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September 6, 2009AM

Hebrews 12:1-2

Worship Results – Continuous Joy

 

G. K. Chesterton wrote, “Joy is the gigantic secret of the Christian”

 Hebrews 12:1-2 helps us to clearly understand and experience this secret.

  It shows us Jesus’ ability to live in joy.

   And Jesus enables us to live as He lived on this earth.

      For the joy that was set before Him He endured the cross and despised the shame.

       Three things contributed to Jesus’ joy.

        We have seen that Jesus had a Cloudy Joy.

         We have also seen that Jesus had a Cling-Free Joy.

            We’ll review those contributors to Jesus’ joy next week

Hebrews 12:1-2 show us a third thing about Jesus’ Joy.

 It was a Continuous Joy.

  Jesus, as He was being nailed to the cross wasn’t counting down the nails.

   He wasn’t focused on the nails – three down and one more nail to go.

      He wasn’t counting the lashes from the whipping, 32 down and 7 to go.

       He wasn’t counting how many soldiers took their turn beating on Him.

        What was He doing throughout all that abuse and torture?

         Jesus was counting it all joy.

            James, Jesus’ brother, writes, “Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”  (James 1:2-4)

             Count it all joy!

 

I     Continuous Joy means we don’t COUNT TRIALS.

       Don’t count the trials, the struggles, the pain or any other experience.

        Consider or count the joy.

         Jesus looked beyond the experiences of the day.

            He saw the seat at the right hand of the throne of God waiting for Him.

             He saw the sinful people He loved around Him needing a Saviour.

              He saw the salvation offered to the world through His death.

               That joy, counting it all joy, is what kept Him going.

                  He could have stalled over and over again if He saw only this world.

He was living in a petty world.

 There were people all around Him who were hard-hearted, critical, and judgmental.

  The world was dominated by captivity, hatred, rebellion, and false gods.

   But He saw beyond all that to the seat at the right hand of the Father.

      He saw Himself sitting on that seat.

       He saw the salvation that would be available to all.

        He didn’t see the sin, He saw the sinner.

         He saw the potential of redemption.

            For the joy set before Him He completed the work.

             The plan of salvation was finished.

              “IT IS FINISHED!” was Jesus’ exclamation on the cross.

               He went all the way to the finish line.

That is how God invites us to live.

 Don’t get bogged down in the mire and muck of life.

  Instead, do as God directs.

   Run with perseverance the race that is set before us.

      Stay focused on the finish line.

       See Jesus, the Pioneer and Perfecter of your faith.

        Don’t see the stones of life.

         If that is all Jesus saw He would have turned them into bread.

            He would have fallen into sin and defeat and joyless living.

             But He didn’t see the stones, He saw the bread of life.

              “I don’t live on bread alone but on every word spoken by the Father.”

               Don’t see the kingdoms of this world.

                  If that is all Jesus saw He would have worshipped the devil.

                   He would have fallen into sin and defeat and joyless living.

                    But He didn’t see the kingdoms, He saw the heavenly throne.

                     “I worship and serve God on the throne alone.

                        Don’t see the crosses and trials you are called to bear.

                         If that is all Jesus saw He would have called a legion of angels.

                          He would have unleashed them to rescue Him.

                           He would not have told Peter to put away his sword in Gethsemane.

                              He would not have died for you and for me.

                               He would have lived for Himself and sacrificed joy.

                                Don’t COUNT TRIALS.

 

II    Continuous Joy also means we don’t SETTLE.

       Jesus kept advancing beyond the things of this world.

        Don’t settle!

Jesus told those who wanted to follow Him “I have no where to lay My head.”

 Don’t put your hope in the things of this world.

“Jesus replied, ‘Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.’”  (Matthew 8:20)

  Jesus kept His family relationships in perspective and tells us to as well.

“Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.”  (Matthew 10:37-38)

   That is how Jesus could be the Pioneer and the Perfecter of your faith.

If you love your son or daughter more than Jesus you are not worthy of Him.

 That has always been easy to do.

  But these days it is simple.

   Sign your child up for every sport.

      Give them every lesson.

       Get them into every school club and extracurricular activity.

        Then after all these things are booked see if the church schedule fits.

         A parent who does that is not worthy of being called Jesus’ disciple.

            A parent who does that is giving their child every advantage.

             But you will deprive your child of joy.

              In fact you will be depriving your family of joy.

               Do not settle into the systems and values of this world.

                  I have seen people do it year after year in our church.

                   The Church is pushed away.

                    There is a huge price to pay when we settle.

                     It will cost us our relationship with Jesus.

                        We cannot put anything ahead of Jesus and what He loves.

Jesus never commented on how much He loved the Olympics or the arena.

 But Paul truthfully said, “Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.”  (Ephesians 5:25-27)

  If you cause your child to love everything but God you are not a worthy servant.

   Your family will never know continuous joy if you SETTLE.

 

III   Continuous Joy means we don’t WAVER in our faith.

       Jesus never wavered or had a change of heart.

        Paul wrote about Abraham in Romans 4:19-25.

         Even though the race seemed unwinnable because of his age, he never wavered.

            Instead of quitting at insurmountable odds, he grew strong in his faith.

             He was as good as dead at 100 years old but he did not weaken in his faith.

              He kept running the race with perseverance.

               That is why Paul said, “his faith was reckoned to him as righteousness.”

                  Then Paul goes on to say, “It will be reckoned to us who believe in him that raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was put to death for our trespasses and raised for our justification” (Romans 4:24)

                   Hebrews 12:3 tells us to consider Jesus’ example.

                    We are to look to Jesus so that we may not grow weary or fainthearted.

                     Don’t look at the experiences around you.

                        Don’t rely on the things of this world to provide joy in life.

                         See beyond what is around you and keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.

                          Jesus is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Sir Christopher Wren was one of the world’s most advanced architects and builders.

 He designed and supervised the construction of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.

  The first St. Paul’s Cathedral to be built in London was in 604 AD.

   Sir Wren designed the fourth cathedral to be built on the same site.

      For over 1400 years St. Paul’s has been an active worshipping congregation.

       Perhaps we could learn a thing or two from them.

        The current Cathedral was completed 300 years ago in 1710.

         A story about its 35 year construction has survived the last 3 centuries.

One day, as Sir Christopher Wren approached the building site he spotted a workman.

 “What are you doing?” he asked the workman.

  “I am laying stones” the man answered.

   The man then went on with his work, seeing nothing more than the stones.

      Sir Wren walked to another part of the huge construction site.

       There he asked a second man, “What are you doing?”

        This time the answer was, “I am earning a living for my wife and children.”

         And so he was.

            Sir Christopher Wren continued around the vast site and asked a third man.

             “What are you doing?” he asked of this worker.

              The man responded, “I’m building a cathedral.”

               This man was laying stones as was the first man.

                  This man was earning a living as was the second man.

                   But this man was doing something more.

                    His mind was on the ultimate goal of his work.

                     He saw what was at the end of the journey.

                        He saw something more than the materials around him.

                         He saw beyond the next pay day.

                          He saw beyond the mountain of construction materials.

                           He saw a magnificent edifice erected to God’s glory.

                              He saw the finished product, the outcome of his labour.

If God were to ask you today, “What are YOU doing?” how would you answer?

 Would you say, “I’m going go work to keep the roof over my head?”

  Would you say, “I’m just trying to figure out how to make the next piece fit?”

   Would you say, “I’m just trying to make it through to bed time?”

      Would you say, “I’m just waiting for the next vacation?”

       Or would you say, “I’m seeing the finish line”?

        “I see something up ahead that I haven’t experienced yet.

         “I know that what I am doing today is making that future a reality.

            “I’m not going to quit because I am pressing forward toward that goal.”

             That is the mark of a person who is living in Joy.

Are you continually running to the finish line?

 Are you living as Jesus lived?

  He instructs us and leads us into His joy.

“These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full”  (John 15:11)

   You can only know joy by living as Jesus lived.

      Live a life that doesn’t settle but grows and matures continuously.

       God created you to live in the fullness of joy.

        Is that what you long to experience?