This sermon was presented on August 23, 2015 at Powerhouse Christian Church’s Bridgewater Campus. It is part of the (in) Visible Joy preaching series but was not presented at the church in Wyckoff New Jersey. Pastor Jeff Riley, Craig Rice, and Rob Schwinge were not available to speak on this date so the mantle fell to one of the elders, Charles Everett. Since the Bridgewater campus does not have video recording equipment like the main church at Wyckoff, only the audio portion of the message is available in this video. This gospel message focused on the importance of rejoicing in the Lord Jesus Christ and our heavenly Father God at all times particularly during times of suffering and pain. The message text is primarily from the book of Philippians; however, supporting texts are taken from the old and new testaments of the Bible. Philippians chapter 3 verse 1 reads “Further, my brothers and sisters rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.” Paul says that rejoicing in the Lord is so important that it needs repeating. He says that it’s so important that it’s a safeguard for you. The scripture says that our trials are light and momentary, but as a practical matter, we experience grief and sorrow from our perspective in time. So, because of this prospective, our misery may seem to us as a crushing weight as we go through it. And this life offers much in the way of suffering and pain. There is the pain associated with illness and injury. There is the grief of death and separation. There is the heartache of rejection and persecution. There is the disappointment of failure and betrayal. This message is a call to persevere. It is a call to broaden our prospective by looking to the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and the great blessings we have in him. It is a call to remember God’s unshakable promises and his unmerited gift of grace. For those who have been washed in the blood of Jesus, given new life by the Holy Spirit, and clothed in the righteousness of Christ, we can say that we have been blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. We can hold onto the promise that God will never leave us or forsake us. In the midst of our suffering we need to be reminded of these truths. Our pain and suffering are real, but they should not define us. The Christian life comes with many trials and in this world we will have trouble, but take heart Jesus has overcome the world. The life of a believer should be characterized by visible joy in the Lord. This can only be accomplished by steadfastly fixing our eyes on Jesus and remembering how much we have to rejoice about. As to our pain, we should endure suffering as a good soldier and draw strength from the knowledge of God and the body of believers who will mourn with us when we mourn and rejoice with us when we rejoice. We should make the joy of the Lord our strength never forgetting that our Lord himself agonized in the Garden of Gethsemane before his crucifixion and death on the cross on the hill of Golgotha. On our road to glory we will endure much pain. Just remember that we are on the road to glory, and just as angels came to minister to the Lord in his anguish, God will minister to you during yours. At other times he will use you to minister to other believers while they are going through their time of difficulty and pain. This is one of the reasons that the fellowship of believers is so important; fellowship is a channel through which God blesses his people. Prayer, the reading of God’s word, worship and praise, faith and obedience, and rejoicing in the Lord are other important channels for God’s blessing. It is my hope that you find this message encouraging at least in some small way and that God uses it as a channel for a special blessing in your life that is particularly relevant to your walk with the Lord today. May God bless you immeasurably more than all you ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within you.

• published: 27 Aug 2015
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