I heard the preacher say, “Our church is just like the Philippian church!” Wow, I thought, that must be fabulous, to be just like a church in the New Testament! I wondered, what does that entail? What is it like to be a “Philippian church?” Could this preacher be correct that a contemporary church could be justly compared to an ancient church in Greece?
What the preacher had in mind was joy; “A Philippian church is one full of the joy of the Lord!” The godly trait of joy pervades the letter to the Philippians. More often than in any other biblical book, except the Gospel of Luke, Philippians speaks of joy (five times) and rejoicing (eight times), as both an attribute of God’s people and as a character to cultivate. That’s a lot of joy for such a little letter!
Are we, the gathering of God’s people at Hebron, also a “Philippian church?” Are we known for our joy and rejoicing?
There is a reason why joy is listed as part of the fruit of the Spirit; a reason why it is held forth as a distinctive trait of the follower of Christ. Joy is frequently paralleled with happiness. Joy and happiness are treated as synonymous. But happiness depends on our circumstances—we are happy when the situation is positive; happiness flees when difficulty comes. Happiness is an emotional response to the conditions of life in which we currently find ourselves in. It is a gift and blessing when we experience happiness, but it is not the same thing as joy.
Joy is a state of being that one experiences in good circumstances and in bad. Joy is something that just “is,” even if one doesn’t feel it. It is helpful to remember that Paul wrote this joy-filled letter while he was sitting in prison, arrested for preaching the Gospel. Can the Christian be joy-filled, yet mourn and be sad at the same time? Absolutely! Look at almost any Christian funeral, and one can see the joy amidst sorrow. Where happiness is an emotion linked to how things are perceived, joy is a reality based on God’s determination of things. As believers, we are joy-filled, even in trying circumstances… or, at least the Scripture calls us to that!
Note one remarkable thing about Paul’s emphasis on joy in Philippians: it is written, not to individuals only, but to a congregation as a whole. In other words, the challenge to rejoice and to be filled with joy is not given simply to us as individuals, but is laid upon the collective church. So, two questions: (1) are you a person of joy and how might you become more so, and (2) are we at Hebron a church of joy and how might we become more so? Of course, Paul’s answers center on the source, the goal, and the object of true joy, Jesus Christ. Join us as we explore Paul’s letter to the Philippians and find Jesus, our joy!
As we begin our study through the letter to the Philippians, read 1:1-2 for this week.
- The word translated “servants” could also be translated “slaves.” How might that change the way you picture Paul and Timothy’s job? Why would Paul use this word? Why can/can’t we use it today?
- Paul addresses “the saints” in Philippi. The word, “saint,” has changed its meaning, from meaning “all those sanctified by Jesus” to those extra special folks. Taking Paul’s original meaning of, “all those sanctified by Jesus,” what does that mean for you as you read this book?
- Why do you think “overseers” and “deacons” are separated out as a special group? What would be a comparable practice for us today?
- What is the difference between “grace” and “peace”? Why are both offered here by Paul? To some extent, this is simply a formulaic greeting, like our addressing a letter with “Dear…” However, Paul elaborates somewhat to think he might be meaning actually “grace” and “peace.”
- Notice how God and Jesus are referenced here? What might be deduced by how Paul speaks of them? How might that impact our own understanding?
By Henry Knapp