The Source of Our Joy

Lieutenant Rob Westwood-Payne

Captain Rob Westwood-Payne

Happiness • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

Philippians 4:2–20

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Happiness comes from being content in God, the source of our joy.

Notes

Transcript

Handout

Bible Introduction (2m)

Do you know the secrets to a happy life?

Obtaining wealth? Fame? (or at least recognition?) Relationships with family, friends, spouse?

Introduction (5m)

Are you happy?

Video: There is Happy in The Salvation Army | 5:00

Salvationists supposed to be happy!

Explanation (5m)

God is happiness

Nature. Essence. Doesn’t have happiness. Happy because of who he is. Nothing can increase/take away his happiness. Perfect happiness.

God longs to share happiness with us

Longs to share every good gift with us. To make us happy.

Our happiness therefore centres on our relationship with God

Philippians 4:4 NLT

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!

How? When circumstances are sometimes joyless, difficult, upsetting?

Because happiness is centred on God, not our circumstances.

We are happy because we are living life in union with Christ

Happiness in power/hope of Christ. Because of power/hope the whole tone of our life is one of joy in Christ.

Joy, unmitigated, untrammeled joy, is—or at least should be—the distinctive mark of the believer in Christ Jesus. (Gordon Fee, Christian writer)

We are to be happy rather than worrying

Philippians 4:6 NLT

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

Nobody is happy about worrying! Anxiety, worry, fear rob us of happiness. How do we stop? We centre on relationship with God: talk to him. Ask for what we need. Show gratitude for what he’s already done. As we do this, worry is forgotten. We discover happiness. We find peace - God’s peace - beyond our understanding.

Paul has discovered all this for himself, and has found happiness

Philippians 4:11–12 NLT

Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.

Content/happy in every circumstance. Happy even when he is in need. Happy when he has enough. Paul knows how to cope with both.

Remarkable that all this is written from prison in Rome.

How? Paul’s happiness is based on his relationship with Jesus Christ

Philippians 4:13 NLT

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

Not self-sufficient but Christ-sufficient.

Application (5m)

Would you like to be like Paul?

Happy in every circumstance - need as well as plenty?

The answer is to start with God

He is secret to happy life. He is true source of happiness/fulfilment/pleasure:

Here is the irony: the less you’re concerned about your happiness and the more you’re concerned about him [God], the happier you get. This is not a trick. You can’t say, ‘Oh great. I have it. I come to God, and I say this and this and this.’ You cannot bandy with the omnipotent and omniscient Lord of the universe. ‘Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither’” (Timothy Keller, pastor)

How can we be more concerned with God and less concerned about our happiness?

Video: Peter Pan - Think Happy Thoughts | 1:00

or ...

Philippians 4:8 NLT

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Think about God. Talk to him. Read about him. Study him. Talk about him (small groups). Hide his word in our hearts. Get to know him more deeply. Meditate on him. Listen to him and ignore everything that wants to take your mind captive.

Live true lives, live honourably, live justly, live purely, live commendably and you will discover true happiness.

Next Steps

SB 290 - Spirit of God, descend upon my heart

Spirit of God, descend upon my heart; Wean it from earth, through all its pulses move; Stoop to my weakness, mighty as thou art, And make me love thee as I ought to love. 2 Hast thou not bid me love thee, God and King? All, all thine own, soul, heart, and strength and mind. I see thy cross; there teach my heart to cling: O let me seek thee, and O let me find! 3 Teach me to feel that thou art always nigh; Teach me the struggles of the soul to bear, To check the rising doubt, the rebel sigh; Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer. 4 Teach me to love thee as thine angels love, One holy passion filling all my frame; The baptism of the Heaven-descended dove My heart an altar, and thy love the flame. George Croly (1780-1860) Used By Permission. CCL Licence No. 30158 Copied from The Song Book of The Salvation Army Song Number 290

Questions for Reflection/Small Group Discussion

Do you think Salvationists are happy people? Why or why not?

Is happiness in life the opposite to holiness? Why do we sometimes think that?

What are some Christian “happy thoughts”?

Prayer Subjects

For those who are finding life tough at the moment.

For mental health and other professionals who try to help people find happiness and contentment in their lives.