Defiant Joy

Are you starting to get frustrated with your circumstances in this pandemic?  Are you getting frustrated with the media, how on the one hand they speak of the State and country opening up, and on the other hand they warn us of an impending meat shortage, but then tell us not to worry?  Or how we are hearing that most of the people who are now getting sick in New York are the ones who have been staying home all along.  Or how we are learning that our COVID19 death count has been inflated by those who are adding any respiratory death to the death count. Or how now we are being inundated with conspiracies of how COVID19 is a planned pandemic, and that dark forces behind the scenes are conspiring to steal your freedoms and force you to get a vaccine and on and on.  In fact, we are being bombarded with so much information and misinformation, it’s no wonder that some of you aren’t just frustrated but are confused, angry and even fearful of where this is all headed.

And if that’s you at today, then what we are going to look at from God’s Word should not only give you some encouragement but give you a new way of seeing when life looks bleak.  What I’m talking about is having a perspective that helps you live above your circumstances. A perspective that Paul had when he had every reason to let his circumstances get him down.  He was under house arrest.  He was socially isolated. He was no longer free to travel and bring the good news of Jesus to the world. You’d think he’d be discouraged. But what most would call an unfortunate circumstance, Paul saw as an opportunity to rejoice.  He had what I would call, defiant joy.  And from Philippians 1:12-18 God’s Word shows us how we can have this same attitude in the midst of our circumstances.  So allow me to read this for us.  And listen for his joy:  Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.  As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.  And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.

It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Philippians 1:12-18  Did you hear Paul’s defiant joy?

He didn’t let his adverse circumstances get him down.  Instead, he saw the bigger picture: His circumstances actually served to advance the gospel. And that gave him joy.  And that’s what God wants us to see today: How God may use our present circumstances to advance the gospel of Jesus!  

And from Paul’s example there are at least three ways God may use our present circumstances to make Jesus known. And the first way is this: God may use your testimony to advance the gospel  That’s what we see in verses 12 and 13 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. Philippians 1:12-13

By the time of this writing Paul had been under house arrest in Rome for about two years.  He had been arrested in Jerusalem because the Jews who hated Paul for preaching about Jesus, saw him in the Temple and attacked him with the intent to kill him.  Now this encounter recorded for us in Acts 23 tells us how this scene escalated into a riot, and word quickly got back to the Roman cohort, who then came, stopped Paul’s beating, and arrested Paul. But since Paul was a Roman citizen, after being tried by Governor Felix, Paul appealed his case to Caesar.  And so he was brought to Rome and put under house arrest and was currently being guarded by the palace guard.  They guarded Paul around the clock and were rotated on a basic four hour shift.  So eventually the whole palace guard would hear the reason why Paul was in chains.

And that reason was obvious.  He was under house arrest because He was consumed with preaching the gospel.  He had a story to tell about Jesus and he couldn’t help but tell it!  So because he had a captive audience God used his testimony to open a door for the gospel to advance throughout Europe.  For once these guards heard the good news, they shared it among themselves, with their families, and with countless other officials and pagans in Rome.  So what Paul thought was the end of his mission for Jesus turned out to be the very thing God used to spread the gospel through Europe.

Now, could it be that God might use our circumstances to do the same thing?  And you may be thinking, “How would that work?” Well recently I heard the story of Peter O’Brien (renowned Bible scholar). When he was a boy, neither one of his parents were Christians.  But his mother became greatly impacted by the faithful witness of a neighbor. This neighbor was a simple lady with sincere faith in Jesus, who unfortunately lived with an incurable disease and suffered day after day.  But she never complained.  Her attitude and witness made a tremendous impact on O’Brien’s mother, who eventually trusted in Jesus as her Savior.  It was because of this simple lady’s faith that O’Brien’s mother became a Christian. Because of his mother’s faith Peter soon believed  He then went on to seminary and got a PhD, traveled to India and make the gospel known for years.  Then ended up in Australia, where he taught and wrote several extraordinary commentaries. Now, this neighbor had no idea that her life and story would serve to advance the gospel.  But because she had a genuine faith in Jesus, O’Brien’s mother came to faith and passed that faith on to her son.

We are in a pandemic.  No one knows how this will end.  But while this is happening our neighbors are watching us, listening to our reactions, and looking to see if our faith is real and our hope is sure.  You may not think that your story of faith in Jesus Christ is all that significant. But during this pandemic, God may use your faithfulness, your hope, or your love to spread the gospel to a neighbor.  So let me ask you:  Are you ready to tell your story?  God has positioned you for such a time as this.  You have a story to tell, and God has someone near you who is ready to listen.  So just like Paul,  God may use your present circumstance to make Jesus known.  And when He does, I can guarantee you, He will fill you with joy!  That’s one way God may use our present circumstances to advance the gospel.

Here’s another way: God may inspire you to share the gospel  Listen again to verse 14, And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.  When word got out that Paul was sharing the gospel with the palace guard, it inspired them to do the same.  They saw what God was doing through Paul, and it gave them confidence that nothing could stop the spread of the gospel.  So Paul’s testimony not only inspired them, it emboldened them to start sharing the gospel themselves. They became FEARLESS in telling others about Jesus.

Paul’s passion to share the good news in captivity sparked a fire in them to be fearless in sharing the good news.  I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure that this cannot be said about me, let alone you.  I can be pretty fearless in sharing the good news to you on Sunday mornings.  But do I have the kind of confidence and courage to share the gospel with my neighbors or friends that is described here?  So my question is this: Where did their confidence and courage come from?  It came from seeing God WORK through one man’s passion for the gospel of Jesus Christ.  And when they saw that, they believed they could do the same.  So this is a challenge for me, and for us.  This passage shows us what Paul truly cared about – not the pursuit of his own comfort, but the advance of the gospel.

Perhaps this is why God has allowed this pandemic to take place.  Maybe it’s not so much to awaken the world to their need of God, but to break us free from the idol of pursuing our own comfort…  I know we all long for a return to normal.  But was our normal really the normal God wants for us?  What if our new normal is to become a people consumed with the gospel of Jesus Christ?  What if our new normal was to be so overwhelmed by the mercy and grace of Jesus – of life with Jesus, of hope with Jesus, of joy with Jesus – that what we really cared about most – was not our own comfort, but that everyone could know Jesus?

That’s what gave Paul joy – ordinary Christ followers becoming fearless in telling other about the good news. It’s the same thing that gave Jesus joy.  Did you know that the only time we’re told that Jesus was filled with joy, was when his disciples went out and shared the good news of the kingdom?  Let me just read a bit of this for us. Beginning in Luke 10:1  After this the Lord appointed seventy-two and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.”  Luke 10:1-3

Later after they returned, we read, The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.  I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:18-20

At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.” Luke 10:21

What gave Jesus joy, what gave Paul joy, was that God’s children shared the good news with others.  Perhaps this is what God is up to in this pandemic:  Not to ruin our lives but return our lives to a greater purpose: a new normal – where God fills us with joy that our names are written in heaven, and we get to share the good news with others so their names can be written there as well!  Think about it.  We serve a risen savior who defeated death.  We have a Savior who gave us life.  We have a Savior who made us sons and daughters.  We have a Savior who is always for us and always with us.  God wants us to have this same confidence and courage because of all we have in Jesus – so we might become fearless in making Jesus known!

That’s a second way God may use our present circumstances to make Jesus known, but there’s one more way: God may use ungodly motives to advance the gospel   That’s what was happening in Rome.  It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. Philippians 1:15-17 

Now that Paul was under house arrest, there were other Christian men who had been envious of Paul’s success in ministry.  So they actually took advantage of Paul’s imprisonment, and tried to make a name for themselves by preaching the gospel.  They had no personal love for Paul.  They even hoped that by gaining converts, this would upset Paul and make his imprisonment even more frustrating.  So they were preaching the gospel for selfish reasons: To gain a reputation. To gain power and even profit. And to even cause trouble for Paul.  Does that ever happen today?  Sure.

But look at Paul’s take on this: But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Philippians 1:18  What an attitude!  Paul wasn’t put off by a bunch of self-serving preachers.  These preachers had ungodly motives; they were seeking to make a name for themselves.  But Paul didn’t care.  He was just glad Jesus was being preached.  And really that’s the last thing I want us to glean from Paul’s example today: He had no concern for his own reputation or success.  He had long abandoned this notion of making a name for himself.  Why?  Because he had dedicated his life to glorifying God.  He wasn’t condoning the false motives of these preachers, but since He was living for God’s glory, he was just thrilled that whether from false motives or true – Jesus was being exalted!  And that gave him joy.

What about you?  I know this message has been challenging already.  It certainly has been to me. But let me ask you:  What is your life dedicated to?  Is it all about exalting Jesus?  Are you living to bring glory to God?  You see, once you are living to bring glory to God, what others think or do no longer matters – you’re free.  And that was Paul! Even though He was in prison – He was free!  He was free to proclaim the name of Jesus; he was free to rejoice that Jesus was being preached and others were getting the credit, it didn’t matter.  It didn’t matter how adverse his circumstances were, he had joy because his goal in life was to see Jesus exalted. Paul had a defiant joy no matter what was happening because he was living for God’s glory.  And what was true about Paul, can be true for you.

You can have a new perspective in the midst of adverse circumstances if you have the same kind of passion for Jesus.

You can have joy that God can use your faith story to make Jesus known.

You can have joy that God can give you the courage to make Jesus known.

You can have joy when you are living to bring God the glory.

May God’s Spirit take what we have gleaned from His Word today and change us. May He change our perspective, change our attitudes and change who we are living for!  May He give us the opportunity to share our stories of Jesus with a fearless faith in Jesus.  And may He fill us with defiant joy because we are living for Jesus!

Let’s pray.