It’s Always Time for Joy - Sermon for Advent 3C (Philippians 4)
We’ve finally lit the pink candle. People often wonder why the Advent wreath has a pink candle. They also want to know when to light it, especially if they are tasked with lighting the candles. Well, here’s the reason why we have a pink candle and light it on the Third Sunday of Advent. It’s pink and we light it on the Third Sunday of Advent because today is, according to tradition, Joy Sunday. Although we’re following a more recent tradition and using blue, the usual color scheme for Advent is purple. Purple is considered to be a more solemn color. That’s why we use it during Lent. Both Advent and Lent are supposed to be seasons of reflection and repentance in preparation for a major liturgical event. If that’s true, it seems appropriate to use a softer color on Joy Sunday. After all, how can you be somber on a day when you hear Paul call on us to “rejoice in the Lord always?”
Although Paul is sitting in a prison cell and has every reason to be bitter and angry, he calls on the Philippians and us to “Rejoice in the Lord always: again I will say, Rejoice.”
But, what does it mean to “rejoice in the Lord always?” Isn’t that a bit naive? We live at a time when the pandemic continues to surge. There is violence in our schools and businesses. There is political polarization dividing the country. That’s not to mention the recent deadly storms that ripped across the country leaving dozens dead in its wake. This seems like a moment when a prayer of lament is warranted. Yet, we light the pink candle and hear a call to rejoice in the Lord always.
As we learned last Sunday, Paul is not naive. He knows what it means to suffer. He’s in prison at that very moment, and if this is his final prison cell, it’s not the first time he’s been in jail. In fact, according to the Book of Acts, he spent some time in a jail cell in Philippi. In that case, while Paul and Silas sang hymns of praise, an earthquake shook the walls of the jail and released them from their chains. They could have fled, but instead, they proclaimed the gospel and baptized the jailer and his family (Acts 16:25-34). Yes, I can envision Paul sitting in his cell singing “joy to the world.” While he’s not sitting in front of the fireplace drinking eggnog and eating gingerbread cookies, he calls on us to “rejoice in the Lord always.”
Last Sunday we heard Paul speak of his love and affection for the Philippian church because it was his friendship with them that gave him strength and hope as he sat in prison. In chapter 4, Paul builds on that message and tells the church that they are his joy and crown. Therefore he tells them to stand firm in the Lord (Phil. 4:1). If they do this then they will know the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. It is this peace that gives him a reason to rejoice.
It’s good to remember that Paul is not a “pie-in-the-sky optimist.” When he speaks of joy here, he’s not ignoring his situation or that of the Philippian congregation. After all, he addresses a conflict that exists between two women who shared in ministry with him. He wants them to be of the same mind, something he wrote about earlier in the letter, when he pointed to Jesus:
Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, 8 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. (Phil. 2:6-8).
Yes, Paul knows the challenges of the day. He’s in prison and he has to deal with disagreements that exist within the Philippian congregation. So when it comes to joy, Karl Barth has it right: “‘Joy’ in Philippians is a defiant ‘Nevertheless!’” [Epistle to the Philippians, p. 120]. Here is the reason why Paul can write this word— ”the Lord is near.” While Paul could be thinking that the second coming of Jesus is near at hand, which is a very Advent kind of thought, it could also mean that Jesus is there with him in the cell. It’s Jesus’ presence with him through the Spirit that gives him strength despite his situation. So, don’t worry about anything, but instead, be in prayer. Let God know your concerns. Let go of the anxiety that keeps you from experiencing the joy of the Lord. Once again, Paul is not a pie-in-the-sky optimist. He’s a realist. He knows what it means to live in a dangerous world. Nevertheless, as Martin Luther suggested: “Joy is the natural fruit of faith.” Remember also that your names are written in the book of life (Phil. 4:1).
If we live with this joy that Paul speaks of, we can live lives defined by gentleness and welcome. Yes, when we experience true joy we can open ourselves up to others rather than follow the natural human inclination to pull inward when times get tough or we feel threatened.
We have lit the pink candle that signifies joy. We’ve heard the call to rejoice always and to pray rather than worry about things facing us. We can take comfort in the knowledge that Jesus is standing nearby. And, is this not the message of Advent? That God is present with us in the person of Emmanuel, which means God is with us.
Paul is not finished with us. He reminds us that when we make our requests known to God, we entrust our futures into the hands of God, we needn’t worry about things. Instead, he tells us that “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” And as Karl Barth comments: “The peace of God is the order and security of the kingdom of Christ among those that are his.” He writes further that “it is in giving thanks and so bringing your troubles before God, in the act of thanksgiving—for only in that act are you really ‘in Christ Jesus’ —that the guarding in question takes place.” [Epistle to the Philippians, p. 123].
So, as Luther reminded us, joy is the natural fruit of faith. Faith is by definition a matter of trust. While I have yet to master this simple set of instructions, because I do get anxious and I worry about things, I appreciate this reminder to keep the faith. In that, I will find my joy in life. Yes, the world might be in disarray, but there is still the possibility of hope.
So, let us pursue the path of joy by dwelling on those things that are true, honorable, just, pure, pleasing, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise. If we do this, then “the God of peace will be with you” (Phil. 4:8-9).
A little further down in the concluding chapter of this letter, Paul writes: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Phil. 4:13). This doesn’t mean life is easy, but it does mean we can find joy in the Lord since we do not walk this path alone. We can walk life’s path with joy in our hearts because we walk in the company of the saints of God, that is, the community of faith. So, let us continue the journey toward the moment we can once again celebrate the coming of Emmanuel! In this, there is joy!
Preached by:
Dr. Robert D. Cornwall
Acting Pulpit Supply
First Presbyterian Church
Troy, MI
Advent 4C
December 12, 2021
Comments