Our Sunday Message

Advent Joy for Our Anxiety: Philippians 4:4-7
Rev. Dr. Kenneth A. Corr
December 17, 2007
Third Sunday of Advent

  It’s the third week of Advent and it’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas.
  The children are traveling home for the holidays and the highways are so busy this time of the year. If the weather turns bad, it will be even worse. I worry about their safety.
  The medical bills are piling up and the doctor is not sure if the treatments will work. If mother requires extended home care, I don’t know how we will pay for it. I worry about our finances.
  Management says that more layoffs are coming after the holidays. I missed the last cut, but this one could get me. At my age, starting over will be tough. I worry about my job.
  Every time I turn on the TV, I see stories about crime. I’ve gotten to the place where I no longer feel safe locked in my own home and I certainly don’t go out at night anymore. I worry about crime.
  The family will be all together at Christmas and I sure hope we can all get along this year. It is always so difficult when we are together. I worry whether we can have a peaceful family Christmas.
  It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas. Is anybody worried this morning? According to the Anxiety Disorders Association of American website, four out of five Americans experience stress and anxiety on a daily basis.1 Restlessness, irritability, muscle tension, sleep deprivation, are some of the symptoms of anxiety. Is anybody worried this morning? It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas which, for many of us, means that our anxiety level is high.
  Today is the third Sunday of Advent and the theme is joy. But somehow, rather than joy, there is often worry; instead of anticipation, there is often anxiety; instead of hopeful longing, there is often distressful dread. And on this Sunday, we come to church and hear the apostle Paul say, “Rejoice in the Lord and again I say rejoice. . . . Do not worry about anything. . . . the Lord is near.”
  If I did not know better, that’s the kind of thing that would make me angry. Do not minimize my anxieties with pious words, or sentimental clichés because there is nothing worse than sharing your worries, confessing your anxieties, admitting your vulnerabilities and having someone casually say, “Don’t worry. Be happy.” You know what? If I could, I would! The person that I am the least likely to trust with my worries is the person who has no worries.
  But the apostle Paul was not some Pollyanna preacher. He was writing this letter from prison and very aware that he might not survive; there were opponents trying to distort the Christian message of grace; there was an internal struggle between two key leaders in the congregation; and Paul’s own reputation was under attack. And yet, he said, “Rejoice always, don’t worry about anything, the Lord is near.” Was the apostle living in denial or had he discovered a real resource of help in the midst of daily worry and anxiety? If there is Advent joy for my anxiety, that is good news. Look again at this text.
  Anxiety is a symptom of a deep, inner loneliness. Go to the church nursery on any Sunday and see what happens when the parent tries to leave the toddler for the first time, or in some cases, the fifth time. We call it “separation anxiety,” but it is an insecure feeling of abandonment and loneliness.
  Elijah fled to the cave after his confrontation with Jezebel. God called him out of the cave with the words, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” Do you remember how he answered? “I am the only one left.” What do you hear in those words? Loneliness.
  When Jesus was dying on the cross, he cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Loneliness.
Any time there is a perceived threat to my well-being, it activates those early feelings of abandonment and loneliness and the result is anxiety. It is easy to see why alcohol and drugs are used, not just as a social lubricant, but as a personal anesthetic to numb the inner loneliness, anxiety, and despair.
  On the road to Damascus, the apostle Paul had a life changing encounter. The blinding light and the voice from heaven was such a profound spiritual experience that Paul never felt abandoned or lonely again. If you have ever had a genuine spiritual experience, you know what he felt. He could honestly say, “Rejoice, don’t worry,” because he was not alone. “The Lord is near.”
  In the midst of his suffering, Paul sensed that God was near to him in presence; God was near to coming back for him; and God was listening to his prayer. The result for Paul was a peace that surpasses all understanding.
He said, “(this peace) will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” The Greek word here is the same word as sentry, or security guard, or doorkeeper, or, to use a colloquialism, “a bouncer.” When we are centered in the confidence of God’s presence, nothing gets past this peace to disturb the well-being.
  And so, in “every” thing, let your requests be made known to God. Does God want to hear your worries? Does God want to hear your complaints? Does God want to hear your doubts? It is only when we learn to let “every” thing become an object of prayer that we can find the peace that guards our hearts from anxiety.
  What does that look like? The disciples were locked in the upper room. Jesus had been crucified. They believed that they would probably be next. The messiah that they had trusted had just been brutally murdered in front of their eyes.
  They were terribly alone. Can you imagine what they were thinking? Had God failed them? Was Jesus a complete fraud? What could they ever believe again? In their loneliness, they were worried, anxious, and afraid. When Jesus appeared, he said, “Peace be with you.”
  That is what it looks like. It is the peace that comes in the midst of our anxiety when we realize that we are never alone. “The Lord is near.”
  What does that look like for us?
  The children are traveling home for the holidays and the highways are so busy this time of the year. If the weather turns bad, it will be even worse. I worry about their safety. Lord, travel with them and keep them safe.
The medical bills are piling up and the doctor is not sure if the treatments will work. If mother requires extended home care, I don’t know how we will pay for it. I worry about our finances. Lord, you know what we are going to need. Provide for us.
  The family will be all together at Christmas and I sure hope we can all get along this year. It is always so difficult when we are together. I worry whether we can have a peaceful family Christmas. Lord, be the center of our family holiday and when the stress gets too much for me, help me to find my rest in you.
  Rejoice. The Lord is near!

1 Retrieved on 12/14/06 from http://www.adaa.org/AboutADAA/PressRoom/newsreleaseDoc/11_8_06pressrelease.asp