In this 25th week, we are yet holding on! To God be the glory. Great things God has done.
Enjoy this musical
selection.
The church in Philippi was known as the happy church. Philippi is in the country of Greece. Philippi was named after Philip II of Macedon born about 400 years before Christ. He lost his right eye in battle.
He was the father of Alexander the Great. Because Philippi was like a gold rush town, people were anxious to settle there and make their fortune. To bring some order, Phillip protected the native citizens of Philippi by developing what I imagine was a sort of gated community, at least a policed community. No doubt, that protection brought some stability and peace to the area.
Each of us appreciates a sense of protection and security. Can you imagine living in a country where the military is weak? The U.S. military is strong.
It is trained and equipped to fight to protect and secure our liberty lest we be carried off at gunpoint by a stronger military force.
Can you imagine being a part of a church that is weak and unwilling or unable to fight our spiritual enemies? The United Methodist church as well as many other denominations is trained and equipped to fight and secure Godly peace, justice, and freedom lest we be taken hostage by our sins or the sins of our neighbor.
I like to think that
with so many people coming and going in Philippi for the peace and comfort, they
learned to get along with people from a variety of places and situations partly
because they felt some security that the government would protect them if need
be.
It was in Philippi that Paul found folks who opened their mind to the gospel and cooperated together. That made them happy. It is a wonderful blessing to be happy, especially when all around you all hell is breaking loose. Paul wrote the letter to the church in Philippi while he was being detained for sharing his faith. Like us during this pandemic, he found a way to be happy in Jesus, to rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS as he writes in Chapter 4, “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again,…” he says “REJOICE.”
There
are reasons to rejoice in the midst of the Covid pandemic just as there are
reasons to rejoice in other times of hardship. As faithful Christians, it is
our job to know the reasons God has put around us to rejoice.
The
Christian life is not about us. It is about the father, son, and Holy Ghost
fulfilling a purpose and a plan that we are a part of, but not in charge of.
Our goal is to please God, knowing that there is a reward, there is a prize for
answering God’s call. Paul wrote to the church in Philippi to encourage them to
keep on keeping on, to press on and do whatever they needed to do to win that
prize.
He ways – Not that I have
already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to
make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13Beloved, I
do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do:
forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14I
press on towards the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in
Christ Jesus.
The
world has enough trouble and sorrow, especially right now. If we do not find
ways to rejoice, to celebrate, and to be happy, we will find ourselves on sinking
sand. On this world wide communion Sunday, we see that it is good that we
prayerfully connect to our sisters and brothers near and far because as that
song from the 80’s told us: We are the world, We are the children, We are the ones who make a brighter day, so let's
start giving, There's a choice we're
making
We're saving our own lives, It's true
we'll make a better day, just you and me.
John Wesley was known to be a very
serious preacher. Apparently, most people probably thought he wasn’t very joyful.
He wrote: You seem to apprehend that I believe religion to be inconsistent with
cheerfulness and with a sociable, friendly temper. So far from it, that I
am convinced, as true religion or holiness cannot be without cheerfulness, so
steady cheerfulness, on the other hand, cannot be without holiness or true
religion.
And I am equally convinced that true
religion has nothing sour, austere, unsociable, or unfriendly in
it. Are you for having so much cheerfulness as you can? So am I.”
There are times when we must
intentionally put on a happy face in order to endure tough times. When I am
particularly stressed, I wear a bracelet that says, “Smile at the future.” It
reminds me that there is nothing in the future that God and I can’t handle
together. When I smile, my body, mind and spirit relax and for that moment, the
stress melts away. It is the same way with deep breathing. We can breathe in
the breath of life and it fills us from head to toe with goodness, and we can
breathe out a worry or a fear – if just for a second or two.
Just like in the book of Acts chapter
2, the Holy Spirit came upon God’s people as a mighty rushing wind and they
could not help but praise God. We have seen people in a time of distress. Sometimes
they cannot help but cry. We have seen fans in a sports arena who cheered for
their team with an exhilaration that you dare not interrupt. Have you ever been
in a crowd where they are roaring with laughter? Joy-filled laughter is good
medicine.
A few years ago, I was in a large
worship service. There was singing and dancing and clapping and before I knew
it, I could not help but rejoice and remember over and over and over again the
thought, “God is able.” Those words lifted my spirits, seemingly to the highest
heavens, and I was overcome with the idea that God is able to fulfill a purpose
and a plan to build the kin-dom. In spite of any misery and frustrations, “God
is able…”
A few
weeks ago, we played a song in outside worship called Even If. It reflects the
story of Daniel being persecuted and thrown into a fiery furnace. It says - You've
been faithful, You've been good
All of my days Jesus, I will cling to You. Come what may 'Cause I know you're
able. I know you can Save through the fire with your mighty hand. But even if you
don't my hope is You alone. I know the sorrow, I know the hurt would all go
away if you’d just say the word. But even if you don't my hope is you alone. It
is well with my soul. It is well, it is well with my soul. That
is a song one can only sing when one is full of hope.
John
Wesley knew something about that hope. He writes, “About three
in the morning as we were continuing instant in prayer, the power of God came
mightily upon us, insomuch that many cried out for exceeding joy, and many fell
to the ground. As soon as we recovered a little from the awe and amazement at
the presence of His Majesty, we broke out with one voice, 'We praise Thee, O
God, we acknowledge Thee to be the Lord.'
John Wesley (1827). “The Works...”, p.117
It will be hard to live this life, even this Christian life without the joy of the Lord, which is our strength. Certainly, we need strength to love one another, especially when we look around this world and even in our own homes and see that we think and act so differently from one another. At times we must search for that joy or smile to get the joy flowing. Doesn’t the psalmist declare, weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning? At other times, joy will come to us like a mighty rushing wind and lift us above the troubles of this world. God will not leave us empty handed. There will be joy. Be encouraged, my friends. Answer the call. Walk with the king and be a blessing. Follow Jesus wherever he leads you, and you will receive a prize – joy unspeakable. Let us pray.
God of joy, thank you for using us to build each other up, to heal each other, be kind and loving to one another, to help our family, friends, and neighbors near and far. It is not always easy and thankfully, it is not always hard. Thank you for all your spiritual gifts – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Bless our homes to be a place that bears much fruit, especially the joy that strengthens us for each journey. We surrender our lives to you afresh this day and we pray as you taught the disciples:
Our father who art in
Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it
is in Heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
We trust this message is
food for your souls. Next week we go to Philippians 4 looking at “Paul and the
Church in Philippi – Prayer, Pleasing, Peace, and Purity”
If you would like to make your contribution to the great ministry and mission of Bethel, the website is bethelumchurch.com
Or you can send it to
952 Bethel Church Road, Spring City, Pa. 19475.
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