The Living Way of Joy

Philippians 3:7-12

Called to JOY! The Book of Philippians is a happy book! It seems to be full of JOY! Again and again Paul says: Rejoice! Know God! Find power!

Don't be anxious! My God shall supply all your needs! I can do all things through Christ! Be full of LIFE! Perhaps the heart of this book is this verse where Paul says that the most important thing is knowing Jesus Christ.

One part of the Wollaston Church of the Nazarene's mission statement centers around this verse: WE EXIST TO KNOW GOD! There is no higher priority than knowing God in Jesus Christ. This knowledge is the source, the well-spring of genuine JOY!

But what IS Christian joy? And how are we called to joy?

I. THE CALL TO JOY IS NOT FOR THE FAINT-HEARTED

The fact is, this is not a very joyful world.

[I recall walking with horror through the Shrine of the Holocaust in Jerusalem and wondering how humans could do such things to other humans. And if I can believe even a small portion of what I read and see, injustice and suffering are widespread over the wide world. How are Christians to have JOY?]

As we speak, a planeload of hostages in the Mediterranean is in its second week of agony beyond our understanding . . .

This week I attended the Eunice Ferreira - E.N.C. production of The Trojan Women, which is a candid attempt to look at some of the agony of injustice, selfishness, sorrow, helplessness in our world. It is an attempt for a long hour and forty minutes to enter into that suffering. I cannot imagine any of the players ever being quite the same again.

And yet, are we Christians still "called to JOY?"

Paul was not looking at his world with rose colored glasses. He was writing this letter from a Roman prison. He was giving his life day by day, and he would ultimately be executed for the JOY that he knew in Jesus. This is NOT heaven on earth where we live!

In the plain sight of all that— Christians are called to JOY! But it is NOT a cheap denial of all that is wrong in the world. It is NOT a cheap trip that blocks out all the pain for a while and then wears off.

II. JOY DOES NOT EXCLUDE LIFE'S CHALLENGES

  1. Joy is not dependent on circumstance; we can be channels of joy even when we are not in ideal situation. This is a prison epistle. It was written from a prison cell.
  2. WE SUFFER OURSELVES: Suffering is a part of life! Listen to some of these words to early Christians:

    Paul: "For I reckon that the SUFFERINGS of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Romans 8:18"

    "For as the SUFFERINGS of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in enduring the same SUFFERINGS which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted it is for your consolation and comfort. And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing that as ye are partaker of the SUFFERINGS, so shall ye be also of the consolation. " 2 Cor. 1:5,6,7

  3. WE SHARE IN CHRIST'S/OTHER'S SUFFERING:

    I Peter 4:13 "But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's SUFFERINGS; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy."

    CHRISTIANS DO NOT JUST FOCUS ON THEIR OWN BURDENS . . . Not only our own pains...but somehow sharing in the pains of others, too! "...the fellowship of His sufferings!"

    [Yesterday Barbara Howard (who was dying of cancer, herself) called to tell me about Nancy Detwiler's dad ... request prayer for her!]

  4. Christians have the conviction that even as the sufferings of Christ have made all the difference to us, so when we share in His LOVE, we can make a difference, too!

III. THE WAY OF JOY IS THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE CROSS

  1. The Christian's JOY does not come from IGNORING the dark side of life and living.
  2. The Christian's JOY does not come from human resources. Apart from divine guidance and wisdom our natural reaction to injustice is like Moses, before he met God— we strike out in our own strength; too often we meet huge problems with human analyses, and quick and simplistic judgments. And too often we are overwhelmed and disillusioned.
    1. And then We find it easy to rationalize or justify doing nothing on the basis of ignorance.
    2. Or we are heavy on accusation: which takes two themes-
      1. "THEY" are to blame— naming obvious targets; and so we need to DO THIS! Sometimes if the extreme statements were followed through, the very fabric of society would be pulled apart, for we live in a technocratic society that depends for its very life blood on a variety of systems that no one person can fully understand. Or we say,
      2. "WE all" are to blame! Which sounds pious, but it so generalizes guilt that it is difficult to really accept any possibility of doing anything personally.
  3. Christ's JOY flies in the face of suffering! Never think that we can do nothing! Jesus faced the CROSS with JOY in mind, and the JOY of pleasing the Father, of accomplishing His purpose, of seeing you and me redeemed and set free from sin is real to Jesus today.

    The hope of our world is the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ! The people who know Christ in His fullness can make a difference!

    [John 15:6 Jesus spoke of JOY— he left His disciples JOY on His way to the CROSS!]

    [And yet]

  4. It almost seems as though the major thrust of the Christian message for years has been avoiding all pain at any cost! :

    We like the idea of "resurrection" and "power"— but we shrink back from the "fellowship of suffering."

    1. We have had a lot of emphasis on 'Personal overcoming';
      • HOW TO... lose weight in Jesus
      • HOW TO . . . be better integrated in life.[and]
    2. We have also had a lot of 'Church building':
      • HOW TO ... build a bigger and better Church organization.
      • BUT THESE ARE SECONDARY OBJECTIVES! What counts is KNOWING JESUS!

IV. JOY IS CHRIST'S WORLD-CHANGING GIFT

  1. JOY is what begins to dawn along the Road to Emmaus.

    About the time we have come to the end of our own resources, and have seen all we hold precious fail, and are sad and discouraged and unbelieving — JESUS, HIMSELF, COMES ALONGSIDE!

  2. JOY is not "learned" like a lesson. It is (not so much) deliberately appropriated as it is the result of deliberately choosing to invite Jesus IN, and sharing HIS life! The JOY is:
    • BEING WHAT CHRIST WANTS US TO BE
    • AND GOING WHERE CHRIST WANTS US TO GO
    • AND DOING WHAT CHRIST WANTS US TO DO!

    In that sort of fellowship with Jesus there is real JOY! Not just an abstract idea of JOY somewhere off in heaven... but "Joy in the midst of sorrow, Peace in the midst of pain Jesus will give, Jesus will give, He will uphold and sustain!"

Conclusion

We don't have to go looking for hard times. They come to us all. But I am saying we do not need to be overwhelmed! And even when WE share Christ's sufferings, or perhaps especially when we share His sufferings, we can be a part of God's SOLUTION to the pain of this world!

Our challenge is to really know Jesus Christ! Not just to know about Him, but to meet Him on the Emmaus Road, in our SADNESS, and in our DISCOURAGEMENT, and in our UNBELIEF, and have our hearts set on fire by His revelation.