A CALL TO CELEBRATE
Philippians 4:4-8
In Celebration of Discipline, an excellent resource for those of you who are looking to pursue further any of the spiritual disciplines we have looked at over the past two months, Richard Foster writes, “Celebration is at the heart of the way of Christ. He entered the world on a high note of jubilation: ‘I bring you good news of a great joy,’ cried the angel, ‘which shall come to all the people.’ He left the world bequeathing his joy to the disciples: ‘These things I have spoken to you that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.’
He goes on to write, “The carefree spirit of joyous festivity is absent in contemporary society. Apathy, even melancholy, dominates the times. Harvey Cox says that modern man has been pressed ‘so hard toward useful work and rational calculation he has all but forgotten the joy of ecstatic celebration.”
Let me ask you, when was the last time you just cut loose in all out, lung emptying, laughter laced, joyous celebration?
(My example of watching Phil Mickelson winning The Masters).
What about you. When was the last time you just let loose, and celebrated? And then take that question to the next level, when was the last time that happened related to a spiritual issue? For some of us, it was this past Sunday night, when we gathered with our friends at First Wesleyan, and baptized 9 people. We had people being baptized as young as Allie, all the way up to a senior woman who had spent years on the fringe of her walk with God, and had just recently accepted Christ as her savior. That was a joyous event!
Now you may not think of celebration as a spiritual discipline. But it is. In fact, it is possibly the most important of all the spiritual disciplines. For it is the spice of the Christian life. It is what keeps all of the other disciplines from become dull, drudgeries, and obligations rather than desires and things you want to do. It is in the spirit of joy and celebration that all of the other disciplines we have talked about enhance our lives.
Look at what is says in Galatians 5:22 (read through verse 23). I have heard all kinds of messages in my life on faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. I have even been admonished about my lack there of. But there are not near enough sermons out there about living a life of joy. Celebration. Living a Christian life that is a happy life.
How do we live that kind of a life, and what would motivate us to live in such a celebratory manner?
Turn to Philippians chapter 4. A passage I’m sure many of you have heard many times. Philippians 4:4 (read verse 4). Okay, so there it is again, “Rejoice. Celebrate. Let’s see some joy.” But how do we do that? Verse 5 (read through verse 8).
Let me give you what I think we have in this passage, and can list out as THREE CLUES TO LIVING A LIFE OF CELEBRATION. First. . .
I. Get Along with Others
(Read verse 5). Gentleness. Other words used there are graciousness, or forbearance. The Greek word used there is similar to that in I Timothy 3 where it is describing what a bishop should or shouldn’t be, and it says he should be “gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous.” And what that word means may be best understood by looking at what is the opposite of it. The opposite of the word we translate as gentleness is to be harsh, abrasive, sarcastic, contentious.
There are so many people in this world that struggle with the discipline of celebration because they just can’t get along with other people. They aren’t reasonable. They aren’t fair. They aren’t considerate. They just don’t know how to live with a spirit of gentleness that can then feed a life of celebration.
I was sitting down with a denominational leader in the Wesleyan church awhile back. We were having a casual discussion when the reflections turned to a particular person. This denominational leader turned to me and said, “I don’t know if you have figured this out yet, but so-and-so is just not a very nice person.”
I thought, “Man. To have a leader in a major holiness denomination that’s initial thought about this given person is. . .’they are not a very nice person.’” I would be mortified to know that was how this leader felt about me. But you know what. . .they’re right. This person isn’t very nice, and coincidently, does not appear to have the ability to live a life of celebration. Is not joyful.
You don’t have to believe me, or agree with me, but I don’t think you can be at odds with everyone, all the time, and still practice the spiritual discipline of celebration. Because joy in life comes when you are able to get along with others. “Let your gentleness be known to all men.”
What’s another clue to living a life of celebration? Verse 6 (read through v. 7). A second clue to Living a Life of Celebration is to. . .
II. Replace Worry with Prayer and Thanksgiving
You say, “Pastor, I can’t do that. In fact, the more I pray, the more I list out my petitions to God, the more worried I get.”
Well, let me suggest two things. First, you need to balance your prayer life. Prayer is not just to be a listing of our worries to God. It should include praising Him. It should include thanking Him. We all have things we can thank God for.
While I was greeting people last Sunday night as they were leaving the service, an elderly gentleman walked over to where Debbie and I were standing. I shook his hand, and said, “It was great to have you here tonight.” He looked at me and said, “It was great to be here. Of course, at my age, it is great just to be anywhere.”
We can at least be thankful that we are here, or at least are. So balance your prayer life.
Secondly, we need to quit being Indian giver prayers. Dangerous term to use, especially if there are any Seinfeld fans in the congregation. But since my wife and children and just about everyone on that side of the family are registered Delaware Indians, I think I can get away with it. We shouldn’t be Indian givers in our prayers.
What do I mean by that? “God, here are my worries. . .here are my concerns. . .here are my petitions. Amen. Now, can I have them back.” What good did that do? Did that improve your joy at all? Verse seven says that after spending time in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, you should experience an unexplainable peace.
We need to give up our worries, and replace them with prayers and thanksgiving. For some of you, the 40 Days of Prayer we start tomorrow can be an excellent launching point for this. Taking the church prayer calendar, setting aside 40 minutes a day for prayer, fasting. And not so that we can focus on our own individual ailments and discomforts. But so that we can seek God’s direction and purpose for our church. Setting aside our worries, and seeking God with thanksgiving.
One more. Want to live a life of celebration, than. . .
III. Think About What You’re Thinking About
Verse 8 (read). I don’t know if you have figured it out yet. Memorial Day or July 4th may have given you a clue. If not, the coming election might let you in on this fact. But I don’t like to dwell on politics. I know there are pastors across this city that are very politically minded. And I know people get all worked up in a lather, and all excited when these pastors take their political stances. My uncle pastors Chicago First Church of the Nazarene, and can write a sermon simply by watching the O’Reilly Factor.
But I don’t like to spend a whole lot of time dwelling on politics, and I’ll tell you why. I’ve met a lot of Christians that are very wrapped up in the political world. But most of their thoughts, most of their reflections, most of their attitudes, most of the stuff that is consuming their mind about the democrats or the republicans, the liberals or the conservatives, John Kerry or George W., hanging chads or dimpled chads. . .most of that stuff doesn’t fit in to what I just read in verse 8.
Most Christian political banter is not what is noble, what is just, what is pure, what is lovely, what is of good report, what is praiseworthy. In fact, a lot of the Christian political banter is down right hateful.
And as far as whatever is true. . .you aren’t going to get that from CNN, Fox News, the Democratic National Convention or the Republican National Convention. You are only going to find it here in the word of God.
Think about what you’re thinking about. What consumes your mind? We made the conscious decision when we arrived in Lexington to go with a basic cable package that did not include ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN News, ESPN Classic. Why? Because I don’t love sports? No, but because I know the ability of Satan to utilize sports to consume my mind with things that are not true, noble, just, pure, lovely, good report.
And any of you wives that are sitting out there thinking, “That’s right honey. You’re wasting too much of your mind on sports.” Well, I have two words for you. Reality television. How do those shows measure up to Philippians 4:8?
Let me ask you, maybe I’m the only one who has ever experienced this, have you ever run into someone in your family, or at work, or even at church that was in a rotten mood because Joe and Susie got voted off the island, or kicked out of the Big Brother House last night? Come on. Get a life. And make it a life of celebration by thinking about what you’re thinking about.
Some clues to living a life of celebration. So if that gives us an idea on how to live such a life, then the next thing we need to know is what there is to celebrate. Some of you may be sitting out there saying, “Yea. I can buy all that. But there just isn’t anything going on worth celebrating right now.” Well. . .I beg to differ.
Let me give you three statements to ponder and celebrate. First. . .how about celebrating,
1. Where You Have Been, and Where You Are Going
And in case you have forgotten where you have been. Let me remind you. You were dead. You were bound for an eternity in hell. You were on track for eternal separation from your Creator. And there was nothing you could do about it. You were helpless. No good deeds, no buy out options, no under the table payment. End of the story. As it says in Romans 7, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” That’s where you have been.
But look at where you are going. Check out these awesome verses in I Timothy. I Timothy 1:15-16 (read). That is reason to celebrate. You were the chief of sinners, but now you have obtained mercy. And look at where you can go from here. You can partner with a body of believers desiring to impact their community for eternity. You can identify those gifts and passions that God has given uniquely to you so that others might be reached for Him. You have a hope, and a future. You have an eternal home.
And if none of this applies to you because you haven’t given your life to Christ. . .you can. Within this book is the reality that if you are looking for a reason to celebrate, you are just a prayer away from it being the reflection on where you have been, and where you are going.
Imagine this. . .you get a call from Regis Philban. And he tells you that you have been selected to play on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. You fly to the studio, sit in the “fastest finger” seats, and you are the quickest one to put four mindless pieces of trivia in order. You make your way to the hot seat, and without even using a single life line, you win the big prize. One million dollars.
Let me ask you, would you celebrate? Would you tell anyone? (Play Video of Steven Curtis Chapman’s ‘Live Out Loud’)
Celebrate where you have been and where you are going. Live out loud. But there is more. How about if together we celebrate. . .
2. What God Has Done and What God Is Doing
In a country where 8 churches close their doors for good every single day, I think we should celebrate what God has done carving out an almost 50 year legacy at Stonewall Wesleyan Church.
Do you realize that during that time dozens of people have partnered with the Wesleyan Church through a profession of their faith, more than 65 people have been baptized, 50 little children have been dedicated, and there is next to no way to measure the impact of those lives as they have grown up, moved on, and shared what God has done in their lives with countless other people.
Just in recent years alone we have seen people called out from Stonewall to go serve the Lord in more than a dozen countries on all most every continent on the globe. Just this year we have seen Frank and Susan Major begin pursing a call to Bosnia, and Andy and Natasha Lytle are close behind as they prepare for where God will call them in full time missions work.
It would be impossible to measure the full impact of what God has done through Stonewall Wesleyan Church. In just the last 10 years God has brought in almost 1 million dollars, of which almost 30,000 dollars has gone right back into local benevolent ministries like God’s Pantry, The Hope Center, the Salvation Army and others. More than 40,000 has been sent around the world in support of world missions, just since 1994.
We ought to be able to celebrate what God has done. But you know what. The best is yet to come. I don’t want to bore you with numbers, but we have so much to rejoice and praise God together for. Do you realize in just the first 3 months of this church year we have seen more people within our SWC family take the step of being baptized, and testifying to their faith than in all but two previous, entire years in the history of the church. In fact, there were 22 years where not a single person was baptized.
We have already had the privilege of dedicating 5 precious babies. In just three months. The only time more infants have been dedicated at SWC in its entire history was its very first year.
And how God is blessing us financially. If we continue to take bold steps of faith, and trust God to be our provider, we are on track to raise a total of more than $125,000 for ministry, including $6,000 for local, community care programs, and more than $12,000 for world missions.
And I tell you all of that because I want to be sure you understand, as you sit here today, you are participating in what I firmly believe is going to go down in the history books as the best year of ministry so far, here in Lexington, at Stonewall Wesleyan Church. And all of those numbers are going to translate into lives that are being impacted for eternity, and filled with joy as we celebrate what God has done, and is doing now more than ever!
But even if none of that does it for you. Even if the numbers, the truths of salvation, the momentum for our future doesn’t give you cause to celebrate. Which it will concern me if it doesn’t. How about simply the fact of. . .
3. Who God Is and Always Will Be
It tells us in Hebrews that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
And we know from His Word that He is the alpha and omega, the author of life and prefector of our faith, the bread of God and the living water, the spotless lamb and our risen Savior, the Prince of Peace, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
He is our teacher, our shepherd, our Physician, our Master, our salvation.
He is the Lord of peace, lord of the harvest, Lord of the Sabbath, and despite what Michael Flatly might think. . .He is the Lord of the Dance.
He is a refuge for the oppressed, a shelter from the storm, a source of strength, a stronghold in times of trouble, a fortress of salvation, and a forgiving God.
He is an architect and builder, a father to the fatherless, chosen and precious, faithful and true, holy and anointed, merciful and forgiving, wisdom and guidance, mercy and strength.
And in the midst of all of life’s trials and tribulations, testings and frustrations, we can still celebrate with joy because of who God is, and always will be.
Well, some clues on how to get your life on the path of celebration, and some things to celebrate. Now the question may remain, what does this celebration look like?
Well. . .I can’t tell you. Your celebration might look different than mine. But let me give you one word of caution.
DON’T FALL BACK ON THE PERSONALITY DISCLAIMER
This is that disclaimer throughout the church that says something like, “I just don’t express myself in that way.” “I’m not comfortable behaving like that.” “My personality just isn’t as charismatic as yours.”
Let me ask you. . .how many of you have ever gone to a UK basketball game or any other sporting event for that matter, and when they said, “And now, for your Kentucky Wildcats” you stood up and applauded as loud as you knew how? I know some of you have, and I know some of you even do it watching the games at home. So don’t say that it isn’t your personality to stand and applaud greatness. . .and our God is great.
How many of you have ever gone to see one of your children, or one of your grandchildren play a soccer or little league game, and made a complete fool of yourself shouting and encouraging their efforts. So don’t say that it isn’t your personality to let loose in front of others, or embarrass yourself. . .and our God is worthy of letting loose and being embarrassed for.
How many of you have ever watched a movie, or a TV show, saw a story on the news, or read it in the newspaper and found yourself welling up with tears, chocked up, and emotionally moved by what was being communicated? So don’t say that it isn’t your personality to be emotional and swayed by a dynamic story. . .and the story of our Savior is as dynamic as it gets.
Psalm 95, verses 1 and 2 does NOT say, “Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let the extroverts shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let the hyperactive red heads come before His presence with thanksgiving. Let the ESTJs shout joyfully to Him with psalms.”
Psalm 98:4 does NOT say, “Shout joyfully to the Lord if you are under 21.” No, it says, all the earth!
Your celebration might look different than mine. We are each unique. But don’t use that uniqueness as an excuse, and don’t fall back on the personality disclaimer to keep from giving God His due. Live a life of celebration.
There is an old saying in church growth circles that goes something like this. Start a fire in your church, and they’ll come to watch you burn. Let’s start a fire of celebration. Let’s be a congregation marked by joy. A body of believers that are finding ourselves constantly overwhelmed by where we have been, and where we are going. By what God has done, and what God is doing. And most of all, full of joy and celebration because of who God is, and always will be! Let’s stand, and celebrate Him together!
