What is there to Celebrate?
This is the sermon I preached on Sunday, Oct. 15 at St. Timothy Lutheran Church and St. Mark Lutheran Church. The scripture text is Philippians 4:1-9.
“Celebrate God all day, every
day…revel in him” (v. 4). Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice!
How can an attitude like that make any sense in today’s world of violence,
fires and storms that devastate people’s lives and property? Additionally, it
seems like we are on the threshold of war. Does such an attitude seem callous
or fanatical? What was Paul thinking as he wrote this to the Philippian church?
For one thing, Paul had been
through the school of hard knocks. He wrote this letter from prison and had
experienced beatings and all kinds of problems for the faith. Remember that
before becoming a follower of Jesus, Paul was a well-respected Jewish leader.
He was zealous for his faith to the point of persecuting believers in Jesus.
The Philippians themselves were
experiencing persecution, so you can imagine how the words, “Celebrate God all
day, every day…revel in him” must have sounded to them. However, they trusted
Paul who wrote to them as a father, brother, teacher and fellow-sufferer in the
faith. He was the founder of their church along with Lydia and some other women
as we’re told in Acts.
What we find in this final
chapter of Philippians is a summary of what’s gone before, featuring practical
advice for a life centered in Christ. In the beginning of this
chapter, Paul gives specific instructions concerning two women and division in
the church. He then gives general instructions
to the Philippians, writing, “Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him!” (V. 4).—rejoice in the Lord always!
Right—isn’t that for crazy
fanatics? That isn't real life and isn’t even nice when someone is suffering.
Paul was not living in the lap of luxury in a big mansion, traveling around
in his private jet.
Paul was in prison for his
faith. Before coming to Christ, he was a well-respected religious leader. Life
was good. Since his conversion, all kinds of troubles came his way. Just being
a Christian and following Jesus does not immunize us from hardship. The
difference is that we are not alone. Jesus is always with us and we also have
our brothers and sisters in the faith
with us, supporting us in our grief; and on top of all that, by the Holy
Spirit, God is in us as well. God in and with us plus all of our sisters and
brothers in the faith is what gives us hope.
Joy is a central theme in this
letter and should be the distinctive mark of anyone who is a follower of Jesus.
Paul is not talking about superficial happiness here, unlike the obligatory
laughter of invisible (perhaps non-existent) audiences in TV sitcoms. There is
a huge difference between something funny and deep joy, that wells up from
within us because of God’s presence in our lives. Such joy has a lasting effect
and power to change us, which is how we can manage the difficulties and fears
of life. Paul could rejoice because he was unafraid of death, secure in the
knowledge of his relationship with God. Such joy is completely dependent upon
one’s relationship with the Lord Jesus.
In the face of suffering at the
hands of their neighbors of the Empire, where Caesar was revered as “lord,” the
Philippians are called upon to rejoice always, to revel in God. Problems are
real, but they will not have the final word—God will.
Being on the side of others,
“working with them and not against them” (v. 5) is what it means to be gentle.
How we treat others, including those who are making life miserable for us,
shows God’s work of grace in our lives, as the disposition of all God’s people.
“…the master is about to
arrive. He could show up any minute.” There is a sense of Christ’s imminent
return that Paul wants to communicate to his church. However, there is also the
understanding of the now-ness of Christ’s presence. The NRSV translates this
phrase as “The Lord is near” (4:5). The Philippians’ current suffering is at
the hands of those who proclaim Caesar as lord. Paul reminds them that their
true Lord is near. Using the language of the Psalms, Paul encourages the
Philippians to pray in the midst of their difficult circumstances, because the
Lord is near to those who call on Him. They are not alone. We are not left on
our own.
Prayer is the roadway to peace,
God’s wholeness and shalom. “Let petitions and praises shape your worries into
prayers” (v. 6). Paul deliberately joins God’s peace with the exhortation to
pray in trusting submission with thanksgiving. This is God’s antidote to worry.
The result is, “Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything
coming together for good, will come and settle you down” (v. 7).
Christ displaces worry (v. 7).
There are desperate situations all around us. What do we have to say to those
suffering? There are still injured in the hospitals in Las Vegas. Clean up and
rebuilding is happening where hurricanes and flooding have wreaked havoc. The
fires in the west are worsening. In California, whole neighborhoods have been
leveled.
How would we respond if we were
in their shoes? We too, would be devastated and rightly so. God does
hear and answer prayer—whether it means stopping evil and devastation or if
it’s his presence as we go through the difficulties.
Paul gives final instructions
on how to live a godly life. He tells the Philippians to let their minds be
captivated by what is right and good-by filling their minds and meditating on
what’s true as defined by what’s found in God and the gospel, by what’s noble,
honorable, worthy of respect, by what’s reputable-not according to human
understanding, but according to God and his relationship with his people, by
the authentic; whatever is not tainted by evil, by the compelling-what people
consider lovable in the sense of having a friendly disposition toward it, by
the gracious; which is admirable as well as moral; the best and the beautiful;
which is excellent, virtue filled with Christian content exemplified by Paul’s
life and teaching, along with things to praise, meaning not simply general
ethical judgment but conduct keeping with God’s own righteousness.
Paul does not give this list of
virtues for the Philippians to thoughtlessly embrace. They are to consider and
think about them. You need to see how this works? Look at Paul! These are not
some fluffy, pie in the sky thoughts Paul communicates, but real things that
will work in life’s circumstances and actions. “What you learned…heard…saw and
realized” (v. 9). Paul is passing along a tradition—the body of teaching giving
identity and continuity to the Christian community.
What do we think about? Is it
the latest fashion, television show, electronics or some other craze? Or are we
thinking about our finances and trying to make ends meet? Our minds go to all
kinds of places. Can we commit ourselves to really mull over these virtues Paul
is extolling? Will this make a difference in our lives and congregation? This
can only be accomplished through our relationship with God and each other.
For the Philippians, Paul ends
his letter on a note of imitation. Unlike what some of us may have heard
growing up, it’s not a matter of “do as I say and not as I do,” but do as I say
and as I do. Watch me. Look at me. You will see the life of Christ in me. It
was a matter of what they had learned from him, heard, saw and realized. “Do
that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most
excellent harmonies” (v. 9).
Amen!
Resources:
William R. Barclays, Commentary
on Philippians 4:1-9.
Christian A. Eberhart, workingpreacher.org
The IVP New Testament
Commentary Series
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