The Rev. Ann R. Lougee December 17, 2006 Rejoicing before the fact Philippians 4:4-7 In the midst of our Advent waiting, it may seem a bit odd that we are urged, with the church at Philippi, to rejoice in the Lord. Isn't it premature to be rejoicing when what we are waiting for isn't here yet? Another reading for the day, from the prophet Zephaniah, also exhorts the people to be filled with joy because of what God is doing and what God is about to do. It requires a special kind of faith to rejoice ahead of time, a faith that is more trust than intellectual assent, a faith that is a gut feeling, a setting of the heart, a commitment that we live into even as we await the fulfillment of God's promises. Zephaniah was writing to ancient people of Israel waiting to return from exile to rebuild Jerusalem. Paul was writing to early Christians waiting for Jesus to return imminently. We today are longing for the fullness of God's peace on earth. In any age, people of faith wait, in hope and trust that God's promises can be counted on. The epistle to the Philippians was a pastoral letter from Paul to the first church he had established on the European continent. In the verses that follow today's, he thanked the Christian community at Philippi for the gifts they had sent him, probably while he was imprisoned. The theme scripture itself clearly answers a question that every generation of Christians since has had to answer: "What shall we do?" How can we let the witness of Christ's light shine in and through us? The response we find in Paul's letter sums up the answer. What shall we do? Rejoice, over and over again. Show gentleness toward all. Keep our hearts and minds focused not on worldly things, but on godly things. Allow God's peace to flow through us. Remember that the Holy Presence, promised to us, is always near. So today, on the third Sunday of Advent, the church "stops waiting" long enough to rejoice and give thanks. Paul's writings, even from prison and in the midst of persecution (and no doubt misunderstanding), strike a high note. Rejoice, in prison? Give thanks, in persecution? Be gentle, in the face of hatred and violence? Yes, Paul says, and again he says, rejoice. When Paul speaks of peace, he also speaks of not worrying. When he speaks of peace, his words can't describe the kind of freedom God gives, something beyond our understanding or imagining. And this peace is rooted in prayer, in facing squarely our real concerns and needs and taking them to God. "Rejoice in the Lord always" suggests that we find joy even in the most unlikely and perhaps most surprising situations. For example, a woman who has to stay home and care for a sick family member may find unexpected joy in having the opportunity to be with her loved one, setting her heart toward the hidden blessing within this hardship. What hidden joys do you suppose lie deep within the life of our congregation? What sorts of situations within our church and community and world might cause you to worry, and when have you chosen joy rather than anxiety? What did you learn from that? In a secular world where we are told to be strong and self-sufficient, where the powerful get ahead, how can we live in gentleness? Who are the people you know whose gentleness is more powerful than loud words or overbearing behavior? What can you learn from them? As the church is experiencing the season of Advent and its waiting, the secular world has ignored Advent and already run ahead into Christmas. Quiet time, stillness, dark beautiful nights of waiting aren't part of the secular Christmas rush, but they do belong to Advent. Gentleness comes from quiet time spent in what centers and feeds our innermost being. While advertising and our consumer-oriented culture tell us what to want, God gives us what we most need, so we can bring our prayers and supplications to the One who waits with us in the quiet, dark stillness of the night. "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Amen.