Our joy that comes from Jesus should result in us paying careful attention to how we live as followers of Jesus...

At the church where I serve, we have been 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. As we do so, 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 pick 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 who were a part of a church in Philippi, Greece that we will discover another timeless truth when it comes to finding joy. So let’s discover that timeless truth together, beginning in Philippians 3:17:

Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.

Paul begins this section of his letter to the members of the church at Philippi by commanding followers of Jesus throughout history to do two things. First, Paul commands followers of Jesus throughout history to join in following my example. Now, if Paul was giving this command in the language we use in our culture today, this command would have sounded something like this: “My fellow followers of Jesus, I am commanding you to join me as I strive to live a life that imitates Jesus. Imitate me as I imitate Jesus”.

Paul then provided followers of Jesus throughout history a second command. And that second command was to “observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.” Now when Paul uses the word observe here, this word literally means to pay careful attention to, to take notice of someone or something. And what followers of Jesus were to pay careful attention to so as to take notice of was those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. The word walk here refers to how one conducts one’s life.

In addition, when Paul uses the word pattern here, he is referring to the moral example that he and other spiritually mature followers of Jesus were setting and providing. With this command, Paul is basically saying “Make sure that you are paying careful attention so as to take notice of how those around you who are spiritually nature are living out their lives as followers of Jesus so that you can imitate the practices and patterns that characterize the life of a spiritually mature follower of Jesus.

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 that comes from Jesus should result in us paying careful attention to how we live as followers of Jesus. Just as it was for the Apostle Paul, just as it has been for followers of Jesus throughout history, our joy that comes from Jesus should result in us paying careful attention to how we live as followers of Jesus.

As followers of Jesus, we are to pay careful attention to how we live so as to take notice of the practices and patterns that characterize the life of a spiritually mature follower of Jesus so that we can imitate those practices and patterns in a way that results in us growing into a spiritual maturity that reveals and reflects Jesus to others. And in Philippians 3:17-4:3 we see the Apostle Paul reveal three different reasons why our joy that comes from Jesus should result in us paying careful attention to how we live as followers of Jesus. We see Paul reveal the first reason beginning in Philippians 3:18-19. Let’s look at that reason together:

 For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.

Here we see Paul provide a timeless reason why, as followers of Jesus, we are to take notice of the practices and patterns that characterize the life of a spiritually mature follower of Jesus so that we can imitate those practices and patterns in a way that results in us growing into a spiritual maturity that reveals and reflects Jesus to others. Paul states “For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ”. Paul’s point is that there are many people who conduct their lives in a way that is hostile towards the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel. There are many people who live out their day to day lives in opposition to the message and teachings of Jesus.

And this reality broke the Apostle Paul’s heart. When Paul uses the phrase, and now tell you weeping, this phrase in the language that this letter was originally written in, literally means I say with tears. And it is here that we see Paul reveal for us the timeless reason we should pay careful attention to how we live as followers of Jesus because there are many who are hostile to Jesus and the message of the gospel.  Paul then reveals several aspects of the lives of those who were hostile to and placed themselves in opposition to the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel that brought him to tears in verse 19. 

First, Paul explained that, for those who were hostile to and placed themselves in opposition to the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel, their end is destruction. What is interesting here is that world destruction here literally means annihilation. Paul’s point here is that their hostility to the message of the gospel will result in the annihilation of an eternal life with Jesus.

Second, Paul explained that, for those who were hostile to and placed themselves in opposition to the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel, their god was their appetite. But what does that mean. With his phrase, Paul is revealing for us the reality that those who are hostile to and place themselves in opposition to the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel were driven by a desire to satisfy their own rebellious appetites. In other words, those who are hostile to Jesus worship their own selfish desires instead of Jesus.

Third, Paul stated that, for those who were hostile to and placed themselves in opposition to the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel, their glory is their shame. Paul’s point here is that, in their hostility to the message of the gospel, they took pride in their disgraceful and shameful behavior as they rebelled against the message and teachings of Jesus. Those who were hostile to Jesus felt no shame over their shameful behavior.

Fourth, Paul explained that, for those who were hostile to and placed themselves in opposition to the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel, they set their mind on earthly things. When Paul refers to earthly things here, he is referring to the things of the earth that result in selfish personal gratification. With his phrase, Paul is revealing for us the reality that those who are hostile to and placed themselves in opposition to the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel were focused on their own personal selfish gratification.

Tomorrow, we will see Paul reveal for us a second reason why our joy that comes from Jesus should result in us paying careful attention to how we live as followers of Jesus…