1. The Epistle To The Philippians
Rejoicing and Sharing Joy

2. Sour and Dour
I’m convinced that the world does not need to see any more somber, sour faced, down-in-the-mouth Christians.
There are already plenty of those.
Woman on a plane: Are you a preacher?
What the world needs to see is what Christians are truly called to be: joyful and full of light!
Not fake, though. How do we get there?

3. Philippians 2:14-15
“Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world….”
How about a chorus of “Just as I am?”

4. Do All Things Without Grumbling
Isn’t grumbling one of America’s favorite pastimes?
How many times do you begin a sentence with, “I don’t mean to complain, but….”
Habitually complaining farmer

5. Why Grumble and Complain?
Acts 6:1 – “Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food.”
They had a legitimate complaint and it was handled.
1 Peter 4:9 – “Be hospitable to one another without complaint.”
But not everything calls for complaining.

6. Grumbling Confuses Our Message
Paul said that we must prove ourselves to be blameless and innocent children of God.
Grumbling indicates that we don’t really trust God.
We are to be blameless – doesn’t mean sinless.
We are to be innocent – unmixed, pure
Proving ourselves to be children of God.
Does God grumble?

7. This Shows We’re Different
The world is crooked and perverse.
They grumble and complain all the time.
They are sinful and not innocent.
We are called to be LIGHT to their DARKNESS!

8. Mixed Messages
If we are always grumbling and complaining, it seems as though we aren’t appreciative of the blessings God gives us as His children.
Since God is in control of our entire lives, complaining is against Him.

9. Holding Fast The Word Of Life
Rather than complaining, we should be proclaiming.
Philippians 2:16-18 – “…holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.”

10. It Is the WORD OF LIFE! So let’s live! Jesus wants us to be joyful.
John 16:24 – “Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.”
Romans 15:13 -- Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

11. Joy In Jesus’ Prayer
John 17:13 – “But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves.”
Our joy is made full because of what Jesus spoke into the world.
No wonder they call it Good News.

12. Life’s Hard! Joy Helps! Remember Paul in prison?
Vs. 18 speaks of our responsibility to one another to share our joy.
“You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.”
Is your cup full of joy? Share it with others!

13. Is There Really Joy Through The Word?
1 John 1:1-4 – “What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life— and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us— what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.”

14. Rejoice In The Lord Always
In Christ we are made new.
In Christ we are eternally saved.
In Christ we have all spiritual blessings.
In Christ we have no reason to grumble or complain.
Are you in Christ?