1 Thessalonians 2: 17 – 20
Marva Dawn, a Lutheran theologian once wrote that we all need to become s outherners, that is from the southern united States, in order to read the Bible correctly., because to inhabit its world is to speak about our lives as y’all (plural) instead of you, singular. Most of the descriptions and commissions in the Bible are in the plural not the singular. Be blessing those persecuting you, y’all, Y’all consider it all joy brothers and sisters, when y’all fall into diversified testing. Do not be thwarting the Spirit, y’all. And then of course there is my very favourite example which is the more correct version of Philippians 4:4 which we usually read as Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say Rejoice. It really should read, keep on rejoicing, y’all. It is difficult to always be full of joy, as an individual, but as a church collectively we can know that continual joy.
Marva Dawn goes on to say that it takes compelling training for church members to learn to read the scriptures in that way. It takes a long process to change the western individualised vocabulary that is ruining the church. If we could stop thinking about ourselves in individualistic terms and recognise that everything in faith is communal, contingent and corporate, we would find life and affliction and our work in the church much more bearable.
Of course, this makes this period of lockdown all the harder. When you are starting to get a sense of community, of shared life, work and witness and all of a sudden it is stripped away and we are having to be individualistic in our studies, prayers and even to an extent our worship, it goes against all that we are striving for in the church and as a church. How can we keep on rejoicing y’all when we cannot be together?
Joy is one of the topics that comes up in our reading from Thessalonians today and how we keep on rejoicing in these present times is key to our survival in this time. Let us hear what Paul wrote:-
1 Thessalonians 2: 17 – 20.
Paul’s Longing to See the Thessalonians
17 But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. 18 For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan blocked our way. 19 For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? 20 Indeed, you are our glory and joy.
Joy comes in a number of forms. Some works of visual art evoke joy, some sights evoke joy, some pieces of music evoke joy. I remember being in a small art gallery where the paintings were ok, but nothing had really inspired me. But then I turned a corner and there in front me was a work by Claude Monet. I felt the joy well up inside me, this was in a different class altogether from the others works we had seen. There is vantage point on Kinnoull Hill where I will always pause when walking the dog. The view is stunning, there is always a different interplay of light and shadow and I again feel a great joy. When I hear Judas Maccabeus, the tune for Thine be the glory, Beethoven’s Choral fantasia or on a different level, Rush’s Spirit of radio, I feel joy. Yet these are not the joys of which Paul speaks. For these are transient and can be removed by a loss of sight, a loss of hearing or nature’s destructive path. The joy of which Paul writes neither originates from , nor depends on transient forces. It can experienced by women and men who can claim it personally but it is not private, an isolated joy. It is both a hope for concrete benefits in the future as well as a present reality.
This is the joy that breaks through the gloomiest of lockdown days to cheer even the most disheartened. It is a joy that does not come from changing and changeable circumstances but by the presence in our lives of the Holy Spirit. It is a joy that can move a man to write such a great hymn as it is well with my soul even just after hearing that he had lost his whole family at sea. It is a joy that can transform incomprehensible sorrow through a tireless declaration of the believers peace in God.
Paul was desperate to have fellowship again with his friends in Thessalonica, just as I am desperate to share in fellowship with you, t be able to pray together, sing together, work together for the glory of God. Yet Paul was prevented as indeed I am prevented at this time. But that did not rob him and his companions of their joy, just as we must not let this period of lockdown rob us of our joy. We still enjoy the peace of God, we still hope for a time when we can fill the church once more we still know that we are loved just as we love him who died for us. No government restrictions, no microscopic virus, no fear of what might happen can remove that joy from us. So keep on rejoicing y’all, our glory and our joy.