Philippians 2:17-18: But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.

Christians sometimes misunderstand joy. We think of joy as an emotion, and we think emotions are deeply hidden within ourselves. Our feelings are ours, and ours alone. A moment’s reflection shows us that this is not the case. Step into a room of mourners for a few minutes, and the gloom settles in. Go to a party, and you begin to share the atmosphere. You can resist the jollity of a party, but that’s just the point: You have to resist in order to keep from being caught up in the spirit of the thing.

Joy is not only something we experience as individuals. Joy is, I would say first of all, embodied in social events. Joy is a communal spirit, and becomes ours individually when we share in joy. Paul says that he will share his joy with the Philippians, and hopes that in return they will give him joy in return. Joy is a gift, and a return gift. We given joy away, and then receive it back.

To experience joy, we enter into joy. And that’s what the whole of our worship is about. We enter the Lord’s gates with singing and rejoicing at the beginning of the service. After we have confessed and received assurance of forgiveness, we rejoice in our deliverance from sin. God speaks to us in His Word, and we respond with “thanks be to God.” After the sermon, we offer God our tithes because in thanks for His gifts, and in the passing of the peace we share not only the peace but the joy of God with one another.

It all culminates at this table. Despite centuries of contrary practice, this table is a table of joy. “Eat, drink, and rejoice before Yahweh your God” is the exhortation at Old Testament feasts, and we have even more to rejoice in than they ever had. As we pass the bread and wine to one another, saying “the body of the Lord” and “the blood of the Lord” and “thanks be to God,” we are sharing our joy because we are sharing Christ who is our Joy.

And it doesn’t end at the table. Paul talks about sharing joy in the context of talking about His apostolic ministry. He compares his ministry to the drink offering poured out over the sacrifice of the Philippians’ service. He shares joy with the Philippians by serving them, offering themselves even to death. The joy we share in worship, and at this table, is to extend to the rest of our lives.

This is the table of joy. And so, I invite you: Enter into His joy. But I also charge you: When you have shared joy here at this table, go out in the joy of the Lord, which is your strength, to continue to share joy.