Philippians 1:6 – Joy, On Purpose – Bible study

Philippians 1:6 Joy, On Purpose There are some books that I go to over and over again. This is one. The theme of this book is that Christians ought to have joy and be rejoicing no matter what. One form of the word JOY or another is used 12 times in this small book. In 4 chapters (104 verses), Paul used that word 18 times! The significance of that is not fully understood until we remember that this letter is one of Pauls prison letters. That means that Paul wrote this letter from prison. Five epistles (Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon, Philippians, 2 Timothy) written from jail over as long as a 6 year time period. Question: How can you rejoice when it is possible that you are about to be martyred for Jesus? Thats what Paul wrote this book to teach us. One thing is for sure. If Paul could rejoice while he was falsely imprisoned (and had been for as long as six years), while he was about to be beheaded for nothing more than preaching the truth about Jesus, you and I should be able rejoice in whatever problems we might be going through? In this book, Paul wrote some thoughts which have become precious Bible verses to the believers. If you memorize Bible verses you have probably memorized one or more of these verses. It may even be that one or more of these are your life verses. They teach us why we should have joy no matter what. They teach us how we can rejoice no matter what. They are five amazing statements: I. Paul could rejoice because God finishes what He begins. Phi 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: A. When I think of this verse, I normally think of spiritual duties that God has obligated Himself to do. My mind goes to several. 1. God will complete our salvation. a. It is God’s duty to save us, to keep us saved, and to complete our salvation. b. Simply put that means God will not lose any of His. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. c. No one could rejoice if they did not believe in eternal security. d. No one could rejoice under the threat of death, as Paul was living, if they did not believe in the eternal security of the believer. e. And no one could rejoice in the death of their loved ones if they did not believe in eternal life, life that once given lasts forever. 2. God will complete our transformation. Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. a. Get that verse: (1) God has predestinated some things to happen. (2) While we Christians are not predestinated to be saved, but we are predestinated to be like Jesus. b. The direction of the saved is always forward never backwards. (1) I want to be more like Jesus. (2) There is nothing that I have given up that I want to go back for. c. Possible test of prayer – Ive asked God not to let me become that grouchy old man if I lose my mind. 3. God will complete our glorification. 1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. B. But I imagine Paul was thinking about more than those 1. He was in prison while going to work for Jesus some place. a. Paul continued his writing ministry, writing the five letters I have already mentioned. b. Paul continued using his network of preachers, the same network that he had been using to advance the gospel before his arrest. No doubt, they continued traveling, bringing Paul word of what was happening and taking Paul’s words to others. c. But none of that is the same as being able to do the work yourself. d. No doubt that weighted heavy on Paul’s heart. 2. I wonder if the work that Paul was thinking of when he said God would complete His work, might have been the work of the ministry. a. Sometimes we forget the ministry is God’s work! b. We are just His servants working in on part of the vineyard. c. I had a friend who wanted badly to see God do a work in his family. He died before that work was done. I knew my friend was concerned about that. I dont think he is now because when he got home, I think he found out that God always finishes His works. d. Whatever was not complete when my friend left, God assigned another! II. Paul could rejoice because he knew he could not lose. Phi 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. A. Paul was in prison. 1. He is there on a trumped-up charged, preaching the gospel. 2. He could die on a moment’s notice. There was no one could stop the emperor once he made up his mind. B. And yet, with that threat of death hanging over him, Paul was did not know which way he wanted things to go! 1. There is always only two options: life or die. a. That is the way it is for all of us. b. We might want to complicate the issue by adding other options… (1) If I live and get this job… (2) If I live and don’t get this job… (3) If I live and get married… (4) If I live and don’t get married… c. …but it still boils down just two options for everyone: live or die. 2. But Paul wasnt sure which way to pray for. 3. How is that possible? It is possible because Paul had a plan and no matter which way things went, he could not lose. C. What was Pauls plans? 1. If he lived, Paul would serve Jesus. 2. If he died, Paul would see Jesus. D. We all should have the same plan: 1. If we live, we should serve Jesus. a. If this were our plan, it would really simplify things so much. b. If I live and get this job or not, I am going to serve Jesus. c. If I live and get married or not, I am going to serve Jesus. 2. But Paul knew if he did not live, he would SEE Jesus. a. Paul called that "gain." b. He would gain a new body. c. He would gain a new home. d. He would gain a new purpose. e. He would gain rewards. f. He would see those who had gone on before him. g. He would see Jesus. 3. The reason some people don’t have joy is because they don’t have the right plan! III. \#4:6\ Paul could rejoice because he knew God answered prayer. Phi 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. A. The language has changed some. 1. To be careful for nothing does not mean to be careless, to live recklessly. 2. It means dont be full of care, worry or fear. B. Paul was saying, "Dont worry. Pray." 1. It is interesting that Paul puts these together. a. Paul put them together because they are exact opposites of one another. b. You can either pray OR you can worry, but you can not pray AND worry because these are opposites. 2. Prayer is Gods divine alternative to worry. 3. Was Paul distraught, worried, concerned, and pacing over his imminent death? a. NO! b. Look at the next verse. Phi 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 4. I believe we look for things to be unhappy and to worry about. a. In the day when we lived hand to mouth, harvest to harvest, and day to day, maybe we had something to fret over. b. Since we dont have to live that way anymore, someone created Facebook. (1) Now we can worry about what someone said about us. (2) And if they didnt say anything to us, we will worry about the fact that they didnt say anything about my post. (3) And you know what is really silly? We sign up for it! C. While worry may be the carnal substitute for prayer, they have opposite effects 1. Worry is wasted energy. Prayer is focused energy. 2. Worry destroys the spirit, soul, and body. Prayer heals them. 3. Worry denies Gods power. Prayer brings Gods power. 4. Worry accomplishes nothing. Prayer moves God which changes everything. IV. \#4:11\ Paul could rejoice because he had learned to be content. Phi 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. A. Do you hear what he said? Hes in prison, waiting on a likely death for a crime that was no crime at all! B. To be content is not necessarily the same thing as to be complacent. 1. Contentment is not necessarily being satisfied with conditions as they are. 2. Some people think to be content means to accept everything as it is with no hope of things ever being different or better. 3. Such a believe would negate spiritual precepts. a. Why pray? Why seeks Gods intervention? b. Why have faith? What are we believing in? c. Why work to change conditions? 4. Accepting complacency as contentment would actually promote spiritual and personal laziness. C. Contentment is being satisfied with Gods will, whatever that will may be. 1. Because I do not always know Gods will, I keep on praying, working, and believing. 2. Contentment is when I pray, believe, and work to get the very best that God has for me, but I accept the will of God no matter what it may be. 3. I doubt that Paul was resigned to spend years in prison. a. He was probably praying that if he was not going to die that God give his freedom. (I would be.) b. He may had even had some working for his release. c. But having done all that he could, if he were beheaded, he would be content that the will of God had been done. 4. I think sometimes God’s people are confused between complacent and contentment. a. If I was out of work, sick, or lonely, I would not resign myself to that state. b. I would pray and work to change it; but having done what I could, I would then seek to be content with the obvious will of God. c. I believe that is what Paul did and because he did that, he could rejoice in his difficult situation. V. \#4:13\ Paul could rejoice because he knew the might of His God. Phi 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. A. When Paul wrote that, he was not thinking hed have to teach Sunday school on Sunday. B. Paul understood that he might have to walk gallantly to his death. 1. That would be no easy task for anyone. 2. Paul would rest on the power of God to do this. 3. But because he had leaned on this power in the past, he had confidence in it for the present. C. Paul knew God would strengthen him for this task if or when it was required of him. How can we have joy and be rejoicing? How could Paul? He did it on purpose! He did it by resting on truths like these. I believe we can too.