Joy Unchained

Dominique Clements · Tidal Church Moncton · September 27, 2026 · Joy Anyway series

Dominique Clements teaches from Philippians 1, where Paul writes from chains with deep gratitude. Joy comes from Christ, not circumstances, and grows through community, a heart rooted in God, and trusting that He can use our hardest seasons to advance His kingdom.

More from Dominique Clements · The Joy Anyway series

Topics: Joy, Faith, Relationships

Transcript

[0:00] Well, good morning, Tidal Church family. How are you guys doing this morning? Hopefully, we can change that. We'll get some more energy going here shortly. It's a little different for us, right? It's a little different than usual. I feel like I missed my cue, and I'm supposed to walk off with the band. But it's great to be here with you guys this morning. I'm excited for this conversation that we're going to have about joy. And I don't know about you guys, but I feel like I spent this whole summer just saying, "After this week, things are going to slow down. I just need to get through this week. Let me just get to July, and things will be slower." Right? And I recently found out, I don't know if you guys know this, or if this is a shock to any of you, but it's September. I don't really know where the summer went, but it did not slow down at all. And in life, we often have seasons or years or decades or just our whole life like that, right?

[0:54] Life feels full sometimes. Almost overfull. Feels overwhelming at times. And it can get in the way of our ability to see what God has for us. Oftentimes, we get caught up focusing on fleeting emotions, things that change with the seasons or our circumstances. And today, as you saw, we're going to be talking about joy, and oftentimes we use the words "joy" and "happiness" interchangeably. In the scripture we're going to read today, it talks about joy, and in the original text, the word means the same thing. But in English, we approach those words a little differently. In English, happiness is an emotion that's often fleeting, that can change with the weather or the circumstances in front of us.

[1:45] But joy is this deep, intrinsic feeling that we get from God. It's this everlasting fruit that grows as we deepen our relationship with Him. You guys ever find yourself in this tension of, "I'll be happy when" mindset? Of, "I'll be happy when the job changes. I'll be happy when the hardship ends. I'll be happy when life settles down. I'll be happy when..." Fill in the blank. Whatever it is that you may be holding onto that's controlling your happiness. When we give control to outside factors to allow them to control how we feel, it feels a little helpless.

[2:34] But ultimately, we serve a God who is bigger than all of that and wants us to have these everlasting fruits that can sustain and strengthen us through all of the days of our lives. Today, we're going to be talking about the Apostle Paul. If you aren't familiar with who he is, I'll give you a quick synopsis. So Paul was a Pharisee, known as Saul, who was dedicated to eradicating Christians. On the Damascus road, he encountered a bright, blinding light, and God gave him a new name and a new purpose. He journeyed all throughout the Mediterranean, taking many paths and different cities and churches and people that he encountered that God took him on.

[3:19] And he was welcomed in many different ways. He was welcomed by fellow believers in some towns. In other places, there was crowds waiting to worship him as a deity. But more often than not, people were angry. He was met by angry mobs wanting to beat, imprison him or kill him, or all of the above. You see, in Acts 16, we see an example of this when Paul and Silas are in Philippi. They cast a demon out of a slave girl who's telling fortunes, and her owners aren't very happy with that. If you lost your income suddenly because somebody did something, you wouldn't be very happy with it either, I imagine. But this, unfortunately for her owners, was a very good thing.

[4:05] They cast the demon out of her, and she was freed from this oppression, but they were very angry and incited a mob, leading Roman officials to beat Paul and Silas with rods and throw them in prison into the deepest parts of the prison in shackles. But that wasn't the end of the story. You see, when Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns at midnight in this prison, a massive earthquake opened all of the prison doors, loosed all of the chains, and freed all of the prisoners. The guard was preparing to kill himself, assuming that the prisoners had fled. When he heard Paul call out to him, "Wait, we're all still here."

[4:52] Every single prisoner was still present in their cells. The jailer was so moved that he took Paul and Silas to his home and his family so they could hear this gospel, so that they could believe. And not only did they come to believe, but they were baptized that night, too, and began their journey of faith in Christ. And you see now we're going to jump a little further into Paul's story in Philippians. If you want to open your Bibles to Philippians 1, that's where we're going to be today. And see, Paul and Timothy are in Rome now. Paul is under house arrest. He's chained under Roman guard. Scripture actually says that he was chained to the guard and facing possible execution.

[5:41] And not only was he chained to a guard, it wasn't just any guard, it was a Praetorian guard, which is an elite force of bodyguards and intelligence operatives for the Roman emperor. They were the top guards assigned directly to Caesar. And despite his circumstances, in writing this letter to the church in Philippi, this letter is often referred to as the Epistle of Joy. How could somebody in such circumstances have so much joy? How does someone sitting in chains write a letter overflowing with gratitude, confidence, and celebration?

[6:28] See, Paul shows us that when our life is anchored in Jesus, our joy cannot be captive to our conditions. We're going to start in Philippians 1:1. Paul opens this letter by saying, "Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart, for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me.

[7:25] God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus." See, Paul addresses the church not as an authoritative dictator, but as a servant alongside Timothy, writing to the saints in Philippi. Paul finds joy in community. If you read scripture and you follow the story of Paul, you'll notice that Paul is never alone. He started off his ministry with Barnabas. We read about him traveling with Silas, and now we're reading in Philippians that he's with Timothy. He is never alone. Paul writes to the saints in Philippi, as he refers to them.

[8:12] We don't use the word "saints" here all the time, but usually, you may hear us use the term "ministry partners." We get to partner in ministry together for the work of the kingdom, the plan that God has for each of us. We are all equal partners in that. It doesn't belong to one person or another. No one person is greater than another. We are all partners in ministry. And he reflects on his partnership with them. "From the first day until now," he says. They supported his ministry in many ways, relationally, spiritually, financially. He was sending letters back and forth between him and individuals.

[8:57] He was spending time in community. He had a personal connection there, as we see in Acts 16. They supported him from the first day until now. You see, because a community is essential for sustaining joy. Paul isn't a lone ranger. His heart is tied to the body of Christ. We are made to be in community because we are made in the image of God, who is in constant relation with Himself. God is in constant community with the Father, Son, Holy Spirit, three in one. We are made in His image and therefore we are made to be in community. Verse 6 says, "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." He finishes what He starts in you, even when it feels incomplete, even when you may feel incomplete.

[9:58] Because we are called to sharpen, build, challenge and encourage, love, and celebrate, and carry each other in community. No one is meant to be alone. We are one family in Christ Jesus. I grew up watching lots of Disney and Pixar and lots of those cheesy kiddy movies, and as I was preparing for this message, one came to mind. I was a big fan of "Lilo & Stitch" growing up, and if you guys are familiar with the movie, they're in Hawaii, and a term in Hawaii is ohana. Ohana means family, and in the movie, they have this phrase that they use, "Ohana means family, and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten."

[10:47] We are made to be in community. Are you trying to live your faith in isolation? That's not what we're made to do. Trying to live our faith in isolation becomes difficult because there's nobody to sharpen you. There's nobody to encourage you, to celebrate with you, love you, and carry your burdens alongside of you. Here at Tidal, we have what we call Tidal Groups, and it's an opportunity for you to get to know other people here in the church, because I don't know if you can tell, but there's a lot of people here in this room. It's hard to know every single one of you. It's hard for us all to know each other, but groups give us an opportunity to go through life together in a smaller group.

[11:40] People that we get to live alongside, that we get to carry burdens with, that we get to know on a deeper level and build community. Not only do we find joy in community, but we also find joy in our heart. Continuing in verse 9, Paul writes, "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God." You see, Paul doesn't pray for his release from prison. He prays for spiritual maturity. He asks that their love abound in knowledge and depth of insight so that they can discern what is best and be filled with the fruit of righteousness.

[12:36] We're called to be filled with that same fruit of righteousness, the fruits of the Spirit, so filled with joy that it bubbles up. You see, the renewable resource that we seek and receive from God bubbling up as we grow in knowledge and understanding and spend time in Christ-centered community and deepen our relationship with Jesus. Growing up, I often went to camp and worked at a church camp through college, and there's a lot of fun songs that you sing when you're at camp. If you've never been, highly recommend going. Great experience. But there's one that really stands out to me. You guys may know this one. If you know it, I encourage you to jump in, but it goes, "I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart." Where?

[13:29] Deep in my heart. Where? Deep in my heart. "I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart." Where? Deep in my heart. "My heart to stay." We have to dig deep and bury that joy deep in our heart so that it becomes rooted there and nothing can pull it out, so that it bubbles up out of us. Because Paul wants more for Timothy and himself, more for the Philippians. He wants more for us, even though he doesn't know us. Do you want more for your brothers and sisters in Christ? Do you want more for yourself? Because God wants more for you. He wants more for me, for all of us.

[14:17] Because good enough is not good enough. We are called to excellence. We are made for more. So how does your prayer life reflect your priorities? When you pray, what do you pray for? Growing up, I often heard the term "count your blessings." You guys have probably heard that before. How many times do you start your prayers asking for needs or wants? What would it look like if we started our prayers by saying, "God, I thank You and I praise You," and listing all of the ways that we are thankful, all of the things we have to praise God for?

[15:03] What would it look like to shift your prayer focus this week from asking God to change your circumstances to asking God to refine your character? How does your prayer life reflect your priorities? Because not only do we find joy in our circumstances, not only can we put joy in our heart and bury it deep down so it bubbles up, but we also can find joy in circumstances. I think I said that. I meant community. We can find joy in our circumstances, though, too. Starting in verse 12, "Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.

[15:53] Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly." You see, Paul reframes his imprisonment. What looks like a setup for defeat has really served to advance the gospel, and two surprising results come out of this. As we see in Scripture, the first, the message reached the imperial guards stationed around Paul. They didn't want to necessarily be there. They didn't want to hear what he had to say, but they were stationed there. And so as he had conversations with fellow believers, as he praised, as he prayed, as he sought God, they heard it, and some came to know Christ because of that.

[16:44] The other result was that other believers were emboldened to speak the word without fear because of his chains. See, God often uses our greatest setbacks as platforms for gospel advancement. Where does God have you right now in life, waiting to use you to advance His kingdom? What circumstances do you find yourself in? Because we need to celebrate victories. Today, we celebrated baptisms, which is the first of many steps in a long journey with God and our relationship with Him.

[17:30] We need to celebrate these victories, no matter how small, because it is ground that is taken back for the Kingdom. What are you letting stand in the way of your joy? What circumstance are you letting restrict you? What chains or restrictive situations are you currently in? Maybe it's a tough job, a health issue, or a difficult family season. There's numerous things I could list. And instead of asking, "Why is this happening to me?" what if we asked, "How can God advance His message through me right here?"

[18:15] Are you focusing on your circumstances or are you focusing on God? Because ultimately our joy is found in Christ. Continuing in verse 15 it says, "It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached, and because of this, I rejoice."

[19:03] You see, Paul acknowledges a frustrating reality that we deal with in the church. Some people preach Christ out of goodwill, but others preach out of envy, rivalry, or selfish ambition to stir up trouble for him as he writes in this letter. Paul's radical response in verse 18, "What does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached, and because of this, I rejoice." You see, there's always going to be people with selfish motives, with alternative agendas, people trying to get attention, playing politics, leaders trying to become important or people trying to become popular.

[19:53] But kingdom impact matters more than personal reputation or petty rivalries. This doesn't mean that we don't address issues when they come up. Matthew 18 gives us a very clear understanding of how we're to proceed in addressing issues or conflict in the church. You see, Paul writes in his letters as well, correcting bad politics, morals, and lack of love in churches. It matters, but not more than his mission of advancing the kingdom. How do you react when others get credit or act out of poor motives? You see, joy comes when we surrender our ego, when we put aside our pride and focus entirely on the exaltation of Jesus.

[20:44] Circumstances may bind your body, but they cannot chain the word of God or destroy gospel-centered joy. I'm going to say that one more time in case you didn't hear me. Circumstances may bind your body, but they cannot chain the word of God or destroy gospel-centered joy. Amen? Amen. You see, God wants to give us a gift. He has a gift for us, but we keep telling Him, "Not yet. I'm not ready for it. I'm not good enough. I'm not old enough. I don't know enough yet. I'm not far enough along in my faith journey. I'm not blank enough."

[21:35] But He never asked or said that we needed to be anything but willing to receive. Are you willing to receive the joy of Christ that we find not only in community, we can bury deep in our hearts, we can find it in our circumstances, and ultimately it comes from our Lord and Savior? Are you trying to live your faith in isolation? Do you want more for your brothers and sisters in Christ and for yourself? What are you letting stand in the way of your joy?

[22:23] Are you focusing on your circumstances or on God? What are you letting steal your joy? You see, because it's really easy to let things steal our joy, to let things steal our focus. Growing up, my dad would often remind me that he started his day, each day, by saying, "I choose to be happy. I refuse to let anyone or anything steal my joy." First words out of his mouth every morning. Do you refuse to let anyone or anything steal your joy?

[23:09] Yeah. Because I don't know about you, but I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart. Where? In my heart. Where? In my heart. We've got the joy of Jesus in our heart, and sometimes that's all that we have to lean on. He is our strength, and all the words we can squeak out are a hallelujah. Just as Paul and Silas sat in that prison and sang and prayed till the walls shook, will you guys do the same? As we sing this last song, I encourage you to remember Paul and Silas in that prison cell, the deepest part of the prison, shackled and still filled with joy.

[24:11] Let's pray. God, thank You so much for the opportunity that we have to gather here together in Your name and learn about the joy that You want to give us, to learn about what it is that You have in store for us, that You want more, that You have more for us, Father. We thank You so much for the joy That makes no sense, that comes from only You, Father, that we bury it deep in our hearts. Let it be rooted there, God. Help us to seek You and receive this gift. Create in us a willing heart to accept what You have for us, God.

[24:58] Help us to raise a hallelujah, even in the deepest of prisons, in the depths of despair, in the strongest storms, whatever may carry us. God, because You're not here to get us out of situations, Father, but You carry us through them. We thank You for that. In Jesus' name, amen.