We live in a society where everyone is peddling joy. The promise of that feeling of that deep sense of satisfaction with life is hung out in front of us by advertisers every day. It can seem like joy is a product you can buy. Tap the credit card on the machine and off we go! The problem is that so many of our purchases and experiences only give temporary joy. You know the experience, things are great in the moment, the thrill of the purchase, the buzz of the event, but then what? When we experience temporary joy it’s fantastic in the moment but then in an instant our satisfaction with life disappears seemingly as fast as it came. The next Monday rolls around and we go searching for joy again. So where can we get lasting joy? Sometimes we wonder if it is even possible? When Paul wrote his letter to a church in the Roman Colony of Philippi in the 1st century A.D he unlocks for us where real and lasting and soul satisfying joy can be found.
Though I have to say when you read this letter it makes you ask questions like:
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How can we have a joy filled relationships with people we never see?
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How could death possibly be seen as a source of great joy?
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How can being around people that are very different to me bring me joy?
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How can I experience joy in my suffering?
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How is humble service of others a source of great joy?
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Is it possible to find joy in things my mates don’t?
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Is it possible to be joyful and exhausted?
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Is it possible to be joyful and broke?
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And if I’ve found joy … how do I keep it?
Paul is going to show us in his own life and in his letter to the Philippians that THE source of real, lasting, life-shaping, soul-satisfying joy is actually a person, Jesus Christ!
Over the next 9 weeks at Church in the Bank we’ll see why Jesus is the answer to these questions that matter so much to many of us. Whether you already follow Jesus or are just curious about him you’ll find what Paul has to say about the profound joy that can be found in him fascinating and life-changing.
Luther
Pastor
Church in the Bank
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