Reasonableness and Rejoicing

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Reasonableness and rejoicing are two concepts that seem to go hand in hand according to St. Paul. You have among you the mind of Christ, which fosters reasonableness, which therefore leads to rejoicing. And, having this mind about you, think about what is noble and good.

Reasonableness and rejoicing are not two concepts that one might use to describe our world these days, however. It seems that wherever you look, whatever you hear, people are talking about two crises, real or imagined. The end of the Mayan calendar and the “fiscal cliff”.

St. Paul says that “The Lord is at hand.” The Mayan calendar may come to an end this coming Friday. It is possible – as likely as not – that the world as we know it will come to an end. It is even possible that Christ will come again in glory this weekend. So what? The Lord is already at hand. If the Lord comes again next weekend, all your pain and suffering, all your unpaid bills and unwanted expenses will pass away. The Lord will come to call you home to Himself in heaven, where there is only rejoicing at the marriage feast of the Lamb.

If Christ does not come and the world does not go topsy-turvy, then it doesn't. You keep on keeping on. You pay the bills as they come. You face each day in repentance and faith. You receive the Lord who is at hand. You do the good works which He has called you to perform.

“Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.” Let the world see that you are unafraid to meet the days ahead. Let them see that you are not anxious or worried about the future, but doing what God has called you to do here and now. Let tomorrow worry about itself.

What if our country goes off the fiscal cliff? What will happen to us? You will wake up on January 1, and one of two things will have happened. Either you will be safe in the bosom of Abraham, gathered with the saints in heaven. Or you will open your eyes and start another day which the Lord has made. Maybe you will have to tighten your belt a bit, as they say. Maybe times will continue to be a bit leaner, money a bit scarcer. But the world will not end simply because the Congress and the White House cannot work together. Your faith in God and your love for your brother will not change. If anything, you will need those two even more.

“Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.” Let the Lord who created heaven and earth direct your days and your deeds in His peace. Let the Lord who ordains and guides all leaders and governments continue to do so according to His wisdom, not the wisdom of this world. Let the world see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

“The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” This is often a difficult thing to do. Do not be anxious about anything. Do not be anxious about the end of the world. Do not be anxious about the state of the economy. Do not be anxious about evildoers who perpetrate great violence in the world.

But in everything make your prayers to God with thanksgiving. How do you give thanks in the face of awful tragedy? How do you give thanks in the face of disorder and conflict? Have the mind of Christ about you, that your mind and spirit be filled with the reasonableness that comes from Christ. Let yourself be seen to have the Spirit of God within you, that gives you the meekness, gentleness, and calm of mind to face each day's challenges in peace.

How easy such words are to say, and yet how difficult to do. This season is filled with its own strife – family, shopping, social engagements, and a million other things to do.

Pile that on top of all the world's problems, and things start to look insurmountable. It is easy to get overwhelmed by the magnitude of it all. Then depression, distress, even despair start to take hold. What do you do? Where do you turn? Who can fix it? Who can help us out of this mess?

“The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything.” God is here. God is with you. God is present, even in the midst of your troubles. In the very midst of life, snares of death surround you, but God is with you.

Do not be anxious about anything, because being anxious will not make anything better. In fact, it will only make your problems worse, because it adds the sin of idolatry to the pile. If you are caught up in worrying about the cares of this world, then you are not allowing God to be God, but thinking either to take His authority upon yourself to find some way to fix it, or else thinking that the Lord God of Hosts is insufficient to the task, or maybe not gracious enough to care about you. Both are false; both are dangerous. Repent and be at peace.

For “the Lord is at hand.” The Lord is at hand whose incarnation in the flesh of Mary we eagerly anticipate. The Lord is at hand who has been handed over to the rulers and powers of this world. The Lord is at hand who has been crucified for us men and for our salvation. The Lord is at hand who bears your sins away. The Lord is at hand who has made peace by the blood of the cross, reconciling you to God once and for all. The Lord is at hand whom you seek, the one for whom John the Baptist was the forerunner.

Therefore, “do not be anxious about anything.” God has solved the world's crises. He has solved the biggest crisis ever to face mankind. He has faced it by dying. Jesus has come and has died, that you might no longer die but live. And the life you live in Him, you live not to sin, not to fear, not to worry, but to God, who keeps you from all evil.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Think about these things. Think about the good things. That is, think about Christ. Meditate on Jesus – His holy incarnation, His Word of truth, His precious death and burial, and His glorious resurrection and ascension. Think on Christ, who sets you free from sin, death, and the devil.

Occupy your mind with Christ and His Word, and you will find no room in your thoughts for the cares of the world. The peace of God will guard your mind, as the Spirit shapes and guides your thoughts. You will continually be in prayer as the Spirit directs, because your heart will speak with the language of the Scriptures.

Therefore, “rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” Rejoice because the Lord is at hand. Rejoice because the One who comes in the Name of the Lord is nearly arrived. Rejoice because He has come to His people and redeemed them. Rejoice because your sins are forgiven. Rejoice, because no matter what happens, you no longer live but Christ lives in you.

“What you have learned and received and heard and seen... practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” Rejoice in the Lord always. Let your reasonableness be known to all. Think on Christ at all times. Live in the joy of the certainty that your sins are forgiven and your life is secure in Christ.

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Amen.