Sermon  Thanksgiving, 1997  Text:  Philippians 4:6-7,19   "All Filled Up"

Thanksgiving abounds in tradition.  Such a recently introduced holiday, yet
so packed with tradition.  Christian messages for this holiday seem to be
very traditional also at this time.  There are the frequent themes such as
crediting God with all that we have, or being content with what we have.
Giving of thanks is important for the Christian, however there are other
matters which ought carry most of our attention.  So, this time we jump
deeper into what Scripture has to say to us.  Lets take a closer look at
God's Word and see just how gold much we can mine from it, as we consider
the theme, "All Filled Up."

Our text brings to a conclusion the Epistle of Paul to the Philippians.
Paul gives some general suggestions to these Christians on handling things
which non-Christians do not handle very well.  The non-Christian world
worries constantly about all sorts of needs.  The people around us strive
for happiness and security and love.  The non-Christian is worried that
every good thing they receive will be lost or taken away.  They are
constantly thinking about how to keep or improve what they have and how to
get more.  They worry.

Christians are to handle these things differently.  They are to treat them
very simply.  They are to make their requests known to God.  We make them
known by prayer and petition or supplication.  Simply speak them to God.
Tell Him your requests.  The attitude of the Christian when making these
requests is not one of greed, but of thanksgiving and gratitude.
Thanksgiving means being fully aware of what has been given and to give
honor to the giver of what has been given.

Once we have made our requests known to God, what shall we do?  It is
simple.  Rather than worry, we allow the peace of God to guard our hearts
and minds.  We can be at peace knowing that God has heard our requests.  We
have peace at knowing that God is in charge and He will bring us to a good
conclusion.  Fill your heart not with worries, but with peace.

Verse 7 is what is suggested by our hymnal, Lutheran Worship, as a
conclusion for sermons in Divine Service I.  "The peace of God, which
passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."  I
have been trying to use this, though I expect I have gotten mixed up with
the dismissal for Communion from time to time.  The wording in our hymnal
is not quite the same as in the Scriptures, for the word "will" is omitted.
In Philippians, the Holy Spirit writes through Paul that this peace of God
will keep your hearts and minds.  The Scriptures have a promise.  This
peace will do what is said.  The hymnal suggests more of a blessing, "the
peace of God keep your hearts and minds."  The pastor speaking these words,
is speaking in the place of God, and gives the blessing, "may this peace
keep your hearts and minds."  The pastor is really saying, "may God make
things such that this peace of His keeps your hearts and minds."

What do you think it means to say "this peace passes or transcends all
understanding"?  I thought I understood this very well.  I thought it meant
that this peace could not be understood by us.  It was beyond our ability
to comprehend it.  Some pastors even add in the adjective "human" before
understanding when they conclude their sermons.  This peace, they say, is


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"beyond human understanding."  This adjective is added because we don't
want to leave the impression that God cannot understand His own peace.
This interpretation of the passage basically makes the peace of God a
mystery to us.  It is beyond our grasp.

As I studied the original Greek for this passage, I came upon a different
meaning.  I would translate the verse in this way,  "the peace of God,
which is of more value than all thought or reason will guard your hearts
and minds in Christ Jesus."  Two things change.  The word "understanding"
is probably better translated as thought or reason.  Secondly, surpasses
has to do with value, not capacity.  It is not that the peace is beyond our
ability to comprehend, but rather the peace is more valuable than any of
our own thoughts or reasoning.  Added to our thoughts and reasoning are
also our attitudes, intentions, and purpose.  These together are what fill
our hearts and minds.  Our hearts are full of what we desire and will.  Our
minds are full of what we think and reason.  And we are told that the peace
of God is of greater, surpassing value when compared to what fills our
hearts and minds.

Our hearts and minds are filled with things which do not keep us in Christ
Jesus.  Rather they lead us away from Him.  Our greed.  Our lack of
thankfulness.  These lead us away from Christ.  These are what our hearts
and minds are filled with.  On the other hand, this peace of God keeps us
in Christ Jesus.

What peace is this then?  It is the peace of knowing that God has heard our
requests and He will provide all that we need.  It is the peace that comes
from freedom from worry.  It is a peace of knowing God is in control and He
is merciful.

This peace is also the peace between us and God.  Even though our sinful
nature makes us enemies of God and our rebellion deserves God's punishment,
we have peace.  This peace of God is the peace with God.  It is our peace,
for we are the beneficiaries of the peace.  We are the ones to whom God is
merciful, in Christ Jesus our Savior.  It is because of what Christ did,
dying on the cross and rising again, that there is this peace of God.  This
is truly peace that exceeds the value of all our thoughts and reasoning.
This is truly peace which keeps us in Christ Jesus.  This good news, that
we are forgiven, is what has the power to keep us.  This peace is that to
which we submit, with all our hearts and minds.  We don't allow the
thoughts of our minds and the desires of our hearts get in the way of the
peace of God.



With the theme of today's message, "All Filled Up," you probably thought I
was going to address the issue of gluttony over this holiday period.  The
text brings other things to mind.  Verse 19 says "And my God will meet all
your needs according to His Glorious riches in Christ Jesus."  When you
hear mention in this verse of the phrase "your needs" you may think of our
needs for food, clothing, shelter, companionship, etc.

However, this verse is another where I need to differ from the English
translations which we use.  The mention of "needs" or "every need," makes


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us think of their being more than one need.  The English we have is plural.
What we find in the original Greek, however, is a singular, "need."  I
would translate verse 19 as, "But my God will fulfill all your need
according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

The need is singular.  That makes things different, doesn't it.  Which need
is it which God promises to fulfill?  It is the need to be forgiven our
sins.  The need to be saved from the punishment for our wrongs.  The need
to be with our Lord in heavenly eternal life.  This is all the same need.

Notice how the need is elevated also because it is left unidentified.  Paul
wrote that God will fill our need, but he doesn't tell us which one.  He
assumes we know which need.  You know, the big need; the really important
need.  See, whatever other needs you might think you have in this life are
insignificant compared to the one need, the great need.  When each of us is
in our eternal home, the "so-called" needs of this world are going to seem
so trivial.  It will be even more trivial than an adult remembering a
single time when his or her parents failed to change his or her diaper fast
enough.  All other needs pale when compared to the great need.

The good news is that God, the same God which Paul preaches and who
inspires him to write, will completely fulfill that great need.  He won't
partially satisfy it, and leave us wanting.  No, the need will be
satisfied.  He will fill all of it we are promised.  Our heavenly Father,
through the merits of Jesus Christ, assures us that He will satisfy our
need.  He promises, we will be "all filled up."

Knowing that the need will be fulfilled leaves us with peace.  God fills
the need with His peace.  We are at peace with God and that fulfills our
need.  As we approach Thanksgiving, we should indeed remind ourselves of
the many material needs of this life which God has filled for us by His
mercy.  Foremost we remember the greatest need, the need, which God filled,
completely, with our Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and
minds in Christ Jesus.




















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