Rejoice Jubilantly with All Joy

Let your gentle spirit be known to all men.  The Lord is near.  --Philippians 4:5

What brings you joy every time you think about it?  What causes you to rejoice?  In this Christmas season, you may think of giving the perfect gift to a loved one.  You may think of a child's sense of wonder and surprise when presented with that one perfect gift.

The word "rejoice" occurs 77 times in the New Testament.  It occurs 10 times in the little letter of Philippians.  It occurs twice in the one verse that is associated with this, the third Sunday of Advent.  The verse is Philippians 4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!"

What is the motivation for Paul's sense of joy in this statement?  I think it is found in the very next verse, near the end: "The Lord is near."

We all know those people who never do anything unless the boss or the teacher is in the room.  These inauthentic people have bad behavior generally, but their behavior improves as soon as they see someone in authority over them.

As Christians, our behavior would surely improve if Jesus suddenly showed up in our midst.  (Remember the disciple we know as "Doubting Thomas"--when Jesus appeared before him, he no longer doubted.)  In fact, more than just our behavior might improve.  Our countenance, the look on our faces, might immediately improve as well.

But Paul didn't say for us to rejoice only when we sensed His presence.  He said to rejoice in the Lord always.  Why?  Because the Lord is near.  Always.

It is human nature to long for something better.  We anticipate the coming of Christmas, and our joy is increased.  I think Mary had that sense of anticipation.  As the donkey crested that last hill and the lights of Bethlehem came into view, I think she must have anticipated the end of her long journey from Nazareth, looking forward to some rest before going into labor.  Joseph, too, may have been looking forward to securing lodging for the two of them, and beyond that perhaps locating a local midwife there in Bethlehem.  There was that sense of heightened anticipation, that all the hope, all the preparation was soon going to culminate in the birth of a blessing.

We, too, have something to long for, something to keep us pressing on in joyful anticipation.  No, it's not Christmas, which will be over in a little over a week.  It's not even the coming New Year, with it's challenges and resolutions.  It is the imminent return of Jesus at the end of this age.  Remember that line in the Lord's Prayer that says, "Thy kingdom come"?  That is what we are longing for, that is what we look forward to with great anticipation.

The Jews have a tradition in their Passover celebration of setting a place at the table (or at least pouring a cup of wine) for the prophet Elijah.  Those families with young children may ask the youngest to go outside and watch for Elijah as they finish their meal preparations.  The reason they do this is that the prophets said Elijah must come first, before the Messiah arrives.  This tradition keeps hope alive, and incorporates anticipation into the celebration.

Of course, we Christians believe that John the Baptist fulfilled the role set forth in Scripture, that "Elijah must come first."  John's message echoed Isaiah 40:3, when he said he was one crying in the desert, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord." (see Mark 1:3).  That message is just as powerful now as it was when John said it.  Even now, Lord Jesus, come!

Closely related to the words "joy" and "rejoice" is the term "jubilation".  In the book of Leviticus Moses set forth the command from God that every 50th year would be a year of Jubilee, in which all debts would be forgiven, ancestral lands would be restored to their original owners, and most importantly, those who had sold themselves to pay off a debt would be set free.  This celebration was a foretelling of the coming of God's kingdom on earth.  In that day, we who have been enslaved to sin will be set free forever.  In that day, we who belong to God will be given our inheritance in Him.

Zechariah 14:9 says, "And the Lord will be king over all the earth; in that day the Lord will be the only one, and His name the only one."  Revelation 20:4-5 describes a time when those who have been martyred for the sake of Christ will come to life and reign with Jesus for a thousand years.  Friend, if the thought of this event doesn't make you jubilant, nothing will. 

We should rejoice that the day is coming, and that it is coming sooner now than ever before.

O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height
In ancient times didst give the law
In cloud, and majesty and awe

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny
From depths of hell Thy people save
And give them victory o'er the grave

        Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel