Philippians - Where's the Joy?

Today we begin a series of studies focusing on the joy letter of the Bible, Paul's letter to the Philippians. There are so many ways you can study this marvelous letter. It was a personal letter written to thank the Philippian Church for the offering that they had sent to help to support Paul while he was a prisoner in Rome. It was also a pastoral letter because Paul had founded the church about 10 years before he wrote this letter. And the church was going through some difficulty. There was division, there was dissension in the church, and Paul wanted as a pastor to encourage them in their spiritual unity.

There's also a very practical purpose behind the letter. It focuses on the joy of ministry. Oh, there are so many beautiful truths in this letter to encourage us in our ministry. Ministry takes place when divine resources meet human needs through loving channels to the glory of God.

Philippians 1:1-2. Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ. To all the saints in Christ Jesus, who are at Philippi, with the bishops, the overseers and deacons, grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Rather interesting that Paul does not introduce himself as an apostle. Sometimes in his letters, he'll write Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ, the servant of God. But this letter opens Paul and Timothy, the servants, the slaves of Jesus Christ. In other words, one of the emphases in this letter is on service, it's on ministry. And you know, I think what he's saying to me in Philippians is this, we ought to have a joyful ministry.

My preacher friend, is your ministry a joy or a job? My missionary friend, is your ministry a blessing or a burden? Sunday school teacher, trustee, deacon, elder, whatever your ministry may be in the local church, and I trust that you have one, is that ministry a source of joy to you? So many times we meet pastors and missionaries, Sunday school teachers who are just greatly discouraged. They've lost the joy of their ministry. And you know, the joy of the Lord is our strength. Is it any wonder that we find people fainting and faltering and falling when they've lost the joy of their ministry?

Back in the year 1877, the well-known preacher Phillips Brooks began to give the Yale lectures on preaching. And this is what he said, quote, I cannot help but bearing witness to the joy of the life which you anticipate. He was speaking of course to ministerial students. Its delight never grows old, its interest never wanes, its stimulus is never exhausted. Let us rejoice with one another that in a world where there are a great many good and happy things for men to do, God has given us the best and the happiest and made us preachers of his truth. Well, not every preacher agrees with that. Right now some preacher is saying, Brother Wiersbe, you don't know what I'm going through.

Well, Charles Spurgeon had this to say in his book and all around ministry. Preaching ought to be a joy. Constant preaching should be constant enjoyment. Robert Murray M'Shane, that saintly Presbyterian, wrote these words. If ministers only saw the preciousness of Christ, they would not be able to refrain from clapping their hands with joy and exclaiming, I am a minister of Christ. I am a minister of Christ. I can truly say that I desire no other honor upon earth than to be allowed to preach the everlasting gospel. Well, the joy of ministry. Now, when you read the letter to the Philippians, you discover that there are four sources of joy in the ministry. And they parallel the four chapters in Philippians. Now, let me give you an overview of Philippians, and then we'll take each chapter a section at a time.

Now, we're not going to go into this book in great depth. Oh, we could do this, we could spend months and months and months studying Philippians. What I want to do during these days is simply give you an overview of Philippians to help to stir up within you the joy of ministry. I don't want you to falter or faint. I don't want you to fall or fail. I'm asking the Lord Jesus Christ by his spirit to use the word to kindle in your heart once again the joy of ministry. I know you get tired, we get tired in the Lord's work, we'd better not get tired of the Lord's work. I know there is opposition, there are demands, there are problems, physical and emotional and spiritual and financial. But my friend, you're going to discover that in Philippians, God opens up to you all of the sources of joy in the ministry.

Chapter one, the first source of joy in our ministry, the message of our ministry. Now, what is our message? The gospel. The gospel. You'll notice in Philippians 1:5, he's thankful for your fellowship in the gospel. Down in Philippians 1:12, he talks about the furtherance of the gospel. Over in Philippians 1:27, he says striving together for the faith of the gospel. The gospel is the important thing to the Apostle Paul. And the faith of the gospel, the furtherance of the gospel, the fellowship of the gospel. The gospel is important to the Apostle Paul, it's important to you and me, because apart from the gospel, we simply have no message.

The word gospel is used nine times in Philippians, six times here in chapter one. Now, this gospel is the message of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is mentioned 18 times in this first chapter. And so when you put it all together, you find out Paul is saying this, if you want to have joy in your ministry, don't talk about yourself, don't preach yourself, tie everything to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Now, what is the gospel? The good news that Christ died for our sins. That he was buried, that he arose again the third day. All of this is validated by the scriptures. The gospel is the good news that you don't have to stay the way you are. Now, if you had one message to give to the whole world, what would that message be? An economic message, an ecological message, how would you help the whole world with one message? That one message is the gospel. And you and I have the joyful privilege of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Paul points out in chapter one that the gospel relates to three different groups of people. In Philippians 1:3-11, he talks about the fellowship of the gospel relating to God's people. We as God's people must never neglect the gospel. Now, we have not rejected the gospel or we wouldn't be saved, but we must never neglect the gospel. So in Philippians 1:3-11, he talks about the fellowship of the gospel and he relates it to God's people. Then in Philippians 1:12-26, he talks about the furtherance of the gospel and he relates it to the lost. You and I have the joy of sharing this message with lost sinners that they might trust Jesus Christ and be saved.

Now, it's a wonderful thing to have that kind of a message, to preach Jesus Christ. You say, well, I'm only an usher in our church. Don't ever say only an usher. Because you are the first people to give visitors a good welcome to the house of God. The first impression that they get of the church comes from the usher. And you have the joy of preparing the way for unsaved people to receive the gospel. You sing in the choir, you teach a Sunday school class. You're a visitation worker, whatever your task may be. Remember this, we relate the gospel to the lost, the furtherance of the gospel.

Then in Philippians 1:27-30, he talks about the faith of the gospel as it relates to our adversaries, Philippians 1:28, in nothing be terrified by your adversaries. Now, here are three different circles of influence, and you and I have the joy of sharing the message of the gospel to the inner circle of the saints, the fellowship of the gospel, to that wider circle of the lost, the furtherance of the gospel, and even to our adversaries, those who try to oppose us. Chapter one, our first source of joy, the message of our ministry, the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Now in chapter two, he gives us the second source of our joy, that's the model for our ministry. And who is the model for our ministry? The Lord Jesus Christ. When you read the first four verses, you find Paul hinting to them that they need to get together in the church. There there's division, they aren't like-minded, they are not of one accord, there's strife, there's vain glory, somebody's trying to be important and be boss. You know, sometimes the church is divided because of a pastor who's dictatorial or perhaps a board or a deacon or a church member who has to have his own way, her own way. But in chapter two, Paul says, if you want joy in your ministry, let Jesus Christ be the model for your ministry.

Now, he gives us three conditions that we must meet if we're going to follow the example of Jesus Christ. Philippians 2:1-11, we must submit to the person above us, even as Jesus submitted and became a servant. Philippians 2:12-16, we must surrender to the power within us. It's God who works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Submit to the person above you, surrender to the power within you, and then Philippians 2:17-30, serve the people around you.

Now, those three conditions are difficult to meet, but they're so simple to understand. You say, I want joy in my ministry, then follow the example of Jesus Christ. What did he do? He submitted to the person above him. He did the Father's will. He surrendered to the power within him, the Holy Spirit of God. And he served the people around him, and he did it in such a beautiful loving way.

The problem is today we have too many celebrities and not enough servants. There are too many pastors and other church people who want to be important, they want to be leaders, but they don't want to be servants. Oh, what we need today are servants who lead and leaders who serve. The message of our ministry, chapter one, that gives us joy. The model for our ministry, chapter two, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Chapter three now, the motives for our ministry. Oh, this is a marvelous thing. Why are you ministering? Why do you study and preach? Why do you visit? Why do you take care of people? Why are you ministering? Well, Paul gives us in chapter three, three very wonderful motives for our ministry and they'll bring joy.

Philippians 3:1-11, his righteousness, becoming like the Lord Jesus. Philippians 3:12-13, his reward, gaining that reward that he has for us, the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. And then Philippians 3:17-21, his return, looking for Jesus to come again.

Are you discouraged in your ministry today? Then what are your motives? Is your motive to become like the Lord Jesus, his righteousness? That's Philippians 3:1-11. Is your motive his reward or the praise of men? Philippians 3:12-16. Are you looking for his return? Philippians 3:17-21. Now, these motives will give you joy in your ministry. You have any other motives and you're going to be discouraged, downhearted and defeated.

Now we go to chapter four, because I can hear somebody saying, Well, brother Wiersbe, that's all very wonderful. You talk about the message of our ministry and the model for our ministry and the motives for our ministry. But we have financial problems. We have people problems. We've got difficulties in our church that relate to nitty-gritty things like heating systems and roofs and and being able to support missionaries. Well, that takes us to chapter four, the joy of the means of our ministry. God takes care of the means for our ministry. Now, what are these means?

Well, Philippians 4:1-3, God's people. God's people are a marvelous means for ministry. Oh, I know, they can create problems, but they can also help to solve problems. God's people helping you. Now, look at the people of God through the heart of love that Jesus had. In Philippians 4:1-3, Paul talks about his fellow workers who were dearly beloved, his joy and his crown. Is that your attitude toward people? Resource number one, the means for our ministry, people.

And then Philippians 4:4-9, God's peace. Oh, you need God's peace within you. The problems are not outside of you, my friend, the problems are inside of you. The heart of every problem is the problem in the heart.

So we have God's people beside you, Philippians 4:1-3. God's peace within you, Philippians 4:4-9. God's providence around you, Philippians 4:10. And then Philippians 4:14-18, God in his providence is at work around you. God is caring for you. And then there's God's power within you, Philippians 4:11-13. And there's God's promise before you, Philippians 4:19. My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

I want to repeat that now. You're discouraged today and you just don't know where the next check is going to come from to pay the bills. You don't know where the next Sunday school teacher is going to come from, you're wondering why the choir is falling apart. Well, let's look at these these marvelous provisions now, God's people beside you, Philippians 4:1-3. God's peace within you, Philippians 4:4-9. God's providence around you, Philippians 4:10 and Philippians 4:14-18. God's power within you, Philippians 4:11-13. And then God's promise before you, Philippians 4:19.

You see, God has all of the means necessary to provide everything for your ministry. All you've got to do is find out what he wants you to do. Remember now, you begin with the message. If you're preaching the message, he'll provide the means. If you're following the model, the Lord Jesus, he'll provide the means. If you have the right motives, he'll provide the means. But if our motives are not right, God will not provide. I want you to have joy in your ministry. I don't want you to be discouraged. God doesn't want you to be discouraged.

Perhaps you've read in the Peanuts comic strip where Linus says that one day he wants to become a great doctor. But Lucy says, you can't be a doctor, you don't love mankind. To which Linus replied, I do love mankind, it's people I can't stand. And sometimes the people of God are difficult to get along with. And yet here's the Apostle Paul, in Philippians 1:3-11, explaining to us the ties that bind us together.

Now, what are they? I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all, making request with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now. Being confident of this very thing, that he who hath begun a good work in you will perform it, complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

he first tie that was binding the hearts of the Philippians to the heart of the Apostle Paul, I have you in my mind. He remembered them. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you. That means the whole remembrance. Now, there were some things about the Philippian Church that when he remembered them could have brought sorrow. For example, when he was at Troas, Acts 16, he didn't know where to go. He was waiting, waiting, waiting. Then he had that vision, well, he could say, I want to forget about that delay at Troas. He had a vision of a man who said, come over and help us. And so Paul and his team went over to Philippi, and they couldn't find that man, but they did find a women's prayer meeting. Thank God for women's prayer meetings.

A group of Jewish women and some Gentiles who were Jewish proselytes or Jewish followers were there having a prayer meeting by the river. And then that slave girl came along and created problems for Paul. Paul was thrown into prison, he was whipped, he was humiliated. Now there was division in the church at Philippi, there were some people who were fighting one another. Paul could have had some memories of Philippi that would bring him sorrow. But you know what he says here? I thank God upon every remembrance, the whole thing. You know what he's saying? He is saying, you've got to see the total picture.

Now, my preacher friend, there are people in your church who are creating problems for you. But you've got to see the total picture. Look at them through the eyes of Jesus Christ and the gospel. Paul said, I thank my God upon every remembrance of you. I'm thankful for your fellowship in the gospel. I'm confident that God is at work in your life. Maybe he's not at work like he ought to be. That's not his fault, that's your fault. Maybe you're not allowing him to do everything he wants to do. But you must look at people in Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:1, to all the saints in Christ Jesus. Every chapter in Philippians begins with in Christ. Philippians 2:1, if there be any consolation in Christ. Philippians 3:1, finally my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. In Philippians 4:1, so stand fast in the Lord. Always look at God's people in Jesus Christ.

You know, whenever you meet an unsaved person, you can love him because he's somebody for whom Christ died. Whenever you meet a Christian, you can love him, he's someone in whom Christ lives. Paul said, I have you in my mind. I thank my God upon the whole remembrance of you. Missionary friend, that person who's creating a problem for you right now, a hundred years from now, you'll look back and you'll say, you know, God was taking care of that. God is at work, be patient. Let's be thankful for the fellowship of the gospel. Let's be thankful for the people of God. I have you in my mind. That's the first tie that binds our hearts together.

But in Philippians 1:7-8, there's a second tie that binds our hearts together. Paul says, I have you in my heart. Even as it is right for me to think this of you all, I notice that nine times he talks about you all. There was division in the church. He wants to include everybody in his message. Even as it is right for me to think this of you all because I have you in my heart. You know, it's one thing to have somebody in your mind and quite something else to have them in your heart. In as much as both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of my grace. For God is my witness, how greatly I long after you all in the tender mercies of Jesus Christ. Tie number one, I have you in my mind. Is there somebody in your church you're trying to forget? Is there somebody in your Christian life you you don't want to have them in your memory? Watch out, you'll lose the joy of ministry. Secondly, I have you in my heart.

This was not a normal natural human love. This was a divinely supplied love. It was the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. I long after you all in the tender mercies of Jesus Christ. We are taught of God to love one another. More than that, we have that gift of love in our hearts. The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who is given unto us. We're commanded to love one another.

Now, God doesn't command the heart to feel a certain way, he commands the will to act a certain way. What is Christian love? Christian love is an act of the will. Christian love means I treat you the way God treats me. God is patient with me, so I'll be patient with you. God is kind to me, I'll be kind to you, and you should be kind to me. God tells me the truth, I should tell you the truth and do it in love the way God does it. Christian love is not a feeling. You say, well, there are folks in the church I don't like. That may be true. You might not want to spend a week's vacation with them or even an evening with them. That doesn't make any difference. In Christian love, it's not a matter of feeling, it's a matter of willing.

Let's be thankful for one another. I have you in my mind, I have you in my heart, I have you in my prayers.