Listen to Reading and Sermon 2Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The [Great I AM] …is my strength and my song; [God] has become my salvation.” 3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. Audio reading and sermon (http://sunshinecathedral.org/sermons/audio/20091213_6.mp3)
Listen to Reading and Sermon
2Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The [Great I AM] …is my strength and my song; [God] has become my salvation.” 3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
Audio reading and sermon (http://sunshinecathedral.org/sermons/audio/20091213_6.mp3)
// < ![CDATA[ YAHOO.util.Event.onDOMReady(function() { YAHOO.sunshine.setBtn("20091213_1"); }); // ]]> Listen to Readings and Sermon Advent 3 — Joy The Good News Written Philippians 4.4-9 (NIV) 4 Rejoice in the [Holy One] always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The [Messiah] is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, [...]
Listen to Readings and Sermon
Advent 3 — Joy
The Good News Written
Philippians 4.4-9 (NIV)
4 Rejoice in the [Holy One] always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The [Messiah] is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, 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.
8 Finally… whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praioseworthy — think about such things. 9 … And the God of Peace will be with you.
Luke 3.15-18 (NRSV)
15As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, 16John answered all of them by saying “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire. 17His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granery; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” 18So with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.
The Good News Proclaimed
by Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins, Sunshine Cathedral (Dec. 13, 2009)
The Apostle Paul gives gave the Philippians some good advice about how to maintain joy. He says, very simply, Rejoice always…I’ll say it again, Rejoice!
And then he even goes on to say how it is possible to rejoice always. He believes that Christ is near. He’s experienced the nearness of Christ, in his life-changing experience on the road to Damascus. And the idea that there is a benevolent presence with him, near him at all times, perhaps returning in very dramatic ways in the near future, but spiritually present already is something that gives Paul hope and peace and joy.
So Paul says focus on those things that give you hope and peace and joy. Find things to be grateful for, and as you rejoice and express gratitude, peace will guard your hearts. So focus on whatever is noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, on anything that is excellent or praiseworthy, and you will experience God more. And to experience the life-giving presence of God is to experience joy. Continue reading »
