Rejoice for the People in Your Life

Today we are beginning a series in the personal, practical, positive and powerful book called Philippians. I am calling this series, It’s Your Choice to Rejoice. The word rejoice or some word that contains the root word for rejoice, “charis” appears 18 times in this book.
Some of you might say, “I CAN’T be happy. You just don’t know my circumstances and what has HAPPENED to me! I have been sad for so long, I forget what it’s like to be joyful!” Friends, happiness is not based on our happenings; and we have a choice to rejoice. Let me give you a secret. The word GRACE, JOY, and THANKS all have the same root word in the original language. GRACE is “Charis, ”JOY is “CHARAS” (v.4), the word THANK (v.3) is “EUCHARISTO.”
The point is you must FIRST, RECEIVE GRACE. Then you DECIDE to be THANKFUL, and then you can have JOY!
In the first twelve verses Paul writes with joy about the PEOPLE in Philippi. Can you agree with this: If your relationships are bad, life is tough. If the relationships in your daily life leave you angry, bitter, struggling with hate, and jealousy, then life STINKS!
Do you know what produces friction in relationships? Imagine that I had two boards with sand paper on each side. Well, if I keep board number one standing, and board number two moving against board number one, that produces friction. Or, if I move both boards in the opposite direction, that produces friction. If I move both boards together, then there is not friction, but unity. There will be friction in relationships when one is moving and the other is standing still; or when two people are moving in different directions!
We can enjoy the people in our life rather than endure them by remembering people with…
1. A Heart of GRATITUDE, v.3,4
Phil. 1:3,4 says, I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy.
One of the ways to enjoy the people of your life is to remember them with a thankful heart. We need to give God thanks for EVERYTHING and that means EVERY PERSON in your life.
Notice Paul’s use of the word “ALL” in this Scripture. Paul does not leave out any believer at Philippi. He does not leave anyone back. See verses 1,4,7,8.
Are you thankful for the people in your life? Do you pray to God and THANK GOD for your wife, children, and church brothers and sisters?
One of the keys to ministry is you enjoy other people. One of the keys to business is you enjoy the people you work with. One of the keys to family is to enjoy the people in your family. One of the keys to a church is to enjoy the people in your church!
What do you remember about people? Do you remember the good things or the bad things? What is easier to remember? But what are we supposed to remember? The good things. What do you remember about your husband? A lot of wives say, “He’s a good man, BUT…” That but means the emphasis is on the negative, not the positive! Ladies, be grateful for what you’ve got! Be thankful for your husband toward God. You see, you cannot fool God. If you can sincerely thank God for your husband, you will have the right attitude toward him! Wives, be thankful for your husbands! I am surprised you men are not shouting AMEN, AMEN and waving your handkerchiefs! Ladies, MR. PERFECT does not exist! I am surprised you ladies are not shouting AMEN on that! Men, MRS. PERFECT does not exist! Parents, PERFECT CHILDREN do not exist. Be thankful for your children TODAY. Do not wait for them to change. Be thankful for your PARENTS TODAY.
If there is a person that you are struggling with anger or bitterness, you need to write a list of five positive things about that person and give thanks for that person before God.
Do you know that it is easier to love someone from a distance? It is easy to go to a movie and fall in love with some actor or actress. It is easier to fall in love with someone across the room than the one YOU CHOSE THAT IS IN YOUR BEDROOM! People are being deceived into internet relationships through chat rooms. Some have even left their husband or wife, only to jump into a sinful situation that they soon learn to regret. It is easy to go to work and fall into lustful infatuation with a secretary or some man who is dressed nicely every day. It is easy to think that everyone else’s kids are better behaved than your own. It is easy to think, I wish I had “so and so’s parents,” or “I wish I had so and so’s spouse!” The point is, BE THANKFUL BEFORE GOD for the people IN YOUR WORLD.
What happened to Paul in Philippi? He was beaten and thrown in a solitary confinement prison. He was humiliated and publicly disgraced yet he did not remember those things! When he was broken out of jail by a divine earthquake, he left town. As he remembered his ministry in Philippi, he did not remember the hurt and pain; he remembered the good things. Lydia was saved, the Philippian jailer believed on the Lord with all of his house.
You see, it is your choice to rejoice. What you choose to remember about others determines whether you will be thankful or bitter.
Lesson: No one is PERFECT!
2. A Heart of CONFIDENCE, v.5-6
Phil. 1:6 says, Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
Have you ever acted stupid? Have you ever had a grumpy day? Have you ever said anything you wish you hadn’t? Sure you have! But here is good news, if you have been saved, you are not what you used to be, but you are not all you are going to be!
We can all have signs on our forehead, “UNDER CONSTRUCTION.” All of us are “works in progress.” Who here is perfect? NOT ONE OF US! Then don’t wait for someone else to be perfect before you appreciate them.
If I am not perfect, wouldn’t it be hypocritical for me to expect you to be perfect? And, if the LORD looks at us NOW as we will be when we are perfect, should we not love one another just as we are, knowing that we are in that process to perfection?
Aren’t you glad that God loves you right where you are? Then love others right where they are! Do you know how to enjoy the people in your life, how to REJOICE for the people in your life, then be CONFIDENT that God is working in them and will perfect them the day they see Jesus. We need to look at people as individuals who will one day be just like Jesus!
1 John 3:2, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
BE CONFIDENT! God is working IN YOU and God is working in others, to make them into Jesus’ image! Until that day, we had better be patient with people, and we need to enjoy one another in the process or else we will be miserable! I remember seeing on someone’s desk at work the letter, PBPGIFWMY. I asked them, what does that mean? They said, “Please be patient, God isn’t finished with me yet!” What God starts, he finishes and God always finishes what he starts.
If you want to enjoy your marriage, you have to enjoy your spouse RIGHT NOW, realizing they are under construction. Don’t say, well, I will enjoy my wife when she loses some weight! Or, I will enjoy my husband when he starts MAKING MONEY! Or, I will enjoy my children when they MAKE A’s IN SCHOOL. If we are going to enjoy our children, we have to enjoy them right where they are NOW. If you demand perfection from the people in your life, you will be miserable and make others miserable! Your list of demands will be ever growing!
Let me say that as pastor of Heritage Baptist Church, I am confident in the people of our church. I believe they love the Lord and love our church and want to serve to make this a great church in our city.
Theologically, let me say that this passage tells us that our God does not let go of the one he saves. At salvation, God began a work in us and He does not let go. He does not ERASE us from His roll book of life, for we are His students, his disciples. He does not kick us out of His family, for we are His children. He does not divorce us, for we are His bride!
Lesson: We are all UNDER CONSTRUCTION!
3. A Heart of Compassion, v.7,8
Phil. 1:7 says, Even as it is meet (right) for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.
Paul had the people of Philippi in heart and had a love for them. If you have people IN YOUR HEART they won’t be ON YOUR NERVES. If you have them in your heart, they won’t be a PAIN IN YOUR NECK! Someone can’t be ON YOUR HEART and ON YOUR NERVES at the same time!
The Christian word for enjoying other people and sharing with them is the word, “FELLOWSHIP.” Paul uses this word twice in this passage, v.5 and v.7. He says fellowship in the Gospel He says fellowship in Grace
Love people from your heart! That is Christianity! Paul was so in tune with Jesus Christ that he had others in his “heart” and he loved others with the heart of Jesus Christ. The word for “bowels” speaks of the gut. I am sure you have heard said, “I hate you with my guts!” Well, Paul is saying, I long for you with the GUTS of Jesus Christ, the guts of love.
As I read these verses, I see that one of the traits of the Apostle Paul is he loved the people he ministered with, and they loved him. If you are wondering about Heritage Baptist Church, and if you are wondering about “behind the scenes” at HBC, I can tell you, that this church loves their pastor and the pastor of this church loves the people! We are not a perfect church, and just like any family there are bumps along the way, but we do have a church that is a family. One of the keys to peace in a local church is a loving, caring, praying relationship between the people and the pastor! I want to publicly say, I LOVE THE PEOPLE OF OUR CHURCH and when you visit our assembly you are in a group of committed believers in Jesus Christ.
Fourthly, to rejoice in the people of our life, we need to have… 4. A Heart of PRAYER, v.9-11
Paul mentions prayer a few times in this passage. Back in verses 3,4 he mentions prayer and then in verses 9-11 he gives a very specific prayer.
Do you know the quickest way to change a relationship from bad to good? Start praying for them, thanking God for them, and if you can, PRAY WITH THEM. Pray FOR them and pray WITH them! People may resist our advice and spurn our appeals and reject our suggestions and not accept our help, but prayer is a guided missile into heaven and God is able to work in people’s lives!
Paul gives specifics in prayer for the people of Philippi:
A. Grow in love, v.9
If knowledge grows without love, it results in PRIDE. That is the problem with education without GOD, Knowledge puffeth up; it leads to pride. Knowledge must be taken with a heavy dose of LOVE!
If judgment grows without love, or discernment; it will result in SELF-SUFFICIENCY. Some think they can discern right from wrong without God and learn SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
B. Make wise decisions, v.10 a
Regarding time, TV and entertainment, we must understand the difference between the clean and unclean; the good and the bad.
C. Sincerely do the right think, v.10b
The word SINCERE comes from the Latin which means “without wax.” The Greek word literally means “sun-tested.” Porcelain vessels were sold at high prices; and some dishonest dealers might fill in cracks with wax that could not be detected with the eye. Of course they would try to sell the cracked vase for the same price as if it was not cracked. If held to the light, however, the wax could be seen. The honest Latin dealers marked their vessels that were without wax, “SINE CERA,” or without wax. To test if this was true, one would hold up the vessel to the sun. Thank God we do not need wax to cover our cracks. We have faith that the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.
D. Filled with Spiritual fruit, v.11a
E. Live for God’s glory, v.11b
You husbands, PRAY with your wife. It will bond you to your wife. It will improve your love life. The joining of souls proceeds the joining of bodies! Now I have your attention, men! You see, love and intimacy for a wife begins with conversation, and Christian conversation begins with prayer. ? Lesson: Prayer is a Biblical way to change a relationship from bad to good!
Are you thankful for others? Who have you taken for granted or failed to appreciate? When was the last time you really looked your spouse in the eye and said, I LOVE YOU. When have you told your children that? Have you spoken words of appreciation to your husband, wife, or boss? Are you confident that God is at work for others? Are you loving other people? Are you praying for others? It’s your Choice to rejoice for the people in your life!