Sunday: Rejoicing in the Lord
Daily Lesson for Sunday 1st of February 2026
Read Philippians 3:1-3. What positive and negative notes does Paul sound here, and how are they related? How does he describe believers?
Paul begins on a very positive note and almost sounds as though he is wrapping up his letter. But he’s not done. He returns to one of the main themes of this epistle: rejoicing in the Lord. And he will give a number of reasons for that here. Most important, we are to have confidence in Christ, not in ourselves: “We . . . rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:3). Who among us has, in one way or another, learned the hard way about not putting confidence in the flesh?
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The strong warning “Beware” (three times) is not found anywhere else in Scripture. Apparently, the Philippians knew very well what threat Paul was referencing. Rather than three separate problems, the warning appears to refer to a group of false teachers described in three different ways.
Wicked or irreligious people in Israel were sometimes referred to as “dogs” (Philippians 3:2; compare Psalms 22:16; Isaiah 56:10; Matthew 7:6; 2 Peter 2:21-22). False teachers could also aptly be described as “evil workers.” Referring to them as “the mutilation” (Philippians 3:2, NKJV) or “those who mutilate the flesh” (ESV) shows that, as in Galatia and other locales, they were seeking to impose circumcision on Gentile believers, contrary to the ruling of the Apostolic Council (see Acts 15:1-41).
Interestingly, it seems that one solution to spiritual challenges, including the spread of false teachings, is to “rejoice in the Lord” (Philippians 3:1; compare Philippians 4:4).
Anything we rejoice about brings us joy (as in English, the two Greek words for these ideas are related). God wants us to be joyful, and His Word is a kind of instruction manual for true happiness and lasting joy. These include receiving God’s mercy (Psalms 31:7); placing our trust in Him (Psalms 5:11); receiving the blessings of salvation (Psalms 9:14); adopting God’s law as our way of life (Psalms 119:14), including the Sabbath (Isaiah 58:13-14); believing His Word (Psalms 119:162); and raising godly children (Proverbs 23:24-25).
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Life can be very difficult for us all, no matter how well things might be going at the moment. But even if they are not going well now, what things can you and should you rejoice about? What is stopping you from doing it? |
In the 1890s, Ellen White was resident in Australia, much of it in Cooranbong just a few streets away from where I live now. This was a very important period in the development of Seventh-day Adventist thinking. The Adventist church was in the process of changing from a focus on the law to a focus on Jesus. It was during that time a campmeeting was held in Armadale, a country city about 4 hours north of here that featured the preaching of W W Prescott.
Carmel and I have been reading Gil Valentine’s book “W W Preccott – Forgotten Giant of Adventism’s Second Generation”. Listen to this description of the Armadale campmeeting.
It sounds like Ellen White and Prescott had a similar task to Paul; resetting the thinking of Christians to focus more on Christ.
And it raises the question about how Christ-centered our preaching, and lesson studies are now, over a century later. Is it time to hit the reset button again?
A good sermon about our modern day message which is simular to what Paul, W.W. Prescott, and Ellen White were trying to reset, is by Pastor Ty Gibson speaking to our pastor’s and of course applies to us here also, It is by Pastor Ty Gibson. I can’t see as it is AI generated. Here is the link.
https://youtu.be/kiywZWOOQGo
To answer your last question: I believe it may be time to “reset the button again.”
Some of the lessons are Christ-centered, others not so much. But what I find most concerning is the catechistic nature of the format, which hasn’t changed for over a hundred years. It worked when our pioneers were sharing our distinct message with other Christians and when people were more used to this kind of approach.
The format of our lessons may predispose people to think that AI may be helpful to our spiritual growth, as I noted in some of the contributions on this blog. What is missing in the lessons is continual encouragement to read whole books of the Bible, which makes us more aware that the bible is story, not a collection of facts which AI can gather for us.
Also missing are more thought-provoking questions that cannot be answered simply with a text. We do usually have one question which attempts to fill the void at the end of each lesson, but even too often seem to generate catechistic replies.
A big thanks to those of you who regularly share personal experiences which make the Christian life real!
PS. “The Bible is story” is not a typo with a missing “a.” I believe the nature of the Bible is story, rather than textbook or dictionary or encyclopedia.
I very much agree, Inge. I really do enjoy studying the Sabbath School lesson and especially that it leads us to study books and topics that we might not choose on our own. However it is very much like a catechism and also very intent on leading us to affirm our unique doctrines even when they aren’t really a part of the text. If it doesn’t fit, we’ll make it!
It seems some in the church are afraid that if we study more deeply, we will not believe in our doctrines anymore. I disagree. If our beliefs are that flimsy, they might need to be discarded! But I actually feel deeper study will affirm them, but in more stable fashion. For example, my studies have led me to see references to the Sabbath all over the New Testament, though those verses are typically not quoted.
Paul uses the word rejoice/rejoicing more than any other Bible writer. In all his writings, he uses the word (rejoice/rejoicing) more than 50 times. The word is used 16 times in the book of Philippians. In fact, at times, the Book of Philippians is referred to as “the Epistle of joy”. It is worth noting that Paul suffered most than any other Bible writer. He wrote “the Epistle of joy” (Philippians) while he was in prison. It is important to examine in detail why Paul was “obsessed” with joy/rejoicing. Secondly, what kind of joy was Paul referring to?
With all his suffering and persecutions, Paul’s joy was not based on emotions, but on a union with Christ. Joy based on earthly things is transient, but joy grounded in Christ is permanent and eternal. This joy remains strong even when circumstances become dark because of God’s assurance. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1, NKJV). This joy that Paul is obsessed with is not ordinary because he knows who he believes in – rejoicing in the Lord.
Why is rejoicing in the Lord important in Christian life?
1. Rejoicing in the Lord helps us to focus on the Lord and not our circumstances
2. Rejoicing in the allows us to affirm Christ as the Lord of our lives. Rejoicing in the Lord is an act of faith.
3. Rejoicing in the Lord gives us inner peace because it is not built on temporary things.
4. Rejoicing in the Lord is grounded on the promise of resurrection. This is the joy that scorns suffering and death. This is not mere optimism, but complete assurance that all human pain as we experience it in this life will finally be over.
5. Rejoicing in the Lord gives us the strength to endure the struggles that we face in our Christian journey to Promised Heavenly Canaan.
6. Rejoicing in the Lord unifies the church because we have a common purpose and a common destination.
7. Rejoicing in the Lord helps us to discipline ourselves because this is not based on emotions, but is firmly grounded in our faith in Jesus Christ.
(Habakkuk 3:17-19, NLT)
Permit me to paraphrase and contextualize Philippines 3:1-3 within our present realities.
Philippines 3:1-3
“1. Rejoice in Christ that you are free to worship and exercise your faith in God,
2. but beware of these categories of people that can destroy your joy in free worship, they include;
1, The heartless and high-handed leaders among you.
2, Agents of darkness that are poised to causing division among you and,
3, Those that always tell you, that you are not qualified enough to be in the presence of God.
3. Rejoice always that you have Christ as your leader and trust not flesh.
Having Christ alone as our leader and example, will make us persevere in the faith while the hope to see and be with Him someday, will make us merry along our pilgrims’ way.
Paul exhorts us, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice” (Philippians 4:4), and with this command comes an incredible promise: “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). Jesus himself assures us of this gift when he says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives” (John 14:27). This is peace the world cannot give us or take away from us.
Paul writes from prison where be needed to be very sad given the circumstances Instead, his words reveal a deeper reality: true peace and joy are not rooted in comfort or freedom, but in knowing Christ. It is precisely in difficult circumstances that we learn to rejoice. “count it all joy…when you meet trials of various kinds” (James 1:2–3). Rejoicing in hardship often means contending with opposing feelings, yet this joy goes deeper than our emotions, our joy rests in faith. When Christ is our peace, no soldier can steal our joy, no punishment can extinguish it, no prison can confine it, and no sorrow, loss, grief, anxiety, or even a pandemic can take it away. This is the type peace that flows from knowing Christ and trusting his word, for it is beyond human understanding and stronger than any opposition.
There is joy in Jesus love for humanity. He can restore joy because He goes to great lengths to rescue anyone. There is joy in His forgiveness and in His plans. The joy Christ gives is incomparable.
True Joy comes from knowing Christ and being obedient to His words.
There is a lot of suffering and unhappiness in the world today. That is why it is so important that we introduce people to Jesus, who will exchange their unhappiness for unbridled joy!!!!!
It is hard but we can cling on hope. It is easy to claim imaginary hope as a way of escape from our pains but there is real hope that can be practical and transform our lives if we trust in Jesus and take a step in aith.
‘Rejoicing in the Lord’ does not rely on or is generated by circumstances we encounter in life. The true ‘rejoicing’ is a spiritual disposition of the heart and mind – the heart’s embracing the safety of being surrounded by the protection provided by the ‘Love of God’, and the mind’s releasing its confusion to welcome the safety provided by the leading by the Holy Spirit – Phil.4:7.
This is why to “love God with all your heart and mind and all your being” is so crucial for the sustaining of our ‘joy in life’. There is no separation between the ‘Love of and for God establishing residency in our heart’, and the ready ‘rejoicing when accepting this as His Truth – 1 John 4:16; 1John 4:19; Rom.5:8.
It is not our mere ‘acknowledging’ that God wants to share His Love with us. It is the deliberate acceptance and willingness to open our heart and mind to believing it to be right and save to trust and love our God with all that we are. Then heaven’s Gates will open to pour out its blessings to sustain our spirit and body – causing us to freely rejoice in the Lord always! – 1 Peter 1:8; Psalm 97:12; Luke 10:20.