Are You a Serious Christian?
Ps 32
1 Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 2 Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.
3 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD" — and you forgave the guilt of my sin.
6 Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him. 7 You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. 9 Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you. 10 Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD’s unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him.
11 Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!
NIV
How many of us would consider ourselves to be a “serious Christian”? Most of us would admit to being a serious Christian. Could it be that maybe we are too serious? Some folks are so serious that you never see any joy in them.
David wrote: “Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing all you who are upright in heart!”
What a wonderful encouragement to us – Rejoice! Be glad! Sing!
The source of David’s happiness is quickly found in verse 10 – “…the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts him.” Why shouldn’t David be happy? Why shouldn’t we? The second fruit of the spirit mentioned in Galatians ch. 5 is joy! Are you bearing fruit of joy?
When we encounter that lost and bewildered soul in need of such unfailing love are we a testimony of it? Or, do we look as though we swam a mile through pickle juice?
As I visit with people, more and more I find them to be unhappy people. Why is that? I went to visit one of our folks this past week. I won’t mention who. When I got there the car was in the driveway so I pulled up behind it and went to the front door. I rang the door bell and no one came to the door. I could hear the TV on, so I opened the screen door and knocked thinking that perhaps the doorbell was out. Still no answer. Finally, I gave up. I took out my business card and on the back of it wrote: Rev. 3:20 – Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with me.”
This morning I found this card in my mail slot here at church – Genesis 3:10 – I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.”
If God’s people don’t have a right to be happy no one does!
How can we turn from being a too serious Christian to a rejoicing one?
1. Understand that God loves you. John 3:16
a. Too many of us live our lives afraid of the righteous God that judges the heart of man and we forget about the loving Savior that paid our sin debt on the cross that we might be justified in God’s sight – Rom. 3:24.
2. See God’s continuous revelation in everything around you.
a. We often say we seek God when in reality He is all around us and ever present. God reveals Himself to us in a myriad of ways – in the unconditional love of a child, in the brilliant sunrise of fresh spring morning, in the hands grasped together for grace at the dinner table, in the whispers of dying as they realize the heaven that awaits them beyond the grave. “Everything proclaims Him to you, everything reveals Him to you, everything brings Him to you.”
b. Frank Laubach wrote in his book, “Practicing His Presence”: “Humble folks often believe that walking with God is above their heads, or that they may ‘lose a good time’ if they share all their joys with Christ. What a tragic misunderstanding to regard Him as a killer of happiness! A chorus of joyous voices round the world fairly sing that spending their hours with the Lord is the most thrilling joy ever known, and that beside it a ball game or a horse race is stupid. Spending time with the Lord is not a grim duty. And if you forget Him for minutes or even days, do not groan or repent, but begin anew with a smile. Every moment can be a fresh beginning.”
3. Seek an intimate relationship with Christ – tell the story of Mary and Martha from Luke ch. 10. Mary chose the “one thing” that was better – an intimate relationship with Christ.
a. analogy of how happy a home is when husband and wife have an intimate relationship verses an estranged one.
b. An intimate relationship takes more than an hour a week
c. An intimate relationship is honest
4. Learn to share your joy with others – Hebrews 3:13 – “Encourage one another daily…”
a. It is so easy to be critical about everything isn’t it? Weather, price of gas, politics, spouses, church and even the preacher. What if we practiced only saying good things? Sounds so Pollyanna doesn’t it?
5. Love one another – John 15:9-17
9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
NIV
Concluding challenge – Demonstrate joy to someone today!
Phil 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
NIV
