INTRODUCTION & SERIES RECAP

So if you guys have your Bibles, let's open up to the New Testament letter to the Philippians. Philippians chapter two is where we're gonna be this morning. If you're just joining us, we are a couple weeks into a series going through the book of the Philippians, and we're focusing on the theme of the believer's joy.

And I wanted to do some quick review. So, in the very first sermon of this series, we laid down a couple of kind of foundational truths regarding biblical joy, and I just want to review those with you for just a moment and then we'll dive into today's passage. So here's kind of the baseline foundational pieces regarding joy.

Alright, number one, that joy is God's desire for every believer. That God made you as a joy container. God desires for you to be filled with his joy.

Number two, true biblical joy is always possible in the life of the believer. And that's not meant to be put on you as a guilt trip, but just as an encouragement, that this type of joy that we're talking about is different than the joy that the world promises, that this joy is tied to Christ, and because if you're in Christ, you're united with Christ, joy is always possible because of that. Number three, true biblical joy is essential fuel for the Christian life. Nehemiah 8.10 says, the joy of the Lord is my what? Is my strength. Let me just try that one more time. The joy of the Lord is my strength. So something about this biblical joy gives us strength as believers.

And then number four, true biblical joy must be fought for. Psalm 118, verse 24 says -

“This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.

That's a choice. It's a decision. And prior to this, as my preparation of the study for this, I had said with you in week one that that's one of the biggest aha's for me is that I thought mistakenly, that joy was just something that I was passive in or captive to. That either joy happened to me or joy didn't happen to me. But we also acknowledge that there's the emotions of joy, but then there's something much deeper than that. And we've been defining joy as this deep-seated gladness that's connected to Christ and not connected to external circumstances. So let me compare it with just a moment with this temporary worldly joy. You can have temporary joy from worldly things, but it is very short-lived. I think we've all experienced this.

Some of my most vivid memories of this are growing up for some reason. I would get so hyped and so excited for a new gift, like a Christmas gift or something I'd been saving for. One thing that I saved for, I had a I had the I had an old fashioned paper route when I was in elementary school up in Port Huron, it was where you had the really cool like actual paper routes where you picture a kid with rolled up newspapers on a bicycle with a bag in front, and I was grabbing the papers out and throwing them on the porch. so I worked that job for a while and was saving up my money to buy a remote control car that I could build. You buy this kit, and I was like, man, I just got so hyped about this. This is gonna be the most amazing thing ever. And I get it and I build the kit and I drive it for a little bit and then the battery dies, and I'm like, well, alright. And you charge it up and do it again, but it's like you're just so excited like all this anticipation, and then it's like, oh, okay, I guess that's fun. That's the way that the worldly joy is. As quickly as it comes, oftentimes it's gone.

And that's what will happen if you're striving for joy, chasing for joy from circumstances or from possessions, or even from relationships, or just relying on that as your source of joy. But if you rely on Christ as your source of joy, and what he's done for you, it's this well, this deep well that never runs dry. You have joy everlasting. This is the most intense joy, this is the most stable joy, the most complete joy, the most pure joy that you can ever imagine, and it's found only in and through Christ. The truth is, no other religion, no drink or drug, can give you this joy. And it's yours in Christ.

So we find ourselves with Paul, who's the author of this letter to the Philippians, and Paul is encouraging them to rejoice. What's ironic about this that Paul's doing this? What's ironic about it? He's in prison. He's not in some resort. He's not hanging out on Mackinac Island like I got to a couple weeks ago. He's in prison. And yet he's rejoicing, and he's writing to the Philippians to tell them to rejoice. Whatever Paul has, I want.

So Paul's going to encourage us today to have the same mindset that he has, to think the same way that he thinks. And he's going to point to an example in Christ that is life-changing. So that's a question we're wrestling with is how can we have the same mindset as Paul? Paul in prison, Paul's rejoicing. I don't think it's just a personality thing. I think it's a supernatural work of God. Paul has joy. So if you want joy, like I do, let's look to God's word together. if you would, let's stand together in honor of the reading of God's word. Philippians chapter 2. Starting in verse 1, the first eleven verses. Some of these verses may sound familiar to you. It's really cool to see them in context and study them in context today.

Philippians 2:1. God's word says:

SCRIPTURE READING - PHILIPPIANS 2:1-11 ESV

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, ² complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. ³ Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. ⁴ Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. ⁵ Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ⁹ Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

PRAYER FOR THE MESSAGE

Let's pray.

Father, thank you for this time, this privilege, as has already been said. Thank you for each person that's here. Thank you that you love each one, that you know each one And that by your grace, God, you are calling each one and drawing each one to yourself. Help each one of us to be alert and awake.

I pray that you would speak through me and in spite of me. I pray the truth of your word would be made known and be crystal clear today. Help all of us, like we just read. To willingly bow the knee and confess Jesus is Lord. And I just pray that you'd be pleased. Thank you in Jesus' name.

Amen. Amen.

THE MESSAGE

So it probably wouldn't surprise you that one of the things that was a part of my childhood was Legos. Any other Lego fans? in in the okay, a few of you. I had somebody actually cheer first service for Legos. They were very excited about it. so over the course of a couple years they kind of accumulated like whole you know big piles of Legos.

My favorite thing though was when you'd get like the little box of Legos from the store, it has like this, you know, here's what you're supposed to build with this. They cost a gazillion dollars, Legos do. But what I loved is you know following the instructions and on you know this step you put these pieces here this step you put these pieces here by the end you have this awesome creation.

Imagine how much harder that would be if you didn't have any instructions. Or if you're a puzzle person, imagine trying to do a puzzle without having the picture on the box. Take a thousand-piece puzzle, spread it out on the table and just say have fun. You don't even have a clue what it is or what it's supposed to look like. That highlights how important it is to have models and examples to pattern our lives after. It's really helpful to have an example of what to look for and how to do it.

This is why Paul says things like this in 1 Corinthians 11:1 Paul says -

“Imitate me as I imitate Christ. I

t's really helpful to have an example, something to look at for how to do it. Hebrews 13:7 says -

“Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you and consider the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.”

I have a an older brother who was in the military for a couple of years. And during that time period, as I was a younger, impressionable brother, I tried to imitate my brother. So I had the high and tight haircut. And I knew he was doing push-ups, so I would do push-ups whenever I could. I knew he was running, so I would run whenever I could. All these things because I wanted to model my life. I wanted to imitate him. He's actually presently a pastor. And so I still also desire to imitate him and to be like him. How thankful I am and how good it is to have good models and examples for how to pattern your life. And we've seen so far in this letter to the Philippians that Paul has set the bar really, really high. So Paul is modeling for us what true biblical joy looks like.

And so we saw a couple weeks ago that Paul was in prison, but he rejoiced in prison because the gospel was going forward, and that meant more to Paul than his own personal convenience. So we are challenged to consider how can your difficulty, how can that lead to the advancement of the gospel? The last week, I think it's probably the most important verse, or probably the theme verse of Philippians, Philippians 1:21, where Paul says -

“For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

Paul showed us that what mattered most to him and his life was Christ. If he continued to live, he would live a fruitful life serving Christ. And if he died, Paul says that's gain, that's far better for me because Paul desired to be with Christ. So Paul had the right perspective. Paul is modeling for us what it means to have this mindset.

I don't know if we showed the picture yet, but we've got this picture that AI helped us create. And who knows if this is what it was like. I mean they've got a little German Shepherd dog over there in the corner, but the one that I had made was had like a couple extra hands and arms like no that's not no we gotta get this right. You know what's again ironic about this is Paul's writing to these believers, and he's just encouraging them to rejoice because of who they are and all that they have in Christ. So the question is, how can we have this mindset? How can we have this mindset?

And Paul does in today's passage, Paul does highlight for us a couple of things that he says do this or live like this, and we're gonna walk through those together. So the first thing that Paul does, and again, this is the word of God, my job is I'm a mailman, I deliver the mail. So this is not necessarily if you're looking for five tips on how to be more joyful, the Bible's probably not going to give you that. But Paul is going to show us, he is going to challenge us. Here's how we find a life of joy.

And the first thing he encourages them to do in those first four verses is he challenges them, he encourages them to be united together in love and to serve one another. The Bible continually calls believers to find out what it means to live a life of service of one another. The Bible regularly challenges you to live a life that's not so focused on yourself, but is focused like Paul on Christ and focused on one another. Again, this is completely different and backward from the way and the messages that our world sends to us. Our world says all about it's all about you. Buy this product, do this thing, do what makes you feel happy or makes you feel good, and then you'll find joy. But that's worldly joy, and that's fleeting. The Bible gives us a prescription for true biblical joy. And Paul says to them, to serve one another in love.

Look at those first four verses. He says, so if there's any encouragement in Christ, if there's any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being a full accord and of one mind, these last two verses in the section are really helpful, really important. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others as more significant than yourselves.

Verse 4, let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. This is a recipe for true biblical joy. That you're not focused on yourself, you're focused on focusing on serving others.

I don't know if you've thought about this, but sin itself is selfishness. Sin is focusing on yourself. Sin is thinking, how can what do I want from this? What can I get from this? How can I serve myself? But selflessness leads to godliness, leads to holiness. So Paul's encouraging them to not focus on themselves. So here's how the first few verses are. Paul's kind of building its case, and you guys can help me with this on the screen for us is some audience participation.

Alright? I'm gonna be Paul. I'll take one for the team. I'll be Paul. And you guys can be the Philippians, okay? So I'll do the Paul lines, you guys do the Philippian lines. They're difficult lines, but I think you can do it. Alright? So here's essentially what these first four verses are saying. Paul says, is there any encouragement in Christ? (YES) Oh, you guys nailed it. You nailed it. That was awesome. Okay, next one is there any comfort for Christ? (YES) Alright. Is there any participation in the spirit? (YES) Is there any affection? (YES) And is there any sympathy? (YES) Alright, you guys you guys did your lines so well. That was awesome.

So this is essentially what Paul is saying that if there if you're if there's if you're involved or if you're connected with the Spirit of God, if you're in Christ, if all these things are true, then he says, I want you to be of the same mind. I want you to have the same mind that I have. So Paul's saying this is the mind that comes from Christ.

I want you to love one another the way that I'm demonstrating to you we should love one another. And then he goes on in verse three, do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others as more significant than yourselves. Humility is a theme in these verses. It's gonna point to Christ in just a moment as our example. But we're supposed to be thinking about others. Let me give you an example in the way that we use our words.

Paul wrote this in Ephesians 4:29 -

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to whose needs. According to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

I reference this verse often from this platform. For some reason this verse is significant to me. It gives me a lens, it gives me a framework for how to filter the words that I say. Have you ever said a word or said something because of how it benefits you? I think most of the time we do, right? And sometimes in arguments or disagreements we say things because it just feels really good. Anyone with me on that? Okay. Yeah. And sometimes oftentimes the wrong things to say. But it felt good for a moment. Just for a moment. But not for very long.

But this is giving us the grid or the lens or the filter that says instead of saying things according to how it benefits me, I should be thinking about the other person, and saying things according to how it benefits them. That's a part of this mindset of serving one another in love. Paul said in Ephesians 5:21 -

“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

Serving one another is one of the best ways that we can love one another. So my mindset as a husband should be in regard to my wife: how can I best serve her? And her mindset should be in regard to me as my wife: is how can she best serve me? My mindset as a dad in regard to my children should be how can I best serve them? Not how can they best serve me, but how can I best serve them and the way that I can best serve them is by being a godly example to them. The way that I can best serve them is by being kind and gentle with them, by showing them what Christ is like.The way that I can be the best pastor that I can be is by serving you.

Let me ask you a question: Why do you think I preach? Why do I preach? I preach because I want to serve. I want to serve you because I have love for you in my heart. We're called to serve one another. This is one of the ways that we live with joy is not by living for ourselves, but by living to serve others in love. Look again at verse three and four. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others as more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interest but also to the interests of others. So are you serving those around you? And are you serving other believers here in your church family? I just want to challenge you and encourage you to prioritize others in your schedule, to regularly think about others and how you can serve, to prioritize others, even in your finances. This is why generosity and giving are a big deal. It's one of the ways that we serve each other.

So Paul challenges them first of all to be united together in love and to serve one another. And then I love what Paul does next. He says, I want you to consider Christ. Number two, consider Christ as our example. He had the same mindset. This is in verses 5 through 11. So what I love what Paul does here is he actually then elevates Jesus as the model and example for how to live. Which let me just say on the front end like it's like duh, like that makes sense, right? But I love that he gives and demonstrates what Christ actually did for us as an example of what we should do.

So look at verse 5. He says, have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus. So what Paul is saying is that this same mindset that I've been demonstrating to you is the same mindset that Jesus Christ has, and I want you to have that same mindset in your own heart and mind that you would serve like Christ has served.

Sometimes in other translations and other versions of the Bible, this is helpful. So Philippians 2:5, in another translation called the LSB, Legacy Standard Bible, said it this way.

“Have this way of thinking in yourselves, which is also in Christ Jesus.”

So wouldn't it be nice to know how Jesus thinks? Wouldn't it be nice to know what mindset, what frame of mind Jesus has. And Paul is saying this is the same mindset that is in Jesus himself. That he came to serve. He came to give his life as a ransom. If you want to know how Jesus operates and thinks, this is it. He says, I want you to think the same way. Think like me and think like Christ.

So what's given then in verses 6 through 11 is what's known as the Carmen Christi or the Christ hymn. It's possible that these verses were used by early believers even outside. Outside of Philippians itself, as maybe a way of rehearsing what it is that Christ has done. So look at these verses. Let's read verses 6. Actually, I'll start 5 again through 11. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped.

Now what does that verse mean? It means that even though Jesus was God Was God, he didn't exploit his status. Jesus had all the rights and privileges of God because he himself was also God. But Jesus didn't count that as something to be used to his gain or to his benefit.

Look at verse 7. But he emptied himself by taking the form of a servant and being born in the likeness of men. So Jesus didn't lose his divinity, but he did lay aside his privileges and his rights as God. And he took on the form of a servant. It literally is the same word for slave that Paul used for himself in verse 1 of chapter one. That Jesus took on flesh, that Jesus took on humanity, that God took on humanity, that God took on flesh.

Verse 8, and being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. So Jesus humbled himself. Jesus lowered himself. He became obedient to God to the point of death, even the shameful death of the cross. You guys know that crucifixion was a shameful form of punishment. No one in the first century walked around with gold crosses around their necks. It was a shameful death. And Jesus humbled himself. Jesus willingly became obedient to death, even the kind of death on the cross. Jesus humbled himself. He lowered himself, he descended, he condescended to serve us.

You know one of the things that gets in the way of this kind of humbling or this kind of humility is pride. And I would argue that pride is one of the greatest impediments to joy. If you will remain prideful, you will not be able to receive this joy that's found in Christ. Jesus humbled himself. This is known as the humiliation of Christ. That God Himself humbled himself or was willing to be humiliated to serve me and you. God who's perfect, God is to be who is to be worshipped, was willing to take on weak human flesh, to die a graphic horrible death to serve you and me.

James 4:6 says -

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

James 4:10 says -

“Humble yourself before the Lord and he will exalt you.”

One of my favorite quotes regarding pride is this, pride is like bad breath. Everyone knows you have it but you I just I get a kick out of that every time. Joy, if someone offers you a mint, take it. They might know something that you don’t. On the other side that as well, along with that, if someone suggests that you might have pride or be prideful. Don't prove them right by denying it or trying to deny it. So Jesus was willing to humble himself.

Paul is setting this forth as an example for us. That we're not to clamor for our rights, we're not to clamor for serving ourselves selfishly, but we're to take on the same mindset that Christ had when he lowered himself. And as a result of this, what Christ, what God did was he exalted Christ. He elevated Christ. Verse nine says therefore God has highly exalted him. It really kind of means like super exalted. Highly exalted. He's exalted. He's highly exalted. Christ has been super exalted. It bestowed on him the name that's above every name. There's no name higher or greater than the name given to Jesus.

Verse 10, so that the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth. It's describing the fact that every realm of the supernatural and the living and the dead, every knee shall bow. This is a sign of submission and surrender.

Verse 11 every tongue confessed that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Not sure if you're have known this or aware of this, but there will come a day when every creature will bow and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord. This will bring glory to God the Father. This is not necessarily an acknowledgement that leads to salvation that needs to be settled on this side of eternity. That you and I would willingly choose on this side of eternity to sir to bow the knee and to confess Jesus Christ as Lord. But there will come a day when all will recognize the Lordship of Christ, all will acknowledge that Jesus has been highly exalted.

All will worship in that sense. They will bow the knee in that sense. It's our privilege. It's God's grace that we can participate in that now here on this side of eternity. This is what God has done. Jesus is the example. Jesus is the model. Jesus humbled himself. Jesus. Just consider the depths to which Jesus humbled himself. If you've read the crucifixion accounts, that Jesus was willing to be mocked. Jesus was willingly beaten. Jesus was willingly broken. Jesus willingly allowed these frail, weak human beings to nail him to a cross. Jesus willingly did all these things. He didn't clamor again for his rights and privileges as God. He served, and Paul saying, look to Jesus as the example. I think this is how Paul can sit in a Roman prison and not grumble and complain.

This is how Paul can sit in a Roman prison and not be worried about his rights and privileges. Because he's there to serve Christ, and he's there to serve the other believers. This is the heart of Christ, this is the mindset of Christ, who humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross.

So one of my favorite decorations in my office here at the church is this decoration right here. It gets pulled out every once in a while as a prop, as an illustration. this is a special gift to me because this was given to me by my wife. She wasn't my wife at the time. We were just dating. But little jealous here. She had the privilege to travel over to Israel right out of college and I I have not been yet, but Lord willing I will. If not I'll see Jesus in heaven and that'll be awesome. either way. That's a really cool little carving. It's made from some of the wood there in Israel, and it depicts Jesus washing the disciples' feet. And it's a great reminder to me of what Christ has done for me. It's also a great reminder to me of what my role is as a pastor: to serve others and to wash feet. it's humbling to think about the fact that Jesus has washed our feet.

Now I want to make sure we understand the payload and what's going on there. It doesn't mean that you have stinky feet and that you need your feet washed. Although that may be true. if someone offers to wash your feet, I'm not sure what to do with that. But anyway. Take the mint and say I'll wash my own feet. but there's a there's a parallel, there's a spiritual parallel that Christ, if you're in Christ, Jesus washes your feet, Jesus continues to cleanse you, Jesus continues to serve you.

I don't know if you ever wondered what Jesus current ministry is. Maybe you've thought like I have at times that Jesus what he did was two thousand years ago on a cross, that he died and that God raised him from the dead and now he's in heaven and just hanging out there. But have you ever considered what Jesus' current ministry is for those who are believers? And the reality is that if you're in Christ, Jesus is still currently serving you. Jesus still has that servant's towel around his waist. He's still ministering to you, still serving you to purify you and draw you closer to God and to be your advocate before God the Father.

I don't know of any other way to do this than to just show you a series of Bible passages, so bear with me as these are on the screen. Hebrews 4:14-16

“So since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession, for we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are together without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

So Jesus is acting as what the Bible describes our high priest, the one who is an advocate for us before the Father. Hebrews 7:23-25 says -

“The former priests were many in number because they were prevented by death from continuing in office. But he, Jesus, holds his priesthood permanently because he continues forever. Consequently, he's able to save to the uttermost or save completely those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”

Jesus always lives to make intercession for you. In Christ. Romans 8:32-34 says -

“He who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect or those who are in Christ? It's God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died, more than that who was raised, who is now at the right hand of God, who is indeed interceding for us?”

Last one,  1 John 2:1 -

“My little children, I'm writing these things to you so that you may not sin, but if anyone does sin, (our ear should perk up a little bit.) We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous.”

Jesus is still serving you. If you're in Christ, Jesus is still serving you. That was one of the most humbling things for me to think about this week as I was preparing this sermon. Not only did Jesus humble himself and die on a cross, but Jesus continues to serve me even today. It's humbling for me to think about who am I that Jesus would serve me? Who am I that Jesus would advocate for me? Who am I that Jesus would intercede for me? Who am I that Jesus would still be washing my feet? He humbled himself. To serve. And I think this is what Paul's driving at in this passage to this pivotal question, which is this if Jesus has humbled himself to serve you, how can you be proud?

How can you be selfish? How can you be focused on yourself when Jesus, the King of the Universe, God Himself, humbled Himself so much and still serves you. How can you and I possibly have any form of conceit or pride if Jesus took on flesh and has humbled himself to the point of death, a shameful death even on a cross, if Jesus has died for you, how can you endure, sorry, how can you not endure and take on suffering for the benefit of others and for the sake of Christ. I feel like in some ways Paul just walked us into that moment where it's like, okay, if I've done all these things for you, right, how could you not do this? I think that's kind of the point. Jesus is the model example. If Jesus did this, then what is a little suffering on our part if Christ has done so much for us? That's really I think what's going on.

Are you willing to humble yourself and get low and serve those around you even through suffering and difficulty? Are you willing to ask the question, what's best for them? What do they need? This is the opposite of what our culture says, but it is the model of joy that Christ presents. We're talking this week as a church staff on Tuesdays we have staff meetings and what we've been doing lately is actually just reading through Philippians together and kind of reflecting on what we just covered.

And it was pointed out in this time together that Jesus suffered, Jesus struggled, Jesus went through difficulties, he was a man of sorrows, but yet at the same time, Jesus was a man full of perfect joy. Right? Jesus experienced perfect joy. Jesus is our model and example. Jesus lived a humble, sacrifice sacrificial life, and yet he experienced perfect joy. I'm going to close with this as we think about the idea of pride and humility.

There was a pastor by the name of Martin Lloyd Jones, and somebody asked him the question how can I be more humble? He said this a friend was asking me the other day, how can I be humble? He felt there was pride in him, and he wanted to know how to get rid of it.

He seemed to think that I had some patent remedy and could tell him do this, that, and the other, and you will be humble. I said, I have no method or technique, I can't tell you to get down on your knees and believe in prayer, because I know you will soon be proud even of that. There's no there's only one way to be humble, and that is to look into the face of Jesus Christ. You cannot be anything else when you see Him. That is the only way. Humility is not something that you can create within yourself. Rather, you look at him, you realize who he is and what he's done, and you are humbled. I think that's exactly what Paul's doing in this passage. He's saying, Look to Christ and see what Christ has done and that will humble you.

That will give you a heart of service, a heart of love, heart of graciousness and gratitude and ultimately be filled with true biblical joy.

Let's pray.

CLOSING PRAYER

Lord, I thank you for this challenge and these encouragements. I can't think of any better example or model of joy, model of humility, model of love. Then obviously Jesus himself. Help us to consider this morning what Christ did. Jesus, who is God, humbled himself and still humbles himself to serve us. Help us to look at the face of Christ and be humbled. And help that to shape how we view all of life. And how we view our relationships with each other. And how we view every moment of every day. I pray that it would be filled with hearts of gratitude. That every day, every moment is a gift. It's undeserved. But we have it because of God's common grace and because of Jesus' saving grace.

So God, fill us with your joy, the supernatural gladness of heart. It doesn't mean that external fears or external struggles will go away, but it just means that there's this underlying current. That holds us steady. So whether we are in a Roman prison or whether we're relaxing and enjoying life, we can rejoice. God continue to make this joy clear in our hearts and make it full. Continue to point out to us what we're leaning on that is worldly and external and where we can be leaning on Christ even more.

Jesus, thank you for your amazing love and example. We pray these things in Christ's name. Amen.