Rejoice in the Lord, Always!

This was yesterday’s forecast in Marietta, Ga. High of 88 degrees. Partly Cloudy. Regardless of where you live, the weather can change quickly. Yesterday’s partly cloudy forecast can describe not only the weather most days, but it could also our mental, emotional, physical, and relational forecast most days. Life is a mixture of the good and the not so good, the happy and the sad, the ups and downs affecting every age. Little children seem to be either happy or unhappy, smiling and laughing or they're crying and pouting. It "seems" that the older we are, the ups and downs affect our lives less. Is it maturity? Is it our expectations? Is it our longer-term view of life - the fact that we measure our lives not in the moment but against a lifetime of living? I’m not sure. What I am certain of is the forecast for us as believers,

Philippians 4:4 (ESV) 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

Remember, those words were penned from a prison cell. I am convinced that Paul was expecting that this imprisonment was going to be the end of his life for this world. Yet, 14 times in this letter to the Philippians you read the words “joy and rejoice.” How is it possible to be in jail cell and have such joy?

As crazy as that sounds, turn the pages of your bible to Hebrews 11, where the writer devotes an entire chapter listing people by name who put their faith in God. Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, the children of Israel crossing the Red Sea, those are just from the first two chapters of the bible. He ends this chapter with these words, And they lived happily ever after. NOPE. This is how ends the chapter.

39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. Hebrews 11:39-40 ESV

Wait a minute! You mean, they all trusted in God YET they all still faced the difficulties of this broken, sinful life? They weren’t spared hardships, disappointment, pain and sufferings, and death. Why? Because they were living in a sinful world. This isn’t heaven in case you haven’t noticed. The forecast may be sunny one day and the next day thunderstorms, tropical storms and hurricanes on the horizon. They didn’t receive what God promised them, because what God had promised isn’t found here on this fallen, cursed world.

Remember Paul’s words to the Romans,

Romans 8:18–25 (NIV) — 18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

And we are still waiting,

“…we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

Paul understood that God has forecast something better for us than this broken down, illness ridden, death forecast life, but it won’t happen without suffering and death.

Hebrews 2:10 NIVUK84

10 In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering.

Did you hear the forecast for us? It is glorious, the writer announces. IN chapter 12 of Hebrews, the writer points the reader to Jesus. Look at Jesus, the perfect Son of God, He leaves behind the worship of angels, adorns our humanity, sets aside his "rights as God" to be blamed for humanity's sins, to suffer the punishment others deserved. Look at him.

Hebrews 12:2 NIVUK84

2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

In the middle of His suffering, Jesus has is joy! The Son of God finds joy in his suffering for He knows what His suffering and death means for you and me - forgiveness, life, and salvation. Paul, from inside a prison cell, he invites to join with him to

Philippians 4:4 (ESV) 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

I did a quick study on the words “joy and rejoice” in the ESV bible, there are 436 verses where the words “joy” and “rejoice” are found. Permit me to "highlight" three occasions.

The first one is King David who has committed adultery with Uriah’s wife, if that sin was bad enough, he has Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband killed in battle. When Nathan the prophet (his pastor) finds out he confront King David’s with his sins. Living under the strain of his guilt and fear of God’s punishment, David lost his joy. As he struggles to deal with his guilt and shame, he wonders if the Lord will forgive him. But David is a man of faith in God and knows the heart of God. So, in this blessed Psalm 51, David confesses his sins to God, declaring not only His sorrow and contrition for his sins, but also His faith in God’s mercy, grace and love.

Psalm 51:1 (NIV) Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.

Psalm 51:3-4 (NIV) For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.

Psalm 51:7 (NIV) Cleanse me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Psalm 51:9–12 (NIV) — 9Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. 10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

The Lord hears his prayer and answers in mercy, and David's joy was "restored". Paul invites us to do the same when we are overcome by our sins.

Philippians 4:4 (ESV) 4 Rejoice in the Lord always,

Rejoice in the forgiveness of sins which God offers you for Christ sake.

Here is the second one, Luke chapter 10,

Luke 10:1–2 (ESV) — “…the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. 2 And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.

He gave them instructions on what to take with them, and what they are to say and do. After they return,

Luke 10:17 (NIV) 17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."

They returned with joy as they witnessed God’s Word overpowering the demons.

But Jesus said to them, “do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

As we live in a sinful world, Paul encourages believers to

Philippians 4:4 (ESV) 4 Rejoice in the Lord always, Rejoice that your names are written in heaven. And do not let the troubles of this life steal our joy and hope in Christ.

Here is the third place, on the night before Christ suffered death. Jesus said to the 11, Judas had already left them,

John 16:22 (NIV) Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.

John 16:33 (NIV) 33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

It is possible to look forward to a forecast of joy even in a world broken by sin, with storms of tribulation, distress, troubles and hardships, illness, and death. When we,

Philippians 4:4–6 (NIV) — 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

When your sins overwhelm you, present your requests to God, like David. When you are anxious and fearful for tomorrow, present your requests to God, for He forecast this for you and me who believe.

7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

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