To say that we are living in challenging times would be an understatement. A time of political turmoil, the Covig-19 pandemic with its loss of life. The reshaping of our daily life, social distancing, stay at home orders, travel restrictions, 14 day quarantines school and church closures, online worship, working and studying from home, the cancellation or postponement of events and activities that have been a part of our daily lives.
An unprecedented economic slowdown, business closures and failures, lost wages, unemployment, a volatile stock market, racial turmoil, protests and rioting, the destruction of businesses and private and public property. All of these can be the source of fear, anxiety, anger hardship,even suffering, and circumstances we've never faced before. Or you might be facing challenges unrelated to any of these events.
This morning I want to share some thoughts with you from the Apostle Paul found in the fourth chapter of his letter to the Philippian church. You might remember Paul's first visit to the city of Philippi as recorded by Luke in Acts chapter 16. Luke writes that while in the city of Troas, in what is today Turkey, Paul had a vision of a "...man of Macedonia...urging him and saying, 'Come over to Macedonia and help us.'"
And that is exactly what Paul did arriving in Philippi, a Roman colony and leading city of Macedonia where he planted his first church in Europe, in what is today the country of Greece. He met Lydia, a "seller of purple goods" there by the riverside and led her and her household to the Lord. He cast out a demon from a slave girl who was a fortuneteller and a source of income to her slave masters. This led to the arrest of Paul and Silas, his companion in ministry. They were beaten with rods and imprisoned. God then miraculously set them free by an earthquake. Subsequently, the jailor and his family came to Christ. And now years later towards the end of his life Paul writes a letter to the Philippian church while in Roman prison.
Sean McDonough explains one of the reasons Paul wrote the Philippians, "He was...eager to thank them for their continued support. Imprisonment carried with it a social stigma, and it would have been easy for the Philippians to turn their back on Paul at this point. But they had remained faithful to him." This is the background of Paul's letter to the Philippian church. And as we look this morning at how we can respond to challenging times I want to focus our thoughts on four things from this text, Joy - Prayer - Contentment and Provision. What does joy have to do with facing challenging times? What role does prayer play in living in unprecedented circumstances? How is contentment important in these days of uncertainty? What provisions has God made as for those facing hardships?
I want to acknowledge this morning that Ifor one need this message! You will note that in verse 9, of our text, Paul encouraged the Philippians, and us, not only to practice his teaching but to follow his example. He writes, "What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me-- practice these things." (ESV) So let's focus on those four words, joy - prayer - contentment and provision as we consider how to respond to challenging times.
First of all the word joy in verse four,"Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, rejoice."I think we all know what it means to rejoice, "be glad, be joyful" (The Analytical Greek Lexicon pg. 433). Here in verse four it is a present imperative, in other words, it is a command to continuously rejoice in the Lord.
D. A. Hayes says the book of Philippians "...is the Epistle of Joy." (The Epistle to the Philippians,pg. 421) The title of A. T. Robertson's commentary on the book of Philippians is entitled,Paul's Joy in Christ. Writing about this letter to the Philippians, the German theologian Bengel said, "The sum of the epistle is, I rejoice; rejoice ye." In other words, I rejoice, you rejoice!
Remember, Paul wrote these words while a prisoner in Rome! That fact alone is instructive, but not surprising. D. A. Hayes explains,
"Paul was a man whose spirits were undaunted in any circumstances. He might be scourged in one city and stoned in another and imprisoned in a third and left for dead in a fourth, but as long as he retained consciousness and as soonas he regained consciousness he rejoiced. Nothing could dampen his ardor. Nothing could disturb his peace. In Philippi he had been scourged and cast into the inner prison and his feet had been made fast in the stocks. His back was bleeding and torn; his ankles were swollen and paining him; he could not lie down; he could not sleep. It was too dark in the dungeon for him to see anyone, but he could hear the voice of Silas somewhere near him in the midnight gloom. Some men would have been depressed under these circumstances, and the prison damp and darkness would have chilled their very souls. It was not so with Paul. He began to sing hymns of praise to God, and Silas joined in. " (The Epistle to the Philippians, pg.421)
Under these dire and painful circumstances Paul and Silas held a midnight worship service! And Luke adds, "...and the prisoners were listening to them."
Beth and I had three new granddaughters added to our family last year, one in January, February and September. And it has been so easy to rejoice in the birth of these three precious babies. The joy experienced in meeting them, holding them, loving on them has been effortless. But Paul says rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS. While it is easy to rejoice in the birth of three new granddaughters, rejoicing in the midst of overwhelming even painful circumstances, as was the case of Paul and Silas, and perhaps some of us today is another matter.
Jac Muller notes that Paul's instruction to "rejoice in the Lord always" is a command. He writes, "Not circumstances decide whether there will be joy, but
No matter what our circumstances, good or bad, we are to take joy in knowing the Lord. Rejoicing in our relationship with Him! I believe to "Rejoice in the Lord always" is an act of worship. I believe it is a form of praise. May I suggest that rejoicing in the Lord sets the stage for facing difficult circumstances like we are facing in these unprecedented days. Listen to the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 100 (NIV),
"Shout for joy to the Lord all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever, his faithfulness continues through all generations."
Do you see why Paul instructs us to "rejoice in the Lord." The God described in Psalm 100 remains the same no matter what our circumstances are. Our circumstances can change but the character and faithfulness of God never changes. Please do not underestimate what we are to rejoice
"Paul's joy was not grounded in earthly conditions but in Christ. No one could rob Paul of Christ or of his joy in Christ. Christ satisfied Paul's soul. Christ was his all in all. He needed nothing else to make his soul sing aloud and long for sheer joy." (
Let me ask you this morning. Can you rejoice "in the Lord"? You see there is a prerequisite to rejoicing in the Lord. First you must Jesus Christ "gave himself for me." That is, He died on the cross bearing the penalty for my sin and yours, our sin that separates us from God. When we repent of our sin and put our trust in Jesus' death and resurrection we are born again and Christ lives in us as Paul testified. Only then can you "rejoice in the Lord."
Rejoicing in the Lord, giving praise to the Lord, sets the stage for giving thanks to the Lord in prayer. That is the second word we look at. Philippians 4:4-6. What role does prayer play in responding to difficult circumstances, facing unprecedented challenges? You will notice that thanksgiving is included in Paul's instructions on prayer, verse six, "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication [or petition]
Giving thanks is a part of our prayer life, and especially when we are struggling with anxiety. Paul says, don't be anxious but "in everythingby prayer and petition with thanksgivingmake your requests known unto God." (emphasis mine) As we have just noted, Paul says we are to "rejoice in the Lord always"meaning in every circumstance. And now he instructs us when faced with anxiety to pray with thanksgiving in every circumstance.
Paul gave similar instructions to the Thessalonians found in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV). "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." Have the circumstances you are facing caused you to be anxious? Paul described some of his "circumstances". In writing the Corinthians. (2 Corinthians 11:24-28 ESV)
"Five times I received at the hands of Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. [one of those was in Philippi] Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers, in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches."
Paul had multiple opportunities in his personal experiences to practice thanksgiving in prayer. In light of these experiences of Paul we see the need for him to write in verse five, "let your reasonableness [or gentleness - forbearance] be known to everyone."
I don't know about you but when I get anxious or worried about something I sometimes get on edge. Anxiety often produces inner turmoil that can spill over in our relationship to others. Hence the admonition to be reasonable toward others, to be gentle, forbearing. Notice that Paul then goes on to explain how to deal with anxiety. "Do not be anxious about anything", verse six. Standing on its own this would be a tall order if not an impossible order! "Do not be anxious about ANYTHING? Paul makes no room for anxiety!
He however, does not leave us out on a limb. He continues verse 6, "...but in everything by prayer and supplication [petition] with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."
Paul is challenging us to take our anxieties to the Lord in prayer and petition, and do it in the context of joy with thanksgiving! "Give thanks in ALL circumstances". Essentially, Paul is linking prayer with our daily living. And he links thanksgiving with prayer. Both are to be the practice of the believer. It is a call to Thanksgiving Living no matter what the circumstances might be.
H. A. Kennedy writes, "Thanksgiving is the background, the predominant tone of the Christian life." (
with our petitions and requests. This is the question I have to ask myself in light of Paul's admonition here. Is my prayer life characterized by thanksgiving? Dr. Mark Lee wrote, "Thanksgiving is a part of the formula of prayer. Thanks and praise are as necessary to prayer as salt and pepper are to food." ("Five Kernels of Corn"
Note briefly these results. What is the opposite of anxiety? Paul makes mention of "peace" twice in this passage. In verse 7 he writes, "...the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus". He goes on to give us instructions about our thought life in verse 8-9, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me --practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you." (ESV)
What could be more valuable than peace as we struggle with anxiety? What could be more valuable than peace in the midst of the challenging times of our day? Paul says in verse 7, "the...peace of God...will guard your hearts". A.T. Robertson, "This peace of God quiets both out hearts and our thoughts." (
"God is the God of peace (Phil. 4:9), and his peace is the inward peace of the soul that is grounded in God's presence and promise. Paul here assumes that we have made our peace with God in Christ and now we are enjoying our peace with God (Rom. 5:1)."(
Have you been reconciled to God through faith in His Son Jesus Christ? In other words, are you at peace
The third word is contentment, verse 11. How is contentment important in a life of thanksgiving and as we face challenging times? Paul expresses his thanksgiving for the gifts of support he had received from the Philippian church. And in doing so, Paul shares what is apparently an important part of our response to difficult and challenging circumstances - contentment.
According to verse 12 he experienced times of great need as we noted in his letter to the Corinthians, but also times of great plenty. And in verse 11 he says "I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content."May I suggest to you that contentment is part of the framework of thanksgiving. J A Motyer writes it is, "...the 'restful contentment' of the Christian, the opposite of the desire for more." and in Paul's case, he writes "Circumstances no longer had power to touch him, for he was content." (Philippian Studies, page 176)
Paul wrote the Romans, "...we rejoice in our suffering, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope..." (5:3-4 ESV)erse 12. Notice in verse 13 he testifies, "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." (ESV)For the born again Christian nothing God calls us to do or be depends on our own strength. And that truth is Paul's explicit testimony in this verse. The times of suffering, deprivation and need and the times of plenty were the context of Paul learning contentment, but it was the power of God that strengthened him making it possible for him to live in contentment not matter what the circumstances.
Remember the Thanksgiving celebrated by the pilgrims in 1621? What you might not remember is that this came after incredible suffering following their arrival in Massachusetts ten months before in December of 1620. Shirley Dobson writes,
"The pilgrims landed in Massachusetts on December 16, 1620. Lacking sufficient provisions and shelter for winter, most settlers became ill within weeks. Ten of 17 husbands and fathers died with the 'first infection', and of the 17 wives, only three were alive after three months. By April, more than half of the population had died of disease or famine. These bleak circumstances were punctuated by other forms of human tragedy. For example, William Bradford's wife drowned as they disembarked from the Mayflower, leaving him a widower with a 1-year old son."
In spite of these overwhelming tragedies and unimaginable suffering, the Pilgrims that survived that first winter set apart time to give thanks to God.
Paul's testimony, "...I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content." (vs.11b) and verse 13, "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Paul's exhortation to us in verse 6 "Do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication [petition] with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." (ESV)
The fourth and last word is provisionPaul was grateful for the gifts of the Philippian church helping him in his time of need. But note in verse 19 another truth that is important, if not foundational for us n these days of uncertainty.
God's promise to supply our needs is echoed throughout Scripture, for example Matthew 6:33. In the context of discussing the futility of being anxious about the physical needs of life food, clothing and shelter, Jesus said, (ESV) "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." And notice the guarantee behind the promise of verse 19 of our text, "...my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus."
God can make this kind of promise because of whois inseparable from theglory of the One making the promise. It is the promise of a resurrected, ascended, exalted and sovereign Lord unlimited in power and resources. That is the foundation for thanksgiving! That allows us to "give thanks in all circumstances"and "to continue in prayer, being...thankful".
I close with this illustration. As I was thinking about this message I remembered the words of King David recorded in Psalm 63. I think most commentators believe David wrote this psalm after he fled Jerusalem when his son Absalom made an attempt to take the throne away from his very own father. David's life was endangered and his throne in jeopardy by an insurrection and rebellion of his own son! And so he fled to the desert and wilderness.
In the midst of those challenging circumstances heartache and danger David faced, as I share his words, notice the praise that springs from David's heart in this face of his adversity. Notice the words that express his insatiable hunger for God in the midst of the challenges he faced. Notice the words that express his intimate fellowship with God in the face of his trials. Listen carefully to the metaphors and the word pictures that he used to describe his faith and trust in the Lord in these difficult circumstances.
May I suggest to you as I close, that his words embody how we are to respond to God in the face of every challenge and adversity. As you listen to verses 1-8 of Psalm 63 (NIV)
David wrote,
"Oh God, you are my God, Earnestly I seek you;
My soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld you power and your glory.
Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;
With singing lips my lips my mouth will praise you;
On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the night.
Because you are my help,
I sing under the shadow of your wings.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me. "
"Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand [or near], do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication [petition] with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7 (ESV)
"...I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content." Philippians 4:11 (ESV)
"I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13 (ESV)
"And my God will supply every need of yours, according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory
for ever and ever. Amen." Philippians 4:19 (ESV)
© James P. McGarvey All Rights Reserved
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