Letter of Joy

(Sermon Series)

 by Rev. Richard Jones

THE JOY OF UNUSUAL WITNESS

Philippians 1:12-30

PAUL’S CHAINS
Philippians 1:12-14 (ESV)
12  I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13  so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.
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.

PAUL’S CRITICS
Philippians 1:15-18 (ESV)
15  Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 16  The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17  The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. 18  What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice,

PAUL’S CONCERN
Philippians 1:19-21 (ESV)
19  for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, 20  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. 21  For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

2 Corinthians 11:24-28 (ESV)
24  Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25  Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26  on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27  in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28  And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.

2 Corinthians 5:6-9 (ESV)
6  So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7  for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8  Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9  So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.

PAUL’S CRISIS
Philippians 1:22-26 (ESV)
22  If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23  I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24  But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.
25  Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26  so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

PAUL’S CONFIDENCE
Philippians 1:27-30 (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. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. 29  For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30  engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

John 15:18-20 (ESV)
18  “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19  If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20  Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

1 Peter 4:12-14 (ESV)
12  Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.
13  But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.
14  If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.

Jude verse 3 (ESV)
3  Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.