Joy: The End
History Has a Happy Ending
Philippians 4:1-9
Rev. Tim Callow
Preached Sun. October 11th, 2020
I can tell when I am into a book or a movie or a TV show because I can get really invested. There was a time I’d get nervous going to the movie theater because I knew with the big screen and the surround sound I would get absorbed into the movie. It was nerve wracking. I get a tunnel vision where I don’t see anything off the page, or I don’t see anything around the screen. Even if the movie is the most clichéd thing, I will start to wonder “how will the protagonist get out of this jam?” Cringe comedies can be hard for me to watch, because I really really cringe.
So when a story hits its climax, whether I’m reading it or watching on TV, I have a strong urge to turn to the back of the book or to check spoilers to make sure things are all right. Or, I’ll tell myself I’m really enjoying this and I’d like to “learn more.” Which inevitably takes me accidentally on purpose to some spoiler page I try to convince myself may not be true. What’s going on is I’m so invested, the tension grows to be so strong, that I have to know and the pace of reading or the pace of watching is just too slow for me. I need to know how this ends now.
But when it comes to history, we do not need to ask “how will this end?” We have read the back of the book. All the birth and death, wars and rumors of wars, famines and earthquakes, and glory, and fame, and invention, and wealth, and heroism, and sacrifice it all leads to one inexorable conclusion. The resurrection of the dead. The lamb on his throne. Eternal life with Christ Jesus our Lord.
Every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
Every story shares a genre. Some stories are tragedies, some are dramas, some are comedies. And each genre has its tropes. A tragedy, of course, has a bad ending. Sometimes inexorable, sometimes unforeseen. A comedy has a good ending. In the end it all goes well for our heroes no matter how foolish or madcap they may be. It can be hard sometimes to figure out at first what genre a story belongs in. With a tragedy or a comedy you don’t necessarily know what you’re going to get until the end. The human story may seem tragic, and there are many people who thought it is a tragedy. There is much war, famine, disease, loss. There’s a great deal of suffering, injustice, and despair. But we know history is a comedy, because it has a good ending. It has God redeeming all things. It has every tear being wiped away from our eyes. It features life eternal.
We who know the gospel are those who know this world, despite its appearances, is ultimately a comedy. Our story. The human story ultimately has a good ending.
The Cross is that story in short. Jesus endures great injustice. He is falsely condemned. He is scourged. He is mocked. He is spit upon. He is ultimately crucified. And there is a period of darkness. In that darkness there is the greatest despair. But ultimately God acts to raise his Son from the dead. And in him there is life for all. Life forevermore. What once was a tragedy is overcome by divine grace. It is given a good ending. So the Friday on which Jesus is crucified is known as Good Friday.
That story was Paul’s. He knew his life to be a comedy. He knew that he was chosen by God as his own apostle.
That story may be our own as well. That despite all the sufferings we may face, our fears, our doubts, we may know the life and grace of God.
So Paul says, “rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice!” Paul commands us to rejoice while he is yet in his chains. But he knows he will not always be in chains. And he knows God has blessed his chains. Paul knows that on account of his chains the Gospel is being preached throughout Caesar’s guard. Nothing can stop the gospel. The Gospel is a spoiler about how it all ends.
We are to rejoice because, “The Lord is near.” Like we may be overjoyed when a friend or loved one is coming over, we rejoice because our Lord is near. He is ever near. Always at the door. And so we can rejoice. Rejoice knowing all of this will be redeemed. Rejoice knowing there is no one who is greater than our God. Rejoice knowing that God has adopted us as his own. Rejoice knowing that despite it all we know eternal life.
In this joy there is peace. That “peace that surpasses all understanding” as Paul tells us. The peace of knowing how it all ends. The peace that comes with knowing God reigns, so despite all that we might experience or think or worry over, there is nothing greater than God.
Perhaps this all sounds outlandish, this morning. But this peace may be yours. This joy that suffuses all things may be yours. It is the peace and joy that comes with knowing that the crucified is Lord. The peace and joy that comes with knowing that God reigns. The peace and joy that comes with having read the end of the book. Having history spoiled for you. God gives life to his children, and God is calling you home.