Transcript Jesus Our Joy - deep

Jesus Our Joy
Philippians 2:19-30
Joy in the
Service of Christ
Psalm 138:1-5,7-8*
1
2
Tune: Before the
Throne 1/3
I’ll praise you, LORD, with all my heart;
Before the gods I’ll sing your praise.
I’ll bow towards your holy place
And bless your holy name always.
I’ll praise you for your faithfulness
And for your cov’nant love, O LORD,
For over all things you have raised
Your holy name and faithful word.
Your holy name and faithful word.
Psalm 138:1-5,7-8*
3
4
5
Tune: Before the
Throne 2/3
The very day I called to you,
You gave an answer to my plea.
You made me bold within myself;
With new resolve you strengthened me.
O LORD, let all earth’s kings give praise,
When from your mouth they hear your word.
Let them extol the ways of God,
For great’s the glory of the LORD.
For great’s the glory of the LORD.
Psalm 138:1-5,7-8*
Tune: Before the Throne
3/3
7
8
Although I walk a troubled path,
Your tender care preserves my life.
You raise your hand against my foes;
Your right hand saves me from their strife.
The LORD will certainly fulfil
For me the purpose he commands.
Your love endures for ever, LORD;
Preserve the works of your own hands.
Preserve the works of your own hands.
Children’s Talk
& Prayer
A Church for
Sleepy-heads?
A sleepover!

To help kids
get used to
camp!
 To have fun
and learn
together
 To wake up
to worship
God!
Psalm 67:1-7* (p. 84)
1 God be merciful and bless us;
shine upon us with your face,
2 That the earth may know your actions
and all lands your saving grace.
Psalm 67:1-7* (2/4)
3 O God, may the peoples praise you;
may all peoples sing your praise.
4 For you judge the nations justly,
ruling over every race.
Psalm 67:1-7* (3/4)
May they sing with joy and gladness;
may they all rejoice as one.
5 O God, may the peoples praise you
as they all unite in song.
Psalm 67:1-7* (4/4)
6 Then the land will yield its harvest;
God will pour his gifts abroad.
7 God, our God, will surely bless us;
all the earth will fear our God.
Scripture Reading
Philippians 2:19-30
Prayers of Intercession
Philippians 2:19-30
19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to
you soon, that I also may be cheered when I
receive news about you. 20 I have no one else
like him, who takes a genuine interest in your
welfare. 21 For everyone looks out for his own
interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you
know that Timothy has proved himself, because
as a son with his father he has served with me in
the work of the gospel.
Philippians 2:19-30
23 I hope, therefore, to send him as soon
as I see how things go with me. 24 And I
am confident in the Lord that I myself will
come soon. 25 But I think it is necessary
to send back to you Epaphroditus, my
brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier,
who is also your messenger, whom you
sent to take care of my needs. 26 For he
longs for all of you and is distressed
because you heard he was ill.
Philippians 2:19-30
27 Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But
God had mercy on him, and not on him
only but also on me, to spare me sorrow
upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I am all the
more eager to send him, so that when you
see him again you may be glad and I may
have less anxiety. 29 Welcome him in the
Lord with great joy, and honour men like
him, 30 because he almost died for the
work of Christ, risking his life to make up
for the help you could not give me.
Psalm 103:8-13 (p. 369)
8 The LORD our God is merciful,
and he is gräcious,
Long-suffering, and slow to
wrath,
in mercy plenteous.
Psalm 103:8-13 (2/5)
9
He will not chide continually,
nor keep his anger still.
10 With us he dealt not as we
sinned,
nor did requite our ill.
Psalm 103:8-13 (3/5)
11
For as the heaven in its height
the earth surmounteth far;
So great to those that do him fear
his tender mercies are:
Psalm 103:8-13 (4/5)
12
As far as east is distant from
the west, so far hath he
From us removèd, in his love,
all our iniquity.
Psalm 103:8-13 (5/5)
13
Such pity as a father hath
unto his children dear;
Like pity shows the LORD to
such
as worship him in fear.
Jesus Our Joy
Philippians 2:19-30
Joy in the
Service of Christ
Philippians 2 – tracing the
majestic and humble MIND
of Christ in the Church
At first sight the end of the chapter
seems a real contrast to the exalted
beginning.
 No contrast! First the MODEL (Jesus)
 Then those who are ‘MODEL’
Christians, Timothy and Epaphroditus!

James Philip quote:


“There is no such thing as ‘disembodied
consecration,’ it has to express itself in
visible, practical ways in the lives we
live. Is consecration just a doctrine to
you, a concept, a theory; or does it have
a body – your body?”
(From a Bible Reading at Portstewart
Convention, Northern Ireland,1981)
1 – Work it Out!

We saw: That Jesus humbled himself
and gave us a pattern.
Motyer: “Whatever he found
in himself to be expendable, He
spent”
 Paul’s challenge: copy Christ!
 Alec
1 – Work it Out!
Work it OUT because He works it IN!
 12 …as you have always obeyed— not
only in my presence, but now much
more in my absence— continue to
work out your salvation with fear and
trembling, 13 for it is God who works in
you to will and to act according to his
good purpose.

“Work it Out” Means?
Be as EVANGELISTIC as Christ!
 Be as SELF-SACRIFICING as Christ!
 Be as OBEDIENT TO THE GOSPEL
as Christ!
 If this does not intimidate you – you
have NOT understood it!!!

What “Work it Out”
Does NOT Mean!
NOT working FOR our
Salvation!
 Working because God is
working.
 Working alongside others
like Paul.

“Work it Out” = Join the
Gospel Workout!
Relying of God’s Holy Sprit
to work.
 No desire? I can’t do it?
 How do you know?
 Have you asked God, and
relied on his Spirit?

What If We Avoid the
Gospel Workout?
Paul has warned us not to
waste energy on complaints
and arguing.
 If we do not live for Christ we
will lack joy and power.
 Paul Blackham:
“Complaining is the fasttrack to a wasted life.”

What if we avoid the
Gospel Workout?

Have we ‘lost the plot?’

We have - if we have lost the
gospel workout.
We are called to SHINE like
stars in the blackness of night.
But How?
 By holding onto (and holding out)
the WORD of life (v. 16).

‘Work it out’ Means Shining!
“Those who are wise will
shine like the brightness of
the heavens, and those who
lead many to righteousness,
like the stars for ever and
ever.” Daniel 12:3
‘Work it out’ Means Sacrifice!
Philippians 2:17 – “I am being poured out like
a drink offering on the sacrifice and service
coming from your faith…”
 Compare with Exodus 29:38-43
 "This is what you are to offer on the altar
regularly each day: two lambs a year old. 39
Offer one in the morning and the other at
twilight. 40 With the first lamb offer…fine
flour mixed with… oil from pressed olives,
and… wine as a drink offering…..

‘Work it out’ means sacrifice

Exodus 29 (continued)
41 Sacrifice the other lamb at twilight
with the same grain offering and its
drink offering as in the morning--a
pleasing aroma, an offering made to the
LORD by fire… There I will meet you
and speak to you; 43 there also I will
meet with the Israelites, and the place
will be consecrated by my glory.
‘Work it out’ means sacrifice
Sacrifice means GRATITUDE.
 Thank you Lord for MEETING us!
 Lord, help me to hold out the Gospel
from Morning to Twilight as my thankoffering to you.

2 - Work it Out Like Timothy!
Verses 19-24 (1 – Work it Out!)
Imagine meeting Paul.
He could ask us,
“How are you doing in
the gospel workout?”
How would we answer?
“Oh - Not bad Paul, I’ve
never had a parking
ticket or run a red light.”
2 - Work it Out Like Timothy!
Verses 19-24 (1 – Work it Out!)
“Not bad Paul, I never
steal paper-clips from the
office”
Consider the contrast: Paul
says he has NO ONE else
like Timothy. He is
working for the gospel all
the time.
2 - Work it Out Like Timothy!
Verses 19-24 (1 – Work it Out!)

“19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send
Timothy to you soon, that I also may be
cheered when I receive news about you.
20 I have no one else like him, who takes
a genuine interest in your welfare. 21 For
everyone looks out for his own interests,
not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you
know that Timothy has proved himself,
because as a son with his father he has
served with me in the work of the gospel.”
2 - Work it Out Like Timothy!
Verses 19-24 (1 – Work it Out!)
“For everyone looks out
for his own interests,
not those of Jesus
Christ.”
 What are Christ’s
interests in our family,
workplace, and
community?
 Selfish in our Church?

2 - Work it Out Like Timothy!
Verses 19-24 (1 – Work it Out!)
 What
is Jesus
interested in doing
in history right
now?
 Is that what we
are involved in?
3 - Work it Out Like Epaphroditus!
1 – Work it Out!


2 - Work it Out Like Timothy!
What a name to die for! Vs 25-30
“I think it is necessary to send back to you
Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker
and fellow soldier… whom you sent to
take care of my needs. 26 For he longs
for all of you and is distressed because
you heard he was ill. 27 Indeed he was ill,
and almost died. But God had mercy on
him, and not on him only but also on me,
to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.”
3 - Work it Out Like Epaphroditus!
1 – Work it Out!
2 - Work it Out Like Timothy!
Epaphroditus was from Philippi.
 Brought gifts to Paul (4:16) and
greatly helped him.
 But he has to go home (carrying the
letter). Why?
 “Indeed he was ill, and almost died.”
 He now misses the Philippians.

3 - Work it Out Like Epaphroditus!
1 – Work it Out!
2 - Work it Out Like Timothy!
Why was Epaphroditus at death’s
door? FOR THE GOSPEL!
 “Welcome him in the Lord with great
joy, and honour men like him,
because he almost died for the work
of Christ, risking his life to make up
for the help you could not give me.”
(29-30)

3 - Work it Out Like Epaphroditus!
1 – Work it Out!
2 - Work it Out Like Timothy!
Epaphroditus was so involved he
neglected his own health and
welfare.
 Where does Paul rebuke him for this
“bad witness”?
 Was this not extreme zeal?

3 - Work it Out Like Epaphroditus!
1 – Work it Out!
2 - Work it Out Like Timothy!
Just like Jesus, “Whatever
(Epaphroditus) found in himself to be
expendable, He spent”
Epaphroditus may make you worry,
but love him and honour him!
3 - Work it Out Like Epaphroditus!
1 – Work it Out!
2 - Work it Out Like Timothy!
There was a 19th century
Epaphroditus in the City
of Dundee.
 Robert Murray
McCheyne
 He died aged 29, killed
by his passion for the
gospel.

3 - Work it Out Like Epaphroditus!
1 – Work it Out!
2 - Work it Out Like Timothy!
McCheyne: “Our Church must
not only be Evangelical but
Evangelistic as well, if she
would expect the blessing of
God. She must not only have
the light, but also dispense the
light if she is to be a faithful
steward of God.” (‘Our Duty to Israel’, 1839)
St Peter’s
Dundee
3 - Work it Out Like Epaphroditus!
1 – Work it Out!
2 - Work it Out Like Timothy!
Look at McCheyne’s sermons.
They are either “the gospel” or
stirring up the Church to share the
gospel. How we need to recover
this passion.
Do not conclude such Christians
lack balance or need to “chill out.”
The Church needs to awake!
St Peter’s
Dundee
3 - Work it Out Like Epaphroditus!
1 – Work it Out!
2 - Work it Out Like Timothy!
The interests of Christ
came first for Paul,
Timothy, &
Epaphroditus.
 Rico Tice: “Much better
to burn out than to rust
out for Christ.”

Rico Tice
Back to the James Philip quote:

“There is no such thing as
‘disembodied consecration,’ it has
to express itself in visible, practical
ways in the lives we live. Is
consecration just a doctrine to you,
a concept, a theory; or does it have
a body – your body?”
3 - Work it Out Like Epaphroditus!
1 – Work it Out!
2 - Work it Out Like Timothy!
May Christ deliver us
from a pointless or a
fruitless life
 May He help us to
bring glory to God as
we care more and
more about the
“interests of Christ.”

Psalm 147:1-7* (p. 192)
1 O praise the LORD! How good it is
to sing him songs of praise!
How pleasant to give thanks to him
for all his gracious ways!
Psalm 147:1-7* 2/5
2 The LORD builds up Jerusalem;
and he it is alone
Who reaches out to Israèl
to bring the exiles home.
Psalm 147:1-7* 3/5
3 He heals his people’s broken hearts,
restores the bruised and the lame.
4 He sets the number of the stars
and calls them each by name.
Psalm 147:1-7* 4/5
5 Great is our Lord and great in power;
his wisdom is profound.
6 The LORD sustains the meek, but casts
the wicked to the ground.
Psalm 147:1-7* 5/5
7 Sing to the LORD with thankfulness;
with joy his praise proclaim;
And with the music of the harp
give glory to his name.
Please join us in
the hall for tea
and coffee
God Calls Us to
delight in Christ
and to Share
His Hope.