Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again:
Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all.
The Lord is near.
•Last week’s “teaser” – an introduction to
the subject of rejoicing.
•Christian rejoicing is a marvelous and
often mysterious emotion.
•We all need to understand it more fully.
•It goes beyond happiness
•It endures even through the greatest of
sadness.
•True Christian rejoicing has one source –
one root. Let’s explore that root.
•Paul repeats the phrase to emphasize
his enthusiasm.
•Philippians could be called the epistle
of rejoicing:
•Philippians 1:18-19; 2:17-18; 3:1;
4:4,10 – rejoicing is a central theme to
the epistle.
•The “where”
and “what” of
our rejoicing.
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“For you were once darkness, but now you are
light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for
the fruit of the light consists in all goodness,
righteousness and truth) and find out what
pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the
fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose
them. For it is shameful even to mention what
the disobedient do in secret.”
What does “in the Lord” indicate?
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“Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to
live in order to please God, as in fact you are
living. Now we ask you and urge you in the
Lord Jesus to do this more and more. For you
know what instructions we gave you by the
authority of the Lord Jesus. It is God's will that
you should be sanctified: that you should
avoid sexual immorality; that each of you
should learn to control his own body in a way
that is holy and honorable, not in passionate
lust like the heathen, who do not know God;”
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Psalm 5:11-12 – “But let all
who take refuge in you be
glad; let them ever sing for
joy. Spread your protection
over them, that those who
love your name may rejoice
in you. For surely, O LORD,
you bless the righteous; you
surround them with your
favor as with a shield.
Trusting our shield and refuge
Psalm 32:10-11 -- Many are the woes of the
wicked, but the LORD's unfailing love
surrounds the man who trusts in him.
Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you
righteous; sing, all you who are upright in
heart!
Psalm 97:11-12 – “Light is shed upon the
righteous and joy on the upright in heart. Rejoice
in the LORD, you who are righteous, and praise
his holy name.”
•We must be
about smoothing
our rough edges.
•Rejoicing is
accompanied by
a gentle spirit.
•Sin leads us to
anger, wrath,
bitterness and
jealousy.
•Rejoicing in the
Lord brings us to
gentleness and
peace.
•The universality of sin
•There is no one righteous
•No one seeks God
•All have turned away
•No one does good
•All tongues practice deceit and
cursing
•They do not fear God
Luke 6:22-23 – “Blessed are you when
men hate you, when they exclude you
and insult you and reject your name as
evil, because of the Son of Man.
"Rejoice in that day and leap for joy,
because great is your reward in heaven.
For that is how their fathers treated the
prophets.”
•Happiness depends on happenstance
•Joy is constant – in the Lord.
•Rejoicing is not with events – but in
eternity.
•Let the joy of Christ flow through you.
•Stand as a beacon of the joy of Christ.
•If the people of promise can’t be joyful –
who in the world can?