Church Sermon - October 9, 2005

REJOICE IN THE LORD!

Rev. Bernt P. Tweit

Old Testament Lesson; Isaiah 25:6-9
Gospel Lesson; Matthew 22:1-14
Sermon Text; Philippians 4:4-13

When I was a senior in high school, we were to have a very promising year on the basketball court. But, during the very last game of the football season, our starting center blew out his knee. And, his basketball season was over. As the basketball season started, our starting point guard got into some trouble and he left school. Our once promising season was behind us.

The season was certainly quite a struggle. We had won only one game all year long, and we were now entering the very last game of the regular season. We were up by ten points at halftime and feeling pretty good. But near the end of the game, that whole lead was erased, and we were down by one point, with five seconds to go.

Well, as with every team and every coach, they always have a play to use at the end of each quarter, at the end of each half, at the end of each game, for a last second shot. That play was instituted and the ball was in-bounded to me. I was getting ready to shoot, when a number of defenders came flying in my direction and I knew my normal shot simply would not go in. So, I put a little extra arc on it and as the time expired, as the buzzer went off, the ball went through the hoop! The whole gymnasium was going crazy. Was that ever time to be joyful! It was a time to rejoice. Everybody forgot about that miserable season and rejoiced in a very simple win. We rejoiced in a win!

From our text for today, we see a far greater reason to rejoice. The Apostle Paul lays out for us, in three simple paragraphs, the reasons why it is that we are to rejoice and the reasons how it is that we are to rejoice.

Let’s now turn our attention to our text, taken from Philippians chapter four. Through this text I want to share with you three observations how it is we are to rejoice.

"Rejoice in the Lord, always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brother, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."

These are your Words, Heavenly Father. Lead us in the way of truth. Your Word is truth.

Amen.

It certainly is easy for us to rejoice, when things are going well in our lives. But did you know that we are also to rejoice, when we are going through trials, when we are going through times of suffering, and even when we are being afflicted in our lives?

One of the observations that we take from our text, is that we are to rejoice always. Let me give you a few examples from scripture. In the early Christian Church, the apostles were being persecuted. In Acts, chapter five, we are told that as the apostles left the Sanhedrin rejoicing, because they had been considered worthy to suffer persecution for the Name, that is the name of Jesus. They were rejoicing that they had been counted worthy to suffer persecution for the name of Christ.

Or think about this gentleman from the Old Testament. A gentleman that we all know very well. But, in his relationship with the LORD, he would be at a time of rejoicing and then there would be times where he would be angry with the LORD. The man I am about to talk about was literally at rock bottom. Here is a prayer that he prayed. And, I want you to be thinking about who it is that prayed this prayer, and then I will share with you who it was. He said:

"In my distress, I called to the LORD. He answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help and you listened to my cries. You hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas and the currents swirled about me. All of your waves and breakers swept over me. I said I have been banished from your sight, yet I will look again toward your holy temple. Engulfing waters threaten me. The deep sea surrounded me. Seaweed was wrapped around my head. To the roots of the mountains I sank down. The earth beneath barred me and forever. But you brought my life up from the pit oh LORD, my God. As my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD. My prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. Those who cling to worthless idles forfeit the grace that would be theirs. But, I with the song of thanksgiving, (here is that rejoicing), will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD."

Who was it that prayed that prayer? That was Jonah! So, here Jonah, when he was at rock bottom, brought a song of praise to the LORD, a song of thanksgiving, rejoicing that the LORD was with him and hearing his prayer. Jonah could rejoice always, even as he was at the bottom of the water, in the belly of a fish.

The apostle Paul also reminds us to rejoice always in another letter he wrote to the church in Rome. He said that we are to rejoice in our suffering, because suffering produces perseverance, perseverance character, and character hope, and hope does not disappoint us. And so at all times and in all places we are able to rejoice always.

Think about our baptisms that we had for today. What a wonderful time for you, as families, to rejoice that your children have come to faith in Jesus, as their Savior, through the working of water and the word by the Holy Spirit!

Another observation from our text is that not only can we rejoice always, but also we are to rejoice in the Lord. What was Paul’s secret for rejoicing in the Lord that he lays on to us today? The reason that he is able to rejoice in the Lord and that we are able to rejoice in the Lord is because it is for eternity in Heaven.

Unfortunately, there are times when we turn to things that can only bring temporal joy. For example, drugs and alcohol can only bring temporal joy into our lives. Or, sex outside of marriage or before marriage is a joy that some people enjoy, when God has spoken against it. Maybe some of us have an adrenaline rush through stealing, or lying, or cheating. We find joy in temporal things.

But temporary joys have no lasting treasure.

Apostle Paul reminds us in our text for today, "Whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - think about such things." Then I love what he says next! "Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put into practice."

Here Paul tells us that it was his lifetime goal to present God’s Word to all people. That is the reason we rejoice in the Lord, because we are reminded of what our Savior Jesus came to do for us. To think that our Savior Jesus was willing to leave the comforts of Heaven in order to bring eternal joy for us in Heaven. Our Savior Jesus did that by doing two things for us.

In my Confirmation Classes, I teach this as being the Active Obedience of Christ and the Passive Obedience of Christ. Think about those words, active and passive.

Well, our Savior Jesus, as our brother, actively kept God’s Law, because we could not. And He did so perfectly. He was actively obedient to His Father.

Not only has Jesus been actively obedient, but also He was passively obedient. He was willing to be nailed upon the cross. He was willing to be spit upon, to have a crown of thorns pounded onto the top of His head. He was willing to die in your place and my place.

Not only was He actively obedient, but also He was passively obedient for you and for me. And for that very reason we can rejoice in the Lord.

It is through Jesus our Savior, that our sins have been washed clean. Even our sins when we have turned to temporary joys instead of eternal joy. With this forgiveness of sins comes eternal life in Heaven.

Knowing that we can rejoice always, knowing that we can rejoice in the Lord, it then leaves us with wonderful opportunities for us to look for ways to express our faith. In our text, in the very last paragraph Paul tells the church at Philippi, that certainly they had concern for Paul, but they did not know of opportunities or ways that they could express their concern to him. Paul says, "I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it."

As we have come to faith in Jesus as our Savior, what are opportunities to let our faith be put into practice?

During the course of this week, I was looking for ways that are right before our eyes. I will start with our school newspaper publication that was handed out at the end of church last week. One of the things that stood out was from the school board report. As I was reading through it, I was saying, "Wow! These are wonderful ways for us to show our concern for our Savior Jesus." These are maintenance projects that need attention soon.

You did not know about those opportunities to let your faith show itself, but now you know.

There is a box out in the Narthex that says, "Coats for Kids." Yet another wonderful way for us to let our faith be put into practice, as we bring in lightly used clothes to distribute to other people.

Our food panty is another way.

This coming week, you will be receiving the mid month newsletter. A part of the mid month newsletter is the financial report. As I was looking through the financial report, I noticed that we are $20,000 behind in our giving. We didn’t know about that, but now that we see that, it becomes an opportunity for us to show our concern for God and His people.

The basketball season of my senior year of high school certainly didn’t go the way that I wanted it to. And yet, we were able to rejoice in a very simple win.

As God has taken the time to call us to faith, as He has taken the time through the use of Word and Sacraments to work faith in our hearts in Jesus as our Savior, we have some wonderful gifts. We are forgiven of all of our sins. We have eternal life in Heaven.

May we go forward with these observations that Paul has given to us. Rejoicing always, rejoicing in the Lord because of the salvation He has won for us, and look for wonderful opportunities to let our faith be put into practice!

Amen.

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