FULL MEASURE 2021 ADVENT CELEBRATION DAY 17 JOY

©© by Pastor Jennifer Rousseau Cumberbatch (proprietary)

MODERATOR: Pastor jen Cumberbatch  

Welcome Friends to The Full Measure’s Celebration of Advent 2021

ADVENT CELEBRATION DAY 17, Tuesday, ,December 14, 2021

SCRIPTURE: Philippians 4:4-7

READER: Pastor jen

THEME: Overture Soulful Celebration

CANDLES: Light 2 purple and one pink candles for each reading this Week 3 of Advent. The HOPE Candle from  Week 1 and The PEACE candle for Week 2 and now the JOY Candle for Week 3

Philippians 4:4-7

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Reading 

Rejoice in Hebrew has similar, but different meanings.  One meaning, is to be exceedingly joyful,  to be bright, cheerful, and glad. This meaning is more descriptive of an internal experience; it is a state of being.  The second meaning of rejoice is an outward expression of the inward state. This definition is to be overcome and cry out, to shout for joy, give a ringing cry, to cry aloud, exult, praise, and make a shrill noise. 

Upon first glance at the English word rejoice, it’s plausible to define it as a return to or re-infusion of joy.  To re-experience joy, repeatedly.   But, what is this ephemeral experience, called joy?  Is it happiness, is it merely, mirth, or cheer or is joy deeper than happiness?

Culturally, Happiness tends to be more circumstantial, dependent on situations and our overall context. Dependent on what is happening in our lives.  While this is true, it is also true that God is concerned with our happiness.  

The use of the word Blessed in the beatitude, means Happy

• Happy are the Poor in Spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs. Happy are the humble. Humility is realizing that all our gifts and blessings are given to us by God. There is nothing arrogant or self-righteous about someone who is truly humble. Furthermore, when we are humble, we acquire an inner peace that allows us to do the will of God, as we realize that all our gifts and blessings are given to us by God

• Happy are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted by mourning. If one allows it, mourning can open one’s  heart fully to the Lord.  Mourning can be a transcendent experience.  Mourning the outward expression of the inner experience of grief opens the heart  to allow the comfort that only God can give. Scripture says that God draws near to the brokenhearted. 

• Happy are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Meekness is gentleness, self-control non-violence. 

• Happy are those who hunger and thirst for what is right; they shall be satisfied. One is driven to pursue God’s will. The pursuit of God’s righteousness, the right standing and justice of God becomes as involuntary spiritually as is thirst and hunger, physically.

Happiness in the world is circumstantial, dependent on power, riches, and position. The world teaches arrogance and braggadocio instead of humility. The attitude outside of the rule of God is that to mourn, to grief injustice or loss is a sign of weakness that must be avoided by busyness, and/or a facade of strength.  And, to make one’s food and drink, one’s sustenance in life, to do the will of God,  is antithetical to the advice of culture to pursue one’s bliss or passion

But, joy, authentic joy.  Joy in its truest sense is based upon, predicated upon,, rooted in, the nature and character of God.

Joy is an inner contentment and satisfaction in the faithfulness, favor, and good desires that God has for God’s people.  God is the constant in the equation and God works all things to the good of those who love God and are called to God’s purposes

.So, in the midst of trying external circumstances, one’s trust in the constancy of God’s intent for humanity, rooted in Christ is an ever-welling source of inner contentment and peace.  Contentment is the gratification of one’s deepest desires.  It is the gratification of the spiritual longing to be in fellowship with a loving God. 

This contentment, is like the old folks used to say,” This Joy I have, the world didn’t give it and the world can’t take it away.  So, true joy is not predicated on circumstances.  

Happiness is how we navigate in the earth realm.  Joy is an eternal quality, a spiritual dynamic. The fruit of the spirit is not happiness, it is joy. 

The meaning of rejoice in the scripture for today,  Day 17 of Advent reinforces this understanding of Joy. One of the most profound meanings of rejoice as it appears here in this passage is to thrive and the other is to be strengthened. How powerful!

The apostle Paul is saying here,  be infused with strength, thrive in the Lord.  When circumstances press in and you are tempted to be anxious.  When you are tempted to ruminate over the circumstances, or over future possibilities, causing your brain to flood your body autonomically with fear responses, stomach aches, body aches, headaches, sweaty palms, racing heart and thoughts.  Rejoice! 

Re-center yourself in who God is.  Be strengthen with the power of God’s might.  Remember the dunamis power of the Holy Spirit that hovers over God’s word to perform it.  The creative power of the animating Spirit of the Godhead---the miraculous ability, of the Spirit to call those things that be not as though they were. And, this same spirit dwells in you.  

Thrive in the faithfulness, longsuffering and goodness of God.

Be strengthened in who God is.

Get your power back over the tumultuous circumstances of life.  Cast your cares on God, for God cares for you. God is the God who hears and sees all. 

‘Cause greater is the Spirit of the living God living in you, than the principalities, powers, and wickedness in high places in the world. 

Rejoice, and again I say rejoice. It is in  the imperative.  Rejoice is a command to the Church, the people of God. Rejoice, be content, in your abasing and abounding; learn to be content. Why? Because the Lord is near! The Lord is here.  The Lord is the Great I am. The Alpha and the Omega. The Beginning and the End.

Christ is the author and the finisher of your faith

Christ will never leave you or forsake you

God will mature, perfect everything that concerns you

God, who has begun a good work in you, is faithful to complete it.

You are God’s masterpiece, God’s poem, created in Christ, to do good works, which God ordained before you were born.

God is with you.  Jesus is near.  The Holy Spirit is in you.

So, thrive, be content, be joyous, exultant.  And, pray with thanksgiving.

Yes, and every once and a while you may be overcome with the goodness of the Lord and get your shout on.

You might let out a shrill, ringing cry that is a rejoicing, an outward expression of an inner experience. Cause you know that you know that you know Christ is near.

Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in God!! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute! Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. Philippians 4:4-7 msg

Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say, I repeat, with emphasis.   REJOICE!