One of the podcasts I listen to in the course of my preaching preparation describes the Revised Common Lectionary, the three-year cycle of four readings for each Sunday, as being “designed to bring congregations through the great narrative of scripture without being constrained by the choice of the preacher.” This is one week when I might have chosen differently.
In the gospel text we just heard Jesus tells another parable, where he compares the kingdom of heaven to a wedding banquet given by a king. Maybe, Matthew wants us to recall the wedding at Cana, the first of the miracles Jesus performed, and a story we only hear from the evangelist John. Or maybe we are to compare wearing the wedding garment to being clothed in Christ at baptism. Maybe Matthew is comparing the king to God and the son is Jesus, but then, what meaning are we supposed to make from the enraged king who sends his troops to destroy murderers and burn the city? (v. 7) Or from the later actions of that same king, who invites everyone to come to the feast, and then casts out one man, condemning him to the outer darkness? (v. 13) It is a difficult text.
The epistle we have today is difficult in another way. It is Paul’s conclusion to his letter to the church at Philippi. And one of the most well-known lines is verse 4:
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.
The risk is that in the midst of current events Paul’s words come across as tone-deaf, starry- eyed, or helplessly idealistic.
Over the past week, there has been violence and unrest in our country and in places like Kyrgyzstan where the election may have been corrupted; there has been destruction where a fourth named storm has made landfall on the Gulf Coast, and lives and homes have been endangered by fires in the Pacific northwest and by flash floods that rose in France and Italy; and life and dignity continue to be disregarded in Myanmar where children are exploited for labor and in Yemen where they are facing a fifth year of famine.
And even closer to home, loved ones have died, others have fallen ill, and still others have lost jobs, been isolated and alone and struggled to know God’s love.
And then there’s COVID-19.
It is a time of disorientation and dis-connectedness. And, I imagine rejoicing is probably not the first response most of us have. Rage, anxiety, despair, and lament, but not rejoicing.
But Paul wasn’t wearing rose-colored glasses when he wrote these words.
Paul wrote this letter to the church in Philippi, a Roman colony and the center of Christianity in Europe at the time, early in his imprisonment in Rome.[i] He had been arrested and jailed, and he probably expected to die there, killed or martyred. He could see quite plainly what lay ahead.
And yet, he writes about the joy that is found in centering our lives in Christ. Listen to what he writes:
1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.
2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.
5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
9 Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
The word “therefore” points us back to the earlier parts of Paul’s letter, as does the phrase “in this way.” Far from being flippant, or dismissive, Paul is re-orienting these Jesus-followers, reminding them that they are not at the mercy of the world around them.
He instructs them first, “Stand firm in the Lord.” Having heard the stories of who God is, and witnessed God’s activity in the world, we are called to remember who we know God to be, and who we are as God’s people.
Paul recognizes that Gospel work, following Christ and pointing to God’s love for the world, is challenging work, but importantly it is not work we do alone. God provides us with companions and co-workers.
And then Paul continues with encouragement, urging the Philippians to rejoice.
He doesn’t say, “Rejoice in the suffering of others.” He doesn’t say, “Rejoice because of your victory.”
He says, “Rejoice in the Lord.” Rejoice because we share in God’s grace (1:7); rejoice because Christ Jesus has made us his own (3:12); rejoice because our citizenship is in heaven (3:20).
We rejoice because God is God and we are not. We are not rejoicing to express an emotional high or to ignore the suffering we witness, but to proclaim our faith, deeply rooted and grounded in knowing Jesus as Lord and Savior.
When Paul continues, his emphasis is on gentleness, prayer and thanksgiving. This isn’t aspirational language. These are the characteristics of disciples, living out of who we are as followers of Jesus and standing firm in the Lord.
A popular prayer or call and response we used to say before Wednesday night meals in my home congregation was, “God is good all the time. All the time, God is good.” I admit that I have wondered sometimes about those words. There are definitely days when it doesn’t feel true. I don’t feel like rejoicing. But at the ground of my being, I know God is good. God, the Creator, Life-giver and Sustainer is good. It doesn’t mean I have to like everything I see happening, or even understand it, but I have confidence in the God whom I know through the person of Jesus, and I can offer thanksgiving and prayer.
Paul concludes by urging the people in Philippi to “think about these things”, referring to the things that reflect the good in the world. Like a modern gratitude practice where you name something everyday and give thanks, Paul encourages us to pay attention to the world around us and notice where God is showing up, confident in God’s presence with us in all circumstances.
Paul isn’t urging us to sentimentality; instead he is urging us, as one colleague wrote, to “live into the belief that God can and will bridge the gap between the world we long for and the world we see before our eyes.”[ii]
That’s not so difficult after all.
Amen.
[i] Enter the Bible. Luther Seminary. https://www.enterthebible.org/newtestament.aspx?rid=9, accessed 10/9/2020
[ii] Debie Thomas, “Sunday’s Coming.” The Christian Century.
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