This past Sunday, I started a month-long sermon series from Philippians entitled “Joy.” Why preach such a series? First, when you read the list of the fruit of the Spirit joy is listed #2 out of 9, right after love (which we know encompasses the greatest command on which all others hinge). With this, we do remember that it is the fruit of the Spirit and not the fruits. Maybe not exactly in the same proportion, but if we are in the Spirit all these traits will grow and manifest. Still, there’s something to say about joy’s placement.
Second, we live in a world where there is a lot of not-joy. Good grief. Watch the news, read a blog, check out a sports message board, listen to your coworkers…listen to your own heart. There is a lot of bitterness, anger, sadness, grumbling, complaining, one-upping, etc., but not a lot of joy. We as followers of Jesus are meant to shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation (Philippians 2:15). One of the ways we shine is through true joy as we move away from the not-joy.
Third, we tend to live for whatever we think will bring us the greatest happiness in life. Paul said, “For me to live is Christ” (1:21); but how do we answer that?
For me, to live is _____________________.
Even as Christians, our hearts fill in that blank with things such as family, power/fame, sports, happy memories of the past, money/possessions, pleasure, achievement, or the hope of retirement. None of these are bad in and of themselves, but they’re terrible things for which to live and find happiness. Families argue, children move out, grandkids grow up—the dynamic is always changing. You might be famous until your 15 minutes are up and someone more interesting comes along. Sports are fun and energizing, but teams lose and favorite players get traded or leave. We hope our past memories are happy rather than sad or painful, but we can’t relive them.
Each of these things can bring momentary satisfaction, but they’re fleeting. None of them will stand the test of time the way we desire. They will fail. They will fade. They will move on. And then what? What happens to our joy?
Fourth, personally: I’ve not always been the most joyful person. I have a natural sense of melancholy. If you ask me if the glass is half empty or full, I’m prone to want to dump it out and tell you there ain’t nothing left. Okay, so there is exaggeration in this, but it is easier for me to see the bad rather than the good. But, the more I grow, learn God’s word, and yearn to follow Jesus; the more I realize the need to see the good rather than the bad. So I strive more and more to fight for joy. And I have found that joy is more fun, by the way.
The way I define joy is: being happy through our forward-looking hope in Christ.
So, joy is a feeling not far removed from happiness and satisfaction, but not based in the things of this world. It’s not based on anything I have or have not done in my past. It’s not based on anything anyone else can do or promise, other than one person—the perfect God-man, Savior-King. It is based completely on Jesus, what he has achieved for us through the cross, and what this achievement promises in a glorious eternity. Therefore, this is a happiness and satisfaction that transcends the emotional rollercoaster of life. This is an underlying happiness that holds even when it is time to weep and mourn.
In the opening chapter of Philippians, we find a foundation for both this definition and how to apply it to life and be more joyful on a daily basis. That is: we have joy by looking forward to life beyond life.
In 1:18, Paul says he will rejoice and keep on rejoicing even when things are difficult. Paul, after all, is in prison on account of the gospel. Others are going around preaching Christ as well yet aren’t suffering the same fate. Some do this sincerely; and some are using it as a point of ego-stroking pride and rub it in Paul’s face: “Hey, we’re doing the same thing you did, and we’re free!” Chained and watching others do the work he desired to do, and some with the worst of motives—this could have been a time of great despair for Paul…
And yet, he says: “No. I’m going to rejoice. First of all because the guards that are watching over me are getting to hear and see the gospel, and how else would that happen? And second, because no matter the motive, people are going out and preaching the gospel and Jesus is using it to save people. I hope to soon be free, but as long as Jesus is still working to honor himself and save people, then I’m going to rejoice no matter my circumstances.” (The Mike Paraphrase)
Paul could be happy and content, even in the midst of miserable conditions, because he looked elsewhere. So he said: “My hope is to not be ashamed, but to honor Christ always in my body whether by life or by death. For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (1:20-21).
We see here that first to have joy by looking forward to life beyond life, we look to Jesus and we make it our goal to honor him in everything. This means that Jesus gets to set our priorities: in relationships, at work or school, in rest and play, whatever we need and want to do in a day, Jesus is Lord over all. The thread that runs through everything should be: honor Jesus; to live is Christ.
Then, second, we should desire to be with Jesus in eternity (1:21-23). Yes, to live is Christ, Paul says, but to die, well, that’s gain. I’ll admit these verses disturb me a bit. Paul seems almost giddy about death. Not that he’s depressed and in need of a counselor; not that he’s planning on doing anything to bring a premature end to his life. Paul is trusting that God is sovereign over life and death. He plans on living until God decides to end his time on earth. But, looking towards death, Paul says: “Bring it on.”
If I really think about why this disturbs me, I have to admit that it is mostly the fact that my faith is nowhere near as strong as Paul’s. Within my heart, I still tend to operate in a way that denies Hebrews 2:14-15. I have a fear of death, which in a world and life without Jesus would be a very appropriate fear.
But, Jesus destroyed death’s work, trumped Satan’s power in fear, and turned our greatest enemy not into a friend but a servant. Death now ushers us into the presence of Christ. That dark, painful enemy is now forced to lead us into the realization of our hope of life.
Paul is giddy because he knows there is something greater beyond this life. We’re not talking life after death; rather we’re talking life beyond life. It is a life of no more struggle, sin, temptation, pain, tears, or sorrow. It is a life of glory, perfection, pure pleasure, and unending happiness. As long as we’re breathing on this earth, we have a God-glorifying purpose. When death begrudgingly leads us into the presence of our Savior-King, things suddenly become infinitely and extraordinarily more gloriously better.
What a foundation for joy!
Then, third, rooted in all of this we find our joy leading us to and increasing in our task to serve others and help them progress in their joy and faith (1:24-27). Convinced of God’s sovereign purposes over life and death, as much as Paul longed to go and be with Jesus he knew that until his final breath he still had a purpose in this life: to help others grow and find joy in their faith.
And he tells us in 1:27, that we’re to strive side-by-side together for the same thing.
If we have truly tasted joy in Christ and the hope of eternity then it will propel us outwards. The hope of life beyond life is not some pie in the sky attitude where I get to sit back on my rear and listen to my favorite gospel songs until Jesus returns. If I have the joy and the hope of the Jesus who has saved me and is changing me, then why on earth would I want to keep that to myself?
I should want to help others to know Jesus, to find joy and satisfaction in him, and to long for him. I should want others to experience the same happiness through a forward-looking hope in Christ.
A joy experienced is a joy that longs to be shared.
“The joy of the Lord is my strength” is a phrase that I have never understood. I pray to understand it; I ponder it frequently. Joy just is not a word I can easily grasp, and therefore I have no clue as to how to pursue it.
I appreciate your bringing it to the forefront here, despite my idiocy in these matters. Good job.
Anonymous,
I was saddened to read that joy is an idea you can not easily grasp.
Joy is great elation. It is more than just being happy.
Many different things can bring joy to a person’s heart. Some of these are one’s children or grandchildren. Or one’s spouse. A person can find joy in a completion of a hard task or when finished constructing an intricately designed piece of furniture.
Joy in the Lord is to me when I am amazed by all He has done and is doing for me, an undeserving worm of a creature. It is a combination of a heart felt love for Him along with deep assurance of His love for me. That me, even ME has God Almighty on my side, for me, Him being my Rock and my Redeemer!
It is found in the confidence that He is working everything out for my good, and that He hears my prayers.
To have the joy of the Lord as your strength means that though the circumstances of life may cause you turbulence, that the winds of trouble may blow hard upon you, the waves of uncertainty might crash heavy against you, that you stand on the Rock and will not be greatly moved.
It means that you don’t derive your strength from your own will or power or intellect. Look at Job, how he lost so much, and yet his trust was in the Lord. Even when he stumbled in that trust, it was the Lord who upheld him, and eventually blessed him.
Nothing lasts except the grace of God. I know that I would surely fall away except for grace by which I stand. And that is because I know that I know that I know His love for me. And that despite my sins I find joy in the Lord.
I do not know if you know the Lord. But the only way to have the joy of the Lord to be your strength is to get to know Him, learn to trust Him, and experience the abundant life He gives.
May His joy find you,
mike
Thanks for the reply. Yes, I do know the Lord, and am active in ministry. I smile, laugh, encourage others in dark times. I am usually content with life, though my wife would argue that I border on excessive complacency more than simple contentment.
That said, my usual emotional response to most things is “Oh.” Joy as I understand it never really makes a sustained appearance. I’ve come to accept that just as not all people will be drip with patience or love, I’m destined never to have the same joy as others.
Even so, I’m still here, serving as best I can. One foot in front of the other and all that.
And sometimes, my friend, that is the best thing to do – just keep trudging.
But I pray that the joy of Jesus will fill you. You’ve contributed to joy in my life.
Anonymous: Hang in there. I too am someone who leans to the un-emotional side and for years I felt I was living a sub-standard Christian life because of it. But I am what God made me, and perhaps you and I are the balance for those Christians who operate purely on emotion. A well meaning church member once told me I’d be great (as a Christian, I guess) if I would just let myself go, as if I was holding my emotions at bay. It’s hard to convince people that all Christians aren’t all happy clappy weepy shouty people.
Mike, joy is a marvelous aspect of the Christian life! It appears to me that joy is the perspective that comes from Christ and our life with Him, sustained by Him. I have always found Ephesians 1 & 2 as the foundation for joy. Without Christ choosing me as His own there would be no joy.
As you explained in your post, it is….”In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”
Is there really anything better than that…. and this leads us to what we can do now, in that same joy….”For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” Walking in joy and into joy!
Are you kidding me…..”for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.”
If that doesn’t rev you up to understand joy, well then… you just haven’t lived.
“if that doesn’t rev you up to understand joy, well then…you just haven’t lived.”
Nice dismissal.
Thanks Mike. So true. Essential to joy in this life is our hope beyond the grave.
If our hope is in Christ in this life only… Then we are of all people most miserable/to be pitied. 1 Cor 15:19