Advent 3 Wed Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice In the Lord

          Our world offers countless opportunities and excuses to worry.  Just pick up a newspaper, turn on a radio or watch the TV news and you will see that it is true. Why, even the commercials are designed to create a desire for something that you do not have.

This world is full of much time-saving technology that seems only to quicken our frantic pace.  We have telephones, postal mail, emails, blackberries and wireless internet all attempting to increase our communications but really only add to our frenzied distractions.  Our society emphasizes and acclaims self-achievement, sports entertainment and indulgence in all that the world has to offer.

There is a new theology of self glory; a means of solving one’s own spiritual dilemmas by looking at how we can create happiness in our lives by our self-realization.  And there is a rush to get all of our living in; to do, feel and experience everything before we die.  There is this false idea that this life is all there is; that happiness must be achieved at all costs and if one misses out on any part of what life in this world has to offer, he has somehow failed.

This way of thinking by the way is popular among teenagers. As they grow in age and experience however, most of them realize that there must be more to life than what they have been led to believe by the world. Those who never grow out of this mode end up bitter, distrustful and full of hate.  No matter how rich one becomes or what one has done in this life, their life will eventually end.   The world always fails to live up to its advertisements and will always disappoint those seeking true joy and contentment because there always seems to be something better or more fun that one has not done.

Frankly, because it is the only way he can strike back at God, the devil rejoices when we are miserable and even though he is limited in what he can do, Satan will use all of his power to keep the world unhappy and in pain. Nothing pleases Satan more than to have us cling to our misery, bitterness and unforgiving attitude until we die.

But there is and there can be peace and contentment in this world for those who know where to look. Saint Paul tells us where and how that peace is given which the world cannot give. Even though Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians, it applies to all people. In our lesson for this evening, he tells you to rejoice in the Lord always.  Again he says rejoice. Perhaps a better translation would be, “Always and in every way rejoice!” Paul calls all of his readers to a life of joy in which one can find contentment and peace in all situations.

But don’t take what he says wrongly. The apostle is not saying that we will act with silliness as if we are unaware of our own problems in this life or that we should be unfeeling to those who have troubles around us. Far from it; a Christian’s emotional or physical pain is still pain. And Christians are not isolated from pain and suffering.   In fact, Christians suffer more than most, since they see the results of sin as it affects those they love. And Christians suffer from accidents, illnesses and the evil in the world the same as unbelievers.

Nothing caused Saint Paul more sadness than the unrepentant sins of the people who rejected the gospel message.  Furthermore the chains Paul wore in prison, the stoning he suffered and the beatings he incurred for the sake of the gospel were unbearably painful.

Still, Paul called for all believers to rejoice in the Lord.  This rejoicing comes by the Holy Spirit revealing the work of Jesus Christ to us in a heartfelt way. It comes by the knowledge and the certainty of being in the Lord because of God’s gracious gift of full forgiveness for every sin.  This God given faith is what comforts our distress and enhances our happiness in our times of doubt.  Our faith apprehends and comprehends Jesus Christ’s work as God’s sacrifice for the sins of the whole world for all eternity. Hence it gives the Christian a long-view perspective that includes an eternity of perfect joy.  Just as we look forward to the certainty of Christmas past and celebrate the birth of our Lord, we look forward to His return again with blissful anticipation. 

Earthly joy is the natural, logical result of guaranteed eternal joy.  Christian joy here in this world is both the preview and the outgrowth of joy hereafter.  It is the very theme of the Christian life.

So with a long term outlook, troubles fade to trifles and we are encouraged to rejoice in every situation. This does not mean that when trouble comes into our lives that we begrudgingly sigh, “Well at least I have my faith.” It means even amid our tears, we have an attitude that looks for reasons and ways to express happiness in a way that preaches Christ. 

Through Paul, God tells us to worry about nothing and to lay every concern at His feet.  God doesn’t tell us to give up the big problems for Him and take care of the little problems by ourselves.  Rather we are to bring everything before Him in prayers. That doesn’t mean just our worries but our wants, our joys and our thanks for what we have been given. After all, through the blood of Christ, we are His adopted children. Therefore just as a child approaches a loving Father with all things, the Christian approaches His heavenly Father, with thanksgiving, and an appreciative, expressed understanding of how much he owes God.

Then by knowing what a generous and loving Father God has been to us, Paul tells us to let our gentleness be evident to all. The gentleness that Paul is speaking of in the Greek is not the wimpy word we use in English however. Gentleness according to Paul indicates a willingness to yield one’s rights without a hint of weakness or softness. In contrast, it describes someone in a superior position of rank or strength or argument kindly deferring to someone in an inferior position.

In the context of Christian living it describes a way of thinking that understands the gentleness through which Jesus Christ proclaimed God’s glory and did what was good for God’s people. This kind of gentleness looks reasonably at situations with Christian maturity and a long term outlook.  It thinks first of others and would gladly be wronged rather than wrong someone else.

 It is the very opposite of the self-centered contentiousness of a mean world. Christian gentleness then refers to the love which we show the world by letting them know that the Savior and their salvation is near. 

The time is coming when we will face our judge and Savior. That will happen either at our life’s end or the world’s end. Yes the world is correct when it tells us that life is short. But life is not about getting all of the gusto you can but it is about learning about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and teaching those who do not know Him.  Paul states the fact that our time on earth is too short for loveless, joyless bickering.   Rather we are really always in an Advent setting, teaching about the coming of our Lord; always in a state of repentance and forgiveness; always looking ahead to the coming of God’s Son and always having a joyful eye out for His return.

That is the peace that passes all understanding. God’s peace given by God through the Holy Spirit is the peace that counts. No decision, reason or strength can give one the serenity that God gives in His word.  God’s peace is beyond the grasp of human intellect, for it is grounded in God’s infinite, eternal wisdom, and yet it is proclaimed simply through the gospel so that even a child may understand it.  Such is the wisdom and the peace of God; brought into the world through the Word made flesh, the Babe in Bethlehem. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.