REJOICE, THE LORD IS KING

          "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice!"  Phillipians 4:4.  Now you might think that this is easy to say, but you don't know what I am going through.  How can I rejoice when things in my life right now are so very challenging?   But, we need to remind you that when Paul wrote this admonition, he was in prison.  And I would guess it would be a real challenge to actually rejoice in those circumstances.  But if you want an interesting study, check out all the references in the Bible about rejoicing.  For example, 1 Chronicles 16:31, "Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The Lord reigneth."  Psalm 5:11, "But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee."  Psalm 28:7, "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him."  Matthew 5:12, "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." 1 Thessalonians 5:16, "Rejoice evermore."  And there are dozens more of these.  It is obvious that we are to rejoice in both the good and bad times. It's not an option to take just when things are going well.  And there is a reason for this if we understand that our loving and all powerful God is really in control of all that happens.  The great hymn writer Charles Wesley must have realized this when he penned the words of this week's hymn in 1744.  It was one of over at least five thousand that he is said to have penned.  And in this hymn Wesley has reminded us of so many reasons that we have to rejoice.  The Lord is King.  Jesus, the Savior reigns.  His kingdom cannot fail for He rules over earth and Heaven.  Jesus sits at God's right hand till all His foes submit.  He all His foes shall quell. And if that isn't enough, he concludes by reminding us that Jesus, the Judge, will come and take His servants to their eternal home.  And that alone should encourage us to rejoice.  Despite what we might see and feel in our present circumstances, He is alive.  He is in control.  He will protect us.  And in the end, He wins!  Lift up your heart, lift up your voice, rejoice, again I say rejoice!

(1)     Rejoice, the Lord is King! Your Lord and King adore;

Mortals give thanks and sing, and triumph evermore;

Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;

Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

(2)     Jesus, the Savior, reigns, the God of truth and love;

When He had purged our stains He took His seat above;

Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;

Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

(3)    His kingdom cannot fail, He rules o'er earth and Heav'n,

The keys of death and hell are to our Jesus giv'n;

Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;

Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

(4)     He sits at God's right hand till all His foes submit,

And bow to His command, and fall beneath His feet:

Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;

Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

(5)     He all His foes shall quell, shall all our sins destroy,

And every bosom swell with pure seraphic joy;

Lift up your heart, lift up your voice,

Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

(6)     Rejoice in glorious hope! Jesus the Judge shall come,

And take His servants up to their eternal home.

We soon shall hear th'archangel's voice;

The trump of God shall sound, rejoice!

Here is one version of the hymn that you can listen to.  LISTEN 1

Now if you prefer a more contemporary version of this old hymn, you might like this.  LISTEN 2