It almost seems like an oxymoron to connect joy and sacrificial service, but that is exactly how the Bible describes how we are to serve God and what those who do, receive.
Philippians 2:17–18 (ESV) — 17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.
Let’s step back and remember what Jesus said about following Him. He made it clear that following Him is a life of self-denial, discipline, and is often filled with difficulty for which we should count the cost, but to which comes great benefit.
Luke 9:23 (ESV) — 23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
Luke 14:25–33 (ESV) — 25 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
Luke 18:28–30 (ESV) — 28 And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” 29 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”
Matthew 13:45–46 (ESV) — 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Going back to the book of Philippians, consider how many times the subject of “joy” is considered:
Philippians 1:4 (ESV) — 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy,
Philippians 1:25 (ESV) — 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith,
Philippians 2:2 (ESV) — 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
Philippians 2:17–18 (ESV) — 17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.
Philippians 2:29 (ESV) — 29 So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men,
Philippians 4:1 (ESV) — 1 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
You truly get the feeling the letter to the Philippians is about joy, but considering the fact that Paul wrote the letter while in a Roman jail, it’s even more significant because his attitude was not “poor pitiful me,” rather it was the fact that he found joy and promoted the need to find joy in sacrificial service to God.
You might ask when we are not finding “joy” in serving that maybe our serving is not really sacrificial serving, but serving from convenience or serving for the pleasure of recognition. Could it be? Comparing our attitude with God’s call for sacrifice would be in order.
Romans 12:1–2 (ESV) — 1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
1 Thessalonians 4:3 (ESV) — 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;
Hebrews 10:36 (ESV) — 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.
Serving sacrificially is meant to produce joy as we consider the joy of the Lord Jesus Christ as He made the ultimate sacrifice for us.
Hebrews 12:1–3 (ESV) — 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
Godspeed,
Bob Brubaker, Pastor
Christ Community Presbyterian Church
Clearwater, FL
Check out the PowerBreak Podcast wherever you download your podcasts or from Bob’s website: www.bobbrubaker.com.