Rejoice in the Lord Always!
"Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord." (Philippians 3:1)
"Rejoice in the Lord always! I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4)
Joy! It bubbles up from the words of Paul's letter to the church at Philippi as if from a clear, mountain-fed spring. But why? Paul wrote this letter while under house arrest in Rome. How did he get there? Because he had insisted on going back to Jerusalem at the end of his third missionary journey. And he did that because he took personal responsibility for delivering a special offering that he had helped gather in many of the churches he visited. The offering's purpose? To provide aide for fellow Christians in Jerusalem and the area struggling to survive during a severe famine.
But Paul had enemies in Jerusalem--all his former buddies from his days as a Pharisee. Once they saw "Paul Benedict Arnold" back in town, the Jews rioted! The Roman guard arrested Paul for his own safety. (Acts 21:30-36) He was transferred to a Roman jail in Caesarea. There Paul sat forgotten for two long years, until a new Roman governor came into office: Festus. It seems he wanted to clear the books of cases that had fallen through the cracks, so Festus summoned Paul in and asked if Paul would be willing to stand trial in Jerusalem. Paul's response? “I am standing before Caesar’s judicial bench, where I ought to be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as also you yourself know very well. If I am guilty and have done something worthy of death, I am not trying to escape death. But if there is nothing to the charges they are making against me, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!" (Acts 25:10-11)
So, to Caesar he went. That meant Rome. Paul's journey there reads like a nightmare. (Acts 27-28) And when Paul finally got to Rome? More delays, as Paul waited for a hearing with Caesar. It was during this arrest that Paul wrote a number of epistles--including the letter to the Philippians. Time? About 62 AD. Some five years after he had been arrested in Jerusalem! Five years gone!
After all that, I'm not sure I would have been quite so ready to put pen to paper and write, "Rejoice!"
For that matter, I'm not sure I would have been quite so eager to greet the Philippians with these words. "I thank my God every time I remember you. Every time I pray for all of you, I always pray with joy, because of your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now." (Philippians 1:3-5)
Why? Well, it's true that Paul and Silas received a special, direct, God-given call to work in Philippi! A vision in the night! "A Macedonian man was standing there, urging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” (Acts 16:9) So Paul and his team set sail immediately and came to Philippi, a leading city in the region and a Roman colony. So began the first Christian mission work in Europe, as recorded in the Bible.
But it was rough going. There weren't enough Jews for a synagogue, so Paul started preaching at a place of prayer along the river, outside the city gates. (Acts 16:13) There he met Lydia a seller of purple, and that led to more mission work inside the city. Until a slave girl, able to foretell the future because she was possessed by a demon, kept following Paul and shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way to be saved” When she kept doing this for many days, Paul became so annoyed that he turned to the spirit and said, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out at that very moment." (Acts 16:17-18) What a miracle! What a blessing! Except now the slave girl couldn't predict the future anymore, and her owners saw a lucrative revenue stream dry up. So, they dragged Paul and Silas before the authorities. Mob mentality took over. Next thing you know those magistrates had Paul and Silas beaten severely and thrown into the hoosegow. The inner jail. Think chains. Mold. Stench. And rats. Lots of rats.
But the Lord miraculously ended that imprisonment with an earthquake, even while Paul and Silas--still in chains--had been singing hymns to God! They were freed! They then witnessed to the Jailer and his entire family--who were all baptized. Come the next morning, the magistrates gave orders for Paul and Silas to get out of Dodge immediately. That's when Paul said, “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now they are releasing us secretly? Absolutely not! Let them come themselves and escort us out!” (Acts 16:37) So the magistrates ate a large dish of steamed-road-kill crow and escorted the two missionaries out of the jail and asked that they leave the city.
Now, if it was me, I'm not sure I would be repeating the word "rejoice," if I were the one reminiscing about my first visit to Philippi. Trumped up charges? Beaten for doing good? Thrown into prison to rot? Yet Paul saw how the Lord works all things for good. A door for mission work into Europe had been opened!
So that brings us back to Paul, writing this epistle, while imprisoned in Rome, some five years after that nasty business with the beating and the inner jail! The Holy Spirit had used the Gospel to build deep ties of love between Paul and the Philippians. Through the years, they had supported Paul financially. (Philippians 4:15-16) And when they learned of Paul's imprisonment in Rome, they sent another generous gift to Paul, using a Christian courier named Epaphroditus. While in Rome, Epaphroditus became so ill that he almost died (Philippians 2:26-27). The Philippians heard about this and were very concerned. Paul decided to send Epaphroditus, who had recovered, back to Philippi. As he traveled, he would carry this inspired letter to the Philippians.
I have been thinking about Paul's epistle of joy for two reasons this week.
1) I am German-Norwegian. Have I reminded you of that lately? That means I can look at a beautiful blue sky and spot the lone cloud way of on the horizon. And immediately my feelings sour. I go into Eeyore mode. I need to read Philippians and read it regularly, so God's Spirit refreshes me with true joy! Easter joy! News of a Savior who lived for me, died for me, and rose for me! "Rejoice, and I'll say it again, "Rejoice!"
2) I am German-Norwegian. Have I reminded you of that lately? That means I must always to be in strict, almost-robotic command of my emotions. Crying? That's out. But sometimes the tears come. Tears of pure joy. Tears that move me to say with Paul, ""I thank my God every time I remember you. Every time I pray for all of you, I always pray with joy, because of your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now." (Philippians 1:3-5) Since Day One of my call here at Trinity, you have been so kind to me. So patient. So willing to overlook the fact that I'm not quite the pastor I once was. Years, and mileage, have taken a toll. Yet, you open your homes to me. Your hearts to me.
And so, I'll say it again, "Rejoice!"
Privileged to Serve,
Rev. Glenn Schwanke
"Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord." (Philippians 3:1)
"Rejoice in the Lord always! I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4)
Joy! It bubbles up from the words of Paul's letter to the church at Philippi as if from a clear, mountain-fed spring. But why? Paul wrote this letter while under house arrest in Rome. How did he get there? Because he had insisted on going back to Jerusalem at the end of his third missionary journey. And he did that because he took personal responsibility for delivering a special offering that he had helped gather in many of the churches he visited. The offering's purpose? To provide aide for fellow Christians in Jerusalem and the area struggling to survive during a severe famine.
But Paul had enemies in Jerusalem--all his former buddies from his days as a Pharisee. Once they saw "Paul Benedict Arnold" back in town, the Jews rioted! The Roman guard arrested Paul for his own safety. (Acts 21:30-36) He was transferred to a Roman jail in Caesarea. There Paul sat forgotten for two long years, until a new Roman governor came into office: Festus. It seems he wanted to clear the books of cases that had fallen through the cracks, so Festus summoned Paul in and asked if Paul would be willing to stand trial in Jerusalem. Paul's response? “I am standing before Caesar’s judicial bench, where I ought to be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as also you yourself know very well. If I am guilty and have done something worthy of death, I am not trying to escape death. But if there is nothing to the charges they are making against me, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!" (Acts 25:10-11)
So, to Caesar he went. That meant Rome. Paul's journey there reads like a nightmare. (Acts 27-28) And when Paul finally got to Rome? More delays, as Paul waited for a hearing with Caesar. It was during this arrest that Paul wrote a number of epistles--including the letter to the Philippians. Time? About 62 AD. Some five years after he had been arrested in Jerusalem! Five years gone!
After all that, I'm not sure I would have been quite so ready to put pen to paper and write, "Rejoice!"
For that matter, I'm not sure I would have been quite so eager to greet the Philippians with these words. "I thank my God every time I remember you. Every time I pray for all of you, I always pray with joy, because of your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now." (Philippians 1:3-5)
Why? Well, it's true that Paul and Silas received a special, direct, God-given call to work in Philippi! A vision in the night! "A Macedonian man was standing there, urging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” (Acts 16:9) So Paul and his team set sail immediately and came to Philippi, a leading city in the region and a Roman colony. So began the first Christian mission work in Europe, as recorded in the Bible.
But it was rough going. There weren't enough Jews for a synagogue, so Paul started preaching at a place of prayer along the river, outside the city gates. (Acts 16:13) There he met Lydia a seller of purple, and that led to more mission work inside the city. Until a slave girl, able to foretell the future because she was possessed by a demon, kept following Paul and shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way to be saved” When she kept doing this for many days, Paul became so annoyed that he turned to the spirit and said, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out at that very moment." (Acts 16:17-18) What a miracle! What a blessing! Except now the slave girl couldn't predict the future anymore, and her owners saw a lucrative revenue stream dry up. So, they dragged Paul and Silas before the authorities. Mob mentality took over. Next thing you know those magistrates had Paul and Silas beaten severely and thrown into the hoosegow. The inner jail. Think chains. Mold. Stench. And rats. Lots of rats.
But the Lord miraculously ended that imprisonment with an earthquake, even while Paul and Silas--still in chains--had been singing hymns to God! They were freed! They then witnessed to the Jailer and his entire family--who were all baptized. Come the next morning, the magistrates gave orders for Paul and Silas to get out of Dodge immediately. That's when Paul said, “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now they are releasing us secretly? Absolutely not! Let them come themselves and escort us out!” (Acts 16:37) So the magistrates ate a large dish of steamed-road-kill crow and escorted the two missionaries out of the jail and asked that they leave the city.
Now, if it was me, I'm not sure I would be repeating the word "rejoice," if I were the one reminiscing about my first visit to Philippi. Trumped up charges? Beaten for doing good? Thrown into prison to rot? Yet Paul saw how the Lord works all things for good. A door for mission work into Europe had been opened!
So that brings us back to Paul, writing this epistle, while imprisoned in Rome, some five years after that nasty business with the beating and the inner jail! The Holy Spirit had used the Gospel to build deep ties of love between Paul and the Philippians. Through the years, they had supported Paul financially. (Philippians 4:15-16) And when they learned of Paul's imprisonment in Rome, they sent another generous gift to Paul, using a Christian courier named Epaphroditus. While in Rome, Epaphroditus became so ill that he almost died (Philippians 2:26-27). The Philippians heard about this and were very concerned. Paul decided to send Epaphroditus, who had recovered, back to Philippi. As he traveled, he would carry this inspired letter to the Philippians.
I have been thinking about Paul's epistle of joy for two reasons this week.
1) I am German-Norwegian. Have I reminded you of that lately? That means I can look at a beautiful blue sky and spot the lone cloud way of on the horizon. And immediately my feelings sour. I go into Eeyore mode. I need to read Philippians and read it regularly, so God's Spirit refreshes me with true joy! Easter joy! News of a Savior who lived for me, died for me, and rose for me! "Rejoice, and I'll say it again, "Rejoice!"
2) I am German-Norwegian. Have I reminded you of that lately? That means I must always to be in strict, almost-robotic command of my emotions. Crying? That's out. But sometimes the tears come. Tears of pure joy. Tears that move me to say with Paul, ""I thank my God every time I remember you. Every time I pray for all of you, I always pray with joy, because of your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now." (Philippians 1:3-5) Since Day One of my call here at Trinity, you have been so kind to me. So patient. So willing to overlook the fact that I'm not quite the pastor I once was. Years, and mileage, have taken a toll. Yet, you open your homes to me. Your hearts to me.
And so, I'll say it again, "Rejoice!"
Privileged to Serve,
Rev. Glenn Schwanke
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