“Be of Good Cheer!”
It’s during this time of the year that a flu epidemic quite often begins. As a matter of fact I believe it hit me last night. Many people, myself excluded, to avoid the flu visit their doctor for a flu shot. At the end of 1999 in our country and around the world there was another epidemic raging. However, it’s from an all-together different kind of bug. This epidemic’s bug was called the Y2K bug. The Y2K bug had people running around thinking that it was going to be a catastrophic event. We were going to lose electric power, the banks wouldn’t work we’d lose our money, all the computers were going to go bonkers, you name it was said.
The truth is people didn’t know what was going to happen. Many were fearfully of losing everything they had worked so hard to attain. The big question in the minds of millions was, “What would take place at the stroke of midnight come the year 2000?”
To answer this question I could give you a thirty-second sermon. I could honestly say that our God is sovereign, He’s in charge and no matter what would’ve crashed or cratered because of Y2K it wouldn’t affect His perfect plan. But I realize many would think this answer is way to simple and I know all the kids would complain if there was only a 30 second sermon this morning.
This morning I want focus on a phrase that was spoken from the lips of Jesus Christ. It’s a phrase that all believers could’ve put their concerns about in Y2K. It’s also a phrase for you to rest on when you feel down hearted or dejected.
The phrase as read from the NKJV is “Be of good cheer,” in the NIV it reads, “take courage” or “take heart.” These are words from our Savior that encourage optimism. Now I realize that there are some Christians who may blindly say these words and as they do they close their eyes to the facts of life. It’s when they do this that it leads to an empty and swallow philosophy; it’s like saying “You can smile anytime, anywhere, all the time.”
But this type of philosophy gives no real consideration to the realities of life, does it. The reality of life is that we encounter heartaches, sorrows and grief. Who wants to smile at the funeral of a loved one? Yes, it is a home going for the believer, but for us who remain it is the lose of a dear one. As we begin to look into the occasions when Jesus spoke the words “be of good cheer,” I want us to discover the ground upon which our Christian optimism securely rests. I would like you to realize this is the very ground you are on if you are in Christ Jesus. One of my goals today is to help each person in this sanctuary to leave this morning full of encouragement and optimism.
“Be of good cheer” is spoken by Christ on four different occasions. Three of these are on this earth and one is from heaven. As we hear these words and understand the reason for Christ uttering them I believe if you let the Holy Spirit work on your hearts and minds your will come to a more intimate realization of the Lord’s presence in your lives and in life of our church.
Today we’ll learn four facts from this simple, yet wonderful phrase “be of good cheer”:
First we’ll learn in Christ Jesus the sin question is forever settled (Matt. 9:2). Second in Christ Jesus the course for the believer’s life has been charted and planned (Matt 14:27). Third in Christ Jesus there is the assurance of peace (John 16:33). And fourth in Christ Jesus our lives of service are fully known (Acts 23:11).
Let’s turn to the Word of God. Matthew 9:2 reads “Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.’” I call this the blessedness of forgiveness. In this passage a paralyzed man is brought before Christ. Christ full of grace and mercy physically heals the man, but the greater miracle is seen because of their faith in Christ. It is because of their faith that the man is healed spiritually as his sins are eternally forgiven. In this instance Christ speaks the encouraging words “be of good cheer” to let those who are in Christ Jesus know that their sins are forever forgiven. What a wonderful truth for those who believe. I truly believe that nothing in this world can cheer a person as much as knowing experientially that their sins are forgiven.
David in Psalm 32 speaks of sin. Listen to his words, “When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of the summer.” But then David falls before the Lord and cries out in the Psalm, “I acknowledged my sin to Thee, and my iniquity I did not hide; I said ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord;’ And Thou didst forgive the guilt of my sin.” God was faithful to forgive David, so he sings out to the Lord the beautiful blessedness of forgiveness. “How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and whose spirit there is no deceit”(vv.1-2). What an incredible thing it is to be forgiven.
Though we don’t like to think about it, humanity is enslaved to sin. We are born sinners and die sinners. But thanks be to God this sin has been dealt with, and in the Lord Jesus Christ its guilt, power, and penalty have been conquered. Man, who has been under sins bondage and in fear of its death, is delivered by faith in Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul tells us that the forgiveness of sin is from the grace of God. Ephesians 1:7 says, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.” This is truly an amazing grace. It is a grace that has reached down out of the eternal heavens to cover a wretched man like me. Praise be to God who through His unconditional love covers me and all those who believe with the blood of His Son.
The truth of the Word tells us, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Have you fallen before the everlasting God of the universe confessing your sins? If you have He has forgiven you, He has taken your sins and placed them as far as the east is from the west. But not only that He has cleansed you from all unrighteousness. In Christ Jesus the sin question is forever settled, salvation in Him is a reality and you have become pure. Thank God, forgiveness is a fact! Be of good cheer! This is the blessedness of forgiveness.
Let’s turn to the sweetness of His presence. Do you recall the Scripture that speaks of the disciples on a stormy sea? Jesus had told them to cross over to the other side. However a storm encompassed the disciples and they become fearful for their lives as they envisioned themselves dying in the storm. Then to make matters worse in the distance what they thought was a ghost appears. At that time the words of Jesus enters their ears and hits their hearts. Christ tells them in their fear, “‘Be of good cheer! It is I; be not afraid.’” (Matt 14:27). The disciple didn’t realize Jesus had planned and charted their course and He would be with them along the way.
How often we cry out in fear not understanding our course has been planned by Christ, but not only that, we don’t realize the very presence of Christ with us. Like the disciples we become fearful of the circumstances, of the predicament we are in. How easy it is for us to forget the promise of the Lord that tells us “I will never leave you, nor forsake you” (Heb 13:5). As a church, God’s people, we must claim and cling to this promise today. What an encouragement, what a wonderful truth to know that the Lord God is with you all the way through life and He will never leave you or get tired of you.
As we look back on the disciples as they cowered in fear on the waters we must remember that Christ had told them to go ahead. When they responded in obedience they had no need to fear that they would not arrive safely on the other side. Yet upon the stormy sea their fear began to consume them. As we look upon their situation we must realize that Christ did not promise them a smooth passage, He knew about the storm they would encounter. But Christ also did not intend to leave them alone in the face of the storm. He would present with them. How wonderful it is to know that the Lord Himself charts and maps our course, even though it can lead over troubled waters. How blessed we are to have Him going with and before us.
Upon seeing the figure on the water Peter was not so sure it was Christ. He said, “Lord if it is You, command me to come to You on the water”(v.28). Christ then commands Peter to “come” and Peter finds himself walking on the water. His earlier fear had turned to faith and because of his faith he was able to do something that was humanly impossible, something that could not be done apart from Christ. Peter had the faith to do the impossible knowing Christ was present. But when he took his eyes off of Christ and put them on his circumstances, what happened? He began to sink, but at that point he had sense enough to call upon the Lord who saved him. Peter, who had walked and sunk, rose and walked again in the company of the Lord Jesus.
We too must trust His guidance, respond to His Word, and even though there are some things you do not understand in this life, “Be of good cheer.” We can cling to Romans 8:28 which counsels us “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
In Christ Jesus the course for the believer’s life has been charted and planned. Though we may encounter storms as we travel over the sea of life, thank God that His watchful eye will see to it that we do not sink. Listen to Jesus “Be of good cheer; It is I; be not afraid.”
Another ground our Christian optimism rests securely on is that in Christ Jesus there is the assurance of peace. In John 16:33 Jesus is addressing His disciples and He states, “These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
Looking at this passage we see two relationships revealed - “in the world” and “in Me.” When Christ speaks of “in the world” He is addressing a physical relationship and we all know that “in the world” anything can happen. Christ tells us there will be tribulation, troubles, and trials in the physical world. The world is Satan’s domain, what good can we expect to come from his domain? What peace do you think will be obtained in the world? No peace is available. Many times I hear people praying for peace in the world. This will never come about until Christ comes to reign on the new earth.
Peace comes only through Christ as He reminds us that He has overcome the world. The amazing thing for us is that we who are in Christ can overcome by the same power that dwells in us. We must praise God that Christ Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, has imparted His power and His life to us through our faith in Him. We are told in the Scriptures, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world...”(1 John 5:4). And Romans 8:37 continues “. In all theses things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.” So brothers and sisters “be of good cheer” for the peace of Christ lives within you and I.
We all realize that as we walk on this earth it is not an easy life. Our lives are full of adversity and hardship. But we cannot let the circumstances of our lives determine our joy and steal our peace. If we are focusing on our circumstances we have our eyes on ourselves and our feet are firmly rooted and planted in earthly things. Our family could’ve been dejected about the water situation, but that’s not why the Lord brought us here. To worry about these type of problems, we came to minister for Christ this is where our focus is to be. We cannot focus on our circumstances we must lift our eyes into the heavens and set our feet upon the Rock, Jesus Christ, this is faith. Believing without seeing and this is when the “peace which surpasses all comprehension shall guard our hearts, the seat of our emotion, and minds, the set of our intellect, in Christ Jesus”(Phil 4:7).
Isaiah 41:10 is a passage that fits this situation. It reads, “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God.” The interesting thing about this text is the phrase “Be not dismayed.” If it were translated literally it would read, “Look not around.” It could then be read, “Fear not, for I am with you; Look not around, for I am your God.” Don’t look at your circumstances for your peace. Understand that peace comes from a position. This position is being in Christ. And it is from this position of in Christ that we are given the provisions we need for life in the world. That is the peace, the contentment to live and love in any and all circumstances. Do not focus on your circumstances you must have faith that not matter what God’s plan and time are they perfect. You do not see the future but God is in the future and He is working out all the details. In this you can have peace.
In Christ Jesus there is the assurance of peace in spite of all your circumstance. He has overcome the world and His power is ours and through His power and peace we are able to stand in the strength of our victorious Lord, so be of good cheer.
The final ground our Christian optimism rests upon is the confidence we can have in knowing that Christ has a purpose or plan for each our lives.
In Acts 23:11 the apostle Paul is in jail and it’s here the risen Christ addresses Him. Listen to the Word, “... the following night the Lord stood by him and said, ‘Be of good cheer, Paul: for as you have testified of me in Jerusalem, so must you also bear witness at Rome.”
The amazing apostle Paul had been to Jerusalem witnessing for Christ, he had established a work in Antioch, he preached in Ephesus, witnessed in Athens and now Christ tells him he will bear witness in Rome. Paul must felt that in freedom he would journey to Rome as a witness for Christ. But on the contrary he went as a prisoner, in fact it was the enemy who worked out the very purpose of God in getting Paul to Rome.
For your life and my life there is a plan of service, and although we cannot determine beforehand how that plan will be worked out, we can be of good cheer, for God knows where He wants us and how to get us there. Two years ago I had no idea I’d be in Bruin, but here I am and I praise God for getting me here. Do you realize God can even make the wrath of men praise Him and accomplish His purpose? An example of this is seen in the life of Joseph. Remember Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery wanting to get rid of him forever. But God used this event as a stepping stone that would led to Joseph being put into a powerful political office which would enable him to be used for God’s purpose and glory. Joseph’s own words to his brothers tell us, “... you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive” (Gen 50:20).
We can comfort our hearts with the fact that God is not an uninterested spectator in what is happening in our lives. God always contemplates the highest good for those who are on the side of truth. God will not let things interfere with His plan or purpose. If we look upon our life in this way, every relationship and experience we enter into will be one that is not a burden no matter how unbearable it seems because we will realize that we are serving God’s purpose for our lives.
In Christ Jesus our lives of service are fully known. He will let nothing interfere with the program He has made so long as we trust Him implicitly. Therefore in every aspect of our lives we must “be of good cheer.”
Brothers and sisters cheer and joy should be as natural to the Christian as singing is to a bird. If we are in a right relationship to the Lord Jesus there is no reason why His words, “Be of good cheer,” should not be expressed in the entire experience of our lives.
Always remember and hold in your heart that:
In Christ Jesus the sin question is forever settled, salvation in Him is a reality and the forgiveness of sin is a fact. In Christ Jesus the course for the believer’s life has been charted and planned, and though we may encounter storms as we travel over the sea of life His watchful eye will see to it that we do not sink. In Christ Jesus there is the assurance of peace in spite of all circumstances, and since He has overcome and His strength is ours we are able to stand in the strength of our victorious Lord. And in Christ Jesus our lives of service are fully known, He will let nothing interfere with the plan or purpose He has made, so long as we trust Him implicitly.
Let life’s trails and troubles come, let the worldly ways we so often cling to go and let yourselves be of good cheer knowing that Christ Jesus will never, never go back on His word. Let the joy of your life in Christ shine through to the world and as you leave this place morning and “Be of good cheer!” Let us pray.
