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Today we are beginning a series on the New Testament book of Philippians. This book is actually a letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Philippi, a church that Paul established on one of his missionary journeys. The book is just 4 chapters long, but it talks about joy 14 times. It doesn’t just talk about joy, it gives us direction on how our lives can be filled with joy no matter what we are going through. While happiness often depends on what is happening in our lives, joy is a deep sense of peace, wellbeing, and gladness that can always be ours if we make the right choices and have the right perspective.
It might surprise people that Paul is the one writing about how to experience joy because his life was filled with hardship and adversity. This is what Paul said about his life and all these things took place AFTER he became a follower of Jesus.
Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 2 Cor. 11:24-27
We often think that following Jesus means that everything in life will be easy, but that just isn’t the case. It was after Paul experienced the risen Christ and gave his life to Him that he went through all this adversity, and yet he remained joyful. The letter itself was written while Paul was in prison awaiting trial and he had no idea what the outcome would be. He didn’t know if he was going to be beaten again, killed, or set free, but he not only remained joyful, shared with others how they could experience joy.
Experiencing joy in the midst of adversity was also the foundation of Paul’s experience when he first went to Philippi. In 52 AD, Paul was on a journey sharing the good news about Jesus when he crossed over from Asia Minor into Macedonia, which is present day Greece. Paul entered Philippi, the leading city in the region, and quickly baptized a leading businesswoman named Lydia and her household. Paul then started to be followed by a woman who was possessed with a spirit of divination. People saw her as a kind of fortune teller, and she made a lot of money for her owners.
The woman followed Paul and Silas shouting that they were men of God who were proclaiming the way of salvation. While it was true, and maybe provided some good publicity for Paul, Paul found it very annoying, so he cast the spirit out of the woman. When her owners realized she could no longer predict the future and make them money, they dragged Paul and Silas into the marketplace and brought them before the leaders. They accused Paul and Silas of stirring up trouble and the leaders had them stripped and beaten. After their flogging, they were thrown into the innermost part of the prison.
This adversity and suffering didn’t seem to phase Paul. If you know the story, Paul and Silas started singing hymns while they were held in prison. As they sang, the earth shook and the shackles that held Paul and Silas fell off and the door to their prison cell opened. Choosing joy in the midst of adversity marked Paul’s time in Philippi and his experience with the Philippians. His letter to them now tells them how they could choose joy.
Paul’s letter was written 10 years after he had left Philippi and as Paul was in prison once again, but this time in Rome. The people in Philippi had been concerned about Paul so they sent one of their leaders, Epaphroditus, to visit him and take him a gift. Epaphroditus stayed in Rome and worked with Paul for some time and at some point he became very sick and almost died. After he recovered, Paul sent Epaphroditus back to the Philippians along with this letter of thanks and encouragement.
From Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus.
To all those in Philippi who are God’s people in Christ Jesus, along with your supervisors and servants.
May the grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
I thank my God every time I mention you in my prayers. I’m thankful for all of you every time I pray, and it’s always a prayer full of joy. I’m glad because of the way you have been my partners in the ministry of the gospel from the time you first believed it until now. Philippians 1:1-5
The first part of Paul’s letter is how he began most of his letters to the churches. Paul considered himself a slave or servant of Jesus Christ, and he extended grace and peace to those he wrote to. But then look again at verses 3-5
I THANK my God every time I mention you in my PRAYERS. I’m THANKFUL for all of you every time I PRAY, and it’s always a PRAYER full of JOY . I’m GLAD because of the way you have been my partners in the ministry of the gospel from the time you first believed it until now.
What helped Paul experience joy, even as he sat in prison, was the gratitude he felt for his brothers and sisters in Philippi and the relationship he had with them. He was also thankful for the relationship he could have with God through prayer. Gratitude and prayer are keys to joy and we will consider gratitude later in the series, but let’s think about what Paul was grateful for.
Paul was grateful that the church had sent Epaphroditus to visit him. Paul called Epaphroditus a brother, a coworker, and a fellow soldier. While he was in Rome, Epaphroditus got sick and almost died, and Paul said that God saved him so that he, Paul, wouldn’t have to endure sorrow upon sorrow. Paul was thankful for the support and encouragement Epaphroditus gave him and now he wanted to send him home to be with his family and friends.
Paul was also grateful for the people of Philippi who thought enough of him to send Epaphroditus with a gift in the first place. Paul was thankful for the people of the church that he called partners from the very beginning. Paul was thankful for all the churches who cared for him and the people who visited him while he was in prison. At the end of the book of Acts it says that Paul welcomed all who came to visit him.
It was all the relationships Paul had with those who served with him, cared for him, loved him, and supported him that filled him with joy. It was all the people Paul considered brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus who filled his life with joy, and that is still where we experience joy - in our relationships with one another.
Today we are experiencing an epidemic of loneliness. It’s easy to blame Covid for this. Many of the conveniences that developed during covid, like meal and food delivery, means we no longer have to go out and be with people. Zoom and online meetings are convenient, but they also mean we don’t have to have face to face interactions with others.
Some people want to blame social media for our loneliness because social media gives us the illusion of being connected and having lots of friends, but those relationships are mere shadows of what true relationships are all about. Social media does have a big impact on loneliness. Studies have shown that heavy users of social media experience more loneliness than others.
There are many reasons we experience loneliness, and we need to take the problem seriously because it creates real health issues and has a huge impact on our lives. Studies show that loneliness is as bad for our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Loneliness can lead to a 29% increased risk of heart disease; a 32% increased risk of stroke; and a 50% increased risk of developing dementia. I also read this week that 40% of adults can go 3 days without any face to face conversations.
To experience joy we need to intentionally work on building relationships with other people. We need to reach out to others and be there for others when they reach out to us. One of the best places to build relationships and experience joy is right here. The decline of faith-based institutions and community groups has been part of the reason people feel disconnected and lonely, so being part of a church or community group can be the answer.
One reason we encourage people to be part of a small group, or serve in some way through the church, is because it is one opportunity to build relationships with people which can help us experience joy. Singing with the choir or playing bells can increase joy. Being part of a class or small group can increase joy. We are starting several fresh expressions so if you enjoy hiking or running and want to join others in this, you can meet new people and increase joy.
Serving in and through the church can also build relationships and increase joy. We have a mission work week coming up in May and that is a great time to meet others and serve and experience relationships and joy. There is a painting night to raise money for the youth mission trip and a bake sale coming up; taking part in these things can give you joy. If you want to reach out to those in assisted living or nursing homes, or those at home who struggle with loneliness, you can visit others and experience joy as well as spread joy to others.
Youth also are prone to struggling with loneliness and this summer Vickie Shawley is leading a fresh expression to reach out to teens and help create a sense of community. You can be part of that ministry and build relationships that can bring joy to you and others. Opportunities for social connectedness are all around us here at the church, and through some of our partner ministries in the community. Getting involved will bring joy. We don’t have to sit in our loneliness and suffer. We can get connected and we can reach out and build relationships and find joy.
There is a second source of joy that Paul talks about in this first chapter of his letter to the Philippians. Philippians 1:18-21
I will continue to rejoice. I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Paul can rejoice in his suffering and adversity because he knows that God is at work doing something positive through it. It’s not that the adversity is good, it isn’t, but God can do something good through it. The message of Easter we heard last week is that the worst thing is never the last thing. If this is true, then we can experience joy in the midst of all we are going through because God is at work doing something good.
We can find joy in the midst of suffering and struggles if we can answer this question: what is the opportunity I can find in this adversity? Is there some way I can take my problems and pain and turn it into something good and meaningful for others? I am always humbled by those who can take tragedy and turn into triumph for someone else. The death of a child in one family might raise awareness to help save the life of a child in another family. Support groups for cancer, the loss of loved ones, and substance abuse are ways people find life and hope and experience joy even in some of the worst situations we go through.
If we truly believe that the worst thing is never the last thing, then joy is possible. If we can reach out and find love and support from others, and offer love and support to others, we will experience joy. No matter what you are going through today, joy is possible, and it is a choice you can make. Choose joy. Look for joy. Build relationships that will bring joy. And find joy in Jesus, the one who walks with us and redeems all that we face.
Next Steps
Joy in the Midst of Adversity
Read Philippians 1
Read about Paul’s time in Philippi. Acts 16:1-40.
Read about Paul’s time in Rome. Acts 28:14-30.
What helped Paul and Silas sing in prison?
What helped Paul experience joy while in prison in Rome?
Relationships bring joy.
What relationships helped Paul experience joy?
What relationships help you experience joy?
Find one place in the life of Faith Church where you can build new relationships.
● Join a small group.
● Help with a fresh expression.
● Join a serve team.
● Help with the upcoming mission trip (May 13-17).
What people in our community might be lonely? How can you reach out to them?
Finding opportunity in the midst of adversity brings joy.
When have you been able to bring something good out of a time of adversity?
What opportunity can you find in the adversity you are experiencing today?
We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
