CHRIST CENTERED REJOICING

Phil 4:4-7

This portion of Paul’s letter is the central theme of this book. We the believer, are to rejoice always, no matter what our circumstances might be. Is it a challenge to rejoice all the time? Yes! On many occasions our circumstances suck the life and joy out of us. Our rejoicing becomes stagnant and nonexistent when we allow the circumstances of our lives to consume our thoughts and actions. When times are tough to rejoice it’s usually because we are focused on our needs and not His grace in our lives.

How can we as Christian’s find joy when circumstances of life want to destroy our joy?

The simple answer we overlook all the time is: Look to the Cross. We forget to look back to what Jesus endured for every single one of us. The greatest sacrifice He made on the Cross for sinful man and woman. The very sins that grieved the Godhead before the  worldwide flood “And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.” Gen 6:6. The same Godhead that the Hebrew writer said “for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” 12:2

How does one reconcile this biblical truth?

That God is sorry that He created mankind, and in the same breath went to the Cross to be crushed for our sin? If these two truths don’t lead into worship, I don’t know what will. The God head displayed clemency and restraint not to destroy all of mankind; though He was just in doing so. And God showed mercy and grace to preserve His image-bearers, by showing a love that is unexplainable by fallible creatures like us.

And to top it off! Jesus, found it to be a joy as He sacrificed His life for us. Can you fathom that reality with me for a moment! Jesus, the Godman went to the cross with joy. (This should humble us, if not break us)

Can you imagine how He must have felt when He could see into the hearts of every single person that walked past Him?

How could Jesus rejoice knowing His created children would?

Curse His name

Deny His supreme authority and deity.

Spit in His face as if He was a criminal and heretic.

Have hearts of murder and other evil thoughts and deeds.

Assault Him and pin the sinless, spotless, Lamb of God, to a tree.

Jesus knew the power of the Cross and the joy that flows from Emmanuel’s veins

That’s why we should always be looking towards the Cross.

There is an eternal supply of joy in the Cross.

There is genuine fellowship reserved for you in the Cross.

There is healing mercies in the Cross.

There is peace everlasting in the Cross.

There is beauty in the chaos found in the Cross.

We can… find joy in the midst of struggles and life challenges! We can… find joy when we see and hear the things around us that grieve us, and fill our eyes with tears.

But! This is dependent on what you invest your joy into, and also what it takes to lose your joy so easily. Joy is a major factor and encourager in the life of a child of God and I’m not talking about entertainment or I centered joy. I’m talking about a genuine heart of worship that adores the God who created us for His glory and our good. I’m talking about a heart that rejoices because of the surpassing worth of knowing and tasting this love that is found in the risen Christ. I’m talking about a God who allows us to breathe, so that we can in return use our breath to praise Him for His glorious salvation. A glorious God who saved our souls from eternal hell and torment! As David said “Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever.” Ps 145:2. What was David saying? Despite what you’ve allowed in my life I will always praise your name, always! The same should be said of us today, loved ones! Think about what David wrote in Psalm 19 “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.” Psalm 19:1-2. All of God’s creation speaks of His surpassing greatness, but none of them have the words of eternal life.

Who has the words of eternal life?

You and me! And we are to sing from the roofs of our homes about this God, that creation sings to every day without words.

1. Christ Centered Rejoicing Is Always Rejoicing (V4)

This means “rejoice regardless of your circumstance” This is a continual, habitual practice of each Christian who has been transformed by the gospel. This is your reasonable service as children of God to display your love and adoration towards a holy God. Paul leaves no room for “excuses” or “Buts” or “what if”. Look what he says as he repeats this command! “Always”. No exceptions, regardless of how painful or trying you situation might be. Especially in light of this disagreement amoung these two ladies of the gospel. See! Disagreements should never prevent us from rejoicing, because rejoicing might serve to heal the divide. Again how does one rejoice like that unhindered by their present circumstance? Look at the joy that was set before Jesus Christ, as He hung on the tree for sinful man and sinful woman. It’s not to say we don’t grieve or never have moments of discouragement; but this should never rob us of our joy. I know and I understand that your past or present circumstances can make it very hard to rejoice. I know our depravity, sorrow, misery, and death in this world, can really choke out any reason for rejoicing. But we are commanded by God to rejoice nonetheless. Paul said “Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” Rom 12:11-12. As Jesus said “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven,….” Matt 5:12

What does this “continue rejoicing heart” produce?

2. Christ Centered Rejoicing Displays Gentleness To Everyone (V5)

This is what rejoicing provides, a heart of gentleness, it has the ability to decrease friction amoung the church family. We should never let our emotions to escalate or intensify as to become angry and unwilling to reconcile with one another. Friction can bring out the worst in us; instead we should show “gentleness and gentle spirit.” This statement could also be translated “let your softness be known to all men.” This is an outward expression of an inward love, that we have towards Christ and his created children.

“Gentleness” can also be translated “reasonableness or graciousness” It’s the same kind of behavior we should be demonstrating when we endure injustice, disgrace or mistreatment by others. We are to be gentle as doves amongst wolves “to all people” and especially to the redeemed. We are to be gentle which is a picture of Jesus Christ, the church. “Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ.....” 2 Cor 10:1

This should be our witness to the world and to one another! Maybe the church would get along a lot better; if we started to show signs of gentleness to one another! Think of the witness we could have in a broken sinful world, if they could see the local church walking together in unity. Kent Hughes said “Within the church this gentleness or softness or sweet reasonableness will prevent and moderate the kind of rift that occurred between Euodia and Syntyche. Even the surrounding world finds this softness and gentleness winsome and inviting. A rejoicing spirit is a gentle spirit and a healing balm to the church and the world.”

  

3. Christ Centered Rejoicing Overcomes An Anxious Heart (V6a)

Basically what Paul is “Don’t worry about anything; you are a redeemed child of the Living God.” Think about this for a moment! Humanly speaking few things were going right for Paul, as he sits in a Roman’s cell, waiting possible execution for the proclamation of the Gospel. Danger was always around Paul throughout his missionary life and yet he was a man who knew peace. In his chains, attached to a Roman soldier, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week and has been in this situation for two years. This encouraging truth doesn’t come from a man who is a chronic worrier.  No! It’s coming from a man who knows peace in his heart despite his circumstances.

This is the same command that Jesus taught His disciples; and this applies to us as well. "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matt 6:25-34

Jesus identifies “worry” as simply pagan “For after all these things the Gentiles seek” Three times Jesus forbids His children to worry. This word  “worry” comes from an old English word meaning “to strangle” This is a good image to have when you think of word “worry”. Because stress chokes our inner life and sometimes affects our physical. All this does is robs the child of God of your peace and joy. And sadly we forget something that is very important here found in (v5) “the Lord is at hand or ‘near’” God isn’t some cosmic being, higher power, a weak deity; He is Yahweh, the sovereign Lord over all the earth. Worry is a failure to trust that God is in control. It reveals that we are not sure that God will provide what we need in His perfect timing. So stop worrying which is sin, and turn to Him. with praise for His sovereign providence in your life. Because worry is unfruitful and anything unfruitful is sinful. “Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares (worries) of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.” Matt 13:22

What does Paul tell them to do to avoid

worry or have anxious hearts?

4. Christ Centered Rejoicing Approaches the Throne Of Grace With Thankfulness And Prayer. (V6b)

There is one primary cure for worry, and that is prayer, we know prayer is where we are supposed go to. Why? We are to be “Anxious for nothing, but pray about everything.” Steve Lawson said “There is no shortcut to peace. But prayer is the path to it.”

“Be anxious for nothing.....but in everything in PRAYER

and making your request (be specific with your requests) known to God!” (v6) 

This is where we find spiritual stability when we are faced with life difficulties and trials. True prayer will be marked by gratitude, no matter how hard or dire our circumstances might be. Prayer is where we have direct access through Christ with our specific requests to the Lord who sits on the Throne. This is always to be done with thankfulness and a rejoicing heart of adoration. Why? Again, Jesus paved the way for us to come into that personal relationship with the Father through His finishing work on the Cross of Calvary. So instead of worrying, which is sin; we are to rejoice with gentleness, by seeking His face with thanksgiving because He is always near! Paul stresses that believers must not be pulled apart and strangled of their peace and joy. We are to cast all our concerns and anxiety on Him, as Peter said “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

5. Christ Centered Rejoicing Has A Peace That Can Never Be Shaken (V7)

The end result to these commands leads a child of God into “a peace with God that surpasses all understanding”. “Peace” is an inner tranquility of soul. It’s that inner calm that settles the turbulence of a troubled heart.

Remember that peace you experienced

at the point of your conversion?

Maybe this will help you jog your memory “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” Rom 5:1. This is a peace that world cannot understand because of their blindness and ignorance to the Gospel. This is the peace that God provides and gives to His sanctified children. As Jesus said “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27. We are His children and we can experience that inner peace and joy that is only found in Christ! Again! Everything comes back and points to the Cross and His finishing work! There is no explanation for this peace except that God provides it. It’s a supernatural peace that is unnatural in a world of chaos.

 Reflect on this truth! 

Nothing on this earth should be able to steal our joy.

Because it’s in this peace that will “guard” your heart and mind. (v7) It’s in this peace that we find a holy God who is guarding and leading us into His eternal presence. Remember the entire inner person is being fortified against the attacks of worry and this world. As John penned “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4

A Christ centered rejoicing is…. 

A life that rejoices always in every occasion.

A life that is gentle to all people no matter what.

A life that is never anxious or worried about anything.

A life that is always in fellowship with God through prayer with thanksgiving.

A life that is filled with peace through Christ and the gospel. Something this world desperately needs!

Are you experiencing this peace? 

Do you need this peace this morning?

The answer is found exclusively in trusting Jesus Christ. The Gospel of Jesus Christ that leads my heart to say “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. (v4)