Knowing What Really Matters // Joy/Full
Jesus had risen and he’d promised true, forever life to everyone who put their faith in him. The Apostle Paul knew it was fact. He had encountered Jesus himself and was living out what Christ had promised. Nothing could quench his joy!...Not even damp, cold prison cells. From those dark places, he wrote letters of hope and encouragement! Using the words “joy” and “rejoice” 16 times in Philippians alone, it’s safe to say that is the main theme of his short letter to the church family in Philippi. Paul proved we can be joyful no matter what - this message series will show us how!
Paul had every reason to join the ranks of the thoroughly depressed, irritable, and hopeless. He was in a hot muggy prison in Rome; separated from convenience, comfort, and friends. He was imprisoned because he followed Jesus – doing the right things! But, people who claimed to follow God were jealous and antagonistic over his preaching and gaining followers. Sounds like the recipe for a perfect pity party – but, not Paul. He held the secret of joy: Knowing what really matters.
Message Notes
Paul’s manifesto on joy, the Book of Philippians, was written in the most unlikely of locations:
A Prison Cell.
If someone can have joy in the midst of captivity, I want to know their secret.
Paul’s secret?
Understanding what really matters gives me the ability to live with joy in any circumstance.
Philippians 1:9-11
What Really Matters:
God can use every situation to make Jesus known.
Philippians 1:12-19
What Really Matters:
My life and how I live brings honor to Christ.
Philippians 1:20-26
What Really Matters:
My greatest witness comes in my lowest moments.
Philippians 1:27-30
