1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:00,840 Good morning, y'all. 2 00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:01,680 Good morning. 3 00:00:01,680 --> 00:00:02,500 Good morning. 4 00:00:02,500 --> 00:00:03,340 I'm Jerry. 5 00:00:03,340 --> 00:00:04,180 Hey Jerry. 6 00:00:04,180 --> 00:00:07,440 Neighbor here, right around, right behind the church here. 7 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:08,760 Yeah. 8 00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:10,140 Today's scripture reading is from 9 00:00:10,140 --> 00:00:13,560 First Thessalonians five, 16 through 18, 10 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:16,600 page 1017 in the Bibles in the back of your pews. 11 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:22,120 Rejoice always, pray constantly, 12 00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:24,200 give thanks in everything, 13 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:27,840 for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 14 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:29,240 This is God's word. 15 00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:30,080 Amen. 16 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:31,080 Thank you, Jerry. 17 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:41,640 Imagine a world that is enveloped in darkness 18 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:43,680 from your very infancy. 19 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:48,440 A world where the sun rise, the colors of fall, 20 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:50,320 I'm sure you guys have noticed the beautiful colors 21 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:51,880 of fall changing. 22 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:54,640 I have an awesome view as I'm heading home 23 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:57,000 and I'm winding through the world 24 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:00,840 and I'm winding through the roads heading up to Georgetown, 25 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:04,680 the many different colors, the oranges, the fire reds. 26 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:06,960 Imagine though a world where from infancy, 27 00:01:06,960 --> 00:01:09,120 you are wrapped in darkness, 28 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:13,400 unable to see the colors of the changing season. 29 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:17,600 Never seeing the faces of your loved ones. 30 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:20,800 Their eyes are unknown to you. 31 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:25,440 This was the world of Fanny Crosby, 32 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:29,640 born in 1820, who lost her sight 33 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:33,040 when she was just six weeks old due to an illness. 34 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:36,920 Yet her life was not defined by darkness, 35 00:01:37,960 --> 00:01:39,640 but by an extraordinary light, 36 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:42,760 the light of joy that was found in Jesus Christ. 37 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:46,160 At an early age, Fanny embraced her blindness 38 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:48,520 with a heart full of gratitude. 39 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:52,320 In fact, she once said, if I could have a choice, 40 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:55,160 if I could have a choice, I would still choose 41 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:56,560 to remain blind. 42 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:02,920 For when I die, the first face I will ever see 43 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:06,760 will be the face of my blessed Savior. 44 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:11,840 Despite her inability to see the physical world, 45 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:14,640 Fanny saw something so much greater. 46 00:02:14,640 --> 00:02:19,000 Her spiritual vision was clear and bright. 47 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:20,720 She saw the beauty of God's love 48 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:22,960 and the joy of His grace, 49 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:25,840 His forgiveness and the unbounded joy 50 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:27,960 of His presence in her life. 51 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:31,480 This perspective turned what many would see 52 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:36,480 as a life of suffering into a life overflowing with joy. 53 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:43,080 Fanny Crosby went on to write over 8,000 hymns, 54 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:47,520 such as Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine, 55 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:50,720 or Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior, 56 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:53,120 as well as one which we sing today, 57 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:55,120 To God Be the Glory. 58 00:02:57,120 --> 00:02:59,200 And knowing her story, knowing the backstory 59 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:02,240 of Fanny Crosby and her life and her life of blindness 60 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:04,440 from a young age gives such new meaning 61 00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:08,280 to that third verse that we sang just this morning. 62 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:12,920 Great things He has taught us, great things He has done, 63 00:03:12,920 --> 00:03:16,720 and great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son, 64 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:21,720 but purer and higher and greater will be 65 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:26,720 our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see. 66 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:32,200 Words of a blind woman whose heart 67 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:33,960 had great clarity of vision. 68 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:38,560 These were not mere lyrics from Fanny Crosby. 69 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:41,960 They were expressions of a soul that found 70 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:46,160 the greatest joy in the midst of what many would consider 71 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:49,560 great suffering or even many might consider 72 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:51,320 a great injustice. 73 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:54,520 Blindness she deserved to see. 74 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:57,840 She didn't see it that way. 75 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:03,080 In her life and lyrics we find a profound example 76 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:06,800 of the Apostles Paul's words as Jerry read to us. 77 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:11,800 Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything, 78 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:14,880 for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 79 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:18,400 This morning we are going to look at this text 80 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:20,400 under two points. 81 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:23,760 The first one is the life of joy. 82 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:30,960 Rejoice always, verse 16 says. 83 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:32,640 And one thing that you cannot escape 84 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:34,000 as you go through the New Testament, 85 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:37,800 as you look high and low, is the continual emphasis put 86 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:40,320 on the Christian life that we live. 87 00:04:40,320 --> 00:04:42,400 On the Christian life of joy. 88 00:04:43,280 --> 00:04:44,680 The Christian life of joy. 89 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:48,480 Joy is listed what, with the fruit of the Spirit, right? 90 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:51,600 It's the evidence of the Spirit-filled life of a Christian 91 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:55,400 as Galatians 5 22 through 25 tells us. 92 00:04:55,400 --> 00:04:58,680 The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, 93 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:01,640 patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 94 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:03,680 gentleness and self-control. 95 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:07,000 The law is not against such things. 96 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:09,080 Now those who belong to Jesus Christ 97 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:12,400 have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 98 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:17,200 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step 99 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:18,520 with the Spirit. 100 00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:24,960 Again, Paul in Romans 14 says that the kingdom of God, 101 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:29,160 the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy 102 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:31,000 in the Holy Spirit. 103 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:32,760 That is what the kingdom of God is. 104 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:36,040 And Jesus, we were told as we looked in the book of Matthew, 105 00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:39,080 Jesus says the kingdom is ours. 106 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:39,920 The kingdom is ours. 107 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:40,760 What is the kingdom? 108 00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:43,640 Well Paul says it's righteousness, it's peace, 109 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:44,880 and it is joy. 110 00:05:45,880 --> 00:05:46,880 It's yours. 111 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:51,640 Joy is both our inheritance as kingdom kids 112 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:52,840 and it's our duty. 113 00:05:53,840 --> 00:05:56,880 Both our inheritance and our duty. 114 00:05:57,880 --> 00:05:59,800 It's ours by the Holy Spirit, 115 00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:03,360 but we must keep in step with the Holy Spirit, 116 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:05,880 as Paul said in Galatians. 117 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:09,920 But this command to rejoice always isn't a command 118 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:12,200 that's somehow detached from our reality. 119 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:16,520 When that phone call comes that the cancer has returned, 120 00:06:16,520 --> 00:06:19,120 this isn't a call to rejoice in the cancer. 121 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:25,800 Or in the death of a loved one, or in the loss of a job, 122 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:29,480 or in a physical persecution, as though those objects 123 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:31,400 were intrinsically worthy of joy. 124 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:32,560 For they are not. 125 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:35,040 These are products of the fall. 126 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:38,800 They are sin stained realities for all of us. 127 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:42,880 So what is the command then to rejoice always in? 128 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:47,520 Well it is a command that Paul continues to flesh out 129 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:51,880 in the book of Philippians chapter four, verse four. 130 00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:54,280 Philippians four, verse four, many of you know 131 00:06:54,280 --> 00:06:58,480 this scripture says, rejoice in the Lord always. 132 00:06:58,480 --> 00:06:59,920 I will say it again. 133 00:06:59,920 --> 00:07:02,960 I will say it again, rejoice. 134 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:05,520 Rejoice in the Lord always. 135 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:07,320 I will say it again, rejoice. 136 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:11,640 See if joy is a gift, evidence of the Holy Spirit 137 00:07:11,640 --> 00:07:14,080 in our lives, and it is a duty for all those 138 00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:16,440 who are believers to live a life of joy 139 00:07:16,440 --> 00:07:18,880 as we have been called to in the Spirit, 140 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:22,360 it is to be directed back to the source. 141 00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:25,080 That joy is to be directed back to the source 142 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:27,160 from which it came, toward the one who gave it 143 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:29,160 in the first place. 144 00:07:29,160 --> 00:07:33,320 This is not some feature of the Christian life 145 00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:35,320 or some bug of the Christian life. 146 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:37,440 This is the Christian life. 147 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:41,520 Remember last week we talked about the one leper. 148 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:44,720 Remember the 10 lepers that came to Jesus. 149 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:46,720 Jesus heals them. 150 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:49,840 They go away and one leper returns. 151 00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:54,600 One leper returns to give worship and glory to God 152 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:56,720 for that healing. 153 00:07:56,720 --> 00:07:59,200 And that is the essence of worship. 154 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:05,200 To return with what God has given us in joyful worship 155 00:08:05,640 --> 00:08:08,600 and give God the glory for it and from it. 156 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:13,640 To return to God with all that he has given us 157 00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:16,560 in joyful worship and sacrifice, 158 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:20,320 giving God the glory for it and from it and through it. 159 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:25,160 The essence of irreverence, 160 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:27,920 the essence of not worship, 161 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:30,600 is taking what you have received 162 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:34,320 and spending all that comes from it on yourself. 163 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:39,120 The Lord is the object of joy. 164 00:08:40,160 --> 00:08:42,760 The unchanging, all powerful, abundant, 165 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:45,640 or abounding in faithful love for his people. 166 00:08:45,640 --> 00:08:48,280 He is the aim of our joy. 167 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:50,080 And he is the source of our joy. 168 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:50,920 Don't you see? 169 00:08:50,920 --> 00:08:53,360 He gives by the Holy Spirit. 170 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:55,360 In return, he gives. 171 00:08:57,320 --> 00:09:00,400 We were made for and called to this life, 172 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:04,280 to a life of joyful delight in God. 173 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:08,600 Some of you may wonder, 174 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:11,600 where is this life that you speak of? 175 00:09:12,840 --> 00:09:15,040 It is available for all believers. 176 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:18,920 And it is simple, but it is not necessarily easy. 177 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:22,160 Is God worthy of our joy and delight 178 00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:23,440 in the midst of suffering? 179 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:26,000 What if that comes our way? 180 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:30,200 I suppose it all depends on whether or not 181 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:35,200 you have adopted, as the late reformer Martin Luther said, 182 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:40,840 the theology of glory or the theology of the cross. 183 00:09:41,880 --> 00:09:44,400 Martin Luther saw that Christians tended to have 184 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:47,160 two competing theologies, one unbiblical 185 00:09:47,160 --> 00:09:50,160 and the other one the essence of the gospel. 186 00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:52,880 The theology of glory is one that emphasizes 187 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:56,840 God's majesty, his power, his glory, 188 00:09:56,840 --> 00:10:00,440 and it values human reason and wisdom, 189 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:04,920 focusing on what humans can understand and achieve. 190 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:09,920 See, God is primarily understood through his power 191 00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:14,920 and glory as revealed in miracles and triumphs and successes. 192 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:17,520 You guys know the movements, you've seen them. 193 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:19,120 My victory's coming. 194 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:23,560 Any second now, please, I have to pay the bill. 195 00:10:23,560 --> 00:10:24,720 My victory's coming. 196 00:10:27,640 --> 00:10:29,920 Suffering and weakness are seen as something 197 00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:34,440 to be avoided, overcome, or for some, 198 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:36,880 as a sign of God's displeasure with them. 199 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:41,600 This theology tends toward believing 200 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:44,000 that if a person just lived better 201 00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:47,600 and had more faith, then they would experience 202 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:49,600 the blessing of God in triumph, overcoming, 203 00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:51,800 in successes and miracles. 204 00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:54,280 Have you guys ever believed that or heard that? 205 00:10:54,280 --> 00:10:56,240 I have, I'm raising my hand. 206 00:10:56,240 --> 00:10:57,080 I've said it. 207 00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:00,600 I've thought it. 208 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:02,640 Oh, they're going through some tough stuff. 209 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:03,880 I wonder if there's sin in their life. 210 00:11:03,880 --> 00:11:05,960 I wonder if there's this, I wonder if there's that. 211 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:07,760 I wonder when God's gonna come through. 212 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:12,280 You're sick, you're sick. 213 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:15,760 You're sick, you must be sinning. 214 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:19,920 Or maybe, this was more from my experience, 215 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:20,960 I don't know if you have your experience, 216 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:23,200 maybe there's a generational curse on you. 217 00:11:24,560 --> 00:11:26,680 There's a generational curse on you, 218 00:11:26,680 --> 00:11:29,840 and you need faith to overcome this generational curse. 219 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:33,480 Or maybe you haven't given enough. 220 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:36,040 If you just gave more, whatever the reason, 221 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:38,760 there must be something that can be fixed 222 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:42,680 in order to release the blessing of God in your life. 223 00:11:42,680 --> 00:11:44,720 Something to be fixed. 224 00:11:45,880 --> 00:11:50,880 Human wisdom, human reasoning, human achievement. 225 00:11:53,560 --> 00:11:57,440 In this belief system, faith is a commodity. 226 00:11:57,440 --> 00:12:00,560 You need to earn it, buy or trade for more of it 227 00:12:00,560 --> 00:12:03,160 so that you can see, achieve the desired result 228 00:12:03,160 --> 00:12:05,000 of favor you want in your life. 229 00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:07,960 And Luther criticized this approach 230 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:11,360 for placing so much emphasis on human abilities 231 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:14,040 and for having such a small view 232 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:17,440 of God's love and sacrifice. 233 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:23,320 I lived under many years of what felt like teaching 234 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:26,240 along those lines of the theology of glory. 235 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:29,160 That felt like it was just a little bit more faith away, 236 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:30,320 just a little bit more given, 237 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:32,560 just a little bit more something. 238 00:12:32,560 --> 00:12:34,960 You've gotta figure it out, you gotta crack the code. 239 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:37,280 If you can crack the code, you'll release God's blessing 240 00:12:37,280 --> 00:12:39,560 in your life, drives you mad. 241 00:12:40,720 --> 00:12:43,680 Drives you mad because you are never enough. 242 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:46,560 You can't do it. 243 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:51,240 The theology of glory. 244 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:55,720 Luther, having criticized it, 245 00:12:56,960 --> 00:13:00,280 also saw how, could not imagine how a God 246 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:04,520 who would take on the frailty, every frailty of humanity, 247 00:13:04,520 --> 00:13:08,520 condescending down to our level and living as an outcast, 248 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:12,600 experiencing intense suffering and death even, 249 00:13:12,600 --> 00:13:15,240 how is there any room for Jesus Christ 250 00:13:15,240 --> 00:13:16,560 in the theology of glory? 251 00:13:17,880 --> 00:13:20,200 If you were to evaluate Jesus Christ himself 252 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:25,200 by those metrics of success, he'd be an absolute failure. 253 00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:27,000 Jesus must be in sin. 254 00:13:27,920 --> 00:13:30,520 Jesus must need more faith. 255 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:35,520 Jesus must be rejected by God and many thought so. 256 00:13:37,160 --> 00:13:38,840 Many thought so. 257 00:13:38,840 --> 00:13:40,280 He must be despised and rejected. 258 00:13:40,280 --> 00:13:41,480 Isaiah said they would. 259 00:13:42,640 --> 00:13:45,480 He's gotta be rejected by God. 260 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:47,760 And yet he was the most favored of all of us. 261 00:13:50,680 --> 00:13:53,000 The theology of glory believed that the Son of God 262 00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:55,880 would ride into Jerusalem as a conquering king, 263 00:13:55,880 --> 00:13:57,560 slaying all his enemies, 264 00:13:57,560 --> 00:14:00,960 and establishing his rulership forevermore. 265 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:02,760 Let's contrast that with what Luther called 266 00:14:02,760 --> 00:14:05,000 the theology of the cross. 267 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:10,400 An understanding that God is best understood 268 00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:13,200 through the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. 269 00:14:15,640 --> 00:14:19,960 Whereas the theology of glory talks a lot about faith, 270 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:21,920 but what it actually does is it thinks of faith 271 00:14:21,920 --> 00:14:23,720 in a wholly unbiblical way. 272 00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:26,640 The theology of the cross recognizes the limitations 273 00:14:26,640 --> 00:14:29,240 of human wisdom and stresses the importance 274 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:34,240 of real, authentic faith as defined by poverty of spirit. 275 00:14:35,640 --> 00:14:36,720 I can't do it. 276 00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:41,240 As defined by the recognition that we lack 277 00:14:41,240 --> 00:14:44,120 sufficient wisdom or strength due to the presence 278 00:14:44,120 --> 00:14:47,680 of the corrupting sin, and we are totally dependent on God 279 00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:51,280 for both the desired outcome and the actual outcome. 280 00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:52,440 What do I mean by that? 281 00:14:52,440 --> 00:14:55,240 In other words, it doesn't presume, 282 00:14:55,240 --> 00:14:57,600 the theology of the cross doesn't presume 283 00:14:57,600 --> 00:15:00,040 to even know what the outcome ought to be. 284 00:15:01,520 --> 00:15:03,680 I don't know what the outcome ought to be. 285 00:15:04,880 --> 00:15:05,720 I don't know. 286 00:15:07,040 --> 00:15:09,240 I don't know if I should be healed or shouldn't be healed. 287 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:10,080 I don't know. 288 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:14,280 It doesn't presume what it wants 289 00:15:14,280 --> 00:15:15,800 or what it needs the outcome to be, 290 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:19,600 but it trusts that God knows that the outcome 291 00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:22,600 is to be a result of the sacrifice of the sin. 292 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:26,280 It knows that God is abounding in faithful love 293 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:29,000 for his children and is working all things 294 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:31,640 for his ultimate glory and their good. 295 00:15:31,640 --> 00:15:33,520 That's what it trusts. 296 00:15:33,520 --> 00:15:34,880 That's what it believes. 297 00:15:36,800 --> 00:15:38,960 The theology of the cross sees God revealed 298 00:15:38,960 --> 00:15:42,600 through weakness, through suffering, 299 00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:45,440 and through the death of Jesus on the cross. 300 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:50,440 It's a belief that God is present in human suffering. 301 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:53,560 It's a belief that salvation and glory 302 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:58,560 are always through suffering, not in circumventing it. 303 00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:01,120 Always through. 304 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:04,720 Verse 18 of our text, 305 00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:09,720 the cross is a belief that God is present in human suffering. 306 00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:14,720 Always through. 307 00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:17,080 Verse 18 of our text then tells us 308 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:19,640 that we are to give thanks in everything. 309 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:23,200 Give thanks in everything, and this is interesting. 310 00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:27,600 You know that the Greek word used for give thanks 311 00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:30,440 is actually a derivative of the root word for joy. 312 00:16:31,800 --> 00:16:32,640 Give thanks. 313 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:33,840 Now that one makes sense, right? 314 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:36,760 So our Thanksgiving is supposed to be grounded in joy, 315 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:39,960 grounded in the gift of the Holy Spirit, 316 00:16:39,960 --> 00:16:43,680 which gives joy and grounded in our duty to rejoice always, 317 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:46,080 and therefore giving thanks in every circumstance 318 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:47,320 becomes possible. 319 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:52,520 Hebrews 12 tells us that we are to run with endurance 320 00:16:52,520 --> 00:16:56,200 the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, 321 00:16:56,200 --> 00:16:58,520 the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, 322 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:02,440 for the joy set before him, he endured the cross, 323 00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:05,720 despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand 324 00:17:05,720 --> 00:17:07,200 of the throne of God. 325 00:17:07,200 --> 00:17:10,400 What was the joy set before Jesus? 326 00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:13,160 What was the joy that's allowed him to work 327 00:17:13,160 --> 00:17:17,320 through suffering to ultimate salvation and glory for all? 328 00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:21,040 One pastor says that Jesus, 329 00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:24,960 his joy is in our redemption. 330 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:28,720 His joy is in our redemption, 331 00:17:28,720 --> 00:17:31,160 which redounds to God's glory. 332 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:34,040 His joy is in our redemption, 333 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:35,840 redounding to God's glory. 334 00:17:35,840 --> 00:17:39,080 We share the joy with Christ and God gets all the glory. 335 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:43,080 That's the joy that was set before Jesus, 336 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:44,480 that we might be saved, 337 00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:47,400 that we might be reconciled to God. 338 00:17:49,280 --> 00:17:52,040 But that doesn't mean that there isn't an ongoing fight 339 00:17:52,040 --> 00:17:54,480 for joy in your life. 340 00:17:56,120 --> 00:17:57,160 There is, right? 341 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:00,320 One of the other things that I found fascinating 342 00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:03,080 is the connection with the root, 343 00:18:03,080 --> 00:18:07,080 the derivative of joy, the root word for, 344 00:18:07,080 --> 00:18:09,880 is also found in grace, the word grace. 345 00:18:09,880 --> 00:18:12,240 It's also found in forgiveness. 346 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:14,800 I think sometimes we can think of grace or forgiveness 347 00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:19,080 as something begrudgingly dispensed on our behalf. 348 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:22,200 Fine, I guess you need it, I'll give it to you. 349 00:18:23,680 --> 00:18:24,920 At its root is joy. 350 00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:29,520 It was the joy set before Jesus that he could show grace. 351 00:18:29,520 --> 00:18:33,040 It was the joy set before Jesus that he could forgive sins, 352 00:18:33,040 --> 00:18:36,200 and that he could forgive the sins committed against him. 353 00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:38,240 This is his joy. 354 00:18:41,880 --> 00:18:44,080 Paul said to fight the good fight of faith 355 00:18:44,080 --> 00:18:45,320 and to run with endurance, 356 00:18:45,320 --> 00:18:48,480 and that includes for you and I the fight for joy. 357 00:18:49,960 --> 00:18:51,920 The fight for joy. 358 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:54,040 It's not an easy fight, 359 00:18:54,040 --> 00:18:55,720 but that leads us to the second point, 360 00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:57,640 and that is that the life of prayer 361 00:18:57,640 --> 00:19:01,200 is an essential weapon in our fight for joy. 362 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:03,920 Always, always pray constantly 363 00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:07,280 and give thanks in everything. 364 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:13,640 In our fight for joy, we must pray constantly. 365 00:19:15,120 --> 00:19:17,440 I cannot stress that enough, it's in the Bible. 366 00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:20,280 I don't need to stress it enough, read the Bible, it's there. 367 00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:24,920 In our fight for joy, we must pray constantly. 368 00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:29,920 But that cannot mean that we spend day and night, 369 00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:31,920 night and day on our knees in a dark closet 370 00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:33,680 moving our lips, can it? 371 00:19:34,880 --> 00:19:37,800 Because there are so many other commands and duties 372 00:19:37,800 --> 00:19:41,000 that would be neglected if we were to do that. 373 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:44,600 And so the command to pray constantly cannot mean that. 374 00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:49,680 And I think it's Paul, when he gives this instruction, 375 00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:53,640 he has a much more robust command to pray constantly. 376 00:19:53,640 --> 00:19:57,960 He has a much more robust understanding of what prayer is, 377 00:19:57,960 --> 00:20:01,520 and what we might term the spirit of prayer. 378 00:20:02,760 --> 00:20:04,640 The spirit of prayer. 379 00:20:04,640 --> 00:20:06,320 What is the spirit of prayer? 380 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:10,000 I think it is at least these three things. 381 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:15,000 It is number one, conscious of his presence. 382 00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:19,160 The spirit of prayer is conscious of his presence. 383 00:20:19,160 --> 00:20:24,160 It is a daily, hourly, minute by minute awareness of God. 384 00:20:24,360 --> 00:20:26,360 It does not forget God. 385 00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:29,960 As we are so inclined to do, 386 00:20:29,960 --> 00:20:32,160 the spirit of prayer does not forget God. 387 00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:34,880 It does not relegate God to a sacred space 388 00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:37,160 like a church sanctuary and say, 389 00:20:37,160 --> 00:20:41,520 I will meet him there when I want to, if I want to. 390 00:20:41,520 --> 00:20:44,440 But it has an awareness minute by minute of him 391 00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:48,520 throughout all of our life, not relegating him, 392 00:20:48,520 --> 00:20:51,440 but all parts of life, 393 00:20:51,440 --> 00:20:54,560 inviting him in and recognizing his presence. 394 00:20:56,320 --> 00:20:58,160 The conscious of his presence, 395 00:20:58,160 --> 00:21:00,400 the spirit of prayer that is conscious of his presence 396 00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:04,000 begins with our Father in heaven. 397 00:21:05,160 --> 00:21:08,880 Our Father in heaven, we recognize you. 398 00:21:08,880 --> 00:21:10,920 It's not just a knowledge of God, 399 00:21:10,920 --> 00:21:14,360 but a consciousness of his abounding and abiding presence. 400 00:21:14,360 --> 00:21:17,680 He is near, not far. 401 00:21:17,680 --> 00:21:20,160 The spirit of prayer is one of intimate connection 402 00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:23,920 with the Father, through the Son, and by the Holy Spirit. 403 00:21:25,040 --> 00:21:29,080 Brother Lawrence, who wrote a book, very popular book, 404 00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:34,080 on practicing the presence of God was the name of the book, 405 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:36,440 practicing the presence of God. 406 00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:38,120 And in that book, he wrote, 407 00:21:38,120 --> 00:21:41,960 the most holy and necessary practice in our spiritual life 408 00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:43,520 is the presence of God. 409 00:21:43,520 --> 00:21:48,520 That means finding constant pleasure in his divine company, 410 00:21:48,520 --> 00:21:53,520 speaking humbly and lovingly with him in all seasons, 411 00:21:53,520 --> 00:21:57,320 at every moment, without limiting the conversation 412 00:21:57,320 --> 00:21:58,640 in any way. 413 00:22:00,120 --> 00:22:02,280 Again, the most holy and necessary practice 414 00:22:02,280 --> 00:22:04,880 in our spiritual life is the presence of God, 415 00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:07,600 finding constant pleasure in his divine company, 416 00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:11,080 speaking humbly and lovingly with him in all seasons, 417 00:22:11,080 --> 00:22:14,400 at every moment, without limiting the conversation 418 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:16,240 in any way. 419 00:22:18,560 --> 00:22:22,840 Number two, three things, at least three things 420 00:22:22,840 --> 00:22:25,680 that the spirit of prayer is, 421 00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:28,160 is dependent on his provision. 422 00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:32,520 It's conscious of his presence 423 00:22:32,520 --> 00:22:34,320 and it's dependent on his provision. 424 00:22:34,320 --> 00:22:36,920 Give us this day our daily life, 425 00:22:36,920 --> 00:22:38,880 and we will be able to live it. 426 00:22:38,880 --> 00:22:42,320 Give us this day our daily bread. 427 00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:44,960 And this includes, but extends so much further 428 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:46,680 than food and drink. 429 00:22:48,640 --> 00:22:51,920 Where will my provision of strength come from today? 430 00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:56,440 Where will my mental fortitude come from today? 431 00:22:57,480 --> 00:23:01,880 Where will my clothing, my shelter, my joy, forgiveness, 432 00:23:01,880 --> 00:23:03,800 and hope come from today? 433 00:23:05,440 --> 00:23:08,360 I am completely and totally dependent. 434 00:23:08,360 --> 00:23:10,800 I will live in such a way that in order for me 435 00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:14,080 to have any one of these things, God must provide. 436 00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:17,080 Do I go to work? 437 00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:21,640 Yes, if I'm able, but only with the strength 438 00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:23,040 that he provides. 439 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:27,760 Do I derive hope for the future from my wealth 440 00:23:27,760 --> 00:23:29,120 or my financial wisdom? 441 00:23:29,120 --> 00:23:33,080 No, only from the knowledge that God closed the lilies 442 00:23:33,080 --> 00:23:36,760 of the field and he feeds the bird of the air, 443 00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:38,920 and I am his child and he will therefore provide 444 00:23:38,920 --> 00:23:41,520 whatever he knows I need. 445 00:23:43,320 --> 00:23:46,480 The spirit of prayer is conscious of his presence 446 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:49,520 and it is dependent on his provision. 447 00:23:49,520 --> 00:23:53,320 And finally, it is aligning with his purpose. 448 00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:58,120 Thy kingdom come, thy will be done 449 00:23:59,680 --> 00:24:01,800 as Jesus taught us to pray. 450 00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:05,120 The spirit of prayer is filled with a curiosity 451 00:24:05,120 --> 00:24:08,080 of discovering God's purpose in everything. 452 00:24:09,880 --> 00:24:12,960 It is not preoccupied with simply informing God 453 00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:15,080 what it wants out of the relationship. 454 00:24:16,720 --> 00:24:19,680 Anyone relate to that prayer life? 455 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:23,680 God, here's what I want, here's what I need. 456 00:24:23,680 --> 00:24:26,400 The spirit of prayer is not preoccupied with that, 457 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:28,880 just simply informing God, here's what I need, 458 00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:31,240 here's what I want, but is always asking, 459 00:24:31,240 --> 00:24:33,040 what are you doing right now? 460 00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:38,040 Or can I see, can I help if you have young kids? 461 00:24:38,120 --> 00:24:39,400 You know that. 462 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:41,040 Can I see what you're doing? 463 00:24:41,040 --> 00:24:44,960 Can I know what's going, can I help? 464 00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:46,640 Can I do something? 465 00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:49,080 Is there anything I'm big enough to do? 466 00:24:52,120 --> 00:24:55,080 Curiosity of discovering God's purpose in everything. 467 00:24:56,520 --> 00:24:59,520 The spirit of prayer is offering up our desires to God 468 00:24:59,520 --> 00:25:01,840 in exchange for things that are agreeable 469 00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:03,160 to his will. 470 00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:08,160 It includes the honesty of admitting what we want, 471 00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:12,440 but it extends the open-ended offer that God should do 472 00:25:12,440 --> 00:25:15,000 only what is fitting for him to do 473 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:20,000 according to his infinite power, knowledge, and goodness. 474 00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:22,040 This is the spirit of prayer. 475 00:25:22,840 --> 00:25:25,920 You can see now how prayer is a weapon in our fight for joy 476 00:25:25,920 --> 00:25:27,840 because if God is our ultimate joy, 477 00:25:27,840 --> 00:25:30,640 prayer is the utmost God-centered activity 478 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:34,640 we can engage in, and it's not, I need quiet time, 479 00:25:34,640 --> 00:25:37,480 I need a room somewhere, I need some place 480 00:25:37,480 --> 00:25:42,480 to get alone with God, constantly pray, constantly. 481 00:25:44,320 --> 00:25:49,320 Pray with a conscious awareness of his presence. 482 00:25:49,480 --> 00:25:53,160 Pray dependent fully on his provision. 483 00:25:53,160 --> 00:25:57,480 Pray aligning your will with his will, 484 00:25:57,480 --> 00:26:01,480 that his will would be done always. 485 00:26:03,080 --> 00:26:07,840 We treasure his presence, we treasure his provision, 486 00:26:07,840 --> 00:26:10,360 we treasure his purpose. 487 00:26:11,800 --> 00:26:15,400 We are told to rejoice always and pray constantly. 488 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:19,920 Give thanks in everything, for this is God's will for you 489 00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:21,680 in Christ Jesus. 490 00:26:23,480 --> 00:26:25,240 As we have looked over the last few weeks 491 00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:27,840 at the wisdom of a grateful heart, we come full circle. 492 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:33,080 Our gratitude in thanksgiving is rooted in who God is, 493 00:26:34,160 --> 00:26:38,600 who he is and what he does, creator and sustainer. 494 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:41,840 I asked the question at the beginning, 495 00:26:41,840 --> 00:26:44,600 what have we that we did not first receive? 496 00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:48,720 Hopefully you've entertained or contemplated that, 497 00:26:48,720 --> 00:26:51,120 and you've come to the same conclusion I have. 498 00:26:52,920 --> 00:26:53,760 We have nothing. 499 00:26:53,760 --> 00:26:57,080 We have nothing that we did not first receive. 500 00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:04,720 A simpler way to put it is God gives, we receive. 501 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:07,160 God gives, we receive. 502 00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:13,240 Universal, everything, God gives, we receive. 503 00:27:14,640 --> 00:27:19,400 Our joy is knowing him, our joy is loving who he is, 504 00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:22,120 and our joy is loving what he does. 505 00:27:22,120 --> 00:27:24,360 Our joy is in the salvation that he has won 506 00:27:24,360 --> 00:27:26,160 for each one of us. 507 00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:28,960 Our joy is ultimately in the experience of God 508 00:27:28,960 --> 00:27:32,160 receiving all glory for all things for all time. 509 00:27:33,160 --> 00:27:36,840 There is no higher calling, my friends. 510 00:27:36,840 --> 00:27:38,640 There is no higher calling. 511 00:27:38,640 --> 00:27:41,160 There is nothing in all the world on which you should spend 512 00:27:41,160 --> 00:27:44,040 the rest of your life and your energy 513 00:27:44,040 --> 00:27:48,400 except finding your ultimate joy and satisfaction in God. 514 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:49,240 Nothing. 515 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:51,080 Nothing. 516 00:27:51,080 --> 00:27:54,200 You may think that a higher calling is some noble profession 517 00:27:54,200 --> 00:27:55,840 that goes and helps people. 518 00:27:56,920 --> 00:27:59,160 You may think a higher calling is your kids 519 00:27:59,160 --> 00:28:01,640 or your grandkids or your great grandkids. 520 00:28:01,640 --> 00:28:04,520 You may think a higher calling is getting a lot of money 521 00:28:04,520 --> 00:28:05,960 so you can be a blessing to people. 522 00:28:05,960 --> 00:28:09,400 There is nothing higher, no higher calling, 523 00:28:09,400 --> 00:28:12,120 than you finding your joy and your satisfaction 524 00:28:12,120 --> 00:28:13,880 solely and only in God. 525 00:28:14,960 --> 00:28:16,200 No higher calling. 526 00:28:16,200 --> 00:28:19,200 Why? Because you were not made for those things. 527 00:28:19,880 --> 00:28:21,880 You were not made for those things. 528 00:28:23,320 --> 00:28:25,800 They may be good, but they are not ultimate. 529 00:28:27,320 --> 00:28:28,720 You were made for God. 530 00:28:29,800 --> 00:28:33,480 And a life lived for his glory is never wasted. 531 00:28:34,840 --> 00:28:38,040 Whether in sickness or health, 532 00:28:39,080 --> 00:28:42,040 wealth or poverty, 533 00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:44,840 a life lived for God. 534 00:28:44,840 --> 00:28:49,840 A life lived for his glory is never wasted. 535 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:56,040 Fight the fight for joy. 536 00:28:58,120 --> 00:29:00,680 Fight the fight for joy. 537 00:29:00,680 --> 00:29:02,960 Would the worship team come and prepare to lead us 538 00:29:02,960 --> 00:29:14,960 in our final song?