Joy in Every Situation Part 2
Now this is the last week in a teaching series we’ve been doing on a book of the bible called Philippians, because next week we’ll be starting a new 4 week teaching series called 3D Living, which is about living with a greater purpose. It’s about discovering what our purpose is in life, and how to live out that purpose. So this is the last week in our Philippians series, which has been about finding joy in daily life, and what we’re talking about specifically today is how to have joy in every situation. It’s part 2, a continuation of last week’s message, on how to have joy in every situation. So many of us struggle with being content and joyful in daily life, to the point where we find ourselves searching. We find ourselves searching for something or someone that can solve our problems, make us content, make us joyful in life, and we can’t ever seem to find it. As the famous philosopher and scientist Blaise Pascal said, “There’s a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of each person, which can’t be satisfied by any created thing. It can only be satisfied by God the Creator.” But we keep searching and keep thinking that being content and joyful is circumstantial. We think it’s based on the situations we’re facing in life. The problem is we’ll always have tough situations we’ll face in life. So we need to learn how to be content and joyful regardless of the situations, and that’s what we’re talking about today. We’re talking about how to be content and joyful, in every situation. So let’s turn to Philippians 4 and get into it. You’ll find Philippians in the last quarter of the bible, and we’ll be in Philippians 4:10-23. The title of the message is Joyful In Every Situation Part 2, and here’s the big idea of the message. The secret to being content and joyful in every situation, is found in realizing Jesus is enough in every situation...The secret to being content and joyful in every situation, is found in realizing Jesus is enough in every situation...
Here’s your context. The Apostle Paul writes this letter while sitting in a Roman prison facing the death penalty not for a crime he’s committed, but for his faith in Jesus. So he’s innocent, sitting in prison, facing the death penalty, and one of the primary things he writes about is joy. The reason he’s able to write about joy in this situation, is because he found a joy in life that can’t be taken away by any situation he faces in life. He says that joy is found in Jesus. In our study of vs. 1-13 he taught us three stabilizers we can use to counteract any turbulence we face in life, and that relying on Jesus is our greatest stabilizer. Well today he’ll teach us the secret to being content and joyful in every situation, is found in realizing Jesus is enough in every situation. Let’s check it out.
Philippians 4:10-23, “I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, because once again you renewed your care for me. You were in fact concerned about me, but lacked the opportunity to show it.” Paul’s ending his letter to the Philippians by once again rejoicing. His letter’s only 4 chapters long, yet he uses the word joy or rejoicing over 14 times. In vs. 10 he even uses the adverb greatly. He says, “I rejoiced in the Lord greatly.” The Philippians sent a generous gift to express their concern for him, and he’s rejoicing in the Lord greatly over this. But he quickly tells them he isn’t rejoicing because he was discontent and their gift suddenly restored his joy. He’s thankful for their gift, but wants to be clear that he was content and joyful with or without their gift, which he mentions next.
Vs. 11, “I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself. 12 I know how to make do with a little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances, I have learned the secret of being content…” Paul says he’s thankful for the Philippians’ gift, but he was content and joyful with or without their gift. He says he’s content in whatever circumstances he faces. He’s content in any and all circumstances.This is the 1st of 3 things Paul will teach us about being content and joyful. He’s teaching us...
#1 We can be content and joyful, in any circumstance. Paul’s life is evidence that we really can reach a point in life where we’re content and joyful, in any circumstance we face in life. Paul says he’s content in any and all circumstances, which means you can be too. The problem is we often think we need our circumstances to change to reach that point of being content and joyful. Jason Lehman wrote a great poem describing this human problem. It’s called Present Tense.
It was spring, but it was summer I wanted,
the warm days, and the great outdoors.
It was summer, but it was fall I wanted,
the colorful leaves, and the cool, dry air.
It was fall, but it was winter I wanted,
the beautiful snow, and the joy of the holiday season.
It was now winter, but it was spring I wanted,
the warmth, and the blossoming of nature.
I was a child, but it was adulthood I wanted,
the freedom, and the respect.
I was 20, but it was 30 I wanted,
to be mature, and sophisticated.
I was middle-aged, but it was 20 I wanted,
the youth, and the free spirit.
I was retired, but it was middle age that I wanted,
the presence of mind, without limitations.
My life was over...but I never got what I wanted.
Lehman’s point is we spend most our lives thinking some future circumstance will finally make us content and joyful in life, only to find out it didn’t give us what we wanted. What is that circumstance for you?...What circumstance are you seeking, that you think will finally make you content and joyful in life?...Is it getting married, having kids, changing jobs?...Is it getting through school, being a success, making more money, or finally getting to retirement?...What circumstance are you seeking, that you think will finally make you content and joyful in life?... Lehman says you’ll never get what you want. You’ll never be content and joyful seeking future circumstances. But Paul says he found the secret to being content and joyful in any circumstance, and like I said last week the good news is he learned it. He says twice it’s something he learned, which means we can learn it too. Being content and joyful isn’t something that came naturally to Paul, which is why he had to learn it. It isn’t something that comes naturally to us, which is why we have to learn it. Paul’s about to tell us this secret he’s learned, to being content and joyful in any circumstance.
Again vs. 12, “In any and all circumstances, I have learned the secret of being content, whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. 13 I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.” There’s the secret he learned to being content and joyful in any circumstance. He says the secret is found through him who strengthens me. It’s found through him, meaning through Jesus, which I briefly mentioned last week. So the 2nd thing Paul’s teaches us is...
#2 We can be content and joyful, when we realize Jesus is enough. We can be content and joyful when we realize Jesus is enough in any circumstance, because we can do all things through him, who strengthens us. Remember Paul said this is something he learned, and the reality is most of us haven’t learned it yet. It’s because most of us are still thinking the solution to our problems is some future circumstance instead of Jesus. We’re still having to learn from the school of hard knocks, because we haven’t taken enough hard knocks to finally realize Jesus is all we need. We haven’t taken enough hard knocks to finally realize there isn’t any future circumstance that can solve all our problems to make us content and joyful in life. Elisabeth Elliot said, “The secret is Christ in me, not me in a different circumstance.” Both Elliot and Paul are saying being content and joyful isn’t found in circumstantial-sufficiency, it’s found in Christ-sufficiency. It’s found in believing Christ is enough, in every situation and every circumstance. The moment you start thinking you need something else more than Christ, is the moment you start becoming discontent and joyless in life, and it happens to all of us. We all have our moments where we think Jesus + Something is what’s missing. But it’s Jesus + Nothing that equals everything.
This is what Philippians 4:13 is really about! I know a lot of athletes get tattoos or quote this verse saying, “I can do all things, through him who strengthens me.” It’s a great verse, but it’s often used out of context. A lot of people think it’s about Jesus helping them to accomplish their dreams and goals in life. But if that’s the case then anybody could play in the NFL regardless of their genetics, and anybody could perform heart surgery regardless of their degrees. Could you imagine needing heart surgery and the surgeon says, “The bad news is, I’m your surgeon, and I have no medical degrees or experience. But the good news is, I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Who wants that person for a surgeon?...1-2-3 not it!...My point is the context of this verse isn’t about Jesus helping us to accomplish our dreams and goals. It’s about Jesus helping us to become content in any circumstance, including disappointing circumstances where we didn’t accomplish our dreams and goals. It’s about Jesus helping us to become content and joyful in any circumstance, through him who strengthens us. So Paul’s saying the secret to being content and joyful in any circumstance, is found when we rely on Jesus to strengthen us. It's found when we focus more on Jesus than our circumstances. It’s found when we realize Jesus is enough, in every circumstance. What have you been focusing on more?...Have you been focusing more on Jesus, or your circumstances?...Have you been focusing more on praying and relying on Jesus to strengthen you knowing he’s enough, or have you been focusing more on your circumstances?...Paul says we have to learn this, and we’ll keep going through the school of hard knocks until we do. The more you focus, pray, rely on Jesus, the more you’ll cometo learn he’s enough in every circumstance.
Vs. 14, “Still, you did well by partnering with me in my hardship. 15 And you Philippians know that in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone. 16 For even in Thessalonica you sent gifts for my need several times. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit, that is increasing to your account.” Notice once again Paul’s careful to make sure the Philippians know he isn’t seeking any kind of gift from them. When he says I seek the profit, a better translation of the Greek word for profit is fruit. So Paul isn’t seeking their financial profit, he’s seeking their spiritual profit. He isn’t seeking their financial profit, he’s seeking for them to grow spiritually in bearing fruit.
Vs. 18, “I have received everything in full, and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you provided—a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Paul’s saying when we finally realize Jesus is enough in every circumstance, we’ll bear fruit in being more generous, content, and joyful with our wealth, trusting Jesus will supply all our needs. The reason we’re often discontent with our wealth, is because we often have a tighter grip on our wealth than we do on Jesus, and we don’t always trust he’ll supply all our needs. But the reason the Philippians were so generous is because they had a looser grip on their wealth and a tighter grip on Jesus, trusting he’d supply all their needs. So the 3rd thing Paul teaches is...
#3 We can be content and joyful, when we realize Jesus will supply all our needs. We can be content and joyful when we realize Jesus will supply all our needs when it comes to our wealth, but he’ll also supply all our needs when it comes to every circumstance we face in life. Now just to be clear, Paul doesn’t say Jesus will supply all that we want, he says Jesus will supply all that we need. We can trust Jesus will always supply not all that we want, but exactly what we need, to make it through any circumstance we face in life. This is an area where I’m trying to grow in my prayer life. I’m trying to grow in being content with whatever Jesus decides to give me when I pray for things. I’m trying to grow in praying, “Lord here’s the situation I’m in, and here’s what I think is best for me in this situation. But if it isn’t what’s best for me, then don’t give it to me. If it isn’t what’s best for me, then help me trust in your infinite wisdom to give me exactly what I need.” See a lot of times when we pray we’re asking Jesus for things we want, things we think are best for our lives. But what if that thing isn’t what’s best for our lives?...What if that thing isn’t what we really need?...Children do this all the time with their parents. They ask for things they want, things they think are best for their lives. But a parent has more experience and wisdom in life, so sometimes they say no to their kids, because they know it isn’t what’s best for their kids.
For example, several years ago I was on vacation with my family at Pensacola Beach, and my oldest son Noah, who’s okay with me sharing this. He was very little at the time, but he was at a point where he could finally walk. So I told him, “Noah, when you see the beach, don’t run to the beach.” He said, “Okay dad.” But I knew my son, and I knew as soon as he saw the beach, he’d get excited and try to run to the beach. So I repeated myself, “Noah, when you see the beach, don’t run to the beach. The parking lot’s crowded and I don’t want you getting hit by a car. So wait until we get everyone and everything out of the car, then I’ll take you to the beach.” He again said, “Okay dad.” But as soon as he saw the beach, he got so excited that he took off running. And at the last second I pulled him back, just before a group of drunk springbreakers came flying around the corner in a huge truck. If I didn’t pull him back, he most likely wouldn’t be with us today...Now when I did this, my son started screaming and throwing a tantrum, because in his toddler mind he thought I was trying to take away his joy, but I was really trying to protect his joy. He didn’t have my view of the parking lot, so he didn’t see what I saw, he didn’t know what I knew, and he thought I was trying to take away his joy, but I was really trying to protect his joy. In a similar way Jesus has an eternal view of the entire parking lot of your life, so there are things you don’t see that he sees, there are things you don’t know that he knows, and sometimes he’ll say no to things you’re praying for not to take away your joy, but to protect your joy. Jesus will always give you everything you should’ve asked for, if you knew what he knew about your life...Jesus will always give you what you should’ve asked for and would’ve asked for, if you had his eternal view of the parking lot...Jesus will always give you not everything you want, but everything you need...The more you trust his eternal view of the parking lot, the more content and joyful you’ll be in life. You’ll be content and joyful trusting he’ll always supply all your needs, in every circumstance.
Vs. 20, “Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. 21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send you greetings. 22 All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household. 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.” Paul ends this letter in a way that’s very encouraging to the Philippians, especially when he mentions those who belong to Caesar’s household. Most scholars agree what Paul’s saying here, is that his circumstance of being in a Roman prison facing the death penalty, helped spread the good news of Jesus into Caesar’s household. It’s a reminder for the Philippians to keep trusting that Jesus will always provide everything they need, and a reminder that Jesus is always greater than anything this world offers them. It’s a reminder that Jesus is even greater than Caesar, and their Roman oppressors. As powerful as Caesar and the Romans were, they couldn’t stop Jesus and the good news of Jesus from spreading. It’s now entered Caesar’s household...
The big idea of the message is the secret to being content and joyful in every situation, is found in realizing Jesus is enough in every situation...The secret to being content and joyful in every situation, is found in realizing Jesus is enough in every situation...Like Jason Lehman said in his poem, we spend most our lives trying to find joy in all kinds of things, but we never find what we want. Paul found it, and he wrote Philippians to tell people about it. He wrote Philippians sitting in a Roman prison facing the death penalty, because he wanted people to know the secret to being content and joyful is found in Jesus. Hebrews 13:5 states, “Be satisfied with what you have, for He said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’” Be satisfied, content, and joyful with what you have, knowing Jesus will never leave you or forsake you. The same Jesus who supplied all your needs for eternal salvation when he died on the cross for your sins, is the same Jesus who will supply all your needs for your daily situations. If he cared enough to supply for all your eternal needs, then he’ll care enough to supply for all your daily needs. So take your situations to him, and trust he'll supply all your needs. Take your situations to him, and trust he’s enough, in every situation...