A Joyful Heart - Philippians 4:4-13

6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

The spring of gratefulness wells up when we remember & rehearse - GOD has given SALVATION through His Son, Christ Jesus the Lord, to all who receive Him by faith.

Contrite Heart

Surrendered Heart - learns to trust Jesus - stops kicking and starts following Christ

Wise Heart - Prov 2 - God uses wisdom to protect us, prepare us for Godliness, and rescue us from deadly tracks

Today, look at Phil 4:4-13 - JOYFUL Heart

Intro to Philippians -

A Christ-centered letter of friendship and exhortation

Fellowship & “together” words

The permeating centrality of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Center - JOY, fellowship, friendship in Christ

Nature of Philippi and the church there

Acts 16:6-40 - the first church on European soil, c. 50 AD

Acts 26 - defense before Agrippa - c. 58 AD

Paul writes letter to the Philippians from Rome, around 62 AD.

Theme of JOY is huge in Philippians. But we also saw it in Nehemiah and 1 John.

Nehemiah 8 - “The joy of the LORD is your strength” - Joy is serious business

Remember, Christian, that the LORD rejoices in YOU

Hebrews 12:2 ESV

2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

1 John 1:1-5 - Fellowship with God is the source of joy - joy is when God’s blessing overwhelms something else. When things are good, joy is the heart’s realization that fellowship with God is even better. When things are bad, joy is the heart’s realization that in Christ, you already have fellowship with God - which is better than having everything you could ever dream of except Him.

Here in Philippians 4, Paul is writing from a Roman prison. He has spent the last several years imprisoned - first in Jerusalem, then Caesarea, and now in Rome, for proclaiming the Good News of Jesus. And yet, chained to Roman guards day and night, he opens the letter with words of thanksgiving and joy to God, and a word of encouragement to his friends:

Philippians 1:12–14 ESV

12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. 14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

And then, he says “I rejoice, yes, and I will rejoice.”

And here in chapter 4, Paul helps us see that rejoicing in the LORD is the proper and Holy Spirit-given response of a heart that is in Christ Jesus, even when He’s all that you’ve got.

ILLUST:

I. Rejoice and pray! God promises His peace (4-7)

<<READ 4-7>>

Explain:

Rejoice - not just a feeling of happiness, a worship word, the result of knowing the LORD & His salvation. Paul grounds his command to rejoice in the proximity of the LORD, in His peace, and in His protection. Similar, David:

Psalm 16:8–11 ESV

8 I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. 10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. 11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Verse 5 says <<READ>> This word, “reasonableness,” means something like relational thoughtfulness or courtesy. Paul is already prepping us for what he says in verses 10-13 about being content in every circumstance. So he says, "Let everyone see, including those treating you badly, that the kindness of Jesus is what shapes how you want to treat them.” And why? Because of the Lord’s proximity.

“The Lord is at hand.” He is coming soon, and this encourages us

To rejoice even in suffering, because our suffering is both temporary and momentary.

To be gentle even when persecuted, because our persecutors will soon face judgment and need salvation as badly as we ever did. Remember -

Acts 26:27–29 ESV

27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” 28 And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?” 29 And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.”

His proximity also encourages us to pray.

We live in an anxious world, don’t we? It seems like everyone is in a hurry, everyone is in a worry, everyone feels inadequate or afraid.

Paul does not say, “throw away your anxiety meds.” He does not say, “If you had more faith you wouldn’t struggle with anxiety.” Don’t read these words and come away from them feeling defeated or ashamed because you struggle with anxiety.

We can tell what the Holy Spirit through Paul is commanding us not to do by looking at what he’s calling us to do.

In everything - not just big things, not just on Sundays, not just at meal times, in everything, by prayer and supplication - which means you point your face at God and you let it all come out - with thanksgiving - just like we read in Paul’s own prayers, suffused throughout with gratefulness - and then he says, “let your requests be known to God.”

This is the language of a complete disclosure to a trustworthy confidant.

And the alternative - being anxious - here it means not bringing things to God. Trying to handle it all by yourself when you already know you can’t.

Prayerless worry is a sort of busy-ness of the mind that never gets anywhere. According to chapter 2, the Philippians sent a brother named Epaphroditus to Paul in Rome, and then heard that Epaphroditus had become gravely ill, and they got worried. Then Epaphroditus got worried that they were distressed, and Paul sent him back to Philippi so that Paul could be less anxious. Yes, Paul knew he wasn’t immune anymore than his readers were. But if the Philippians followed Paul’s example, they didn’t sit around stuck in their “What if!” fears and worried they were responsible, back and forth, pacing and biting the insides of their cheeks and tossing and turning. Or maybe they did, and then they realized, “Well, this is not getting us anywhere. Let’s bring it to God instead.”

Prayerless worry is like putting your brain on the treadmill and then running it to exhaustion. Or it’s like saying, “Let’s go into town,” So you turn your steering wheel all the way to the left, hit the gas, and just hold the wheel and the gas pedal there. You rack up miles on the odometer, you use up gas, but you never actually get anywhere. Plus, you get nauseous.

But when we pray, we are promised something much more useful in a time of trial - the peace of God.

Peace is at the very heart of the Good News of Jesus Christ, because at the heart of all our troubles is the rupture of our relationship with God. Death is a result of sin, because sin alienates us from God, the source of life. But even before Adam and Eve fell in the Garden, the LORD had already planned to reconcile us through the Messiah - that’s why Isaiah calls Him the Prince of Peace.

Romans 5:1 ESV

1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

And in Ephesians 2, Paul tells us that peace with God through Jesus is also the source of true peace with others.

When Paul says, “The peace of God that passes all understanding,” he’s not talking about just a nice feeling you can’t explain. You cannot define the peace of God without talking about being reconciled to God through Jesus.

He’s talking about a restored relationship with God in Christ. He himself is our peace. His death satisfied the holy wrath of God against you. His resurrection provides eternal life for you who believe.

That peace is what guards the hearts and minds of those who are in Christ Jesus. His peace is a citadel of protection in everything. That peace is what allows us to rejoice in Him always.

Did you notice how insistent Paul is in these verses? Rejoice always. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. Don’t be anxious about anything, but in everything make your requests known to God. And above it all, surpassing all understanding, God’s own shalom will guard you.

ILLUST:

APPLY: Go to the LORD in all things. You might still be worried, but you might not put as many dizzy, zero-distance miles on your mind’s odometer. And you WILL experience God’s promised peace.

II. Rejoice in practice! God promises His presence (8-9)

<<READ 8-9>>

Explain:

This is so practical - instead of filling our minds with worry, Paul calls us to consider something very different. And each of these things has a very general meaning. The word “whatever” implies that we can find true, honorable, pure, lovely, commendable excellent, and praiseworthy things all over the place.

But Paul is especially directing us to see these things in one another as we follow Jesus. After all, he puts his own example forward in verse 9 - and chapters 2-3 are a call to imitate Jesus, with Timothy, Epaphroditus, and Paul himself as examples of how to do that. The best place to look for these things is by looking at chapter 2, and then looking around at one another, thinking of these things, and rejoicing as we see Jesus teaching us to walk in His ways.

<<READ Phil 2:1-4>> - Stop there. What is more true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, praiseworthy than that? But Paul continues <<READ Phil 2:5-11>>

What do you see here, as you look at your fellow believers? Do you know someone who has shown what it means to be honorable because they look not only to their own interests, but also to the interest of others?

Are you convinced yet that this is how to think on these things? Here’s how Paul talks about Timothy:

<<READ Phil 2:19-22>>

And he says this about Epaphroditus:

<<READ Phil 2:29-30>>

What happens when you think this way about one another and then practice what we’ve learned from Paul and others who have given us godly examples?

Paul says, “The God of peace will be with you.” Friends, it is God’s good pleasure that we would experience His presence in the celebration of His power at work in His people. When you see Christlike truth in your brother or sister, when you recognize what is just among God’s people, when you consider something excellent or praiseworthy in another, you are meditating on God’s work, not man’s.

You are seeing the proof that He is here among us. And if you practice the same things, then the same is true in you. Every single ounce of sanctification is a work of God’s Holy Spirit. Paul never did a single praiseworthy anything except by God’s work in him. That’s why

Philippians 2:12–13 ESV

12 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, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

APPLY: So, look around. Pick on someone and notice Christlikeness wherever it shows up, and then rejoice that the LORD is at work in this place. And then practice what you’ve learned from them, so that someone else can rejoice in what God is doing in you.

ILLUST:

III. Rejoice! God promises His provision (10-13)

(He will be enough for you)

<<READ 10-13>>

Paul’s report of great rejoicing in the LORD (10)

Clarification: Not that Paul had needs that went beyond God’s ability to give him contentment (11)

What Christ has taught Paul about His sufficiency (12-13)

Paul knows how to be brought low or abound

Why is it important to learn to be content with much? Isn’t it obvious that those who have much wealth will be content?

On the contrary, who is more discontented than the one who has much, but knows they could have much more; or the one who has never known need, but abundance has been their only experience.

The former often sees their wealth as the goal of work and so sees amassing wealth as more important than having “enough.”

The latter has experienced many ups and downs in life, even with an abundance, and so they are not content

The one who has little also is not guaranteed contentment. First, if they do not have enough, they will fret for essentials and fear losing even more. Second, if they see others prospering, they may covet the other’s goods or begrudge them their prosperity, and they may believe that they cannot count on God for help

In all and everything he has been initiated into the secret

to plenty

to hunger

to abundance

to lack

Paul is strong enough for all these things by the one empowering him

x-refs include Phil 3:7-12, Col 1:11, 29, 2 Cor 12:9,

2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

ILLUST:

APPLY:

Key lesson: HOW TO BE CONTENT; key means: LEARN FROM CHRIST that HE is sufficient

Conclusion

Joy is when the blessing of God overwhelms something else.

The peace of God is like that. In fact, the peace of God is at the heart of all true joy. Fellowship with Him - reconciliation to your Creator through the blood of the Son.

It passes all understanding - Even our own. It gives joy to Paul in chains. It gives contentment to Christians in trial. The peace of God is an unconquerable fortress. This is why so many old hymns were written.

Rock of Ages, cleft for me // Let me hide myself in thee

Let the water and the blood // From thy wounded side, which flowed

Be of sin the double cure // Save from wrath, and make me pure.

When peace like a river attendeth my way // When sorrows like sea billows roll

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say // It is well, it is well with my soul

I wonder: Have you discovered the secret to rejoicing always?

I recently read a book called Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy by someone named Mark Vroegop. I never heard of the guy, but a friend recommended it to me. It’s about the biblical model of lament. But the author says that lament isn’t the opposite of joy. It’s a prayer in a minor key. “A prayer in pain that leads to trust.”

And although I don’t think the author points to Philippians 4, he could have. To rejoice always is to keep the peace of God on our hearts when the rest of the world is at war. Remember, verse 4 says to rejoice in the LORD always. He is the author, defender, and perfecter of our joy.