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Good Thursday morning my dear “Walking with Jesus” friends;
This is our second day of the exciting new journey of walking through Paul’s letter to the Christians in Philippi. It is in our Bible as the book of Philippians. Yesterday we considered the opening 6 verses. The emotion and energy with which Paul writes this letter almost leaps off the page, can you see it?
Yesterday I began with the question, ‘what’s the difference between happiness and joy‘? Frequently through these four chapters we’ll be faced with asking WHY Paul seems so content, so full of rejoicing even though his circumstances are painful? That’s one of the big differences…‘happy’ is normally a product of circumstances; “joy” is a condition of the soul, regardless of circumstances. I’ve known many joyful people who have terminal illnesses, or are financially in poverty, or live a great distance from family. I’ve even known joyful people who are incarcerated or live with the tragic consequences of terrible accidents or war or even very bad choices.
Paul, writing from Roman house arrest, never having known the delight of marriage and family, bears on his body the scars of repeated beatings, stonings, even shipwreck…yet look at the deep joy with which he writes to his dear friends in Philippi: “It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the Gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 1:7,8) Now look closely with me. Paul is saying, ‘regardless of my circumstances, I love you deeply and we share together in the outrageous grace of God showered upon us. I love you with love of Jesus.” There is a very special bond, a deep connection of love among God’s people who understand the huge difference the GRACE of God has made in their lives, am I right?
Most of us have probably enjoyed the music of the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. If you’ve seen them in person or you know any of their stories, you know they all sing from a deep well of overwhelming thanks to Jesus for His GRACE, His kindness, His powerful love, poured out upon them in life transforming ways. Most of the choir are men and women delivered by Jesus from gangs, abusive families, drugs, alcohol, prostitution and so much more. When I hear their music I think of the water that gushed out of that rock in the desert which Moses struck, at God’s command, when 1 million people were dying of thirst. I was recently in the desert in Jordan… and it doesn’t take long my friends for the word “Thirsty” to take on new meaning when there’s sand in every direction as far as you can see!
That’s why I love how Paul wrote it to the Ephesians, remember…“In Him we have redemption through Christ’s blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He LAVISHED on us with all wisdom and understanding.’ (Ephes. 1:7,8) Lavished… oh that’s such a great word, and that’s what Paul is celebrating as he writes his Philippian friends who he knows are super grateful for the Grace of God lavished on them!
As Paul sat in a Roman prison, he writes that he’d give almost anything to be in Philippi with these dear friends whose lives have been radically transformed by Jesus. He prays for them often and thus he says “This is my prayer for you… that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ…” Now that’s the second time in 5 verses that Paul refers to ‘the day of Christ Jesus’. What do you suppose he’s talking about friends?
Do you remember when Jesus was ascending up from the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, in full view of His disciples, two angels appeared and said Jesus would return again. Christians then, and ever since, have been looking forward to that day. That’s what Paul was talking about. He wrote about it in his letter to the Christians in Thessalonica, remember we looked at that, 1 Thess. 4:13-18. In the twinkling of an eye, when no one is expecting it, Jesus will suddenly return to gather up His people! Wow… do you find yourself looking up into the sky from time to time and wondering… ‘today, Lord Jesus, could it be today’?
Did you also noticed Paul said he prayed that his Philippian friends would grow in their love, their knowledge and their depth of spiritual insight, so that they could discern what God’s best for them was, in any situation, and that they’d be pure and blameless. I wonder how high that ranks in our list of what kinds of people we’d like to be? Do you see Paul is challenging them to consider that their spiritual vitality will enable them, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to be very discerning, pure and blameless. Wow! What an ambition for life!
Finally, friends, look at vs. 12-18 as Paul describes his imprisonment and how he’s dealing with it. “I want you to know that what has happened to me has really served to advance the Gospel. It has become clear to all the palace guards that I am in chains for Christ. Because of my chains most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.”
My friends if you and I were to travel to Cuba, or many parts of Asia, or Muslim held parts of Africa and Central Asia, or drug cartel controlled parts of South and Central America… this is what we would hear, over and over. If we were able to visit with Christians in prisons and dungeons or even those soon to be martyred. They would tell us… “it’s worth it all, because Jesus is here with us in these chains and His name is becoming known here among those who persecute us.” How do I know… I’ve heard them myself, and read many of their stories.
Do you see, Paul again proclaims his life ambition, his life purpose… that which gives him joy, regardless of the circumstances of his life. He says: “The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.” (Phil. 1:18) Now friends, I’d like to ask you to think for a moment about how much time you may have left in life. 10 years, 25 years, 40 years? And when you and I come to the end of the journey, preparing to leave here and enter heaven, what will we say about what has been the most important thing in life?
For Paul from the day he met the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus, the most important thing was that Jesus Christ would become famous in every place Paul had the privilege of spending even a few days! I wonder if this little phrase, from a tiny book in the Old Testament, was never far from Paul’s mind…“LORD, I have heard of Your fame, I stand in awe of Your deeds, O LORD. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known and in Your wrath, remember mercy.” (Habbakuk 3:2)
O Lord Jesus, how can we thank you for your GRACE lavished out on us? How can we thank you for the gift of Your Word, which we have in several different translations in our language. How can we thank you for all you are doing in our lives. . . we praise You, and like Paul we’d love to see You famous here in the towns where we live, Jesus! Help us Jesus, be people who just ooooze the joy of Jesus as Paul did, regardless of our circumstances.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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