Joy To The World #3 - Find Joy Even When You Feel Overwhelmed

[Applause] [Music] well usually the pastor comes out in the ass how are you doing let me tell you how you're doing you're doing great this is a great day for you we're gonna have a good time you're gonna laugh because our joy is not in the Arizona Cardinals our joy is not in the impeachment hearings our joy is not in the stock market our joy comes down from above his name is Jesus joy to the world this is gonna be a fun time and I invite you all to join me in it all right and and we talk and we sing a lot about joy during this season and let's just be honest for some of us it's not that joyful amen we're gonna fix that today because during this time of year people feel overwhelmed there was a report done by the American Psychological Association said during the holidays 68% of people find themselves increasingly fatigued are you tired anyone else tired I'm tired I didn't sleep well I just got back from Mexico last night some of you have heard don't drink the water in Mexico some of you have wondered is that true I can confirm it's true I feel terrible I mean I am sweating like Mike Tyson in a spelling bee and I replace my stomach with a washing machine that's where I'm at today in addition the sir the study says that 61% of people experience increased stress during the holidays is that true okay just give me some of the reasons I was gonna prepare this sermon I didn't have time so I need your help so what are some of the things that caused you additional stress during the holidays not enough money please yes teas 10:19 food is good for the stomach wine makes life merry money is the answer for everything new life first brother all right you don't have enough money what else what else shopping ah I went to the mall I barely made it out alive I'm sure that when the wise men brought gifts to Jesus they didn't get it from the mall because I couldn't find one wise person at the mall it's so frustrating why else are the holidays little little overwhelming family relatives in-laws outlaws Yaya let's all get together you know it's some of you you have those really like I'm getting Uncle Tony pants because last year he forgot to wear them to the Christmas dinner and I need a back-up plan I can't do that again right how many of you don't raise your hand some how many of you have a really frustrating awkward weird relative and if you don't that's you okay the holiday I don't write the mail sister I just deliver and it's going to get worse okay my point is the holidays can be a little bit stressful and overwhelming amen it's certain we all gain weight that's the worst how many of you are not skinnier than your pre-thanksgiving self a man I somebody sent me last year this thing of fudge this huge box of fudge and I was eating it and eating it and eating it and I put the lid back on it had a snowman and I thought that's gonna be my body type if I finish this box all these reasons but here's the good news there is a joy in the Lord there is a joy that comes down from heaven there is a joy in the Holy Spirit that is possible only for the children of God not to have in their circumstances but to have through them and sometimes in spite of them and that's the great theme of this grand book of Philippians and sometimes when we're overwhelmed exhausted frustrated and stressed by considering the life of another person we gain perspective so Before we jump into the book of Philippians and we will so grab your Bible find Philippians the author is a man named Paul he's a leader in the early church the theme of his book is joy talks about joy rejoicing gladness cheer some 19 times and a hundred and four verses and what's curious he's writing from where prison jail so he has his wrists shackled to a Roman soldier and he sits down to write a treatise and field guide on joy that must mean that you have joy regardless of circumstance if your joy is in the Lord not in your circumstance and so he has this great theme of joy it's the theme of the whole book and in the section we're in today chapter 2 verses 12 through 30 this is the centerpiece and the theme he says I am glad and rejoice I'm glad says the guy in prison says the guy who has no life has no kids doesn't know if he's gonna get out of jail doesn't know if he's gonna die in jail doesn't know what's gonna happen he says I'm happy I'm having a good day I woke up feeling pretty good and you okay this is not a denial of reality it is the recognition that the presence of God is a greater reality that's what it is I am glad and I rejoice with you all likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me God wants our joy to be contagious and for other people to participate in the joy the Lord with us that being said some of you will ask why should I rejoice well because the rest of us are tired of your grumpiness in addition he's gonna give three reasons to rejoice Philippians 2:12 through 13 therefore my beloved that's nice language right let me just say this this is the language that a grandma or a grandpa gives to a beloved grandchild oh dear that's what it is oh dear I love you so much this is the father heart of God coming through the the pastor Paul you need to know that the names and nicknames we give to people are powerful we tend to only give nicknames to the people we love the most and the people we you said it not me the people who hate the most he has a nickname how many of you grew up in a family where you got a nickname and it wasn't good and every Christmas they call you that same nickname they take you back to when you were 11 here he nicknames the children of God as the beloved that's a good nickname we need to have good nicknames for one another and God's people speaking and breathing life into one another therefore my beloved as you have always obeyed okay underline that person show it to your child that's the new life verse for all the parents always obeyed so now not only in my presence he's not there but much more in my absence they're in Philip I he's 800 miles away in the city of Rome can't be present with them and goes on to say work out your own salvation with fear and trembling that's honor and respect for it is God who works in you both to will he changes your desires and to work he helps you accomplish them for his good pleasure we say this number one God is for you many of you don't know this you don't believe this you don't trust this this truth gets tested when trouble and trial come when we're suffering or struggling we might be thinking that God is against us he's not Satan the demons I promise they're against you God is for you if you are a Christian if you are a child of God and he uses this language of beloved in a few verses he's gonna call us those who are Christians the children of God and he says here that God serves us and helps us according to his good God likes helping God likes forgiving God likes serving God takes pleasure in meeting the needs of the people that he created you are not a burden to God you are a blessing to God God's heart is a Father's heart my children are not a burden they are a blessing when my children need me it is not a frustration for me it is a pleasure for me you are the children of God God is a loving father he is pleased he is joyful he is cheerful he is smiling to forgive you to love you to seek you to save you to bless you to comfort you to lead you to guide you that's why we want to be with God because he wants to be with us amen and number two God live in you not as not only is God ruling over all he is reigning in the lives of those who belong to him this means you're not alone you're not abandoned that Christianity is not a to-do list that God gives you and doesn't participate in he says God works in you both to will and to work this is God working in you in the Old Testament it talks about getting a new heart in the New Testament the language is being born again because you're born physically you need to be born again spiritually by giving your sin and receiving salvation from Jesus Christ and when he's talking about God working in you this is amazing how many of you can testify God's done some work in you if you're a Christian God has done some work in you and ultimately this God who began this work Paul tells us elsewhere in Philippians he who began the good work will see it through to completion that the work that God has started in you God will finish in you that God will not leave you that God will not betray you that God will not forsake you that God will not abandon you and this work in you is amazing you get a new mind you think differently you get a new heart your emotional life is now not predicated on your circumstance but the presence of the Spirit of the Lord who gives you love joy peace peace patience peace kindness faithfulness self-control and gentleness all of that is the emotional life of Jesus birth by the Holy Spirit so you get a new mind you get a new emotional life you get a new will many people don't know this Christians don't obey because we have to we obey because we get to because of our deepest level we want to so I never told my kids you have to read the Bible that's like saying you have to eat your ice cream don't see it like that you ruin it we were looking forward to it it's awesome this hit me in college I became a Christian at age 19 my mind changed all of a sudden I see God in history and reality and myself very differently my emotional life changed all of a sudden I'm actually more joyful and cheerful and hopeful and then ultimately what I was shocked by was my desires changed I I found this out when I was I was getting ready on a Friday night to to figure out what I was gonna do it was in a dorm some of the guys come over everybody in my school drank is a state university and I'm brand new Christian and the guys come in and they're like can't we're going to a party and I know they're going to drink and they said do you want to go with us I said no I couldn't believe it like who is this guy with my driver's license what is he saying they said well what are you gonna do I said here's what I said I couldn't believe I said it I said I'm gonna go to the library and read my Bible right and they're like what have you accepted Ned Flanders in your heart like what are you doing it's Friday night at a State University they looked at me they asked why do you want to go to the library and read the Bible I said I don't know that just sounds like the most fun thing to do tonight that's what I want to do because God changes desires he works to change your will and then he gives you his will and then he gives you his pleasure as your wills become aligned God is pleased and you are pleased with obedience you don't have to pray you get to pray you don't have to read the Bible you get to read the Bible you don't have to be forgiven you get to be forgiven these are all things that we should be really excited about number three God partners with you he says they have obeyed but I need you to see this the God who is for you in the God who works with you is the God that you obey it's not to earn his love it's because he starts with love it's not so that your performance will merit a relationship but because his love for you changes and transforms you so that his love doesn't work in you and then it ultimately doesn't work through you and we call that obedience and then he says to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling my dear friends don't worry about their salvation being worked out don't worry about what they need to know and what they need to do and how they need to change get up look in the mirror and say this is what I'm dealing with today this person is my responsibility each person work out your own salvation God works things in you work them out work out your own salvation with fear and trembling that is respect and honor for God and this leads to a question that often gets asked theologically what does God do what do we do certain theological traditions certain biblical teachers will emphasize what we need to do others will emphasize what God does these are like two pedals on a bike they go together as far as being a Christian all that work is done by God that's the work for you through the death burial resurrection of Jesus Christ in your place for your sins so I've just asked do you know Jesus do you love Jesus do you belong to Jesus are you following Jesus is he excited about Jesus that work that he does for you he does all the work and then God doesn't work in you he takes out your old heart gives you a new heart takes out your old nature gives you a new nature takes out your old will gives you a new will takes out your old mine gives you a new mine and now the Spirit of God is in you and God who worked this all into you you can now work it out with him so ultimately God initiates we respond God saves us and then we grow to be more like His Son Jesus Christ God forgives us we forgive others God wrote the Scriptures and sent the Holy Spirit and we open it to learn God welcomes us to pray and bring our burdens and needs to him and then in prayer we are obeying him what God works in we work out this is the two petals on the Christian bike for the life of forward progress and let me just tell you this is the best life this is the most exciting wonderful transforming life God doesn't want to just make you better he wants to make you new he wants to give you joy and it's not a joy that the world can understand because it is found solely in God and it comes down with Jesus you know the angel says I bring you good news of great joy for all the people Jesus is born joy comes down Jesus and joy is only possible truly deeply perpetually unceasingly for those who are with Jesus amen well you're both excited ok great then I'm gonna do it again we're gonna give you eight more reasons to rejoice right like like if the first three didn't get you I'm gonna get you again alright you need to know that joy is not an addition it is essential to walk with God Christianity is not just about duties it's about delights here's what Paul says Philippians two 14 through 18 do what things whole things does that include politics yes politics is the Greek word for demon right it's just this is some of us we don't complain about a lot of things but maybe we have a few hot-button issues for us that we grumble about what is grumbling complaining arguing right go to any any coffee shop in Scottsdale sit next to the old men and you will get a case study and grumbling everybody laughed except for the old men they're like that's that's nasty and not your grumbling okay so you're just proving my point grumbling or disputing this is where you're arguing with people these would be two amazing words to explain our culture people are complaining and arguing hey man have you flipped through the news recently MSNBC any good news not grumbling and complaining CNN any good news nope grumbling and complaining Fox News huh still grumbling and complaining I hate to tell you our local Republican representative was trying to fix the case here all right you're only gonna find good news in here hey man out there you're gonna hear a lot of grumbling and complaining just tell me what's coming next year it's an election year I'm hoping Jesus comes back before November okay do all thing does he do this all the time yes he's hopped up on cold medicine and might throw up he's excited though do all things without grumbling or disputing that you may be blameless and innocent children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation among whom you shine as lights in the world holding fast to the Word of Life that is the Word of God so that in the day of Christ when Jesus comes back I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain and then he talks about the fact he might die even if I am poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith I want I'm glad Paul's like even if they kill me it's a great day that's he must know something we don't one of the greatest fears that people have is the fear of death Jesus defeated death and as a result there's nothing to fear if you're following him likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me couple of things number one you can stop grumbling and disputing you can stop just complaining and arguing you can you can you can stop complaining and arguing how many of you the holidays are tough because your family gets together all they do is complain and then argue right let's fix that God gives you joy so that you can enjoy which means you don't need to be held captive by grumbling and complaining you can make a choice that God will honor and he will be pleased to help you to stop grumbling start praying stop disputing start worshiping number two you can be blameless and innocent this is not perfect but it is a new you that is in a process of perfection that ultimately is completed in the presence of God forever it is possible to walk with God it is possible to be faithful to your spouse it is possible to love your kids it is possible to be generous with your resources it is possible to serve others I am 100% sick of all the negative press on Christianity that ultimately there are many who are not perfect but they are blameless and innocent and even if you don't like where they're at look at where they started and encourage their progress number three you can stop being part of a crooked and twisted generation which generation is twisted and crooked everyone dragons showed up he made a fruit salad all been a dumpster fire since every generation is crooked people are crooked and their ways are twisted but it doesn't have to be that way for the children of God you don't have to do what everyone else is doing and you don't have to feel how everyone else is feeling in addition number four you can be the children of God without blemish and shine as lights you are God's children what I used to tell our kids growing up is that's not how we do it in our family so be like dad can I can I drink a monster energy drink at bedtime and light off fireworks no well Johnny does those parents hate them and will pray for Johnny you know he's three you know this is not ideal you know in our house we don't do that that's not in our family that's not what we do God is a father as soon as you become a child of God you become part of the family of God and there are certain things that the family does not do that's just not our family and what he's saying is you can live as children of God and he's giving this analogy of a very dark world but that God's children with life and love and joy and peace they shine forth like a lighthouse you know when boats are out at sea if there's no lighthouse they don't know where Safe Harbor is and they don't know where to venture toward so the lighthouse goes on and brings them home you you mightier Saints you are those lights in this world as you love as you forgive as you have joy as you walk in obedience others will see how to make it home to safe harbor and enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ don't let them convert you to their cheerless 'no straight for them cheerfulness and welcome them to meet the one who gives you joy in addition you can stop living in ways that are vain number five there are many things in our life that tragically sadly unfortunately feel like we have wasted our time and energy we all have things jobs relationships projects that we have poured ourselves into and it's like a bucket that has no bottom and that was all wasted what he's saying is that these people are living in such a way and this church now has been up and going for about 10 years it's the most healthy loving joy-filled Church in the New Testament not all Christians are hypocrites and not all churches are grumpy there are some godly people and some of them get together and some great churches and we want to be one of those but what he's saying is he is not wasted his efforts on them and he wants them to keep going that's my hope my prayer my encouragement for you number six you can start living in a way that you can be proud of and I know there is a negative and pejorative sense to pride what he says here that I want to be proud of you this is powerful we either build people up or we beat them down when we speak life over them we lift them up when we speak death over them we literally bury them how amazing would it be to get a letter from Paul from prison and he says I'm proud of you now some of you never heard this from your mom your dad had a critical spirit not a cheerful spirit it was always what you did wrong for what you did right if your parrot said hey we need to talk you're like ah what did I do now we need to be people who give blessing give encouragement because you're not going to get it anywhere else and what I love here is that Paul says I'm proud of you this holiday season your kids your grandkids your spouse I love you I like you I enjoy you I'm proud of you some of you say that's not how they are well then give them something to shoot for it's criticizing them grumbling and complaining isn't working so try encouraging and blessing and he is proud of them and I'm proud of you number seven you could stop cheerless nests and start cheerfulness because ultimately if you're waiting for the circumstances of your life to align to bring you joy you will wait forever and then die how many of you you've lived under that myth as soon as I graduate as soon as I make money as soon as I get married as soon as I have a kid then I'm gonna be really really happy and then you're like well as soon as the kids move out that'll be really really happy well then as soon as they give me grandkids they'll be really really happy and then and then you got ointment and you got injuries and you going to the bathroom at times you didn't plan on it and you know it's just not coming I'm just telling you I just look down the road and it's that's where it's gone it's not all gonna come together so you're gonna need to choose cheerfulness joyfulness in the middle of this is one of the major themes of the whole Bible two thousand seven hundred words on cheer rejoice joy gladness woo really one somes like buzz I was reading the news I missed that put your phone down right put your phone down all right number eight you can die with a smile on your face he talks about being poured out as a drink offering you know what the worst thing is not to die the worst thing is to die without knowing Jesus if you know Jesus he already told us in Chapter one to live his Christ to die is gain skiing and he says being with Jesus is far better so he's in jail and they're like we're gonna kill you he's like don't don't give me a promise you will keep alright don't get my hopes up I'm gonna go see Jesus and he's gonna say well done good and faithful servant and I'm gonna get out of prison and go to a party a party that never ends you're all gonna die I want you to die with a smile on your face you know what Jesus I'm coming it's gonna be awesome hope you got a place set for me at the table I'm looking forward to the party that never ends we've got some older Saints in this church that are closer to the finish line we've had a few funerals and I can tell you that those who died knowing Jesus died differently than those who don't those who do not know Jesus died in fear and those who know Jesus died in cheer that's how this works amen all right I'll clap for myself that's how excited I am all right what he's gonna do now is he's gonna he's principally establish joy and now he'll give us two testimonies one is a man named Timothy the other is a man named DAP Afrin itis tell you a little bit about these men briefly and then we'll jump in what this is is this is their testimony the world has biography they pulled themselves up by their bootstraps they actualize their potential they fought through a hard time the Bible doesn't have biography it has testimony and that is that God was present that God provided that God sustained me that God blessed me that God delivered me so this is the testimony of what it means to live joy and Cheer of the Lord says in Nehemiah 8:10 the joy of the Lord is my strength cheerless people are too weak to make it through this life if you want to be strong you need joy so that you can enjoy whatever is set before you these are two cheerful joyful glad happy men and this is their testimony the first is Timothy verses 19 through 24 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon right Paul is in jail in Rome they are in the church at Philippi some 800 miles away they heard Paul was in jail so they send Timothy to go check in on him he says so that I too may be cheered by news of you let me say this you can live in such a way that when people hear about you their cheerful right if you don't know this person become this person by the grace of God fryi this is a crazy statement he says of Timothy for I have no one like him just if you know the Bible at all what caliber and quality of people did Paul have in his ministry awesome I mean you know they're the Yankees of serving Jesus his team is amazing it's all first-round draft fix he works with the Giants of the faith and what he says is this yeah but Timothy I have no one like him and that we would know a person like this that we would become a person like this a faithful person he says I have no one like him what makes him so unique who will be genuinely not insincerely not selfishly genuinely concerned for who for you what brings cheer to the heart of God and the people of God is when we consider others above ourselves I'm going to hit it on Christmas Eve it's this section in Philippians 2 just prior to this where he talks about how Jesus is servant and he humbled himself and he served us and he did what was in our best interest though it was not an his it was not in Jesus best interest to go from heaven to earth it was not in Jesus best interest to go from the earth to the cross it was not in Jesus best interest to go from the cross to the grave but it was in our best interest and Timothy is carrying forth the character of Christ being selfless in the world that is selfish doing what is best for others not himself let me tell you this this is the secret to being a Christian being a husband being a wife being a friend doing what is in the best interests of the person that you love even though it is likely not in your best interest because he you know here's what he says for they all seek their own interests not those of Jesus Christ what he's saying is the whole world is filled with people are like what can I gain how do i benefit we even have this little line what's in it for me that's demonic what's in it for you that's godly it's a reorienting of mindset if all I do is wake up every day and look at my wife and kids and say how does this benefit me what do I get how do I win our family will be destroyed if I get up and say okay how do I do what's best for Grace and the kids our family will be filled what's your enjoy it's really that simple selfish people are miserable people he goes on to say but you know if Timothy's proven worth there are certain people to tell you don't how many of you have met people like that they say one thing but they don't follow through to completion just do this this is kind of fun find your old high school annual you're my best friend I'm gonna be there forever you know I'm gonna I'm gonna take care we're gonna die together and you're like I don't remember who that is you know I don't remember that is people will have intentions without commitments they'll start something they don't finish they'll commit to something that they don't see through to completion if you're an employer you know exactly what I'm talking about right and we're coming into that time of year where this happens we call it New Year's we get fat during the holidays and then New Year's comes and we make New Year's resolutions which are lies they're lies how do I know they're lies you're not doing what you said you were gonna do last January so what happens is you show up to the gym on January 1st what's it like it's full of highly motivated people January 4th tumbleweeds no one is there it's over there's not that consistency and that order to to continue everyone has a pain threshold where at some point they say ok no more what he's saying if Timothy is Timothy has this resolve this commitment that when he commits himself he's in no matter what and the result is you can depend on him he is faithful he's not perfect but he's faithful proven worth how was the son with a father I love this language Paul we have no indication that he had any children Timothy was a man that we know nothing about his father the Bible tells us about his grandmother and his mother so we have a young man with no father we have an older man with no son and in Jesus Christ they become like a father and son this is where God's primary metaphor for the church in my opinion is family bad things happen when we sort of face the church off of business or entertainment or heaven forbid politics the the system that God intends is familial God's father Jesus is the Son the angelic and other divine beings are the sons of God he just told us that human beings who belong to Jesus are the children of God it's all family language what this means when you come into the church God is your father Jesus is your big brother you meet other people they're like brothers and sisters older people become like fathers and mothers and in a world of divorce and broken homes dispersement where people don't live near their family church family can be a real blessing amen now how many of you you feel closer to some Christian than you do to your own biological family it's because the Spirit of God makes us family we sense that we were down in Mexico this weekend and we walked into this church and we don't speak the same language many of us didn't but you know what there was immediate warmth and friendship because though we don't share the same language we share the same spirit the Spirit of God if you have a family that loves Jesus you're doubly blessed if your family doesn't love Jesus and doesn't love you you're not cursed you're just blessed by the family of God and what he wants is older men to have Father's hearts let me just tell you this is crucial and critical the brokenness in our culture can largely be connected to men who do not have the father heard of God and the healing and restoration is through men like Paul having a Father's heart Timothy's freedom works as a son with the father he has served with me in the gospel this is Jesus they're talking about Jesus Philippians uses this word gospel more than any other book of the Bible in terms of frequency I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how will go with me and I trust in the Lord that surely I myself also will come he's in prison there in Philippi he's sending the letter back Timothy is still there and he's telling them I hope I get out and I'm gonna send Timothy to you either way but ultimately I hope to join him and visiting you now what's interesting about this this faithfulness this loyalty this fidelity is really unusual the story of Timothy is this there's a history book in the New Testament called Acts in acts 14 Paul shows up at this town called Lystra he preaches about Jesus and guess what there's a riot they take him out and they try and murder him they throw rocks at him it's called stoning not this this that's what they're doing okay and so they tried to stone him to death and they think he's dead maybe they knock him out or something so literally leave his body out of the city well Paul Paul somehow comes back to consciousness just got knocked out and he's all bloodied and he's beat up and he's hurting like crazy masks you would you go back be like those people really need Jesus those are some terrible people I gotta go tell him about Jesus that's what he does how many of you be like Lord once I got hit in the head with a rock I took that as a word from you that I'm retiring that's exactly what I heard he goes back you know why because if you're committed to Jesus Christ even if somebody is cruel and mean all it proves is they need Jesus Christ he goes back because he does what's best for them not what's best for him and then ultimately he leaves town a churches planted believers gather he has a second missionary journey a while later he returns back to that town and it says at that time Timothy joined him is like his associate pastor which is crazy just just think about it we're all trying to climb the ladder and upward mobility in a bigger office and benefits packet what does he get for joining Paul Paul comes into town they try and kill them all it's like I'm looking for an assistant and he's like Oh bleep a job you know most of us are not like if we had a list like hey welcome to the church if you'd like to serve you know we're looking for people who are good at taking a beating you'd be like I'm out I'll play with the kids so I'll be an usher you know whatever you'd be a vacuum cleaner not a rock that's what I need this is Timothy if you don't know this person pray that God would bring them if you are not this person pray that God would make you that person faithful loyal he brings cheer and joy to Paul because Paul can depend on him and then he's going to talk about this other guy up aphrodite's Philippians 2 25 through 30 I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother so Timothy is a younger man Leigha Pafford itis is an older man so Paul doesn't regard him as a son but as a brother again the church is family and here's this is amazing this letter would have been read before the church and he calls him fellow worker fellow soldier that's whole cezzah that's amazing and your messenger and minister in my need for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill indeed he was ill near to death but God had mercy on him and not only on him but on me also lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow I'm the more eager to send him therefore that you may what rejoice it seeing him when he shows up he's like he almost died he's sick I'm gonna send him back to Philip I when I do get a cake get a sombrero find a pinata blow a kazoo have a parade make sure you know that he's coming and make sure he knows that you're looking forward to him coming you know what if you want to create a cheerful environment celebrate the people who are coming into that environment he's just telling him literally planned the party eventually a Pafford itis the honored guest will show up he goes on to say that I also may rejoice at seeing him again and I may be less anxious so receive them in the Lord with what all joy all to receive your spouse with all joy receive your kids with all joy receive brothers and sisters in Christ with all joy all joy and honor such men what Paul is establishing here is the environment and culture of the church this is the happiest this is the healthiest this is the holiest Church in the New Testament he doesn't have rebukes for them just commendations minor Corrections the book never uses the word sin not because they're perfect but because they're making progress in addition at the beginning he doesn't declare himself to be an apostle as he does in many of his other letters because they already honor him and they respect him and he doesn't need to pull out the org chart or or put his you know his name plate on saying you know I am Anna you know rock paper scissors apostle apostle always wins he doesn't have to do that because they honor him this is the secret to joy joy can only coexist in an environment of honoring true how many of you grew up in a home that was dishonouring kids trash mom mom trashes dad dad trashes everybody that's why the holidays are really painful for some folks you don't want to be in a dishonouring environment because it's joyless mockery is not joy it's the demonic satanic counterfeit making fun of someone is not enjoyable it's miserable and sometimes what happens in our family systems we get back together for the holidays and we're just devastated do we really got to talk about the worst thing I ever did well every crit why do we need to make fun of me for half an hour see it gets quiet in the room because it gets close to the soul honoring honoring and joy coexist how do I know right now in heaven it's a culture of honor right now and having no angels or trash-talking each other I got bigger wings than you know right now in heaven it's a culture of Honor they're honoring the Lord the Lord is honoring them the departed Saints who are in the presence of God right now they're not being Dishonored God's not bringing up all their past failures hey guys there's no remember when he got drunk and passed out naked in his tent watching NASCAR ah no it was like really that was thousands of years ago can we please move on right if he will choose honor it will bring joy if you choose honor it will bring joy and honoring joyful environment it welcomes people doesn't repel people people want to be in an environment where they are honored I'm proud of you I love you I see progress God started something and I know for a fact he's gonna see it through to the finish line joy and honor for such men for he nearly died for the work of Christ risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me here's the story of a Pafford itis so Paul's in prison the church here's our pastor is in prison and the problem with the Roman jail you don't get food you don't get clothing you don't have civil rights you don't get a court-appointed attorney it's not like that and so if you don't bring food and clothing and provision somebody's gonna die so they're like oh my gosh or pastors 800 miles away they took a big special offering and then they had to pick somebody to carry the bag of money all the way to Rome and you got to nail this right cuz Jesus had a book keeper how did that end remember Judas he's like one for me two for me three for me for for me rope for me help for me that's Judas right price shouldn't set it like that but that's how it went down so when it goes to choose the book keeper the financial guide they got to really get this right they pick up Aphrodite's what does that tell you he's trustworthy he's trustworthy what Paul says he's how many of you would not sign up for this job on Sunday I can see they're together like alright yeah we're looking for a volunteer to walk if I just stole just six weeks to Boulder Colorado with the bag of money you're like I'm out for sure I'm out I was out at the walking part you know 800 miles on foot with the bag of money life in danger that's a trustworthy guy right and he gets sick along the way almost dies what he doesn't do is say well I'll spend this money okay so he would be like Lord I'm sick I got money spending the money he doesn't do that he doesn't stop he doesn't go back he doesn't quit he pushes all the way forward to Rome six walk 800 miles he shows up the pole almost dead and God spares his life and he sends News back saying I know you're worried about a Pafford itis but ultimately he is in recovery and I will send him back to you here's what I want you to see in Christianity there are wonderful people Timothy is a wonderful person Pafford itis is a wonderful person Paul is a wonderful person don't believe the demonic lie that God doesn't have some wonderful people and some wonderful churches he does there's a few other ones too but God does have some wonderful people and some wonderful churches and the way that people become wonderful is by honoring them so what Paul is demonstrating here they would have read this letter publicly he's honoring Timothy would you agree with that I have no one like him that's honoring Andy is honoring a Pafford itis Timothy's a guy on the platform he's well-known preaches teaches rights the Pafford itis is off the platform he's serving behind the scenes it's good to honor those who are visible and those who are less visible in their ministry and if you will set up a culture of honor in your home in your family during the holidays some of you are not good at this you need to literally think about things but you can encourage and bless people with and thank people for and some of you need to write them down as Paul did and send them to those people as a blessing for them but this culture of honoring is so significant because it is the culture of the kingdom of God and this really hit me in a profound way it was a couple of years ago one of our pastors grace and I were at the church that's run by one of our pastors and and on that Sunday this man was not preaching instead he brought in his faster an older man and it's and he literally said he's my spiritual father use the language of Paul and Timothy and he honored his spiritual father and then everybody welcomed and he got off the stage Dave Mahad the man walked out to teach his name is Jack Hayford he's a good Bible teacher he wrote the spirit-filled Study Bible he's a godly man and he got up and what he I here's what I'll tell you I don't remember this sermon I know it was awesome but I do remember what he did and he said I'd like to introduce you to my wife they've been married for a long time she since passed away and got home to be with the Lord and he had his wife stand up and the camera panned on her everybody got series like this is my wife I love her so much he talked about how much he appreciated her how his work was impossible without her work that she was the blessing and burden lifter behind the scenes and a great source of joy and he'd never met anyone like her he just honored his wife and I thought oh what a good idea what a good idea to have an environment where people honor one another because what that does that lifts people up to the potential that God has for them rather than dragging people down to the past it pulls them into the future what I'm going to share now I believe is I believe it's from the heart of God as I was praying for you all this week God and pressed something on me that I want to share it's for the men and the women but it's first for the men the husbands and fathers and I believe that this is the secret to unlocking joy during the holiday season behind all of Philippians is God if you misunderstand the character of God then you misunderstand what it means to be godly coz to be godly is simply to try by the grace of God to be like God let me share this with you in closing there is honor and fun in the father's house Jesus talks about the kingdom of God as the father's house and when the Bible talks about the kingdom of God from beginning to end it usually uses the language of what parties these celebrations meals weddings who doesn't love a party amen I tell you who doesn't religious people religious people don't like parties because environments of honor and joy repel them but they attract healthy people or people who want to become healthy and so Jesus gets invited to parties God throws parties through the Bible God has a party that never ends the father's house is a fun awesome great place to be I'll read it see Isaiah 65 17 through 19 here's God speaking for behold I create new heavens new earth you'll be raised as a new person you'll occupy a new realm you'll enter a new city God makes all things - who doesn't like nice new things amen we love nice new things God's got all new for everyone forever former things shall not be remembered or come to mind one of the problems during the holidays we take former things and we make people remember them and we put them at the forefront of their mind the worst days of your life this is the jabbing the joking the criticizing the the instigating the grumbling in the disputing in the father's house there will be none of that the past will be buried with Jesus and ultimately it's not that God erases your memory but you're not thinking about it the thing that you regret right now you won't regret forever because you won't be obsessed about it you'll be obsessed with the goodness and glory of God he goes on what to be what glad and rejoice two thousand seven hundred times glad rejoiced cheer cheerfulness celebration gladness it's a big deal for God and rejoice how long forever heaven is the place the kingdom of God is the place the eternal state is the place where you just rejoicing forever as some of your like I I don't know I could do that you will I'm telling you you're gonna play hopscotch you're gonna eat lollipops you're gonna be awesome kids are gonna want to hang out with you you're gonna be a fun time I just believe that our picture of God and his kingdom are all together wrong and they're not attractive because who wants to be with a cheerless God forever I don't get to heaven gods like I'm upset Oh forever ah I didn't like my option it was hot so I'm not sure what to do be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create for behold I create Jerusalem a new city to be a city of what joy I don't know if you see a theme here what's the theme joy yeah seems like God's happy and her people will be a godness more joy that I told you last week somebody were like well God wants you to be happy not you know what to be joyful not know the Bible uses all these words interchangeably glad cheerful rejoicing it hundreds of times the Bible uses the word rejoice cheerfulness gladness happiness in the same verse God just like it's so awesome I need to use a bunch of words because it's just so big and incredible and awesome that you can't you can't get your mind around it so we're gonna layer it up so you look forward to it you guys are like what the man if the dead in Christ rise first it might be us what the heck yeah okay I will one who will rejoice God says I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people God loves you God likes you God takes pleasure in you God wants to be with you God is glad to have you with him forever let me just tell you this when you show up at God's house for the party he's not bummed that you're there he's glad to see you and no more shall be heard is in the sound of weeping crying or of distress all that's over ten things in closing and some of you like closing maybe not gonna lie to you number one most people this strong statement most people wrongly view God they view God as cheerless as joyless as sorrowful and is angry the way that God relates to the non-christian is totally different than the way that he relates to the Christian for the Christian our primary relationship with God is not one of his anger his sorrow his disappointment it is instead marked by his charm it is his joy his pleasure and his cheerfulness don't let the picture of God for the enemies of God be your picture if you are a child of God number two God the father's this will blow your mind God's default mood is happiness God doesn't wake up like uh I gotta stack people up like kindling it's Tuesday I'm very frustrated God doesn't God's primary mood is not anger or sorrow some of you didn't know that some of you see God is cheerful domineering overbearing dictatorial tyrant and then you become like that thinking that it's godly God honors God has cheer God has joy God throws parties God has God has a party plan for you God does have moments of sorrow and anger but let me tell you this God's happiness is consistent I think this is my for those of you who are note takers this is my third point God's happiness is constant his anger and sorrow are not there not before God made us was God happy sure when Jesus comes back will he be happy sure in the middle there's some sorrow and anger but God's joy is constant his sorrow and anger are not his default disposition is happiness and joy one of the reasons that people don't know and understand this is because there's a word in the New Testament that it's the same word in the Greek New Testament that gets translated two different ways in reference to human beings this word is generally always translated cheer joy rejoiced glad that same word in reference to God is for some curious reason translated blessed it's the same word God is cheerful God is joyful God is happy okay I know here's my next point some of you will say but but what about our sin what about what about our sin here's what I would tell you you're not that big of a deal you're not such a big deal that God gets up and says how I feel today depends upon what Sally does Sally disappointed me my day is ruined hey Sally I love you but you're not that big of a deal you are not the center of the universe you are not the determiner of God's mood or emotion if I could use that language that ultimately God has constant joy and occasional sorrow and anger but we're not a big enough deal to wreck all of his joy right now heaven happy place all the angels they're having a good time zero people there are bummed to be there it's going good and it's going to go good for the children of God forever how about this one God the father's home is a culture of honor and happiness in heaven nobody's trying to unseat God or those who are put in positions of leadership and it's a place of joy here's where he's going I believe that what we see in the Apostle Paul is the father heart of God trying to bring the culture of God's house down into the church honor up there there needs to be honor down here there's joy up there there needs to be joy down here thy kingdom come Thy will be done let's live Kingdom down knock culture up and God knows that if his culture can live in the church family led by a spiritual father like Paul then what that will do that will train and inform and educate and instruct all the father's to go put the culture of the kingdom in their home a culture of Honor where dad honors the children says I love you and I'm proud of you and I have hope for you and what God started in you God will finish through you it's an honor of his wife you got a great mom praise her for this thank her for that it's a culture of honor and joy and here's what happens the reason many of us do not want to be with our family during the Christmas season is because the mom and the dad but starting with the dad establish a culture of cheerless dishonor so I some of you have an ulcer thinking about the holidays no one wants to be in an environment of cheerless dishonor everyone wants to be an environment of cheerful honor amen the father's house is a place of cheerful honor this is true for the men and the women the moms and the dads but I just feel inclined in the spirit and praying for you this week to tell you men you determine the culture of your home you determine if there is honor or dishonor you determine if there is cheerfulness or cheerless and it is such a great opportunity for us as men to say you know what I want the father's house to show up at my house I want the eternal party to show up for the Christmas holiday and what this may mean for some of you men and I know I'm pushing you're welcome it's my second spiritual gift right my first is teaching so I'm gonna I'm gonna push ya you may need to tell your kids or your wife I'm sorry you know what the the the jabbing comments the cheerless mnestheus the complaining the grumbling the disputing you know what I lit that fire I apologize I ask forgiveness I promise I'm not going to do that this year I'm gonna encourage people I'm gonna love people I'm gonna bless people I'm gonna bring the father's culture of honor and joy into this family into this home into this holiday I'm just telling you if you will do that your kids are gonna want to be around they're not going to just be in their room playing for at night they're actually going to come down and visit when they grow older they won't load up their car and drive away as far and as fast as they can they'll still want to be in relationship with you and once they have friends they'll want to bring them over and once they have a spouse they want to bring them over and when they have grandkids they want to bring them over some of you would wonder why don't my kids hang out with me why don't my grandkids hang out with me your house may not have the same environment as the father's house and as a result people don't run to it like they run to him but we can repent of that we can change that we can replace that by the grace of God I want you to think about how you can bring honor into the family environment this holiday season and I want you to think of how you can bring cheerfulness and joyfulness in and let me give you one simple simple simple simple suggestion ask people ask your spouse ask your kids hey what do you want to do what would be fun you know what are you looking forward to what would make it awesome and then start making plans execute on those plans and make sure that the holidays feel like a series of parties amen and just so you know this is what we're doing it at the church we just had the women's Christmas dinner we had a trip to Mexico I'll tell you about in a moment we threw a party for a bunch of Mexican pastors and their families coming up we have got a student party then we've got a Christmas Eve party you know what December is practice for heaven month we throw parties we have fun we go down slides we're gonna have snow we eat hot chocolate because it's in heaven we also have some mores because that's what manna meant in the Old Testament and mint graham crackers we believe that God is awesome that heaven is awesome that the family of God is made for joy and have a good time okay all right let me pray that's all I got all right father God thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you you're a cheerful god you're a joyful god you're an enjoyable god god I love the fact that when it talks about your presence in the Bible it talks about fullness of joy we invite you Holy Spirit bring the fruit of the Spirit to us law from the father enjoy in the father God thank you that joy and happiness is not something that we need to create it's something that you are and we can enter in and participate in your joy we invite the joy of Jesus Christ into this room we invite the joy of Jesus Christ into this season we invite the joy of Jesus Christ into these families and homes God we're so happy we're loved we're forgiven we're blessed were adopted we've got an eternal ticket to the party that never ends and God in the meantime let us rejoice and be glad let the joy of the Lord be our strength to make it through this world until we get home and get joy forever in Jesus name Amen