The Joy and Freedom of Serving [Part 2]

Pastor author and Bible teacher Alan write when you can finally get that place where you can forget about yourself, at least for a little while there is joy in that place that's faster at right welcome to another message of abuse that will help you see your life in a whole new life.

I'm Dino Britt excited for you to hear the teaching today. In the series. Unspeakable joy is presented at renewal the church in North Carolina. If you're not able to stay with us throughout the entire program I want to make sure you know how to get our special resource right now. It can be yours for your donation this month. Alan Wright Ministry as you listen to today's message go deeper as we send you today's special offer. Contact us at pastor@an.org or call 877-544-4860 that's 877-544-4860.

More on that later in the program but now let's get started with today's teaching here is Alan writing my spiritual assignment, you hear a very human voice and Paul saying if I send you Timothy being here all alone. I will be lonely without Timothy this is Paul. He is known by historians as being one of the most influential men in the history of the world is known throughout the Christian church is the leader of the parcel that is announced the gospel to the Gentiles and is taught the people how they have come to faith, saving faith through grace alone.

He is the great Paul and he saying to the Philippian church would tremendous transparency. Beloved church.

I'm just need to be honest with you I can't send Timothy to you right now. I love them too much. I need him too much meet his friend here, this is Paul talking about his problems.

I'm in prison. I don't know what outcomes are to be. I trust that I'm going to be let loose a trust that will be set free and believing in faith.

I'm going to be. I can say for certain that I am even if I die, I want you to continue to rejoice.

This is this is what's really going on with me and let me also to say I wish I could send Timothy, but I just can't right now to find out what's going on with me and I need Timothy he's my friend.

Could Paul famous as he is be lonely. Absolutely he's in prison and then he turns his attention to Pepperdine this we don't know a thing about a Pepperdine sense of what we learned in Philippians and he's essentially saying I want to send a Pepperdine this back to you. He's a fellow worker a fellow soldier and says. Indeed, verse 27 he was ill near to death. God had mercy on and he says receive him in the Lord with all joy and honor such men wise Paul spending so much time talking about this unknown messenger a Pepperdine us a Pepperdine us with the one that the Philippian sent to bring a monetary gift to help support Paul to send their encouragement, they set a path for dieters to come we think is in Rome a long trip to Rome to visit Paul to see Paul help support Paul and encourage Paul and pray for Paul, the Philippian sent him but shortly after he arrived he became very sick and he became sick unto death, and so the man that had been sent to come take care of Paul is now having to receive the ministry of the incarcerated. Paul and perhaps occupy some of Timothy's time. In other words, what Paul is being sensitive to hear is the very likely possibility that when a Pepperdine us returns back to the Philippian church that instead of being received with honor. He would be received with shame that they would say we sent you to go be a blessing, but instead you were a burden. And Paul is saying I want you to understand something path right yes you got you got word that he was sick and he is sick and I don't want you worrying about that because God had mercy on enemy healed him, but want to understand is that a Pepperdine's was a blessing to me. He was a blessing to me. And when you receive them back with joy unnoticed in the back. He's well enough now I'm at ascend about with joy receive them with honor receive them with rejoicing and whatever you do you just make sure that there's no spirit in the church. This and all will Pepperdine this week. We you became a burden but no, I want to know he was a blessing to me. So Paul's concern here is for a password -itis for the Philippian church is reception of him and, in general, Paul is just concern for the well-being of the church. He wishes he could send Timothy, but he can't.

So is having to write to them because he wants this church, the love so much to continue to thrive and is a little concerned about how they might receive a Pepperdine: prison Paul lonely Paul concern for the church.

This is a text where there's no great and grand proclamation of the riches of the gospel.

There is nothing like you see in Galatians worries attacking a major heresy so they can elucidate the purity of the gospel. This is not a section of Philippians where he is teaching us something deep about the spiritual principles of joy. This is a little autobiographical section in which basically this is the man of God talking about his problem and notice that he doesn't in any way try to deny the fact that he has problems he doesn't use his imprisonment to pull on the heartstrings of the Philippian church and say look at all that I'm going through.

He doesn't use his predicament as an opportunity to promote his problems. In order for people to feel sorry for him. He doesn't use this predicament to promote his problems or to promote himself and he certainly doesn't say look at how spiritual I am suffering for the Lord and he doesn't fall into the second error of trying to pretend like everything's fine. He doesn't pretend like you all.

I don't need Timothy I'm just sufficient in the Lord. They didn't say that it an act like he has no concern about the well-being of the Chargers on well-being. He's laying it out so he done promote is probably done. Pretend he didn't have the problem and he doesn't act like that somehow his rejoicing is going to guarantee a magical solution to his problem. He's very honest about this is any beloved. The way in which we are to talk about our problems in relationship to our praise is never to simply morbidly turn it back into talking talking talking about our problems. We just labor and promote the is not to act like we just pretend like they're not there nor is it to have this magical sense and somehow we can prevent it all from happening, but instead what is Paul saying Paul is saying he has tremendous confidence and trust in the Lord.

He trust that God is going to set them free buddies saying essentially if God doesn't set me free.

I'm still going to praise and I want you to rejoice with me. He's essentially saying that no matter what happens here.

There is a praise and there is a cause for joy.

He reminds me so much of me shack Shadrach and Abednego you remember those Hebrews were in Babylon were being forced to try to bow down to it, and an idol of Nebuchadnezzar's and they refuses so they gonna throw them to the execution in the fiery furnace and is are getting ready to be thrown into the fiery furnace which I chattering about a good say what you can just tell they tell the people dormancy to listen. Our God can save us, our God will deliver us, but even if he doesn't, when out and about on your idol are God can our God will. But even he doesn't praise and still this is the Christian response to our problems is that I trust God is good, carry me through these problems. But I have something greater that's going on here than that I have something that is taking place in my heart of a confidence in the gospel that in many many ways as a whole separate category in a different way of dealer problems. I recommend to you a little book to get online called the freedom of self forgetfulness by Tim Keller and his is a very very helpful little little writing of his as is almost everything that he writes just gives you opportunity to see how rich the gospel is because the finished work of Jesus in this particular will will book Keller says that and I think this is very parallel to what were talking about today's why I illustrate this week in a previous generation that Western culture would have said that the problem with people as they have too much pride that they think too highly of themselves. So the solution is we need to tell people through the gospel really how simple they are or how bad they are and they'll change in order to try to improve, but as Keller points out in more recent times, the modern era in the Western culture that the thinking has shifted that the problem is not so much that people think too much of themselves but the people think too little of themselves, thus the self-esteem movement began in which we began to realize that we need to tell people how wonderful they are in this then is the problem we think is that because people think too little of himself.

If we can tell them how wonderful they are and nothing more themselves then they'll be able to change, but there's a distinction between the self-esteem movement and what the gospel really says. And if you've ever heard me preach you know that at some point I'm going to try to convince you that accepting ourselves in Christ is one of the greatest solutions to the fears, worries and sin of our lives, because so much of the time rejecting the self that God has made and you also hear me say over and over that we have to come into agreement with what God says about us. If we're ever going to live out the destiny that God has given to us and so I tend to believe more towards the latter that the problem is that people think too little of themselves but here really is the distinction of the gospel from self-esteem movement and that is that in the self-esteem and were trying to just tell people that they're wonderful, but the gospel does something far different than that. The gospel says Jesus is wonderful.

He died for you and your identity is now found in Jesus is very different talent right will have more teaching moment.

Today's important series is not actually right reserved for those who have no problems or have you ever seen that some people are just born with a joyful personality. If so, get ready for some good news. Joy is afraid of the spirit available to all in Christ, no matter the circumstances of life there.

Paul was in jail when he read his epistle to the Philippians he spoke of Joyce 16 time no matter what you're going through. You too can discover the secret to unspeakable joy as pastor at NYPD through a life building explanation of Philippians. When you make a get to sharing and night ministries today Singin the new CD album the secret and unspeakable joy as our way of saying thank you for your partnership. Your gifts are the only way we are able to continue broadcasting the message of grace all over the nation. Happiness may rise and fall with happenstance, but joy is ever present in the spirit to become a partner today and discover joint like never before. We are happy to send this to you as I banks from our night ministries.

Call us at 877-544-4860 877-544-4861 come to our website pastor out and got work in today's teaching now continues here once again is Alan writing in this book, Keller refers to another passage of policy may not turn there with me, but let me quickly mention a few verses from first Corinthians chapter 3 this is Paul writing to real insight into his heart so that no one boast in men for all things are yours whether Paul or Apollo's or Cephas or the world or life or death, present or future all yours and your Christ and Christ is God's.

This is how one should regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

Moreover is required of stewards that they become faithful but with me. It's a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, Paul says I do not even judge myself from not aware of anything against myself but I am not thereby acquitted if the Lord who judges me was pulsing in their he is saying essentially it doesn't really matter to me what you think of me, but it also doesn't really matter to me what I think of me. What matters is what God thinks of me because he's the judge and what you say and further is that the judge has already announced the verdict in Christ. See God is the judge he's your judge when you accept Christ, the gambles come down. It is already been declared who you are and that is not guilty and furthermore when the gavel came down to declare who you are and announce who you are and not only was an announcement you been found not guilty in Christ but is also an announcement that you been given the righteousness of Christ. So announced your righteous and merit the rewards of heaven. In Christ as a once this gospel goes deeply and richly into your heart and you realize God is my judge and the judgment has come in Christ and I've been forgiven in Christ.

I've been set free in Christ and I have been announced as the righteousness of Christ unto God seeing now is a co-heir with Christ.

This changes everything. This is only when you can overcome that place like policing in the end it doesn't really matter what you think of me and it doesn't really matter what I think of myself. That's not really what's going to change things in my heart what's changing me is awareness of what God is said about me, what God is done so Keller says this Paul is saying something astounding. I don't care what you think. I don't care what I think is bring us into new territory. We know nothing about his ego is not puffed up, it's filled up he's talking about humility and Keller goes on to say, although I hate using what humility because is nothing like I dear idea. Our idea of humility.

Paul is saying that he's reached the place where Ziegler draws no more attention to itself than any other part of his body. He's reached the place where he is not thinking about himself anymore. When he does something wrong or do something good doesn't connected to himself was Keller CS Lewis who first said this, that humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less. The last couple weeks. I contends my back and saw that I ever now. To do this so I been him to be more attentive to buy back stretches back back exercises and just a little bit more attentive about making sure that I'm taking care of it. So the last couple weeks. I'm thinking about my back but if not, ask okay I will think about back. I only time you think about your big toe is if you stopped it over or something. No. In other words, if there's nothing wrong with with some part of your body.

You don't have to think about it you don't think about it you not supposed to be thinking about it when you when you're doing something that your hand was be thinking about your hand is just happening right just happening acid now playing the piano last night, just worship in and has displayed few songs about love and how just like an and is all the sudden I was just like I thought Hermie Pulliam playing the saw this on this complaint as well and then I start thinking about it. I looked at my hands and looked at the notes couldn't play anything when you're thinking about something. It paralyzes you, doesn't.

But what what Paul was saying to the Corinthians is echoed here when you say in the Philippians design is not that I don't have problems wishes and God is not so much for me that he is transforming that my soul is so filled up with God that the problems do not dominate me.

They do not preoccupy me I could talk to you about my problems but my problems are there in their place. You see, God has already announced the verdict, Paul is saying and therefore I'm free to talk about my problems but I'm also free to talk to about my successes as a what this means is that if things get really rough.

Then I can be honest about that and it might be tough going through it but had done to find me and I got all kind of success in all kind of accolade and I'm on the mountaintop that might be nice but that didn't define me either. In other words, wouldn't it be nice to be able to be on to be open about your problems so people can pray with you, and you can walk through them without having to be preoccupied with them and wouldn't it be nice to be self forgetful enough that you don't really need other people to praise you all the time because your ego is filled up your inmost being is satisfied in the Lord is something big is something deeper something richer. The fact is pulsing I'm in prison. The fact is I be lonely without Timothy. The fact is, I'm a little bit worried about you guys and and I was shown us in a pampered light is on.

I have real problems but I don't have to promote them.

I don't have to wallow in them. I don't have to try to announce that I don't have them and then I am not going to act like somehow I can magically prevent all this because I'm praising him because of something else and don't have anything to do with whether I have problems or don't have problems.

The fact that I got promises and defining me, it doesn't mean because I've got problems that I'm less spiritual, and I have left faith couple you're talking about Paul. He understands he's been caught up in the vision of God is spoken directly to Jesus Christ. This Paul.

God is used for miracle after miracle after miracle.

He is content in the and and his relationship with Jesus it's because he's got a problem yet been set free from present because a pampered eyes wound up sick because he can't send away Timothy damaged his faith, Mrs. Paul say I've got the verdict. Jesus Christ, I been filled with the Holy Spirit, got some problem with those problems don't find me in on the other hand, is nothing locale spiritually and because I am suffering draw attention to it all and that said business and will look just like Jesus, I'm here suffered. Look at me for me to pull a hard thing to send more money to take better care of it so more people got me out not drawing attention to himself. Why not draw attention to draw attention to himself because the verdict is been found not guilty been found to be the righteousness of Jesus Christ, his eyes like you. We don't get problem but in the midst of them.

The reason we praise God is because or something transcendent that is taken place. And when you can finally get that place, beloved, where you can forget about yourself, at least for a little while there is joy in that place.

My daughter just got back with her senior hires from mission trip they went to a gathering of about a million young people at the mall in Washington DC. They went on to Baltimore has some time their fellowship and worship. They went on to New York City and they are very were in the Bronx and that they would go out each day and they pray for people on the street and just asking can I pray for you and everything back. She said that she got down and she was handing out new Testaments and asked if she could pray for him. She said had to be a guy over here on the street was try to sell bottles of water in this guy got matter because she was competing with the attention of the people going by and Abby said them. So would you do you we would you like to pray for you and lives there.

Would you like a new technote and so this went on for she's out there and she pray with people in the and and then he's trying to sell water and that she's I find silliness on any water file.

He just half down the sidewalk went down pick up the New Testament came by styrene Mick's story is that when the girls walking out, walked out to Ranger on the street. A lady walked into Bronx as long as I will walk up what makes the lady said ma'am ma'am can I pray for you, said the lady said thank God you found me Bob and try to run from God is all you found may already go ahead and pray with me. I'd already been all over me. I know I need a recommit life.

The Lord go ahead when you come back from mission trip like that you come back you been doing stuff you you you couldn't dream of doing our vacation going meet strangers and pray for minimum middle of a hot sidewalk in New York City and will become a joyful format because you're not thinking about yourself. You are design beloved not to have all your attention on yourself, you're designed to be satisfied in Jesus, so that no matter what you're walking you can be honest but you can receive prayer. You can also praise God in the midst of it because the fact of the matter is that God is with you no matter what. Anything you can praise him all the time that the gospel is teaching were wrapping up this particular message of the joy and freedom of serving. We still have lots more to cover in unspeakable joy and more. Even on this program in just a few moments for Alan is back to have additional insight in our final word for today life with this new sold it seriously and constantly desires to label the rights. Julie is an elusive dream reserve for select who had no problems or for those who were born with a joyful disposition actually joins the fruit of the spirit available to all in Christ, no matter what you're facing. You can have the joy of the Lord in the midst the apostle Paul.even his epistle to the Philippians. While in prison he spoke of Julie 16 times. Alan writes newest album, the secretive unspeakable joy takes you chapter by chapter 3 Paul's explanation of the secret of joy when you make a gift to data sharing in light will be delighted with the new CD out on our way of thinking.

Thanks for your partners come apart and discover the secrets unspeakable joy. We are happy to send this to you as I Bronx from Allen Wright ministries, seven 877-544-4860 877-544-4861 come to our website pastor Rowan.work à la what is our take away on this is were in the middle of this unspeakable joy series and were wrapping up this the joy and freedom of serving Christ will think of Paul and how is the path to joy for him was the opposite of self absorption is not thinking of what others think of me.

He's not thinking here's what I think of myself. Instead, what's happened with policies gone to new and deeper place of grace and what most people experience and I think is what God wants for for all of us.

Now you may have some real times in your life where to go through difficult things like Paul has. But there is a freedom of self forgetfulness that comes in the life of serving that is real real joy to us. What a beautiful picture we have of it. And Paul the grace of God brings joy to suffer and get a daily email devotional that matches today's teaching delivered right to your email inbox free. Find out more about these and other resources@pastorout.org that's pastor out.org.

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