Advent Christians Are Joyful People!

3rd Sunday in Advent, 12/13/09
Philippians 4:4-7


Advent Christians Are Joyful People!
I. Because the Lord is near
II. Because God’s peace guards us


Are you familiar with the diagnosis of Seasonal Affective Disorder? It’s acronym is SAD and that couldn’t be more appropriate. It’s the winter blues that descends on people during the long months of winter when daylight is short and the opportunity to enjoy some sunshine is rare. The symptoms of SAD range from a lack of energy to clinical depression. They include an increase in appetite and the need for sleep and excessive daytime sleepiness. And while you may not diagnose yourself with SAD, it’s likely that you can identify with some of the symptoms. Even though winter has just begun, many of us are already dreading the bitter cold and are longing for warmer weather.

And then you add into your blah winter life the pressures of the next few weeks and it’s no wonder you want to crawl into bed and hibernate until the flowers start blooming. You try not to think of all the expectations that this season brings. You try to take one day at a time, but even that gets to be too much. You collapse in your chair at night exhausted.

And yet Paul’s opening words to us this morning are these, “Rejoice in the Lord always! I will say it again: Rejoice!” We know that the Christmas season is supposed to be a joyful season, but sometimes we just don’t feel that way. And it’s not just the result of shorter daylight. Man’s inhumanity to man continues right up to and through Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The rates of unemployment and some crimes are up. We bemoan the fact that commercialism and materialism have nearly strangled to death the true meaning of Christmas.

But Advent Christians are joyful people. Paul helps us understand that joy which our Lord wants us to have as we prepare our hearts for him. Advent Christians are joyful people. May our Advent Savior fill us with his joy through his word to us this morning.

Part I.

Nearly all of us will spend Christmas with family and friends. If you’re the one hosting that event, how do you feel about an impending visit? Well, that all depends.

If you really don’t care to spend time with the person who intends to visit you, then you don’t look forward to the visit much if at all. You’d rather they not visit. You’d rather spend it with someone else or alone. But a sense of obligation leads you to be their host and you decide to tolerate it. That’s a sad situation, but it happens.

On the other hand, you might love and adore the person who intends to visit you. Their visit will be one of the highlights of your celebration of Christmas. Perhaps their visit is an integral and vital aspect of your celebration. You’d be depressed if it didn’t happen.

Paul reminds us of an impending visit, and it’s not just from a friend or relative. The visitor is none other than Jesus himself. Paul writes, “The Lord is near.” If he was near when Paul wrote these words, imagine how much nearer he is now. Paul is speaking about the Lord’s return to this earth on the Last Day. Does that news thrill you? Maybe not. We’re working hard to make a life for ourselves and our family. We’d hate to see all that go up in smoke. Or maybe we’re focused on our education so that we can finally get out into the world and make a difference or do what we’ve been dreaming of doing for years. What’s more, there something about meeting the holy Jesus face to face that doesn’t thrill a single sinner. That’s the guy who knows everything I think, say and do. Not a really happy thought, is it?

But it should be happy and that’s why Paul reminds us to rejoice. The Jesus who is coming back on the Last Day is the same Jesus who willingly sacrificed himself on the cross for your sins and mine. He did that so that he could wipe our slate of sins clean. He did that so that he could set us right with God. He’s not our adversary to be feared. Like the familiar hymn states, he’s our dearest friend. He’s full of love for us.

And he has one final thing to do for us. The Bible calls his return to this earth his last act of redemption. What does that mean? Jesus’ work as our Savior is complete. That work was to redeem our souls and our bodies for an eternal life with him. Our souls and bodies. On the Last Day Jesus is coming back to raise the dead, to glorify the bodies he has redeemed and to lead us into heaven where we will experience eternal happiness with him. That’s his plan for you and he will let nothing stop that from happening. What better news could we receive? It fills us with joy.

And that inner joy we have affects our attitude towards others. Paul tells us, “Let your gentleness be evident to all.” What does gentleness have to do with rejoicing? The word translated “gentleness” here is difficult to express in English. Another way of translating it would be “yieldingness.” In other words, our joy over what Jesus will do for us on the Last Day leads us to yield to others. We don’t insist on having it our way. If things aren’t absolutely fair and just for us, does it really matter in light of the joy we’ll have for an eternity? And so we yield to others.

Advent Christians are joyful people because the Lord is near.

If a loved one intends to visit you soon, how does that show in your life? Well, others might notice a spring in your step. Nothing seems to get you down. You can deal with a little adversity because you know that you will soon see your loved one.

The Lord is near, the greatest Lover you’ve ever had. So, is there a spring in your step or are you barely dragging yourself to the next day? Are you dealing with adversity well, or does the stress of the season make your emotional fuse shorter than ever? Are you filled with a yielding spirit or an assertive one? If it’s more of the latter and less of the former, there’s not much joy, is there? And then come the pressures of life—family, job, health, finances. And with such real problems, we tend to become inward focused and we find little inside to be joyful about. That’s why Paul reminds Advent Christians, “The Lord is near.” There’s the answer to all our problems because Jesus is the answer to the source of all problems—sin. Jesus overcame our sin. In fact, he forgave it. He washed it away with his blood. He set us apart from the world and made us a member of his eternal kingdom. That’s what his coming to this earth is all about—both as a Child and as the King of kings and Lord of lords on the Last Day. So let that truth fill you with joy. Advent Christians are joyful people because the Lord is near.

Part II.

Recall a peaceful time in your life. Maybe it occurred on a summer morning, right before dawn when all you could hear was the chirping of birds. Maybe it occurred on a winter night, when the only sound in the house was the crackling of the fire in the fireplace. You watched that fire glow with a warm drink in your hand. Those are peaceful moments. But that’s all they are. Moments.

Paul speaks about a much better peace in our text. He says, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” You hear me speak those words after every sermon. God’s peace is not a fleeting wish; it’s a saving, spiritual reality. Peace with God is not a warm, contented feeling. The peace of God is the status we have with God which was won for us by Christ. Sin created a status of hostility between us and the holy God. But Jesus made all things right between us by his perfect life and his innocent death. That peace has been established. There’s nothing that will change it.

And therefore it isn’t dependant on outward circumstances either good or bad. We can’t surmise, “I’m really enjoying life right now; I must have peace with God.” Nor is the opposite true. “My life really stinks right now; God must have it in for me.” We live each day—good or bad—in the peace which Jesus established for us.

And that peace stands guard over our lives. Paul mentions that very thing. Our hearts and minds are assaulted every day by feelings and thoughts which would ruin our relationship with God. If it’s not guilt and despair, then it’s the opposite—sinful pride and self-righteousness. We tend to either beat ourselves up or puff ourselves up. And that’s all on the inside. Then there’s the great accuser, Satan himself, attacking us from the outside. After tempting us into sin, he then reminds us what worthless creatures we are.

But God’s peace guards us through it all. God’s peace reminds us that Jesus won our forgiveness even though we didn’t deserve it. Our worthiness is found only in Christ. God’s peace reminds us that even when we fall, Jesus restores us with his forgiveness and brings us the peace that truly transcends all understanding. That doesn’t mean that we can’t comprehend it. We truly know and believe it by faith. But it makes no earthly sense why our God should be so loving and gracious towards us. That peace comforts and assures us every day of our lives. And that’s what makes Advent Christians joyful people.

Yes, Advent Christians are joyful people because God’s peace guards us.

There’s an old saying, “The Christian is an optimist” and that’s certainly true. Sure we’re saddened by sin and its effects. Our lives are torn by sin at times. Sometimes it’s our own sins that trouble us. But that’s what Advent is all about. It’s a season of repentance. We’re sorry for our sins and confess them. And then we hear the most joyful message of all, “Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord” (Lk. 2:11).

Jesus is your Savior. He is coming to this earth for you. Let that truth fill you with inner peace and joy so that you, Advent Christians, are joyful people. Amen.