"Rejoice...always." Sermon from Jerusalem for Sunday 11 October 2020
Sermon for Sunday 11 October 2020
Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Jerusalem
Pastor Carrie Ballenger
"Rejoice...always."
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Amen.
A number of years ago, only a few weeks before I came
to Jerusalem to serve as a missionary, I had the honor of presiding at the
wedding of a beloved couple in my congregation. It was a very special wedding, as
this couple had been together already for 38 years. For 38 years they had loved
one another, supported one another in their respective careers, stood by one
another in sickness and in health, and traveled the world with friends. For 38
years, they had also been active in church, often serving as respected leaders.
And now, after nearly 4 decades, they were finally
tying the knot—because the State of Illinois had just declared that two women
could be legally married to one another.
As I helped them plan their big day, I asked what Scripture
texts we might use for the liturgy. I was ready to suggest one of the usuals: “Love
is patient, love is kind”, perhaps, as they seemed to be very, very patient people.
But instead they chose, without hesitation, Philippians 4, a text they said had
always been meaningful to them as a couple:
“Rejoice in
the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to
everyone. The Lord is near.”
Now, Philippians 4 is a beautiful text, but I admit
that at first I had questions. I knew the wedding day would be joyful (as
nearly all wedding days are) but…it seemed I was feeling more indignant about
their situation than they were! I was thinking about those 4 decades they were
together, with hardly anyone outside of a very small group of friends available
to support their relationship. I thought about the stories they had told me, of
discrimination and exclusion, from society and from within the church. I
thought about how hard it must have been to stay together, to keep loving, to
keep hoping, to keep the faith. How was it that their favorite verse was “Rejoice
in the Lord always!” What did they have to rejoice about during those long
years of isolation? I wondered.
When the big day arrived, I stood in front of a small but
boisterous crowd of friends gathered in their backyard—a chosen family collected
and nurtured throughout those 38 years together.
I saw the two brides walking toward me, their pastor, representing
the church to which they had been faithful all those years, hand in hand, to Etta
James’ song: “At last”.
At last
My love has come along
My lonely days are over
And life is like a song
Their faces were shining with joy, and with love.
And in that moment, I got it.
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice!”
wrote the Apostle Paul.
When Paul wrote these words to the church in Philippi—from
prison—he wasn’t telling them to just “be happy” or to “be nice”. He wasn’t
suggesting that the persecuted Philippians should accept their situation as it
was.
“Rejoice!” Paul said. But rejoicing is different from
being happy. Rejoicing has nothing to do with “nice.” Joy comes not from our
outside circumstances or the expectations of others, but from an inner grounding.
It comes from love—for one another, and for
God.
And wherever there is love, the peace of God (which
passes all understanding) keeps our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Dear friends: Rejoice in the Lord. Again I will say,
rejoice!
Some of us today are kept from living or moving freely
because of unjust laws and systems of power. Some are kept from loving one
another openly. Some are kept from health and wellness because of economic
injustices or mismanagement of the current global pandemic. Some are imprisoned
by fear, loneliness, worry, or grief.
And, like Euodia and Syntyche in today’s text (and maybe
Clement—scholars aren’t really sure of his role in the problem) – some are
burdened by internal community drama and conflict.
And to each of us, wherever we are, whatever we are
facing, Paul says: “Rejoice in the Lord…always. The Lord is near.”
A Christian rejoices always, not because the world is
perfect, but because God’s love for us is perfect.
A Christian rejoices, not because things are easy, but
because God’s Son walks beside us precisely in the times that are not easy.
A Christian rejoices because in Jesus we have a
suffering God, who knows our pain and grieves with us over this broken world.
A Christian rejoices because in Jesus we have a Risen
Lord, one who has already destroyed sin and death through resurrection, and who
is nearer to us now than when we first believed, thanks be to God.
For this reason, Paul writes:
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say,
Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.”
Rejoice, and be gentle, dear siblings in Christ. Be
joyful, because the Lord is near. And be gentle—don’t let the hardness or
hatred or deceit of others get under your skin or into your heart.
One biblical commentator describes this mix of joy and
gentleness as being “unflappable.” Isn’t that a great word? We should use it
more. To be unflappable means to be cool, calm, collected—but not hard. It describes
someone who is unexcitable in a crisis, and who maintains a sense of peace even
in the most chaotic of situations.
So it seems that Paul is telling the young church in
Philippi: Be unflappable. Don’t let this—whatever it is—get to you. Dear
Euodia and Syntyche, as Christian leaders, as powerful women in your community,
don’t let whatever has come between you disrupt your friendship or your
leadership. Dear Philippians, don’t worry about those who disagree with the way
you pray or the way you live.
And you, dear Christians in the year 2020: Don’t let this
dumpster fire of a year get to you, either. Don’t let the lies of leaders
infect your foundation, which is the love and forgiveness and hope we have through
God in Christ Jesus.
Instead: Rejoice in the Lord, who is near! Let your
gentleness be known to all!
Be unflappable.
I’ve been blessed to know many unflappable people in
my time as pastor:
I think of the church member who wore a fabulous
rainbow-colored clown wig to every one of her chemo treatments, bringing joy to
her fellow cancer patients as well as to the doctors and nurses who cared for
her.
I think of Iva, who told me of riding in a horse and
buggy to church as a child, who at 98 years old had lost a husband, several children,
a grandchild and even one of her eyes to cancer…and who nevertheless spent hours
per day in prayer for the members of our congregation, lifting us up by name.
I think of the Nassar family at Tent of Nations here
in Palestine, who in spite of decades of efforts by the Israeli government to
take over their home and their historic olive groves, have maintained their one
faithful motto: “We refuse to be enemies.”
Bold, courageous, persistent. There are many words one
might use to describe these and many other saints. But today, I’m sticking with
“unflappable.” Thanks be to God for the unflappable ones in our lives and in
our communities.
Maybe you are feeling a bit “flappable” today.
Is that even a word?!
In any case, Paul gives us some good practices to turn
to when the world is trying to “flap” us.
First and foremost:
Take it to the Lord in prayer. Did you eat today? Did
you wake up this morning? Thank God for that. Sometimes that’s all I’ve got.
But even if the only prayer you have today is “help”—take it to the Lord in
prayer. What a friend we have in Jesus! And oh, what peace we often forfeit! Take
it, whatever it is, to the Lord in prayer.
And secondly, Paul recommends: “whatever is true, whatever is honorable,
whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is
commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of
praise, think about these things.”
Think about these things. I
find this even harder than prayer, to be honest. There’s so much to think about
these days. There’s so much that we should rightly be serious about!
Elections, COVID, unjust systems and practices in our governments and
institutions, the Israeli Occupation here in this land, the suffering of our
neighbors wherever we are…and yet, if we are consumed with worry, then too
often we become consumed also with hatred for others, or with despair for the future.
We become useless in working toward the Kingdom of love and the banquet table
where all are fed.
In other words, we become…flappable.
And what the world needs now is unflappable Christians!
And so, Paul suggests we instead think on the things
that are true, and honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is
pleasing, whatever is commendable:
Let us think on the saints who went before us, who
have shown us the way of love and justice.
Let us think on the words of the prophets, both ancient
and modern, who inspire us to action.
Let us think on the people whose love for one another
and for God has endured in spite of many trials and tribulations.
When the world tries to flap us…when the powers and
principalities try to keep us from loving, from living, from acting for the
sake of love and justice for all…
Let us think on these things.
Let us take it all to the Lord in prayer.
Let us rejoice in the Lord, who is near.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all
understanding, will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Let’s close today with the words of Teresa of Avila,
written in the 1500’s, but which would
like to claim as our “unflappable” motto for this time:
Let nothing disturb you,
Let nothing frighten you,
All things are passing away:
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things
Whoever has God lacks nothing;
God alone suffices.
Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment