DATE OF MESSAGE: August 21, 2016 MESSAGE TITLE: The ...
DATE OF MESSAGE: August 21, 2016 MESSAGE TITLE: The Foundation for Unshakable Joy, part 1 SCRIPTURE: Philippians 1:1-11 KEY TRUTH Paul’s letter to the Philippian Christians is filled with encouragement for their joy. From the very beginning, Paul shows us that unshakable joy is rooted in the message and mission of the gospel of Jesus. GETTING STARTED Take some time alone or in your group to define joy. What is joy, particularly the kind of joy Paul found in Christ? How is joy different than happiness? Consider this excerpt from a July 15, 2016 article by Pastor John Piper, How Do You Define Joy: Christian joy is a good feeling. By that, I mean it is not an idea. It is not a conviction. It is not a persuasion or a decision. It is a feeling. Or — I use the words interchangeably here — an emotion. One of the marks of the difference between an idea and an emotion or feeling is that you don’t have immediate control over your feelings or your emotions. You can’t snap your fingers and decide to feel something.
What do you think about this particular definition of joy? OBSERVATION What one word best describes how Paul felt about the Philippians (verse 3)? What is unusual about Paul’s positive attitude in this letter? Consider the setting in which he wrote the letter to the Philippian believers. What confidence did Paul express in verse 6 that gave him great joy? What else about the Philippian believers gave Paul reason to rejoice? How did Paul describe his love for the Philippian believers in verse 10? What two words does Paul use to describe believers who approve what is excellent in verse 10?
What does the fruit of righteousness produce in the lives of believers according to verse 11? Who produces the fruit of righteous living? APPLICATION Read Galatians 5:22-23. Who produces the fruit of joy in the lives of believers? Are you depending on the Holy Spirit to produce joy in you? What do you think needs to change in your life for you to experience more of the joy of the Holy Spirit? What sources other than Jesus have you depended on for joy? How have those pursuits for joy ended? Read Philippians 1:11. Righteousness is described as a fruit which Jesus produces. Believers will either depend on the life of Jesus or on their own will power to live righteously. How might relying on the works of the flesh or self-effort lead to joylessness? Have you experienced such joylessness that comes from trying to live the Christian life in your own power? PRAYER God, we ask that you would fill us with all joy and peace by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13). Keep us from settling for counterfeit sources of joy that only lead to heartache. Lead us instead to experience the inexpressible joy of Jesus as we press into the message and mission of the gospel by faith. We look to You to continue your gracious work of sanctification and remain confident that You will complete the good work You have begun in us! SHARE POINT Read I Philippians 1:1-11 and review the application questions. Share with someone in your life how God’s Word is changing you into a growing disciple. Encourage that person to do the same. That person could be a family member, a friend, a co-worker or a neighbor. COMMENTARTY NOTES 1:3-5 Paul prays for the Philippians with joy, a word that will become a keynote theme in chapter 4. Paul’s joy springs from their partnership with the gospel, which involves not only their financial support of the apostle but also their deep personal concern for his wellbeing.
1:6 Paul is sure about God’s commitment to the Philippians. The foundation for spiritual growth is recognizing that it is God who began a good work in you and will bring it to completion. Genuine spiritual progress is rooted in what God has done, is doing and will do. His faithfulness ensures that he will be with believers until Jesus returns. The Philippian believers can have supreme confidence that the God who saved them will never let them go. 1:7-8 Again, Paul expresses his warm thought about the Philippians and the fellowship they enjoy in God’s grace. Paul’s imprisonment would have been a source of great shame in the ancient world, but the Philippians have nonetheless stood in solidarity with him. This was no doubt an encouragement as he shared the good news with his captors and judges. 1:9-11 The first petition in Paul’s prayer is that God would cause the cardinal Christian virtue of love to abound more and more and would be accompanied by knowledge and all discernment, so that the Philippians’ love would find expression in wise actions that would truly benefit others and glorify God. As believers grow in their understanding of what it means to follow Jesus, they will increasingly be able to affirm and practice what is excellent. Such joyful obedience to God will give them the confidence of being found pure and blameless when Jesus returns. This does not imply instantaneous spiritual perfection but rather an increasing likeness to Jesus. The fruit of righteous is not produced in the believer’s own power. Only Jesus can produce the fruit of righteousness in the believer’s life which will result in the glory and praise of God. SOURCES CONSULTED ESV Study Bible Serendipity Bible for Personal and Small Group Study
What do you think about this particular definition of joy? OBSERVATION What one word best describes how Paul felt about the Philippians (verse 3)? What is unusual about Paul’s positive attitude in this letter? Consider the setting in which he wrote the letter to the Philippian believers. What confidence did Paul express in verse 6 that gave him great joy? What else about the Philippian believers gave Paul reason to rejoice? How did Paul describe his love for the Philippian believers in verse 10? What two words does Paul use to describe believers who approve what is excellent in verse 10?
What does the fruit of righteousness produce in the lives of believers according to verse 11? Who produces the fruit of righteous living? APPLICATION Read Galatians 5:22-23. Who produces the fruit of joy in the lives of believers? Are you depending on the Holy Spirit to produce joy in you? What do you think needs to change in your life for you to experience more of the joy of the Holy Spirit? What sources other than Jesus have you depended on for joy? How have those pursuits for joy ended? Read Philippians 1:11. Righteousness is described as a fruit which Jesus produces. Believers will either depend on the life of Jesus or on their own will power to live righteously. How might relying on the works of the flesh or self-effort lead to joylessness? Have you experienced such joylessness that comes from trying to live the Christian life in your own power? PRAYER God, we ask that you would fill us with all joy and peace by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13). Keep us from settling for counterfeit sources of joy that only lead to heartache. Lead us instead to experience the inexpressible joy of Jesus as we press into the message and mission of the gospel by faith. We look to You to continue your gracious work of sanctification and remain confident that You will complete the good work You have begun in us! SHARE POINT Read I Philippians 1:1-11 and review the application questions. Share with someone in your life how God’s Word is changing you into a growing disciple. Encourage that person to do the same. That person could be a family member, a friend, a co-worker or a neighbor. COMMENTARTY NOTES 1:3-5 Paul prays for the Philippians with joy, a word that will become a keynote theme in chapter 4. Paul’s joy springs from their partnership with the gospel, which involves not only their financial support of the apostle but also their deep personal concern for his wellbeing.
1:6 Paul is sure about God’s commitment to the Philippians. The foundation for spiritual growth is recognizing that it is God who began a good work in you and will bring it to completion. Genuine spiritual progress is rooted in what God has done, is doing and will do. His faithfulness ensures that he will be with believers until Jesus returns. The Philippian believers can have supreme confidence that the God who saved them will never let them go. 1:7-8 Again, Paul expresses his warm thought about the Philippians and the fellowship they enjoy in God’s grace. Paul’s imprisonment would have been a source of great shame in the ancient world, but the Philippians have nonetheless stood in solidarity with him. This was no doubt an encouragement as he shared the good news with his captors and judges. 1:9-11 The first petition in Paul’s prayer is that God would cause the cardinal Christian virtue of love to abound more and more and would be accompanied by knowledge and all discernment, so that the Philippians’ love would find expression in wise actions that would truly benefit others and glorify God. As believers grow in their understanding of what it means to follow Jesus, they will increasingly be able to affirm and practice what is excellent. Such joyful obedience to God will give them the confidence of being found pure and blameless when Jesus returns. This does not imply instantaneous spiritual perfection but rather an increasing likeness to Jesus. The fruit of righteous is not produced in the believer’s own power. Only Jesus can produce the fruit of righteousness in the believer’s life which will result in the glory and praise of God. SOURCES CONSULTED ESV Study Bible Serendipity Bible for Personal and Small Group Study
