Jesus Our Joy

1
Jesus Our Joy

• Philippians 121-26
• Living and
• Dying in the
• Joy of Christ

2
Just SEVEN Easy Little Words

• Philippians 121
• For to me, to live is
• Christ?
• If not CHRIST, then what?

3
1 SEVEN WORDS TO SUM YOU UP

• For to me, to live is
• Freedom? (7b)
• Reputation? (15-17)
• Life and Health? (20b,21b)

4
Paul Received

• Imprisonment, Slander and Death

5
Summing up Paul

• His judge was Emperor Nero with no reputation
  for justice.
• Paul can still say seven words For to me, to
  live is CHRIST

6
Seven Words to Sum Us up
Some Pearly words of wisdom!
I live for the trouble and strife.
7
Will you say, I live for..

• the Bugs Bunny
• the Dustbin Lids.
• or even for the Left in the Lurch.

8
For Paul What Matters is NOT

• What is best for the Church? (v. 24)
• Nor even, what is best for Paul? (v. 23).
• NO what matters is WHAT WILL BRING CHRIST HIS
  GLORY? (v. 20).

9
The Seven Word Test

• For to me, to live is Christ
• Life Fruitful labour for me (v. 22)
• Death Gain because of Christ.
• For to me, to live is Me?
• Is it Me, or is it Christ?

10
Philip Hacking quote

• "I meet some older Christians who are coasting
  home, who don't think things are like they used
  to be and they fear that things can only get
  worse. May I point out that there is a danger
  sometime with older Christians (which many of us
  are)

11
Philip Hacking quote

• that we don't have this apostolic longing to
  see fruitful labour being done. But here's Paul
  saying, 'Right, Lord, I'm ready to go to glory,
  but if You want me to stay then it's going to be
  fruitful labour.'"

12
2 THREE WORDS TO GIVE YOU HOPE1 SEVEN WORDS
TO SUM YOU UP

• Three words, or sentences, to sum up the future
  hope of a Christian

13
WORDS TO GIVE YOU HOPE1 DEPARTING FROM EVIL

• Pauls idea of Christian death benefits.
  (22-23)
• I am torn between the two I desire to depart

14
1 DEPARTING FROM EVIL

• Depart permanently leaving behind
• Breaking Camp

15
1 DEPARTING FROM EVIL

• Depart permanently leaving behind
• Setting sail

16
To break camp, to set sail

• All that is not useful is left behind.
• All sin, all anguish, and all fear
• But Is this too idealistic?

17
2 ARRIVING WITH JESUS1 Departing from Evil

• Do you fear heaven will be boring?
• The Bible does not say (not even once) that when
  Believers die they will go 'to heaven.'
• The Bible says they go to be 'with Christ.'

18
C.S. Lewis quote

• If you read history, you will find that the
  Christians who did most for the present world
  were those who thought most of the next. (Mere
  Christianity)

19
Samuel Rutherford on Our Hope

• What does a bride most look forward to on her
  wedding day?
• The service, the guests, the reception, the
  flowers, her beautiful dress?

20
"They will see his face" Rev. 224

• Only her bridegroom's face.
• Rutherford "The bride takes not, by a thousand
  degrees, so much delight in her wedding garment
  as she does in her bridegroom. So we in the life
  to come shall not be so much concerned with the
  glory that goes about us, as with our
  bridegroom's joyful face and presence."

21
Death Brings Separation

• Soul from body
• Loved ones from family.
• Unbelievers from Gods grace.
• BUT DEATH DOES NOT SEPARATE A CHRISTIAN FROM
  CHRIST.
• Christ Much, or Christ Much More?
• Christ by faith, or Christ by Sight?

22
3 BECOMING LIKE JESUS1 Departing from
Evil. 2 Arriving with Jesus.

• Dear friends, now we are children of God, and
  what we will be has not yet been made known. But
  we know that when he appears, we shall be like
  him, for we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3.2

23
3 BECOMING LIKE JESUS

• Now there is in store for me the crown of
  righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous
  Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only
  to me, but also to all who have longed for his
  appearing. 2 Tim 48
• Like Him in love and righteousness.

24
How Paul Faced Up To Death

• Not with a fear or hatred of death.
• Not with a shrug of resignation.
• Not with defiance, trying to muster the courage
  to stand up to it.
• Instead, he lived and he died with JOY (vs 18b,
  25b, 26).

25
The Seven NINE Word Test
_____

• For to me to LIVE and DIE is Christ!
• How can you pass that test?
• You and Jesus must be united - go hand in hand in
  life and death.
• Receive the one who said, "I go to prepare a
  place for you."

26
Psalm 561,9-13 (p. 73) 1/5

•  1 O my God, show mercy to me
• men would take my
• life away.
• Hostile forces press upon me
• they pursue me all the day.

27
Psalm 561,9-13 (p. 73) 2/5

• 9 When I call on you to help me,
• then my foes will turn aside
• This is how I will be certain
• that my God is on my side.

28
Psalm 561,9-13 (p. 73) 3/5

• 10 In the LORD, whose word
• I honour,
• in my GodI praise his word
• 11 I will trust and not be fearful.
• What can man do to me, Lord?

29
Psalm 561,9-13 (p. 73) 4/5

• 12 I have taken vows before you
• to my God I will be true.
• Sacrifices of thanksgiving
• I will gladly give to you.

30
Psalm 561,9-13 (p. 73) 5/5

• 13 For you kept my feet
• from stumbling,
• and from death you set me free,
• So that I may walk before you
• and the light of life may see.

31
Please join us in the hall for
tea and coffee
God Calls Us to delight in Christ and to
Share His Hope.