Text: Philippians 4:4–7
Theme: Where is true joy found?
Other Lessons: Zephaniah 3:14–20; Psalm 85; Luke 7:18–35
(A) In the Name of the Father…Amen. (B) The Epistle reading serves as our sermon text for this morning. (C) Grace, mercy, and peace be yours from God the heavenly Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (D) Memory verse! Philippians 4:4 (NASB95) 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! (E) Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us pray: LSB 357:1 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel Venī, venī, Emmānuēl; Captīvum solve Isrāēl, Quī gemit in exiliō Prīvātus Deī Fīliō. Gaudē! Gaudē! Emmānuēl Nāscētur prō tē, Isrāēl. O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel, That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear. Refrain ref Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel! Amen. (F) For those of you who know Latin, I just read to you the first verse of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. (G) Here we are already in the third week in Advent. (1) What makes this week so different than the others? (a) In the midst of talking about hope, peace, and love, this week we focus on joy. (b) The pink candle: the candle that symbolizes joy. (c) We are a week and a half away from Christmas! (d) This ought to give us great joy! (e) Our readings for today reflect that joy.
Introduction
(A) Philippians 4:4 (NASB95) 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! (B) Zephaniah 3:14 (NASB95) 14 Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! (C) Philippians 4:4 (NASB95) 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! (D) It’s so easy to pretend to be full of joy this time of year. (1) Just wear the right ugly sweater, (2) drink a proper amount of eggnog (especially mixed with a little brandy or rum–not that I have any experience with this type of thing!), (3) and decorate the house with ornaments, lights, and a Christmas tree, while pop-Christmas songs play in the background. (4) Go to the parties. (5) Watch A Christmas Story. (6) Exchange presents. (7) Everyone can do it. (8) Everyone does. (E) But for many, there’s no real joy in it. (1) And for some, they are actually at their breaking point: (a) will this be the last Christmas they put on a smile and fake it? (b) Lord, have mercy! (F) It’s hard to rejoice this time of year for many. (1) Some have lost a husband or wife. (2) For others, there’s a son or daughter (a prodigal) who no longer is willing or welcome to come home. (G) Then there’s those who are lonely, barren, and hopeless, things that run rampant in our broken world. (1) It’s very difficult to “rejoice and exult with all your heart.” (H) So we fake it. (1) We put on a smile. (2) When asked, we say: “I’m fine.” (3) It’s just easier that way. (4) We don’t want to bother anybody with our burdens. (5) We try to blend in so that no one asks. (6) The truth is that we really do want to rejoice! (7) We want our hearts to sing. (8) We want joy and gladness and the peace that surpasses all understanding. (9) But when we look at our life: (A) our job, (B) our family, (C) even our own mind and heart (D) we find little joy and little song. (I) We ask ourselves: Where is true joy found? (I) Zephaniah locates this joy in the Lord’s promises to His people. But when will this be? (A) How can we, too, rejoice, sing and shout aloud? (1) How can these Scriptures today be for us? (2) The prophet Zephaniah locates this joy in the Lord’s promises to His people: Zephaniah 3:18–20 (NASB95) 18 “I will gather those who grieve about the appointed feasts— They came from you, O Zion; The reproach of exile is a burden on them. 19 “Behold, I am going to deal at that time With all your oppressors, I will save the lame And gather the outcast, And I will turn their shame into praise and renown In all the earth. 20 “At that time I will bring you in, Even at the time when I gather you together; Indeed, I will give you renown and praise Among all the peoples of the earth, When I restore your fortunes before your eyes,” Says the LORD. (B) This is the Lord’s promise. (1) He will do it. (2) He will gather us. (3) He will take away our reproach. (4) He will deal with our enemies. (5) He will save us and gather us and change our shame into praise and renown in all the earth. (6) This gives us hope and sets us on the path toward joy. (C) But when will this be? (1) When will He gather those of us who mourn for the festival? (2) When will we no longer suffer reproach? (3) When will our oppressors be put to shame? (4) When will the lame and outcast be gathered together? (5) When will He bring us in, gather us together, and restore our fortunes before our eyes? (II) John the Baptist leads us to Jesus. Is Jesus the one who will bring these promises to you and me? (A) That was John the Baptizer’s question too. (1) “Are you the one? (2) Or shall we look for another?” (3) Some argue whether John asked this for himself—for his own doubts and struggles and fears—or if he asked for the sake of those that he sent. (4) Whichever it is, it doesn’t matter much; the answer that is given comforts everyone—John, you, me, and all who would hear this proclamation! (5) John the Baptist leads us to Jesus. (6) Is Jesus the one who will bring God’s promises to me? (B) Recall what we read in today’s Gospel lesson: Luke 7:21–23 (NASB95) 21 At that very time [Jesus] cured many people of diseases and afflictions and evil spirits; and He gave sight to many who were blind. 22 And He answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM. 23 “Blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.” (III) Jesus is indeed the Coming One! Where He is, there the promises are fulfilled and joy can be found. (A) Jesus answered John’s question of who He is and when these things will be by fulfilling the promises before their very eyes. (B) Jesus is the Coming One. (1) There is no other. (2) Where He is, there the promises are fulfilled and joy can be found! (3) And as He came in the midst of His people, He came to comfort them in their fear and sorrow and shame and sickness. (4) He came to undo all that saps the joy from us. (5) He came to take away their sin and ours. (6) Where Jesus is, there is our joy. (C) Illustration on JOY (from Pastor Ray Pollatz, the pastor who confirmed me): (1) Focus on in this order: (a) Jesus (b) Others (c) Yourself (D) If you’re wondering where you might find joy, especially this time of year, then don’t look to the tinsel or wrapping paper, spiced wine or spiked eggnog. (1) Look to where Christ is. (2) That’s the reason Zephaniah tells us to sing aloud and shout, rejoice and exult: Zephaniah 3:15 (NASB95) 15 The LORD has taken away His judgments against you, He has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; You will fear disaster no more. (E) Paul also locates all of his joy in the presence of Christ when he declares: Philippians 4:4–5 (NASB95) 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. (F) And when Jesus sent the men back to John, declaring all that they had seen and heard, joy sprang into John’s prison cell. (1) It filled his and their worried hearts, and ours too! (2) Wherever Christ and His work: (a) can be heard, (3) where the promises of healing and restoration ring out: (a) there you’ll find a peace that surpasses all understanding. (G) So it goes for you: (1) you who mourn the loss of loved ones, (2) you who suffer for the sake of your faith in Christ, (3) you who pretend to be joyful because you can’t find any within: (a) Rejoice and be glad, shout and sing aloud! (b) The Lord is in your midst too! (c) He’s here among us: (1) here in His church, (2) here in the Word as it is read and preached, (3) here in the bread and wine, (4) here in and among the baptized. (5) Just as He promised He would be! (H) Here He comes: (1) to take away the judgment against you, (2) to cast out your fear, (3) and to strengthen your weak hands and timid hearts. (4) He comes to you with the promises fulfilled that He made: (a) the forgiveness of sin, (b) and He gives you: Philippians 4:7 (NASB95) 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (c) He’s here. Zephaniah 3:15 (NASB95) 15 The LORD has taken away His judgments against you, He has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; You will fear disaster no more.
Conclusion
(A) Marathon runners, whether they know it or not, pay homage to the legend of Pheidippides (elsewhere named Philippides, a coincidental name considering our epistle reading for this morning!). (1) As the story goes, Pheidippides ran all the way from the Battle of Marathon to Athens—roughly twenty-six miles—to proclaim the Greek victory over the Persians in 490 BC. (2) As soon as he crossed the city’s threshold, he declared, “Rejoice, and we rejoice!” (3) He then immediately collapsed and died. (B) Though the accounts do vary, the idea beautifully parallels the apostle Paul’s call to rejoice. (1) Joy, just like peace (shalom), does not come from the ease of life or from temporal goods but from the victory of life over death and deliverance from the enemy that Jesus gives to us. (2) As it was for Pheidippides, so it may also be for us, that joy comes even in the midst of death or on the brink thereof. (3) We rejoice and are called to keep on rejoicing because the Lord is here as our Savior, defeating a far greater enemy than the ancient Persians. (4) No wonder Paul says: Philippians 4:4 (NASB95) 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! (C) This joy is not a joy that is pretend or lasts a moment, but is the eternal joy of the here and now in Christ, who is with you and for you and today is in your midst. now and always. Amen. (D) Let us pray: O Emmanuel, our king and our Lord, the anointed for the nations and their Savior, Come and save us, O Lord our God. Amen. ref Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel! Amen. The Great “O” Antiphon for December 23 Text: Public domain (E) Philippians 4:7 (NASB95) 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen. (F) Come Lord Jesus, come quickly. All of us are waiting and none of us will be disappointed. (G) The Lord continue to bless us, shine His face on us, be gracious to us, that He lift His countenance upon us, and give us His peace. (H) In the Name of the Father…Amen.
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