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Pastor's Blog September 29, 2022
"1 Thessalonians 5"
Rejoice always! Or as the KJV puts it, "Rejoice evermore!" Are you constantly rejoicing? Perhaps more importantly, did you know that the Christian life is to be one of constant rejoicing? I sometimes hear from Seventh-day Adventists that we need to avoid being happy or enjoying our lives, since Jesus is coming soon and he will "only save those who are getting serious." I'm not sure what that is supposed to mean, exactly, but I think some of us occasionally confuse "getting serious about God" with "being morose and dismal." Even among non-Adventist Christians, there can tend to be a level of anxiety that surrounds the anticipation of Jesus' return: will Jesus end up saving me or declaring me lost (which is not a very joyful thought)?
According to 1 Thessalonians 5:16, however, the Christian life is supposed to be one of joy: "Rejoice always" (NIV). In fact, the Greek is even more enthusiastic in encouraging joy: "always rejoice." The word "always" governs Paul's thought here, and indicates that every situation, every circumstance, and every life issue is under consideration. In every situation, circumstance, and life issue, Christians are called to "rejoice" - not to be happy, not to smile through the pain, not to grin and bear it, not to pretend everything is okay when it isn't, and certainly not to fake it until you make it. Rather, they are called to be joyful. Having joy or being joyful is about what you have in your life. And for believers, we have Jesus in our lives - and he has us!
Friends, the best preparation for the second coming of Jesus is to always rejoice - in every life situation - with the joy that the Lord Jesus himself has given you.
God bless,
Pastor Nathaniel Gamble
