Father God, I pray that you find us humble this morning, coming to your word.
Recognizing that you are a sovereign, all-powerful God, and that you spoke to us should be something special that we ought to pay very careful attention to.
And I pray, Father, that this morning's text, the truths contained therein, will be planted deep in our hearts and will grow into vines that bear fruit.
And I pray this in Christ's name. Amen.
So you may be asking yourself, I thought we were preaching through the book of Romans.
We are. We are still doing that.
Chapter three is where we are, the beginning of chapter three.
And I'll start next week, I promise, on chapter three.
But the beginning of chapter three in Romans wasn't really what was on my heart this week.
And I went to the doctor on Wednesday and received yet another prognosis of my condition.
Those of you who know me well know I deal with a number of health conditions.
I'm a type one diabetic.
I have hypothyroidism.
I'm in constant pain.
And we're not sure why just yet, although we may be getting to the bottom of it.
But my my autoimmune system, for some reason, is is turning on my body, primarily my glands, the endocrine system.
And one by one, things seem to be getting ticked off that list.
My pancreas, my thyroid gland are all being attacked by my autoimmune system.
And it sounds kind of cool to have like a like a cranked up autoimmune system.
I wish that also meant that I didn't get sick at all.
Unfortunately, it doesn't.
I'm just a mess pretty much all the time.
Very few moments of my day that I'm not in pain.
I have excruciating headaches most of the time.
Last night, I got very little sleep because my left leg just would not stop aching.
I don't know why.
No idea why.
On Wednesday, I found out that I have osteoporosis.
Isn't exciting.
I'm 31 years old.
I have osteoporosis in my hips.
I may secretly actually be an old woman.
I'm not sure yet.
I'll let you know if I figure it out.
But but so I'm osteoporotic in my hips.
It's not in a terribly advanced state.
So there could be some reversal of that.
But we also discovered that I have a growth hormone deficiency, which may be what's causing the pain in my body.
At my age, growth hormone is still important for healing and recovering.
It still exists.
But what it means is that my immune system is also attacking and killing my pituitary gland.
So another gland, again, is being attacked.
And so I'm sitting in the doctor's office and I'm I've gone from a bone density scan to an X-ray.
And the lady that was going to administer the X-ray said, why are you doing this?
And I said, I really don't know.
I'm not sure why this is being done.
And she said, you're way too young.
Let me go check and see what's going on.
And that caused the doctor, who's a good friend of mine, to actually come in and say, hey, we saw something in your lab results.
We're just checking into it.
But you do look like you have osteoporosis.
So I'm sitting waiting to hear after the X-rays were done, waiting to hear what was going on.
And I thought to myself, should something like this rob my joy?
Should a new prognosis, another thing to deal with, should it rob my joy?
And in my head, the resounding answer to that was, no, of course not.
It shouldn't rob my joy.
My joy is found in Christ.
Of course not.
But in my heart, I'm not sure I felt the same way.
So sitting there with nothing but my phone, I began to run through scriptures in my head, things that would be an encouragement to me in this time.
And my mind was taken to Matthew chapter five, where Jesus preaches what we know as the Sermon on the Mount.
And he begins in verse three, running through verse 12, these verses that we call the Beatitudes.
Beatitudes is Latin for happy or joyful or blissful.
Each of these verses starts with blessed, which means the same thing, full of joy.
And it's a joy that isn't affected by outside circumstance.
So let's see what he says.
What is it that makes these people joyful when speaking to Christians in light of all the things that he's talking about?
We're just going to run through them quick and we're going to move beyond to the book of Philippians.
But quickly, I want to show you in verse three, we have the poor in spirit or the person with no spiritual equity.
The person who realizes how broken they are in this world and have no spiritual value whatsoever.
What is the encouragement to them?
What is it that makes them joyful and is at the center of their joy that they own the kingdom of heaven?
The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
Verse four, those who mourn or are broken over their sin.
They have a promise that they'll be comforted one day.
Verse five, those who are meek, who have the power to act, but it's tempered by love to receive persecution and trouble in this world.
They're given a promise that they'll reign one day over the earth.
Verse six, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, who desire godliness and their lives someday that we set free from the captivity of sin.
Their fleshly bodies will cease to exist, will be liberated from the temptation of sin altogether.
Verse seven, the merciful, those who are willing to forgive the wrongs do them.
Shall be forgiven.
Verse eight.
The pure in heart, those with undivided hearts toward God will get to see him.
We'll get to experience him here.
We can't, but they will one day.
The peacemakers in verse nine, those who share the gospel, those who are about the business of making peace between God and man.
They'll be a part of God's family.
They will be called sons of God.
Verse 10.
Those who are persecuted, who suffer for righteousness sake.
Again, theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
And then in verse 11 and 12, when they are reviled and persecuted, when they are mocked, made fun of, seen as strangers and aliens in this world.
Their reward is great.
And here's where they find their happiness.
John Newton, who was an 18th century Anglican minister, famous for writing the song Amazing Grace, said this.
Suppose a man was going to New York to take possession of a large estate and his carriage should break down one mile before he got to the city, which obligated him to walk the rest of the way to the inheritance.
What a fool we should think him if we saw him wringing his hands and blubbering all the way the remaining while.
My carriage is broken.
What man who has to walk a mile to receive a great inheritance laments the thing that's broken behind him?
And so my question for myself this week and my question for you this morning is, do we lament our broken carriage?
My potty is a broken carriage.
Or do we look to the reward and what's beyond?
Turn to the book of Philippians with me, please.
Paul's letter to the church of Philippi was written from a Roman prison.
It's not something I've experienced.
Certainly, Paul is being persecuted for his faith.
And I want to show you quickly that joy is crucially thematic in Paul's letter to the Philippians as he works to encourage them to continue in and contend for their faith.
So look with me quickly.
I just want to show you the theme, the language that exists throughout.
Chapter 1, verse 18.
Two times.
What do we see?
The word rejoice.
Christ is proclaimed in that I rejoice.
Yes, and I will rejoice.
Chapter 1, verse 25.
He speaks of joy in the faith.
Chapter 2, verse 2.
He talks about his joy.
Chapter 2, verse 28.
Twice, I believe again.
No, once in 28, once in 29.
In 28, that you may rejoice.
And in 29, with all joy.
3-1.
Finally, my brothers rejoice in the Lord.
4-1.
Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and my crown.
4-4.
It appears twice.
Rejoice in the Lord always.
Again, I will say, rejoice.
And in 4-10, he says, I rejoiced in the Lord greatly.
I would encourage you as you see words repeat throughout a book that you underline them and see what the writer is trying to say through that.
So this joy is a crucial thematic element in showing them that in order for them to contend for and continue in their faith, joy is a necessary motivation for that.
So joy in Christ fuels Christ-likeness.
Joy in Christ fuels Christ-likeness.
I'm going to show you three ways that it does so.
But first, let's look at Philippians 1-21.
I think that this is the thesis statement of his letter.
Verse 121.
He says, for to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
What does he mean by that?
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
For me, to live here on this earth, to be here in the body, in my flesh, is to experience and know and savor Christ Jesus.
To die is better yet because I get to go be with him.
That's what Paul's communicating to us.
Because of the surpassing knowledge of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord, I'll remain on.
I love living because I live for Christ.
You can feel his joy in that statement.
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
C.S. Lewis wrote in The Weight of Glory,
We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered to us.
Like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea.
We are far too easily pleased.
As Christians, as we live in our flesh, we are far too easily pleased.
We trade lesser things for the greater thing that is Christ Jesus, our Lord.
So joy in Christ fuels Christ-likeness in three ways.
Number one, by empowering the Christian to resist sin.
Fuels Christ-like living by empowering the Christian to resist sin.
Look at chapter 2.
We're going to read verses 1 through 15 together.
Verse 1.
So, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,
complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
Now, you see him saying in verse 2, complete my joy.
Further up in verse 25, he's talked about staying on for the Philippians for their progress and joy in the faith.
So, here's where we've been and where we're moving now.
So, if there's any encouragement in Christ, any love, any joy in him,
verse 3,
do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
Let each of you look not only to his own interest, but also to the interest of others.
Have this mind among yourself, which is yours, in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.
Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
so that the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven or earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Amen.
Verse 12.
Therefore, so in light of all of this,
your joy in Christ and what he's accomplished on your behalf,
therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed,
so now, not only as in my presence, but much more in my absence,
work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
For it is God who works in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Do all things without grumbling or questioning,
that you may be blameless and innocent children of God
without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation,
among whom you shine as light in the world.
And what fuels all that?
What do we go back to in all that?
It's our joy in Christ.
It's that we treasure him above all else.
He makes everything dim as a result of his great brightness in our life.
Matthew Henry, who was a Presbyterian minister in the 17th and 18th centuries
and wrote a commentary on the entire Bible, which is quite useful,
once said,
The joy of the Lord will arm us against the assaults of our spiritual enemies
and put our mouths out of taste for those pleasures
with which the tempter baits his hooks.
We'll put our mouths out of pleasure
for those tastes with which the tempter baits his hooks.
If you love Christ, you won't love this world.
If you love him in the measure you should,
in light of the gospel of grace,
you won't love the things of this world
and they'll become tasteless to you.
It'll be easy to resist sin
because of your great pursuit of Christ.
Number two.
Empowers us to live Christ-like lives
by enabling the Christian to bear up under suffering.
Philippians chapter 4
verses 11 and 12
through 13.
I have learned in whatever situation I am
to be content.
I know how to be brought low
and I know how to abound
in any and every circumstance.
I have learned the secret of facing plenty
and hunger,
abundance and need.
I can do all things through him
who strengthens me.
I can do all things through him
who strengthens me.
And he gives us a clue what he's talking about
earlier in the chapter,
verse 4.
He says,
Rejoice in the Lord always.
Again,
I will say rejoice.
Let your reasonableness
be known to everyone.
The Lord is at hand.
Do not be anxious about anything,
but in everything,
by prayer and supplication,
with thanksgiving,
let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God,
which surpasses all understanding,
will guard your hearts
and your minds
in Christ Jesus.
So what is his key
to learning
in whatever situation
to be content?
It's the joy he finds in Christ.
It's casting his anxieties
and his worries
at the feet of Christ
and living a rejoiceful life
as a result of him.
Jeremiah Burroughs,
I keep telling you who these people are
because I just want you to see
that I'm not the only one
saying such things.
Jeremiah Burroughs
was a Puritan pastor,
wrote a great little book,
cool read,
called The Rare Jewel
of Christian Contentment.
I would commend it to you.
He said this.
Many men think
that when they are troubled
and have not got contentment,
it is because they have
but a little in the world
and that if they had more,
then they should be content.
That is just as if a man
were hungry
and to satisfy
his craving stomach,
he should gape
and hold open his mouth
to take in the wind
and then should think
that the reason why
he is not satisfied
is because he has not
got enough
of the wind.
So a man is hungry
and to feed himself,
he gapes open his mouth
and takes in the wind
and then says,
man,
I'm still not full.
I need more wind.
No.
The reason is because
the thing is not suitable
to a craving stomach.
Yet there is really
the same madness
in the world
and in the church.
The wind
which a man
takes in by gaping
will as soon satisfy
a craving stomach
ready to starve
as all the comforts
in the world
can satisfy a soul
who knows
what true happiness
means.
As Christians,
we've experienced
the joy of Christ.
If you haven't,
you should doubt
your salvation.
We know
what satisfies.
Why do we run around
looking for things
that don't?
Why do we look
to our circumstances,
our health,
our loved ones
for that which
cannot satisfy?
Only Christ
can satisfy
a soul
that's alive
to him.
A great example
of that is found
in Hebrews
chapter 11
verse 24
through 26.
It's a little commentary
on Moses
by the writer
of Hebrews.
He writes,
by faith,
Moses,
when he was grown up,
refused to be called
the son of Pharaoh's
daughter,
choosing rather
to be mistreated
with the people of God
than to enjoy
the fleeting pleasures
of sin.
He considered
the reproach
of Christ
greater wealth
than the treasures
of Egypt,
for he was looking
to the reward.
Christ Jesus himself
is the treasure
at the end.
He is
the reward.
And Moses,
the commentator,
says,
knew this.
The reproach
of Christ
was greater
than the treasures
of Egypt.
That's why
he was able
to be mistreated
with the people
of Israel.
It's phenomenal.
Number three,
by encouraging
the Christian
to live radically.
joy encourages
the Christian
to live radically
in two ways.
In service
and in evangelism.
In service.
Philippians 3.8.
Paul says,
after he's given
this pedigree
of who he is
as a religious
person,
and he's counted
that as loss,
in verse 8 he says,
Indeed,
I count everything
as loss
because of the
surpassing worth
of knowing
Christ Jesus my Lord.
For his sake,
I have suffered
the loss
of all things
and count them
as rubbish
in order that I
may gain Christ.
Jesus put it this way
in Luke chapter 12.
Sell your possessions
and give to the needy.
Provide yourselves
with money bags
that do not grow old,
with a treasure in heaven
that does not fail,
where no thief approaches
and no moth destroys.
For where your treasure is,
there your heart
will be also.
Jesus puts it
plainly to us.
Don't work
for the approval
of men here
to gain for yourself
in the now
because eternity
is so much more important.
Store it for yourself.
Treasures
there.
What will that treasure
look like for us?
Will my mansion
be bigger than someone else's
because I'm a preacher
of the word?
Not at all.
Faithful Christian living
gives to us
the ability
to praise
our Savior.
Christ himself
is the treasure.
And those things
that we have done
in this life
will be judged
and will then be given
as Clay says,
ticker tape.
As I say,
confetti.
We'll be given something
to cast at the feet
of Christ
to praise him
for the great work
that he accomplished
in and through us
in this world.
That's what heaven's
going to be all about,
everybody.
It's going to be
loving Christ.
We should be about it
now.
If we have the mind
of Christ,
Jeremiah 9, 24
says this,
I am the Lord
who practices
steadfast love,
justice,
and righteousness
in the earth.
For in these things
I delight,
declares the Lord.
Christ himself
is happy.
He is joyful
in these acts
of mercy.
He finds joy
in loving
his creation.
And if we're to have
the mind of Christ
and be on board
with his mission,
we should be about
the same.
It also encourages us
to deliver radically
in evangelism.
So here we see
Paul
in a Roman prison
able to receive
visitors,
sharing his faith
with everyone
he has opportunity.
I'm sure the Roman
guards either became
Christians
or were very annoyed.
Philippians 1, 18
Paul says,
what then?
Only that in every way.
He's talking about
some men sharing
the gospel
for their own gain.
Some doing it
out of pure motive.
Some doing it
for their own gain.
He says,
only that in every way,
whether in pretense
or in truth,
Christ is proclaimed.
And in that
I rejoice.
Paul was joyful.
He was happy
in the good news
of Jesus Christ
being shared.
if Christ
is our treasure,
the thing we value
more than anything else
in this world,
we'll talk about him.
Am I right?
No amount
of teasing
or persecution,
awkwardness
will prevent us
from doing so.
If we're not
actively involved
in sharing our faith
on a constant basis,
it is a
indictment
on what we value.
If you don't
constantly talk
about your Savior,
you don't love him
like you ought.
J. Campbell White,
who was leader
of the layman's
missionary movement,
which was started
at the first part
of the 20th century,
said,
most men
are not satisfied
with the permanent
output of their lives.
Nothing can wholly
satisfy the life
of Christ
within his followers
except the adoption
of Christ's purpose
toward the world
he came to redeem.
Fame,
pleasure,
and riches
are but husks
and ashes
in contrast
with the boundless
and abiding joy
of working with God
for the fulfillment
of his eternal plans.
The men
who are putting
everything
into Christ's undertaking
are getting out of life
its sweetest
and most priceless
rewards.
Joy, then,
or joy found
in Christ
empowers
enables
and encourages
us
to be worthy
of that name
Christian,
to be
Christ-like.
Isn't it freeing
to know
that our motivation
doesn't have to be
abject stoicism,
that our motivation
gets to be joy.
We get to seek
our greatest
happiness.
We are promised
by Christ's
persecution
in this world.
We are promised
that it will be
difficult.
Christians
ought to be
the most
troubled
by the world's
terms,
but the most
joyful
in the kingdom
of God.
That's what
makes us
strange.
That's what
makes people
look at Christians
and say,
I don't get it.
I do not
understand.
What is this
hope that
they have?
Peter instructs
us to be
prepared to
give an
answer to
that,
right?
If people
don't ask
you what
is the
hope you
have,
why is it
that you
can bear
up under
such things?
Chances are
you're not
bearing up
under such
things.
Blaise Pascal
was a 17th
century French
mathematician.
Wes shared
this with me
I think a
couple of
weeks ago.
I had this
on my phone
so it was
an encouragement
to me in the
doctor's office.
They found
eight years
after his
death,
sewn in,
pinned into
the inside
of his
jacket that
he wore,
the account
of his
conversion.
I want to
read it to
you.
I hope it
kind of
reignites
a passion
for Christ
in your
heart.
He wrote,
Year of
Grace,
1654,
Monday,
23 November,
Feast of
Saint
Come Lent.
From about
half past
ten at
night to
about half
an hour
after midnight,
fire.
God of
Abraham,
God of
Isaac,
God of
Jacob,
not a
philosopher,
some
scholars,
certitude,
heartfelt joy,
peace,
God of
Jesus Christ,
God of
Jesus Christ,
my God
and your
God,
joy,
tears of
joy,
Jesus Christ,
may I never
be separated
from him.
Let's pray.
God of
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