Today I'll be preaching from Philippians chapter four. Remind you that I am preaching on the fruit of the Spirit that come in Galatians 5.22. We're on the fruit number two, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy. And today joy will be our focus. If you're following along, you might just tune your ears, listen for that word joy, or the command to give joy, which comes in the word rejoice. Rejoice, because you'll hear it a number of times in this passage. Philippians chapter 4, I'll read verses 1 through 13. Therefore, my beloved and longed for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved. I implore Euodia and implore Sintiki to be of the same mind in the Lord, and I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers whose names are in the book of life. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue, and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do. The God of peace will be with you. But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again, though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am to be content. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things, I have learned both to be full and to be hungry. both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. The celebration of Thanksgiving coming up, I can't help but remember that this holiday is a time in which we often celebrate the Lord's provision for us. It goes back even into the history of the United States of America that the early settlers gathered together to give thanks to God for their harvest. They depended on that. Without it, they would have starved and passed away. So they gathered to give thanks to God for what he had provided for them. When you think about it, growing food is a reason to give thanks. We're very far removed from that process of planting and watering and weeding and gathering in the harvest. We can easily go to the store anytime day or night and get food to eat. You can go to the corner gasoline station and get something to eat. May not be very good, but you can get something there. But just think about how far removed we are from that planting and harvesting. That really is an amazing thing, isn't it? A tiny seed is put in the ground, and then it's watered through the year by the rains of the spring. and warmed by the sun, and grows, and sprouts, and in the fall, it bears its fruit. You find that the wheat fields are full of wheat, that those teeny, tiny tomato seeds are producing great, big, ripe tomatoes. You can have beans, and peppers, and corn, and so on, all growing up from tiny seeds. Slowly but surely. I say this to remind you that your growth as a Christian is something that is often a slow, gradual process as well. You probably won't be able to see it happening day by day. But over time, you will find that the Holy Spirit works in you more and more to produce the fruit of love, joy, peace, and so on. So today I'm preaching that the fruit of the Spirit is joy. Along with all of the other fruits, you'll find that over time, the Holy Spirit pours out joy on you and he works joy in you. That's what it is to have the fruit of the Spirit. It is something that as a Christian that the Spirit of God is going to produce in you. In fact, based on that being the fruit of the Spirit, Because of our text today that calls you to rejoice, this passage makes it clear that for the Christian, joy is a vital part of your life as a believer. Vital and I would even say necessary part of your life. This is not an optional add on to the Christian. There are certainly some people who by nature and by character are naturally joyful people, and others are more staid or stoic. But to be a Christian is to have joy. It is a necessary fruit of the spirit. And even those who self-identify as Scrooge, are transformed. Yeah, I'm talking to you, Dave. Even those who self-identify as Scrooge are transformed by the Spirit's work to be full of joy. So to guide our thoughts today about the fruit of joy, I invite you to turn in your Bibles again, to follow along as we think about this fruit of the spirit. I'll be calling attention to portions of the whole passage, but look first of all at verse four. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice. Rejoice in the Lord. Let's start right there. I encourage you sometime today or this week to read right through the book of Philippians. It is often noted to be the book of joy. Paul examines and reflects on his own life and his own joy that he has in the Lord. So he points out at the beginning of the chapter that That even though he is in prison and facing death, that the Lord has given him a joy that cannot be suppressed by the circumstances he is living in. He finds purpose as well in assisting other believers in the same joy, helping them to grow in grace and the joy of the faith, chapter 1 verse 25. Then he takes joy in seeing the church growing in sacrificial love for each other, and on and on again as you read through it. He writes so much about joy that he starts chapter three this way. Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. In other words, he said this before, but he's gonna say it again. And then he's gonna say it again in chapter four, the verse that I read, rejoice in the Lord always. And again, I'll say it, rejoice. I mean, it's just over and over again, he is calling the Christian to exude joy. So just what is joy? Well, some will describe it as a feeling that is prompted by something great that happens. There is some truth in that. You go to an OSU football game like yesterday, you would be moved to great joy as they score a touchdown. But you know how it is that if your joy is attached to circumstances, then you would know that just a minute later, then your joy plummets down to the depths because they gave up a touchdown. But then OSU scored a touchdown, and then Texas Tech scored a touchdown, and back and forth and back and forth until we lost. Where is your joy in that if joy is attached to your circumstances or merely to your emotions? Well, it's a fleeting thing, especially this year with OSU football. One commentator defines Christian joy this way. A delight in God for the sheer beauty and worth of who he is. Isn't that great, a delight in the Lord for the sheer beauty and worth of who he is? Can add to that then what he has done. The Lord has saved us from our sins. There are many things in our circumstances which cloud our understanding of who God is and what he has done. There are what might be called weeds and thorns that grow up around the vine of the Christian life that tend to choke out the joy that we have in the Lord. But at its root, our joy is grounded in something eternal, not in our circumstances. And that's why Paul puts it this way, rejoice in the Lord. It's because our joy is grounded, is rooted in who God is and what he has done for us in saving us from our sins. That means that your joy lies in your identity rather than in your circumstances. where it is by grace that you have been saved. It is because God, out of his great love, has redeemed you. He has set you free from the domain of darkness. He has made you sons and daughters of God. He has blessed you with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Those are just a variety of the passages that describe The promises of God and who you are because of God's love and salvation. Just thinking of Ephesians chapter one, it says that in him, you have redemption, forgiveness of your sins. In him, you are adopted. In him, you are accepted. In him, you have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. So the key to Christian joy is to be in Him, to be in the Lord. It makes sense then that joy is a fruit of the Spirit, something that grows up out of who you are in Jesus. For joy grows up out of that living and vital faith The one who has saved you from your sins. Well, this command, this call to rejoice also has something of an invitation, doesn't it? Are you experiencing anxiety or fear or worry about yourself or about the world around you? I wouldn't blame you if you were. There are lots of things to be afraid of, especially if you aren't a Christian. But the invitation that a passage like this gives is that there is a place to find joy. There is a place to find happiness. That's not in the things of this world, it is in Jesus. That's a very warm invitation that is given by Jesus. Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden. Come to me and I will give you rest, says Jesus. He is the one and only source of joy received by faith and repentance. Paul doesn't stop with just calling you to have joy. He says to rejoice in the Lord always. Not sometimes, always. That's hard, isn't it? It's hard because there are lots of things in life that you experience that are sad, that are trials or tribulations. But having established the fact that your joy is rooted in who you are in Jesus Christ, It's a whole different perspective on what joy is and the experience of joy that can be found even in the midst of trials. Rejoice in the Lord always, yes, always, even in the midst of trials. Now you do need to be careful here. Paul doesn't deny the reality of trouble and difficulty in life, it's quite the opposite. When you read back through Philippians, you'll find out that Paul himself was going through a variety of trials. Remember that he wrote this letter while he was in prison, and there was the real threat of a death penalty against him. But this is the joyful letter that he writes, even in that circumstance. Then in the passage that I read, look down at verses 10 through 13. You'll find that he relates a variety of trials. He suffered need and being deprived. Not only was he deprived of his freedom being in jail, but he was hungry. He was suffering. Listen to what he says, beginning verse 11, he says, for I have learned in whatever state I am to be content. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. See, his joy is not attached to his circumstances. It was tied to the Redeemer, Jesus. So he and you can rejoice in the Lord always. Still don't believe me? Let me quote another New Testament author. From the book of James, James says, count it all joy when you encounter various trials. Do you hear him? He's directly addressing the trials that we go through in this life. And he says to count it all joy. What he does is he puts those trials in the bigger picture of who God is and what he has done. And he grounds those trials on who you are in Christ. That's what Paul says. He grounds it in the light of the sovereign purpose of God in all things that happen to you. So we can say in the light of even those trials that God is in this. And we know that God is good. And so in the hands of a loving father, we can find reason for joy even in the midst of our troubles. Notice I said that you have reason for joy. I didn't say that everything that happens will make you happy. Paul and James don't say that either. They don't tell you to plaster a happy smiley face over what is genuinely agonizing. To be a Christian does not mean that you will never suffer grief or sorrow. The opposite is true. Life is full of many sorrows and many trials. I venture to say that you know this. Some of you have gone through extreme trials and disappointments. Some of you are going through those now. You may even be wondering, how can I get up from bed tomorrow to face the day? But those sorrows, those griefs, those trials can never pry you out of God's hand. Never. So they can never steal the fruit of joy. These words breathe life and hope into your soul. God loves you. He is in control. Has not and will not desert you. I pray that that bigger picture and the truth, that foundational truth, your salvation in Jesus Christ, will help you to be able to say very honestly, this is hard. This is sad. This is evil that I'm going through. And yet at the same time, you can trust the Lord in the midst of that. You can trust him. He will never let go of you. You may not see it now, and you might not even see it in this life, but you can trust God and his purpose, that it is good. So you can count on God. You can count it all joy. Can indeed rejoice in the Lord always. So how can we keep in step with the spirit in this area? How can you cultivate the fruit of joy in your life? I want to make three applications that come from Philippians chapter four. First of all, I would call you to set your eyes on the right goal. Set your eyes on the right goal. R.C. Sproul has a very helpful way to remember this. And it comes under almost a childlike acrostic. How do you spell joy? J-O-Y. Here's the acrostic, Jesus, others, and you. Our joy is going to be full if you set your eyes on the right goal. Jesus first. That comes through in verse four, rejoice in the Lord always. And I've aimed almost the force of the message to this point to that first letter J, rejoice in Jesus. Rejoice in others. Look back at verse one. There Paul addresses the Philippian church as my beloved and longed for brethren. my joy and my crown. Isn't that a fascinating way to look at brothers and sisters in Christ? This is so vitally important at all times, but it has been observed and you know just the critical age that we live in. a critical spirit that's infected the church as well, so that everywhere you turn, it feels like there's conflict between brothers and sisters. But Paul decidedly and intentionally speaks of others as his joy. But he takes joy in who they are in Jesus Christ, in the fruit of the spirit that he sees welling up in them. And he takes joy in nurturing that and fostering that, rather than taking up offenses and falling out with those who have offended you. The whole letter exudes this joy that is focused on Jesus first, And then others. Now there is a Y in joy, it's J-O-Y. But as R.C. Sproul points out, that if you put the Y in the wrong place, that joy is lost. So instead of J-O-Y, you have Y-O-J. Or Y-J-O, Y-O-J. Yajo, that's not joy. If you put yourself first, your selfishness will kill joy. It will. You'll begin to measure your joy by your circumstances, your comforts, your achievements, your awards, and you will gradually grow cold. Set your eyes on the right goal, J-O-Y. Second, weed out anxiety. Here, I want you to see the progression that Paul makes as he is going through this. It appears that these are unrelated things that Paul is saying, but when you look deeper, you will find that there is a progression. So Paul says, rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I say rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. He underlines the presence of the Lord, the expectation of his second coming, that foundational truth of who we are in Christ. Then he says, be anxious for nothing. But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. The peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. See anxiety, worry, fear are reeds and thorns that do choke out joy. What do you think about when you're worried? Just pause and consider that. What are you thinking about? I'm gonna guess that it's in one form or another, it's probably about yourself. About your health, about your future, about about your being single, being childless, being a student that is not doing very well in your classes, a variety of things that revolve around you. You become self-absorbed, looking for self-realization or self-promotion. Then every setback becomes self-defeating. Is it any wonder then that anxiety is another kill joy? So cultivate joy by weeding out anxiety. How do you do that? Well, Paul says, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And he speaks of the peace of God which passes all understanding being poured out on you. This is in the context of Paul saying, sometimes I didn't get what I prayed for. Sometimes I went hungry. Sometimes I was a base. Sometimes I'm in prison. Sometimes I have a thorn in the flesh, which will not go away. But he has peace, he has joy, because he's in the Lord. Third, and finally, discipline your mind to think on the right things. Starting in verse eight. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue, if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these things do. The God of peace will be with you. Meditate on these things. There are specific things to turn your mind towards and to turn your mind away from other things. Turn towards whatever's true, noble, just, pure, lovely. Set your mind on these things. We do this maybe more naturally during the season of the year because of the holiday of Thanksgiving. We're prompted to be thankful, but we fall so easily after that very day to go out and wonder what great deal I'm going to find on Black Friday. And Thanksgiving is way back in the rear view mirror. Set your mind on these things, day in and day out. Practice these virtues and practice the way in which you turn your mind to these things. Let me even suggest that you can find room to do that every day, if you would just set your phone down for a little bit. I guess that if you were to measure how much time that you spend mindlessly scrolling, that you would find even a minute to set your mind on something joyful. You see, the fruit of the spirit grows gradually. and is nurtured and cultivated by the means of grace that the Spirit gives. So diligently, persistently think and think again on these things. These are the ways in which the Lord blesses you with joy, a vital experience of the Christian life. It is your duty. It is part of the Christian life, so cultivate it. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice. Let's pray. Oh God, I confess that I wish I were growing faster in these fruits. Lord, I pray that each one of us would make diligent use of the means that you give to us. That we would indeed weed out the anxiety that plagues us. That we would set our minds on the things of Christ. That we would have the right goals of finding joy in Jesus and others first. Lord, you have rescued us. You've set us free from our slavery to Satan. We have reason every day to be full of joy. So God, I pray that we would think of it every day as well. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Psalm 126 speaks of the joy in the terms of harvest. So we've been having this idea of fruit, of seeds planted and growing. And in this passage, there is a fruit of joy that is noted. And the joy is of a harvest, but a harvest that is a return of the children of Israel from their captivity. significant of our rescue from captivity in Jesus Christ. Let's stand and sing Psalm 126B.