- Rejoicing in Any Situation -
A Bible Study for the Housegroup meeting on 13/04/2000
Joy in the Gospel, study 4 of 6 in "How to Rejoice in
Any Situation", a LifeBuilder Bible Study.
Please read Philippians 1:3-26.
Prelude
In an unpublished letter to the author, a man writes,
"People often say that happiness is dependent on circumstances and
joy is not. I don't believe it. I think joy is just as dependent on
circumstances as hapiness, and I believe Paul would not have been opposed
to saying that he was "happy" about what was happening
in Philippi. Joy results from seeing our desires fulfilled. Paul was
able to be joyful even in prison because his greatest desires centred on
the gospel, not his personal comfort. The difference, therefore, between
Paul and us is one of values and desires - we often value our personal
comfort most; he values the gospel. What we need, then, is a shift in
values. The claim that joy must somehow be independent of circumstances
is a red herring."
Study Quetions
Here are the questions set in the Bible study, along with some answers
that we gave as a group:
- "Have you ever felt joy in the midst of difficult circumstances?
If so, why?" Sometimes we feel God's fulness and presence even in the
most difficult of circumstances. This is often supernatural and cannot be
explained (or explained away!).
- "Read Phil. 1:3-26. According to these verses, what reasons
might Paul have to feel discouraged or depressed?" (A) In prison and
chained up, (B) Christ is being preached from envy and strife, (C) His
life was in danger, (D) He was torn between his desire to go and be with
the Lord and stay to minister to the churches.
- "In spite of his personal circumstances, what reasons does Paul
give for being joyful?" He turns everything on its head: He realises
that his chains are actually encouraging others to preach Christ (1:14),
regardless of whether Christ is preached out of envy and strife or love,
Christ is still preached, and this is the important thing to him (1:18).
His joy is in getting the Gospel preached alone, and he is a happy teddy
while this is happening whatever the methods.
- "Joy usually results when our desires are fulfilled and our
values are affirmed. What do we learn about Paul's values and desires
from this passage?" His desire is "to know the power of his
resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his
death..." (Phil 3:8). Because Paul's desire is to know God more and
the power of His resurrection (both at work in his own life and in the
lives of people being saved) he is joyful. Go back to the prelude: Paul's
values lie in seeing the Gospel preached and not in his personal
circumstances. Because his desires are being fulfilled,
he is joyful!
- "Imagine that you are in Paul's position - under armed guard,
unable to leave your rented quarters, awaiting trial. How would you
feel?" Frightened, worried, Praying to the Lord for comfort and
guidance, uncomfortable, lonely, "What have I done wrong?",
Like a criminal.
- "What difference would news of the spread of the Gospel make in
your feelings (be honest)? Explain." Excited that your efforts
were not in vain, but at the same time feeling, "What about me?"
Definitely feel better knowing that the Gospel was being preached, but it
would take a real act of God to feel better in yourself!
- "How do your desires and values compare to Paul's?" Although
there is definitely a desire to see God's Kingdom come, we often have other
desires that may not be in themselves wrong (may be very good) but can get
in the way of our desire to bring in God's Kingdom: lifestyle, home we live
in, marriage, children, car, etc. Of course it may be God's desire that
we have some of these things because He knows they are good for us and
will help us in our quest for God's Kingdom...
- "Let's look more closely at the Gospel in which Paul rejoices.
What confidence does he have about the Gospel?" "It is the power
of God to salvation..." (Rom 1:16) , It is all by the grace of God,
The good work begun in us will be completed, The Gospel has "staying
power" to keep people safe in the Lord. Isa 64:4, "For since
the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear,
nor has the eye seen any God besides you, who acts for the one who waits
for him" is referenced by Paul in 1 Cor. 2:9: "But as it is
written....who love him." (B) "How do you respond to the
assurance that God will complete the good work he has begun in you?"
Confidence in God, by faith receiving it, Excitement, "How will He
do it?"
- "As God completes his good work in the Philippians and in us,
what kind of people does Paul pray we will become (vv 9-11)?" That
they (we) abound in love, knowledge, and discernment (all three together,
truth implied), Approving of all good things, sincere in our love for Him
and each other, without offence (sin?), Filled with the fruits of
righteousness (fruits of the spirit (Gal 5:22-23),
good works (Eph. 2:10))
- "How much does your joy centre on the work of the gospel in you
and in others?" It does centre on the Gospel inasmuch as the Spirit
rises up within us witnessing to us that a good thing is happening.
- "What substitutes for the Gospel do we and our culture gravitate
to for sources of joy?" Money, Sex, Power! "How effective
are they in producing joy?" Hopelessly ineffective, but it does
not seem that way at the time. Only afterwards do you realise that
you've been had by the father of lies!
- "Paul's joy in the Gospel was so all-consuming that he
proclaimed, 'For me to live is Christ and to die is gain' (v.21) What
do you need to experience that kind of joyful commitment to Christ?"
A fresh touch of His Holy Spirit! God's perspective on how important
the Gospel is to Him, us, and other people.
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