Tawa Baptist

The Fruit of Hope

Scripture: Isaiah 35

Video Link: https://youtu.be/e3kB49mMC_Y

Structure:

  • Introduction – Joy is the fruit of hope
  • Hope for renewal – from curse to blessing
  • Hope for release – from fear to joy
  • Hope for restoration – from exclusion to worship
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Joy is the fruit of hope. If hope is a beehive, then joy is the honey.

If hope is a herd of cows, then joy is the milk they produce.

If hope is a tree, then joy is the oxygen breathed out by the tree.

If hope is a sunny day, then joy is the Vitamin D you absorb from the sun.

If hope is a good night’s rest, then joy is the energy you get from sleeping well. If hope is a cash deposit with the bank, then joy is the interest earned.

If hope is a gentle spring rain, then joy is the new growth on the land.

Joy is the fruit of hope.

Today is the third Sunday of Christmas Advent. Traditionally, the theme of the third Sunday in Advent is joy. With joy in mind our sermon is based on Isaiah 35. In Isaiah 35 the prophet offers a vision of hope for the future and this vision inspires joy. From Isaiah 35, verse 1 we read…

The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, 2 it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendour of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendour of our God. 3 Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; 4 say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” 5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. 6 Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. 7 The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow. 8 And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it. 9 No lion will be there, nor any ravenous beast; they will not be found there.   But only the redeemed will walk there, 10 and those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

Isaiah 35 is the prophet’s vision for the future. After judgement, there is hope for renewal, hope for release and hope for restoration. Let us begin with hope for renewal.

Hope for renewal:

You renew silver by polishing it.

You renew a battery by charging it.

You renew a plant by watering it.

You renew your body by resting it.

You renew trust by being truthful.

You renew your perspective by getting back to nature.

You renew commitment by remembering your promises.

You renew a friendship by spending quality time together.

You renew behaviour by changing the way you think.

You renew your mind with the help of the Holy Spirit.

But how do you renew joy? By giving people a vision of hope for a better future. Joy is the fruit of hope.

In Genesis 3, when Adam and Eve sinned, God cursed the ground, so it produced thorns and weeds, making it difficult for humankind to work the soil and grow food. Here, in Isaiah 35, the prophet imagines a world in which God reverses the curse of sin so the land is renewed.

In verses 1 and 2 of Isaiah 35 the prophet speaks about the desert rejoicing greatly, like when a crocus bursts into bloom. The crocus plant is beautiful and vibrant. From the crocus flower we get saffron which is a rare and valuable spice used in cooking. This is a wonderful image of renewal. With Genesis 3 in mind, we notice the movement from curse to blessing.

Verse 2 goes on to offer more images of renewal. The glory of Lebanon and the splendour of Carmel and Sharon will be given to the desolate wilderness.

In ancient times Lebanon was known for its cedar forests and Carmel and Sharon were regions renowned for their fruitfulness and beauty. The prophet imagines a future transformed for the better. From a scorched earth to a well-watered earth. From a harsh environment to a fruitful environment. From a cursed land to a blessed land. This is a vision of Eden renewed.  

Verse 2 concludes with the phrase, they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendour of our God. Who is the prophet talking about here? Who are they?

Well, on one level they are probably the Jewish exiles in Babylon who would one day return to their homeland. But on another level, they might also refer to those who live in a spiritual wilderness at any time in history. They whose faith is dry and burned out. They who are oppressed by sin and injustice.

They could be us. The spiritual environment we live in is not friendly or hospitable. It is not easy to live a Godly life in this world. Sometimes it feels like a spiritual desert. We may long for renewal.

The prophet imagines a future in which the spiritual environment will be renewed by the glory of the Lord. The glory of the Lord is a way of talking about God’s power and presence, his divine light. As Christians, we believe Jesus came to make all things new. Jesus embodies the renewing power and presence of God. Jesus’ coming is cause for joy.

Jumping ahead to verse 7, Isaiah returns to the image of a renewed wilderness saying, the burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs.

In the Bible water is often a poetic way of referring to the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of the Lord is how God brings renewal to his creation. We don’t manufacture renewal out of thin air. We depend on God’s Spirit for our renewal.

Hope for release:

Joy is the fruit of hope. We have heard about the hope for renewal. Now let’s consider the hope for release.

In the news this past week we have seen images of joy as Syrian political prisoners were released following the fall of the Assad regime. Many of these prisoners were locked up and tortured because they opposed the regime.

The people of Syria are overjoyed at finally ejecting a ruler who governed with fear and ruined his country. 

Prisons come in many forms. There are physical prisons with concrete walls and barbed wire, which are not pleasant places to be. But there are also mental prisons, created by fear. The prison of fear can be difficult to escape.

In the movie, The Truman Show, the producer and director of the show prevents Truman from escaping by lying to him and instilling fear. He fakes the death of Truman’s father in a boating accident to create a fear of water, and the cast reinforce Truman’s anxieties with warnings about the dangers of travelling abroad. Nevertheless, Truman fosters a quiet hope of one day venturing to Fiji.

In many ways, anxious fear is the opposite of joy. Joy is the fruit of hope. Joy is a positive energy that enables us to function and move forward in faith.

By contrast, anxious fear drains us of energy. Anxious fear disables us, preventing us from making the changes that lead to life. Anxious fear is the product of deceit. When we believe in lies, we become a prisoner to fear.

In verses 3 and 4, the prophet offers a message of sure hope for those who are imprisoned by fear. 3 Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; 4 say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.”

The phrase fearful hearts literally translates, hasty hearts.[1] Hearts that beat quickly with anxiety. Minds that undermine hope and joy by racing ahead and imagining the worst.

Isaiah means to calm hasty hearts and replace fear with joy. The people have apparently believed the lie that God has given up on them, and that God does not care about justice. Isaiah replaces this lie with the truth that God does care and he will come to right the wrongs against them.  

The theme of release, especially release from fear, is echoed again in verses 8-9 which read, 8 And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it. 9 No lion will be there, nor any ravenous beast; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there,  

In ancient times travelling was not easy or safe, particularly travelling through the wilderness. If you were Jewish, making a pilgrimage to the temple in Jerusalem often meant going through enemy territory on foot, where you could be ambushed by robbers. Then there was the added threat of being attacked by wild animals.

For God’s people in exile in Babylon, the thought of making a long and difficult journey home through the bad lands would have been overwhelming.

The fear of being harmed loomed large. Isaiah wants to dispel that fear and give the people confidence. They will be able to travel the way unimpeded and without fear of being attacked.

Isaiah’s words still apply today. This world is like one long exile until God’s kingdom is realized in its fullness on earth. We too are on a journey. We too need to find our way home to God. 

We note here the way is for the redeemed, those ransomed or set free at great cost. We note also, the way back is a Way of Holiness.

Holiness is about living a life of faithful obedience to the Lord. To be holy is to be set apart for God’s purpose. To be holy is to be pure in heart, not double-minded or two faced. To be holy is to be devoted to God, not divided in our loyalty or motivation.  

As Barry Webb puts it: ‘The pursuit of holiness is the pursuit of God himself. The face that is set towards God will open to joy and gladness like a flower opening to the sun.’ [2]   

The road to God is the way of holiness, which is unfortunate because none of us are holy, not really. How then are we to find our way home to God?

In John 14, Jesus says of himself, I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me.  

Jesus is the way of holiness that Isaiah was talking about. Jesus is our holiness. To walk the way of holiness is to follow Jesus, to be in Christ, to trust him for our redemption.

Hope for restoration:    

Joy is the fruit of hope. For the people of God, joy comes from hope for renewal, hope for release and hope for restoration.

The hope for renewal involves a movement from curse to blessing.

And the hope for release involves a movement from fear to joy.

But what about the hope for restoration? What movement is involved here?

It’s a movement from exclusion to worship.

In 1973 John Denver wrote Annie’s Song. The first verse reads…

You fill up my senses, like a night in the forest. Like the mountains in springtime. Like a walk in the rain. Like a sleepy blue ocean. Like a storm the desert.

You fill up my senses, come fill me again.

Apparently, John wrote these lyrics on a chair lift after a difficult ski run in the Colorado mountains. He was inspired by the beauty of nature and thought of his wife Annie. It’s a love song. Although John Denver wrote this song for his wife, it has the feel of a psalm. It’s like a worship song.

There are times in worship when God fills up our senses with an awareness of his presence and we are lost in awe and wonder and praise. In those rare moments, we catch a glimpse of the vision which inspired Isaiah 35.

When God fills our senses it’s like we are drowning in his laughter, overwhelmed with the joy of always being with him, giving our life to him in love, and when this life ends dying in his arms knowing eternal life is to come.

Not sure about you, but I don’t usually experience God’s presence like that in gathered worship. However, I have (occasionally) experienced the joy of what I believe is Jesus’ presence, in my own personal devotional times. I hope you do too. It’s a gift to treasure.

In verses 5 and 6 of Isaiah 35, the prophet offers a picture of restoration saying:

5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. 6 Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy…

In this word picture, sight is restored, hearing is restored, movement is restored and speech is restored. It’s like Isaiah is saying, ‘God will fill up your senses with an awareness of his presence’. 

In this world, people with disabilities are usually at a disadvantage. People with disabilities are often excluded, they tend to miss out. Verses 5 and 6 offer a picture of inclusion. They show the movement from exclusion to worship.

Isaiah’s vision of hope is not just for the strong and able. It is for everyone.

God will even the playing field. He will remove any impediment or barrier that might prevent people from knowing him and worshipping him.

During his earthly ministry, Jesus literally brought physical restoration to people in all these ways. Jesus healed the blind, the deaf, the lame and the mute.

Jesus performed these miracles of restoration as a sign of what people could expect with the coming kingdom of God. The last shall be first. Those who had previously been excluded from worship will be included.

As you’ve probably worked out by now, the words of the prophet and the signs of Jesus operate on more than one level at once. A person may have 20/20 vision and perfect hearing, but sadly be spiritually blind and deaf. A person may be able to run a sub four-minute mile but be quite lame in their obedience to God. A person might speak eloquently in public but be mute in private prayer.

These are the words Isaiah heard when the Lord called him to be a prophet… 

“‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ 10 Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

These are words of exclusion. The people had disobeyed God for a long time and would have to face the consequences for this. Much of the first 34 chapters of Isaiah are a message of doom and judgement. But judgement would not have the last word.   

Isaiah 35 pictures the hope of restoration after the dread of judgement.

Isaiah 35 is like a glass of cold water after a hot day working in the sun.

It’s like seeing the face of a friend after months apart. It is the calm after the storm. It is the holiday after your work is done. It is the healing after suffering.

It is the homecoming after exile. Isaiah 35 is a vision of worshipping in God’s presence after being excluded for so long.

In verse 10 of Isaiah 35 we read how God’s people are restored to their home.  

10 and those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

This is a picture of the movement from exclusion to worship. But it’s not a tedious, duty-bound worship. It’s a joyful worship. It’s the kind of worship in which God fills up your senses with an awareness of his presence and love.

It’s an eyes wide open worship. It’s an ears hearing and understanding worship. It’s a body responding in obedience worship. It’s a tongue praising God in spirit and in truth worship.   

Conclusion:

Joy is the fruit of hope. Isaiah 35 is a vision of hope for renewal, hope for release and hope for restoration. This trinity of hope involves three movements: from curse to blessing, from fear to joy and from exclusion to worship. 

Isaiah 35 looks forward to the consummation of history after the day of judgement. It is glorious and true. It will happen, we just don’t know when.

In the meantime, we live in the now but not yet. We still have to deal with trials and difficulties. We feel the frustration of our own limitations and the weariness of waiting.

But God in his grace nourishes our hope with glimpses of his kingdom, small windows of eternity opening into time.

May God fill up your senses with an awareness of his presence. May he refresh your hope with a vision of the joy that is coming in Christ. Amen.       

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. What is joy? Where does joy come from? Where does hope come from?
  3. What images of renewal does Isaiah use? What difference does God’s renewal make? Discuss / reflect on the movement from curse to blessing.
  4. How does fear affect the human soul? How might someone escape the prison of fear?
  5. What (or who) is the way of holiness? What does it mean to walk the way of holiness?
  6. In what ways does Jesus fulfil the vision of Isaiah 35, for the world and for you personally?
  7. Has God ever filled up your senses with an awareness of his presence? What was the context for this? How did you feel? What lasting affect did it have on you? Spend time in adoration of God this week.  

[1] Refer John Goldingay’s commentary on Isaiah, page 197.

[2] Refer Barry Webb’s commentary on Isaiah, page 146. 

Tawa Baptist

Worship

Scripture: Deuteronomy 12:1-7

Video Link: https://youtu.be/PRaDm5F3LH8

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Distinctive worship
  • Tangible worship
  • Joyful worship
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Preaching is a bit like serving tea. In any sermon you will normally have three ingredients. The text of Scripture, an explanation of the text and then hopefully application of the text. Text, Explanation, Application. T.E.A. spells tea.

Application is the practical part which connects the message to everyday life. The preacher usually gives some examples of how the text applies but ultimately it is up to the listeners to put God’s word into practice.     

The book of Deuteronomy, as a whole, can be thought of as three speeches by Moses to the people of Israel as they stood poised at the edge of the wilderness, about to enter the Promised Land.

Moses’ second (and largest) speech, in chapters 5-26, is shaped very much like a sermon with a text, an explanation and some application. The text Moses is preaching from is the ten commandments of Yahweh, found in chapter five.

In chapters 6-11 Moses explains or unpacks the meaning of Yahweh’s ten words. In a nutshell, the most important thing is love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength. That’s the main point of the sermon, the lens through which the law is to be understood and life is to be lived.

Then, in chapters 12-26 of Deuteronomy, Moses outlines various ways in which loving God applies in everyday life. In other words, here are some laws and decrees (some practical things) you can do to demonstrate your love for God.   

Over the past three months I have been explaining the meaning of each of the ten commandments and how these apply for us today, in the light of Jesus’ teaching. This morning we continue our series in Deuteronomy by focusing on chapter 12, part of the application of Moses’ sermon.

In chapter 12 Moses gives some practical instructions about how the Israelites are to worship God once they enter the Promised Land. When it comes to worship, this is what loving God looks like. From Deuteronomy 12, verses 1-7 we read our text…

These are the decrees and laws you must be careful to follow in the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given you to possess—as long as you live in the land. 2 Destroy completely all the places on the high mountains, on the hills and under every spreading tree, where the nations you are dispossessing worship their gods. 3 Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and burn their Asherah poles in the fire; cut down the idols of their gods and wipe out their names from those places. 4 You must not worship the Lord your God in their way.  5 But you are to seek the place the Lord your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go; 6 there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. 7 There, in the presence of the Lord your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the Lord your God has blessed you.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

As I mentioned before, Deuteronomy 12 is mainly concerned with how loving God applies to worship.  Three things to keep in mind. Worship of Yahweh is to be distinctive, tangible and joyful. First, let’s consider the distinctive nature of Israel’s worship.

Distinctive worship:

After a war is finished, the land is often littered with unexploded mines, live artillery shells and booby traps. The retreating army leave a trail of destruction behind them. Before the civilian population can return and rebuild, the army engineers need to clear the ground of dangerous ordinances. 

If the image of cleaning up after a war seems a bit far removed from life in New Zealand, then imagine you have a wasps’ nest in your garden at home. You don’t tolerate the wasps. You get someone in to destroy their nest.

Likewise, if you have rats running around in your ceiling, you don’t fold your hands and do nothing. You exterminate the rats. And, if you have a poisonous plant (maybe a stinging nettle) growing in your garden, then you don’t leave it there. You kill the plant and remove it.

In verses 2-3 of Deuteronomy 12, Moses instructs the Israelites to destroy all the paraphernalia associated with Canaanite religion. God Almighty is completely different from the fake gods of the Canaanites. Yahweh does not want people thinking that he is in any way like these false gods. Therefore, the Israelites are to worship the Lord Almighty in a distinctive way.  

Although the gods of the Canaanites were not real, the way the Canaanites practiced their religion had very real and destructive consequences. In verse 31 of Deuteronomy 12 we read…

31 You must not worship the Lord your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.

Destroying any visual reminders of Canaanite religion was like extracting unexploded land mines or getting rid of a wasps’ nest or exterminating rats or removing a stinging nettle. It was a basic health & safety requirement.

Rather than worshiping Yahweh anywhere they felt like, the Israelites were to gather at one central place for their rituals of worship. That place would be decided by God.

The Canaanites had many gods that they worshipped in many places. Israel had one God whom they worshipped in one place. Israel’s worship of Yahweh was distinctive in its oneness.

The place God chose for people to come and offer their ritual sacrifices moved. At one time the Tabernacle and the ark of the covenant was located in Shechem, then Bethel, then Shiloh and eventually a temple was built in Jerusalem.

Not that God’s presence was limited to that one place. Rather, the central place of worship acted like the hub of a wheel, holding the nation together.   

As Patrick Miller explains, the emphasis is upon the Lord’s choice. The central activity of Israel’s life, which is the worship of the Lord, is fully shaped and determined by the Lord. [1]   

The point is, for Israel’s worship to be distinctive it needs to be pleasing to God, first and foremost. We don’t worship to please ourselves. We worship to please God. We don’t act like Canaanites and do whatever we think is right in our own eyes. We do what is right and good in the eyes of the Lord.

If someone invites you to their birthday party, you come at the time they say, to the place they are celebrating at and you bring a gift, something you know they will enjoy or at least find useful.

You don’t come too late or decide you are going to celebrate at a different venue. And you don’t come empty handed or with a gift you know they won’t enjoy. It’s their party, not yours. It’s about them, it’s not about you.  

How does this apply to us today? Well, a worship gathering is like God’s party. He is the host and we are his guests. Yes, we hope to have a good time at the party. But really it’s not about us. It’s about God and what he wants.

So, if there are some songs in the Sunday service you don’t like, you don’t get upset, because it’s not about your entertainment. You sing to the best of your ability. Or, if the prayers (and speeches) seem too long, you remember, it’s not about my convenience. We are here to celebrate God. Likewise, you don’t ignore the other guests at the party. You talk with them and you get along with each other for the honour and pleasure of the host.

Church is not a shopping mall. We don’t worship God for our own gratification or self-fulfillment. We worship God because he alone is worthy. If God meets us and makes us feel good while we are praising him, then that’s a bonus, a gift to treasure. It’s not an entitlement.

Earlier in the service we heard a reading from John 4, where Jesus has a conversation with a Samaritan woman about worship. The woman says…

19 “Sir, …. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”

21 Jesus replied, “…a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem…  22 the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks…”

What Jesus is getting at here is that the one centre for true worship is no longer a place but a person. And Jesus, the Messiah, is that person. Jesus the Christ has made a new covenant with God for us. Therefore, Jesus is the one through whom we worship God.

As Jesus said, ‘where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them’. This means we worship best when we gather with other Christian believers. And the thing that is meant to make our worship distinctive is our love for one another in Christ.

Okay, so that’s the first thing; Israel’s worship was to be distinctive from the nations around them. They were not to conform to the pattern of this world. The second thing is that Israel’s worship was to be tangible. 

Tangible worship:

Virtual reality is a term we have become familiar with in recent years. Virtual reality is a computer generated simulation of a three dimensional image that can be interacted with in a seemingly real way.

Virtual reality is an oxymoron though, because it is not physically real, it is intangible. You can’t eat and be nourished by a virtual sandwich. And, if you hit your thumb with a virtual hammer, you won’t do any damage nor feel any pain.

Israel’s worship was not virtual reality; it was tangible reality, worship with real substance and real consequences. It was physical as well as mental and emotional. From verse 6 we read…

6 there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks.  

The sacrifices and offerings listed in verse 6 are real tangible physical things. They mainly include animals and crops, produce of the land, things you could eat and drink. Israel’s worship was not virtual, it was tangible.  

Burnt offerings refer to sacrifices that were burnt whole as an offering to the Lord. The ancient Hebrew word for a whole burnt offering is holocaust, which took on a new meaning after world war two. 

Most of the other sacrifices and offerings listed in verse 6 could be shared with the Levites, the priests and the poor. So, it wasn’t like the lamb or the cow was completely destroyed every time. Often the meat or the grain or the wine was put to good use in feeding people.

The tithe was meant for sharing with those in need. A tithe is 10 percent of the year’s produce or harvest. In today’s terms it is 10% of your income. In ancient Hebrew thought, the tithe was like rent paid to God for use of the land. Sort of like a share-milker pays a percentage of their income to the farm owner.

The distinctive thing about the tithe though is that God (who is effectively the King and land owner) charges a relatively low rent. By comparison, a share-milker pays around 50% of their income to the land owner. The Lord only asks 10%

In fact, God is so generous he doesn’t keep the 10% rent for himself. He doesn’t need it. Instead the Lord God directs that the tithe owing to him be given to the poor and marginalized, including the Levites (who did not own any land because they were devoted to the Lord’s service).

These days we don’t sacrifice animals as part of our worship of God. Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross to atone for our sins fulfills the law and ends the need for animal sacrifice. Actually, Israel’s animal sacrifice in the context of worship, pointed to Jesus’ sacrifice.   

However, the end of animal sacrifice does not mean the end of tangible worship. As Christian believers, we still offer real, tangible, substantial sacrifices to God. Only the sacrifices we bring are not to atone for sin. They are an expression of our love for God.

When we come to church on a Sunday morning, we might be sacrificing a sleep in or time at the beach. That is tangible worship. When we sing songs in church we are offering a sacrifice of praise. That too is tangible worship, particularly if we don’t feel much like singing.

When we make automatic payments into the church’s bank account or put money in the offering bag; when we buy treats at the bake sale; when we give cash to World Vision or to mission work or the local food bank; we are sacrificing money and worshipping God in a tangible way.

When we volunteer to serve in the life of the church or to help a neighbour in need, we are offering our time, our talents and our energy (very real and tangible things) as an act of worship to God.

One of the most tangible ways we worship God is with our bodies. In Romans 12, Paul says: Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.  

We have a tendency to think of our bodies as our own to do with as we wish. But in Christian thought, one’s body is an instrument for God’s purpose.

When we take care of our bodies by maintaining good rhythms of sleeping, eating and exercise, then we are honouring God for the gift of our body in a very real and tangible way.

When we put our body to work in service to God; when we use our hands to help people and not harm them; when we use our tongues for kind words, not gossip; when we use our ears to listen with care; then we are offering our bodies in real tangible worship to the Lord.

Worshipping God with our bodies also means abstaining from those things that are harmful to us, like illegal drugs or too much alcohol or sleeping around. And for some that may feel like a real sacrifice.

The point is, worship is not just something we do on Sundays or on special occasions like Easter and Christmas. Tangible worship of God is a whole of life thing. As the prophet Micah famously said…

And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humblywith your God.

Justice, mercy and humility are not abstract or ethereal things. They are real, tangible, down to earth actions which lend integrity to our profession of faith. 

Worship of the living God is to be distinctive, tangible and joyful.

Joyful worship:

Joy is not exactly the same as happiness. Happiness is a pleasant feeling that happens to you, almost at random. Like when a butterfly lands near you, or a baby smiles at you or your sports team has a win. Happiness is a quick energy that picks you up, then dumps you soon after. We can’t really manufacture or control the circumstances that precipitate happiness. 

But joy is more intentional than that, more purposeful, less random. Joy is low GI. Joy is a sustained, slow release kind of energy that comes from hope.    

Joy is the fruit of hope. If your hope is to be reunited with loved ones, then joy isn’t just the good feeling you get when that reunion happens. It is also the positive energy that comes from anticipating that reunion before it happens.

If your hope is to live in peace, with justice, then joy isn’t just the good feeling you get when the war ends. It is also the energy that enables you to keep pressing forward in battle and win the war.

If your hope is to reap a good harvest (and get a good return), then joy isn’t just seeing the crop in the barn (or the money in the bank). It is also the energy to do the mahi (the work), to plough the soil, sow the seed and water the crop.

If your hope is to be raised in glory with Jesus, then joy isn’t just seeing Christ return. It is also the energy to endure and be faithful in this life.

Joy is the fruit of hope.

In Deuteronomy 12, verse 7, we read: There, in the presence of the Lord your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the Lord your God has blessed you. 

For ancient Israel, worship wasn’t just singing songs, saying prayers and listening to the sermon. It also involved staying for the shared lunch. Worship of Yahweh is meant to be a joyful celebration, a party which includes everyone.

Now, it would be fair to say that we don’t always feel like rejoicing when we come to church. The circumstances of our life may be difficult and putting on a happy face feels wrong. We just can’t fake it.

Well, you don’t have to fake it. You don’t have to pretend to be happy when something bad happens to you. You are allowed to grieve. If you can’t be honest with God, then it’s not a right relationship, much less a joyful one.

Joy is the fruit of hope and we only begin to hope when life is difficult. Usually the journey to joy requires us to pass through the valley of lament.

But even when you are in the valley, you can still look forward in hope to a time when God will wipe away every tear. You can rejoice in faith that life won’t always suck. Jesus is making all things new and he will redeem your loss in his way and his time.    

The joyful worship celebration envisioned by Moses, in Deuteronomy 12, is like a sign post pointing forward to the Messianic Banquet at the end of time, when those who love Jesus will be reunited with him in the greatest party the world has ever known.

Conclusion:

Many centuries after Moses, William Temple offered his vision of worship, which illuminates something of what Jesus meant when he talked about worshipping God in Spirit and in truth. William Temple writes…

Worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by His holiness; the nourishment of mind with His truth; the purifying of imagination by His beauty; the opening of the heart to His love; the surrender of will to His purpose – and all of this gathered up in adoration, the most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable.                     

Father God, help us to worship you in Spirit and in truth, we pray. Amen.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • Why does Moses insist that Israel worship the Lord their God in a distinctive way? In what ways was Israel’s worship meant to differ from Canaanite worship? In what ways is Christian worship today (meant to be) distinctive from the prevailing culture?
  • What do you think Jesus meant when he talked about worshipping in the Spirit and in truth (in John 4)?  What might this mean for us today?
  • Why do we no longer need to sacrifice animals as part of our worship of God? What tangible things do you do to worship God? How do you worship God with your body?
  • How does the ancient practice of tithing reveal the generosity of God?
  • Discuss / reflect on the difference between joy and happiness. Where does your joy come from? What is it you hope for?
  • Make some time this week to reflect on William Temple’s vision of worship, then spend time in adoration of God.   

[1] Patrick Miller, Interpretation commentary on Deuteronomy, pages 131-132. 

Tawa Baptist

Joy

Scripture: Isaiah 12

Video Link:  https://youtu.be/KGIJF20p74w

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • The joy of God’s salvation – personal acceptance
  • The joy of God’s presence – public celebration
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Kai ora whanau and good morning everyone.

Today, because it is the third Sunday in Advent, our message focuses on joy. Joy is a positive energy, one which usually gives us a pleasant feeling and inevitably finds expression in our words and actions.

Isaiah chapter 12 has some things to say about joy. In particular joy is the product of God’s salvation and presence. From verse 1, of Isaiah 12, we read…   

In that day you will say: “I will praise you, Lord. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me. 2 Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defence; he has become my salvation.” 3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. 4 In that day you will say: “Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. 5 Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. 6 Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

These verses from Isaiah 12 fit neatly into two parts. The prophet quite conveniently introduces each of the two parts with the phrase, In that day you will say, (Isaiah uses this sentence in verse 1 and then repeats it in verse 4). 

This tells us Isaiah is picturing some day in the distant future. Like I said a couple of weeks ago, first the judgement, then the hope. First the demolition of Israel, then the rebuild. First the invasion by Assyria, then the restoration by Yahweh. First the grief, then the joy.

As I see it, verses 1-3 are about the joy of God’s salvation, which calls for personal acceptance.  

While verses 4-6 are about the joy of God’s presence, which calls for public celebration.

The joy of God’s salvation – personal acceptance:

In the ancient world most people could not read or write. Communication was largely by the spoken word, rather than the written word. It was an oral culture.

This meant people had to be good listeners and good at remembering. It also meant if someone wanted to make their message clear they had to repeat key words. Repetition was like highlighting or underlining what you wanted to say.  

When we look at the first three verses of Isaiah 12 we see quite clearly the word salvation repeated three times. We also notice the words comforted, defence and strength, which all describe different aspects of God’s salvation.   

The other thing we notice is the high frequency of singular personal pronouns like I, me and my.

You have comforted me. God is my strength, my defence, my salvation.

To someone in the ancient world, the first half of Isaiah 12 is talking about God’s salvation in a very personal way. You can hardly miss it.

So what is this salvation that Isaiah is at pains to highlight?

Well, salvation denotes an act of deliverance, like when God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt or when Jesus delivered the disciples from a storm on the lake.

God’s salvation is a vehicle. It is that which takes a person from a bad state of being to a good state of being. Salvation, then, is God’s means of transport.

There’s a funny line in the movie, Kung Fu Panda, where Panda finds himself at the bottom of a mountain and he says, ‘My old enemy, stairs’. Salvation for Panda, in that instance, would be an elevator. Something that would transport him to the top of the mountain easily.

Or, if you happen to find yourself in a burning plane, then salvation is a parachute. The parachute transports you safely out of a bad situation.

And of course, there is the famous salvation of Star Trek. Whenever Captain Kirk found himself in trouble on an alien planet he simply said, ‘Beam me up Scotty’, and in seconds he was transported to the safety of his ship.

You may sometimes hear Christians using the word rapture. Perhaps you have had that panicky feeling when you find yourself alone, with no one else around, and you start to wonder, ‘has everyone been raptured and I’ve been left behind’.

The word rapture has two meanings. Rapture means intense joy and it also means transport. Rapture, in a Christian understanding, is the idea that Jesus will one day transport us to where he (and God) are. This is cause for great joy. To be raptured is our salvation, our ‘beam me up Lord’ moment.   

The name Isaiah actually means Yahweh is salvation.[1]God’s salvation, his means of transport from a bad situation to a good situation is multifaceted. God’s ride comes in many different forms.

 As verse 1 (of Isaiah 12) makes plain, the salvation in view is the removal of God’s anger. God had been angry with Israel because of their immoral behaviour. But God’s anger does not last forever. His anger is not divorced from his care. God comes to Israel’s rescue. His salvation will eventually transport the people from a state of wrath to a state of comfort.    

For the Jewish exiles, reading Isaiah’s prophecy in a foreign land, salvation meant being transported out of exile back to Zion, to Jerusalem their homeland.

What does God’s salvation mean for you, personally? What sticky, unpleasant, perhaps painful situation, do you find yourself in? What transport do you need right now?

Do you feel guilty because of something bad you’ve done? Or ashamed because of something good you haven’t done? Then the vehicle of salvation you need is forgiveness and redemption.  

Do you feel hurt or angry because of some injustice or loss you have suffered? Then the vehicle of salvation you need is vindication and restoration.

Do you feel alone in a crowd, misunderstood, a stranger and out of place? Then the vehicle of salvation you need is friendship and intimacy.

Whatever your situation, the Lord knows it and he sees your heart. He understands perfectly the transport you need.

One thing I would say about God’s salvation: we don’t decide what form the transport will take. It might be a Mercedes Benz or it might be a skate board. Either way, our job is to accept God’s vehicle of salvation however he chooses to provide it.    

In verse 2 we read: Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid.

The key to accepting God’s salvation is trust. The trust that is meant here is practical not just theoretical. Trust doesn’t just say, ‘the train exists’. Trust gets on the train and allows the train to transport you. Trust believes that you will reach your destination, even though the train may go through some pretty long and dark tunnels at times.

Trust doesn’t just say, ‘God exists’. Trust holds on to Jesus and walks with him, day by day. Trust accepts the fact that Jesus will bring you home to God, even though you can’t physically see Jesus or always feel his presence. 

Verse 3 gives us a wonderful metaphor: With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

In the ancient middle east, people didn’t have running water coming out of a tap in their kitchen. They couldn’t jump in the shower to get clean or flush a toilet.

In the ancient world, people had to go to a communal well, a hole in the ground, and draw water out with a bucket. It was time consuming, physically demanding and a bit of a chore. Not really enjoyable. But people still did it because of necessity. You can’t live very long without water.      

Verse 3 says that this mundane, labourious task will be done with joy. You are going to have energy for it. You are going to want to do it. Why? Because you are thirsty and the water of God’s salvation is good, the best you will ever taste. Salvation then is something we are drawn to by our need.

The image of wells of salvation, suggests that salvation is something we imbibe. It is something we take into ourselves. Something that is life giving. Something that sustains us and our transport.

Pilgrims travelling through the wilderness might ride a camel or a donkey or a horse. Or at least they would have an animal to carry all their stuff. At strategic points along the way they would stop at a well to let their animals drink. Sort of like we might stop to fill up our car at a petrol station.

The implication here seems to be that God’s salvation involves a journey.                              

Earlier in the service we read a passage from John 4 (in the New Testament) where Jesus had a conversation with a Samaritan woman at a well.

The Samaritans came about as a consequence of the Assyrian invasion that Isaiah had predicted. The Jews of that area intermarried with the Gentiles and a new race came into being. The Samaritans were sort of half Jew, half Gentile.

Historically Jews and Samaritans hated each other. But Jesus tried to find some common ground. Jesus makes himself vulnerable and asks this Samaritan woman for some water from the well.

The woman doesn’t realise that Jesus is the primary well of God’s salvation. The water Jesus has to offer is the Holy Spirit. For those who believe, Jesus and his Spirit are the means of transport home to God.

Joy is the product of God’s salvation and presence. The joy of God’s salvation calls for personal acceptance, while the joy of God’s presence calls for public celebration.      

The joy of God’s presence – public celebration:

In his book, A Different Drum, Scott Peck tells the story of a monastery that had fallen on hard times. Over the years its ranks had dwindled until there were only five monks left.

In the woods near the monastery was a small hut where the Rabbi, from the local town, would sometimes go for retreat. The Abbot went to visit the Rabbi to see if he had any advice to save the monastery.

“I know how it is”, said the Rabbi. “The spirit has gone out of the people. Very few come to the synagogue anymore. The old Rabbi and the old Abbot sat in silence for a while, feeling the weight of the years, then spoke quietly of deep things.

When the time came for the Abbot to leave, they embraced and he asked the Rabbi, “Have you any advice that might save the monastery?”

The Rabbi answered, “No, I’m sorry. The only thing I can say is that the Messiah is among you.”

When the other monks heard the Rabbi’s words, they wondered what this could mean. “The Messiah is among us, here at the monastery? Do you suppose he meant the Abbot? Of course, he has been the leader for so long. On the other hand, he might have meant Brother Thomas. Thomas is so kind. Certainly he could not have meant Brother Elrod because he is often grumpy. But then again, Brother Elrod is also very wise.”

As they contemplated in this way, the old monks began to treat each other with extraordinary respect, on the off chance one of them might be the Messiah. They also thought about themselves differently.

Every human person carries the dignity of being made in God’s image. And every Christian believer carries the Spirit of the Messiah.    

Because the monastery was on the edge of a beautiful forest, people occasionally came to have a look. They sensed the extraordinary respect and love between the five aging monks. The Spirit of the Messiah was indeed among them, in the way they related with each other.   

Visitors became more frequent and stayed to talk with the monks. There was a real peace in the atmosphere. The brothers’ simple joy, the positive energy people felt just by being with the monks, was contagious. After a while one young man asked if he could join and then another and another. Within a few years the monastery became a thriving order once again.

Verse 6 talks about the joy of God’s presence, where it describes the Holy One of Israel being among you.

Isaiah is looking forward to that time in the future when the Lord God will walk among his people again, like God walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Before that could happen though, the people would feel the pain of God’s absence.

In the gospel of John, chapter 1:14, we read how Jesus fulfilled this prophecy of Isaiah. The apostle writes: The Word [that is, Jesus] became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

After Jesus had completed his work on earth he ascended to heaven and sent his Holy Spirit to be present with his church on earth. While we do not see Jesus physically in the present, we have the words of Jesus who said: ‘wherever two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them’. The Lord also said, ‘By your love for one another will all people know you are my disciples.’

And so, the Messiah is among us now, by his Spirit.

But wait, there’s more. The Christian belief is that one day, when Jesus returns in glory to establish heaven on earth, the Lord will again dwell among us in person. In Revelation 21, the second to last chapter in the Bible, we read…

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Isaiah foresaw a time, at the fulfilment of human history, when God would live with his people. A time of great joy. Not just an inner feeling of personal joy or contentment but a public celebration of communal joy.

Verses 4-5 of Isaiah talk about the public celebration that is called for with the joy of God’s presence on earth…

4 In that day you will say: “Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. 5 Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world.

In that day it won’t be just the thought that the Messiah is among us. We will actually see Jesus face to face.

Conclusion:

That day has not been realised in its fullness yet. Joy is the product of God’s salvation and presence. Isaiah 12 is big picture stuff. It gives a long range, Hubble telescope, view of the future.

In the meantime, what can we do to put ourselves in the path of joy…

We can take one day off in seven, a Sabbath day to rest and to renew our perspective through worship. We can also maintain regular patterns of sleep and not leave it too long between holidays.

We can make good moral decisions, choosing a lifestyle that is in line with our values. We can think about the needs of others and find ways to show kindness, without embarrassing people or leaving them in our debt.

We can carve out time for simple pleasures like losing ourselves in a good book or hanging out with friends or spending time in our garden or going for a walk. Whatever it is that helps you to let go of the pressures and worries of life.   

Probably the most important thing to remember though, is that we cannot expect to feel joyful or happy all the time. It is completely normal to feel sad sometimes or angry or tired.

Some of you may have become Christians under the false expectation that, in order to be a good witness, you must always be up, always smiling, always positive, always playing the glad game. Nothing will empty you of joy quicker than pretending to be something you’re not. If the psalms teach us anything it is to be honest with ourselves and with God.     

My sense is that many people in our community are feeling quite weary at present. I imagine some here don’t feel much like celebrating this Christmas. Joy may seem a long way off. But the truth is, Jesus could return for our rapture at any moment. Things can change very quickly.

Let us pray…

Father God, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit, you are the source of our joy. Thank you for your salvation and your presence among us. Give us eyes to see the transport you provide and hearts to trust you, even in the darkness. Renew our strength and lead us in the path of peace, for your name’s sake we pray. Amen.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • What is your experience of joy?
  • What is God’s salvation? Have you experienced God’s transport from a bad state of being to a good state of being? What happened? How did you feel? How did you accept God’s vehicle of salvation in that situation?
  • Discuss/reflect on the metaphor, wells of salvation. What are the implications for us?
  • How is the presence of the Messiah made real among us today? Can you think of a moment or a relationship in which Jesus has been real for you recently?
  • What can you do (practically) to put yourself in the path of joy? 
  • Take some time this week to bring to mind the things you are thankful for. Do something to celebrate (with others) the things that have gone well.

[1] Refer John Goldingay’s NIBC on Isaiah, page 89.

Tawa Baptist

Restoring Joy

Scripture: Psalm 126

 

Title: Restoring Joy

 

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Joy remembered, joy hoped for
  • Sowing in tears, reaping joy
  • Conclusion

 

Introduction:

This morning we are talking about joy

  • To help us think about joy I’d like to give you a few moments now to ask those around you: what is joy?
  • When you’ve done that for a minute or two I’ll invite you to quickly share your thoughts with the rest of us

 

[Give people a chance to discuss what joy is and then invite their feedback]

 

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on joy

  • Joy is one of those qualities that is hard to define in words
  • In many ways it has to be experienced
  • But even then the experience is complex and multi-faceted
  • Joy can be experienced differently depending on the circumstances and the person

 

Joy is both a gift (like a pleasant surprise) – and a choice or a decision we make

 

Joy can be both a positive energy (like a happy or exhilarating feeling)

  • But it can also be a settled, calm assurance (or a quiet confidence) that God is working all things out for good even though life might be difficult right now

 

Joy can be the product of hope – the anticipation of something pleasing

  • Or it can be the realisation of something good – like when a positive change is made or something lost is finally restored to us

 

Psalm 126 captures something of the complexity of joy

  • We will read this Psalm antiphonally which means I will read the lines in plain type and then you can respond by reading the lines in bold italics…

 

 

1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,     we were like those who dream.

2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,     and our tongue with shouts of joy;

then it was said among the nations,     “The Lord has done great things for them.” 3 The Lord has done great things for us,     and we rejoiced.

4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord,     like the watercourses in the Negeb.

5 May those who sow in tears     reap with shouts of joy.

6 Those who go out weeping,     bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy,     carrying their sheaves.

 

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate this reading for us

 

Joy remembered becomes joy hoped for:

For many people Christmas is a difficult time of year

  • And one of the things that makes it so difficult is the expectation that we must be happy – Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy
  • But if you have experienced a significant loss in your life then Christmas will tend to remind you of that loss – sort of amplify it

 

It’s like C.S. Lewis said…

  • “The pain I feel now is the happiness I had before. That’s the deal.”

 

Pain, grief, sadness is the price we pay for happy times we have lost

  • There is no escaping that fact

 

Although Psalm 126 is about joy, the context is one of loss and the sadness of longing for something that is no more

  • Psalm 126 is very much ‘the pain I feel now is the happiness I had before’

 

In the first three verses the psalmist looks back to a time in Israel’s past when the people had suffered loss and the Lord had restored them

  • What we notice is that the first 3 verses of Psalm 126 are all past tense…

 

1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.

  • In other words: ‘When I look back to a time when I was happy I remember it was because God restored us’
  • It was God doing great things for us that made us laugh and rejoice

 

In this picture of joy (past tense) it is God who is the source of joy

  • God did something which made us happy
  • But now that joy of restoration has gone and it’s like waking up from a happy dream to a harsh reality

 

As the exiles made their way home to Jerusalem after their captivity in Babylon it was like floating along in a pleasant dream at first

  • But when they arrived in the holy city it was like waking up to reality
  • There were weeds to be pulled, crops to sow, walls to build and a temple to restore
  • The honeymoon was over too quickly and all the work was ahead of them

 

If all we had was the first three verses we might think the psalmist was wallowing in self-pity – looking back to the good old days in a way that makes him feel depressed in the present

  • But this looking back isn’t self-pity
  • These memories contain the seeds of hope
  • God has restored our fortunes in the past and so he could do it again
  • Joy remembered becomes joy hoped for

 

We see this hope expressed in verse 4 where the memory of past joy turns into prayer…

  • Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like watercourses in the Negeb
  • In other words, ‘Surprise us with the joy of restoration Lord’

 

The word Negeb means ‘dry’ or ‘parched’ – it is the name given to the southernmost part of Judah

  • For much of the year the Negeb is a desert but then suddenly, in winter, the rains come, turning dry gullies into rivers and streams
  • Literally overnight the desert is transformed into fields of grass & flowers

 

This is a vivid image from the geography of Israel

  • The message is clear – don’t lose hope
  • God has the power to transform dry places and he can do it quickly
  • Maybe your life is miserable now but anything could happen
  • Things can & do change for the better

 

Some things in life can be scheduled and other things can’t

  • You can schedule buses and trains
  • You can schedule a holiday and shifts at work
  • You can schedule meal times and exams
  • You can schedule TV programming and your dentist appointment
  • But you can’t schedule everything

 

You can’t schedule your mid-life crisis, for example

  • There is probably a 20 year window in which it might happen but you don’t get to decide the day or the hour
  • Just like you don’t decide when you will get sick or when someone might die
  • Some things simply can’t be switched on & off like a light

 

So what about joy then – can joy be scheduled?

  • Well, the impression we get from the psalm so far is that joy is not something we have much control over – like rains in the Negeb it all depends on God and so it can’t be planned for
  • This is dangerous thinking – it leads to a victim mentality

 

Sowing in tears, reaping joy:

To help restore the balance Psalm 126 finishes with a contrasting image to the streams in the desert

 

May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy

 

There is quite a bit in this one liner

  • For starters, we can’t expect to feel happy or joyful all the time
  • Tears, sadness, grief & pain are part of life
  • In fact the image of sowing in tears suggests that sadness is a necessary prerequisite to joy

 

Tears are something which cleanse our eyes and our soul

  • When you set the table for a meal you don’t put out yesterday’s dirty dishes to eat off – you put clean plates on the table
  • Tears cleanse the plate of our soul so a fresh meal of joy can be served up

 

What I’m saying is intuitively obvious to anyone who has suffered loss

  • We can’t really enjoy something good until we have first grieved our losses – accepted them

 

Sowing and reaping is slow and arduous

  • Unlike the streams in the Negeb it doesn’t happen overnight
  • Sowing & reaping happens over the course of a year as a combination of hard work & patience on the part of the farmer as well as God causing the seed to grow
  • We might say: joy is not entirely in God’s hands, it’s in our hands too – so (like farming) it’s a partnership

 

Or as Henri Nouwen put it…

  • “Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.”

Yes there are some things in life that we don’t get to decide – some things we have little or no control over – but with joy we do have a choice

  • We can’t expect to always feel happy – there will be times when life is hard graft
  • But if we sow seeds of hope in God during those tough times, we will eventually reap a harvest of joy

 

And what does it mean to sow seeds of hope?

  • What are the difficult choices we need to make to eventually reap joy?
  • Well, sowing in tears might mean praying for someone in hope that God will save them
  • It might mean forgiving someone in hope they will come right in the end
  • Or, it might mean asking forgiveness in hope that this will lead to peace
  • It might mean saying ‘no’ when the bong is being passed around in hope that our friends will say ‘no’ too
  • It might mean saying ‘yes’ to helping someone, without hope of reward
  • Or it could mean suffering shame, insult, misunderstanding and abuse in the hope that some might find Christ

 

Conclusion:

Sowing in tears can mean a lot of things

  • Ultimately, for Jesus, it meant suffering an agonising death on the cross in hope that humanity would be reconciled to God
  • Of course, after Jesus had sowed in tears, he reaped a harvest of resurrection joy

 

Christmas is a time of joy – not painless, tearless joy – but joy on the far side of pain and grief

  • Maybe you haven’t got to the far side yet
  • Maybe you are still sowing in tears
  • That’s okay – in fact it’s more in line with the gospel than you might think: Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted