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Rejoice in the Cubs Always
Philippians 4:4-9
Ypsilanti First United Methodist Church
October 12, 2008

Rev. Melanie Lee Carey

This week contains a significant 100th anniversary.

On October 14, 1908, the Chicago Cubs won the World Series by defeating the Detroit Tigers. The score was 2-0 in the fifth and final game of the series. This was the Cubs second World Championship win in a row.

It was also their last.

For 100 years, the Cubs have been in a World Series drought. Our country has changed radically over the past century, but the failure of the Cubbies to win a championship has been a depressing constant.  And this year, they made it all the way to playoffs, only to loose in the first round.  So now it will be at least 101 years since they have won the World Series.

The Cubs have suffered the longest dry spell between championships in modern sports history. No one else in Major League Baseball, the National Football League, the National Hockey League or the National Basketball Association comes close. Not even the Detroit Lions have faced such a long drought and that is saying a lot.   In fact, the other three major sports leagues were not even in existence when the Cubs last won the World Series. i

And yet, despite this long drought, Chicago fans remain faithful. Showing up at Wrigley Field, cheering on their cubbies and hoping this will be the year.  They rejoice in the Cubs always.

It’s this same kind of persistent faithfulness that Paul is calling the Christians of Philippi to show when he writes, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near” (Philippians 4:4).

Notice that Paul says nothing about winning and losing, nothing about being champions of the faith. Instead, his focus is on rejoicing in the closeness of Jesus Christ, and on practicing the quality of gentleness — which in the Greek New Testament means acting Christ like and showing generosity toward others.

“Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, Rejoice” is what Paul writes to the Christians of Philippi and to Christians of every age.

Like long-suffering Cubs fans, the Philippians are not supposed to obsess over wins and losses. Instead, they are to find joy in being close to Jesus, while behaving in a Christ-like way.

“Rejoice in the Lord. Always.  Again I say Rejoice.”

When I shared this sermon title with our staff, our minister of music Kevin Miller, whose dad is a major cubs fan,  told me the following joke.

Three middle-aged men were discussing some weighty philosophical questions without reaching any consensus, when finally, one of them suggested that they consult God.

So, the first man said, "God, will  there ever be a time when we won't have to pay taxes?" God replied, 

"Not in your lifetime."

Then, the second man said, "God will there  ever be a time when there won't be a war somewhere on this planet?" 

And God replied, "Not in your lifetime."

Finally the third man said, "God will the Cubs ever win the World Series?" To which God replied, 

"Not in my lifetime!"

Rejoice in the Lord. Always.  Again I say Rejoice

The point is of course that true joy doesn’t come from winning. For the Christian, true joy and true happiness come from our relationship with Christ Jesus.  It is Because of God’s love that we are  joyful.  It is because of God’s love that we can rejoice. Even as life’s dreadful circumstances swirl around us, because of God’s love we rejoice, we celebrate and we give thanks for our blessings.

Paul doesn’t say, Rejoice in the times you win, or rejoice when things go your way,  Paul says, Rejoice in the Lord always.

This is important for us to hear especially these days as we about the stock market fluctuations, as we hear  the depressing economic news, and as we face all sorts of  difficulties, trials,  tribulations and despair in our lives. 
“Rejoice in the Lord. Always.  Again I say Rejoice

Paul reminds us that our joy comes not from our circumstances, but rather from our relationship with God and with others. 

The problem we have is that we tend to confuse Joy with Happiness.  And they are not the same. There is a difference between joy and happiness. Happiness is a checkbook that has money, a car that works, a good date for Saturday night. Happiness is the absence of major hassles, or terrorism or crime; happiness is kids getting good report cards and our spouses or life partners getting a raise. Happiness is something we know as enhancement or protection of our own lives.
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Joy comes in connection with another or with Jesus. Joy can happen without money or a working car. Joy happens when we get to the core of life and realize that love is at the core.  And because of that love,  God’s love, we are more blessed then we realized.  Because of that love we have joy. 

Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen, is the medical director of the Commenweal cancer help program, and has been featured numerous time in the Bill Moyers PBS series: Healing and the mind.  In her book,  My Grandfather’s Blessings she tells the following true story about her friend Mae:

“Mae celebrated life. Her laugh was a pure joy. It made you remember how to laugh yourself. All these years later, just thinking of her makes me smile. As she became sicker, I began to call her every few days to check in on her. She would always answer the phone in the same way. I would say, “Mae, how ya doin’?” and she would chuckle and reply, “I’m blessed, Sister. I am blessed.”

The night before she died, I called, and her family had brought the phone to her. “Mae,” I said. “It’s Rachel.” I could hear her coughing and clearing her throat, looking to find breath enough to speak in a lung filled with cancer, willing herself past a fog of morphine to connect my voice. Tears stung my eyes. “Mae,” I said. “It’s Rachel. How ya doin’?” There was a sound I could not identify, which slowly unwrapped itself into a deep chuckle. “I’m blessed, Rachel. I am blessed,” she told me. Mae was one of those people. And so, perhaps, are we all . . . .”

Dr. Remen goes on to write these important words..

“We can bless others only when we feel blessed ourselves. Blessing life may be more about learning how to celebrate life than learning how to fix life. It may require an appreciation of life as it is and an acceptance of much in life that we cannot understand.” ii

As Christians, our joy comes not from fixing our circumstances, but celebrating the life we have—with others who love us and most especially with God who loves us still.  It is not about if we win or lose, but rather about God’s love.
In his letter to the Philippians, Paul goes on to say  “in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (vv. 6-7).

As we make our requests to God, let us remember that God doesn’t always give us what we want, but God does give us what we need.   Most of  all peace.  Peace which passes all understanding. Peace which keeps us keeping on, even in the midst of  difficulties, fear, and despair.   God’s peace is a sense of total well being that  comes from the Lord and links our hearts and minds to Jesus.

And it’s a wonderful gift,  even when your team is losing and you are waiting for a hundred and one  year drought to end. It’s a great gift when you are struggling in school, or feeling miserable at work, whether you are having trouble with a relationship, or looking for a job, whether you are dealing with deep anxiety and depression.  Whatever you may be facing, the truth is that  The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Today we place our focus on the presence of God, rather then on wins or losses.  Today we rejoice in the peace of Christ, which guards our hearts and minds even as the markets tumble and the companies fall.  And even as the Chicago Cubs wait yet another year to win it all.

“Rejoice in the Lord. Always. Again I say Rejoice.