“Gratitude and Submission”

Philippians 4:4-7

We sing about joy a lot this time of year: joy to the world – joyful all ye nations rise – how great our joy – joyful and triumphant – good Christian men rejoice – our day of joy is here again. We also sing and talk a lot about peace. One of the world’s most often heard, best known, and best loved Scriptures comes from Luke 2: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace…”

And it’s not just this time a year that we sing of joy and peace: joyful, joyful, we adore thee – I’ve got peace like a river – I’ve got joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart – let there be peace on earth. Take some time and check for yourselves how often the words joy and peace occur in our hymnbook.

But for now let’s take a look at what Paul meant by joy and peace. To begin that process I want to introduce you to Bill Nesbit. Bill is an elder in first church I served. He was the chair the Pastor Nominating Committee back in 1977. Among his many gifts was a wonderful North Carolina country boy sense of humor, one that had been honed while serving as a Marine Gunny Sergeant. The day I interviewed for the position the committee took me out to lunch. Bill overheard me pondering out loud as to the wisdom of putting onions on my salad. “Oh go ahead,” he said, “We’re gonna interview you not kiss you.”

That was Bill. He had a million of ‘em. But my favorite was: “I’m as happy as if I had good sense.” He was basically a happy, positive guy, whatever the situation. His words reminded me of Paul’s exhortation to the Philippians: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.”

Paul wrote those words from a prison cell in Rome. He had to suspect that his time there would not end well. And yet he told the Philippians to rejoice – to not worry – to blend thanksgiving into all their prayers. He also promised them this, “And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Jesus Christ.”

Let’s not confuse his positiveness with naiveté. He was far from naïve. His feet were firmly planted in reality. He knew that bad stuff happened. He as well as anyone knew that following Jesus could very well lead to a cross.

Let’s be clear as to the difference between happiness and joy. Happiness happens. It comes to us from an external source. For instance, I’m happy that my Hokies had a winning record this year, that Grace Church’s finances are improving, that Sandy loves me, and that I have two beautiful grandchildren. But this kind of happiness is dependent on the won and lost record of a football team, church finances staying healthy, Sandy’s willingness to live with me until death do us part, and grandchildren who won’t grow up to be horrible adults. A losing record is nothing to cheer about. Another financial crisis would be disheartening. Sandy bailing out on me would be painful beyond belief. Horrible grandchildren would be disappointing. Happiness is fleeting.

Joy, the real joy of being in Christ, is eternal. It is the ongoing and underlying mood of a Christian. Paul possessed such joy in prison, and probably possessed it right up to the moment when the executioner’s axe fell. The Hokies cannot rob me of this joy, no matter how many games they lose. Nor can a complete financial meltdown at Grace. Such joy would see me through the loss of Sandy. I would hurt. I would grieve. I would mourn. But I would still have Jesus. Bratty grandchildren can disappoint me. They can’t steal the joy that is mine in Christ.

Nor that peace that passes all understanding. My inner peace is not dependant on anything in this world. I know that there is nothing – not on earth, not in heaven, not even in hell - that can separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Disaster can befall me. Illness or injury can limit me. Death can and will take me some day. But in all those things, if I am in Christ I can know peace. And joy beyond measure.

Joy and peace are not the only key words in this morning’s text. Thanksgiving is another biggie. “… but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” One commentator went so far as to say that the thankless person cannot pray because he or she has no real sense of God’s goodness. God is good. Thus we rejoice. God is merciful and gracious. Thus we know peace. But underlying all our joy and peace is a sense of thanksgiving. We aren’t just to rejoice in all things. We are to be thankful in all things. Twelve-Steppers call it having an attitude of gratitude.

And there can be no gratitude - nor joy – nor peace – without a faith-based willingness to submit ourselves fully to the will of God. Paul could write of joy and peace and thankfulness from a jail cell as he awaited execution because he had surrendered himself to will of God. He trusted that his Lord would take care of him no matter what. The abundant life that he had found in Christ Jesus would not end with his death. The peace and joy of the abundant life that Paul had found in Christ was not dependant on the actions or attitudes of this world.

The abundant life promised by Jesus is never to be confused with what our world calls the good life. One of the great enemies of this abundant life is anxiety. Jesus has told us not to be anxious. Paul echoed that in today’s text: “Do not worry about anything.” Trust God. Submit to his will. Be thankful for all that comes to us in Jesus Christ, even the unpleasant things such as persecution. Persecution is a sign that we are faithfully following Jesus and doing the will of God. Those who depend on the goodies of this world for their joy, peace, and security are not persecuted by the world.

But on the other hand they never know true joy and peace. All that stuff they accumulate can disappear in the blink of an eye. They are constantly worrying about their stuff and their status. Anxiety robs them of their peace, health, and relationships. If and when they pray it is only to beg or demand that either God give them more goodies or make life a bit easier and more fun: “Make me rich, Lord, then I can be happy. Give me everything I want so that I can retire to that good life.” Or as the old song puts it, “Lord won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz – or an HD TV – or a rip-roaring night on the town.” But none of those things are ever enough to satisfy them or bring them peace or make them truly happy. There’s always that one more thing they absolutely have to have.

I hate to hit a guy when he’s down and I don’t want to come across as condemnatory, but look at Tiger Woods. He has it all: money, fame, and a wonderful family. He’s married to one of the world’s most beautiful women. But none of that’s enough. He keeps looking for love – and peace – and joy – in all the wrong places. He’s not thankful for what he has. Maybe he’s found some pleasure in his various extramarital affairs. But his life is definitely not more joyful or peaceful because of them. His anxiety level is probably pretty high.

This side of heaven we’re never going to be free of temptation. The world and the Devil throw some mighty attractive diversions at us. Idols in whatever form they take, are always promising us something better than what we have. And when we break down and take what they offer – when we listen to the Devil’s silver tongued lies – we end up hurting, lonely, guilty, ashamed, and full of anxiety and dread about the future.

This side of heaven we’ll never be free of anxiety, but the way we deal with anxiety is to relegate it to second place in our lives, behind our grateful trust in God. The more we trust God and submit to his will the less anxious we’re going to be. The flipside being that we’re going to experience increased joy and peace.

A final important word in our text is gentleness. Paul exhorted those Philippians to let their gentleness be known to everyone. This gentleness Paul advised is part and parcel of the Christ like humility and servanthood he would almost beg of them in Philippians 2. The words still apply. If we are joyful in the Lord, find our peace in God, and are thankful for God’s good blessings we won’t be tempted as much to demand our own way. We will be less apt to be rude, competitive, domineering, petty, or spiteful. The more we’re like Jesus the more others will see him in us. The peace, joy, and thankfulness of our lives will attract others to Christ.

Every year at this time my mother starts asking me for a Christmas list. What do I want? What do I need? She refuses to believe me when I say nothing. Oh there are things that I’d like to have but I don’t need them, and deep down where I really live I don’t want them either. I’m content with my life and all the good things God has so graciously provided me. Do I have bouts of anxiety? Yes. Do I have covetous moments? Yes. Am I always the epitome of Christ like gentleness? No. But I have the joy of Jesus down in my heart to stay. And truth is that I really am as happy as if I had good sense. Amen.