"Rejoice! The Lord is Near!" by David Layman December 17, 2000
Zephaniah 3:14-20
Philippians 4:4-9
Prophets such as Malachi, Isaiah, and Zephaniah spoke the Word of God,
and pronounced God's judgment upon the people for their sins. But they
also promised a future with hope! "REJOICE...WITH ALL YOUR HEART, O
DAUGHTER JERUSALEM! ... THE KING OF ISRAEL, THE LORD, IS IN YOUR MIDST; YOU SHALL FEAR DISASTER NO MORE...THE LORD, YOUR GOD, IS IN YOUR MIDST.: The reason we may rejoice, is that the Lord, our God is in our midst!
The birth of Jesus brought joy to some: The wise men "WERE OVERWHELMED WITH JOY." The shepherds rejoiced; Mary "KEPT ALL THESE THINGS AND PONDERED THEM IN HER HEART." When the magi became the first men in history to stop and ask for directions, King Herod in Jerusalem was troubled. He did not want a rival king, even if that king at the moment was a babe in the manger! Those who wanted healing, forgiveness, new
life, rejoiced that the word became flesh and dwelt among us. Those
happy with themselves and the world as it was plotted and sent Jesus to
the cross.
Young Paul lived a stern life of rules, laws, and punishing those who
broke his understanding of the faith. When Paul was confronted by the
living Christ on the road to Damascus, he began to discover joy! He
wrote to the Philippians "REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS; AGAIN I WILL SAY, REJOICE!...THE LORD IS NEAR." One of the greatest impediments to the
spread of Christian faith is the perception that Christians are joyless
people. The term "a joyless Christian" is an oxymoron. It takes no
faith to frown, yet frowns rather than joy have often been perceived as
the Christian trademark. If the world perceives us as living dull,
joyless lives, are we living the life Christ calls us to?
My Grandpa Layman stands out in my mind as one of the most joyous
Christians I've known. Grandpa's pastor once told him that the job he
did best in the church was that of a greeter and usher. Grandpa had a
quick and easy smile, a friendly greeting for friend or stranger alike.
To use transactional analysis terms, Grandpa had a well developed
'natural child.' He would play cowboys and Indians with me in his
Bloomington backyard when I was young. He told funny stories about
growing up on a farm, about mean roosters, and riding cows! Grandpa
didn't fear death. He told his grandchildren that since he would die
before us, he'd have hot dogs and lemonade ready for us when we joined
him in heaven. On his 91st birthday, when asked how he felt, he said
"Not bad, but I hope I don't live another 91 years!" When asked if he
had any regrets, Grandpa responded "I wished I'd eaten more pie!" Upon
hearing the news that a famous American had died, and the flags were at
half mast, he'd ask "Do you suppose they'll fly the flags at half mast
when I die?" He jokingly told us not to respond "Yes" to him, but "Yes
SIR!" Grandma died first, and Grandpa greatly missed her. He said to
me one day "You know, I've been reading the gospels, and Jesus never
said we'd have it easy in life. He never said we wouldn't have to
suffer." He did experience some trials in life. But when Grandpa was
buried at 91, we didn't cry. We sang the doxology!
Lucy, in the comic strip "Peanuts", was once depressed and dejected.
Linus tried to cheer her up, but she responded "Can you give me one
reason why I shouldn't be depressed?" Linus responded "Well, for one
thing, you have a little brother that loves you." The birth of Jesus at
Bethlehem is one BIG reason we can live lives of joy. We have a God
that loves us, that chose to come and dwell among us! The true basis
for joy is not material comfort. Prosperity may come, and it may also
go. The true basis for joy is not "positive thinking", because, as
Jesus warned us, we know that there will be times when we will
experience tribulation in this life. John Calvin noted: "The
commencement of solid joy is, to perceive the fatherly love of God
toward us, which alone gives tranquility." The beginning of true joy is
to realize God's love for us.
A number of our members may know Don Meredith. I met Don's father
before I ever got to know Don. Don's father was the physician that
helped bring me into this world! But in this last year, Don discovered
he has cancer, and had a heart attack at the same time. Don is now in an
experimental treatment program for cancer in Columbus, Ohio. I've heard
that Don has experienced another heart attack. Yet Don is a joyful
person, and Don's joy is based on his knowledge that the Lord indeed is
near, that God loves us, came to earth in the birth of Christ, brought
us forgiveness through the cross of Christ, and the hope of eternal life
through Christ's resurrection. Even in the midst of his serious
illness, Don is not self absorbed. He has continued to rejoice, and to
share love and hope with others. Some people face hardship and say
"It's easy for you to believe in God; you haven't faced the troubles
that I have." They need to meet people like Don Meredith. "REJOICE IN
THE LORD ALWAYS...THE LORD IS NEAR!"
Last week we had two visitors in worship from the church I served in
Greenville. One woman, Betty Small, along with her husband Bob were
both active and gracious members. Then Bob was stricken with a brain
tumor. Then a grandchild was born with a form of dwarfism. I really
loved that family, and Bob. I wanted so badly for Bob to receive
healing. I and others were so limited in what we could do for Bob. We
could only be there to let Bob know that God loved him, and we loved
him. Bob had surgery, but it was too late. After a period of
convalesence at home, Bob died, on the morning of Christmas Eve, 1985.
Every Christmas since then, I've gotten Christmas cards from Betty
Small. Sometimes when we "rejoice in the Lord," we do so with tears in
our eyes. Those who have wept and mourned, can know better the true
meaning of joy! The same Paul who wrote "REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS;
AGAIN I WILL SAY, REJOICE!" was in prison when he wrote these words,
awaiting the likelihood of his own execution. Paul had been beaten
numerous times, shipwrecked, stoned. Paul didn't have a wife to love
him, children to care for him in his old age. Paul only had the Lord,
and that was enough for him to say "REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS!" If God could enable Paul to rejoice even in the midst of his suffering, he can
do so for us as well!
REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS...THE LORD IS NEAR! We have many reasons to rejoice in the Lord. Christmas tells us that God loves us, cares for
us, wills to share the hardships and afflictions of life with us.
Christ's birth in Bethlehem and resurrection from the grave doesn't mean
that we'll never face hardship or pain. For a period of time, until
Jesus comes again, we will face times of trial. Christ's coming does
mean that the ultimate things of life have been determined. GOD IS
GOING TO WIN IN THE END, GOD WILLS TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS, GOD PROMISES TO BE WITH US FOREVER!
That's enough to give me joy!
--
Rev. David Layman
First Presbyterian Church