The Message, November 23, 2025: "Keep Doing These Things," Philippians 4:4-9

Author: Rev. Scott W. Cousineau
November 25, 2025

 

“Keep Doing These Things”
A Message by Rev. Scott W. Cousineau
Philippians 4:4-9

            “Rejoice in the Lord always! Again … I say, ‘rejoice!’”

            Rejoice! Celebrate! Possess a sense of joy welling up inside of you!

            Rejoice! But … I should point out that the word that Paul used had a slightly different meaning. Yes, it did refer to possessing a sense of joy or happiness. However, the word that Paul used referred to feelings that were internal. Rejoice was public! Rejoice was a public celebration! Rejoicing was not something to be kept to oneself. It was to be shared.

            Yesterday afternoon, I was at the church when the Red Cross staff was breaking down and cleaning up after the blood drive. The lead phlebotomist was energetic and cheerful after what must have been a long day. I asked her if they had a good day, and she said to me, “I had a great day! I had a wonderful day! I had x-number of sticks.”

            In response, I said to her, “You strike me as being someone who has a lot of wonderful days.”

            And she said, “I am. I do. My name is … (she said it so fast I could not understand what she said) … and it means, ‘lightness and dark’ in Hebrew. That is how I live. I know that God loves me … and I love God!”  

            After a long day of work … on the Saturday before Thanksgiving … she was so bright and positive. The team was laughing and singing as they packed up. She was not tired or cranky, at least not that I could tell. If she had been down and draggy, her team would likely have been down and draggy too. But she was light! What a joy!

            She is the embodiment of “Rejoice in the Lord always!” I do not think that she realized that I was the pastor of the church when she professed her love for God. But I do thank her for her bright, shining light of faith. I thank her for the way that she rejoices in the Lord. She did not hold it bottled up inside. Her rejoicing was on full display.

            The first century world in which Paul lived did rejoice publicly. In the area surrounding Philippi, and Ephesus, and Corinth, communities would organize great festivals and games and shows to celebrate their gods (with a small ‘g’) and the cities themselves.

            So, what Paul was saying in that opening verse from our passage this morning was that our rejoicing should be public too. And what is more, since our God … God with a Big G … the One True God … and God’s Son, Jesus Christ, are far superior to those other gods and goddesses, our celebration should be even grander than theirs. Not that it is a competition, but the faithful followers of Jesus Christ, the beloved children of the One True God should celebrate even more exuberantly than their pagan neighbors.

            But not to rub their noses in it. Not with hubris or arrogance. Paul said that we are to be … gentle. “Let your gentleness be known to everyone.”

            I think that we would all agree that the world could use a little more gentleness. The world could use a little more rejoicing. WE could use a little more gentleness and rejoicing!

            Of course, you know as well as I do that we do not always feel like rejoicing. Last Sunday we briefly listed just a few of the things that break our hearts or clench our fists in rage.

            Certainly, the news of the world is deeply troubling. But we can also add our personal and intimate struggles to the list.
            It is hard to rejoice when your spouse, or a parent is slipping away from you …
            It is hard to rejoice when you struggle every week to make ends meet …
            It is hard to rejoice when your child is being bullied or struggling in school …
            It is hard to rejoice when the world seems to be determined to crush you …

            It is easy to rejoice on the bright and sunny days. It is easy to rejoice when things are going well. It is much harder to rejoice in the midst of the storm.

            And that is why we pray. You may have heard, or had someone say to you, “Do not trouble God with your trivial concerns.” But Paul says that we should take everything to God. There is no concern that is either too big for God or too small for God. Take everything to God. Make communication with God a part of our daily lives.

            Think about it. Is there someone in your life … someone in your family, or in your peer group … that makes you feel better by just being in their presence? Who is that person that you just love to be around because they are light … or calming … or comforting … or reassuring … or encouraging? Who is that person that lowers your blood pressure, that relaxes the tension in your shoulders, that eases your breathing?

            Paul is reminding us, or telling us, that God is that person; God is that Being. God is the one that grounds us. God is the one that allows our anxiety to slip away. Our faith in God is what allows us to rejoice even in the dark and difficult times. After all, Paul wrote these words to the community in Philippi while he was sitting in a Roman prison. If someone had reason to NOT rejoice it was Paul.

            Rejoice in the Lord always. And when you struggle to rejoice … pray. Offer prayers of thanksgiving … not to remind God what God has done for you, but to remind YOU what God has done for you.

            What did Jesus do … yes, even Jesus … when he was tired, or distraught? He prayed. We know that Jesus turned to God.

            “Yeah, but Scott, he was Jesus! He prayed all the time!”

            Exactly! And Paul is telling us that possessing a life steeped in prayer will help is to live in the peace of God in the same way that Jesus lived in God’s deep and wonderful peace. Take everything to God in prayer, the big things and the small things. Make conversation with God a daily practice. Because when we do, the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds. In Psalm 46, we read one of the most comforting lines in all of scripture: “Be still, and know that I am God!” (Psalm 46:10)

            Be still … in God. Be still … be at peace … be tranquil … and know that God will protect our hearts and minds. Breathe God in … Breathe God in … Breathe in and BE in God’s peace.

            One thing that I should mention about this passage is that the congregation in Philippi was Paul’s pride and joy. They were his delight. They were the first congregation that he established as he brought his mission into Europe. And, unlike other churches to which he wrote, they were not in turmoil. They were not struggling or divided. He did not write this letter to instruct or admonish, rather, he wrote this letter to thank them and to reassure them. “Keep doing these things that you have heard, or seen, or received from me. Keep doing the things that I taught you.”

            “Keep doing the things that will show others what you believe. Keep doing the things that will build up and strengthen your community. Keep doing the things that are beautiful, and gentle, and lovely. Keep doing the things that create peace, and reinforce peace, and maintain peace. Keep living as Jesus Christ calls us to live. And if you do, God’s peace will be with you.”

            I can only speak for myself, but I know that I want to rejoice. I want to live a life of rejoicing. My guess is that you would like that too.

            So then, let us breathe God in.
            Let us strive to move God to the center.
            Let us include God in our daily conversations.
            Let us thank God for all the good and beautiful things.
            And may God’s loving Spirit fill us.
            May God’s peace comfort us and nourish us and nurture us.

            Let us keep doing these things … until the whole world lives in God’s peace.
            Let us keep doing these things … until every one of God’s beautiful and beloved children can rejoice.
            Amen.

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