Joy - Rejoicing Love - November 9, 2008
Sermon Notes for Philippians 4:1-9
Key Verse: Philippians 4:4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!
Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi was inspired by concern for their general welfare, rather than by any particular problem he felt compelled to address, as was the case with the church in Corinth or Galatia (see 1 Corinthians 4:14-5:13 or Galatians 1:6). Acts 16 records Paul’s and Silas’ visit to Philippi on Paul’s second missionary journey, where he started the church at Lydia’s home and where they baptized a Philippian jailer after they were imprisoned.
Paul writes this letter of thanks and encouragement from prison (probably in Rome), where he has received a gift from the church in Philippi. His letter is characterized by the repeated use of the word joy (Greek: charas) and rejoice (Greek: chairos). Paul uses one or the other forms of these words 14 times in his letter, three times the frequency of his used of these words in his other letters, with the exception of 2 Corinthians. In two of these uses in his letter to the Philippians (1:18 and 4:4, our key verse above), Paul repeats the word we translate as “rejoice” for emphasis.
Which might seem a bit strange, coming from a man in chains (1:7, 13, 14, and 17). Taken together with the context of Paul’s call to rejoice in Philippians 4:4 (his counsel to two members of the community to reconcile) and some of the other New Testament uses of the word “joy”, the experience of God’s word gets stranger still. Take Matthew 5:11-12, for instance, when Jesus blesses his followers who are insulted and persecuted because of Jesus—who calls them to “rejoice and be glad” not in spite of, but because of this persecution that links them to the prophets who came before them. Or James 1:2, which counsels Christ-followers to “consider it pure joy when we face trials of any kinds”. And for good measure, read 1 Peter 4:12-13, which counsels us not to be surprised at the inevitable fiery ordeal that comes to test us—we are instead to “rejoice inasmuch as [we] participate in the sufferings of Christ.”
To be sure, both of these last passages refer also to the “crown of life” or to the time when Christ’s “glory is revealed”, so we can assume the rejoicing has something to do with a delayed reward for those who are faithful to Jesus Christ in hard times. Jesus also tells those who are persecuted that “great is your reward in heaven”. But there is something else about these passages of joy and rejoicing that calls us to reevaluate the way we think about (and experience) joy. Even if we rejoice because of our hope in some future reward, the act of rejoicing in the midst of trials is something the Bible calls us to experience today—so that joy must be powerfully related to hope and faith in God.
Perhaps my favorite use of the word rejoice in all of the New Testament is in 1 Thessalonians 5:14-22 (this was the first letter—and indeed the first canonical book of the New Testament—written by Paul around AD 51, a generation after Jesus’ death and resurrection. In verses 16-18, Paul writes: “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” Read that again: always—without ceasing—in all circumstances. In Christ, our joy, like our prayer and thanksgiving, are never-ending.
Certainly Jesus and Paul would have been familiar with the prophets of the Hebrew Scriptures. Habakkuk wrote in 3:17-18: Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. This sense of joy in God’s sovereign will goes far beyond what we experience as happiness, which is entirely dependent on our circumstances. Joy looks deeper and perceives God in all things and in all circumstances.
Questions for Reflection
- As you reflect on this passage, how do you define joy? Why do you think Paul said it again in verse 4?
- Remember that we are examining each fruit of the Spirit in turn this worship series. What practices in your life will enable you to experience more joy in your life and rejoice in all things, particularly those things that threaten to take away your joy in the Lord?
- What do you think joy has to do with Paul’s encouragement to Euodia and Syntyche to “be of the same mind in the Lord” (see also Philippians 2:5-11).
- Nehemiah 8:10 reminds us that “the joy of the Lord is our strength”. How have you experienced that joy in worship today?
