“Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say: Rejoice!"
This is virtually a command to rejoice, but not to just rejoice but to “rejoice in the Lord.” This doesn’t mean to just be happy when everything is going in our favor. We are reminded to “always” rejoice – “in the Lord.” I want to share with you what I think that it means to “rejoice in the Lord.” We should rejoice in the salvation that God offers us through His grace. Being saved, being made right with God through faith in Jesus, is ample reason to rejoice, even in the difficult times.Hebrews 7:24-25 reminds us of a good reason to rejoice: “But this man (Jesus), because He continues ever, has an unchangeable priest hood. 25. Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost those that come to God by Him, seeing He ever lives to make intercession for them.” Do you see what this means? It means that, through Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, who indwells us, God is personally involved in our lives. That Jesus intercedes for us, means that He is praying for us, and leading us to a better life. We should rejoice in the hope that we have in Christ. Romans 12:12 reminds us of this hope that we have in Christ: “Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12. Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation (trouble); continuing instant in prayer.” The hope that we have in Christ is not the “hope so” kind of hope that we think of today. According to Vine’s Dictionary of New Tesatment Words it means, “favourable and confident expectation.” We are secure in our relationship with Jesus Christ, for He “is our hope.” (1 Timothy 1:1b) According to Colossians 1:27, Jesus is our “hope of glory.” This doesn’t mean that we will have self glory, but that we have the eternal glory that He alone can give, that is, eternal life beginning in this life and continuing through all eternity. Rejoice in the hope that Jesus gives, and is, in our lives. We should rejoice in the peace that we have in Christ. Look at the promise given in John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” We are reminded in Philippians 4:27 that through prayer we can have “the peace of God, which passes all understanding.” We should not just seek peace of mind, but we should seek the “peace of God” that we have by faith in Jesus Christ, and by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. There is much, much more that could be written on this subject, but I think that the three that I have given here can give you a good start in “rejoicing in the Lord always.” Bro. Joe
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“And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.”
Paul and Silas were wrongfully imprisoned in the jail at Philippi. They were under what we would call maximum security. They could hardly move because they were in stocks. Why, then, were they praying and singing at midnight? The first reason for their singing at midnight was they knew that God loved them. The people who had them jailed did not love them or care one way or the other. But these two great Christians knew that God loved them. It is amazing what this realization can do to our reactions to the negative things of life. If we know that God loves us, we can pray and sing at midnight. The second reason was they knew that their sins were forgiven. They had not been forgiven by the authorities, but they had been forgiven by Jesus. It is amazing what knowing that we are forgiven can do for our attitudes towards life. There are many Christians who do not pray and sing because they are still carrying guilt for sins that have been forgiven. If we know for sure that we are forgiven by an almighty and loving God, we too, can “pray and sing at midnight.” The third reason was they knew that Jesus was with them. They knew the promise that Jesus made: “Lo I am with you alway, even unto the end of the ages.” Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, was in the cell and the stocks with them. He knew of their predicament, but He was there loving and watching over them. We need to realize that no matter what is going on in our lives at any given time, Jesus is with us. The fourth reason was they knew that the other prisoners were listening. We should not miss the statement that “the prisoners heard them.” Paul was always aware that wherever he was and whatever was happening in his life, he was a witness for Jesus Christ. If Paul and Silas could pray and sing at midnight under those circumstances, the prisoners would know that they had something, or someone, special in their lives. People do not notice our witness as much when we are in church, or when we are going through good times, as they do when we are going through difficult times. We need to remember that when we “pray and sing at midnight,” other people hear us and it serves as a witness to them. We need to ask ourselves if we are “midnight singers” or chronic complainers? If we know that God loves us, that our sins are forgiven, that Jesus is with us and that we are always witnesses for Jesus, we will remember to “pray and sing at midnight.” Bro. Joe “I will praise thee , O Lord, with my whole heart: I will show forth all thy marvelous works. 2. I will be glad and rejoice in thee. I will sing praise to thy name, O thou Lord most high.”
(From the archives: 2014: This means that the article is carried over from its original printing without any changes or rewrites.)
“Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and said unto them, Peace be unto you. 20. And when He had so said, He showed unto them His hands and His side. Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord.” I can only imagine what the disciples felt as they huddled in a closed room, quaking in fear because of what the Jewish leaders might do to them. Then like a burst of light from heaven, Jesus appears in the room and gives them the usual Jewish greeting: “Peace be unto you.” When Jesus showed them His hands and His side, the disciples were glad (overjoyed) when they saw the Lord.”At that moment, the reality of who Jesus really is came home to them and they were overjoyed. It makes all the difference when Jesus is real to you. When I was a youngster of about nineteen years of age, I was filled with doubts about the reality of all that I had been taught in Sunday School, etc. I remember that I was alone in the sleeping area of the USS Hornet when I had what I will call an epiphany. I was about at rock bottom in my doubts as I lay there on my bunk, when His reality hit me right in my heart. I don’t know what He did. To this day, I can’t really describe what the Lord did to my mind and heart that day, but He made Himself real to me at that moment, and like the disciples, I was overjoyed when that reality hit me. I knocked the dust off of my Bible and began to listen to His call on my heart. Notice what happened when the reality of Jesus hit His disciples. First, I think that they were no longer afraid. They had gathered in that room and shut door in the first place because they were afraid of what the Jews were going to do to them. They were hiding out, afraid to be seen. When Jesus becomes real to a person, one of the first things that happens is that fear is banished. This doesn’t mean that we will never be afraid again. It means that we will no longer fear that Jesus has forsaken us, for He is real every moment of our lives. Second, they experienced overwhelming joy: “Then were the disciples glad (overjoyed) when they saw the Lord.” In John 16:20, Jesus had predicted that this would happen: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, that you shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and you shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned to joy.” Can you imagine the relief that these men felt when they were confronted with the fact that all that Jesus said to them about Himself was true? They heard what he said then, but it didn’t really register until this moment. All of them had forsaken their livelihoods to follow Jesus. If He was dead, it meant that they had lost everything. But now that they knew He was alive they gained more than they would have lost. When Jesus is real to us, we experience joy as well. When we go through the troubles and trials of life, it is great to know that we are not alone, but that Jesus is real and that He has not forsaken us. Third, in verse 21 they were given a challenge and a new task: “Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father has sent me, even so send I you.” They were to go into the world and share the reality of Jesus with other people – which they did. We believe in Jesus today, and He is real to us today, because these disciples obeyed Jesus and went out and spread the word of His reality until the word spread all over the world. Jesus has given us the challenge and task to tell others as well. Let’s go in great joy and do it. Bro. Joe “Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore.”
When a lot of people think about the Christian faith, the word “joy” does not come to mind. This is true in part because they have never given the Christian faith a chance in their lives. It is also true because they do not see joy coming from us. A lot of what they hear about is all the “fussing going on down at the church.” A lot of what they see is that we are not letting the joy of Christ in our lives be seen. We need to turn that joy loose on the people around us. Christian joy is very important, and we need to let it show. Christian joy is important because it is evidence that Christ lives in us. If we really have the joy of Christ in us, it should find its way to surface for people to see. Christian joy should be evident on our faces, in our attitudes and in our relationships with people in every aspect of their lives. One thing that should set us apart is not that we wear our religion on our sleeves, so to speak, but that we live joyful lives. We do not defend the Christian faith as well by arguing about it as much as that we live it. Joy is a great part of living the Christian life. Christian joy is important because it encourages us to worship the Lord. Someone said that many people in church services do not appear to worshiping the risen Christ; rather, they appear to be mourning His crucifixion. True worshipers are joyful because they know that Jesus is alive and well. The reason for that is the fact that Jesus lives in them and is a daily companion. Not everyone expresses that joy in the same way, but it should be expressed. Some worshipers express their joy vocally. Some express their joy with radiant smiles. Some express their joy quietly. I normally express my joy with tears of joy. I can tell when the Holy Spirit is really at work, and when the joy of the Lord is rising in my heart when I feel a “lump in my throat.” These are not tears of mourning but tears of joy. Christian joy is important because it has an effect on other people. It is not far-fetched to say that Christian joy is contagious. Christ’s joy is one of the best tools that He has given us for witnessing to people who do not know Him. The plain fact is that people want to be around people who are joyful. It is certain that churches that are growing are churches that are spreading the joy of Jesus. Christ’s joy is evident in the daily lives of members of those churches. Christ’s joy is evident in the welcome given to visitors to those churches. Christ’s joy is evident in the preaching and teaching of those churches. This definitely does not mean that all that church’s preaching and teaching is of the “feel good” variety. It means that the preaching and teaching is laced with Christ-given joy, even when it is negative. Ask yourself this question: “If every member of our church shared Christ’s joy like I do, would we be a growing, alive church? Bro. Joe “Sing unto the Lord, sing psalms unto Him, talk you of all His wondrous works. 10. Glory in His holy name; let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.”
This text is an example of a call to rejoice in the Lord. Throughout the Bible we are called to rejoice. The question for you is that do you rejoice in the Lord, and does your life reflect that rejoicing? I want to share some reasons we should rejoice in the Lord, and that our lives should reflect that rejoicing. First, we have a God who loves us. There is nothing any plainer in the Bible than that God loves us. The apostle John had personally experienced God’s love through His daily contact with Jesus. He wrote about that love in 1 John 4:16: “And we have known and believed the love that God has to us. God is love, and he that dwells in love dwells in God and God in Him." We do not have to question whether or not God loves us. We can accept the fact that He loves us, and that will make a difference in our lives. Do you know that God loves you? That’s right; God really and truly loves you. He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for you and save you from your sins. I want to encourage you to accept God’s love and rejoice in it. Second, we have a God who wants to bless us. Do we really want His blessings, or do we see that we can have His blessings in our lives? We have an example in the Bible of how people shun the blessings of God in Israel. He had delivered the Israelites from Egypt. He had divided the Red Sea for them. It wasn’t long before they were griping and complaining about their lot in life. Time and again God blessed the Israelites and they soon forgot about it and continued to gripe and complain. In the same way, God wants to bless us, but do we know that He wants to bless us? We should rejoice in the blessings that He has given us. If you have received the salvation that God offers through His Son, you should rejoice and your life should reflect your rejoicing. Claim God’s blessings today and rejoice in Him. Third, we have a God who wants to give us a purpose in life. We realize the love and blessings of God when we accept his will and purpose for our lives. God wants you be His farmer. God wants you to be His pharmacist. God wants you to be His school teacher. God wants you to be his cashier. God wants you to be His Sunday School teacher. God wants you to be His deacon. God wants you to be His preacher. We should rejoice in the fact that God wants to use us in whatever our vocations are. Think of it: The God of the universe loves you, wants to bless you and He wants to use you in His purposes. He doesn’t just want to use you in the church. He wants to use you in your daily life. These are three reasons for us to rejoice. They are reasons for you to rejoice! Bro. Joe “And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.”
The message that John wrote about that caused joy was the message about Jesus. He is our source of joy. You have probably seen the acronym: J-Jesus, O-Others, Y-Yourself. I thought of another acronym for joy that I want to share with you. J – Just – 1 John 1:9 - “If we confess our sins, (Jesus) is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The Greek word that is translated “just” can also be translated “right.” “Just” is a legal word, meaning that Jesus is qualified to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from unrighteousness. He is the only one who is qualified to forgive our sins. John also reminded us of this in 1 John 4:10: “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” Propitiation” means to be appeased. The wrath of God was appeased by the blood of Jesus. Only Jesus is qualified, or just, to forgive our sins. O – Offering – What I wrote above leads us to conclude that Jesus is the only offering for our sins. Hebrews 10:10 “….we are sanctified (separated) through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Jesus was the “once for all” sacrifice for our sins. He will never again have to offer Himself as a sacrifice for our sins. We need to love Jesus because of His sacrifice for us, and be thankful to Him. It should make a difference in how we live. Paul touched on this in Ephesians 5:1-2: “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children: 2. and walk in love as Christ also has loved us and has given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor.” (NIV: “a fragrant offering”) Y- Yes- 1 Corinthians 1:19-20: “For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not ‘Yes’ and ‘No,’ but in Him it has always been ‘Yes.’ 20. For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through Him the ‘Amen’ is spoken to us by the glory of God.” You did not misread this text. Every promise that God has made to us is “YES” in Christ. Will Christ help us in our daily walk by the Holy Spirit? The answer is “YES.” Can we be saved from sin and live eternally in heaven? The answer is “YES” in Christ. Can we learn to love all people, even the most unlovable, as the Bible encourages us to do. The answer is “YES” in Christ. So we can spell “JOY” in Jesus as Just, Offering and Yes, for He is all of these and more. Bro. Joe “These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy be full.”
This is a verse that I refer to often in my own life, in my preaching and in my writing. I have probably referred to it several times in blogs that I have written over the years. I can’t say that I always succeed, but I try to live joyfully because of the fact that Jesus wants me to be joyful. Here is the amazing fact: We already have joy, we just need to claim it. We can claim the joy that we already have in Jesus, for Jesus has given us His joy. Joy is also listed in Galatians 5:22 as part of the “fruit of the Spirit.” It is a gift from God; therefore, we already possess it. I have discovered that the joy of Jesus is at work even when things are not going well. We do not necessarily have to feel it; we just need to claim it. It is a fact that we are not always joyful, but we always have joy. Why do we fail to claim this joy? Could it be that we prefer being angry and “out of sorts” with other people. Could it be that we prefer griping and complaining to rejoicing? (Just asking) We can save ourselves, and our churches, a lot of heartache if we will simply claim the joy that we have in Jesus. After we claim the joy of Jesus, we need to share it with others. We are more likely to claim Jesus’ joy for ourselves if we will commit to sharing it with others. Sharing the blessings of Jesus with others makes His blessings more meaningful to us. Sharing the joy of Jesus brings abundant blessings into our lives. I think that this is part of the “abundant life” that Jesus promised us. It is important that we share the joy of Jesus in this world. There is a lot of enmity and animosity in our world today. This is true in politics, but it is also true in homes, schools and churches. We need to share His joy for the good of our fellow Christians and for the good of people in general. Think of the difference that it would make in your church if every member decided to share the joy of Jesus in church fellowship and in the community at large. Your church’s sense of fellowship would grow, and it is possible that your church’s membership would grow. People tend to gravitate toward joy. At least I know that I do. Joy is contagious, and brings smiles to faces and songs into hearts. Just ask yourself if you prefer smiling faces to long faces? I discovered this principle in my preaching several years ago. I wasn’t claiming joy and was not sharing it with my congregation. God convicted me that I should really enjoy sharing biblical truth with others, and that I should give joy to others in it as well. This did not mean that I would become “Dr. Feelgood.” It meant that even when I preached a negative sermon, joy would come through. Jesus’ joy knows no bounds. Joy is more effective in helping people change than merely fussing at them. We can rejoice in the joy of Jesus. Philippians 4:4 reminds us to: “Rejoice in the Lord always.” And to emphasize his point Paul added: “And again I say rejoice…” It is remarkable when we remember that Paul was wrongfully imprisoned in Rome when he wrote these words about joy. If Paul could rejoice in those circumstances, we should be able to rejoice in the circumstances of our lives. Rejoicing is the natural result of joy. (You might say “duh” here.) Rejoicing is joy that has risen to the top of our hearts and begs to get out. Is it possible that we do not rejoice more because we do not claim the joy of Jesus in us? Let me meddle in your life a little. Do you rejoice daily? Do you rejoice in church services? Do you sometimes rejoice simply because you have to? Answering these questions can help you determine whether or not you are claiming and sharing Jesus’ joy in you. Claim the joy of Jesus and share it. You will see that it will make a difference in your life. Bro. Joe |
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