Title: "I've Got the Joy, Joy, Joy"
Purpose: To encourage Christians to be Joyful
Intro:
- 1. Children's Song: I've Got the Joy Joy Joy, we often don't sing it
- 2. Laughter is good medicine for the soul , Joy should be central to the Christian Life
- 3. Phil 3:1
- a. Joy is a theme of Phillipians
- b. Joy is used 6 times, Rejoice 11 times, more than other N.T. books
- c. It is a “safegaurd”
- 4. So we can rejoice. How? Ways:
I. Proclaim the Gospel (1:12-18)
- A. Make it your number on goals as Paul did to proclaim the gospel
- B. How can proclaiming the Gospel bring joy?
- 1. Gospel = “GOOD NEWS”
- 2. Goal of Jesus, Apostles and every Christian - proclaim good news
- 3. Paul is in prison
- a. He had reason to rejoice (in spite of? no because of...)
- 1) His imprisonment in cause of Christ became known...
- 2) Others had more courage to speak the word of the Lord
- b. He could proclaim Christ in any situation, even in prison
- c. His number one goal - Jesus is preached
- 1) Didn’t matter what other people motivation was (v16-18)
- 2) Didn’t even matter what happened to himself
- 4. Grasp the big picture - Heaven, and the Gospel, GOOD NEWS
- C. I know a lady named Kay
- 1. She can’t drive, but walks everywhere
- 2. Went with her one day
- 3. Never a negative, everyone loves her
- 4. Not a learned person, but is filled with the spirit
- 5. Overflowing with the joy of Christ, and leaves some with everyone she touches
- D. What do you leave on the people you touch?
- 1. If you are busting with joy, you can cool down all kinds of hot heads
- 2. If you are full of the joy of Christ, you can joyfully proclaim the Gospel
- 3. If you are full of negativity, how can you share good news?
II. Participate in the Gospel
- A. Phillipians were a group that participated in the spreading of the Gospel
- B. Paul mentions the joy of this several times:
- 1. 1:4-7 - Joy in participation (joy is catching)
- 2. 2:25-30 Epaphroditus brough support to Paul
- 3. 4:10-19 - They supported Paul
- 4. They worked TOGETHER toward a positive outcome
- C.
- D. Churches busy in the work of service are healthy joyful churches
- 1. Not talking about Bible studies, memory work, etc., but about works of service
- 2. Examples of positive works of service
- a. Missionary Support
- b. Cards to Sick and Visitors
- c. Chicken soup for the sick
- d. Visiting shut ins and sick
- e. Helping others in their hardships (not saying it, but doing it)
- 3. Don’t be like the Pig, the Duck and the Cat
III. Practice the Gospel Attitude
- A. How do you practice the Gospel? There are implications from the Good News
- B. What is this Gospel Attitude? (2:1-4)
- 1. This is talking about UNITY
- a. Doesn’t mean 100% agreement on every jot and tittle
- b. Many are mean spirited and divisive, write up others, all in name of unity
- 2. Note the passage (this is what he means by be of same mind)
- a. Maintaining the same love (not partiality, but same love toward all)
- b. Being united in Spirit (no divisions)
- c. Being united in one purpose (back to idea of working together in positive works of service)
- 3. In humility regard others as more important than self
- 4. Look out for interest of others
- a. Consider the feelings of others
- b. Consider the well being of others, physically, emotionally, spiritually
- c. Consider their problems, interests, etc. not to bully but to encourage
- 5. You may feel you have the right to feel negatively toward another, that they are the ones with the problem, not you, BUT......
- 6. Verse 5ff - Have same attitude as Christ
- a. I’m glad Christ didn’t have the attitudes we often have
- b. We need to humble ourselves and think of others first
- C. If we don’t practice the Gospel then
- 1. Our joy will dissappear
- 2. Discouragement will set in
- 3. Pick up church directory, BEGIN BY CONSIDERING OTHERS IN PRAYERS
IV. Perfect the Gospel Disposition
- A. There is a disposition that goes along with being a Christian
- B. Notice the passage (4:4-9)
- 1. Rejoice in the Lord always
- 2. Let forbearing spirit be known to all men
- 3. Be anxious for nothing, rely on God
- 4. Let mind dwell on the positive
- 5. If you do this, the god of peace will be with you
- C. Boyd family and “friendly joyful guard Dog”, played with intruder
- D. Peace is our joyful gaurd Dog
- 1. Will alert us to the presence of the theif
- 2. Satan wants to steal our Joy
Conclusion:
1. So we should rejoice by:
- 1 - Proclaiming the Gospel
- 2 - Participate in the Gospel (work together in positive works of service)
- 3 - Practice the Gospel attitude toward others
- 4 - Perfecting the Gospel Disposition, think positive
2. We MUST rejoice
- a. It is a safeguard (3:1)
- b. It leads to peace, which guards our heart and mind (4:7)
3. We need that safegaurd against Satan
- a. He wants to take away our joy and replace it with
anger / disouragement / bitterness / hatred
- b. SATAN HAS BEEN DOING A NUMBER ON OUR CONGREGATION
4. Its time to say to Satan BEGONE, By practicing these things!