Philippians 4:4-9
Introduction:
[Story of death planning to kill 10k. Worry and fear kill the other 90k.]
Death was walking toward a man who stopped him and asked, “What are you going to do?” Death said, “I’m going to kill ten thousand people.” The man said, “That’s horrible!” Death said, “That’s the way it is; that is what I do.”
As the day passed, the man warned everyone he could of Death’s plan. At the end of the day, he met Death again. He said, “You said you were going to kill ten thousand people, and yet one hundred thousand people died.” Death explained, “I only killed ten thousand. Worry and fear killed the others.” – from Holman Bible Commentary
Text: Philippians 4:4-9
Theme: Having constant joy and peace in your soul.
Context:
Paul in prison for preaching the Gospel.
Prison conditions were not great back then. For one thing, needs had to be provided for by loved ones – the prison didn’t hand out food. A person’s family had to bring it. They didn’t get changes of clothing, either. Beatings were common and Paul elsewhere in the Bible testifies to many beatings.
Cells were dark, cold, and prisoners were in chains. So, what Paul writes here is not something that we can dismiss as “easy for you to say, Paul.”
Understandably, for someone going through suffering or hard times, it is hard for that person to be cheered up by someone else who is living their life in ease. If you are poor, sick, and hungry and someone comfortable and wealthy says to you “don’t worry, be happy, it’ll get better” you might be tempted to dismiss what they say.
But these words on rejoicing, peace, not worrying, having a wholesome and positive thought life, and being with the God of peace. These words were not written by someone living the easy life.
These words were written in a dark cell by a chained and beaten man who had to depend upon others to have the food he needed to survive. And it was not certain whether his imprisonment would ultimately lead to freedom or death.
So, I don’t know what you are going through, if you are going through anything at all right now. I don’t know if it is small or big. But these words of rejoicing and peace are not to be dismissed by us because of our circumstances.
These words come to us from a cold dark prison. From a man beaten and scarred, hungry and poor. A man whom death was constantly seeking, and who was uncertain whether it would find him tomorrow or not.
Link: From these circumstances he writes:
Verse 4
It seems from the phrasing here that Paul was aware that this statement might raise some eyebrows. Rejoice in the Lord always. “Rejoice always?” we almost certainly will ask. That’s kind of a tall order.
But to emphasize Paul meant precisely what he said; he says “again I will say, rejoice.”
Well, this statement might be unreasonable if it weren’t modified by a key phrase “in the Lord.” It’s not simply rejoicing always. It is rejoicing in the Lord always.
We aren’t being called to say “wow, this is awesome how badly I am being mistreated. Yup, love it. Love being stepped on and the cancer I’m going through and the depressing news. Love it.”
No, the call is to rejoice in the Lord, always. And the Lord is someone that indeed we can always rejoice in.
For one thing, God is always better than our circumstances. It doesn’t matter how great your circumstances are, God is still better. God is kinder, more loving, more beautiful, and able to do more and be more for you than anything or anybody. God is able to richly supply all of our needs and more.
For another thing, a fundamental truth about God is that He does not change. God says in Malachi 3:6 “I the Lord do not change.” This makes it entirely possible to rejoice in the Lord always. The Lord is not like your circumstances. He has not altered in the slightest whether your day is good or bad, whether you are energetic or tired, young or old, sick or healthy, employed or unemployed. God says “I the Lord do not change.”
We often miss this because our conception of God changes. And our conception of God tends to change based on our circumstances, doesn’t it?
If things go well for you, your perception of God could change anywhere from “someone I am very thankful for” to “someone I don’t need at all.” And if things go badly, from “someone I need desperately right now” to “someone who doesn’t really care about me.” I’ve seen both and I’ve been in both places myself. Depending on our circumstances, we might run to or run away from God.
But our changing ideas about God are just a product of our emotions and our own changeableness. God isn’t changing: our circumstances are and we are. The truth is God does not change.
And if God does not change, we can learn to have rejoicing that does not change – if it is in Him.
If you try to rejoice in your circumstances always, it doesn’t matter how awesome your life is, constant rejoicing isn’t happening. But if you learn to shift your source of joy away from circumstances and onto the Lord, who never changes, it’s now a possibility.
Verse 5
Verse 5 contains a word that doesn’t have a direct English parallel. That’s why some versions will say “gentleness,” some will say “reasonableness,” and some will say “moderation.” If you combine gentle, reasonable, and moderate then you have the basic concept.
I found this definition for it “it is that considerate courtesy… which prompts a man not to be forever standing on his rights…” – New American Commentary
It is basically what Philippians 2:4 speaks of when it says “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
The best word I can think of for it is considerate.
We are called on to be considerate people to the point that it is a part of our reputation.
The Lord is at hand – a truth that can apply to your situation in a number of ways. If you need strength to do right – the Lord is near. If you need comfort – the Lord is near. If you need a reminder that there is a judge – the Lord is near.
I don’t think it is an accident that this appears in the middle of these verses about peace and joy – developing a considerate attitude helps our relationships with other people and is pleasing to the Lord. Peaceful relationships with others and with the Lord can only contribute to our inner peace and joy.
Verse 6-7
Here is where the Lord and our circumstances meet. Our rejoicing is to be in the Lord, regardless of all circumstances.
What gets in the way of our rejoicing in the Lord? 90% of the time, our circumstances and our worries about them. And same with our peace, which is the primary focus of these two verses – our peace is disrupted by anxious thoughts about our circumstances – or even more common, anxious thoughts about what could become our circumstance but probably won’t.
Corrie Ten Boom a well-known missionary, once said, “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.”
We are called upon instead to bring all of these anxieties to God in the form of prayer requests, prayer requests with thanksgiving – which exhibits faith in a good God.
So, key elements in our pursuit of joy and peace:
Let your rejoicing be in the Lord, not in other things, at all times and in all circumstances. Develop a considerate lifestyle that commends you before God and man. When circumstances do arise which have the potential to disturb our peace and joy, submit those fears to God as prayer requests with thanksgiving.
With your mind centered on, trusting in, rejoicing in, and praying to a good and gracious God, the fruit is that God’s great peace – a peace that surpasses our understanding, probably because of its presence even in the worst of times – God’s peace will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Link: if you do those things, you do well, and you are on your way to a much more peaceful and joy filled life. Paul adds two more thoughts that are sure to enhance our joy and peace in the Lord. First, in verse 8…
Verse 8
This verse and verse 4 are related. When we talk about what is true, what is honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, worthy of praise – we talk about the things of God. We talk about the Lord.
These are the thoughts that cause us to rejoice in the Lord. Turning our attentions from evil thoughts and turning them to what life is meant to be. Turning them to the things God desires and God cherishes. Turning them to the things that characterize God and how excellent He is.
And these thoughts and this kind of thought life lead to decreasing sin and increasing righteousness. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
Do you want to change what your hands and feet are doing? It’s not going to happen until you change what your mind and your heart are doing.
Link: and so it’s not an accident that here as in elsewhere in Scripture, practice follows belief. Verse 9 follows verse 8.
Verse 9
Maintaining peace with God is not something that can be done in our thought life alone. God is concerned with our life and practice. God has said we should be in the world but not of the world. And He has said that faith without works is dead, having no effect. And be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
This state of peace and joy that we long for, we’re going to have to get out and do good things if we want it. Its belief and practice. If your belief isn’t right, your practice is doomed to fail. But we can’t just stop at having the correct thoughts about God, turning our attentions and desires to the good things. We must go and do what we have learned, received, heard, and seen.
Application:
- Rejoice in the Lord always
- Be reasonable/considerate toward others (and so have peace with them and God)
- Bring your worries to God in prayer
- Think about the things that God approves of
- Live an obedient life