Philippians
The Joy Of Worship
Philippians is an important
letter from God through the Holy Spirit and through Paul to the Church.
The emphasis on joy makes it
applicable to this day, no matter what “day” you are referring to.
First, let’s do some housekeeping.
Philippians Focus
Joy (Gr. chara-cara/5479)
Joy
is a fruit of the Spirit of God.
Gal
5:22 But the fruit (Gr. karpos-karpoV/singular) of the
Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Joy
of faith in Christ is the focus of Philippians.
Phil 1:4
Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
Phil 1:25
And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all
for your furtherance and joy of faith;
Phil 2:2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the
same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
Phil 2:17
Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy,
and rejoice with you all.
Phil 2:18
For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.
Phil 4:1
Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown,
so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.
Rejoice (Gr. chairoo-cairw)
Strong’s
5463 chairo-Cairw (khah'-ee-ro);
Strong’s
definition: a primary verb; to be
"cheerful", i.e. calmly happy or well-off; impersonally, especially
as salutation (on meeting or parting), be well)
Rejoicing is an act of
joy.
Phil 1:18
What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in
pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice,
yea, and will rejoice.
Phil 2:16
Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ,
that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in
vain.
Phil 2:17
Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy,
and rejoice with you all.
Phil 2:18 For
the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.
Phil 2:28 I
sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice,
and that I may be the less sorrowful.
Phil 3:1 Finally,
my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me
indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.
Phil 3:3 For
we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in
Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
Phil 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway:
and again I say, Rejoice.
Again, the focus of
Philippians is JOY!
You may think that you will find
happiness in sex, or money, or political power, or physical strength, or in
large homes, fast cars and social acceptance.
And, I must admit that happiness, to a limited extent, may be found in
each of those, BUT happiness is an emotion and emotions ebb and flow. Joy is a state of being. It is everlasting for those who find joy’s
Source. Or, who are found by joy’s
Source.
Happiness may be found in
having a piece of birthday cake, but joy is available to us only in a right
relationship with Christ Jesus, and that relationship is based on the worship
of Him.
It has been said that
insanity is doing the same thing over and over, while expecting different
results each time the process is repeated.
Pointing out what is wrong
may be a necessary first step, but if you dwell on that it becomes a dead-end
leading nowhere. It takes more that just
pointing to what is wrong. We must point
to what/who is right---and that is Christ Jesus.
When I was growing up, many
Preachers took most of their sermon time telling folks what they were doing
wrong, and then at end they tacked on a short statement about the power of
Christ Jesus to transform. But now, many
seem to be giving an hour-long psychoanalysis without addressing the problem or
the solution. Now preachers skip
straight to the effects of a right relationship with Christ without mentioning
that it is that relationship that brings the effects.
They tell us that “we” must
change for the better without telling us that “we” cannot change without a
right relationship with Christ Jesus.
Some still focus on obedience
to the law, and then they tell us that under grace we are not subject to the
law. No wonder so many people are confused.
Let me repeat: happiness is
an emotion that can and does change, but joy is a state of being in Christ that
never changes, because He does not change!
Joy does not keep us away
from what appears to be adverse circumstances, but it does maintain our
emotional stability when we go through those circumstances.
True rejoicing is the result
of inward joy! But, while joy brings
rejoicing, participating in that act of rejoicing without a right relationship
with the Source will not bring joy!
Far too many have been led to
believe that “fake it til you make it” is a biblical
principle. It is not!
Rejoicing without
relationship is putting the cart before the horse. It will not produce joy. The goal is to live in a joyful state of
being!
Relationship produces
results, but putting works first will not produce relationship. Without the
essential relationship there are no lasting results, no joy.
Salvation is of the Spirit by
grace. The fruit of the Spirit includes
joy (Galatians 5:22, 23)!
So, how do we get this joy
that is so necessary to living life to the fullest?
Again, we turn to
relationship. There are many people who
have a deep relationship with their denomination, but no relationship with
Christ. They worship their
denominational church without being a member of the body of Christ. Don’t deceive yourself!
Many have made a mental
adjustment to life in a church without life in Christ, and have denied to
consequences of that lifeless existence.
Be honest with yourself. Do you worship your church, or do you worship
Christ Jesus? Do you depend on your
religious ancestry, or have you sought to establish a personal relationship?
Are you rejoicing without joy, or have you found joy in Christ and are
responding to Him in truth?
Did you learn to jump up and
down, and shout hoping to gain joy, or have you sought happiness in “things”
hoping they would bring you joy?
None of that works! Relationship alone with Christ alone produces
joy!
Come to Him, and live in the
joy of the Lord!