THE JOY OF THE LORD

Isaiah 35:1-10
Matthew 11:2-6



Make the world go away.  And get it off my shoulders.
          "Make the World Go Away" by Hank Cochran

Know matter how much we would like God to make all our problems and pains go way, God doesn't do that.  What God does do, is, well, that's where joy comes in.

Note, this message may be contain language that some may consider questionable.



Life sucks and then you die.  Be honest, we all feel that way at some time in our lives.  Even pastors do.  Like you, I know what it is to feel discouraged, to have doubts, to feel weary and burdened by problems and pain.  To say to God, "make the world go away."

John the Baptist's life had taken a decided turn for the worse.  Imprisoned by King Herod, destined, for execution, he despaired that his life and his ministry had been for nothing.  Had he been wrong about Jesus?  Had he bet his life on the wrong man?  He had heard stories, but he had to be sure that Jesus was the one whom the prophet Isaiah spoke of.

Through Isaiah, God made a promise to the world, to every human being and to every generation.  God was going to make things right.  God is coming to save us.  New life will bloom in arid lives.  Strength for the weak; support for the uncertain, peace and calm for those who fear and are anxious; healing and wholeness; abundance where once there was scarcity.  God isn't going to hold anything back.

He will prepare the way, guiding us so none of us will get lost.  His strength will protect us even though predators are on the prowl.

John sent his own disciples to ask, “Are you the One we’ve been expecting, or are we still waiting?”

Jesus told them, “Go back and tell John what’s going on:

The blind see,

The lame walk,
Lepers are cleansed,
The deaf hear,
The dead are raised,
The wretched of the earth learn that God is on their side.

“Is this what you were expecting? Then count yourselves most blessed!”  (Matthew 11:2-6, The Message) 

The promised Savior had come to make things right.

Even now, Christ is coming into our lives, pitching his tent right in the middle of the messes, the stress and the suffering of human life.  He comes to work for good in our lives and to save us from hopelessness, fear and anxiety and uncertainty.  He doesn't make the world go away, but he does make things right, bringing the healing and wholeness we need, sometimes in the most unexpected ways.  

The assurance and comfort that knowing that even when we don't feel it or see it right away that God is on our side results in joy.

Nehemiah 8:10 says, "The joy of the Lord is my strength."

Joy is not like happiness, that is here one moment and gone the next.  The joy of the Lord is abiding.  It our faithful response to the promise of God's love through Christ that strengthens and sustains us, even when life sucks.  Big time.

It helps us make it through one more day, take one more step and not be lost to despair.

Joy is how our spirit reassures us that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and knowing it is not a train.

The joy of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ is a gift of God's unconditional, always-there-for-us love.  It cannot be taken away from us, but we can give it away.

We choose our attitudes and how we react to life and it's problems.  We can choose to be overwhelmed and dragged down, or we can choose joy.

Max Lucado writes, "I choose joy.  I will refuse to see any problem as anything than an opportunity to see God."

Yes.  Life does suck, and then there's Jesus.  Let us rejoice.