"REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS"
“Rejoice in the Lord Always”
Sunday Evening Service
April 6, 2014, the Year of Our Lord
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
On Thursday, Sandra Farley and I were rolling southwest on Highway 71 toward Austin to attend The Pastor’s briefing of the Texas Renewal Conference. The blue-bonnets, Indian paint brush, yellow green threads, and pink buttercups were in full bloom on the lush green countryside of gentle rolling hills. With joy we were praising the Lord that at the peak time of full bloom we were blessed to witness this annual display of Texas glory.
“Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say, Rejoice.”
To the Christian, who is living near to the throne of grace, there are sources of joy unknown to all others. We have learned to rejoice in tribulation, and be glad in the Lord, although pain, suffering and distress fall to our lot.
This morning we were blessed with the joyful ministry of Darren Canning. He was a well spring of joy. He was tired after long hours of travel and ministry, but physical weariness did not affect his joy or his ability to impart that joy to us.
He spoke to me when ministering to me that, “I was sad”. Then again at lunch, he told me I was still sad.
I had to process whether I felt sad because I have learned to count all things as joy. I had not considered that I was sad, but after my deepest feelings were revealed by the prophet, ‘Yes I am sad over the loss of Little White Church and my inability to procure a permanent “home” for our wonderful congregation who make up Eastgate Ministires Church’. I know it is the Lord’s church and his responsibility. However, we are all processing our grief over losing a place where the Lord revealed himself so gloriously for so many years. We have experienced the love of God and loving each other in wonderful fellowship under an open heaven. We continue to have that same “koinonia” going forward with our meetings at the Country Club---but it is not our own place.
I am missing my children and long to see them. I was saddened recently by an attack on some of our leadership in the church. It is okay to attack me and say anything you like against me, “but don’t attack the leaders, members of this church or my children”. (Smile)
As Christians we are not insensible to trial and affliction, nor do we steel ourselves to stoic endurance. Even strong Christians are not unmoved by the wreck of all hopes, when we experience loss of anything or anyone that is dear to us. My personal way of dealing with grief is to stay so busy going forward I don’t have time to think about what I left behind.
The Christian affections are warm and tender---our sympathies deeper and stronger. We feel and feel intensely---the disappointment and the robbing of earthly joys. But we know where we can go for comfort, peace, satisfaction and hope. We know the One who has promised to give “the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness,” and we remember the words of Jesus, “Ask and you shall receive, that your joy may be full.”
The One great source of the Christian’s joy is Christ. This, in a manner, swallows all the rest, or rather, is the source of all the rest. The Christian rejoices because we are one with our Lord. We know that his joy is our joy and our sorrow is his sorrow. Jesus is our friend who sticks closer than a brother. Rejoice in the Lord, and again it is written, “We rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh”; Peter refers to the surpassing joy “In whom believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory”.
David said, “Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness;”
Isaiah declares, “You shall rejoice in the Lord, and glory in the holy one of Israel.”
The Prophet Joel says, “Be glad, then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God.”
Under the heavy pressure of affliction, Habakkuk declares he “will rejoice in the Lord, he will joy in the God of his salvation.”
Christ is the only source of the believer’s joy: ---God incarnate; ---God the Son, in our nature coming down to our low estate, to testify His love and compassion to us. Oh! There are no words which can inspire the heart with fuller joy than---“He, who was rich for my sake, became poor.” He who was rich; rich in the love of the everlasting Father,---rich in the adoration of the heavenly hosts,---rich in the glories of His own divinity,---rich in the rolling worlds He created by a word;--yet “became poor,”---so poor, that He had no place to lay His head, ---so poor, that when He asked for water they gave him vinegar to drink, ---so poor, that His un-pillowed head was girt with thorns in death; ---and all “for my sake,” ---wounded for my transgressions, bruised for my iniquities, bearing my sins in His own body on the tree;” sorrowing under them, enduring all their punishment, and blotting them out for ever.
This is the source of our joy---which Jesus lived, suffered and died for us. He paid “all that great debt” and washed away all guilt in His own most precious blood.
It is also a source of joy that the crucified is now the glorified. Jesus rose triumphant from the grave, and ascended into glory. He is seated at God’s right hand, to wield the scepter of the universe, and to appear as the High Priest and Intercessor of His people.
This is a well-spring of eternal joy. That glorious triumph gives us courage in the midst of a hard battle and imparts sweetness to a cup of bitterness. Jesus seated on the throne of Heaven, triumphant, the changeless Friend, the sympathizing Brother, the undying, ever-living Head, who has promised to His people, all-sufficient grace now, and eternal glory forever.
I have a brother, a father and a husband in heaven. However, as I live my life for Christ on earth. I have Christ as my brother, my Father and my husband on earth.
Christian we rejoice that Christ not only appears before the presence of God for us; but is ever present with His Church and people on earth.
“I am with you always, even unto the end. I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you”. He is watching over, and gathering to Himself a chosen people---chosen of God---the gift of the Father---the purchase of His blood. He is supplying all their wants, bestowing all needful blessings, and preparing them for the enjoyment of His heavenly kingdom.
How can one be sad in such joys as these? We bear witness that through all our trials and troubles the faithfulness of Jesus’ love has been the very joy of our hearts. Each person who lives on earth will have many crosses and losses. I stand at the head of the line to declare that He has never deserted me.
If others prove faithless, Christ will always be faithful. We can never say to Him, “Lord, you have promised what you did not perform.”
Could we dare make our appeal to the ransomed multitude before the throne, and inquire, “Ye glorified spirits, did Christ forsake you? You have passed through the foaming billows of Jordan, did He leave you there? You have gone through the gloomy valley, was there no voice of love to cheer you then? You have appeared at the bar of heaven, did the Faithful One desert you?
With one voice would the answer be given, “No!
“Jesus is a friend that sticks closer than a brother”.
Christ has communicated to us ten thousand sources of joy---all of them connected with His Cross and with His love. None but a Christian can say, “I will go unto God my exceeding joy---the Lord Jehovah is my strength and song.” We can sing, “I will be glad, and rejoice in Thee;” A covenant has been sealed and ratified through the blood of the Cross; and the attributes of God have become our shield, our strong-hold and our triumph. “I will go unto God, my exceeding joy.” His resistless power, His infinite wisdom, His unchanging fidelity to His word, ---all these are sources of triumph to every one who, having believed in Christ, has become a child of God.
We further joy in the filling and empowerment of the Holy Spirit. To know and realize that the sweet Holy Spirit is ever near, as a comforter, sanctifier and guide; that He is a strength in weakness, a light in darkness, and a stay in adversity. The Holy Spirit continues to purify, enlighten and sanctify the soul until it is prepared as a dwelling place for the glory of God. That having begun the good work, He will not desist until he has completed it. This is to every child of God a source of unmingled joy. The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.
As we approach the Cross this Passover season, let us rejoice in all the blessings which flow from the Cross and let all sadness be blown away as our hearts are filled with joy.
It is a joyful hour, when the load of guilt is removed from the conscience, when we are enabled by faith to receive the simple tidings of a full and free salvation---when we know Jesus personally and intimately as friend, brother, husband, Savior, healer, and deliverer.
When the jailer at Philippi, who was trembling in the prospect of destruction, received the blessed tiding and embraced the exhortation---“Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved;---It is written “He rejoiced, believing in God with all his house”.
So it is with every pardoned sinner who has been arrested by sovereign grace; “I cried unto the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. He has put a new song in my mouth, and even praise unto our God.”
As we come to the throne of Grace this Passover season, we can rejoice in hope of the glory of God. We can feel assured that all our wants shall be supplied from the fountain that is inexhaustible, and that “no good thing” will be withheld from us.
There is joy in faith, in hope, in love, in communion with the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, with the faithful in heaven and earth, with the holy ones who have laid aside their armor, and with those who are still upon the battle-field.
No power in the universe can rob us of this great joy. “Your joy no man takes from you.” What the power, or love, or presence of man can create,---the power, or hatred, of man can destroy. But the joy of the believer has a different origin, and as no man bestowed it, so no man can take it away. It has God for its author;---the living Rock of Ages for its ever-flowing fountain;---the Holy Spirit for the golden channel, which conveys it into the heart. Thus, coming from the fountain of joy, it is of immortal origin,---and, is far above the reach of mortal enemies.
All the sorrows of earth, -- all the temptations of hell, are vain against this joy unspeakable and full of glory.
Sadness and sorrow must flee away in the light of this great grace of joy.
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries, Inc.
Scripture from K.J.V.
–I entered into the labors The Throne of Grace by: John Ross MacDuff. Comments and conclusions are my own and not
meant to reflect the views of Rev. MacDuff – (1818-1895)