"Rejoice in the Good Work God Has Begun."
Philippians 1 

Every Sunday morning, we begin Sunday School with three songs and a children's message.  I remember when I was in Sunday School as a child we would sing Bible songs in the opening to Sunday School.  On of the songs I can still remember was, "I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart..." 

Whenever Paul thought about those Philippians, that same song ran through his head too. Joy is the tune that runs throughout this epistle to the Philippians.  In fact, the letter is only four chapters long, yet the word joy or rejoice occurs 17 times.  

Our purpose in taking a close look at this epistle over the next four weeks is that we might know the reason for Paul's joy and that we might participate in the joy that he had.  

I.                    Context.

            A. Philippi

Let's begin by taking a brief look at the background information about this letter.   We know from secular historical records that the city was named Philippi by Alexander the Great after his father, Philip of Macedon. Philippi was a Roman colony that was located quiet a distance away from Rome.  It was the largest city in the Macedonian region.  It had port access to the Mediterranean Sea and a major highway that led to Rome. 

            B. Paul's visit.

We know from Biblical historical records, in Acts 16, the circumstances by which Paul came to this city.  He had been traveling through what we would know as northern Africa and was headed to Asia.  One night Paul had a dream about a man from Macedonia who was begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." (Acts 16:9).  

In response to the dream, Paul and his companions who would have included Timothy, Silas and Luke, sailed across the Mediterranean Sea and landed in the Macedonian city of Philippi.  Their entire stay there lasted only a few days (Acts 16:12), but what a few days it was.  

The first thing that Paul did, since there were not enough Jews in Philippi to have a Synagogue, was to locate the place where anyone who wanted to pray might go.   It was by a river, and there Paul met several women who were praying, one named Lydia.  Scripture says, "The Lord opened her heart to the message Paul was teaching" and that same day, she and her family were baptized and she opened her house to Paul and his companions to stay. 

It was the next day or the day after that Paul encountered the young girl who told fortunes by an evil spirit.  Paul commanded that the evil spirit come out of her in the name of Jesus Christ - and it did which landed him in jail   It was while in jail that the Philippian jailer was brought to faith in Jesus Christ and he brought his family to Paul to be baptized.  The next day Paul left Philippi. 

Now, quite a few years have gone by and the seeds that Paul planted in Philippi have grown into a self supporting congregation of believers in Jesus Christ.  Paul, in the meantime has covered a great deal of ground making three rounds through Europe, planting congregations in places like Corinth, Ephesis, Colossai, Thessalonica. 

But now, towards the end of Paul's life, he finds himself in Rome, in prison again, awaiting a formal trial before Caesar over charges of treason and sedition leveled against him by the Jews in Europe.  It is the Philippian congregation who hears what has happened to Paul and out of their deep love for him they collect a gift for him that they deliver to Rome by the hands of a man named Epaphrodites. 

As Paul receives the gift his heart is ready to burst with joy.  He sits down and writes a letter, "To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons, grace and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ." 

II.                  The basis for Paul's joy.

            A. Confidence in God's promise.

"I thank my God every time I remember you.  I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.  Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to a completion until the day of Christ Jesus."  (1:6). 

Paul's joy is based on the partnership of the Philippian congregation with Paul in the spreading of the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The Philippians are a congregation that are as committed to the mission of Opening Hearts as Paul is committed to that mission.  Their gift to him is evidence that the good work that God began in Philippi through Paul  is continuing, growing, and Paul is confident that what God started in Philippi, God will not abandon but will bring it to a completion.  

The good work of God is the sending of His own Son to redeem the world by His precious blood.   The sacrifice of the Lamb of God was the best thing that ever happened to Philippians and to the whole world.  Everything else that we call "good" takes second place to this great work of God in Christ.  Apart from this one good work by God in Christ, all that we call good would be nothing but temporary happiness.  By Christ's resurrection from the dead, we have a joy that is founded upon the eternal goodness of God who has opened the kingdom of heaven to all who will believe.   This is certainly no "work in progress," which we must complete on our own.  Christ announces to the world the glorious good news that "It is finished."  

Paul finds that every time this good work is planted in another individual or congregation, his heart bursts open with joy.  Watching people come to faith and watching those who have come to faith grow in that faith turns Paul on.  It's what gets Paul excited. 

            B. Excited regardless of outward circumstances.

Paul gets excited with joy over a gift from the Philippians, not because of the gift itself, but because it was a real indication to him that God is completing the good work he began in Philippi. 

Let's look at verses 12-14.  "Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really 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.  Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly."    Paul gets excited with joy about being in prison.  Not that he wouldn't rather be somewhere else, but Paul sees men and women coming to faith in Jesus Christ because of his imprisonment and he is excited with joy about this. 

Let’s look at verses 15-18.  "It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.  The latter do so in 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, Christ is preached.  And because of this I rejoice."  Paul hears that some preachers are preaching about Jesus Christ because they want to prove that Paul's not the only one who can be an effective evangelist.  Paul knows their motives are all wrong.  But he's excited because the gospel of Jesus Christ is being preached and men and women are coming to faith.  God is completing the good work which He began. 

Paul is so confident that God will complete the good work He has begun in him, that as he thinks about the real possibility that his upcoming trial could easily go against him,  he still rejoices.  "Yes, and I will continue to rejoice for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.  For to me, to live is Christ but to die is gain."  One translation I read puts Paul's words this way, "For me to life is Christ and to die is more Christ."  Its a win - win, no lose situation because God has taken His good work of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and planted it in Paul.  And Paul is confident that God will see what He has started in Paul through to the end. 

Four weeks from now, we will read the conclusion to this epistle where Paul says, "Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say Rejoice!"  (4:4).  Paul is able to rejoice always because he is able to discern the good from the bad in every situation.  He is able to see God's hand at work even in bad situations.  He is able to see God's hand at work, completing the good work which he has begun  - in prison, in the preaching for the wrong motive, in the face of his own execution - always.  Paul has a mission to preach Christ crucified and he gets turned on with joy when he sees God Open Hearts by it.  

III.                Jesus' Joy!

            A. Christ's joy.

Paul's rejoicing at the good work of God begun in people is typical of all who have the heart of Jesus.  This is exactly what Jesus gets more excited with joy about than anything else.  "Suppose one of you had 100 sheep and loses one of them.  When he finds it he calls his friends together and says, 'Rejoice with me,  I have found my lost sheep." 

"Or suppose a woman has 10 silver coins and loses one. When she finds it she calls her friends and says, 'rejoice with me;  I have found my lost coin." 

Or "A man had two sons.  When the one who had run away came back, the father called his friends together and said, 'Let's celebrate for this son of mine who was dead is alive, who was lost is found." 

Jesus says, "I tell you there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."  

IV.               Our Joy

What gives you real joy in life?  What is it that makes you want to rejoice?  Whenever good things happen in our life, or in the life of those whom we love, we rejoice and we should rejoice and we should praise and thank God. 

Yet as we read Paul's letter to the Philippians, we see that there is no greater joy than when we see God planting His good work into the heart of another person, and then, with confidence, with the encouragement of the Philippians, we watch God bring that good thing begun to a completion in the day of Christ Jesus.  In this first chapter of Philippians we learn that this greatest of all joy is shared by individuals and congregations who have a mission to Open Hearts as well. 

This epistle to the Philippians is all about our congregation.  The Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Waterville, Me.  Paul's letter is to us as we embrace this mission to Open Hearts.  As we grow in the confidence that God will indeed bring the good work he has begun here, to completion.  And that as He does, we will find ourselves rejoicing every time a Lydia comes to faith by our preaching.  Every time a jailer brings his family to be baptized.  Every time a heart is opened by the message of Christ crucified and risen from the dead.  

Amen.