Hope Lutheran Church July 16 & 17, Tears of Joy in Christ Alone!

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1 Hope Lutheran Church July 16 & 17, 2016 Philippians 1:7-8 Sermon Series: In Christ Alone Dear Friends in Christ, Tears of Joy in Christ Alone! The focus for this week s message as we continue our sermon series from Philippians, written by the Apostle Paul while imprisoned in Rome, is Tears of Joy in Christ Alone! Certainly, there have been a lot of tears in the landscape of our lives and nation and world in recent days and weeks. Fortunately, some of those tears have literally been expressions of what we would call pure joy people celebrating exhilarating victories, like Lebron James, sobbing uncontrollably after finally ending the Cleveland Curse when the Cavaliers won the NBA Championship; or Andy Murray, when England s home town hero won another Wimbledon Championship for his country they all shed tears of joy You and I have shed such pure tears of joy in our lives as well - the joy at birth of a child, the sacredness of a marriage, the celebration of accomplishment, the overcoming of an obstacle, or the relief when the doctor declares the surgery was successful! Sometimes you just can t hold back tears of joy when immense pride fills your heart, when a spiritual experience is so awesome, when you get the job you worked so hard to achieve, when you are affirmed for making a difference, when family and friends let you know how much they love and appreciate you tears of joy! There are just so many reflective moments in life that simply overwhelm and fill us with gratitude, thankfulness and joy! Page 1

2 That s where the Apostle Paul s heart is in today s Scripture lesson, expressing a deep sense of gratitude, thankfulness and joy, when he writes, as God is my witness, how I yearn for you with the affection of Christ Jesus. It is right, he pens, for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart! (Philippians 1:7-8) What a spirit of love, what a partnership in prayer, what a relationship of support that no doubt filled the Apostle s eyes with tears of joy as he speaks of the Christians at Philippi as those whom he loves and longs for, my joy and my crown. (Philippians 4:1) Tears of joy they certainly flow easier when it comes to good relationships, successful accomplishments, and crowning achievements, but what about tears of joy when circumstances are cruddy, when the people you love and serve disappoint and let you down? What about this fruit of the Spirit called joy (Galatians 5:22) when sin and sickness and suffering intrude, when tragedy and terror strike once again, when tension and tempers flare in the land of the free and the home of the brave, when civil rights are violated and civil servants are murdered, when the diagnosis is dreadful, when relationships are broken, when death lurks on the horizon and hope begins to fade? Tears of joy - Impossible, we say, impossible! Paul knew those kinds of tears as well, the Scripture telling us in the Book of Acts that after informing his followers of his journey to Rome, imprisonment and martyrdom for the Christian faith on the horizon, that Paul knelt down and prayed with them all. And there was much weeping on the part of all! (Acts 20:36-37) Paul shed tears of deep disappointment when thinking of those who rejected the good news of God s forgiving love in Christ, writing in later verses to the Philippians, For, as I have often told you before and now say Page 2

3 again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. (Philippians 3:8) Not everything in Paul s life and discipleship, you see, was smooth sailing, as he dealt with his own sin and failures, encountered mistrust and misunderstanding in many of the churches founded during his missionary journeys. He encountered divisive leaders; antagonists at every turn; disputes with the other disciples; threats upon his life; ship-wrecks, beatings, imprisonment and some unknown thorn in the flesh that would not go away! So much for tears of joy because this Apostle lived in the same messed-up, broken and sinful world that you and I traverse. Yet, despite those realities, listen to what Paul writes and encourages in his letter to the Philippians: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:4-6, 11, 13) You just can t read Paul s letter to the Philippians, or better yet, listen to it without being smacked in the kisser with joy - encouraged to rejoice in all things and despite all things because the focus of the Christian faith is never on what s happening around us or to us, but remembering what Christ alone has done for us; knowing that Christ alone is always with us! Tears of joy ain t about winning championship trophies or everything in life or in our country and world going the right way! Joy comes when you know THE CHAMPION Page 3

4 and have a relationship with Christ, saved by grace through faith, the Lord and Savior defeating the enemies of sin and death, dying on Calvary s cross and rising on Easter morn to give us the victory in all things! It is through Christ alone that Paul encourages the Philippians by writing: Complete my joy by being of the same mind and love of Christ who humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross, therefore God has highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee would bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father! (Philippians 2:1-11) That is undoubtedly the victory Paul anticipates from his prison cell, yearning for the people he held in his heart. (Philippians 1:7) Here he was in captivity, freedom restricted, ready to lose everything, including his life for the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus Christ. (Philippians 3:8) Paul is laying it all on the line for his friends and his faith, leaving a legacy of joy that overcomes sorrow; hope that defeats death; life that is everlasting through faith in Christ alone! It is God s gift to us again today, my friends, loving us so much in His only Son, promising to be with us no matter what! If we would just stop long enough to think about it and believe it and trust it, we will experience in Christ alone - tears of joy! You know, it all boils down to this for me - an awareness that grows with every passing year of life [and I just passed 70!], knowing how quickly life s circumstances can change, that we, as Christians have a choice to make when this world seems to be coming apart at the seams. We can either face each day in Christ alone or, we can choose to go it alone! Not much of a choice really and I pray by the grace of God our tears Page 4

5 would be filled with joy because Christ alone is with us and nothing in all creation can separate us from His love! (Romans 8:39) Let s affirm this faith, as we rise and sing again: In Christ alone my hope is found, He is my light, my strength, my song; this Cornerstone, this solid Ground, firm through the fiercest drought and storm. What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are stilled, when strivings cease! My Comforter, my All in All, here in the love of Christ I stand. In Christ alone, 2001 Thankyou Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing). Used by permission. CCLI # Page 5 - Rev. Preston E. Wagner, Pastor Emeritus Hope Lutheran Church, Wake Forest, NC