Stealing Joy
In 1975 Pete travelled to the Dominican Republic, the first stop on a tour of Latin America to play baseball for a Christian exhibition team. He had never before seen a third world country. During this trip, Pete was afflicted with a painful stomach flu. Despite the tribulations, their team had a great trip. During this trip Pete was able to study the book of Philippians. God inspired him to write an outline of the book of Philippians.
Philippians is a letter of insightful and uplifting spiritual encouragement about the Joy of the Lord. According to Warren Wiersbe, in each of the four chapters of Philippians there is a thief that will steal your joy. Each chapter also has a solution to keep these thieves at bay.
The background history for Philippians is in Acts 16. Paul on his missionary journey with Silas was looking for opportunities to speak about the good news of the gospel of Christ. He found a group of women who were meeting “down by the riverside” to pray. There he met Lydia, a seller of purple who was a leader in her community. She and her household were converted to the Lord and baptized. She offered to host Paul and Silas at her house while they were in Philipppi.
Paul cast out a devil from a slave girl who told fortunes for her masters. When they realized that the source of their wealth was gone, they stirred up the crowd in the marketplace and started a riot against Paul and Silas. The magistrates arrested Paul and Silas and put them in jail for causing an uprising. While in prison, they were beaten but that night they sang praises to God. A miraculous earthquake opened the doors of the prison. The jailer was about to kill himself for allowing the prisoners to escape but Paul and Silas called out: “Do yourself no harm. We’re all here.” They witnessed to the jailer about the gospel of Christ. The jailer and his whole household were converted and came to the Lord.
The city officials released Paul and Silas and told them to leave Philippi. Paul advised them that he was a Roman citizen and that he had been unjustly accused and imprisoned. Paul exercised his right as a Roman to appeal to Cesar since he had been unjustly imprisoned in Philippi which was a Roman colony. Paul wrote this epistle to the believers at the church in Philippi from Rome while he was being held captive before his appeal to Cesar.
The epistle of Philippians is an epistle of joy. After his salutation, Paul begins this letter in chapter 1 verses 3-7:
3. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
4. Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
5. For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
6. Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
7. Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.”
Fellowship means that which we “partake” in common within the body of Christ. This begins with God’s gift of grace: His Holy Spirit which is Christ in us the hope of glory. Paul said that his joy is that we participate in the fellowship of the gospel. Our collective faith is in salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
The first thief that will steal your joy in Philippians is circumstances and situations. Paul said, in verse 12, “But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;”
Paul said that whether in pain or comfort or in life or death, my joy is in the the gospel of Christ. The antidote to the circumstances of this world is to our focus on our mission: our participation in the good news of the gospel message of Jesus Christ. The defense and the confirmation of the gospel is in verse 2. The participation in the fellowship of the gospel is in verse 5. The furtherance of the gospel is in verse 12.
During these times of worldwide pandemic where everyone is facing the effects of social distancing and sheltering in place, we can still experience the joy of the fellowship of the gospel of Christ.
Paul is singularly focused on the Gospel of Christ. He said, for me to live is Christ and to die is gain. In Philippians 1:22-26 Paul continues:
22. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot (know) not.
23. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
24. Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.
25. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;
26. That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.”
Life is a dress rehearsal for eternity. Paul continuing in verse 27 said that my desire is that you live your life worthy of the gospel of Christ:
27. Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
28. And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
Upon salvation we’re given by God’s grace a new life in Christ. He is the one who is worthy of praise. Despite our circumstances and situations, our circumstances are working out for the furtherance of the gospel.
The antidote to circumstances is the focus on the gospel of Christ. When we “turn the other cheek” that’s walking in a manner worthy of the gospel. Jesus said, blessed are they when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake, for great is your reward in heaven.
Compared to his grace and mercy, every circumstance and the pain of tribulations are insignificant. Problems are inversely proportional to the power to overcome the problems. The question is, how great is your God?
When we focus on the joy of the Lord, the problems of this world fade to insignificance. Sam Parsons learned this lesson while he was ministering in nursing homes by singing to the elderly residents. He met an old lady from Japan who was paralyzed. Her face lit up when he came into her room. He asked her, “How do you remain so cheerful in your condition?” She couldn’t speak so she held a chopstick between her lips to point to the letters on a board. She spelled out the reference to a Bible verse: 1 Corinthians 1:9. This verse says, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” Sam was so inspired that he wrote a song called “The Best is Yet to Come.”
The Apostle Paul was in a dire situation but he did not focus on his circumstances. Instead he focused on the gospel, the good news of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Through the trials and pressures of this world, we will come to an understanding of hope and the love of God. For triulation worketh patience and patience experience, and experience hope. And hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us.
Jesus said, These things I have spoken to you that ye might have peace. In this world you will have tribulation. But be of good cheer for I have overcome the world.
Therefore Philippians 4 says “Rejoice in the Lord alway, and again I say rejoice!”
That we may live to the praise of the glory of His grace.
Your brother in Christ,
Michael
