Press On The Upward Way

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord (Phil. 3:1).
We hear that phrase, “rejoice in the Lord” all the time but what does it mean? Usually, we
hear it when the world is falling in on us and some pious person tells us to “rejoice in the
Lord.” As if we haven’t heard that before or seen it on bumper stickers or on a coffee cup
at Lifeway Book Stores.
But, really that phrase, “rejoice in the Lord,” only appears three times in scripture. Here,
again in Philippians 4:4 and again in 4:10. Only in this Book; and only in these three
places do we find it, but I think all us who have been around the Christian faith for a while
have heard it.
So why is it here, and why does Paul say it now? Looking back on Chapters 1 and 2 of
Philippians, as Pastor Faber has been teaching, the phrase to rejoice in the Lord sums
up all that Paul has been saying. Paul has been emphasizing joy and rejoicing all through
those two chapters.