The Fourth Sunday in Advent

Philippians 4:4-7

Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice….An Example of True Christian Suffering?

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost….Amen.

We have finally arrived at a most Holy, Blessed and even Joyous time of the Christian year. Today is the 4^th Sunday in Advent, and at the same time…at least this year….. it is the eve of the celebration of our Lord’s birth….the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ……and the Epistle that is designated to be read this Sunday is most fitting for this time of year. The 4^th Sunday in Advent is still decorated with the Violet colors, and we are technically still in a penitential season, but this does not mean that we cannot look forward with joy and expectation even though this penitential time is not yet over.

The Epistle that Paul writes to the Philippians is one of much joy….and the portion of it we hear read this Sunday is an excellent example.

In preparation for this sermon, it came to mind that some like to give their sermons, titles.

They may not announce the title to the hearers, but they might provide one anyway at the top of the page…usually for their own personal use….for filing and that kind of thing. So….. as you might have guessed…..this sermon has a title, and the title is…....Rejoice in the Lord alway, and again I say Rejoice…….an example……of true Christian Suffering?

And a question mark is placed at the end of the title, because it is in the form of a question. The question mark indicates that……... at first glance, it sounds contradictory to say the “Rejoice in the Lord”, on the one hand, and on the other hand, say……….that it is an “example of True Christian Suffering.”

But…… is this very far fetched? Because this is partly what Paul is attempting to do as he writes this Epistle. He is attempting to teach the Philippians to be strong despite their sufferings…..and he is rejoicing because he is receiving news that they are being strong.

Keep in mind also, that Paul is writing this letter from prison…so for him to be reminding his readers to “Rejoice” is quite unique in and of its self…..for what did he have to rejoice in……sitting in prison?

The Philippian Church was facing persecution. Paul mentions this near the end of the first chapter. He knows they are facing false teachers. Perhaps some of the Judaizers, who were teaching that one must become a Jew first, before they become a Christian. He also knows that if there is conflict in the Church, it can seriously damage their witness to the rest of the world. He therefore encourages them to withstand these assaults and difficulties.

Why is Paul so Joyful in writing this letter , though…….despite his imprisonment? Well, what Paul says earlier on in this same letter gives us a clue….. First, in chapter 1, verse 29, Paul writes….. “For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.” Listen to the language Paul uses here. It has been granted to them to suffer. He speaks of this suffering as if it were an honor….a privilege……..and indeed it is.

But this is totally foreign to our modern ears. We have heard over the last couple of weeks from this pulpit….about how the world understands things versus how Christians are to understand things. Today, to the world……suffering seems always to be a sign of weakness and inability. And no one wants to be in this state. The world sees suffering as only leading to more suffering. The world only sees suffering as an end, and not as an opportunity……..And DEFINITELY NOT as a thing granted by God. The world tells us that the things we are to strive for are health and wealth…..and other things for personal gratification. These are the supposed things that bring happiness.

We are even told by the world at times…..that when things are not going well, or when we are depressed, or ill, or a loved one is sick or dying…..that we….or the person suffering…..have done something wrong. Or we are told that…..perhaps God is upset with us or has abandoned us. But this is not what Paul teaches us though.

We are told that we must not be conformed to this world….but be transformed.

As a matter of fact, listen to what Paul says…..this time in chapter 3 of the same letter.

He says…..I only want to know Christ, and the power of His resurrection,…..and listen to this…..”and to share in His sufferings, becoming like Him……in His death.”

Again……sharing in suffering.? Why does Paul want this? What is this to us? How can this be a thing to strive for? Why are we being encouraged to stand during times of suffering? Why does Paul tell us to Rejoice….even while we suffer? Well, the answer comes tonight actually. The answer comes in the incarnation.

Tonight is the night in which we remember the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Flesh. Tonight…..is……therefore the night in which the solution to our suffering is revealed. The solution to our suffering…………is in Jesus Christ, who conquered suffering and death once and for all on the Cross. Today we lay in a penitential state….waiting for a solution……but tonight we rejoice in His birth….. God has come to us here on earth and He suffered the same sufferings we endure. Christ suffered the loss of friends. He suffered to loss of loved ones. He suffered the loss of His disciples for a time. And finally…..He even suffered the loss of His own life. Do we have anything that we can point to and say…..God does not understand??

God is near to us, and this is demonstrated in the coming of Christ at His birth.

· If He had not been born, He would not have been able to suffer what we suffer.

· Had He not suffered, He would not have died, and had He not died, He would not have been raised.

· And if He had not been raised, He would not be on the right hand of the Father right now, interceding for us….and our faith would be useless. We would have no reason for rejoicing.

· But,….He accomplished all of these things for us. This is why Paul is able to be joyful. This is why we should be joyful as well.

· All these things have been accomplished for us in order that we might be able to be strong during suffering and trials. For we know that they will pass.

· Let us be very clear though, that this is not to say that we must not show emotion…..that we must not have time to cry…..that we must not have time to be angry. Not at all. These too are attributes that Christ exhibited.

· They are legitimate reactions to pain and suffering…..The difference is, we have hope, and that the trials we go through are allowed for a reason, and for the Christian, it is always for our benefit and God’s glory. The trials we face are provided to drive us to Christ and His cross. They cause us to fall to our knees and ask in prayer…for God’s help. These trials drive us to focus on God, and not our selves.

· Paul even says in this lesson this morning….. “Be careful for nothing, but in every thing, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.”

Here, he is telling them (and us)….don't be anxious about anything. The King James translation reads, “be careful for nothing, but it really is saying, don't be anxious about anything. This anxiousness Paul is referring to is not universal, however…….but refers to an anxiety that is not grounded in faith. We should cast all of our troubles on the Lord because He says right here, “let your requests be known to God. How much simpler can it be? How comforting it should be for us to know that our Lord actually wants us to cast our burdens on Him.

Finally, let’s look at the rest of the Epistle for this morning. The last line from Paul reads…. “and the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” This part should be familiar to all of us because we hear a very similar version of this at the Blessing at the end of the service.

Can you see how this is all related? You see, Rejoicing, or Joy, as well as peace, are the fruits of faith. Only when we have faith, can we experience true joy. As a matter of fact, Paul says elsewhere in the New Testament, that “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self control.” But, until our hearts are truly turned to God, we cant really enjoy these to their fullest. If we do not have faith in our God, how can we rejoice in Him? For our rejoicing is a natural result of our faith.

· Those who lack a true faith are more inclined to recoil at the name of God, rather than rejoice in Him. This is why it is important to listen to what Paul is telling us here.

· He says we are to rejoice, so let us rejoice. He even spells out for us how this is accomplished. He tells us to let our moderation be known. He tells us not to be anxious about the tribulations we face as Christians.

· He tells us to give thanks to God by prayer and supplication. He says we are to let our requests be known unto God. And how does he finish?........He says…….the way of faith is a way which leads to a peace that passeth all understanding.

This Epistle is therefore of great value to us. It is full of repeated expressions of joy and exhortations to rejoicing. Paul is most joyous for many reasons….and they are all a result of his faith in God. For he knows that Christ has come once, and He will indeed come again at the end of time. This should be our object of joy as well. This hope should also help us in times of trial.

Scripture nowhere tells us to go out and look for suffering or persecution. We don't have to…….for we know very well……...that indeed it will find us. But we are told to face it with confidence when it does arise. We are to face it with a faith that God will indeed provide a solution. God will provide a way out of it…..and has indeed provided a way out of it. Through His Son. God can and will provide comfort and relief. But we must turn our petitions to Him. You see, the suffering we endure in this world, will not compare to the joy we will experience in the next. And keep in mind also…… that His comfort and relief is not necessarily what we might have in mind. Either way, we must come unto Him. For He says…..Come unto me, all ye that travail and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you. Comfortable words indeed.

· So on this final Sunday in Advent, as we contemplate those four final things….Death Judgment, Heaven, and Hell, let us keep in mind that our Lord Jesus Christ has over come Death,

· Is our advocate in Judgment,

· Has saved us from Hell,

· And has secured a place for us in Heaven.

· These are the reasons to look on our suffering as only temporary, and finally, these are the reasons to rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say….rejoice.

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost….Amen.