Philippians 4:4-7
First Sunday of Advent Pastor Nathan P. Kassulke Sunday, November 30, 2025
“Rejoice In the Peace of God”
It was October 18, and an errand took me on a drive through downtown Tucson. There I noticed several people with signs walking up and down the sidewalk. I had heard this event or activity was coming. I didn’t really know what to expect or how many people would be involved, but I knew this was the “No Kings Rally.” These people were expressing their concern that our current president was becoming too powerful and that the checks and balances built into our Constitution would not be adequate to the situation. No matter how important or valuable or useful you feel such a protest might be, it seems to represent a certain perspective we tend to share in the United States of America. The very checks and balances I mentioned in the Constitution are there precisely to keep someone from becoming the sort of ruler the founding fathers of our country experienced under their previous king. They wanted to preserve rights and freedoms that a ruler who was too powerful could potentially take away. They did not want a king.
Since many today only know kings as something to avoid and someone to be afraid of, there seems to be a disconnect between our cultural perspective and the lessons of Scripture that portray Jesus as a king. In fact, Jesus is not only a king, he is the King of kings, the greatest of kings. But what does that mean for us? What does it mean when we speak of the imminent arrival of the King?
The lesson that we’re focusing on most in our sermon does not actually call Jesus a king. For the most part, it assumes that we know something about Jesus. We know he is a king, something our Gospel clearly portrayed as it showed us Jesus entering Jerusalem triumphantly. We saw Jesus fulfilling Old Testament prophecy about the King. We saw him riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, just like God had his prophet foretell long before. But there is obviously something different about this king compared to others. He doesn’t have his own horse or chariot. He doesn’t even have his own donkey that he could press into emergency use. He borrows a humble donkey colt on which to ride into Jerusalem. That whole episode is a study in contrasts. Things are different than how they appear. This man, riding a donkey, is also true God and king of the universe. People who, like us, did not always appreciate an earthly king offered their praises to this unique king. And he rode on not to conquer armies or rule an earthly nation. He rode on to die for the sake of a spiritual nation. He rode into Jerusalem to die for the sins of the world to give the gift of eternal life and salvation to all who believe in him. That’s the king we see as we begin our Church Year, based on his life, by looking ahead at end of his ministry.
That’s the king whom the Apostle Paul served. It is the King to whom he introduced so many, especially so many Gentiles, on his missionary journeys. He is the king whom he introduced to the believers in the city of Philippi, the first Christian mission work in what we now call Europe. And this Philippians reading drives home what the work of this King meant for those Christians and what it means for you and for me.
It is appropriate that a major emphasis of this reading is peace. Peace is the job of a king. When the Old Testament people of God, the Israelites, had good and faithful kings, their reigns brought peace. Enemies were not a constant threat. Borders were not under siege. The people did not have to live in constant fear. They could have calm and comfortable lives. Peace was exactly the thing kings were meant to offer their people.
Now look how Paul describes the way that Christians can live in the peace that King Jesus brings. Rejoice in the Lord always! I will say it again: Rejoice!
Cleary this situation is something special. Rejoice always. This isn’t rejoicing about specific circumstances or particular situations. You can’t rejoice always if it is dependent on what is going on. Life in this world has its ups and downs. Sure, we might have our Thanksgiving celebrations and our yummy desserts, we might have fun times and entertaining moments. But we also have all the other stuff. You get sick. You get sad. You have challenges. You have events and activities that don’t go as planned. How do you rejoice in all of that? Paul says don’t even try. Rejoice in the Lord. Jesus took your sins on himself and gives you his righteousness. This gift is something no one and nothing can take away. So rejoice. Rejoice always. This is always true and real and reliable.
And as we live in Christ’s kingdom, as we have his peace, we can let that be known in our behavior. The apostle uses a word that is translated here as gentleness. It refers to deferring to others, to sacrificing one’s own preferences and rights. Allow others to have their way, even if it is not the way that you would want things to be. Don’t respond with anger and force. You, Christian, can show this sort of gentleness to everyone.
The Lord is near. The urgency to live as the Lord would lead is apparent. We live waiting for the coming of the King not just at Advent, but every day. Our lives are a perpetual season of Advent. We don’t know when the King is coming, but his arrival is imminent. He is near.
If the Lord is near, the King, and we have something to hide, that is a terrifying prospect. If the coming of the King is imminent, and we expect the King to punish us, this is a time for alarm. But that is clearly not the point Paul is making. This is much more positive. This King has removed the fear and the guilt and the punishment. Our King is near with his love and grace and blessing. The time is short for us to share that love with others. That is the urgency of our Advent living.
And you can see the connection between our living with the Lord near and the fact that we do not need to worry. Here again the contrast between a believer in Jesus and an unbeliever is crystal clear. If all that we have is what is in front of our faces, then every moment might bring worry. Every consideration is worth worrying about. Not for us, though. We have access to God in prayer. We can bring all our cares and concerns to him. All our petitions, that is everything we ask for, he hears and answers. And we can ask with thanksgiving. We can be thankful to recognize all God has already given us, and we can be thankful that he promises to give us all we need and more than we can imagine. He promises to answer our every prayer according to his love and mercy.
And the result is peace. The peace of God itself is spelled out in the final verse of our reading. Paul promises this blessing, that the peace of God would guard hearts and minds. The peace of God that comes only in connection with Christ Jesus, Lord, Savior, King. We’ve already said much about this peace that is ours. It is peace between us and God. We do not have to be concerned that God is looking to punish or angry with us. We don’t need to be hard at work to avoid his anger. We don’t need to live with uncertainty or fear. This is the peace that our king comes to bring. It is the peace that he brought when he came once as a baby, lived, died, rose. In the same peace he will come again in glory to being every aspect of his gracious plan to completion.
And here is an amazing thing about the peace our King brings. Earthly peace needs to be guarded. Peace comes from enforcement. It comes from effort to maintain and sustain peace. This peace doesn’t need us to guard it. It guards us. It guards our hearts. We don’t need to feel the fear or sorrow. It guards our minds. We can have certainty of our salvation. This is truly peace that surpasses all understanding.
Interestingly, some students of history have suggested that the best possible form of government, that is the most efficient and effective way to serve and lead a society, would be a “benevolent dictator.” Another way of saying that might be a good king. That, of course, would require confidence that a leader is above corruption or selfishness. That’s why it’s not a valid argument against a no kings rally or any such demonstration. What a joy, to know, however, that our true King is the best king of all. We can be sure that he is always ruling with our interests in mind, he is always serving us and not himself. And that’s how we can truly rejoice in the peace of God. That’s why we rejoice in the imminent arrival of our King.
Now to him, who is able, according to the power that is at work within us, to do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)
The Text: Philippians 4:4–7 (EHV)
4Rejoice in the Lord always! I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6Do not worry about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.