Jesus Had A Sense Of Humor Series

A funny thing happened to Jesus on the way to heaven. He

met people, and as we all know, people are funny. Jesus was a

real person as well, and he had a great sense of humor. I am

so sure of this that I wrote a poem about it.

Jesus had a sense of humor,

Of this truth there is no doubt.

It is based on more than rumor,

If we search we'll find it out.

His was a real human spirit,

And we know that this is true.

He was human, not just near it.

He could laugh like me and you.

He's the One who gave us laughter

And made funny things galore.

And we know in the hereafter

We will laugh for ever more.

Jesus is the Lord of laughter

And for ever He will be.

He of humor is the Master,

He'll be that eternally.

Many doubt the truth of what I am saying, for they have

heard it said that it is recorded that Jesus wept, but never

recorded that he laughed. This is the argument from silence,

which is a foolish way to come to any conclusion about Jesus,

or anyone else for that matter. It is also not recorded that he

ever smiled, or that any of the Apostles ever smiled or

laughed. And so the logical conclusion is that Jesus and all of

His followers were living in direct violation of all that the

Bible reveals about laughter, good cheer, and rejoicing.

Neither is there a record of his ever washing his hair, and so

are we to assume he was not a clean person? There is no

record of him ever hugging and kissing his mother. Was he

really so cold and thoughtless as that? Folly! And we could

go on and on with all that is not said and come to foolish

conclusions.

Even the pessimistic author of Ecclesiastes said there is a

time to laugh in 3:4, and Jesus had many opportunities to

laugh as he dealt daily with people who were experiencing

miracles that restored loved ones to them in health, and some

even from the dead. Every night He would sit around the

camp fire with 12 men, and who can imagine such a picture

without joking and laughter. Jesus and His disciples would

have to be total freaks of nature and not ideal men to never

fill the night air with laughter after a day of the marvelous

teaching and miracles of Jesus. It was definitely a time to

laugh. Tal Bonham wrote the book, Humor: God's Gift. It is one of

the best you can read, and in it he writes, "Have you ever

thought of Jesus as throwing back His head and engaging in

a good, hearty laugh? Can you imagine Jesus telling a joke?

Or a ripple of laughter in the crowd while He spoke? And

can you hear Him saying 'That reminds me of a funny thing

that happened in Nazareth when I was a boy'?"

"I contend that, from the beginning of His life to the end of

His life on earth, Jesus was surrounded by and caused joy,

happiness, merriment, gladness, rejoicing, delight, and

laughter." Luke 10:21 and 19:37.

In our text we are using for a starting point we read, "At

that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I

praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you

have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and

revealed then to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your

good pleasure." All three members of the Godhead are here

associated with joy and pleasure. It is because God is the

creator of joy and pleasure, and Jesus exhibited joy on its

highest level, and this would be impossible had he never had

the joy and pleasure of laughter. Deny him this and you do

not have the ideal man and the perfect specimen of manhood,

but a being unlike the best of men that we know of in history.

One of the best quotes in Bonham's book is that by Country

Humorous Minnie Pearl. She had this to say about the

solemn images of Jesus in religious paintings: "I don't agree

with the image many Christians have of Christ as the sad,

tragic man depicted in most religious paintings. You can't

tell me He didn't laugh, or that He wasn't happy. I think He

had a great sense of humor. If He had walked along the Sea

of Galilee with a look of doom on His face I don't believe for

a minute all those people would have followed Him. I think

they found such joy in His presence they were willing to leave

everything behind to go with Him. I am certain He knew the