Rejoice!
Philippians 4:4
On this third Sunday of Advent, the Introit
includes verses from Psalm 85 and these poetic lines from Philippians chapter 4
Rejoice in the
Lord | always;*
again I will | say, Rejoice.
Let your reasonableness be known to | everyone.*
The Lord | is at hand.
Let’s
consider three questions about this command from God’s Word: Rejoice:
1.
When should you
rejoice?
2.
Why should you
rejoice?
3.
How will you rejoice?
First one
is easy, when should you rejoice? Always.
Keep on rejoicing, always, I’ll say it again, keep on rejoicing.
Actually, we should say this, if you
are not rejoicing, you are sinning.
- There
are moments when you must weep and mourn. Those moments should not be
denied. But our mourning does not
have to exclude rejoicing. 2 Corinthians 4 teaches us how to find comfort
and joy even in times of distress: 7 For this
light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory
beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that
are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen
are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
- There
are times when you will feel angry. In your anger, do not sin. Do not let your
anger kill your joy. Repent of your sin. If your fellow people make you
angry, seek forgiveness from the Lord and learn from him to forgive
others.
Then with a clear conscience, Rejoice in the Lord always.
So
clearly, not every moment of your day or every day of the year is going to be a
time of rejoicing at the same level, with the same concentration, and the same
vigor. Rejoice always. And occasionally, regularly, rejoice even more. Like
running a marathon, you can’t sprint the whole thing. For most of it, you have
to set your pace. And go one step at a time. So is the life of rejoicing in the
Lord.
Here’s the way I like to advise Christians
about praying: You can pray anytime. And you must pray regularly. I add the “regularly”
part because, well you know how it is. If the lazy human nature gets to
thinking, “ah, I can pray anytime. So I will pray later. And then the day goes
by and you haven’t prayed, so you say, “Oh well, I guess I will pray tomorrow,
since I can pray anytime.” And tomorrow goes by and the next day. And your
prayers are lacking. Make regular time for prayer, as a habit, and then also,
whenever you call upon the Lord, anytime.
So rejoice in the Lord always. And particularly
find occasions, to consciously, intentionally, take a few moments to rejoice in
the Lord.
Secondly, consider, Why you should rejoice.
This
passage gives the answer. In the Lord. Rejoice in the Lord. Because of your
baptism and faith, you are in the Lord. Eternally, in the Lord. Just as he is risen
from the dead, we too, united with His resurrection are looking forward to an
eternal, resurrected life. A life of peace and comfort and joy.
So listen to the children and their
parts at the end of the service today. They have for us readings on the birth
of Jesus, but also his death and burial, and then his glorious resurrection on
Easter and His ascension into heaven from whence He promises to come to us
again.
In the Gospel reading today, John the Baptist and his disciples
get the message about what they should be noticing in the life and work of
Jesus Christ. 5the blind receive their
sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead
are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them (Matthew 11:5).
The life of Jesus
Christ produced reason for our rejoicing. All the work that Jesus Christ has
done produces reasons for our rejoicing. Because He is all for us.
So then how should
you rejoice? As I mentioned, Rejoice in the Lord always.
And particularly find occasions, to consciously, intentionally, take a few moments
to rejoice in the Lord. Those moments are guided by the Lord himself. He comes
to you and blesses you with His word of
Gospel and the sacrament of His body and blood.
Take the gifts He gives, rejoicing in the Lord. Hear His
precious gospel. Recite the Christmas gospel. Say back to Him the gospel He has
said to you as you pray regularly and anytime.
Amen.
