Introduction The circumstances of life do not steal my joy

Introduction
In YG we’ve been studying the book of Philippians this year, and sort of surreptitiously, the theme of a
life “surrendered” to Jesus has emerged. That theme sort of grew out of our talks, it was the theme at
our winter camp, and it’s been a theme in almost all the lessons lately. We’ve been asking the question,
“have you truly surrendered your life to Jesus?” We’re not talking about whether you made a
profession of faith at some point in your life, or whether you go to church sometimes. A life
surrendered to Jesus is a life where you have voluntarily handed over the reins to Jesus. Surrendered to
your will is “you are in control. Life has its ups and downs, twists and turns… and I’m ok with that!”
I feel like the students have been really honest in their response to this theme. Two Wednesdays ago I
asked them to put it down on paper and talk to me. I’ve heard, “I know I’m not perfect, but I know I’ve
surrendered my will and life to Jesus.” But just as much, if not more, I’ve heard, “I can’t say that I’ve
totally surrendered.” In fact some said, “I don’t think I’ve surrendered my life to Jesus.” “I don’t think
I’m righteous!
We’re all church goers in this room. I’d be curious if the response found among the YG wouldn’t be
similarly distributed among the adults as well. The fact is, if we claim to be sons and daughters of the
God of the Bible, we are all in some part of the process of “surrendering” our life to Jesus. If someone
can show me that I’m not, I will want to change that!
Today, I thought it would be good to skip across some of those highlights that we’ve been studying over
the year in YG and see if we could boil down the some key thoughts in the book in one message. Please
open up to Philippians. What I ended up with today is six key principles that are demonstrated in a life
is surrendered to Christ, and that is in the process of being surrendered to our Lord Jesus.
At the end of this, I’d like to ask us all, in a challenging way, how surrendered we are at this moment.
Everyone brought something into the room today, and in everyone’s case, the Lord is asking, “are you
willing to surrender that aspect to me?” Let’s use that theme as a Launchpad to skip across Paul’s book
to the Philippian church.
The circumstances of life do not steal my joy
“I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the
gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my
imprisonment is for Christ.”
Well, what’s happened to him? He’s stuck in jail. A roman prison was often no more than stone walls.
Without a lot of detail… They sure didn’t provide for your basic needs with anything, and so their
survival was entirely dependent on the freewill gifts of friends who would bring them something… that’s
if anything more than crumbs got past the guards. Later on we find out that Timothy had stood by him
(2:22) and brought him some clothes, food, and some parchment to write on. But even with that, he’s
in a pretty lame situation, he’s locked up, there’s no prisoner protection laws of any kind, it’s definitely
unfair, it’s not based on legitimate charges, he’s just stuck… don’t confuse our American system…
clean… protection laws… clothes…
The interesting thing about Philippians is that he keeps talking about joy,
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“I make my prayers with joy (4)”
“yes I will rejoice (18)”
“complete my joy by being of the same mind (2:2)”
“Even if I am being poured out as a drink offering… I am glad and I rejoice with all of you…
likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.”
“rejoice in the Lord always.”
What we find is that when we are surrendered to Christ, we find in him a true joy that is not based on
the circumstances of our life, or the feeling of the moment. At this moment circumstances might be
robbing me of the freedom I would like, or the relationship I crave, but these circumstances don’t rob
me of my deep rooted “joy” that comes from being in the will of my God, the one in whom I put my
confidence.
v. 13 “…it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my
imprisonment is for Christ.”
Haven’t you noticed in your walk of faith that there’s rarely a more powerful witness for Christ, than one
of his servants stuck in a really bad predicament, and surrendered to HIM. God uses those really lame
and unappealing situations in the lives of those surrendered to him… to make bold statements about
himself.
I was just talking with the Matt Crenshaw a few days ago, and he mentioned the hardest time in his life
was when they lost their business, jobless, homeless… and he couldn’t even finish all that without
saying, “I wouldn’t trade it for the world.” God was so near, the food cards showed up, man did he work
in our life. I know that many of us have had similar stories… And the best part is that He is working in
the lives of the others that are watching your situation…
Michelle has told me a number of times that the time I felt our marriage was closest was when we didn’t
know what we were doing next. I’ve been blessed to have grown up in a family where praying for food
and rent and clothing was something I could see realized. My mom experienced a huge season of
depression. I mean that doesn’t make sense, she’s always serving others, followed her husband all over
the world, truly lived for ministry not for the goods of this earth… and suddenly a really LAME situation
that lasted two years. But she just got back from a conference sharing what God had done in her life,
and how God pulled her through, and the women flock to that, can I hear your story!
v. 14, “And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment are much
more bold to speak the word without fear.”
What God might be doing in your situation might be way bigger than you, and are you willing to let him
use you despite your discomfort, to bring boldness in someone else’s life, to bring conviction in another
life for complacency, and bring
And so we see that the rewards of a life surrendered to Jesus is that you rise above your circumstances.
And I think that with Paul we can do more than just GET BY, we can overcome it and find that there is
still a deep non-earthy peace and confidence and joy when we are surrendered to His will. It’s been said
before… God’s ultimate purpose is not your immediate comfort. We have eternity with him full of
adventure and excitement and joy in the new Heavens, but right now His purpose is to work through the
pain of this world, to make himself known.
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I can have hope and rejoice in Christ regardless if I’m in prison
I can have hope and rejoice in Christ regardless if I’m married or not
I can have hope and rejoice in Christ regardless if I’m employed or not
I can have hope and rejoice in Christ regardless if my family has disowned me because of my
beliefs
I can have hope and rejoice in Christ regardless if I have to work harder at something that
someone else does and it comes easy to them
I can have hope and rejoice in Christ regardless if I’m stuck on the sideline, doing nothing
waiting for what is to happen in my life.
I can have joy in Christ regardless if I’m at odds with my spouse and the relationship feels
hopeless
I can have joy in Christ regardless if my parents don’t give me any freedom and I don’t agree
with their rules and I’m so frustrated
I can have joy in Christ regardless if my health just got taken from me, my limbs, my freedom
I can have joy in Christ regardless if I’ve been betrayed, because some even took the
opportunity while Paul was in Prison to outdo him… They didn’t like that he was a powerful
preacher, and so they moved in as soon as he was locked up 1:15, “Some preach from envy and
rivalry…”
He’s stuck in jail, people are using the opportunity against him, the situation stinks but Christ is being
made known… and so he says at the end of verse 18, “Yes, and I will rejoice!”
Is our life marked with joy, despite any circumstance you can throw at me? That’s a life surrendered to
the glory of Jesus.
As God’s worker, I choose to do what produces the most fruit!
He says, “you know what… if they lop my head off – let me tell you a secret, “I know I’m in heaven, in
the presence of Christ with FULL benefits!” That sounds a bit better than this prison cell.
He hints at his current dilemma in vs 23, “I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart
and be with Christ, for that is far better…
READ If we’re sidelined, uninvolved in God’s work in any way, just endlessly playing… and comfortable with
that. I would suggest that we’re missing the concept of what we are to be as God’s worker. In the hive
everyone has a job to do. If the only piece we contribute is going to church, that’s just showing up at the
honeycomb, taking a sip and giving no work. That’s not even a plug for service in the church, that’s a
plug for living your life as an ambassador, “who did God bring across your path this week?” Did anything
rub off? Let’s get back to Paul in jail:
Let’s think of the countless possible scenarios in our lives where we could say my desire is to depart…
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You might have a hard family to be around. My desire is to depart and never see them again.
But who’s going to be the light of Christ in their life?
My desire is to depart from this MISERABLE marriage, but who is God calling to take the high
road, to suffer the injustice for His sake, if he’s not calling that for you.
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My desire is to depart from this broken health that has me shackled to medical care and pills,
but laying here in bed I’ve learned some new lessons on the meaning of life, I can pray, it’s
bringing people right to my side that I can influence.
From this endless fighting in my house that I can’t stand… I want to run away… but that’s the
training.
From not having enough money,
From this state of not knowing what is going to happen to me
From those embarrassing taunts of those kids at school …
Do you know why I can lead a life of victory and joy despite my circumstances? It’s because the reins
are not in my hand. A life that is surrendered to the Lord’s will is all about releasing the reins that
control the bit, and handing them over to Jesus. Opening up those fingers and learning to trust Him
with the control of our life.
That’s why he says that great verse in 1:21, “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
I didn’t move to Boise because it’s the 9th safest city in America. You put me Boise or in Detroit, it
doesn’t matter. I think we miss a big chunk of what God is trying to do if we are too overly concerned
about our personal safety. I’m ok with some differing opinions on that issue. God is directing my path
and I might be in Council Idaho just as easily Buenos Aires. I would prefer Sun Valley if everything was
equal… but I love watching what God does. I hope so, though I’m not asking!
What’s a good conclusion to this: sure, if I have the choices I’ll make them according to the best of my
ability. But, if I have no choice at the moment, I remember that God is in control, and I’m ok with it. The
surrendered life says, “For me to live is Christ, die is gain.” Fill in your two options, and I hope Christ in
both of those. Bring it! I’m not afraid of people, I’m not afraid of my circumstances. Would I say the
same thing as a paraplegic next week? I hope so. Where are the people right now that live like that?
There is a growing love in me for the interests of others
Vs 2:4, “Let each of you look not only to his own interest, but also to the interest of others.”
This is not normal or natural. I have to survive myself… how in the world can I care for the rest of the
world? Someone might be able to say, “well if you’re kind to people, and give to them first, they’ll give
back to you, and it will be worth it…” I can see that – maybe, but I probably wouldn’t take those odds.
But all that goes out the window when we fix our eyes on Jesus. You can dabble in this in some
philanthropic or humanistic way (sure of course), if it doesn’t hurt your bottom dollar, but the way of
Jesus is to actually give of yourself, even when it costs something. There’s a handful of seemingly truly
selfless people in the world (such a minority that we might idolize one or two) that can lead the
example, but we’re just going to look straight to the example of Jesus.
v.6, “who though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God something to be
grasped, but made himself nothing…”
What Jesus did was care about me as an individual, and he thought about my redemption above His own
comfort and glory… then as I surrender my life to him I’m able to whisper those words, “please help me
to be more like you, help me to think of others when all I want to do is think about myself.”
We surrender the, “Win at all costs attitude.” I love to watch a player run over to someone hurt on the
other team. I want to win just as much as anyone, but how neat to place your health, your potential,
your role above the win, above the promotion, above the deal.
The only way this is possible… and this is truly the only way to “look to the interests of others.” There is
no other way, is to consider the example of what Jesus did. He was God, enthroned, glorious, powerful,
and chose to lay that aside
Illus Imagine trying to petition a prince to skip the afternoon snack for one week, the whole operation
costs about $8000 each time, and with that money saved, we could lay a basic sewer infrastructure for a
public toilet in your slum outside of town. The prince has never even heard of your slum, doesn’t know
it exists… you think you’re going to get him to forgo the slightest bit of discomfort on your behalf?
Jesus sets aside the glory of heaven to humble Himself for 33 human years… vs 6 “Though he was in the
form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped (meaning something he wasn’t
willing to let go for a brief period)… that benefits those people… I’ll do it!
Only when we surrender our lives to Jesus can we become like Him, where we have this mind to think
about other people’s interests, helping other people achieve their potential.
Review so far!
The next one is a little freebie.
The attitude of gratitude is a distinction in my life
“Do all things without grumbling or complaining… midst of a crooked generation among whom you
shine as lights…”
I liked that he equates the character trait of not grumbling and complaining with, “that you would stand
out in the world.” Are we grumblers or complainers? A surrendered life is able to cope with being
thrown off course for the day. The surrendered life expects that everything is going to get messed up,
and has just said, you have the reins. So where does grumbling fit in?
Forget the theory, do we grumble about the food we eat? We are so overly refined in our choices, that
we can grumble about a taste variation. And there’s someone today who’s stomach hurts. We grumble
stuck in traffic, in a perfectly molded seat, climate control, and we lost 4 minutes. I don’t like it either,
but what if everything had a positive flip. In every situation there is a way to grumble and there’s a way
to find a God-honoring alternative view.
Illust – One of the lessons I learned in seminary is that it is possible to not grumble when the RR barrier
comes down. That was the semester I was suppose to pray for an hour every single day of the week. I
haven’t been able to since, but I distinctly remember that beautiful spring day when it came down, the
train stopped in front, the line is a mile long behind me, people are clearly upset, turning cars… and I just
turned the car off with a smile, thank you Lord, what a nice place to do my prayer time.
The first level is to just stop the grumbling. Somehow just powering up to stop the sarcasm, stop the
complaining. That’s a good step in the right direction, but it doesn’t really accomplish a lot. Better yet is
to replace it with gratitude to the Lord. Thanks to Him.
Trading everything for a deeper relationship with Jesus
A life of surrender to our Lord grows in its understanding that the pinnacle of satisfaction and fulfillment
is simply knowing Jesus. I don’t say that lightly. All my accomplishments, all my trophies, all my
construction projects and everything I spent my life attaining is dung, when I think about how much it
means to know Jesus and be known by Him.
Paul Lewer gave his testimony on Wednesday and mentioned that growing up, he was one of the “best
kids” he knew… As soon as we compared ourselves to everyone else, we aren’t that bad. I was a “good”
kid in my circles. I’m not like that, and I’m sure not like that. And as long as we allow that sit in our
bank of achievements, the more we unwittingly begin to be sucked into the enemy’s greatest trap.
Whatever kind of spiritual self-confidence we might be able to bring to the table, Paul says, “I’ve got you
beat!” He’s more religious than any of us, he’s not a Gentile, He was a Pharisee… we see that as bad but
equivalent version of the church goer today would see that as someone who does everything right,
serves, gives, and that religion earned him not the slightest shred of righteousness. And so he casts it all
aside and says, “What must I do to know Jesus.”
“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.”
When I cast off my ability to earn my righteousness with God and come to Him in loving faith and
humble adoration and cast myself at His mercy… “I am found in him, not having a righteousness of my
own, that comes from obeying things, but that which comes through faith in Christ, This is a
righteousness from God that depends on faith.”
God agrees with him that he can’t bring any of his own righteousness to the table, but God is more than
happy to say, “I have all the righteousness sitting in my power to give, and by coming in faith to me, I
credit it to your account.”
That is something that no one can take away.
Which brings us to our final thought that I’ll highlight in the book. Paul cast all those things off that he
brought as righteousness and by doing that he found God’s righteousness. So he’s declared righteous
before God, who brought him into the fold, but for the rest of his time on earth he’s still going to
struggle. And that’s our last point of a surrendered life…
I’m not perfect: but I’m not giving up!
Let’s read the man who penned half of the NT, “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.”
I found righteousness in God, which grants me the resurrection from the dead to eternal life. I have that
and it’s in my account. But I’m not there yet. I’ll still struggle with sin, I’ll still be caught in certain
snares… but it’s all in the outlook. I know the victory is coming, so my outlook is different. I know the
crown of righteousness awaits me, and so I press on with hope.
I trip and get up. I work hard, not to earn, but with gratitude, thankfulness, a heart of joy. I do it ALL
because of one thing, it’s my treasure, “Jesus has made me his own.” That’s what breeds these
fanatically hopeful and joyous believers, “Jesus has made me his own.”
Conclusion
There’s enough power with Jesus:
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To find joy despite the circumstances
To do what brings more fruit than comfort
To grow in putting the interest of others first
To live without complaining
To come with no righteousness of your own and receive perfect righteousness credited to your
account.
6. To keep going
Finish by having Andrew read 4:4-8