Untitled Sermon (2)

In the liturgical progression of the Advent season, this Sunday marks what’s called “Joy” or “Rejoice” Sunday. We distinguish the theme of Joy for this day by lighting a pink candle instead of a purple one. It is also fitting that on this “Rejoice Sunday” that the lectionary text this morning begins with the imperative word, “Rejoice.”

Our reading from :

“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.

Those words… “Do not worry about anything” … not as easy as it sounds. There’s so much around us that cause us to worry and be anxious. For someone to say to us, “Don’t worry about anything” sounds nice, but honestly it’s really not all that helpful. At best, it may get us to pause in that moment and take a breath, but the circumstances of our lives don’t magically change. There are the responsibilities we have, decisions that have to be made, things we have to deal with. Hearing Paul say “do not worry about anything”, kind of makes me stress out just thinking about not worrying about anything. The type A genes in us quiver at those words: “do not worry about anything.” We worry. We stress. And as a result we don’t always feel at peace. Much less this “peace” that Paul speaks of that surpasses all understanding. The “peace” Paul describes makes it sound like we should be napping on a cotton white cloud just floating on by. I won’t speak for you, but that doesn’t reflect my experience of day to day life.

Those words in v. 6… “Do not worry about anything” … not as easy as it sounds. We are pulled in so many directions and there’s so much around us that we can’t help but to worry, stress, and be anxious. For someone to say to us, “Don’t worry about anything” sounds nice, but honestly it’s really not all that helpful. At best, it may get us to pause in that moment and take a breath, but the circumstances of our lives don’t magically change. There are the responsibilities we have, decisions that have to be made, things we have to deal with. Hearing Paul say “do not worry about anything”, kind of makes me stress out just thinking about not worrying about anything. The type A genes within us quiver at those words: “do not worry about anything.” We worry. We stress. And as a result we don’t always feel at peace. Much less this “peace” that Paul speaks of that surpasses all understanding. The “peace” Paul describes makes it sound like we should be napping on a cotton white cloud just floating on by without a care in the world. Well, I won’t speak for you, but that doesn’t reflect my experience of day to day life.

My daily experience, I would describe more as “striving”… and I suspect that’s the case for many if not all of us: Whether it’s striving for success, or simply striving to get by, striving for growth, or striving to make ends meet. Striving to take care of our families, striving to bring joy to our kids, striving to make sure the bills are paid, the house gets clean, the yard is mowed, the oil gets changed in the cars. Striving to try to take care of ourselves and have time to play and do the things we enjoy, striving to workout.

Or maybe you’re in school and you’re striving to get work done, striving to make the team, the band, the orchestra, striving to get through finals week, striving to apply for and get into college, or striving to get through college, striving to make plans for what you’re going to do on the other side of graduation.

Or maybe you’re in school and you’re striving to get work done, striving to make the team, the band, the orchestra, striving to get through finals week, striving to apply for and get into college, striving to get through college. Striving to know God’s plan for you next… Or maybe the holidays for you, like many, bring to mind the memory of a loved one and you strive to get through this season. Oh yes, we all know what it means to strive. Life is work, it takes energy. I’m trying, and I know you are too. So, Paul, how do we “not worry about anything”? This “peace that surpasses understanding” that he describes can seem at times unattainable - maybe even unrealistic.

But our “striving” is only one end of the pendulum. Who has ever been trying to find something to watch on tv, and yet out of the hundreds if not thousands of options at our disposal, nothing sounds interesting? The other end we might characterize as boredom. Having nothing to do, or often in my case, just not really knowing what to do with myself sometimes. I know when this happens because I will just be walking around the house… going from one room to the next… pacing… not really accomplishing anything, but I don’t know… I guess hoping that I’ll notice something that stands out to me that I’ll have an interest in doing… which oddly enough is never the laundry. Not knowing what to do without ourselves, can make us feel anxious. You would think not really having anything pressing to do would be peaceful, but it too can be unsettling. Probably because we have become so hyper-wired to be doing something.

Striving to know God’s plan for you next…

The point is that we all experience a need for fulfillment. Everyone longs for fulfillment in life. It’s universal. Often a compliment of someone after they have died is: “he/she lived a full life.” By that, one doesn’t just mean that they lived a long time, but that there was a certain amount of quality to that life. We all desire to live a full life and to be remembered that way. So I ask now, “a life full of what?”

Or maybe the holidays for you, like many, bring to mind the memory of a loved one and you strive to get through this season. Oh yes, we all know what it means to strive. Life is work, it takes energy. I’m trying, and I know you are too. So, Paul, how do we “not worry about anything”? This “peace that surpasses understanding” that Paul describes can seem at times unattainable - maybe even unrealistic.

Though everyone seeks fulfillment, what we seek to be filled with, how we seek it, where we seek it are the variables. I found myself asking this question preparing for this sermon: “What am I filling my life with?” I think my answer may not be unlike your answer: I know for me it’s hard not to be lured into filling myself with everything that goes on sale between Thanksgiving day evening to Christmas Eve. I know that while these things my be enjoyable, they will not last. They will not completely satisfy me. But yet, I’m lured by marketing gurus and shiny gadgets and gizmos and toys. It’s a vain and futile attempt to be fulfilled. I find myself seeking fulfillment …..

But our “striving” is only one end of the pendulum. Who has ever been trying to find something to watch on tv, and yet out of the hundreds if not thousands of options at our disposal, nothing sounds interesting? This other end we might characterize as boredom. Having nothing to do. Or typically how this plays out in my case, just not really knowing what to do with myself sometimes. I know when this happens because I will just be walking around the house… going from one room to the next… pacing… not really accomplishing anything, but I don’t know… I guess hoping that I’ll notice something that stands out to me that I’ll have an interest in doing… which oddly enough is never the laundry. Not knowing what to do without ourselves, can also make us feel anxious. You would think not really having anything pressing to do would be peaceful, but it too can be unsettling. Probably because we have become so hyper-wired to be doing things.

Let me just jump to the root of this sense of unrest and of our never ending striving for more… The point is that we all share a need for fulfillment.

… in kids… in activities… in sports…

We get bored because we don’t feel fulfilled.

And, we are always striving because we want to find fulfillment in life, to make the most of opportunities, we want to excel beyond, promote up, and conquer all. Now, surely, these aren’t bad things, or at least not always… but how are you feeling in the midst of the frantic grind? Do you feel satisfied and content? Do you feel peace? Do you feel joy? Do you feel fulfilled? … or does it still not seem like enough?

Everyone longs for fulfillment in life. It’s universal. Often a compliment of someone after they have died is: “he/she lived a full life.” By that, one doesn’t just mean that they lived a long time, but that there was a certain amount of quality to that life. We all desire to live a full life and to be remembered that way. So I ask now, “a life full of what?” “What do we do to fill our lives?”

Though everyone seeks fulfillment, what we seek to be filled with, how we seek it, where we seek it are the variables. I found myself asking this question preparing for this sermon: “What am I filling my life with?” I think my answer may not be unlike your answer: I know for me it’s hard not to be lured into filling myself with everything that goes on sale between Thanksgiving day evening to Christmas Eve. I know that while these things my be enjoyable, they will not last. They will not completely satisfy me. But yet, I’m lured by marketing gurus and shiny gadgets and gizmos and toys. It’s a vain and futile attempt to be fulfilled. I also find myself seeking fulfillment in activities and sports - but activities only last so long. I find myself seeking fulfillment in my kids - which they are a gift of God and do provide a sense of fullness… but they have their limits of how much they can fulfill my life - they can’t be everything. That wouldn’t even be fair to them.

We struggle for fulfillment, we often chase it in the wrong places even without knowing that we are doing it. It’s such a deep yearning within us to be fulfilled in life and there is something about the concept of being filled that informs our understanding of life and our life’s purpose. …This isn’t a new concept.

In the 1st Century Greco-Roman world, the Greek word for this notion of being “filled" is (play-roma) “pleroma”. New Testament authors, and even Jesus himself spoke to how we are “filled.”

To begin to understand this, let’s start with Jesus… seems like an appropriate starting place. Especially during this season where we are celebrating the birth of the Christ. So who is Jesus? This is going to set our context or where I’m going with this so hang with me:

talks about the nature of Christ:

13 He [God the Father] has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

15 He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16 for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.

19 For in him all the fullness (of God) was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.” ()

Explain: why I would translate this: the “fullness” of all things… instead of “of God”.

Jesus is the FULLNESS (play-roma) of All Things and Powers. That means that there is nothing outside of the influence or authority of Christ. All things and other powers are subject to him, nothing can hide. Christ is Lord over all - whether it claims allegiance or not. And it’s through Christ that God will reconcile all things to Himself.

Other examples, in case your still not convinced:

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“20 God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. 22 And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness (pleroma) of him who fills all in all.”

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“10 He (Jesus) who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.”

Jesus is the FULLNESS (play-roma) of All Things and Powers…

So what about Jesus being God thing you said you would get back to…

Let’s look a little later in Colossians, :

“9 For in him [Jesus] the whole fullness of deity [Theos: God] dwells bodily,”

Jesus is the FULLNESS (pleroma) of God

During this time of celebrating Christmas, when we sing Hark the Herald Angels Sing we sing the words: “Hail the incarnate diety” - that is to Jesus is God incarnate - the incarnation of God.

Jesus is the Fullness of all things and powers AND the fullness of God. But look at what else says: “10 and you have come to fullness in him (Jesus), who is the head of every ruler and authority.” ()

So now we enter into this dynamic of “being filled” - that we are filled in Christ.

Correspondingly, in , Paul prays this prayer for his readers, “18 I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

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WE have come to FULLNESS (pleroma) in Christ. We are filled with the fullness of God. What does that mean? What does that look like?

Here is something that I found was interesting…

The word “pleroma” can also be translated as filled, and also completed. Makes sense, right? If something is filled to the top, we would say that it is completely filled. Example of a cup: If it full when nothing else can fit into the cup. But, the really interesting part to me, was when that word “pleroma” is used in regards to us, the NT often connects pleroma with another word; the word “chara” (joy).

In the gospel of John, Jesus says to his disciples: “9 As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy (chara) may be complete (pleroma)” (). That is to say that our joy reaches completeness, fullness in Christ.

Just a little later in John, during the same scene, Jesus prays a prayer to God for his disciples. He prays: “13 But now I am coming to you (Father), and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves.” ()

Another example: Moving into Acts, the disciples are described as being “filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” ()

And in , Paul gives this sort of benediction saying:

“13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may overflow in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” ()

We are FILLED with JOY in Christ. We have fullness/completeness in Christ. But that is still only part of the equation. This connection between the words “pleroma” and “chara” doesn’t stop with just our vertical relationship to Christ, but in our relationships to one another:

That is to say, as our cup of grace which God in and through Christ FILLS us completely, it overflows to ALL those around us and our JOY is made COMPLETE in one another - in community.

In , Paul writes: “If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, 2 make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.” ()

In (), Paul writes:

“3 I am grateful to God—whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did—when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy.”

John writes in his second epistle:

“12 Although I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink; instead I hope to come to you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.” ()

Jesus is the Fullness of all things and powers AND the fullness of God. As we are filled completely with Christ, our joy reaches completeness it overflows to those around us… which comes back to the great commandments to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. It shouldn’t surprise us that in living out God’s commands, our lives are filled with joy.

We have received joy (a noun) and if that joy is the cause… the effect of receiving joy is to rejoice. Rejoice is the verb form of the word “joy”. Rejoicing is joy in action. It is the reason we gather, it is the reason we give of ourselves to others, it is the reason we surrender ourselves to God, and it is the reason that we have to sing.

In the words of , “Rejoice! I will say it again, Rejoice!” In the Spirit of being filled with joy, let us stand and rejoice together with singing.