Joy - Pressing on to Joy

We are in a series looking at the New Testament book of Philippians and what it tells us about joy.  The book is actually a letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Philippi while he was in prison.  Paul was awaiting a trial and didn’t know what the outcome would be and he wanted to thank and encourage the church that he established about 10 years earlier.  In the midst of his own adversity and uncertainty, Paul talked about joy 14 times.  Paul not only talked about his joy in adversity, but his letter gives us insight on how we might be able to find joy in adversity.  

In the first chapter, Paul says that joy comes from our relationships with one another and we know that relationships bring joy.  Family, friends, and our church family brings great joy so we need to invest in these relationships.  Today we are thankful for the students who have said that they not only want a relationship with God but that they want to build relationships with one another and with the rest of us in the life of the church.  We are also thankful for the Prayer Quilt Ministry and the relationships they have with one another and the ways they work together to bless and bring joy to all of us.    

While joy comes with relationships, so does conflict.  There was conflict in the church at Philippi, so Paul encouraged the people to be of one heart and spirit because joy comes in unity.  In our divided and conflicted world, we can experience joy if we can remain united in heart and spirit.  Paul tells us this kind of unity only comes with God’s love that helps us love one another.  

Today, we are looking at the third chapter of the book and this is where Paul tells us that his greatest source of joy was the relationship he had with God.  Paul makes clear, however, that this relationship didn’t come from Paul doing all the right things or living the right way, it came from being accepted by God through Jesus Christ.  

Paul grew up as a very devout Jew and early on he believed that what made him right with God was being born into the right family, being trained under the right teacher and following the Jewish law.  

Circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.  Philippians 3:5-6

This was Paul’s way of saying that he had done everything required to be loved and accepted by God.  For many years, that was enough for Paul, but then he came to understand that it wasn’t following the law or living a righteous life that brought him into a relationship with God at all, it was that God accepted him through Jesus Christ.  

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.  What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. Philippians 3:7-9

All the things that Paul once thought would bring him closer to God he now realizes didn’t do anything for him.  They didn’t make him more acceptable to God.  All Paul could do, and all any of us can do, is accept that we have been accepted by God.  When Paul said that he did not have a righteousness of his own that came from the law, he was saying that he could never be accepted by God by living the right way or following all the law.  Paul says his righteousness, or being in a right relationship with God, comes by accepting that God has accepted him and loves him.  What makes us right with God, the only way we can be in a relationship with God, and what brings us joy is accepting that God accepts us.  

It is my prayer that not only those who were confirmed today, but that their parents and families, and that all of us, can find joy in knowing that we are accepted by God through Jesus Christ just the way we are.  Confirmation is an opportunity for all of us to celebrate that we are accepted and loved and forgiven by God.

But confirmation is also a time for us to think about what kind of response we need to make because of God’s love.  Accepting that we are loved and accepted by God needs some kind of response from us.  It needs to make some kind of difference in our lives.  

In Paul’s day, there were many who believed that following Jesus was just an add on to their lives and that nothing in their lives had to change.  They believed that freedom in Christ meant they were free to keep living life the way they had been and for many of them that meant living for themselves first.  

For many Greeks and Romans at this time, the greatest pursuit in life was pleasure over pain.  Hedonism is the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain, and this was what many people in the first century made their priority.  Let’s be honest, it is still the priority and lifestyle of many people today.  Paul wanted to be clear that while following Jesus doesn’t mean we have to be slaves to traditions and laws, it does mean that we need to start prioritizing Christ over our own personal  pleasure.  Paul makes this invitation:

Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Philippians 3:17-21

Paul speaks passionately with those who have accepted the acceptance of God and he invites them to no longer live for worldly pleasure but to seek a greater joy that comes when we live for Christ Jesus. The greatest joy we will experience will not be found in the pleasures of the world but in the purpose God has for us when we accept His love.  

When I went to college, I thought I wanted to be a hotel manager.  Actually, I wanted to work at a resort because I wanted to live in a resort area where I could enjoy beaches, mountains, or any other exciting place where people might travel for vacation.  I was prioritizing pleasure and looking for it in this world.  What I learned my first few years in college was that worldly pleasure was empty and that the most joyful people around me were people living for Jesus.  Their priority was Christ and their citizenship was in heaven.

As I started to meet faithful followers of Jesus, I realized they had a sense of purpose in their lives that set them apart from others.  They were pursuing all kinds of different majors and careers, they all had different gifts, talents, hopes and dreams, but what they all had in common was a priority of living for Jesus Christ first.  That’s what I was missing.  That’s what I wanted.  I wanted that joy - not a happiness that was connected to where I might be living, but a joy that came from a relationship with God and knowing I was loved and accepted by Him.  

The more I accepted that I was accepted by God, the more I wanted to live in a grateful response to God by putting Jesus first.  As Paul might say, I wanted to know Christ more.  I wanted to follow Christ more, and this isn’t something we do once, but it is an ongoing way of life.   Paul said, I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.  Philippians 3:10-11

When I hear this, I hear Paul saying, I not only want to know all there is to know about Jesus, but I want to be one with Him and live for Him and have my life’s purpose centered on Him.  Paul was clear that he hadn’t gotten there yet, but that he was going to press on to make that his way of life. 

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 3:12-14

Paul stopped trying to make himself acceptable to God and pressed on to know Christ more and spend his living into the purpose God had for him.  My hope is that those who were confirmed today will do the same thing - press on to know Christ more.  Don’t make confirmation the end of the journey but the beginning of a new journey.  Press on to always know that you are accepted by God not because of what you have done or how you are living but because of what God has done for you in Jesus Christ.  You are loved by God unconditionally and all you need to do is accept that and allow God’s acceptance of you to give meaning to your life.

My prayer is that you find the purpose God has for you and that you will press on to experience the joy that comes from living fully in that purpose.  

My prayer  is that all of us will press on to know Christ more and that we will allow God’s unconditional love to fill our lives with a sense of meaning and purpose that will bring great joy.  There is joy that comes in knowing Christ and there is joy that comes in finding our purpose when we put Christ first.  There is joy that comes when we press on and persevere and find our purpose in Jesus Christ.  

So let us forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead, let us press on toward the goal and win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. 

 

Next Steps

Pressing ahead with Joy

Read Philippians 3

What is Paul’s greatest source of joy?

 What kind of things did Paul trust in to make him acceptable to God?  

 What things do we think will make us more acceptable to God?  

 What is the ONLY way we are accepted by God?

 How does accepting that we are accepted by God bring joy?

 How has your life changed because of your acceptance by God?

 What response do you need to make to God because of His love and acceptance of you?

The goal that gave Paul’s life joy was sharing the good news of Jesus and he pursued this with all he had.  

What is your God-given, God-centered goal for life?   

Press on to take hold of the prize for which God has called you heavenward in Christ Jesus.  

 

Joy - Joy in Conflict

Today we are continuing our look at Paul’s letter to the Philippians and how we can find joy in the midst of adversity.  If you were not with us last week, Paul wrote this letter while he was in prison.  He was unsure of his future and even though he was locked up, he wrote about the joy he was experiencing. While happiness depends on what is happening around us, joy is a deeper feeling of well-being, gladness, and peace that we can experience no matter what.  Paul was joyful because of the people in Philippi who loved him and cared enough to send one of the leaders, Epaphroditus, to be with him.  Paul tells us that joy comes with relationships and that we need to build relationships with one another.  

This past Monday, there was lots of relationship building as people gathered to witness and talk about the solar eclipse.  While it wasn’t all that exciting around here, it gave us a shared experience.  People talked about the amazing way our world was created, so that the moon is the exact distance from the earth and the sun is the exact size it is so that when the moon passes between the earth and the sun it completely blocks the light.  That isn’t by chance - it is a sign of God’s perfection and power.  

We shared stories of past eclipses, or disappointments in what we saw or didn’t see.  We listened to people in the path of totality describe their experience.  It was a common experience that enabled relationships which brought joy.  I heard one commentator talk about how for at least one day, we weren’t all focused on the things that divide us but the thing that unites us - the wonder of creation.  

This leads us to think about something else that brings joy and that is unity.  Paul said he would experience joy, and that we would experience joy, if we were all of the same heart and mind.  

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.  Philippians 2:1-2

If unity brings joy, then one of the things that robs us of joy is conflict.  I have shared many times that in my 15 years here, we have not experienced great conflict.  We don’t agree on everything.  We have different views on many different things, but we have learned how to be of one heart and mind in Christ Jesus, which brings unity and joy.  We have been able to do what the world around us has not been able to do.

We are a divided nation and experiencing great conflict.  As we head into another general election, the divisions are going to become even stronger and the conflicts even greater.  Some of the conflicts we see right now aren’t even between democrats and republicans, but between factions within each political party.  Some see the republican party as too far right; others see it too middle of the road.  Some are pushing the democratic party to embrace more left leaning issues and others think their party is moving too far left.  We are divided and we see conflict.  

One of the common themes we are hearing from both political parties right now is that the other side is going to destroy democracy.  I heard the author and pastor Adam Hamilton say this, What will destroy democracy is not Trump or Biden but our inability to offer one another grace, understanding, and love.  Without those things we will tear each other apart.  

We can let our political ideologies tear us apart by demonizing the other side and working to destroy them, but we will destroy ourselves, or we can extend grace and understanding.  Last week we learned that joy comes with relationships, but with relationships comes conflict.  Put 2 people together and there will be conflict.  

When there was just Adam and Eve, there was conflict.  Adam blamed Eve for his sin which I’m sure didn’t sit well with Eve.  When they had only 1 child, there was no conflict, but once Cain had a brother, Able, there was jealousy, division and conflict.  While relationships bring joy, they also bring conflict, which means we need to learn how to live with conflict so we can experience joy.  

Paul had to tell the church in Philippi to be of one mind because they weren’t of one mind.  There was conflict.  There was a theological conflict because some thought that Gentile Christians had to follow the 600+ Jewish laws like being circumcised, and only eating certain foods.  Others thought that freedom in Christ meant you could do absolutely anything you wanted.  These two sides battled each other, but there was also personal conflict.  

I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.  Philippians 4:2-4

We don’t know what the conflict was between these two women.  What we do know is that Paul saw each of them as a valued leader and he wanted them to come together despite their differences.  I love that Paul didn’t side with one or the other.  He didn’t tell one woman she was right and the other she was wrong.  He didn’t demonize one woman and celebrate the other, he asked them to come together despite their differences.  If we can learn how to do this - we will experience joy.

The answer to this kind of unity in relationships is found in what Paul said.   If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.  Philippians 2:1-2

What allows us to extend grace, understanding and peace to people when we disagree, even strongly disagree, is love.  And love is possible because the kind of love we are talking about isn’t a warm feeling.  It has nothing to do with affection.  It is a rugged determination to stay together and united no matter what.  

Paul is the one who tells us clearly what this kind of love is all about in his letter to the Corinthians.  While we often hear this at weddings, think about what this kind of love means in our larger society.  What does this kind of love mean for us in our conflicted and divided society?

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable; it keeps no record of wrongs; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  1 Corinthians 13:4-7

What does this kind of love look like in our political and social divide today?  What does it look like to not insist on our own way and to keep no record of wrongs?  How do we truly bear with one another and be patient with one another when we might strongly disagree with one another?  Is it even possible?  

It has to be possible, otherwise we would not have been told to love one another with so much clarity throughout the New Testament.  A big part of the New Testament was written to encourage the church to love each other in the midst of adversity and conflict.  The church was struggling to come to terms on what they believed about Jesus and how to follow Him faithfully.  Many of the letters to the church that make up the New Testament talk about being united and extending grace, understanding and love to one another.  

As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.  Colossians 3:12-14

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.  1 John 4:7-12

What the early Christian leaders wanted was to fulfill one of the final prayers of Jesus.  In John’s gospel we have a record of some of Jesus' final prayers before He was crucified.  One very specific prayer was that His followers, His church, would be one.  

I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,  that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  John 17:20-21

Jesus wants the church to be one, and from our very beginning we have not been able to achieve that kind of unity.  The history of the church has been one of division.  We have divided over theological issues, social issues, justice issues, and economic issues.  While many of these divisions might have been needed and important, our lack of ability to truly work together has hurt us.  The world sees our inability to love one another so questions our ability to love at all.  

Let me say one more time that the most joyful thing about Faith Church is that in so many ways we are one.  We bear with one another.  We extend grace to one another.  We might disagree on things, but we have a way of loving each other that shows the world that Jesus is present here.  As the world grows increasingly divided over so many things, our challenge as the people of God is to learn how to stay connected, united, and love one another.  

One very specific part of love that Paul highlights as a way to keep unity and experience joy is to humble ourselves and live like Jesus.  

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!  Philippians 2:3-8

This is what love looks like.  It looks like always being willing to put the needs, wellbeing, and concern for others before our own.  It’s how Jesus lived.  Jesus placed the needs of others before His own and on the night before He was betrayed, He did this by washing the disciples feet, but then He said, a new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.  John 13:34-35

Three times here Jesus says, love one another.  He really means it!  Let me share with you a few specific ways we can love one another, work for unity, and experience joy.. 

Remember our common identity in Jesus Christ.  We are all sinners saved by grace. We are all broken and hurting and in need of forgiveness, healing and hope.  The more we can see each other this way, the more grace and love we can extend to those around us.  

Remember we need one another.  We were created for community, and we are one body in Christ Jesus.  As a body, we are all different and have something unique to add to the whole.  Life, and the church, would be very dull if we were all the same, but we aren’t the same and our differences can challenge us but they can also make us stronger and more faithful.  

Stay humble.  As Paul said, always place others before yourself.  Always look to the interest of others first.  Always value others before yourself.  Humility helps us love one another.  

Believe the best in others.  What often brings conflict and division is believing the worst in others.  When we start to demonize people who think differently than we do, there can be no reconciliation or relationship.  Love bears all things and believes all things.  Love believes the best in other people.

Don’t give up on people.  Love bears with one another so when conflict or division pops up, don’t dismiss people.  Don’t walk away from others but endure with them.  Engage with people and extend grace and forgiveness.  

Don’t gossip.  The New Testament talks about the evils of gossip a lot and it’s because gossip destroys community.  It undermines relationships.  Don’t gossip but instead speak positively of others and build one another up.

Check your own motives.  Too often, when conflict comes we want to make sure our own voice is heard or that our side wins.  Having strong and passionate opinions is fine, but if our motive is to win at all costs, that’s not good.  We need to leave room for love.   

Relationships bring joy, but they also bring conflict.  If we can love our way through our differences, and if we can humble ourselves and have the mind of Christ, we will not only experience joy, but we will be offering a way of joy and salvation that our world desperately needs.  Let’s show the world how to live like Jesus and love one another.  

Next Steps

Joy in Conflict

What conflict do you see in our community, nation, world?

What conflict do you experience in your life and family?

Read Philippians 2.  Paul found joy in the unity of his friends, the church, in Philippi.

One way to find unity (and joy) in conflict is to love.  

Read Philippians 2:1-2, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Colossians 3:12-14 and 1 John 4:7-12.

What do we learn about love from these passages?

How can we express this kind of love even in the midst of conflict?

Why was unity so important to Jesus ?  See John 17:20-21

Another way to find unity (and joy) in conflict is to be humble.

Read Philippians 2:3-8.

What do we learn about humility for the example of Jesus?

How does Jesus show us this humility and love before his death?  See John 13:3-17, 34-35.

7 ways to help bring love and humility into conflict.

• Remember our common identity in Jesus Christ.  

• Remember we need one another.  

• Stay humble.  

• Believe the best in others.  

• Don’t give up on people. 

• Don’t gossip.  

• Check your own motives. 

Which steps do you need to work on this week to relieve conflict at home or work?

Which steps might help our community and nation find more unity and joy?  

Joy - Joy in Adversity

Today we are beginning a series on the New Testament book of Philippians.  This book is actually a letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Philippi, a church that Paul established on one of his missionary journeys.  The book is just 4 chapters long, but it talks about joy 14 times.  It doesn’t just talk about joy, it gives us direction on how our lives can be filled with joy no matter what we are going through.  While happiness often depends on what is happening in our lives, joy is a deep sense of peace, wellbeing, and gladness that can always be ours if we make the right choices and have the right perspective.  

It might surprise people that Paul is the one writing about how to experience joy because his life was filled with hardship and adversity.  This is what Paul said about his life and all these things took place AFTER he became a follower of Jesus.  

Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea,  I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.  2 Cor. 11:24-27

We often think that following Jesus means that everything in life will be easy, but that just isn’t the case.  It was after Paul experienced the risen Christ and gave his life to Him that he went through all this adversity, and yet he remained joyful.  The letter itself was written while Paul was in prison awaiting trial and he had no idea what the outcome would be.  He didn’t know if he was going to be beaten again, killed, or set free, but he not only remained joyful, shared with others how they could experience joy.

Experiencing joy in the midst of adversity was also the foundation of Paul’s experience when he first went to Philippi.  In 52 AD, Paul was on a journey sharing the good news about Jesus when he crossed over from Asia Minor into Macedonia, which is present day Greece.  Paul entered Philippi, the leading city in the region, and quickly baptized a leading businesswoman named Lydia and her household.  Paul then started to be followed by a woman who was possessed with a spirit of divination.  People saw her as a kind of fortune teller, and she made a lot of money for her owners.  

The woman followed Paul and Silas shouting that they were men of God who were proclaiming the way of salvation.  While it was true, and maybe provided some good publicity for Paul, Paul found it very annoying, so he cast the spirit out of the woman.  When her owners realized she could no longer predict the future and make them money, they dragged Paul and Silas into the marketplace and brought them before the leaders. They accused Paul and Silas of stirring up trouble and the leaders had them stripped and beaten.  After their flogging, they were thrown into the innermost part of the prison.  

This adversity and suffering didn’t seem to phase Paul.  If you know the story, Paul and Silas started singing hymns while they were held in prison.  As they sang, the earth shook and the shackles that held Paul and Silas fell off and the door to their prison cell opened.  Choosing joy in the midst of adversity marked Paul’s time in Philippi and his experience with the Philippians.  His letter to them now tells them how they could choose joy.

Paul’s letter was written 10 years after he had left Philippi and as Paul was in prison once again, but this time in Rome.  The people in Philippi had been concerned about Paul so they sent one of their leaders, Epaphroditus, to visit him and take him a gift. Epaphroditus stayed in Rome and worked with Paul for some time and at some point he became very sick and almost died.  After he recovered, Paul sent Epaphroditus back to the Philippians along with this letter of thanks and encouragement.  

From Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus.

To all those in Philippi who are God’s people in Christ Jesus, along with your supervisors and servants.

May the grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

I thank my God every time I mention you in my prayers. I’m thankful for all of you every time I pray, and it’s always a prayer full of joy. I’m glad because of the way you have been my partners in the ministry of the gospel from the time you first believed it until now.  Philippians 1:1-5

The first part of Paul’s letter is how he began most of his letters to the churches.  Paul considered himself a slave or servant of Jesus Christ, and he extended grace and peace to those he wrote to.  But then look again at verses 3-5

I THANK my God every time I mention you in my PRAYERS. I’m THANKFUL for all of you every time I PRAY, and it’s always a PRAYER full of JOY . I’m GLAD because of the way you have been my partners in the ministry of the gospel from the time you first believed it until now. 

What helped Paul experience joy, even as he sat in prison, was the gratitude he felt for his brothers and sisters in Philippi and the relationship he had with them.  He was also thankful for the relationship he could have with God through prayer.  Gratitude and prayer are keys to joy and we will consider gratitude later in the series, but let’s think about what Paul was grateful for.

Paul was grateful that the church had sent Epaphroditus to visit him.  Paul called Epaphroditus a brother, a coworker, and a fellow soldier.  While he was in Rome, Epaphroditus got sick and almost died, and Paul said that God saved him so that he, Paul, wouldn’t have to endure sorrow upon sorrow.  Paul was thankful for the support and encouragement Epaphroditus gave him and now he wanted to send him home to be with his family and friends.  

Paul was also grateful for the people of Philippi who thought enough of him to send Epaphroditus with a gift in the first place.  Paul was thankful for the people of the church that he called partners from the very beginning.  Paul was thankful for all the churches who cared for him and the people who visited him while he was in prison.  At the end of the book of Acts it says that Paul welcomed all who came to visit him.  

It was all the relationships Paul had with those who served with him, cared for him, loved him, and supported him that filled him with joy.  It was all the people Paul considered brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus who filled his life with joy, and that is still where we experience joy - in our relationships with one another.  

Today we are experiencing an epidemic of loneliness.  It’s easy to blame Covid for this.  Many of the conveniences that developed during covid, like meal and food delivery, means we no longer have to go out and be with people.  Zoom and online meetings are convenient, but they also mean we don’t have to have face to face interactions with others.  

Some people want to blame social media for our loneliness because social media gives us the illusion of being connected and having lots of friends, but those relationships are mere shadows of what true relationships are all about.  Social media does have a big impact on loneliness.  Studies have shown that heavy users of social media experience more loneliness than others.  

There are many reasons we experience loneliness, and we need to take the problem seriously because it creates real health issues and has a huge impact on our lives. Studies show that loneliness is as bad for our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.  Loneliness can lead to a 29% increased risk of heart disease; a 32% increased risk of stroke; and a 50% increased risk of developing dementia.  I also read this week that 40% of adults can go 3 days without any face to face conversations.   

To experience joy we need to intentionally work on building relationships with other people.  We need to reach out to others and be there for others when they reach out to us.  One of the best places to build relationships and experience joy is right here.  The decline of faith-based institutions and community groups has been part of the reason people feel disconnected and lonely, so being part of a church or community group can be the answer.  

One reason we encourage people to be part of a small group, or serve in some way through the church, is because it is one opportunity to build relationships with people which can help us experience joy.  Singing with the choir or playing bells can increase joy.  Being part of a class or small group can increase joy.  We are starting several fresh expressions so if you enjoy hiking or running and want to join others in this, you can meet new people and increase joy.  

Serving in and through the church can also build relationships and increase joy.  We have a mission work week coming up in May and that is a great time to meet others and serve and experience relationships and joy.  There is a painting night to raise money for the youth mission trip and a bake sale coming up; taking part in these things can give you joy.  If you want to reach out to those in assisted living or nursing homes, or those at home who struggle with loneliness, you can visit others and experience joy as well as spread joy to others. 

Youth also are prone to struggling with loneliness and this summer Vickie Shawley is leading a fresh expression to reach out to teens and help create a sense of community.  You can be part of that ministry and build relationships that can bring joy to you and others.  Opportunities for social connectedness are all around us here at the church, and through some of our partner ministries in the community.  Getting involved will bring joy.  We don’t have to sit in our loneliness and suffer.  We can get connected and we can reach out and build relationships and find joy.  

There is a second source of joy that Paul talks about in this first chapter of his letter to the Philippians.  Philippians 1:18-21

I will continue to rejoice.  I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.  I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.  For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.  

Paul can rejoice in his suffering and adversity because he knows that God is at work doing something positive through it.  It’s not that the adversity is good, it isn’t, but God can do something good through it.  The message of Easter we heard last week is that the worst thing is never the last thing.  If this is true, then we can experience joy in the midst of all we are going through because God is at work doing something good.  

We can find joy in the midst of suffering and struggles if we can answer this question: what is the opportunity I can find in this adversity?  Is there some way I can take my problems and pain and turn it into something good and meaningful for others?  I am always humbled by those who can take tragedy and turn into triumph for someone else.  The death of a child in one family might raise awareness to help save the life of a child in another family.  Support groups for cancer, the loss of loved ones, and substance abuse are ways people find life and hope and experience joy even in some of the worst situations we go through.  

If we truly believe that the worst thing is never the last thing, then joy is possible.  If we can reach out and find love and support from others, and offer love and support to others, we will experience joy.  No matter what you are going through today, joy is possible, and it is a choice you can make.  Choose joy.  Look for joy.  Build relationships that will bring joy.  And find joy in Jesus, the one who walks with us and redeems all that we face. 

Next Steps

Joy in the Midst of Adversity

Read Philippians 1

Read about Paul’s time in Philippi. Acts 16:1-40.

Read about Paul’s time in Rome.  Acts 28:14-30.

What helped Paul and Silas sing in prison?

What helped Paul experience joy while in prison in Rome?

Relationships bring joy.

What relationships helped Paul experience joy?

What relationships help you experience joy?

Find one place in the life of Faith Church where you can build new relationships.  

● Join a small group.  

● Help with a fresh expression.  

● Join a serve team.  

● Help with the upcoming mission trip (May 13-17).

What people in our community might be lonely?  How can you reach out to them?  

Finding opportunity in the midst of adversity brings joy.

When have you been able to bring something good out of a time of adversity?  

What opportunity can you find in the adversity you are experiencing today?

We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  Romans 8:28

The Walk - Easter Sunday

 If you aren’t a big basketball fan, you may not know that we are in the middle of the NCAA basketball tournament.  As a graduate of Duke Divinity School and MSU, and having grown up in CT, I have had some great teams to cheer for during the tournament. Now, unless you are a real fan of Duke basketball, you probably don’t know that one of the greatest comeback stories in Duke Basketball history took place on January 27, 2001.  The game was at College Park MD and with less than a minute to go, Duke was down by 10 points.  Most people thought the game was over and the MD crowd was chanting “overrated” as they were ahead on #2 Duke.

With 53.5 seconds left in the game, Jay Williams hit a lay-up to cut the lead to 8.  Duke then trapped a MD player on the inbounds pass, stole the ball, and Jay Williams hit a 3 point shot so the lead was down to 5.  After 2 missed free throws by MD, Duke had the ball and Jay Williams hit another 3 point shot so the lead was cut to 2. In 23.5 seconds, Jay Williams of Duke had scored 8 unanswered points.  

On MD’s inbound pass, Duke stole the ball again and while the shot didn’t go in, a Duke player was fouled and hit 2 free throws so that the game was now tied.  MD had a chance to win the game, but missed their shot, so the game went into overtime where Duke won.  An article I read this week about the game said,  Duke's 2001 rally in College Park might be the most famous minute in Duke basketball history, a where-did-that-come-from blitz of skill and desperation that redeemed a game most saw as lost.

I love that last line, a comeback that redeemed a game most saw as lost.  As great as that comeback was, a true miracle minute, it was not the greatest comeback, the greatest comeback took place over 2000 years ago when one man who everyone thought was dead, and whose movement both Rome and the religious leaders of Israel thought was defeated, walked out of a tomb.  Easter is the greatest comeback of all time, and it started like all comeback stories start, with a sense of failure and defeat.  

On Friday, Jesus had been crucified.  One of his disciples had betrayed Him and the rest had abandoned Him.  He died alone on a cross, and when He was taken down, His body was laid in a borrowed tomb.  It was only a group of women who had walked with Jesus during His ministry, who saw where He was laid.  

The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.  

Luke 23:55-56

One of the women who was part of this group was Mary Magdalene.  While her name is familiar, we don’t know much about her.  What we do know of her comes from the gospel of Luke.

Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.  Luke 8:1-3

Mary called Magdalene.  Most women were identified by a man in their lives: like Joanna, the wife of Chuza.  Since Mary was not known as Mary, wife of, or daughter of, or mother of, she was most likely alone.  She may have been orphaned so was without a father or family to care for her.  If she had no husband, she could have been divorced, which would have cut her off from both her family and her husband’s family.  She was also not a mother which carried its own sense of shame.  Any one of these situations would have been devastating for Mary and put her on the outside of society.  

The other thing we know about Mary is that she suffered from some kind of affliction, or demon possessions.  We don’t know what her demons were.  They could have been physical problems, emotional disturbances, or true demonic possessions.  No matter what the affliction was, her problems probably contributed to her being alone.  Maybe she had been driven out of her home because of her brokenness and now, no man wanted anything to do with her.  While we don’t know what was going on before she met Jesus, we do know that Jesus radically changed her life.  She was a new woman who now had a sense of meaning and purpose.  She had a future and she owed it all to Jesus, which is why she had joined His movement and walked with Him.  

While women would not have been able to be called disciples in Jesus’ day, Mary was very much a disciple of Jesus.  She walked with Him. She listened to His teaching.  She saw His miracles, and it says that she gave her money and resources to help support the work Jesus was doing.  Unlike the male disciples, Mary was at the cross when Jesus died, and she saw the place where He was laid. Now, early in the morning, she was making her way to the tomb.

The resurrection accounts in the 4 gospels are all a little different.  The gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, all tell us that a group of women went to the tomb at sunrise, but John’s gospel says that Mary went alone while it was still dark.  What helps us understand this difference is knowing that John is not interested in giving us exact details about the resurrection, his writing is full of symbols that are to help us understand what’s going on.    

John says Mary came to the tomb while it was still dark, and darkness was a common symbol for John.  In John’s gospel, darkness was a sign of evil, confusion, and fear.  John’s gospel tells us that when Judas left the upper room to go and betray Jesus it then became night.  Evil was coming for Jesus.  

John is the one who told the story of Nicodemus coming to ask Jesus what it meant to be born again. John said Nicodemus came at night and the reason he came at night was because he was afraid.  Nicodemus wasn’t afraid of Jesus; he was afraid of being seen coming to Jesus.  The darkness was a sign of Nicodemus’ confused, uncertain and doubt. 

Darkness was a place of confusion and brokenness.  It was a place of hopelessness and despair, and that was how Mary felt as she made her way to the tomb.  Mary was coming to the tomb while it was still dark because she felt hopeless.  The one and maybe only man who had ever loved her, accepted her, and helped her find meaning and purpose in life was gone.  He had died a horrible and painful death and Mary had no idea what her future would be.  Would the demons return?  Would anyone else respect her and see value in her life? Could she survive without Jesus? All seemed lost.  

John also has Mary coming to the tomb alone and he might do that so we can more easily see ourselves in Mary.  Without anyone else there, we can put ourselves in Mary’s place.  Have you ever felt hopeless?  Have you ever looked at your future and thought that all was lost?  Many of us have been in situations like this.  We get a hopeless diagnosis, and the doctors tell us there isn’t anything they can do.  We are watching the destruction of a relationship or find ourselves going through a financial crisis and we see no way out.  John places Mary at the tomb alone and in the dark because he wants us to our place in the resurrection story. 

Mary is each one of us and as often happens in life, just when we think that things can’t get any worse, they do, and they do for Mary.  When Mary arrived at the tomb, she saw that the stone had been rolled away.  This didn’t fill Mary with joy.  There was no possibility that this was the work of Jesus, the only thought Mary had was that someone had taken Jesus' body.  That was the message Mary took to the disciples and when they arrived at the tomb, they found it just as she said - empty.  While the disciples returned home, Mary stayed and stood weeping outside the tomb.  

Mary was overwhelmed.  She watched the man who loved her and had saved her crucified and buried.  She had no idea where the body was, she just assumed that someone had stolen it to humiliate Jesus even more.  They stole the body to create maximum chaos, confusion and pain and Mary couldn’t take any more.  She is tired and empty and alone.  She weeps.

This picture of Mary weeping outside the tomb is a picture many of us can identify with. There are times we all feel tired, empty, and alone.  There are times we can’t see any way out of the situation we are in and no matter what happens we know things will just get worse.  As much as Mary loved Jesus, believed in Jesus and walked with Him these past few years, she simply could not see what Jesus was about to do.  And this is often true for us.  We can believe in Jesus, love Jesus and strive to walk with Him but when we find ourselves in dark and difficult places in our own lives, it’s hard to see what God can do   

And this is where the comeback starts.  Mary is down 10 points, there is less than a minute left in the game, the crowd is chanting overrated and Mary has no idea how things could get better, but then she sees a man outside the tomb.  Mary is so hopeless that she can’t fully see who she is talking to until He speaks one familiar word - Mary.  

At the sound of her name, Mary recognizes the voice of Jesus and realizes that He is not dead but alive.  She doesn’t know how He can be alive, and did you notice that she didn’t ask. She doesn’t care. She simply grabs Him, holds on to Him, and is not about to let Him go.  Jesus literally had to say, Mary, let go. I have more to do and there is more for you to do. Go tell my disciples that I’m alive.  

The Easter story was not just a comeback of the ages for Jesus, it was a comeback for Mary.  Jesus' resurrection was the where did that come from blitz of love and power that redeemed people who thought all was lost.  The resurrection of Jesus can be our comeback story as well if we will remember just two important things:

#1. The worst thing is NEVER the last thing.  

Author and theologian Fredrick Buechner said,  The worst thing isn't the last thing… It's the next to last thing. The last thing is the best. It's the power from on high that comes down into the world, that wells up from the rock-bottom worst of the world like a hidden spring. Can you believe it? The last, best thing is the laughing deep in the hearts of the saints, sometimes our hearts even. Yes. You are terribly loved and forgiven. Yes. You are healed. All is well.

The worst thing we'll ever go through, no matter what it might be, is never the last thing because of the comeback of Jesus.  Even death does not have the final say because death itself has been swallowed up in the victory of Jesus Christ.  The apostle Paul said, 

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:35, 37-39

No matter what you are going through today, no matter what battle you are fighting, what game you are losing, or how desperate and hopeless the situation looks and feels, this is not the end.  Jesus is the end and the resurrection of Jesus reminds us that God’s redeeming grace and power and love will always win.  

This doesn’t mean everything will work out the way we want it to and that we won’t struggle at times and be disappointed.  Those things will happen, but the resurrection tells us that God can and will work for good in every situation.  If God can bring a resurrection out of a crucifixion, God can redeem any and all situations and restore our lives.  

#2. Jesus knows OUR name. 

The resurrection of Jesus can be our comeback if we will remember that Jesus knows our name.  What turned things around for Mary was hearing Jesus call her by name.  I wonder if it was Jesus calling Mary by name that drove out the demons in the first place?  Was the power of Jesus calling her name a second time what opened her eyes and heart outside the tomb?  

There is power when Jesus calls out our name and Jesus knows your name.  Jesus knows your situation. He knows when you feel like there is less than a minute to go in the game and the game is already lost.  That is the very moment He says, “Andy” you're not done yet.  The game is not over, in fact, the best is yet to come.  

If you are having trouble hearing Jesus call out your name, do what Mary did.  She stayed in the garden.  Peter, James, John and the rest of the disciples left the empty tomb when they didn’t see Jesus, but Mary stayed and because she stayed, she was the one who got to hear and see Jesus.  

Sometimes it’s hard to stay in the faith when things aren’t going well.  When the world tells us the death and resurrection of a man 2000 years doesn’t mean anything for us, it’s hard to stay.  It’s hard to hold on to our faith.  But if we will stay, if we persevere through the dark and difficult moments of doubt and fear, we will hear Jesus call our name and we will see Him.  The comeback of the ages can be ours if we will stay and learn to walk with Jesus.  

Walk with Jesus.  It’s what we have been talking about for the past 6 weeks.  5 spiritual practices that help us remain faithful and experience the fullness of life with Jesus.  The 5 spiritual practices are worship, reading and reflecting on God’s word, serving God and others, giving generously, and sharing our faith.  You might not be surprised to hear this, but these 5 spiritual practices are all part of Mary’s comeback.  

What is the first thing Mary did when she recognized Jesus?  She worshipped Him.  She literally holds on to Jesus with all she has and this is a great picture of worship.  Worship is holding on to Jesus with all we have.  

Then she heard the word of God. Jesus said, Go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’  John 20:17

Mary doesn’t just hear the word, she acts on them and she is the very first person to share the news that Christ is Risen.  She is literally the first person to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.  

Mary is walking with Jesus through worship, hearing and acting on the word of Jesus, and sharing her faith.  The rest of her life was given to what she had been doing before as she walked with Jesus, serving, and giving generously.  The greatest comeback of all time was when Jesus walked out of the tomb defeating sin and death, but His comeback is ours as well.  Today, the worst thing we go through will never the last thing because Jesus not only knows our name, but he is calling out to us today.   

Next Steps

 

Read John 20:1-23.

● Darkness in John’s gospel is a symbol of evil, hopelessness, confusion, doubt, and fear.  

● How is Mary experiencing all these things in her life as she makes her way to the tomb?  

● When have you experienced this kind of hopelessness and fear?  

● Why was the empty tomb not a sign of joy when Mary first arrived?  

● Why do we often think the worst when we experience a problem?  

 What began to turn things around for Mary?  John 20:16

● What did seeing Jesus alive mean for Mary?

● What does the resurrection of Jesus mean for you?

The worst thing is never the last thing.

Read Romans 8:35-39.

● What struggle are you experiencing today?  

● How is God walking with you in this struggle?

● How might God be able to use it for good?

● Remind yourself that a resurrection is coming.  

Jesus knows your name.

Read Psalm 139, Isaiah 43:1-7, Isaiah 49:15-16, Matthew 6:25-27, and John 10:1-18.

● When have you heard Jesus call out your name?

● To hear Jesus speak your name, stay with Him. 

● Use these 5 spiritual disciplines to walk with Jesus:

○ Worship.

○ Read the scriptures.

○ Serve God and others. 

○ Give generously.

○ Share God’s love with others.