community with one another that is centered on and that is committed to the message of the gospel and the kingdom mission that they have been given by Jesus.  And as followers of Jesus live in community with one another that is centered on and that is committed to the message of the gospel and the kingdom mission that we have been given by Jesus, the result is a growing joy.

In addition, Paul commanded followers of Jesus throughout history to do nothing that is motivated by a desire to advance one’s own selfish agenda or to exaggerate one’s status in the eyes of others. Instead of being all about one’s own agenda and one’s own status in the eyes of others, Paul commanded the members of the church at Philippi to with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves.

Paul’s point here is that as followers of Jesus, we are to consider those around us more than we consider ourselves. As followers of Jesus we are to place the needs of others before our own needs. The Apostle Paul revealed for us the reality that our joy grows when we consider others more important than ourselves. A trait of gospel centered unity is that those in gospel centered community consider others more important than themselves and place others before themselves.

Now right about now, you are thinking to yourself “Well Dave that’s a lot to ask. Doesn’t Paul realize what he is asking? And how can Paul justify asking so much from me?” If those questions are running through your mind, I just want to let you know that those are fair questions and objections to be asking. And fortunately for us, we see the Apostle Paul address those questions and objections in what he says next. So let’s look at what the Apostle Paul had to say next, beginning in Philippians 2:5:

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.

Paul begins verse 5 by commanding the members of the church at Philippi and us here today to have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus. When Paul talks about having an attitude here, Paul is not referring to a knee-jerk reaction to something; this attitude comes as a result of reflection. Paul here is talking about having a focused mindset. If Paul was giving us this command in the language we use today, the command would sound something like this; be dominated by the same kind of thinking that dominated Jesus; have the same focused mindset that Jesus had.

But what kind of focused mindset did Jesus have? Paul answers that question for us in verse six, when he states that although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped. The word existed here literally means to be. Paul is literally stating here that although Jesus be God; although He always existed as God, He did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped. This idea of grasping here literally means to grip or to hold onto so as to not let go.  

Paul’s point here is that although Jesus existed from all eternity as God, He did not consider and regard His high position as God as something that needed to be held onto or asserted in order to achieve personal advantage or prestige. In other words, Jesus never played the “God card”. Jesus never walked into a crowded restaurant with His disciples and used His prestige or position to get the best table. “Hey, I’m God, I want the table over there”. Jesus never cut in line while He was shopping for groceries at the local store by saying “Hey, don’t you know who I am?” Although He had every right to do so as the Creator of the universe, Jesus never played that God card. Jesus never used who He was in order to achieve personal advantage or prestige.

Instead of playing the God card, Paul explains to us in verse seven that Jesus emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant. But what does Paul mean when He says that Jesus emptied Himself?  This word emptied literally means to make empty or to divest oneself of prestige. What Paul is communicating here is that Jesus laid or set aside His divine prerogatives and privileges.

There was a professor at the graduate school that I went to who was from Japan. This professor had the privilege of having the reigning champion Sumo wrestler visit his family while he was in the United States. After having dinner, the professor and his wife began to do the dishes while this world champion sumo wrestler and their kindergarten age son were in the living room. As they were doing dishes, they heard a growing laughter in their living room. As the laughter increased, the couple stopped doing the dishes and went into their living room to investigate what the increasing laughter was all about. Upon entering the living room, they discovered that their kindergarten age boy had been wrestling with the world champion sumo wrestler. Their kindergarten age boy was on top of the world champion sumo wrestler laughing, while the sumo wrestler laughingly stated “you win, you win, I give up”.

Can you picture that scene in your mind? At any time, the world champion sumo wrestler could have squashed this little kindergarten age boy like a bug. But instead, this world champion sumo wrestler laid aside his prestige and prerogatives in order to engage and enter into the world of a kindergarten aged boy. And in the same way, Jesus laid aside His Divine prestige and prerogatives in order to engage and enter into our world.

Instead of playing the God card, Paul states that Jesus laid aside His Divine prestige and prerogatives in order to engage and enter into our world by taking the form of a bond servant, made in the likeness of men. The word for taking that is used here literally means to get a hold of something by grasping. A bond servant was a slave of the lowest possible status in society. Paul uses a play on words here to reveal the reality that while Jesus could have kept a firm grasp on His Divine status and privilege, Jesus chose to let go of that status and instead chose to enter humanity to grasp and embrace the form of a condemned slave. But why would Jesus do that?

Paul answers this question with two powerful points. Paul’s first point is that Jesus entered into humanity and took on human nature so that He could not only be truly Divine; Jesus entered humanity and grasped and embraced the form of a condemned slave so that He could experience the human condition and the most profound and humbling manner. Paul then gives us the second powerful point in Philippians 2:8. Let’s look at it together:

Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

In verse 8, Paul provides his second point as to why Jesus entered humanity by grasping and embracing the form of a condemned slave. When Paul uses the phrase here being found in appearance as a man, he is literally saying “When He appeared in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death by embracing the form of a condemned slave”.  Paul’s point here is that Jesus purposefully laid aside His Divine status and the divine prerogatives so as to be able to die.

You see, God created us to live in a relationship with Him and one another and so that we could play a small role in His huge story. However, instead of entering into the relationship with God and each other that we were created for, we selfishly chose to reject the relationship with God and the role in His story so that we could create our own story, where the story is all about us and where we are the star. 

And God’s response to our selfish rejection and rebellion, which the Bible calls sin was this: “I’ll show you. I’m going to send my one and only Son. And I’m going to send my one and only Son to make things right. I am going to send my one and only son to deal with your selfishness and rebellion. And He is going to deal with your selfishness and rebellion by dying for you. My Son, who created the universe is going to come to you and humble Himself, and die, for you, and for me”.

But Jesus did not enter into humanity to die just any death. Jesus entered humanity to die on a cross. Crucifixion, which is the form of death that awaited Jesus at the end of His life on earth, was the most humiliating form of punishment ever devised. Death on the cross was usually reserved for condemned slaves, who were considered the lowest form of humanity. This was a death that was reserved for the worst criminals and for enemies of the Roman Empire. Crucifixion was designed for maximum humiliation and maximum suffering. Crucifixion was so abhorred by society that it was not even depicted in early Christian art. Historians have discovered that the fist depictions of crucifixion only occurred after all those who had ever seen a live crucifixion had died.

Now a natural question that comes into your mind is “why would Jesus do that? Why would Jesus allow Himself to suffer the most humiliating death imaginable? And why would God send His Son to endure so much pain and rejection?” Great questions. Paul’s point here is that Jesus Christ, as God in a bod, abandoned His entitlement so He could embrace humanity.

And Paul’s point here is that as followers of Jesus our joy grows as we follow the example of Jesus. Our joy grows as we follow the example of Jesus who did not consider his personal status as something to be used to achieve an advantage over others. Our joy grows because we follow the mindset of Jesus who set aside His status for the needs of others.

Now you might be wondering “Well Dave, what Jesus did does not sound like it produced joy for Jesus. What Jesus did does not seem like it would produce a growing joy in the life of Jesus? So why would I even think that following the example of Jesus would result in my joy growing?”

Great questions. Friday, we will see Paul provide the answer to those questions...

The desire for growing joy...

At the church where I serve we are spending our time together looking at a letter that was written by the Apostle Paul and that is recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible called the book of Philippians. And as we go through this letter, our hope and our prayer is to be able to answer the question "What is joy?" along with sharing the several timeless truths that the Apostle Paul found as he lived a life that was marked by joy.

This week, I would like for us to spend our time together picking up where we left off last week. And as we jump into the next section of this letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to early followers of Jesus while in prison facing the possibility of death that we will discover another timeless truth when it comes to finding joy. So let’s discover that timeless truth together, beginning in Philippians 2:1-2:

Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.

The Apostle Paul begins this section of his letter with the word therefore. In other words, the Apostle Paul is basically saying “In light of all that I have said up to this point: In light of the reality that my joy is not tied to the circumstances of my imprisonment but is rooted in my ongoing connection with the gospel and a growing love of Jesus. In light of the reality that my joy is a mind-set that recognizes the eternal significance and impact that my circumstances are having when it comes to the advancement of the gospel. In light of the reality I have joy because I understand that it is Jesus who holds my future, regardless of my current circumstances. In light of all the reasons that I already have joy, I am commanding you to make my joy complete”.

Now when the Apostle Paul uses the word complete here, this word literally means to bring to completion that which already had begun.  You see, it was not that the Apostle Paul did not have joy. Instead the Apostle Paul wanted the joy that he was already experiencing in his life to grow in his life. Paul then explained that how the joy that he was already experiencing in his life would grow in his life was by the members of the church at Philippi “being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.”

Now to fully understand what the Apostle Paul is communicating here we first need to understand what each of these phrases mean. First, when Paul uses the phrase, being of the same mind, this phrase literally means to have the same opinion about something. In addition, when Paul talks about maintaining the same love, this simply means to keep the same love that the members of the church had for Paul and for one another.  The phrase united in spirit means to be in a state of harmony with one another. Finally, the phrase intent on one purpose, literally means to have the same thought process.

So Paul here is commanding the members of the church at Philippi to make his joy grow by living together as a community of faith in such a way that they were united in their heads, hearts, and hands when it came to living in community with one another and engaging in the kingdom mission that they had been given with one another. You see, the Apostle Paul could command followers of Jesus to make the joy that he was experiencing grow in his life because the Apostle Paul understood that joy grows as a result of the gospels activity in the life of a community of believers.

The Apostle Paul understood that we do not experience unity for unity’s sake. Instead, we experience unity because it is the message of the gospel that unites followers of Jesus in community and it is the message of the gospel that produces genuine and authentic community. And in the same way today, as followers of Jesus, our joy grows as we are united together in community. And it is the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel that brings unity in genuine and authentic community. That is why Paul said all that he said in verse one before he gave his command to the members of the church at Philippi in verse 2.

When Paul uses the phrase, if there is any encouragement in Christ, he is revealing for us the reality that the reason that our joy grows as we are united together in community is due to the fact that true unity is based on the mutual encouragement that we have as followers of Jesus as a result of our faith in Jesus. When Paul uses the phrase, if there is any consolation in love, he is revealing for us the reality that the reason that our joy grows as we are united together in community is due to the fact that true unity is based our mutual love for Jesus as followers of Jesus. When Paul uses the phrase, if there is any fellowship in the Spirit, he is revealing for us the reality that the reason that our joy grows as we are united together in community is due to the fact that true unity is based on the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence that connects us with Jesus and unites us in Jesus as a part of the body of Christ the church. And when Paul uses the phrase, if there is any affection and compassion, he is revealing for us the reality that the reason that our joy grows as we are united together in community is due to the fact that true unity is based on a mutual affection and concern for one another’s struggles.

A church does not just experience unity because they want to have unity. A church experiences unity because they are committed to live in community with one another that is centered on and that is committed to the message of the gospel and the kingdom mission that they have been given by Jesus.  And as followers of Jesus live in community with one another that is centered on and that is committed to the message of the gospel and the kingdom mission that we have been given by Jesus, the result is a growing joy.

Gospel centered community produces growing joy because gospel centered community is rooted in a growing connection to the message of the gospel and a growing love of Jesus. Gospel centered community produces growing joy because gospel centered community produces a mind-set that and a quality of life that takes the long view and recognizes the eternal significance and impact of the gospel and not our circumstances. Gospel centered community produces growing joy because the gospel advances past our circumstances and transcends time. But not only does joy grow as a result of being united together in gospel centered community. Paul reveals a second way that our joy grows as followers of Jesus in Philippines 2:3-4:

 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

Here we see the Apostle Paul command the members of the church at Philippi to do nothing from selfishness of empty conceit. Paul here is commanding followers of Jesus throughout history to do nothing that is motivated by a desire to advance one’s own selfish agenda or to exaggerate one’s status in the eyes of others. Instead of being all about one’s own agenda and one’s own status in the eyes of others, Paul commanded the members of the church at Philippi to with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves.

Now when Paul uses the word regard here, this word refers to engaging in an intellectual process that takes careful consideration of something. And what they were to regard, what they were to give careful consideration to, was that one another as more important than yourselves. The idea of more important here is the idea that someone or something is of greater value of quality. Paul’s point here is that as followers of Jesus, we are to consider those around us more than we consider ourselves. As followers of Jesus we are to place the needs of others before our own needs. That is why Paul uses the phrase humility of mind immediately before his command.

You see, when Paul uses the word humility, this word does not mean that we think less of ourselves. Instead, humility means that we think of ourselves less.  The point behind the Apostle Paul’s command is that, as followers of Jesus, we are to live in such a way that places others before ourselves. Paul reinforces this reality in verse 4 by commanding the members of the church at Philippi to “do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others”. Paul is basically saying to the early followers of Jesus “Do not be so focused on your agenda and your own status. Do not pay careful attention to only what is going on in your life. Make sure that you are also paying attention to what is going on in the lives of those who are around you. Put others before yourself so that you can leverage your life in way that makes the lives of others better”.

And it is here that we see that Apostle Paul reveal for us the reality that our joy grows when we consider others more important than ourselves. A trait of gospel centered unity is that those in gospel centered community consider others moiré important than themselves and place others before themselves. And just as it was for the members of the church at Philippi, as followers of Jesus, we consider others more important than ourselves when we rid ourselves of selfish ambition or exaggerated self examination. We consider others more important than ourselves when we humbly consider others more important than ourselves. We consider others more important than ourselves when we think of ourselves less and think of others more. And we consider others more important than ourselves when we not only pay attention to our own needs, but pay attention to the needs of others.,

Now right about now, you might be thinking to yourself “Well Dave that’s a lot to ask. Doesn’t Paul realize what he is asking? And how can Paul justify asking so much from me?” If those questions are running through your mind, I just want to let you know that those are fair questions and objections to be asking. And fortunately for us, we see the Apostle Paul address those questions and objections in what he says next.

Tomorrow, we will  look at what the Apostle Paul had to say next…

The Joy That Advances Past Our Circumstances...

This week, we have been looking at a section of a letter that is recorded for us in the New Testament in the Bible called the book of Philippians, where we have discovered a timeless truth when it comes to finding joy in that our Joy is found in the advancement of the gospel and not our circumstances. So far, Paul has shared that he could talk about experiencing joy in the midst of his arrest and imprisonment because the Apostle Paul recognized that joy is a mind-set that produces a quality of life that recognized the eternal significance and impact that his circumstances were having when it came to the advancement of the gospel.

We looked on as Paul basically said “however the message of the gospel is proclaimed, regardless of whether the motives behind the proclaiming of the gospel are false and faulty or are upright and true, at the end of the day the gospel is being proclaimed. Regardless of the motives that drive the gospel being proclaimed, people are hearing about Jesus. And because people are hearing about Jesus, regardless of the motives behind them hearing about Jesus, they are still having the opportunity to come to experience forgiveness and a relationship with Jesus. And because of that reality, regardless of how their hearing about Jesus impacts my circumstances, I will rejoice in the reality that more and more people are hearing about Jesus”.

Paul found and experienced joy because Paul recognized the reality that joy was not the product of his circumstances. Instead Paul recognized that joy is a mind-set, an attitude of delight in life that took the long view and is not based, limited, or tied to external circumstances, but on people having the opportunity to experience eternity in the relationship with God that they were created for as a result of the advancement of the gospel in their lives.

Paul had a confident expectation for the future that he would not disgrace Jesus but would instead make much of Jesus regardless of how his circumstances turned out. Whether he ended up being released from his imprisonment, or executed at the end of his imprisonment, he wanted every moment of every day of his life to make much of Jesus.

And while Paul deeply desired to depart from the earth so that he could be in the presence of Jesus, free from the pressures and circumstances that he was facing while on earth as he engaged in the kingdom mission that he had been given by Jesus, he Paul recognized that to be released from his imprisonment so that he could remain engaged in the kingdom mission that he had been given by Jesus would be far more beneficial for the members of the church at Philippi.

And because of that reality, Paul let the members of the church at Philippi know that he was confidently convinced that he would be released from prison so that he could continue to engage in the kingdom mission that he had been given by Jesus. Today, will we see Paul conclude this section of this letter with a timeless command when it comes to joy and the advancement of the gospel in Philippians 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; 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. For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

Now Paul’s command here, if communicated in the language we use in our culture today, would have sounded something like this: “Make sure that you are living out your day to day life in a way that is worthy of what Jesus has done to rescue you from the selfishness and rebellion that separated you from God so that you could experience forgiveness and the relationship with God that you were created for”.

Paul’s point to followers of Jesus throughout history is that, as followers of Jesus, we are to live our day to day lives in response to all that Jesus has done for us in a way that makes much of Jesus and that reveals and reflects Jesus in our character and conduct to others. Paul then provides the reason for this command by explaining that, regardless of how his circumstances turn out, he would hear that the members of the church at Philippi were living lives that remained firmly committed to the message and teachings of Jesus. Regardless of how his circumstances turned out, Paul would hear that the members of the church at Philippi were living lives that were marked by unity in genuine and authentic community. And regardless of how his circumstances turned out, Paul would hear that the members of the church at Philippi were living lives that were not intimidated by those who opposed Jesus.

Paul then unpacked the evidence that the members of the church at Philippi’s refusal to be intimidated would produce for the world to see in the second half of verse 28. First, when Paul uses the phrase “which is a sign of destruction for them’ he is revealing for us the reality that by not being intimidated by their opponents, the members of the church at Philippi would provide evidence of the eternal separation from God that awaited their opponents as a result of rejecting the message of the gospel. Second, when Paul uses the phrase “but of salvation for you” he is reminding the members of the church at Philippi that by not being intimidated by their opponents, they were providing the evidence of their rescue from selfishness and rebellion as a result of placing their trust in the message of the gospel.

Paul then concluded this section of his letter by reinforcing three realities that have been granted to the members of the church at Philippi, and followers of Jesus throughout history.  Paul reinforced the reality that, as followers of Jesus, God has graciously granted us forgiveness as a result of believing, trusting, and following Jesus as Lord and Leader. Paul also reinforced the reality that, as followers of Jesus, God has graciously granted us the opportunity to suffer for Jesus as a result of believing, trusting, and following Jesus as Lord and Leader. That is Paul’s point in verse 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.” Paul reinforced this reality by explaining that, as followers of Jesus, God has graciously granted us the opportunity to struggle and fight against opposition in the same manner that Paul had. 

You see, Paul wanted followers of Jesus to clearly understand that following Jesus was not all flying pink elephants and lollypops. Instead, Paul wanted followers of Jesus to clearly understand that, as followers of Jesus, we will experience difficult circumstances. And Paul wanted followers of Jesus to clearly understand that our joy is found in the advancement of the gospel and not our circumstances.

Paul wanted followers of Jesus to clearly understand that joy is a mind-set, an attitude of delight in life that takes the long view and is not based, limited, or tied to external circumstances. Paul wanted followers of Jesus to clearly understand that it is our joy in the midst of our circumstances that provides the opportunity for the advancement of the gospel. Paul wanted followers of Jesus to clearly understand that our joy in the advancement of the gospel impacts our expectations for what the future holds. As followers of Jesus, our joy produces a confident expectation that we will not disgrace Jesus, but instead make much of Jesus, regardless of how our circumstances turned out.

And Paul wanted followers of Jesus to clearly understand that our joy in the advancement of the gospel results in us living in a way that is worthy of the gospel, regardless of our circumstances. Our joy in the gospel results in lives that remain firm in our convictions in a spirit of unity. Our joy in the gospel results in lives that remain firm as we struggled together in our belief in the reliability of the gospel. And our joy in the gospel results in lives that are not intimidated by the opposition.

You see when our joy is in the gospel and not our circumstances; we will not be intimidated by those who oppose Jesus in a way that provides the evidence of their eternal separation from God and our rescue from selfishness and rebellion through faith in Jesus. As followers of Jesus, we have been graciously granted by God not only forgiveness but the opportunity to suffer for Jesus and struggle with Jesus against those who oppose Jesus. And we live worthy of the gospel when we find our joy in the gospel and not in our circumstances.

So here is a question to consider: Where are you trying to find joy? Are you trying to find joy in your circumstances? Are you letting your circumstances determine your mind-set and attitude? If I have just described you, how is that working for you?

Because the timeless reality is that joy is not an emotion that is connected and tied to our circumstances. Instead, joy is a mind-set, an attitude of delight in life that takes the long view and is not based, limited, or tied to external circumstances. Joy is a quality of life that is focused on that which stands the test of time. And that is why joy is found in the advancement of the gospel and not our circumstances.

Our joy is found in the advancement of the gospel because the gospel advances past our circumstances and transcends time. And we can find joy in the midst of the difficult circumstances that we may be facing when we understand that God often works through our difficult circumstances in a way that provides us the opportunity to be the vehicle that He uses to reveal His Son Jesus and His message of rescue through the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel to those around us as we go through those difficult circumstances.

And when we find our joy in the advancement of the gospel, that joy will impact our expectations for what the future holds because we understand that it is Jesus who holds our future, regardless of our current circumstances...