Scripture: Luke 3:15-22; Psalm 29
Theme: A Well Pleasing Life
Title: “You Bring Me Great Joy”
INTRO:
Grace and peace from God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!
I want to talk to you today about what it means to live a life that is pleasing to God. That is to say, a life that brings great joy to the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY. That is what Jesus heard from His Heavenly Father as He came out of the water –
“And the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in bodily form, like a dove and a voice came from heaven. ‘You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased.” (ESV)
Other translations of this verse have similar words:
“22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form, as a dove, and a voice came from heaven, “Thou art my beloved Son;[a] with thee I am well pleased. (RSV)
22 and the Holy Spirit, in bodily form, descended on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.[a]” (New Living Translation)
Now, I think everyone here this morning would understand that those words were a high compliment from God. I also think that all of us would want to hear those same words said to us by the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY and I believe that we can hear those words this morning.
In our passage this morning I think not only was Jesus living a life that was pleasing to the LORD but John the Baptist was also living such a life.
So, what were they both doing to live such a life that brings God great joy?
Let’s take a few moments and I want to share a couple of things that I believe that they (John and Jesus) were doing that enabled to them to receive such great praise from God. I believe that as we look at this passage it can help us understand what we are able to do to hear these same words from God – “I am well pleased” or “you bring me great joy”.
I. Both Jesus and John were living lives of obedience
We see this first of all in the life of John the Baptist.
Let’s take a moment and reflect on John the Baptist.
+John is the son of a Levite Priest ( His father was Zacharias).
+It would have been taken for granted that John one day would take his father’s place as a priest.
+John would have been trained early in his life to understand intimately both the Mosaic Law and all the ritualistic ways of the Temple. Each year as his family would celebrate the three big festivals (Passover, Pentecost and the Festival of Booths - Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot) I am sure his father and others would already be telling him this is what he would do when it was his time to serve as a priest.
+The Levitical priesthood was an honorable way to live and serve God. It was seen as a wonderful way to bring joy both to the people of Israel and to the LORD GOD AMIGHTY.
However, as we read in the Gospels, John was led by God’s Holy Spirit to live a different life than the normal Levitical priest.
+John’s main ministry did not take place in either the Temple or in the synagogue but out in the wilderness and byways of life among the common people.
+John did not wear the normal priestly attire – linen pants with a linen tunic along with a priestly sash and turban. Instead we read where John wore a coat made from camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist. This was not the normal attire of a priest but was what the ancient prophets wore.
+John did not eat the normal diet of a priest – usually the priests were given part of the sacrifice that had been offered up to God. If it were an animal, the priests were given part of the shoulder and if it was a grain offering they were allowed to have some of the grain and the wine. The Bible tells us that John was instead led to eat a wilderness diet that included both locusts and honey.
+While the priests usually dealt with the prayers of the people and their offering of sacrifices as a way of repentance/pleasing God, we see that John uses the ritual of water baptism and challenges people to actively live differently. John is interested in people not only changing how they think about God and others but how they live for God and with others. In other words, John is preaching a message of holiness; living out a life of obedience to God and love for others in this world.
I am sure that many of John friends and relatives tried their best to get John to act more like the usual Levitical priest. I am sure that many wondered why this man of the cloth had turned into a man wearing camel’s hair, eating locusts and honey and going out to those around the country side preaching this message of radical repentance, baptism and living a life pleasing to the LORD.
It is not easy to be different. It is not easy to do something different than what has been done for generations by your family. It is not easy to have people stare at you and wonder if you have lost your mind.
But there are times that obeying God causes us to do things out of the norm. There are times that if we are going to be obedient to God we are going to find ourselves being open to new things, new ideas and new ways.
Doing new things and being open to new things was how John obeyed God.
For Jesus obedience meant something a little different.
+For Jesus obedience meant years of being patient.
+Obedience for Jesus was to grow up, experience life and watch the world around him.
+It was growing in wisdom and in stature and in favor with the LORD.
+It was working with Joseph, watching over his mother and taking part in weekly synagogue worship.
+It was learning how to read the Torah, studying the Mosaic Law and the prophets and living among those around Galilee.
Sometimes the hardest thing we can do for the LORD is to be patient, to watch and to just live life. Sometimes the hardest thing we can do is to wait for God to tell us to act. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to allow God to use “time”, “circumstances” and “situations” in our lives to be our teachers and just be patient.
Have you ever found yourself just having to do something or say something?
Have you ever found yourself thinking that doing anything is better than doing nothing?
Jesus was doing something. He was being obedient. He was growing. He was learning. He was watching. He was helping. He was being open to others. He was learning how to serve. He was busy just following God’s will; being patient until the time was ripe.
Obedience for Jesus was to grow in stature, wisdom and in favor with God. It was to be a faithful son of Mary and Joseph and a citizen of Nazareth. It was to learn a trade, to study the scriptures and to open one’s heart and life to God in the normal everyday things.
This is where Adam and Eve of old failed. They were unwilling to wait on God for growth, maturity and spiritual insight. The Devil tempted them to take a short cut. The Devil lied to them and told them that they could do things against God’s will and in the end be just the same or better than God. As we know this morning things did not end well for them or for all of creation.
Obedience is doing your best to do what you believe God wants you to do and always being open to God’s leading. Obedience for one person may mean that they choose a very different path in life like John the Baptist. Obedience for another may mean to be patient and stay fast until you hear God’s Spirit moving you.
The key for both men and for us this morning is simply to do the best we can to live a life of obedience. That means of course that we need to get into the Word and find out what God wants us to do and how to live. That means of course that we spend time with God listening to what He tells us. That means that we need to be
Be Still and Know that God is God. That means of course learning from one another.
Obedience to God is simply living out the First Commandment -
You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. – Dt. 6:5
If we do that then I believe we will hear God telling us that He is pleased with us and that we bring Him great joy this morning.
II. A second thing that we see both men doing to live a God pleasing life is that they spend a great deal of their time uplifting others.
In other words they actively lived out God’s Second Great Commandment:
“You shall love you neighbor as yourself” – Matthew 22:39
Let’s notice for example how John the Baptist uplifts Jesus. He points out to all those that will listen that Jesus is the coming Messiah. John does not spend all of his time lifting up his own personal ministry and making sure that he is building his kingdom. He is not focusing on his own following, his own fame or fortune.
John is other centered. He understands that God had called him to a particular mission. That mission is not only to personally live a God pleasing life but to uplift the life of the Messiah and all those around.
John’s call to repentance and baptism is also a call to uplift others. John is not some person who has an axe to grind but he wants to help those around him be free of sin, be free of the addictions and things that would harm then. John wants all those who hear him to be able to live a life of freedom.
John’s message of repentance and baptism is a call to be cleansed. It is a call to be rid of the dirt and grime of sin. It is a call to live a new life.
But just as John is proclaiming all of this he is uplifting the One who is to come after him. He tells others that he is a mere messenger and that one will come who will cleanse them not only through water but with the fire of the Holy Spirit. He tells of One who will come who will bring them New Life and that will enable them to be a New Creation and live a life as a New Human.
Jesus in turn when talking of John uplifts John. Jesus had no need of submitting to John’s ministry or John’s message and yet He does both. Jesus validates John as a person and as a man of God. Jesus uplifts John as He listens and obeys and participates in John’s ministry.
The other day I heard a story about a little boy named Shay and how he was helped by a bunch of boys playing a simple game of baseball. (https://www.joelosteen.com/inspiration/blogs/2018/01/16/18/44/Make%20Every%20Day%20a%20Shay%20Day)
The story goes like this:
“He (Shay) was ten years old and both physically and mentally challenged. Shay loved baseball. He and his father were out walking one day by a baseball field where some young boys were playing a game. Shay asked his dad, "Do you think they would let me play?"
Shay's dad knew that he couldn't play at that level. He was uncoordinated and could hardly run at all. His dad didn't want to disappoint him, so he went over and asked one of the young boys in the dugout if Shay could play. The little boy looked around at his friends trying to get some feedback. Finally he said, "Well, sir. There's only two innings left and we're down by three runs. But sure, he can come and play. We'll put him in the outfield."
Shay was so excited. He could not believe he was actually playing baseball with those other boys. In the very last inning, their team was down by one run. There were two outs with one runner on base and Shay was up to bat. Deep down, those other teammates wanted to send their best batter up, but they knew that wouldn't be right. So, they sent Shay up to the plate basically knowing that they had lost the game. Shay really didn't have a chance. He was facing their star pitcher. This pitcher wound back and fired the first pitch so fast Shay barely knew what happened. He swung so late and was so uncoordinated that he missed it by a long shot.
At that point, the pitcher realized that Shay had some physical challenges. The next pitch he threw about half the speed. But once again Shay swung and missed it. For the last pitch, the pitcher stepped off the mound and walked much closer to home plate. He threw the ball as soft as he could, and believe it or not, Shay hit the ball! It went about five feet right in front of home plate. The pitcher ran and picked it up. Instinctively, he was about to fire it to first base and win the game, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw Shay running the best that he could. He didn't have the heart to throw it. On purpose, he threw the ball over the first baseman's head into the outfield. The dad stood up and said, "Run, Shay! Run!"
Shay made it to first and was headed toward second. By this time, all the other boys knew what was going on. On purpose, they kept throwing the ball over each other's heads or letting it go through their legs. Shay rounded third base and the whole crowd was shouting, "Shay! Shay! Shay!" Shay came in with a game-winning run! His father had big tears running down his cheeks. He was amazed at what just happened. That day, those boys deposited something in Shay that he'll never forget.”
This morning, one of the greatest ways we can bring great joy to the LORD is to be kind to everyone we meet. One of the greatest ways we can be pleasing to God is to uplift and encourage all those around us.
Listen to these couple of verses:
11 So encourage each other to build each other up, just as you are already doing. – 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Hebrews 10:24-25
Living Bible
24 In response to all he (the LORD) has done for us, let us outdo each other in being helpful and kind to each other and in doing good. – Hebrews 10:24
Obedience to God and loving others – now, those are two of the greatest things we all do this morning to be a joy to the LORD and to one another.
But there is one more thing I want to share with you this morning. It is what happens when we live a life of obedience and love for God and for others. It is one of the greatest things that Jesus wants all of us to receive.
When Jesus came out of the water the Bible tells us that He was overshadowed or anointed by the Holy Spirit.
III. Obedience and Love leads to a life of Anointing (Holy Spirit Anointing)
I believe this morning one of the greatest outcomes of a life of obedience to the LORD and a life of loving others is being anointed and filled with God’s Holy Spirit.
We all need help in being obedient.
We all need help in loving others.
There is no better helper than God’s Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit makes all the difference. The Holy Spirit cleanses us, teaches us, guides us and leads us. The Holy Spirit enables us to be able to transformed and live a life of obedience.
This morning I believe that all of us can live a life that is pleasing to the LORD. I believe that we can live a life that brings great joy to the LORD and to others.
+I believe we can do that by living a life of obedience. I believe we can do that by doing everything we can to do what God has called us to do in this life.
+I believe we can do that by living a life that uplifts, encourages and invests in others around us; our family, our friends and others that we meet along life’s way.
+And I believe that we can do that by allowing God’s Holy Spirit to infill us, cleanse us and led us. I believe we can do that by allowing God’s Holy Spirit to speak to us, to teach us and to guide us along life’s way.
This morning, we are going to close by singing that little chorus –
Spirit of the Living God (UMC 393).
As we sing that song let’s allow those words to be our personal desire and prayer. Let’s be open and ask the Holy Spirit to fall fresh on us. Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to continue to melt us, mold us, fill us and use us.
Song/Invitation/Prayer/Blessing
