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February 23, 2003 |
"Jesus: Man of Joy" Series |
Pastor Brian Shimer
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"Take Joy!"
Matthew 5 & 28
I. SURPRISES…
For those of you not at last night's banquet, you missed a party! One thing I think is so enjoyable is the identifying of the sweetheart couple.
I was sitting there and Arne and Dianne Harrang came in dressed in old fashioned clothing, a couple reminiscing their lives together. Using the old Gigi song, they began this wonderful conversation. Then they launched into a story that sounded real familiar. When they reached “playing poohsticks in the 100 acre wood” well, I knew! What a joyous surprise. And the guests: M&D; B&B Deitln; And friends we have known for 30 years, Matt and Misse Meyer, and haven’t seen for 9.
Now there’s a table of special stuff in the back -- don’t miss the Turlock Journal’s picture of Karen with the caption (for a local play) “Tempting It’s Not!” I beg to differ!
I love surprises…
I remember the birthday party you gave me when I turned 40, already four years ago this March (My birthday is the 22nd in case you want to do any shopping early!). That was a bash. Never imagined you were cooking it up! We were just going "out to dinner" with Andy and Gail, an unusual treat, and the front door was "propped open" at the church. Andy said something, decided to stop and check it out. He went in and didn't come out. I followed, with Karen and Gail saying: "O be careful!" This place was packed with people! What love you show. Thank you. What love I experience from you. That is what true family is all about, isn't it.
The first surprise party I remember happened in Kindergarten, Mrs Isenhut's class. She was old when I was in kindergarten and when I saw her at my mom's funeral she had not changed. Same saintly, slender, precious woman. Well, one day when my best friend Ken and I arrived at class, the room was empty! We were stunned. Just not certain what to do. And suddenly: "SURPRISE" all these classmates and Mrs I popped out from behind these huge blocks and we had a party. I have no idea why we got such a surprise. But what a gift. I was surprised by that joyous greeting.
II. But no one has ever been surprised like the two Marys in Matthew's account when they arrived at the tomb. This might have been the biggest surprise in world history. Talk about a party atmosphere! What laughter and joy must have been permeating the very air molecules!
Imagine the scene. These women saw Jesus die on the cross.
They knew where He had been laid.
They had rested on the Sabbath.
At the earliest possible time, they came to anoint his body, perhaps to pray at the tomb, but what they found there was a total surprise!
Imagine the grief they felt before they got there. Death is always hard, but how much harder for them who had no hope -- for the circumstances looked so bleak. . Their hopes for deliverance from Rome, for the kingdom of God to come on earth were dashed. All they knew was grief.
Composer Bryan Jeffrey Leech wrote hope into Mary's heart in his Easter Cantata Resurrection. In it Mary sings:
"Though I sit and cry, for the deed is done, it's as if some dark cloud hides a blazing sun.
Though I know He lost, it's as if He won. I can't believe He's gone.
There's a flash of joy with each twinge of pain, that I somehow believe He'll be here again. For I can't accept that He lived in vain. I can't believe He's gone.
My heart cries for relief, yet, I doubt my unbelief. Though I wake in my sleep, though I mourn and I weep, I sense beyond my grief some miracle is due, some wonder, fresh and new. For as strange as it seems in the darkest of dreams it keeps on shining through." (c'81, by Fred Bock Music, out of print, ubp)
I love that picture of Mary! But even if there was a glimmer of hope ------------ Imagine their surprise! The stone was rolled away! The Angel!
"Fear Not!" the angel says!
*** urged to believe what Jesus had said!
"He has risen, as He said"
*** urged to go and tell the others.
And they departed quickly with fear and great joy!
What a Combination the fear of the Lord and the joy of the Lord simultaneously!
III. Now this Fear of the Lord -- Let's clarify what it is not:
It's not like fear experienced in horror movies. Nor, the fear of being attacked at night. The fear of some shapeless, hideous thing. The fear of evil is dark, black, creepy. Such fear can envelope us, but can never expose who we are. It threatens to devour us; our tendency is to flee.
The fear of the Lord is not black, but clean and pure.
It is the beginning of wisdom, for when we fear we hate evil.
It is a fountain of life -- refreshing, transforming.
It adds length to life rather than devouring life
It leads to life.
God confides in those who fear Him.(Ps25:14)
God's love for those who fear him is "as high as the heavens are
above the earth." (Pvb 1:7; 14:16; 14:27; 10:27; 19:23; Ps 103:11)
To fear God is a run toward Him not away from Him. Only the wicked, those who hate God, seek to flee from His wrath. But those who love Him worship around His throne. What a contrast there is.
The women were experiencing the fear of God and the rapture of knowing His victory -- they come, clasp His feet and worship! That is the fear of God response!
Greetings! He says, in NIV. HAIL in other translations. The word was used as a word of greeting, but it means: "Rejoice!" or more literally still: "Take Joy!"
What would this have been like? What an event!
At a dead end to find the road;
when encountering death to be surprised by life.
In hopelessness to be shocked by hope!
God alone can meet us in too, in those impossible places and say:
"Take Joy!"
IV. In what do we take joy?
A. The women here took joy in Jesus -- He was and is always alive. Hebrews 7:25 reminds us that He always lives to pray for us! I find that helps me when faced with hard stuff, just to remember: "My Lord is alive and is praying for me. I can take joy in the Fact of Jesus."
Remember that incident about 5 months back when the two teenagers made the suicide pact in Forest Grove and one boy lived through it but was blinded by the bullet which went through his temple and cut the optic nerve? Well, Russ Hilsinger, my friend and pastor at First Baptist in FG, went to the hospital and visited that boy when in the hospital. He got to know the family and they began to attend First Baptist church. He has been taking the three of them through his four week investigation into Christianity. It is a time of looking at the Bible and asking questions about what it really says. Russ has had people beg him to lead them to Christ through this study. So, guess what is happening today in Forest Grove? This couple is being baptized and yesterday they got married! And the son? Russ was not sure where the young man is yet, spiritually, but is going to be asking him. From tragedy, what a fruit of grace and mercy.
There's something else to rejoice in, not only the FACT that Jesus is alive but the ACTIONS that Jesus takes in our lives and others! Wow.
B. In Matthew 5 -- the beatitudes which you heard when the sermon on the mount was delivered by Grace and Gabrielle in October-- you have a list of statements Jesus makes at the beginning of his preaching. Every one begins with the word: "Blessed" That word doesn't mean much to us today. The word used by Matthew comes form the Hebrew and means something richer and deeper than "blessed". It can be translated: "O the sheer joy of…" or "Take Joy!" These statements can be divided into those who are empty needing filling, and those who are overflowing.
O the sheer joy you who are empty…
FACT OF WHERE WE ARE
The Poor in spirit --"Lord I have a Spiritual need…"
the ones who mourn "my sin crucified My Lord"
the meek think horse that has been broken, strength under control
the ones who hunger and thirst for Righteousness
You shall be filled
Jesus says: "take joy where you are, for God has promised to work just in such a place!" Sometimes we get frustrated with our own human weaknesses. We think we need to get ourselves "filled up" on our own. We forget that God isn't angered or exasperated by our weaknesses. For that's all we have to give Him and that's all He has to work with!
(from Passion for Jesus, Mike Bickle, p 112 ubp)
O the sheer joy you who are full, overflowing
ACT OF WHAT WE DO
The merciful
The pure in heart
the peacemakers
the persecuted
For Great is your reward…
God is using us in untold ways, and ahead there is a reward awaiting us-- a great reward
V. Take Joy in the Lord! After all if you guys know how to plan such great surprises, you never know what God might do!
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