Sermon Series:

Philippians: Our Joy in the God Who Saves

Receipts in Support of Joy

The Epistle of Joy, Philippians, does not fail to provide us with “receipts,” evidences & reasons for our joy in the Lord. These pertain to His provision & care as our Shepherd and Father, along with countless graces we have in Christ, now and to the ages of the ages.

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You Do Well to Share

Paul’s contentment in the generous provision of God works together with his commendation of a faithful congregation remembering him practically. This prompts us to consider how our worship, witness, and joy may increase through charity.

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Content in Christ in All Circumstances

Paul learned to be content in all circumstances, in Christ, but that involved much hardship. God provided for him, most often through his own hard work or generous saints. Paul could do all things, but in context, these were hard things, God’s things, the specific assignments God had for Paul.

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Doing Beautiful Truth

There is no great blessing or benefit from merely thinking about great things. God commands us to practice them. This is God’s long-range strategy for changing His world … truth-changed people living out those truths boldly in sinful, lost, and broken societies, as happy warriors.

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Thinking, Then Doing

Paul clearly believes that orthodoxy produces orthopraxy; do you?! What we think (about) leads to a certain practice of life, yielding a blessing or worse to ourselves and those around us. So it is time for us to invest more into what we are telling ourselves than “listening to inner voices.” All for Jesus.

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Do Not Be Anxious, But…

Don’t be anxious; instead … stop, seek (the Lord), celebrate (with thanks), supplicate, shalom, share, and shield (against further attacks via worry).

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Famous, For Our Forbearance?!

Seeking fame for itself would be problematic, but God says Christians should be well-known for something … our gentleness or forbearance. Too often we are known instead for fighting, about big & little things. “The Lord is near” reminds us to take this charge seriously.

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Joy, To This World, Today?!

In a world-age like ours, with so many troubles, how can we find joy?! Chapters 1-3 of the epistle to the Philippians gave us many reasons to know that God is for us, then comes this clear command TO rejoice. We must. The joy of the Lord will come out of us too, as part of our public witness, a stark contrast to common despair.

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Harmony and the Gospel Cause

Euodia & Syntyche were in disharmony over some matter which could have destroyed a local church and more. Paul makes clear that all in that church were to help them restore peace. This is beautiful.

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Understanding Our Standing

What Paul writes to the saints in Phillipi could be truly taken as Jesus’ words to us: “Therefore, My brothers & sisters, whom I love and long for, My joy & crown, stand firm in Me, My beloved ones.”

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