Call to Worship (Psalm 118:1, 24, NRSV
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
His steadfast love endures forever!
This is the day that the Lord has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it!
Unison Prayer
This is the day that the Lord has made. But yesterday was also the day that the Lord made. And so was Friday. The Lord made all the days. So why do we wait until the next day (which the Lord will also make) to look back and say, “Wow, I wish I’d enjoyed yesterday: instead of enjoying it while we were still in it? Now it’s today (again) and the Lord made this one too. Let us rejoice and be glad in it! Amen.
Words of Assurance: John 16:22, NIV You will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father,
who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil;
for thine is the kingdom,
and the power,
and the glory forever.
Amen.
Opening Song: Housefires, “Joy”
Scripture Reading: Philippians 4:4-9, NIV
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 every situation, 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, brothers and sisters, 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.
Sunday Sermon
Rejoice in the Lord always, writes Paul, again I say, “Rejoice!” It’s the message so nice he has to say it twice. The passage above is the culmination of what has been called “the Bible’s most joyful letter,” and it builds on all that has come before. It also comes from the most unlikely source: a man who is serving time in prison, has no idea if he will ever be released, and is suffering from a painful, incurable ailment that God refuses to take away. So when Paul says that it is possible to rejoice, we lean forward. We listen. And we believe it.
There is an Old Testament template for this kind of rejoicing. It begins with Psalm 118: “This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” It continues with this remarkable passage from the book of Habbukuk:
Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
Now compare this with Paul’s words from later in the same chapter:
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 all this through him who gives me strength.
We all know people who should be unhappy, but are not. We admire them for their optimism and grace. We also know people who should be happy, but complain all the time. But Paul is saying a remarkable thing: for people of faith, there should be no difference based on circumstances: rejoice in the Lord always. In the break between sentences, we mumble, “that seems impossible, Paul,” so Paul says it again: rejoice.
It’s tempting to put “Rejoice in the Lord always” in the same category as “Cheer up” and “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” but it goes much deeper than that. Paul’s definition of rejoicing does not ignore suffering, but is based on it. He rejoices not because he hasn’t suffered, but because he has. In effect, he is saying, “If you’re still alive, you’re still able to feel joy, so embrace it, and it will transform you.”
So let’s look at some of the things that get in the way of joy. First I’ll list a few general categories pertinent to almost everyone: school, grades, jobs, relationships, health, other people’s health, finances, mistakes, regrets and fear. Now I’ll add a few specific things: Iran, the Strait of Hormuz, Gaza, Ukraine, Venezuela, voting rights, reflecting pools, social media, short attention spans and the New York Mets. I’m sure I’ve left a lot out, but does everyone here have enough to worry about?
a) No, pastor, please give me more things to worry about.
b) Yes, pastor, that is more than enough.
Some of these things we can’t control; others we can, and some have already been taken care of by God. But Paul identifies a different source of the problem: the brain. And then he provides instructions for joy. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus says, “Love the Lord with all your heart, your soul, your mind and your strength. To the Romans, Paul writes, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. And to the Philippians he writes, “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. (In another translation, dwell on these things.) And the God of peace will be with you.
The mind can be our own worst enemy. Every time the band sings, I get the songs stuck in my head and have a hard time getting to sleep. But even worse is having a bad thought stuck in my head, playing on what seems like infinite repeat: “I’m not good enough” or “why do I try” or “what’s the world coming to?” But just like the way to get rid of a song in your head is to play a different song, the way to get rid of a thought is to play another thought.
I call this next section “concentric circles of joy.” You can look at them as growing from the inside out or the outside in. We begin with the simplest section, inanimate things that make us happy. For me these include the ocean, volleyball, music, books, coffee, pancakes and sausages. I may not always be able to enjoy these things, but I can enjoy them now. Then add some of the things that give life meaning: family, friendships, the laughter of children, the hope of the next generation. Now add freedoms: the freedom to vote, to choose my own religion, to be who I want to be. Now add purpose: the thought that I can still make a difference in other people’s lives. Now imagine either God at the core, and all these things radiating outward, or draw a circle around the whole thing and call it God. Either way, the lesson is that even if we don’t have all of these things and even if we lose some of these things, we will still have God, and as such, we will always have enough to be joyful about. And joy is larger than happiness, and happiness is larger than cheer. The only challenge left is shoving our mind over to that department whenever it begins to drift.
Here are three translations of Paul’s concluding statement:
I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.
I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me.
Notice how different they are! And yet they share one thing in common: they declare that with Christ, we can find our way to joy. The joy of the Lord is the trust that no matter how bad things get on earth, they will be better in heaven; that there is a meaning and a purpose to our lives; that everything will eventually make sense; that given the same set of circumstances we are facing, someone else has already figured it out; and that God is active in the world today. Paul’s message is that if we think about these things, if we dwell on these things, then we will have peace.
We tend to think of Paul as way above us, a super spiritual figure who is more than human. But at the end of his second letter to Timothy, we find this fun sentence: “When you come, bring my coat that I left in Troas; bring the books too, and especially the ones made of parchment.” Paul speaks of higher truths and wide spiritual themes, but he’s also able to find joy in an old coat or a favorite book.
This summer, may you find joy in the little things, or as Starbucks would put it, the “tall things,” like coats and books and candles and songs. May you find joy in the medium things, or as Starbucks would call it, the “grande things,” like time spent with loved ones and visits to the beach. And may you feel the large, or venti joy of being loved by God and loving God in return. There is also an even larger Starbucks size called the trenta. And while we don’t recommend drinking a two pound latte, it’s easy to imagine the temporary joy it would bring, and how it might help us to think of the greater joy in heaven, which no one will ever be able to take away. Amen.
Closing Song: for KING & COUNTRY, “Joy”
Benediction
May you go out with joy and be led forth with peace,
and may the mountains and hills break forth before you. Amen.
Centerport United Methodist Church 