Rejoice by Dr. Abidan Shah

REJOICE by Dr. Abidan Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

Introduction: A big thanks to our wonderful team and our volunteers for getting everything ready for us to get back in! It’s good to be back in! I don’t know how it has been for you but, for me, every day I’ve had to choose how I would face this crisis. I could choose either to live by fear and stress or I could choose to live by faith and rejoice. Human beings have been endowed with the gift of choice unlike the animal world. Animals choose but they do it out of instinct. Our dog gets really stressed when there’s a storm coming because she is scared of thunder and lighting. She gets really happy when she sees us because she knows that we love her and we will give her a treat. We had a cat too but I could never figure him out. Unlike animals, our choices are far more complex, and motivated by moral values and consequences. How did you choose to face this crisis? Did you choose to live by your instinct and fear or did you choose to live by your faith and rejoice?

Here’s the point: To rejoice through a crisis is a choice that every believer must make. If not, there will be fear and strife. It’s in choosing to rejoice that we have the peace of God and we can see the God of peace.

In our series through Paul’s letter to the Philippians, we come to Philippians 4:4 for our message titled “REJOICE.” Let’s turn there.

Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!”

Context: As Paul was wrapping up his letter to the Philippians, he told them twice to rejoice. This is not a new command that he was introducing now. He had been telling them to do that all along. Philippians 2     17 “Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.” Again, in Philippians 3:1 “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it issafe.” He even gave his own example in rejoicing. Philippians 1:18 “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.” Don’t forget that Paul was in a Roman prison and he wasn’t sure if he was going to make it out alive. Paul could have been stressed and depressed. He could have even told the Philippians to be sad and mournful for him. To the contrary, he chose joy and told his “joy and crown,” the Philippians, to do the same.

What does it mean to rejoice? People often confuse peace with joy. In our book “30 Days Through a Crisis,” Nicole and I explain the difference. Peace is the calm assurance that God is in control and that everything will be okay. Joy is an outward celebration of God’s goodness. The Old Testament talks about joy with the Hebrew word “simchah,” which referred to singing, dancing, clapping, and other similar expressions during festive occasions like seeing a loved one, hearing good news, victory over an enemy, harvest, wedding, etc. The psalms are full of words of rejoice. In the New Testament, joy (chara) was the celebration of the coming of the Messiah. It’s the experience of being in Christ and having the fullness of the Spirit. You could be going through the worst of times and still be joyful because you are in Christ and you cannot lose the fullness of the Spirit. Yes, there will be tough days when we may not feel well, get a bad report, or lose a loved one, but, because the source of your joy is in Christ and his life, we can still rejoice. Question: If all that is true, why did we let this crisis steal our joy?

How do I rejoice? Do I jump up and down? Do I need to act all happy? Paul is about to teach us how starting in verse 5 “Let your gentleness be known to all men.” The Greek word is “epieikes.” It is one of the attributes of God. In the LXX, that word “epieikes” is used in Psalm 85:5 “Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations?” God does not hold grudges. Same word is used by Paul in 2 Corinthians 10:1 “Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ…”Christ was meek and gentle in the face of suffering. By the way, 5 “Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.” Meaning: The True Examiner who can see the outside and inside is watching and coming soon to judge us.

Principle: To rejoice, you have to be gentle instead of judgmental.

6 “Be anxious for nothing…” The Greek word “merimnaw” was used by Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount – Matthew 6     31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?’ or “What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”Unfortunately, we get anxious during crisis. Instead, “but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” In other words, when you pray, remember to thank God for what he has already done for you.

For e.g. Clearview Staff families came together each week to pray for you.

Principle: To rejoice, you have to pray with gratefulness rather than panic.

What will be result? 7 “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” There is a peace that the world has. It is the absence of conflict. We are not talking about that. The peace we are talking about goes far beyond (huperecho). It is the calm assurance that all is well and will turn out for the best. It is knowing deep within that no matter what the headlines are saying and the pundits are prognosticating, the living true God is in control. It is knowing that Jesus is in the storm with us and he will stand up and say “Peace, be still.” By the way, this is much more than just some intellectual understanding. This peace of God stands as a sentry guarding us through the crisis.

Principle: To rejoice, you need the peace of God to guard your heart and mind through Christ Jesus

8 “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things arejust, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” So many times, through my life, especially through this crisis, I have thought about this passage. The Greek word is “logizomai.” Previously, Paul used the word “phronema,” which as a verb means “to think,” “to judge,” or “to set one’s mind on.” Now, he used “logizomai,” which means to “consider,” “think,” “ponder,” “reason,” “meditate.” What do I focus on? In some sense, this is about focusing on the beautiful, inspiring, and profitable things, but it’s much more than that. The only place we will find all of these things in one place is in the person of Jesus Christ. He is the man from heaven who has demonstrated heavenly citizenship values.

• whatever things are true, – Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
• whatever things are noble, – At the name of Jesus, every knee will bow.
• whatever things are just, – Jesus took God’s justice and offered us mercy.
• whatever things are pure, – Jesus is God’s Holy and Righteous One.
• whatever things are lovely, – Jesus was common and yet he demonstrated glory.
• whatever things are of good report, – Jesus grew in favor with God and man.
• if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – Revelation 5 11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

Principle: To rejoice, you have to choose to focus on your heavenly citizenship values.

9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

For e.g. When we went out to serve our community, not recklessly, we saw the God of peace, Jesus Christ in the faces of people.

Principle: To rejoice, follow those who have the God of peace with them.

I began the message with this statement: To rejoice through a crisis is a choice that every believer must make. If not, there will be fear and strife. It’s in choosing to rejoice that we have the peace of God and we can see the God of peace.

Invitation: How did you choose to face this crisis? Did you choose to live by your instinct and fear or did you choose to live by your faith and rejoice?

Do you have a reason to rejoice? Are your sins forgiven? Are you saved?