“Practice Joy in All Times”

Rev. Tully M. Fletcher IV

Decatur Presbyterian Church

May 15, 2022

Philippians 4:4-7  

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.  ⁵ Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.  ⁶ Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 12:1-2  ^NRS Hebrews 12:1

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,  ² looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

Rejoice in the Lord always. 

At first reading, it is easy to see these words as trite or cliche. It is easy to dismiss these words as worthless wisdom. Words which are easily said, but hard to live, and never perfected.

But, if you know the story behind the passage, it all makes sense, and the wonder and power of these words is seen in full.  These words come to life in the life of the one who wrote them.

Greek Songs

When I was in seminary, I studied Biblical Greek.  Now I was afraid of Greek.  I was terrified that I would be bad at it, that I might fail.  See I had started seminary studying Hebrew, that language kicked my butt.  It seemed like with Hebrew, the harder I worked, the less I understood. 

But Greek, was different.  Greek was a Joy to me.  I liked it so much, that the following summer I came back as a Teaching Assistant for Greek School. 

I got really good at the verb structure, conjugating words, translating scripture.  I even began writing my own verses. …

I would even sing it..

Stories of Joy

Let’s talk about Joy for a moment.

Eating good food

We don’t go out to eat very often, but when we do, we like to go somewhere delicious. 

• Pizza,
• Mediterranean food,
• a perfectly cooked steak

Joy after a challenge

You work hard, and when you finish, you look at your work, and say ‘ahh’

Joy of a good rest

Of a well earned rest…

Canoeing

Canoeing in Canada, portaging from one lake to another

One portage was 2600 meters, 2.6K. Walk that at least 3 times with a canoe on your shoulders and large pack on your back, you reach the end, you see the next lake, and you are filled with immense joy.

Scripture

Intro 

At first reading, it is easy to see these words as trite or cliche. It is easy to dismiss these words as worthless wisdom. Words which are easily said, but hard to live, and never perfected.

But, if you know the story behind the passage, it all makes sense, and the wonder and power of these words is seen in full.  These words come to life in the life of the one who wrote them.

Paul’s story

Let’s talk about Paul, the one who wrote these words. 

1. Paul the apostle, but he used to be know as Saul, and back then he persecute Christians.
2. He chased them, harassed them, and even killed them.
3. Then, on the road to Damascus, he encountered Jesus and was stuck blind.
4. Eventually his eyes were opened, both metaphorically and literally.
5. He became zealous for Christ, instead of zealous against him.
6. Paul traveled all over, the known world teaching people, and starting churches
   • Paul probably led more people to become Christian than anyone else.
7. But in some kind of twisted karma, the man who had killed, persecute and imprisoned followers of Jesus, finds himself to be in prison for his faith.
   1. Trapped in a jail cell, Paul finds hope and joy like you wouldn’t believe.
   2. Paul was imprisoned a few times.
   3. There was one Jail in Jerusalem that was particularly difficult.
      1. Dark and damp, down by the water. In storms his cell would like flood a bit. 
      2. He was stuck there for more than 2 years, forgotten while awaiting trial.
   4. But it was from that very prison, that he wrote these words

Closing 

It’s easy to be when your kid is cute, when you belly is full, when you have successfully completed a difficult task….but joy in prison?

Joy in the midst of suffering?

Joy when the rest of the world says there is no hope?

That type of Joy is rare, and comes only from faith in Jesus Christ. 

Amen