Lent 5, 2019
Philippians 3:8-14
"The riches of this world are rubbish"
Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
How about a nice true false quiz to start our day. Everyone ready? There are only two questions. However, this will be graded (Deacons/Elders take notes). True or False: Because of what Jesus did for you on the cross, your sins are forgiven, you are covered in the righteousness of Christ, and you are declared holy and just before the throne of God. True or false: On the day of resurrection you will experience never-ending joy and peace as you stand face-to-face with your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. How wonderful it is that the answer is true for both of these questions!
Since that joyous news is true why does criticism bother you so much? Why do you sometimes worry about the future? Why are you sometimes so unhappy with how your life has turned out? Why—if you know all that—are you so often dissatisfied and discontent? Your sins are forgiven! You are clothed with Christ and His righteousness! You are an heir of God's kingdom! And yet knowing all that...we often feel stuck in a rut; anxious or depressed. We desire the best things of this world and this life. We fail at living out our Christian lives joyously.
Peace and joy is at the heart of the Gospel and the book of Philippians. Saint Paul writes, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice" (Philippians 4:4) Rejoice...always. Always? Really? How can you rejoice during the tough times? How do you rejoice during the hard times? When you've lost a job or a friend? When a loved one is suffering or dying? How do you rejoice then?
Let's look at what is going on in Paul's life when he is writing those words reminding us to always rejoice. When Paul wrote those words he wasn't living it up on vacation. He hadn't just won the Roman lottery. Paul wrote these words while imprisoned by the Romans. Paul was in jail.
It's not that Paul had some grandiose idea of life either. Paul knew suffering. Paul wrote to the Corinthians: "Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure." (2 Corinthians 11:23–27)
Despite all the pain that Paul endured within his life, as he sat in prison about to be put on trial with his life hanging in the balance, he wrote these astonishing words: "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice." (Philippians 4:4)
It's far easier to not rejoice in the Lord. I don't rejoice in the Lord when I find out I have to pay more taxes. I don't rejoice in the Lord when the fine and loyal Police officer is writing me a ticket. I don't rejoice in the Lord when it costs $50.00 to fill up the gas tank. I don't rejoice in the Lord when the guy at McDonalds forgets my fries and I have already driven off. I don't rejoice in the Lord when I open the washing machine to find that I left tissues in my pocket. I don't rejoice in the Lord when I set my alarm for the wrong time and wake up in a mad panic. But Paul, unlike me, was able to rejoice in the Lord always. He rejoiced even after being repeatedly beaten and tortured and ship wrecked and jailed. Why?
As I read Paul's words remember that he wrote this while in prison. "Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 3:8-11)
Do you see what gave Paul hope and strength even in the most hopeless of situations? He considered everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus his Lord. He considered everything rubbish in order that he might gain Christ and be found in him. The riches of this world are worthless compared to Christ and His Salvation.
In other words, Paul was given strength, courage, hope, and joy, all because he knew Christ Jesus his Lord and he knew that he would one day see him again face-to-face. As he says here, the unshakable goal of his life was to attain, by the grace of God, the resurrection from the dead. Why? Because Paul knew in the day of resurrection he would finally be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ forever.
So, how was Paul able to rejoice in the Lord always? How was he able to write these amazing words while sitting in prison. He knew that he would one day be with Jesus. He knew for certain what his future would be. And that changed him in the present. This is what he means when he writes: “But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14)
You see, Paul knew that the prize was certain. Paul knew that the prize would one day be his. That is what gave him the confidence to keep straining forward—that is what gave him the confidence to keep pressing on—no matter what. Knowing that He would be with Christ in the near future changed His attitude.
My friends, Jesus Christ went to the cross to destroy death and to give you the gift of eternal life. Because of what Jesus did for you on the cross, your sins are forgiven, you are covered in the righteousness of Christ, you are declared holy and just before the throne of God. Because Jesus Christ rose from the dead, you can be certain that you, too, will rise. And on that day of resurrection, you will experience never-ending joy and peace as you stand face-to-face with your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That is what your future will be! That is the prize you’ve already won! Knowing what your future brings: "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice." (Philippians 4:4) Live each day joyfully for the Kingdom of God is yours. Amen.
Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.
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