Lesson 2

How A Church Can Bring Joy To Your Life

Philippians 1:3-8

If there is anything we need in our life, it is joy! Joy is missing from Christians. Christian homes are without joy. Churches are joyless. Men are mad and miserable. Women are weary and weeping. Teens are troubled and trapped. Grandparents are grouchy and growling. Even the pastors are perplexed and pained. If there is medicine we need, it is a big dose of joy.

The world is watching the church. They want to see if being a Christian makes a difference in one's endurance of life. They want to see if God's people have any joy. New Christians are wondering if their decision to leave their life of sin and vanity and begin a new life in Christ is going to produce joy.

If there is anything we need, it is joy! And, if there is anything God wants us to have, it is joy! "The fruit of the Spirit is … joy …" (Galatians 5:22). Jesus said, "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full" (John 15:11). "And these things write we unto you, that your joy might be full" ( I John 1:4). "Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice". God wants us to have joy.

That doesn't mean that the Christian life is easy. The truth is, life is never easy. The older you get, the more complex, complicated and hard life becomes. Christians face the same circumstances, the same people, the same pressures, the same problems that others face. In fact, sometimes the Christian life is harder than life without Christ. The struggle with the flesh, the temptations of Satan, the pressure the world is more against Christians than the world. When a person gets saved, it is like a canoe suddenly turning and attempting to go upstream. A new Christian suddenly meets new resistance that he or she hasn't known before.

But, I want you to know, that your joy is not dependent on your circumstances. Your happiness is not determined on your happenings. It is not circumstances that cause either joy or sorrow. It is your attitude toward those circumstances. It is not people who cause you joy or take away your joy. It is your attitude toward people. It ain't what happens to you , it's what you decide about what happens to you that will determine whether you have joy or not.

If anyone knew a difficult life, it was Paul. Paul's entire Christian life was marked by extreme distress. Yet Paul had great joy in his life. Today, we are going to see Paul's joy even though he is in prison. Our text is Philippians 1:3-8. In spite of his imprisonment, Paul had great joy. And one of the reasons for that joy was the church at Philippi. I said the church was s source, a resource of joy for Paul. I want you to see today how a church can bring joy to a person's life. Let me make it a little more personal. I want to show you how this church can be a source of joy to people's (even your) life.

In our text for today we discover 5 ways in which a church can give you to people's lives. Stated another way, there are 5 ways in which a church can bring joy to you. Consider it both way. We need to receive joy from the church. We the church need to give joy to people's lives.

I. The Joy Of Recollection, 1:3

"Every time I think of you, I thank God!"

What a great testimony for the Philippian church! I have nothing but good memories and fond recollections of you. Whenever I think of you, I just give thanks to god. This church was not a nuisance to his nerves, nor a burden on his back, but a good memory in his mind. Paul didn't way that about every church. In one letter he wrote, "I stand in doubt of you". "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from the gospel". To another church he said, "Ye are carnal; there are divisions among you". But this church was sweet memory. That's what a church ought to be! We ought to be able to thank God for every memory.

That doesn't mean that this church was perfect. It wasn't. Later in Philippians, Paul will address some of his concerns for the church. There is no such thing as a perfect church. If a perfect church ever called me to be the pastor, it would instantly stop being perfect. But in spite of its imperfections, Paul had good memories of this church. Perhaps he remembered how open Lydia and her household had been to receive him and the Lord whom he represented. Or maybe he remembered the power of god to deliver the demon-possessed girl. I'm sure Paul remembered how God had used his imprisonment in Philippi to bring about the salvation of the jailor and his household. Paul, no doubt, thought back to the offerings which this church had sent him (II Corinthinans 8:1-5; Philippians 4;15-17).

This is not only a testimony to the church but also to Paul. A key to joy in your Christian life, is to remember good things and good people. You show me someone with negative memories and I'll show you someone who is bitter, unforgiving, miserable and without joy. But you show me someone with positive memories and I will show you someone who is forgiving, Spirit-filled and joyful.

II. The Joy Of Intercession, 1:4

"With joy, I constantly petition God on your behalf." Paul prayed for people. (Romans 1:9; I Corinthians 1:4; Ephesians 1:16; 3:14; Colossians 1:3; 2:1; I Thessalonians 1:2; II Thessalonians 1:11; II Timothy 1:3; Philemon 4).

We constantly find Paul praying unselfishly and spiritually. He didn't pray, as one man, "God bless me and my wife, my son Jim and his wife; us 4 no more." He prayed for other people more than for himself. And his prayers were not for physical things but for spiritual things.

Every Christian should have a prayer list, not of things … but of people.

Praying for other people is a genuine source of joy. Joy comes from serving people, not things; from serving others not self. Joy comes from watching your prayers answered in other people's lives.

III. The Joy Of Participating, 1:5

"I am grateful for your partnership in the gospel from the day you got saved until now."

Paul speaks of fellowship 5 times in this epistle (2:1; 3:10; 4:14,15). What is true fellowship? Most Christians have a misconception about fellowship. We think of fellowship as sharing good times. ("I got together with Brother Charlie and we had good fellowship"). We think of fellowship only in terms of pot luck dinners. (We're having a church fellowship).

Paul speaks here of "fellowship in the gospel". He's not talking about getting together and having a good old time. He's not referring to chili dogs and chicken wings. No. What Paul means is that "you've participated in my ministry" ; "you have been involved in my work". True fellowship is teamwork for the cause of Christ. How did they help Paul? Through financial support (4:14,15). When we support a missionary, we are participating in his ministry; we are fellowshipping in the gospel. (Same goes for supporting me). They prayed for him. That is participating in ministry. They sent him a helper (2:25,30). Sometimes the best way to fellowship is to put some feet under our prayers and some hands behind our dollars. This is true fellowship.

Notice how faithful they were. From the day they got saved until now. No quitting; no stopping; no temporary let downs in service.

IV. The Joy Of Anticipation, 1:6

"I can assure you of this - He who began a good work in you will carry it on until completion, the day when Christ returns."

This verse is a strong statement of our security in Christ. The word perform means "finish; bring to completion." God will finish that which he began. The "good work which he that begun" is the sum of all that God is doing in us - redemption, sanctification, glorification. God is not like James brooks or icky Woods … He never fumbles (see Jude 24).

Not only does this verse give us assurance of our security in Christ, it also gives us hope that god is not finished working on us yet. I may not be all I should be. I may not be all I'd like to be. I may not be all I ought to be. But I'm not all I used to be. And, praise God, I'm not all I'm gonna be. He's still working on me. I'm an unfinished painting. Only the artist can see all that He intends me to be!

And the anticipation that what I am going to be. And the anticipation that what you are going to be. And the anticipation of what our church is going to be is a source of joy.

V. The Joy Of Affection, 1:7,8

"It is only right hat I would think this about you because you are always on my heart, since whether I am in prison or defending and proclaiming the gospel, you are partakers of grace with me. For God knows how much I yearn to see you with the deepest emotion and love of Christ."

These two verses indicate the depth of Paul's love for this church. It doesn't matter if I am in prison or out defending and proclaiming the gospel, we are partners in grace. You are a part of me. Nothing can separate us. I am always thinking about you ("have you in my heart"). I yearn to see you. the Jews identified the heart as the seat of thoughts and the bowels as the seat of emotions. I love you with the love of Christ.

Love is sometimes a source of pain. But love is also a tremendous source of joy. If you really love a church, that church can be a tremendous source of joy.

Amid all of Paul's difficulties, the Philippian church was a source of joy, bringing him fond memories, happy prayers, faithful help in ministry, optimistic anticipation and deep affection.

Two Questions:

First, Is that the kind of church we are building?

Second, Is that the kind of joy you receive from this church?