Philippians 1

Today we start a new book of the Bible, Philippians.  In this book which is only four chapters long, Paul uses the "Joy" or "Rejoice" sixteen times.  If Paul was writing from Acapulco this would make a lot more sense, but Paul is writing from jail (1:7).  For the last 10 to 15 years Paul has lived a hard life where he has suffered immensely, but all he can tell people to do is REJOICE!

What is his secret? What is the source of his joy?

Philippians 1

21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Paul lived knowing a simple transformational truth, Christ is everything!

There was absolutely nothing you could do to Paul which would rob him of that which mattered most. He had a response to everything:

• Take His Possessions & Titles: "But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ" (Philippians 3:7)
• Torture Him: "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18)
• Kill Him: "To die is gain" (Philippians 1:21)

For Paul, Christ was everything!

• No matter what you took from Paul, Christ was everything!
• No matter what you did to Paul, Christ was everything!
• No matter the circumstances, Christ was everything!

The formula was very simple for Paul:

Christ + Nothing = Everything

When CHRIST is your source of joy, you can find JOY in all circumstances!

• When Christ is your joy, you don't need success.
• When Christ is your joy, you don't need money.
• When Christ is your joy, you don't need possessions.
• When Christ is your joy, you don't need approval from others.

As we read Philippians, pray that God would show you where you need to stop seeking joy, and reveal you how you need to find your joy in Christ.

  Sean Chandler | Associate Pastor

Sean has been a part of the association of Hill Country Bible Churches for over twenty years. He received Christ as a youth while attending Hill Country Bible Church Austin. He attended Hill Country Bible Church NW from 1989 to 2002. At that time he began attending HCBC Pflugerville. He served as a student ministry intern there for two years. In 2008, Sean graduated from Columbia International University with a double major in Bible and Bible teaching. Sean married his wife, Jennifer, in 2006. Their first child, Liam, was born in 2012, and their second, Chloe, was born in 2014.

He blogs regularly at seanchandler.net.