Introduction
Jesus has risen – that’s what we celebrated last Sunday. We also celebrated the fact that the resurrection of Jesus is our resurrection too! Seven days on, are we still excited that Jesus is risen? How can we tell … if we are still excited by this most life-changing news??
So, today, I am talking about maintaining post-resurrection joy. There should be visible and tangible joy around our faith, as we experience Jesus’ ongoing presence through the Holy Spirit. This is vital, because this is what will sustain us; and also, importantly, embracing resurrection joy … will aid our witness to a greater hope … than what can normally be experienced in the world.
Human Inclination (From Richard Rohr in The Universal Christ)
Studies of the brain have shown that we humans may be hardwired to focus on problems … at the expense of a positive vision. The human brain wraps around fear and problems like ‘Velcro’. We dwell on bad experiences long after the fact, and spend vast amounts of energy anticipating what might go wrong in the future. [I am an optimist, but I can still fall for this type of thinking.] Positivity and gratitude can simply slide away (under the weight of such negativity). We can simply have a toxic attraction to the negative. We need to find ways to counteract this. So let’s talk more about the resurrection.
Resurrection Power
The resurrection of Jesus turns potential defeat into tangible victory. The resurrection of Jesus turns old failure into new possibilities. The resurrection of Jesus should defeat fear. The resurrection of Jesus means, that when persecution comes to us, maybe because of our faith, this is NOT a threat, but rather a compliment. History shows us … that the true message of Jesus is best heard, NOT when it comes from the compromised centre, but rather from the humble margins.
When Jesus lived on earth, Jewish people were under the oppression of Rome … and their spiritual life was under the stringent rules and regulations of self-protective power. Being undistracted and undeterred by this, Jesus stayed ‘on message’ – reflecting and sharing the love of God to everyone he encountered. If we have risen again with Jesus, and he has given us his Spirit, then we should act as Jesus acted, and live as Jesus lived.
To stay ‘on message’ is to love our neighbour. The resurrection of Jesus means that we can positively and enthusiastically embrace all the opportunities that God opens up for us – especially in relation to redeeming and blessing the community around us. WE should NOT harbour any thoughts of defeat or retreat … when Jesus has won such a great victory!
We should NOT be defensive when things don’t go our way, but rather continue to love and support others in practical ways. Again, this is seen through the cross – where the most hideous form of torture, was turned, by God, into the most beautiful vehicle of grace, mercy and forgiveness. And then, the resurrection of Jesus, allows this forgiveness and newly gained freedom to become a whole new basis for our life!
This doesn’t mean life gets any less challenging, it just means we have everything that we need to make it! For any who are struggling, in any particular way, we can be reminded every day, that when the stone was rolled away from the tomb in which Jesus' body had been laid, light flooded into the deepest darkness … to reveal that Jesus Christ no longer lay among the dead, but rather … that he had risen!
An Ancient Psalm (with an ancient prophet)
Embracing joy in our lives was well expressed in Psalm 30. I asked earlier how post-resurrection joy could be evidenced in our lives. One of the answers is revealed in this psalm – praise! Praising God both sustains us and speaks to others. We can praise God because of everything good around us (especially creation). We can praise God because of the great acts of mercy and salvation of Easter. But we can also praise God because of those intimate interventions in each of our lives.
Such as this is expressed by the psalmist David in verse 1 – “I will extol you O Lord, for you have drawn me up”. When God ripped open the heavens, and Jesus came to earth; and when the curtain of the temple was being torn in two from top to bottom – we were being drawn into God’s company … company from which … there is NO reason we should depart. To be “drawn up” is akin to being ‘raised up’ … in terms of a resurrection. Verse 3 actually reads like a resurrection – from being at a very low point … the lowest of the lows … feeling like you are dead and buried – then being ‘raised up’ into a great new opportunity of life.
The resurrection of Jesus, for those of us who are following Jesus as Saviour and Lord, means that we are in a growing vital relationship with God. In God’s company we are also safe from those who want to hurt or discourage or overwhelm us. Although we can still suffer from such attacks, ultimately God will vindicate His children … sustaining them deep in their spirit … healing their brokenness … and saving their soul. We are then … being “drawn up” more and more each day – closer to God, closer to our potential, closer to the person we were born to be. Now … that is a joyful thing!!
So, if we are really embracing that resurrection joy, we will be freely praising God in as many forums as we can find – regular public worship, home bible-study groups, family devotions, and reflective private times. The true praise of God … also finds expression in serving others in the neighbourhood (as an expression of gratitude for what we have).
David, the psalmist, says, “Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones” (v 4a). And singing is certainly a brilliant way to be praising God! There is a sense here of a spontaneous natural response of public praise! And, the psalmist here is wanting others to join in the chorus of praise. Whereas isolated joy will soon fade, singing praise together builds joy in one another. If we, who have experienced God’s love (in redemptive ways) don’t sing praises to God, then who will?!
We are fallible people … who make mistakes – our sins do annoy God. The hurt we cause is definitely problematical. Yet, for the sincerely sorry, and those truly seeking to change, mercy and forgiveness remain close at hand – in this way we read, “For [God’s] anger is but for a moment, His favour is for a lifetime (v 5a). God’s anger, or wrath, is actually NOT about God being against us, far from it – God is always for us!
God’s anger is activated because God loves us so much (and wants to be present with us), yet sometimes our self-obsession or bad judgment get in the way. God’s wrath is actually a gift of grace to facilitate our repentance. God is wholly on our side. Jesus will be with us always (Matt 28:20). So, just like the psalmist David notes, as we truly regret and confess our transgressions of the day … say, at the end of the day … as night comes – our joy can return each morning (v 5b) … for we are free again! Such a release from our burdens should bring a definite sense of joy!
The real test of course comes in significant times of trouble. Can we maintain our attitude of praise then? Will we express our faith in a similar way … whether things are going well or otherwise? Can our relationship with God be so assured, so vital, so real, so active – that we can be like the prophet Habakkuk (3:17-18)?
Though the fig tree does not blossom, and no fruit is on the vines;
Though the produce of the olive fails, and the fields yield no food;
Though the flock is cut off from the fold, and there is no herd in the stalls;
Yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will exult in the God of my salvation.
Here we have the epitome of agricultural disaster and farming tragedy … a real nightmare scenario – yet … a determination to praise God nonetheless. This is based purely on a/our relationship with God through Jesus. And within this determination to praise, and in the activity of praise itself … comes, I reckon, the wherewithal to survive the calamity – the sort of positive and assured attitude that holds us firmly in our faith. God is on our side (no matter how it looks)!! God will help us cope with all difficulties and opposition. God will give us the strength to walk in difficult places.
Sometimes we go through seasons of deep pain and hardship. But no matter what we’ve lost, or wanted … but never had, we can, like Habakkuk, rejoice in our [ongoing] relationship with a loving God; even when it feels like we have nothing else, [God] will never fail or abandon us (Kirsten Holmberg ODB). Though the healing we receive may be very different to what we wanted or imagined, we can be confident that this is the best way forward for us. After the apostle Paul (in Romans 8:37-39) cites many examples of things that can disrupt our life, he concludes that nothing at all can separate us from God’s love!
There is often a decision to make here. Just like in any relationship, where we have to decide to work at it, or make new sacrifices for the benefit of another – we have to continually make that conscious decision and effort to praise God … even when we don’t feel like it. If we are to beat that ‘toxic attraction to the negative’, we need to deliberately practice gratitude and other positive responses, thus beginning to re-wire our default settings toward trust and hopefulness. We must make a daily (or even hourly) choice to focus on what is good, true and beautiful (Rohr).
Although the apostle Paul was imprisoned and in chains when he wrote his letter to the Philippians, he was still able to write, “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say rejoice” (4:4). This is when we can really experience the dramatic turnaround spoken of in Psalm 30 (vs 11-12). Whatever we mourn for … in our lives, in our families, in the world at large – through our faith and praise … God can move us toward “dancing”. This is true resurrection life!
I often come to worship on Sunday mornings bearing the pressures of past and future weeks, and needing to get up here and try to say something sensible and helpful and Spirit-led. What helps me to be released in praise, which in turn releases my Spirit to respond to God’s Spirit – is letting my body move (some may call it “dancing”) … not just to the rhythm of the music, but also to memories of God’s past faithfulness, and also to hopeful expectations of what God is about to do somewhere in His Kingdom!!
Whereas for some, the “dancing” remains a bubbly feeling on the inside, the crestfallen faces of the past become light-filled and joyful. And voices, that may have once remained silent, pour forth grateful words that point to the worthiness and wonder of our loving Creator God and Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ. Our life was in jeopardy, but we were given it back (in a very different way); and the joy that we can express, can testify to so many … who also need an experience of resurrection.
Conclusion
Frances Hogan writes: An Easter Church is one that has passed through the crucible of suffering, and has gone on to the joy of the victory of Christ, in living the resurrection in its daily pilgrimage.
To make the decision to respond to the love of God to us … through praise … singing God’s praises, and thus expressing joy – will both sustain and grow our faith, while providing the very much needed witness … to the hope that is brought by Jesus. Amen!
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