“Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord.”
One of the fruits of reading Jon Meecham’s biography of Abraham Lincoln earlier this year was the realization of the importance of presidential speech. Lincoln understood that as President of the United States his public remarks could make a profound difference in the way people perceived and responded to matters of public policy and social concern. In his first inaugural address he appealed to the “better angels of our nature,” and in his second inaugural address, delivered weeks before he was assassinated, he invited a war weary nation to move forward:
With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan--to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves, and with all nations.
Words can encourage and edify but they can also tear down and diminish. They can clarify and confuse. They can motivate acts of kindness and fuel violence. As someone who has dedicated big part of the past 41 years to the work of preaching to congregations of Christian believers, I am well aware of the importance of words. And in these days preceding retirement I am especially aware of being in that season of contemplating and composing final words. This season begs a question: If I am going to stop talking, what do I want to make sure I say before that cessation?
Fortunately, preaching is primarily about crafting words that are drawn from and call attention to other words. Preaching is about giving witness to The Word. So, I am grateful that I have a great deal of support in this endeavor of composing those final words. It is a task that is more about choosing what not to say. Like the processes of reduction or distillation, choosing what to preach is about bringing the most savory and simple words.
This is the reason I have chosen to include Paul’s letter to the Philippians in my list of texts to be preached this year. Philippians is Paul’s final word. It is a loving and warm letter written to a beloved congregation from a prison cell in which Paul had plenty of reflection space to contemplate his life, to ask questions like what is of primary importance, what is best? And what is important to note is that this contemplation of his end produces the fruit of joy.
Paul’s work in his Philippian epistle is an illustration of Habakkuk’s choice to “rejoice in the Lord” irrespective of life’s circumstances. And his last word to this beloved congregation is essentially an invitation to do the same. “Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. (Phil 3:1)” “Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Phil. 4:8)”
Paul’s bottom line in this brief letter is to keep our eyes on the abundant love of God shown forth in the selfless love of Jesus Christ and allow that love to plant what becomes a harvest of righteousness that can be shared with our world. I love this letter and I am grateful for the opportunity to feast on and savor this part of God’s word with you as we together look forward to bearing and sharing the fruit that grows from the seed of God’s steadfast love.
David Rohrer
10/12/2023