Divine Joy For our Earlthy Journey - Philippians 4:21-23

You may not remember this, but when we first started this series moving through the book of Philippians, I started with an illustration about the Royal Standard, which is the official flag of the Monarch of England. This is a separate flag than the Union Jack flag that we associate with the UK. According to the official website for the Royal Family,

“The Royal Standard represents the Sovereign and the United Kingdom.

The Royal Standard is flown when The Queen is in residence in one of the Royal Palaces, on The Queen's car on official journeys and on aircraft (when on the ground).

The Royal Standard is flown only when the Sovereign is present. If the Union Jack is flying above Buckingham Palace instead of the Standard, The Queen is not in residence.

Unlike the Union flag, the Royal Standard is never flown at half mast, even after the death of a monarch, as there is always a Sovereign on the throne.”

There is a Scottish minister who once said that “Joy is the flag which is flown from the castle of the heart when the King is in residence there.”

As we have moved through this book of Philippians, we have seen that the relentless theme of the book is one of unparalleled joy! Despite the reality that the Philippian church is suffering, despite the fact that Paul is in jail and does not know what will come, whether he will live or die, Paul remains joyful and desires that we do as well. As we walk this earthly journey, until we see his face like we just sang about, we can live lives of joy even when the road is hard. There is divine joy available for us in our earthly journey.

This is our last message from the book of Philippians. What I hope to do through this sermon today is summarize where we have been what we have seen, and tie everything in together to give us that overview of this book which helps us learn how to navigate life in such a way that we walk with joy, even when times are difficult.

What we are going to see is that there are two primary stimulators of joy for Paul as he walks this difficult earthly life. The first is through his blood-bought bonds with others, and the second is through his pursuit of knowing Christ.

Joy in Blood-Bought Bonds

a. Bonds Forged in Gospel Fire

Go with me back to chapter one of Philippians and see with me how Paul describes his relationship to the Philippians and how it causes him joy to be walking this earth with them.

Philippians 1:3–5 ESV

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.

Philippians 1:7 ESV

It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.

They are partners in the Gospel. They have become partakers with him both in his trials and in the defense of the Gospel.

As a result, Paul has a love for the Philippians that is unmatched. This is a love that forged through mutual labor for the Gospel.

I remember growing up as a baseball fan watching the Cubs one summer and they were really doing poorly. They were off to a bad start, they had some issues within the clubhouse, it just wasn’t looking great. But there was a turning point in the season. A player from another team appeared to intentionally hit several Cubs players with his pitch. After some words were exchanged, the benches cleared and there was a small skirmish on the field. We can look at moments like that as being rather negative, but it was that moment that was a turning point for that team. All the sudden, this wasn’t just some ragtag group of misfits. They became a team in that moment. Now they knew that that guy has my back and I have his. A greater bond was formed in the fight than could ever have been manufactured in another way.

Often times our military veterans experience a camaraderie that can only come from having served in the armed forces. No one else knows what it's like and can empathize with you like someone who fought alongside you against a common enemy. Brothers in arms, are brothers for life.

And such is what it is for God’s people. Obviously, we aren’t fighting a physical war or going to battle with Rifles or Baseball bats. But we are in a spiritual war. And we do go to spiritual war against the forces of darkness, and when we engage in Gospel ministry alongside one another, when we labor in prayer for one another, there is a bond that is formed that is greater than anything else. We may even have some secondary doctrinal differences, but when we labor for the same gospel, you’re my brother! You’re my sister! and I will go to war for you and with you.

That is the kind of bond that Paul has with the Philippians. It’s not uncommon for some individuals within a church to feel like they aren’t developing the relationships they desire to develop from their church community. Are you doing ministry together? Are you praying for and with one another? The deepest bonds are formed through Gospel ministry with one another.

That is why he speaks of them with such tender language

Philippians 1:8 ESV

For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.

These are bonds forged in Gospel fire and thus they are precious.

And because these are precious bonds, Paul wants to see them preserved.

b. Bonds Worth Preserving

The bond forged in Gospel fire are worth preserving. How are they preserved?

They are preserved through fighting for unity.

At the end of chapter one Paul writes this

Philippians 1:27–28 (ESV)

27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents.

Paul recognizes the fact that we are in a spiritual war, and we need our brothers and sisters, we can’t afford to let things that are of no real consequence come between us and prevent us from remaining in fellowship with each other.

Now, of course, this is qualified. While we recognize that there are some doctrines that are primary and secondary, etc, and that we can give grace on secondary differences, we also recognize that there is but one true Gospel. There are primary things that we are absolutely willing to fight for and divide over. But if we are holding to those things, we can and we must fight for unity, even if there isn’t uniformity.

Our bonds are preserved through unity.

But such unity requires humility.

Preserved through humility.

Look at chapter two

Philippians 2:1–4 ESV

1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

If we are to have unity within the church, that is going to take humility. If we always insist on our own way, if we are jockeying for position, if we are only concerned with what we want, what we think is best, and the direction we want things to go....we are acting from pride, and not out of deference to others.

We also see the command from Paul in chapter 4 to two individuals who apparently had a dispute of some kind

Philippians 4:2–3 ESV

2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

This is a little bit of a silly illustration, but on Friday night we were watching Star Wars the Clone Wars with our kids. There was a Clone Squad in training for battle, but there were having trouble and never passed their tests because they were all jockeying for position and failing to work together to accomplish the task. They had to learn to set their own pride aside and work together to accomplish the mission.

When we are of the same mind and working toward the same end, the furtherance of the Gospel of Christ for the glory of God, we are going to forge Gospel bonds, and those bonds are worth preserving.

They are worth preserving, and they are worth propagating.

c. Bonds Worth Propagating

This means that we want to see similar bonds reproduced in others.

The Philippians had their lives changed by the Gospel of Christ. They wanted the same to happen for others as well.

This is why they supported Paul, and a big reason why Paul was writing this letter: to thank them for their support. They are partners in the Gospel.

The Philippians wanted others to hear the good news. Paul wanted others to hear the good news. So the Philippians supported Paul in his missionary journeys so that others might share in these same bonds forged in Gospel fire.

We spent time looking at the financial support that the Philippians gave to PAul for the purpose of a continual spread of the Gospel, so we won’t belabor the point here. But when we experience the love of Christ, and when we discover the joy of being in a healthy church body, that is worth propagating, that is worth investing in seeing others be exposed to the Gospel so that they too may experience the same joy.

So there is joy in our blood-bought bonds that comes through the Gospel. Bonds forged in Gospel fire, bonds worth preserving and propagating.

The other major thrust of the book is the joy of knowing Christ.

Joy in Knowing Christ

When we come to faith in Christ, we place our trust in Him for our salvation, but there are many promises that become ours as well, and we get to trust those promises.

Knowing Christ is the means through which our blood-bought bonds are formed, as only those who know Christ share in those bonds.

How does knowing Christ bring us joy?

a. Knowing He is at Work

In the opening of the letter, as Paul is still speaking about the Philippians and his thankfulness for them writes,

Philippians 1:6 ESV

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Paul takes joy and comfort knowing that God isn’t finished with us yet. He started a good work when he opened our eyes to see the truth of the Gospel, and he is going to finish that work.

Paul will go on to say in chapter two:

Philippians 2:12–13 ESV

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, 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.

God is at work within you!

Because of that reality, he also is confident and trusts that even when circumstances are less than ideal, he will still rejoice because he sees God at work.

Philippians 1:12 ESV

I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel,

He didn’t volunteer for prison. He didn’t ask for persecution. None of us ask for our trials. But he chose to trust in the work of the savior that he was doing behind the sees, and he takes joy in knowing that Christ is at work. Here Paul was able to get a peek behind the curtain to see what God was doing through the negative circumstances. We don’t always get that this side of glory. Paul didn’t always get to see what God was doing behind the scenes. But he does trust, and knowing that God is at work, even when we cannot see it, ought to bring us comfort and joy as we walk through difficult times.

For Paul, he doesn’t even know if he will live to tell about his experience, but he is okay with that, because he is determined to honor Christ.

Look at Phil 1:20-21

Philippians 1:20–21 ESV

as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

It is truth like this, knowing that God is at work, that can lead a person to live a confident anxiety-free life. If we are forcing ourselves to dwell on this reality, that God is at work, that he will complete the work be begun, that he is doing things behind the scenes that we don’t always see, if we dwell on that and go to our Lord in prayer…we don’t have to be anxious. We don’t have to be discontent.

But rather we can live lives of trust and contentment before God.

There is joy in knowing that God is at work.

Paul also takes joy in knowing the Sacrifice of Christ.

b. Knowing His Sacrifice

There is perhaps no passage more beautiful about what Christ did in coming to earth to die in our place than what we find in Phil 2. Paul paints a magnificent picture of the sacrifice of Christ and his glorification.

As Paul desires us to live lives of unity and humility, he gives us the example of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 2:5–11 ESV

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Knowing the sacrifice of Christ for us and the subsequent glorification of Christ ought to bring us joy.

Because we know of his great love for us

Because we know of the life that is possible through him

because we know that whatever comes in this world, we know who wins in the end.

Paul takes joy in knowing the sacrifice of Christ because it is in knowing the sacrifice of Christ that we know His salvation.

Go over with me to chapter three.

c. Knowing His Salvation

As Paul reflects upon all the things that we once considered of value and worth in life, he is willing to set all of it aside for the sake of knowing Christ and his salvation.

Philippians 3:7–10 ESV

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

It’s worth trading everything you thought had value to know Jesus Christ and the power of his resurrection.

The surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Nothing is better than that!. There is no greater thing!

He gains righteousness but it is not his own, that did not come from the law. We know that the law can never produce righteousness within a person, but only death. Paul rejoices to see that he is given righteousness, but it's not one he could have earned. It is the righteousness of Christ given through faith in the Gospel.

As a result, he knows salvation. he knows Christ. He knows the power of Christ's resurrection. Even if that means sharing in the sufferings of Christ, it is worth it.

And Paul knows, he, I’m not perfect. I don’t have perfect knowledge. I’m not a perfect Christian. But he says it is his joy to press on to know Christ more and to live according to his ways all the more

Philippians 3:12–14 ESV

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Paul looks upward, knowing that his citizenship is in heaven. And this savior that he has come to know. He is coming back.

Philippians 3:20–21 ESV

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

There is joy in knowing the salvation of Christ, and all the promises that come with it.

One of those promises is that of peace even as we walk this earth.

d. Knowing His Peace

As a result of all these things, knowing the sacrifice of Christ, knowing the salvation of Christ, knowing that Christ is at work in our lives, even in the difficult times, this can lead us to a place of peace that surpasses all understanding.

Because we know that the Lord is near we don’t have to be anxious about anything, but we can go to this savior, this one who is at work, and we can pour out our hearts to him in prayer and we have this promise

Philippians 4:7 ESV

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:9 ESV

What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Yes, there is joy in knowing Christ. There is joy in trusting His work. There is joy in resting in the salvation of Christ that comes through faith in His sacrifice. And there is joy in walking this earthly road with others who have experienced the same joy of knowing Christ and seeking to proclaim the Gospel that others too might partake of this same joy.

And that brings us to the close of this letter.

Philippians 4:21–22 ESV

Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household.

This is an intensely personal greeting.

Greet every saint. All the saints greet you.

Here are more saints who have forged the bond of Gospel unity.

You’re not alone. You may be separated by hundreds of miles, but you are not alone in your suffering.

And finally, verse 23

Philippians 4:23 ESV

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

The grace that helps you see from God’s perspective when things aren’t going as you planned. The grace to live in unity with our brothers and sisters. The grace to know that he who began a good work will finish it. The grace to know that though we work out our salvation with fear and trembling, ultimately it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. the grace to know that he has promised his peace to those who will continually come before him and pour out our hearts to Him.

Grace that sanctifies. Grace that strengthens. Grace that produces endurance.

The Grace of knowing that Jesus is Lord.

I close with the words of a song by Michael Card from 1994

There is a joy in the journey There's a light we can love on the way There is a wonder and wildness to life And freedom for those who obey And all those who seek it shall find it A pardon for all who believe Hope for the hopeless and sight for the blind To all who've been born in the Spirit And who share incarnation with Him Who belong to eternity stranded in time And weary of struggling with sin Forget not the hope that's before you And never stop counting the cost Remember the hopelessness when you were lost There is a joy in the journey There's a light we can love on the way There is a wonder and wildness to life And freedom for those who obey Let’s pray

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