Your Joy is Near

Joy comes after suffering

Common English Bible Chapter 4

4 Be glad in the Lord always! Again I say, be glad! 5 Let your gentleness show in your treatment of all people. The Lord is near. 6 Don’t be anxious about anything; rather, bring up all of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks. 7 Then the peace of God that exceeds all understanding will keep your hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus.

Common English Bible Chapter 4

4 Be glad in the Lord always! Again I say, be glad! 5 Let your gentleness show in your treatment of all people. The Lord is near. 6 Don’t be anxious about anything; rather, bring up all of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks. 7 Then the peace of God that exceeds all understanding will keep your hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus.

I want to begin by saying that it is ok not to find joy in this time of the year. As we turn our collective attention to time with families, its easy to feel like we have to put on a mask of everything being ok, when in reality its not. Whether remembering the loss of a loved one, the loss of a relationship, or the loss of the idea you thought you would be at this point in life, it can be hard to find joy in the lights, customs, and rituals that mark this season. You are not broken because you don’t feel the joy that others feel. But let me encourage you to look for it in others. See the joy that you bring to those around you and let it be what carries you through this season.

Our text this morning comes from the middle of Paul’s letter to the Philippians. As he is writing this, he is in prison, again. It is important to note that happiness and joy are different emotions. Paul is not happy to be in prison instead of with the Church in Philippi, but he is joyful that the Good News of Christ has taken root there.

Common English Bible Chapter 4

4 Therefore, my brothers and sisters whom I love and miss, who are my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord.

Loved ones, 2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to come to an agreement in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I’m also asking you, loyal friend, to help these women who have struggled together with me in the ministry of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers whose names are in the scroll of life.

4 Be glad in the Lord always! Again I say, be glad! 5 Let your gentleness show in your treatment of all people. The Lord is near. 6 Don’t be anxious about anything; rather, bring up all of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks. 7 Then the peace of God that exceeds all understanding will keep your hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus.

8 From now on, brothers and sisters, if anything is excellent and if anything is admirable, focus your thoughts on these things: all that is true, all that is holy, all that is just, all that is pure, all that is lovely, and all that is worthy of praise. 9 Practice these things: whatever you learned, received, heard, or saw in us. The God of peace will be with you.

The New Revised Standard Version Chapter 4

4 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.

Exhortations

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 New Revised Standard Version Chapter 4

4 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.

Exhortations

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.

Paul begins with a call to come together and put aside differences for two leaders in the church so that the church as a whole can continue its mission in the community. But he isn’t talking to the two women, but to those around them. Asking the two of the to put aside their differences at this point would only increase the tension. By calling on the community to help them, he gives the community the chance to put into practice what he has been teaching them.

He then calls on them to find the joy in their work. He knows where he is. At the beginning of his letter, he tells them that being put in prison has helped to spread the gospel.

The New Revised Standard Version Paul’s Present Circumstances

12 I want you to know, beloved, that what has happened to me has actually helped to spread the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to everyone else that my imprisonment is for Christ;

The command to rejoice in the Lord always extends the theme of joy and rejoicing developed throughout the letter. Every other reference to joy in this letter encourages an appropriate response to the circumstances described in the immediate context.

The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), .

G. Walter Hansen, The Letter to the Philippians, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Nottingham, England: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2009), 287.

This is how joy and happiness are different. If Paul was relying on happiness to sustain him, he would be constantly chasing it; but with joy, he is able to bask in the knowledge that even in his current situation,

He knows that there is a chance he won’t leave jail this time. He knows that this community faces difficult times ahead. And yet, he has joy. Joy because the Lord is near. This is the crux of the advent message; God is coming again!

He reminds them to not be worried about anything , but to trust in the power of prayer. He is reminding them something that Jesus says in his ministry. This wouldn’t be a new idea to them, but simply a call to remember the teachings of Christ. Seek the will of God first and everything else will take care of itself.

The New Revised Standard Version Exhortations

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.

He reminds them to not be worried about anything , but to trust in the power of prayer.

There is something to be said about how good it feels when something we dread is behind us. I can still vividly remember waiting for grades to be posted when I was in college. I usually had about 3 or 4 days from my last test until grades were due. All of my friends would immediately leave and go relax after their last test. I could not. I stayed in this tense little ball of stress and worry until they were all posted. Only after checking that each class was accounted for, could I relax and enjoy the break. Paul is now at the moment where he can be at peace. He is passing his test and can see his reward ahead of him. He knows he might not get out of prison this time, but that the work of Jesus will continue after he is gone.

This text comes on the third week before Christmas for a reason; its difficult to see how we impact those around us , but have joy, your redemption is near. If we can help you find the joy in this life, please come now as we stand and sing.