𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗠-𝗨𝗣
• What comes to your mind when you hear the word “joy”? Share a song, memory, or person you might associate with joy.
• What was the hardest thing you had to do this week? Tell us about it.
• Recall a letter you received from a loved one or friend. What did the person say, and how did it make you feel?

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗
𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯. 𝗣𝗛𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗣𝗣𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝟭:𝟮𝟭

(Read also 𝗣𝗛𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗣𝗣𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝟭:𝟭𝟮–𝟮𝟬.)

The apostle Paul wrote this letter to the church in Philippi while he was in prison. Ironically, this letter written from jail is Paul’s most joyful one. Because he lived to serve and honor Christ, he had joy even if he was suffering. He had thrown his whole life into the advancement of the gospel and understood his purpose in both living and dying. While Paul greatly longed to be with Christ, he also knew that through his life, he could share this joy and purpose with others. In this letter, Paul declared that the Christian joy is to live in Christ—to know Him and be found in Him. Paul rejoiced in all circumstances and challenged the Philippian church to do the same. In this lesson, we will see why he could be full of joy even in suffering.

𝟭. 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹’𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹.

𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸, 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘭 . . . 𝗣𝗛𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗣𝗣𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝟭:𝟭𝟮

Paul understood that while his situation was not ideal, it was serving a greater purpose: to advance the gospel. In fact, people were coming to know Christ and the brothers were even preaching more confidently. As a result, even in jail, Paul was at peace. As followers of Christ, every circumstance in our lives should lead to the preaching of the gospel. According to Philippians 1:3–5, how did Paul view the church in Philippi? What caused Paul to rejoice (Philippians 1:18)?

𝟮. 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹’𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲.

. . . 𝘠𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘫𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘦𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘥 . . . 𝗣𝗛𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗣𝗣𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝟭:𝟭𝟴–𝟮𝟬

Paul trusted that the church was praying for him and the Holy Spirit would deliver him. He believed that his present circumstances would eventually change. Therefore, he looked to the future with hope. Try reading this passage again out loud to the group with as much emotion as you can muster. How confident is Paul in his assurance and expectation? Why do you think he was so confident?

𝟯. 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹’𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁.

. . 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘦𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘥, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘣𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩. 𝗣𝗛𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗣𝗣𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝟭:𝟮𝟬

Paul’s desire was that Christ would be honored and exalted in his life—whether he was in prison or set free, alive or dead. As a servant does all he can to honor his master, Paul, who called himself Christ’s servant, wanted to do everything to honor his Lord, Jesus Christ. Paul remained joyful even in suffering because Christ was being honored. How does Paul’s example encourage and challenge you? Why is honoring Christ the ultimate goal of our lives?

𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡
• Reflect on your present situation. What is your situation serving to advance? Pray that you would understand what you are going through and that it would serve to advance the gospel.
• In what area of your life do you need God’s deliverance? Meditate on Philippians 1:18–20 this week and trust God to come through for you.
• How can you find joy in spite of your present circumstances? What is the source of your joy? How will you apply what we talked about today in your life?

𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥
• Thank God for His sovereign and providential hand in your life. Ask Him for grace and wisdom to see your circumstances through His eyes and with His Spirit. Pray that you will be founded in Christ and be content, hopeful, and joyful every day.
• Pray for a friend or loved one who is currently suffering. Ask God for healing, strength, provision, and peace for him or her. Pray that God’s purpose will be fulfilled in spite of the present challenges.
• Pray that the gospel would be proclaimed and Christ would be honored through your life.