Living In Joy Sermon V: Why Quarrel When There Is So Much To Rejoice About Series

WHY QUARREL WHEN THERE IS SO MUCH TO REJOICE ABOUT

Do you remember the last time you had a quarrel with someone close to you? If you don’t remember, that may be a good thing as long as you don’t claim that you’ve never had such a quarrel.

An elderly parishioner bragged to me, “Me and my wife were married for sixty years, and we never had a quarrel.” At the supper table that evening, I told my wife what he said, and she replied, “Any man who would lie about that would lie about other things too.”

Quarreling has its place, but certainly should not become a pattern of life, as with an old grouch whose wife could not please him no matter what she did. He quarreled about everything. She decided one day that on that day she would do anything he asked to try to please him for just one day.

When he came into the kitchen that morning, she asked, “How would you like your eggs . . . one fried and one scrambled . . . did exactly as he ordered . . . just sat there, staring at the eggs, with a scowl on his face . . . Now, what’ the matter? . . . You fried the wrong one.”

Quarreling in the church was especially displeasing to the Apostle Paul who, on writing his epistle of joy - Philippians - touched on the issue briefly in a way that begged the question, “Why quarrel when there is so much to rejoice about?”

All we know about the two women mentioned by Paul in Philippians (4:2-3) is their names – Euodia and Syntyche. The summary of their life’s story was that they quarreled . . . Suppose all that was ever said about your life was that you and a sister (brother) in Christ quarreled with each other? How would that make you feel?

Apparently, Paul felt “put out” with these two women and their inability to resolve their differences amicably, so he decided to “brush aside” their quarreling and focus instead on the positive aspect of how Christians ought to live - in joy - a state of being which would preclude wasting time on quarreling.

“So, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, considering all that God has done, is doing, and will do (your past, present, and future of living in joy), here’s what I say to you: Rejoice in the Lord at all times. Let me say it again: Rejoice! Let your moderation (gentleness) be known to everyone. After all, the Lord is near.” (Philippians 4:4-5)

Folks, how near to you is the Lord? Isn’t He as near to you spiritually as is your physical heart that beats within your chest? Think about it. You have “the joy” . . . the love of Jesus . . . the peace that passes understanding in your heart.

Let me say it another way: At the inner core of your spiritual being is Jesus. His presence influences you . . . encourages you . . . motivates you to manifest a gentle spirit (a spirit of reasonableness) in your interactions with everyone.

Christian joy is independent of all other things in your life (things material and temporal) because Christian joy has its source in the constant presence of Christ . . .

“There is never a day so dreary, there is never a night so long, but the soul that is trusting Jesus will somewhere find a song. Wonderful, wonderful Jesus, in the heart He implants a song: a song of deliverance, of courage, of strength, in the heart He implants a song.”

A born-again Christian never loses that joy because such a Christian never loses sight of Jesus Christ. Our focus may become a bit blurry due to distractions that cloud our thinking, but the constant presence of Christ is always there to help us regain our focus.

Even though he was sitting in prison, distracted by all the negativity swirling about him, constantly chained to a Roman guard, the joy never left Paul because of the constant presence of Christ. He focused on Jesus despite his difficulties.

In good times and bad times, the nearness of the Lord to me, plus my close relationship to Him, brightens my path and lightens my load. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me.”

It’s those “shadows” that cause a lot of folks a lot of worry throughout life’s journey. There are things we worry about over which we have little or no control. So much of what we worry about never materializes the way we “knew” it would. Said Mark Twain, “I’m an old man, and I have known many problems in my life, most of which never happened."