Rejoicing From a Prison Cell

This sermon is from the Rev. Charles G. Dennison sermon archive, part of the “Sermon on the Mount” series, and was preached at Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Sewickley, PA, during a worship service on Sunday, October 22, 1989.

Sermon transcript

This morning our scripture reading is from Philippians chapter 4, Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi, the fourth chapter. We will begin in verse 2 of the fourth chapter. I beseech Euodius and beseech sympathy that they be of the same mind in the Lord. And I entreat thee also, true yoke fellow, help those women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellow laborers whose names are in the Book of Life.

Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things which ye have both learned and perceived and heard and seen in me do, and God of peace shall be with you.

But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again, wherein He were also careful, but he lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in respect of want, for I have learned that whatever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Notwithstanding ye have well done that ye did communicate with me with my affliction, now ye Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica, he sent once and again unto me necessity, not because I desire a gift, but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. But I have all and abound. I am full, having received of Apathoditus the things that were sent from you, an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God.

But my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Jesus Christ. Now unto God and our Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. Salute every saint in Christ Jesus, the brethren which are with me greet you. All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar’s household. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. credit me now.

Dearest Lord, as those who would cry to you, our voices only by the power which you have given. For truly, apart from you, we have no power at all. Does not your word empower? Does not your word strengthen? So by your word, we have power and strength. Power and strength to be responsive to you in our faith and in our actions. To that end, our God, we pray that at this time your word would have that proper effect upon us, and that you would be pleased in our faith and with our obedience.

For Jesus’ sake, amen. This is our last message on the kingdom and anxiety. We have worked our way through the passage in Matthew chapter 6, closing verses of that chapter where Jesus specifically speaks about anxiety in relationship to the kingdom. We have as well reflected upon an appropriate passage in 1 Peter 5. Maybe the verses come to mind as you sit here this morning. Cast all of your care or anxiety upon him, because he cares for you.

And we have looked at Luke’s gospel, the tenth chapter, that wonderfully compelling story of the two sisters, Martha and Mary, and what that story had to say to us about the whole matter of man’s life. And finally, we have before us this classic text. This classic text. from Philippians. What a letter! What a letter! Here is Paul himself encouraging saints in Philippi. with words like these.

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say it. Rejoice. The double use of rejoice here in this verse leading us on to consider the forebearing that he mentioned for the moderation, as the King James has it in verse 5. Then, climaxing in verse 6 and its corollary, verse 7, his remarks there with respect to anxiety. But he starts with these words at this point, Rejoice in the Lord always. I don’t hesitate to say it to you again.

Rejoice! This double rejoicing, or this emphasis for rejoicing that finds double expression, has already been articulated with respect to the apostles’ predicament. In the first chapter, in the eighteenth verse, note what he says there. What then? Only that in every way whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice.” So, that imperative which he then places before the people, the compounding with respect to rejoicing itself, is something that has been articulated by him personally already. Note his situation. He’s in jail. He’s in jail. He’s in jail for Jesus. for the cause of the gospel. His imprisonment means an accentuation of his impoverishment.

Now, maybe you weren’t able to follow the King James Version as the letter concluded, as Paul was speaking about his need as he spoke also about the communication of the Philippians to him. Specifically in view is the fact that Paul has been helped financially by this church. His need is severe. But you remember what he said also in the conclusion of this letter.

Whether my need is severe or not, I have learned, in whatever state I find myself, therewith to be content. His situation imprisons me. And his imprisonment accentuating Now, not only is he faced with this difficulty and the severities of it, but as he is remarking there in the first chapter, there are those who have become particularly distressing to him.

Here he is in chains, in effect out of commission with respect to preaching the word. But there are those who are going about preaching, and it seems that some of them are making ground at the expense of Paul’s reputation. He’s not around to defend himself. So let’s take advantage. The situation dire in itself, but then there is the rise of those who are envious of him, who take advantage of that situation. And in that, Paul rejoices.

Now, the Philippians are not without their troubles. And that’s the point, of course, isn’t it, as we move on to the fourth chapter. You will note that with respect to the Philippians, chapter four, verse four, is not the first time Paul has instructed them to rejoice. Chapter three, verse one. Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. There, at the beginning of the third chapter, you have Paul giving that instruction that he repeats in the fourth chapter, the fourth verse. Rejoice in the But there’s a bit of territory to cover before he returns to that subject of rejoicing. Note the interlude. Verse 2 of chapter 3.

Beware of the dog. I have my problems in jail, you have your problems in Philippi. There are dogs taking advantage of my situation and there are dogs also taking advantage of yours. Please don’t be naive. There is that spirit today that suggests to us that the only enemy is without. If you know your own heart, you know that’s not true. There is the threat of the enemy from within. Don’t you have to fight him? Don’t you struggle against the enemy within? Isn’t there a fight for every congregation in truth in Christ with respect to the enemy within? The Philippians are faced. By their dogs as all. Confronted. And the dogs. That threaten. The Philippians. Bring in their way. and imprisonment for them.

For if these Philippians succumb to the gods, though not in physical things, they will be, in fact, in spiritual things, and that will mean their impoverishment. Now, added to this threat is what Paul makes mention of in the fourth chapter, verses two and three, specifically verse two. I urge Huotia and Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. Not only is there that threat with respect to doctrine that correct with respect to orthodoxy, brought by the dog. There are those strains that arise within the church, creating factions so that people cannot get along with one another.

As Paul has persisted in a spirit of rejoicing Despite the situation that he faces, despite the opponents that rise, despite the factions with respect to his own ministry, now you see he goes on to speak so compellingly to these Philippians. Rejoice! I say it again, rejoice! Despite the situation despite the strain, despite the potential for faction and the disruptions within the congregation. Rejoice in the Lord always. There isn’t any reason for Paul to rejoice. There is no potential for his rejoicing. other than the fact that it is in the Lord.

Is Jesus alive? Is Jesus alive? Can you rejoice Is Jesus alive always? Forever? Can you rejoice? Does your situation execute best? Does your predicament deal a death blow to Him? Can you extinguish him? Do the threats that rise put an end to his life? Does he evaporate? Does he dissolve? Is his resurrection made an untruth because of your situation? No! He is alive. You believe that. He is alive forever. He cannot be destroyed. And that’s why you can rejoice. Will the gods have the final word? Will they take over the church? Will they triumph? No. Why? Because Jesus is alive. Jesus is alive. And as he is always alive. You and I. as hard as it may be at times, must always rejoice.

Even when it’s 55 degrees in the sanctuary. Even when you can’t sell your car. even when you weep, because you learn of members of this congregation who in the past week have made decisions to walk, to leave. The fifth verse is instructive. He may not have been helped by the King James rendering, which says, let your moderation be known unto all men. Really, the new American standard has it right. Let your forbearing spirit be known to all.

What does a situation bring in which rejoicing is departed, if not eclipsed altogether? It brings a cacophony of mourning, complaint, disputing. That’s already been dealt with in the second chapter of this epistle. brought up again with respect to those things that Paul mentions in the second verse. People at each other’s throats, consumed by suspicion and given over to wrangling.

Oh no. The spirit of forbearance wherein You become like a Christ in the midst of your circumstance. And as He forebore, you forbear. As He was gracious, so are you. He didn’t think his equality with God a thing to be grasped. Instead he emptied himself and made himself servant to others.

His cross becomes your mandate. Now the cross becomes apparent in your behavior as you humble yourself. Cross like that others might be like. The Lord is at hand. The one who was crucified, the one who behaved as he did, he is at hand. He is at hand to bring you. How would you lead him? And be anxious for nothing. Shall we all take a deep breath? And be anxious for nothing. The alternative presented to us here with respect to anxiety is devotion to prayer.

In the Matthew passage, where Jesus speaks about anxiety, coming to the foreground is that life by which we lay up treasures in heaven, whereby our focus is upon eternal things. Our heart is bound to the kingdom which is above. In the Luke passage, where Martha and Mary are surveyed for. Mary’s the one who sits down at the feet of Jesus and hears his word. In Matthew, the heavenly perspective, the kingdom’s character asserting itself, in the Luke passage, the word of Jesus, each of these being remedies for anxiety, and then wonderfully hears over against the anxiety is prayer and the call to prayer.

Instead of being filled up with anxiety, instead of allowing your voice and your soul to be filled with a spirit of complaint, rather than that, give yourself to prayer. Let your request be known to God, couple it with thanksgiving, the plural of rejoicing, in the attitude and position of prayer.

With thanksgiving. And let me tell you the promise. Do you covet the peace of God? Why, as the Spirit Himself, the peace comes as sentry to your household. The house in which you dwell is Jesus Christ Himself, and within that house is your heart and mind, and the Spirit stands as sentry about you, guarding you. against every threat and every disruption and every difficulty that would conspire to rob you of your joy. In the Lord, always rejoice.

In your attitude with one another, forbear. In your prayers, don’t be anxious. How wonderful word. A testimony like this from your possible. Possible only because. Your son is. This apostle lives in him. And through. Now the message goes out from your to an assembly, a congregation.

Cannot we be numbered with that congregation, addressed with it, so that we with them might rejoice in the Lord always? And would we not also learn through Christ to forbear? and in answer to the anxieties that threaten to undo us, may we give ourselves, Lord, to prayer, in which there is heard the voice of thanksgiving, our rejoicing in the Lord always. Fear us for the sake of your great name unto the end, and we may know your peace, which as your spirit surrounds us and stands as sanctuary to the house in which we have been found, the house of Jesus Christ himself, our minds and our hearts.

The sermon text provided above is derived from the sermon audio recording making use of generative tools. It has not been manually edited. While transcription tools have a high degree of accuracy, the output may include generative textual, punctuation, and/or formatting errors.