10/3/10 Sermon by Rev. Moses Ka-Un Li translated by Mu-En Yang

Rejoice and be content!

Philippians 4:4-7, 10-13

I once said that I would discuss with you why Philippians, a letter from jail, is called “Letter of joy”.

Paul had several reasons to rejoice.

1. Epaphroditus recovered from illness. (2:26-28)

Epaphroditus was a messenger of Philippian Church. He was sent to Rome to see Paul and to take care of his needs. Unfortunately, in Rome, Epaphroditus was sick and almost died. After Epaphroditus recovered from illness, Paul sent him back to the Philippians to ease them from worry; also to bring them Paul’s letter. So, Epaphroditus’ recovery from illness is one of the reasons Paul rejoiced.

2. Church of Philippi renewed their concern for Paul. (4:10)

Thinking of how the Philippians worked with him, Paul could be rejoiced in the prison. “Because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”

(A) How the Philippians worked with Paul was written in Acts 16:

Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira believed in God. She was a gentile who worshiped God. Holy Spirit helped her, so she paid attention to what Paul said. In the end, she along with her family got baptized

.

Afterwards, Paul drove out demon from a slave girl who predicted the future and earned her owners a great deal of money. Realizing the hope of making money was gone her owners dragged Paul and Silas to the authorities and threw them into prison. In the prison, Paul and Silas prayed and sang hymns to God in the midnight. Suddenly there was an earthquake and all the prison doors flew open and everybody’s chains came loose. The jailer thought the prisoners had escaped and tried to kill himself. But Paul stopped him. The jailer was surprised and asked “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Paul and Silas replied “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved- you and your household.” The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he and his whole family were filled with joy because they had come to believe in God.

Even after, when Paul left Macedonia, only the Philippian Church shared with Paul in the matter of giving and receiving. They even send Paul aid again and again in Thessalonica. (4:15-16)

(B) It was pity that some people in Church of Philippi spread a wrong gospel. (3:2)

It had been a while when the Philippians not expressed their concern to Paul. It was because someone preached the benefit of circumcision and almost dragged the Philippians away from grace. After this, Philippians renewed their concern to Paul, and sent people to him with gift and their situations.

Paul was able to see his old friend and fellow worker. Also, he heard that the Philippians once again stood firm in the grace of Jesus Christ. Could these things not make Paul rejoice?

3. Paul’s secret to rejoice in prison (4:12)

Paul’s life in prison was not merely contentment, instead, he said:” I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

Contentment fits many people’s philosophy. But Paul, in prison, did not practice to be content. His secret to rejoice in difficulties was in “doing everything through Jesus Christ who gave him strength.” (4:13)

Through the experience in prison, Paul re-united with Christ. This mystic experience made Paul spiritually escaped the prison of Rome and stayed together with his Lord Jesus.

When I read these verses, I was touched by an inspiration that Paul’s soul did not unite with Jesus outside of the prison; instead, it was Jesus who came to Paul in the prison. He repeated what He told Paul on the way to Damascus: “I am Him whom you are persecuting,” “What do you do for me when I give up my life for you?” If a Christian can have similar experience, can he not take Jesus as his only treasure in the rest of his life?

4. Joy comes with sharing

Normally I don’t often refer to Bible in English translations. But today is an exception. Because in Taiwanese translations, both Barclay’s Roman dialect Bible and newly translated New Testament in Taiwanese, cannot express what I want to say better than this English translation: “When I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you along.”(4:15)

I take giving and receiving “as sharing”. Paul could best experience the joy with this kind of sharing. He was setup when he brought donation back to Jerusalem. This turned out to be the reason he was imprisoned. Nevertheless, he thanked God that he could preach the gospel in the center of the world, as he always wished. It was in the prison when Paul told the Church of Philippi that the source of joy lies in sharing. The Philippians had shared in the giving and receiving from the first day they believed in Jesus Christ. They provided everything he needed, and “stood firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel.” I took the slogan “Share in burden, share in glory” from The Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, modified a little, and made it our slogan “Share in burden, share in joy”. Only through sharing each other’s burden we can share the joy of success.