Everyday Joy 3

This is the final installment of our little walk through Philippians called “Everyday JOY.” I think it’s been good, we all need a little more joy in our life. The Book of Philippians is sometimes called the “Epistle of Joy” because St Paul uses the word “joy” and “rejoice” so much in it. There’s a pretty good reason why he comes off this way—mostly it’s because Philippians is a thank you letter that he’s writing to a small church that he had started several years earlier. Most people tend to express joy when they write a thank you note to friends—and this one is dripping with it.

Another thing that makes Philippians so interesting is he’s writing this joyful thank you note from a Roman prison. Things weren’t really great for him at the moment. Seems to me that learning something about joy, even when we’re facing pretty hard situations—that could probably come in handy. The reason Paul was in jail was because he had made some people upset by talking about Jesus. At the time this letter was being written, it wasn’t flatout illegal to be a Christian yet, but things were starting to get pretty weird for the church all over the Roman Empire. It wasn’t gonna be too long before Nero was gonna start blaming everything that was wrong in the world on Christians. They were gonna be called everything from atheists to cannibals—and worst of all, they were gonna be accused of not being patriotic, enemies of the state. 

Meanwhile, Philippi (the city where the Philippian church was located) was a center of hyper-patriotism. It was a city on the edges of the Roman Empire founded by retired Roman soldiers. It was gonna be a tough place to live when the state declared Christians to be terrorists. They were gonna need to hold on to some of that joy Paul was sending them in this letter—hard times were coming.

So the church had sent a man named Epaphroditus with money and supplies to help Paul while he was incarcerated and he wanted to send a letter back with him to let them know how much he appreciated it and to encourage them to keep going in the faith. He says this in chapter four,

“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, whom I love and long to see again, you are my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord”. Philippians 4:1

He was so overwhelmed with thankful joy for the love they showed him—and so happy to hear how their faith had grown, and how their love of the Lord was strong. He rejoiced in their partnership with him in the Gospel—they way they had been faithful in helping him announce the reign of the kingdom of heaven. Spreading the news that Jesus is Lord. Not Caesar, Not Nero, not the devil—no one else. Jesus is Lord. He wanted to let them know he was overjoyed to know they were still in the game. He also wanted to encourage them to never give up. To press on.

In chapter two he says they need to,

“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. 

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life...
Philippians 2:12–16

That phrase “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” is one of those Bible verses that almost everyone gets wrong. It doesn’t mean “figure out your own salvation,” as if it’s some kind of puzzle or riddle. It doesn’t mean “think about how you’re saved.” He’s not talking about an intellectual exercise at all. He’s saying to “work out” what has been “worked into” you. It means to start acting like you’re a person who’s been saved. Start acting like a person whose sins have been forgiven, someone who has Christ living in them, people who are a living, breathing Temple of the Holy Spirit. You know that salvation that Jesus has given you all? Start showing it in how you all live. How you think. How you act and speak. Work outwardly that internal salvation—and is it gonna be easy? Just something that automatically happens? No, you’re gonna have to do it with “fear and trembling.” Fear and trembling doesn’t sound easy. Once we get it straight what that part means, the next section makes a whole lot more sense: “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” Work out your salvation because it’s God who worked it in you, so that you could do good things that please Him. Faith is always faith in action.

Remember how Jesus said He brought the reign of Heaven, the kingdom of God to the earth. How He’s calling His people to be the light of the world. This is St Paul continuing to proclaim that same message of Jesus. People who are following Jesus are gonna be the kind of people who do what God has for them to do without grumbling, or arguing. People that in the midst of this twisted and wicked generation, are gonna shine like the light of the world. Show people the way to life. Show people how to live. They’re gonna hold fast to the word of life. To Jesus, the Word of God made flesh. That’s all that good stuff Christ worked into you—your salvation—He works it in, you work it out. He makes you right with God, your job is to go show other people how thankful you are for it.

And if you’re doing it right, you’re not gonna look like all the other yea-whos that don’t know about the love of God that’s found in Jesus. Light should look different than darkness.

 My brother likes to say he’s a Christian, he’s just not a very good one. I love his honesty, and it’s true that Christians aren’t perfect, we sin, we make mistakes, sometimes on purpose even. We’re not supposed to pretend like we’re better than other people or make them feel like we’re judging them. But we’re also not supposed to be hypocrites who say we believe in Jesus and then ignore everything God told us to do. There’s not gonna be any joy in the life of a Christian if doesn’t make any difference in what we do. Faith is always faith in action.

Most of us are too timid about our faith, but Paul was pretty sure if you followed him, imitated him, that you’d be following Jesus. That’s what being the light of the world and the salt of the earth means. We should stand out in this wicked dark world enough that people will notice there’s something different about us and ask us what we’ve got that they don’t have. This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine. When they see light, that’s when they’ll be interested in hearing about our hope in Jesus. Because people desperately need hope.

When St Paul thought about all the people who didn’t know the joy that comes from believing the promises that are only found in Jesus—when he thought about all the people outside the church with no hope beyond their selfish ambitions and lives spent grasping for empty, meaningless, worthless nothings—it broke his heart just thinking about it. He continues in 3:18 and says,

“For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ.”

They are headed for destruction. (He describes who these lost people are, they might sound familiar to us) Their god is their appetite, (their god is their belly. If you want to know who your god is you might just look at where you spend your extra money—for most people, it goes into that hole under their nose. Sounds like Katy Texas to me) they brag about shameful things, (You know, I love standup comedy, but “bragging about shameful things” could be the name of most Netflix comedy specials). “and they think only about this life here on earth.” (this all sounds like the world we live in today doesn’t it? Paul says the people he’s describing are headed for destruction—this is why he was so glad they were still doing the work of the church they had planted together all those years before. They continued to share the hope they had with the people of their community. He goes on to describe their hope: 

”But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.” Philippians 3:17–20

All of this is what it actually means to be a Christian. There’s nothing easy about it. Too many churches try to make it look super easy and fun to be part of the church. Like it’s some kind of no-obligation spiritual fitness club. Like it’s a cakewalk to be a follower of Jesus. They do whatever they can to make it look like the cost of discipleship is low. Commitment free. Three easy steps to a happy, uncomplicated Christian life. Too many pastors come off like Guy Smiley selling plastic cheese. It’s all so nice and friendly. And soft. And is absolutely nothing like the kingdom of heaven the way Jesus talked about it.

That’s why I wanted to plant a church. In Katy. People sometimes ask me, “Frank, why plant a church in a place where there’s already so many churches?” And I’m like, well first of all because there are still hundreds of thousands of people who don’t know about the love and grace of God, and it’s getting worse all the time. Most people don’t go to church, they don’t bring their family to church, their kids don’t grow up going to church—so the people of Katy’s god is their stomach, they brag about shameful things and they’re headed for destruction. Second, I look around and I don’t see many churches that would have reached me when I was lost. I don’t see many churches that are trying to reach the kind of people I’ve known in my music career. People who aren’t interested in watered-down, half-baked, soft-serve religion. I’m not putting down any church in particular, or any denominations per say—St Paul actually has a whole section in Philippians where he says there’s a lot of other preachers out there talking about Jesus for selfish reasons, he doesn’t call them out by name and says even though he doesn’t like what they’re doing, to leave them alone because at least they’re preaching the Gospel—even if their motives are messed up. I feel the same way about a lot of the other churches in this country. I might not like how they do what they do, but I don’t have to—more power to them—their existence doesn’t make our mission at NewChurch any less important. 

Speaking of our mission at NewChurch, I thought it would be good to end this series on Philippians by telling you some of the same kind of things St Paul told the church he planted in Philippi. The book of Philippians is mostly a big thank you love letter to his friends at the church he planted. I can relate to everything he says, so as Paul says this to the church he planted, I say it to all of you.

Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first [came to NewChurch] until now. And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Php 1:3–6 

I’m going to tell you the hardest thing about planting a church. I didn’t see this coming when I started NewChurch but it’s the thing that has broken my heart over and over. It’s when people stop coming. I know people always have their reasons but it always feels like personal rejection. No one likes rejection.

I’m telling you this because you’re my friends and partners in this ministry. You’re the ones who are here sharing this burden with me.

Every week I work as hard as I can to make this all happen. I pray as fervently as I know how to pray. I trust God and hold it all with open hands, giving it all to Him. I ask for wisdom to put together the most powerful music we can play, I ask for the Holy Spirit to help me write the most engaging, meaningful sermons and that they’ll be faithful to God’s Word to challenge us and comfort us—that through these words we’ll learn how to live faithfully as God’s people and trust in the promises of grace and mercy. Sunday happens every week. Every week I’m swinging for the fences to do something amazing and true and good and faithful. 

And I love it. I really and truly look forward to doing this every Sunday. I remind myself all the time: it’s my job to have faith and try to be faithful, it’s not my job to make the miracles happen, to grow the church—that’s God’s job.

And I know God is doing wonderful things through this ministry. Not just through the things I do but through all of you. I know that God is faithful and good and none of this is ever wasted. I know this. I believe this. 

But the devil knows it, too. And he’s not pleased. So every week he attacks where we’re the weakest. He attacks you where you’re the weakest, he attacks me where I’m the weakest, and he tries to ruin everything God is doing. He tries.

For me it’s usually all about the people who aren’t here. He rubs it in my face. People who didn’t make it to church that Sunday for whatever reason. People who have left the church altogether. Guests who didn’t come back, even new people who haven’t come yet—why aren’t we flooded with a bunch of first time visitors each week? The devil throws all these missing people in my face and tries to make me feel like a failure.

I tend to get a little depressed on Sunday afternoon and spend Monday praying myself back into the game. Ask Jesus to give me peace so I can do it all over again the next Sunday.

I’m not telling you this to make you feel sorry for me, or to make you feel guilty. I’m just telling you what the hardest thing about doing this is for me. 

Prayer. And there’s a couple other reasons I’m telling you this, too. For one, I’m confessing it to you and repenting—if we confess our sins Jesus is faithful and just to forgive us and give us peace. But I’m also telling you in the hope that you’ll pray for me on Sunday afternoons and Monday mornings. Realize that the fight we’re in isn’t only against flesh and blood—there’s a lot at stake. And some of the worst battles happen on Sunday and Monday.

I talk about this with Kim almost every week. She usually says something like, “you need to be thankful for the people who did show up instead of being worried about the people who didn’t.” She’s a wise one, that Kim. 

She knows I already know this. She also knows that I am deeply thankful for all of you. All of you who are right here with me. Doing this ministry right along side of me. In the trenches. Worshiping God and loving the people He sends here as faithfully as you’re able. You help set this thing up, you pour your hearts out in worship, you listen carefully to the Word of God, you hear the promise of forgiveness and new life—trusting it with all your heart, soul, mind and strength—then you help pack it up and get ready for next week. Plus small groups and prayer and outreach. You are living examples that faith is always faith in action. I am so very thankful for this church and for all of you.

Back to the words of St Paul, “So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God… in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News. God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus. 

I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God. Php 1:7–11

We are in this struggle together. I confessed to you a little of my weekly struggle and I know that there are things about being in a portable church that are challenging for all of us. But it’s all so worth it!

Gathering here to rejoice in the promises that Jesus has made to you—that He has made you right with God through His life, death and resurrection—that you received God’s complete gift of salvation when you believe that Jesus is Lord. You are a beloved child of God, called to be a chosen people. Called to be the church in this place.

St Paul said this, and I echo his words to you:

“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stay true to the Lord. I love you and long to see you, (every week) dear friends, for you are my joy and crown. Php 4:1

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Php 4:23

Now and forever. AMEN