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Exceedingly Great Joy: Making It LAST! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the November 23, 2025 sermon, “Exceedingly Great Joy: Making It LAST!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Philippians 1:12-30

 

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:2 (NIV)

Today, we continue a sermon series through Philippians about Exceedingly Great Joy and we consider how to live with an enduring joy!  Even as a prisoner himself, Paul knew the secret to the exceedingly great joy expressed by the Magi and he sought to instruct the Philippians, and us, about how to live with a joy that endures all things.  At the heart of living with such joy is the need for each of us make our joy . . .

  • Loud:  Philippians 1:12-14

    • Making your joy loud is not always about volume, often times it is more about visibility.  With the help of God, Paul made his joy heard throughout the entire palace guard and it caught the attention of believers everywhere who were now filled with courage to also share the good news of Jesus. 

  • Active:  Philippians 1:15-19

    • Making your joy active will change how you respond to the troubles of this world.  It is the active element of joy which moves beyond an intellectual knowledge of God being able to work all things together for good, to a willing participation in using your struggles and weakness for God’s glory.

  • Strong:  Philippians 1:20-26

    • Making your joy strong will lead you to hold on to God and His promises when the enemy is tempting you to let go.  An enduring joy will fill you with hope because you understand that in Christ all will be accomplished for His good and His glory whether the outcome is what you initially want or not.

  • Thankful:  Philippians 1:27-30

    • Making your joy thankful will not only fill you with gratitude, but it will become a contagious force in leading others to find joy in Christ.  While perhaps not quite as contagious as grumbling seems to be, the spread of joy is nearly impossible to stop once we learn to be thankful in all circumstances.

Today, how will you make joy LAST?