rejoice in suffering philippians

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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.

And thats the most important thing for all of us to know, believe and obey each and every day! And He rose again to declare the work is done and those who commit and surrender their lives to Jesus Christ (not me but because of Him) will have no reason to fear Gods judgment but instead enjoy Gods love and fellowship. If anything, it raises the standard and shows that we all have a higher calling. So, what is the secret? Old man Old person deadif youve understood and responded to love of God, then your Boss has changed. John Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. Or Philippians 4:19, My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. The supremacy of the sovereignty of God in Christ pervades this book. philippians I know many times in churches we tend to focus on the happy and comfortable things Gods love and peace and joy that He gives us but if we ignore this topic of suffering we end up missing out on a big part of what it means to be a Christian. I do not know! The problem people had with Christians was not so much that they were following Christ but that they were failing to properly worship the community gods especially the emperor. Labs Paul then writes about a surprising gift: For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have (vv. We remind each other that we live for God and not for us.

But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. W If we are going to make it to the end, it will be because he causes us to make it to the end. Publisher: OpenBible.info. And the fact that that anger is directed toward us shows that we are His. Not that I speak of being in need. Stand firm, he says, without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. Who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. I think he would even say you can die content and peaceful. channeling tarsus rembrandt Y Jinson is an Elder at The Gathering Community Church and also works full time as a The decision to follow Christ brought severe social (families cutting ties), economic (losing their jobs and business) and legal consequences (taken to court, harsh punishments and being labelled as traitors). Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Your reason to live has changed. C You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!. 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. Every single Sunday we come to the Gathering, we say the same thing. No longer do we live for our own selfishness and pride. God is sovereign over when he gives faith and when he gives suffering. R One of the verses that encouraged all of us last weekend was v21 To live is Christ and to die is gain. Thats the theme of the Christian life. He brought the gospel to them, discipled them, nurtured them and youd have to believe that they were dependent on him as well. Its a life that recognizes that its. No matter what we will fight for unity through forgiveness and repentance out of love for Christ. Dont miss latest sermons, articles & important updates. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. Sometimes there is this misconception that because of the gospel and grace, it lowers the standard of holiness for Gods people. Or Philippians 3:21, [We await a Savior from heaven] who will transform our lowly bodies to be like his glorious body by the power that enables him to subject all things to himself. So God in Christ is sovereign over all things, absolutely.

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved and that by God (v. 28). 1 Peter 4:4 If you insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. H We remind each other that we were saved not because of us but because of Gods mercy. V27 says: Let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Before joining The Gathering Community Church, he and his wife Angela were actively involved in ministering to young adults in their local church. I would challenge all of us to think on this. And thats absolutely not true. Even if this is the only thing that you remember from today thats great because we need to live a manner of life worthy of the gospel. And Paul says: Dont go there.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. But instead of quitting and leaving the church because of the conflict that is in it, Christ calls us to commitment. Because we were dead, God had to wash what was unclean and repair the broken wiring through the Holy Spirit. One of those tests is suffering how we respond to suffering and if we are still standing in the midst of suffering reveals if we are genuine pakka believers or not. I know how to be abased and I know how to abound in any and every circumstance. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places. If he dies, he will be assured of a reward. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For when I am weak, then I am strong. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. 25-26). Yes, they are to view their sufferings as a gift, as part of their faith in a crucified Savior. Were on a mission to change that.

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. Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. And if weve faced them, how are we standing? For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

We are sinful, we are broken, we are different but the beauty is in seeing how Christ unites us and restores us through the gospel. We share the gospel with the people in our lives not out of compulsion but out of love. Cite this page: Editor: Stephen Smith. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance. Suffering for Christ not for doing wrong but for the gospel is a very important part of being a follower of Jesus. Which means that we deserved condemnation and destruction but God chose to show us kindness.

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Live for Him. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. We sing the same thing. Imagine right now if there is a conflict within our church what do we do? All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. 22-23). For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh. Their desire to see the city of Mumbai transformed with the gospel led them to be a part of the The Gathering family in the year 2015. Q We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. And that will deepen our love and faith in Him. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. In our rebellion and sin, we were incapable of turning to God and responding to God by ourselves. The Greek phrase for manner of life is actually behave or conduct yourself as a citizen who has been changed by the gospel. We are experiencing the sweetness in Christ right now in the moment. We remind each other that we will bear with each other and love each out of our love for Christ.

So, while you are watching and waiting for God in his sovereignty to turn everything miserable right now for good, is there any present consolation? There are texts in Philippians that make that crystal clear. Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin. Think about this guys imagine an army of one nation trying to battle against another army. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. But he has an assignment to preach and teach, and he is convinced that he is not yet finished.

Client Servicing Professional. S And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. If he lives, he can preach the gospel. Paul tells us not to grumble, not to murmur in a setting where there is crookedness and darkness and evil. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. He reveals his goodness and loving kindness. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation, Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. But take heart; I have overcome the world.. Not as the world gives do I give to you. For I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. Face your trials just as I am facing mine rejoicing in Christ, holding fast to the faith. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh. Yes, you heard it right. The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. You can imagine how divisions and fights within the church affect the witness of the church. But I want us to focus on two texts in particular that describe the mandate for joy in the settings where it would look almost impossible to have it. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. This is what Mahatma Gandhi said: I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Because his life is in Christ, and Christ is his priority, both possibilities are good. Yet what shall I choose? If it were just for himself, Paul would rather die, escape his troubles and enjoy life with Christ. V So glorify God in your body. Its coming from a place of concern and they want to make sure that youre taking care of yourself in their absence. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. Paul then hints at troubles the Philippians themselves are facing. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. The world will hate you because they hate me is what Jesus said in John 15. Probably something on the lines of: make sure you eat well. And its in this context that Paul tells them that the gospel was going to produce boldness in front of their opponents. Paul after all is their spiritual father in the faith. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me (vv. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. I As we think about our past we dont look at it as glory or something great but rather as being lost and dead. And every time they call you, these are the same things that they check on you. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Discipleship, Spiritual Growth, and Christian Living. The secret of joy in the hardest of times in this book is the supremacy of the sovereignty of Christ and the supremacy of the sweetness of Christ. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. J He didnt pay half. You might be a citizen of Rome or India but your true citizenship is of heaven and you must live a life in line with the gospel. Geocoding For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. The secret is faith in Gods sovereignty and in the sweetness of Christ. (John 14:15) We obey out of love for Christ. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Make sure youre staying in a good locality and make sure that you have good friends. Paul is saying, You can hunger, you can be abased, you can go without. Imitate me, he seems to be saying. The world aggressively hates and opposes believers because they are radically different from all of them. Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

His work among the saints is to help them experience joy in their faith. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faithmore precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by firemay be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Sometimes it seems contradictory, how can something like suffering be considered a gift from God. Im not saying that we wont experience pain or fear but is the suffering leading us to reject Christ or depend on Him all the more because our faith is genuine! Whatever happens, he writes, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ (v. 27). Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. So what is the key? Paul was in jail, considering the possibility that he might be killed because he had been preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. I want to ask this question to a few of us whose home isnt in Mumbai.

27 Only let your manner of life be worthy[h] 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. Is there any present sweetness? The greatest crescendo we could possibly experience in life is to be called by God into his kingdom and enjoy his beauty forever. It isnt. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Just as the Philippians share grace with Paul (v. 7), they also share in persecutions. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. Biblically there are many tests that can help us understand if we are truly in the faith or not.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. If we look like the world, act like the rest of the world, talk like the rest of the world and think like the rest of the world, there would actually be no persecution. You can think of a dozen circumstances in your life where it just feels so right and natural to complain and murmur and grumble. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me.

But he sees positive outcomes no matter what:To live is Christ and to die is gain (v. 21). For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. You are His. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ. And so many like him are put-off by what happens in a church & thats why there are some people who chose not to be a part of a church because they see the mess thats in it. (Philippians 2:1415). U Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. He didnt pay 75%. Youve moved cities and come to Mumbai for either work or studies. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. Well be reading a little more about that in the coming chapters but their greatest struggle was to find unity among the members. Or Philippians 1:29, It has been granted to you for the sake of Christ that you should not only believe in him, but also suffer for his sake. So there are two gifts: the gift of faith and the gift of suffering. We were not great but dead. But heres Gods commitment toward us. So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. So this should really makes us question ourselves have we ever faced opposition from our unbelieving family members or our work colleagues or neighbours because of the gospel? This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.

Although the Philippian church was fruitful, generous, obedient, like any other church they also had divisions and fights among them. Our motivation for obedience also has radically changed through the gospel. (v28). After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Every single day we wake up, we remind ourselves of the same. Publication date: Jul 19, 2022.

If the Philippian Christians keep their faith even when threatened with death, it will be evidence that they are thoroughly convinced of a glorious afterlife with Christ. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? His presence is not just with us but more powerfully experienced during times of suffering.

As weve been studying this letter, we realize that this joy that is being described in this letter is being experienced not through the best of scenarios and circumstances. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. Though you have not seen him, you love him. You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. Does that sound familiar? But now they find themselves in a position where hes far from them bound in a prison cell while they are in Philippi without their spiritual father facing persecution for the same faith. And that is an essential part of the secret that enables you to enjoy contentment in every circumstance, because you know he is in charge of every circumstance and he is going to cause every circumstance to turn for his glory and for your good and your ultimate joy in the end.

God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com. Whats the secret? And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. 15 If you love me, you will keep my commandments. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything. Z. 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. M If we say joy in God is icing on the cake or a caboose on the train, then were saying glorifying God fully is icing on the cake.

I hope all of us have this question right now okay, but what is a life worthy of the gospel? Death can be gain for Paul only because he knows he will get more after death than he has in this life. Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Both of these themes permeate this book. Then theres Philippians 1:12 about his imprisonment, I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. My imprisonment has resulted in all of Caesars household knowing that I am in jail for the name of Christ, and therefore God has ruled in his sovereignty over my imprisonment and turned it for his glory and my joy. Their circumstances were no less difficult and challenging than Pauls. G

F I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body (vv. But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace. Take sides? Your Master has changed. [mc4wp_form id="8256"], What does it mean for us to serve God Joshua 23 & 24, Finding Rest in Gods Providence Joshua 21, A significant event in the lives of insignificant people John 20:1-18. One thing that was happening at the time is that the Philippian church was being hit with persecution. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. And he urges unity, a point he will address again in later chapters. K

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.

Whether in life or in death, their goal should also be to exalt Christ, to bring glory to him, to demonstrate that he is worthy of their trust. I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.

All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. And if children, then heirsheirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. That humbles us. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. N Do you remember the last thing your parents told you before you left home? And he said, Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. D But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness. As a church, weve been going through a series titled A Joy Filled Life from the letter to the Philippians. When we have little and have lost much, Christ comes and reveals himself as more valuable than what we have lost.

Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. So much is the joy and treasure found in the midst of a prison cell and in suffering.

He is united to us. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. O T Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. Contentment, peace, and joy. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.. 3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. For 33 years, he served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

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