The Lutheran Hour
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"Always Joyful"
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Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:16
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Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed. As the Advent countdown to Christmas continues, we rejoice in God’s great sacrifice that has saved us from our sins. As we prepare our house with festive lights, we rejoice in Him whose birth, death, and resurrection has brought God’s light of salvation into this dark world. As we search for the right gifts for our special “someones,” we also rejoice in Him–God’s gift of life to everyone. Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians that God’s victory, made flesh in Bethlehem, crucified on Calvary, risen victoriously on Easter, is a cause for Christians’ continuous rejoicing.
Of course, you may not feel like rejoicing continuously. In department stores, the music may endlessly play, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” but for many of us, our hearts are hardly merry.
That is the way it was for the father who had been designated as the “dead letter man” in his town’s post office. Being dead letter man was just fine with him. Since the sudden death of his young son, he had no desire to be around anybody. That’s the way he might have stayed until, as dead letter man, he came onto a stampless letter addressed to Santa. The return address on the letter was his, and it wasn’t hard to identify his daughter’s handwriting. This is what she had written: “Dear Santa, there’s no joy at our house this year, and so you don’t have to bring me anything. My little brother went to Jesus last year. So, if you would stop at my house and take his toys to him, I would like that very much. I’ll put them in the corner by the stove. He’d like those things in heaven–most of all, his rocking horse. Oh, and if you could bring something to make Daddy act like he used to act, I would like that. ”
Did the a man have anything to make him rejoice evermore? Most people might say, “No.” But I’m a Christian, and I say, “Yes.” He had his health. He had a daughter. They both knew Jesus as Savior. They both knew–because of the Savior’s birth in Bethlehem, His innocent life, His unfair death, His victorious resurrection–they would be reunited in heaven. I will leave it to your imagination what this man did, having read his daughter’s letter. I can tell you he, like countless others who know Jesus, even in the close proximity of death, could rejoice evermore. That’s what St. Paul told the Thessalonian church they should do. That’s what St. Paul is telling us: Because of Jesus, we can “rejoice evermore.”
Of course, even with the trappings and trimmings of Christmas, even with the music and magic of these merry moments, you may not feel like rejoicing evermore. Since the last Christmas you celebrated, some of you husbands and wives have divorced. The love (which you once declared so publicly) turned sour, and this holy season you have no helpmate. Your children are confused as to why Christmas can’t be spent with mommy and daddy, like it used to be. Others of you have never found a permanent partner for your life. You’ve prayed about it, but this Christmas still finds you feeling incomplete. You may not feel like rejoicing evermore. Have you said an earthly good-bye to a loved one this past year? Was it a child or grandchild? Was it a spouse or a parent or a friend? This Christmas, when you walk through the local stores, as you peruse a catalog, do you find yourself reflecting on how much joy this item or that thing would have brought to your most special person? Are the emotions so strong that your eyes mist, your heart skips a beat, and your feet become unsteady? For you, the idea of rejoicing forevermore seems impossible.
This message, delivered as we approach Christmas 2002, finds a great many people immune from rejoicing. Perhaps a yo-yo stock market has cut your income. You have lost your job. Your business has been rocked. Your house hasn’t sold. The bills are mounting and there is no way of paying them. You are unsure of your health. You have a son or daughter serving in the military far away, or your car is making strange sounds. You may not want to rejoice evermore. That is why I invite you, if you feel yourself becoming a Scrooge with a “bah humbug” holiday attitude, to look at the original participants in the Christmas story. Their stories will tell you, you are not alone.
Oh, I know, artists have painted the Christmas story with picturesque and peaceful strokes, with colors of brilliant blues and gentle golds. I have heard the Christmas story narrated by poets with hushed sounds and calming consonants. “Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright.” “O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie.” The Christmas cards we are sending are filled with messages of peace on earth and thoughts of love. That’s the way we would like it to be. But it’s not. Not for us, nor for the original participants at Jesus’ birth. If you sweep away the cobwebs of emotional schmaltz, you will find that very few people in our Christmas story escaped the heartrending and relentless realities of life. Most of them might have had a hard time rejoicing evermore.
Consider Zacharias, the future father of John the Baptizer. He was a priest of God. But he was also a priest who doubted the angel Gabriel’s promise of a son. His doubt was so great that he was struck dumb for over nine months. Zacharias might have had a hard time rejoicing, don’t you think? Then there’s Elizabeth, his wife. She was no stranger to trouble. Had not people of her village and community talked about her childlessness for years? Perhaps they had assumed her barrenness was a sign of disfavor from God, a punishment for some secret sin. She might have had a hard time rejoicing, too.
Take a quick look at the righteous carpenter from Nazareth, Joseph. He was engaged to a girl that was now pregnant. And, he knew the Child she carried was not his. Feeling he had been cuckolded by his intended, even before the marriage was finalized, Joseph might not have listed rejoicing as his favorite pastime.
Of course, there is Mary, the mother of our Lord. No doubt her reputation had been torn to shreds by razor sharp tongues that gathered daily at the town’s only well. Then, in an advanced state of pregnancy, she is compelled to travel a rough and rock strewn road. Her situation was uncomfortable at best and life-threatening at its worst. She would give birth in a filthy barn. Even in an age of primitive medicine, no one would have suggested this as the ideal location for labor. As the time came for her to deliver and give birth to the world’s Savior, we might wonder if Mary was rejoicing.
Each year, in countless Christmas celebrations, we commend the shepherds to see “this thing which had come to pass that the angels had told them about.” We are thankful they went to worship their Messiah, but we forget they were leaving their jobs and their livelihood. They might have been doubtful about deserting their post and charges. They could be confronted by financial ruin if a wolf, bear, lion, or robbers should attack their flock. Yes, they went, but as they went, did they rejoice evermore?
At Epiphany, we watch the wise men come from the East. We see them journey many miles to present their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Who could condemn them if they were a little concerned about robbers who would be more than glad to separate them from their valuables? If they knew anything of current events, they would have shaken in their boots to ask King Herod where they might find the newborn king of the Jews. Herod had already killed a few sons, a favorite wife, and a high priest. He certainly would have no reluctance at making some star-gazing magi disappear.
I have given just a brief listing of the main characters of Christmas. Time does not allow us to mention the mothers and fathers of Bethlehem who saw their precious children put to death. We have not talked about the soldiers who performed that barbarous act, nor have we asked about their accusing consciences. What we have done is paint a truer picture of the first Christmas than is normally seen. Peruse today’s newspapers and you will see all of our horrible headlines finding their match in the Christmas story.
Yet, as I look at these first-Christmas characters who played a part in God’s gracious plan of redemption, I do not see despondency or depression, doubt, denial, or discouragement. On the contrary, they seem able, in spite of what each of them faced, to rejoice evermore. Look with me. After the fulfillment of the angel’s promise of a son, Zacharias, the once-doubtful priest, was filled with the Holy Ghost. His silence was broken as he said, “Praise be to the Lord God of Israel, because He has come and redeemed His people. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us (as He said through His holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us–to show mercy to our fathers and rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve Him without fear in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days” (Luke 1:67). His wife, Elizabeth, rather than denying what was happening to her said, “Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men” (Luke 1:25).
Mary could have complained, but she didn’t. Rejoicing, she said, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant…the Mighty One has done great things for me–holy is His name. His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm” (Luke 1:51ff). Joseph could have had Mary stoned for infidelity. Instead, with the Lord’s explanation of what was happening to her, he took her as his wife (Matthew 1:24). The shepherds might have worried about their sheep. But after they had seen the birth of the Holy Baby, they didn’t fly back to their flocks. Instead, when they had seen Him, they “spread the word concerning what had been told them about this Child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them” (Luke 2:17). The magi don’t seem worried about marauders or a murderous king. Instead, Scripture records, “When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped Him. They opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh” (Matthew 2:11).
Listeners, if you don’t know Jesus–if, up to this moment, you have never truly stopped to look into the Bethlehem manger–I encourage you to do so now. Brothers and sisters, fellow-redeemed, if the hassles of this holiday season seem horrible and horrendous, put your burdens down and take another peek into the stable. Look at these people, real people, not once-upon-a-time fairy tale folk, but real men and women with real dreams, real hopes and real problems. See them. See the way they rejoice. See them react differently than you would, even in the face of the most fearful prospects. Their actions say they had something very special. They had something each of us need. They had a Savior–not just a temporary Savior, but a Savior who was Immanuel, God with us. You know, the Chinese have an expression. It says, “If you wish to be happy for one hour, get drunk. If you wish to be happy for three days, get married. If you wish to be happy for eight days, kill your pig and eat it. If you wish to be happy forever, learn to fish.” I would like to change that last line to: “If you wish to rejoice forever, see your Savior.”
Hear the words the Lord spoke to Joseph: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a Son, and they will call Him Immanuel which means, ‘God with us'” (Matthew 1:23). The person whose coming Christians prepare for is “God with us”–God with you, God with me. Ambassador from the Father, He is with us, bringing a love larger than humankind’s transgressions. He is with us bringing God’s care, big enough to conquer the troubles of an entire world and small enough to care for you. See this sinless Son of God who stepped down from His throne in heaven for the sole purpose of saving sinners from death and damnation. Don’t let this Christmas season come and go without looking at the Savior who was born so you might never die, who died so you might live forever.
Because Jesus is Immanuel, I and each of you can rejoice evermore. We can rejoice when Jesus, more than 30 years after His Bethlehem birth, says, “Let not your hearts be troubled” (John 14:1). Remember those troubling thoughts and terrors that were listed at the beginning of today’s message? When Jesus said those words, He, all-knowing, all-understanding, was thinking of your troubles and terrors. I want to stop there. You need to hear that again. Far too many of you said, “No, not mine. My difficulties are too big for Jesus to deal with. My sins are too significant to be conquered by the Christ.” Maybe you, with false humility, said, “My situation is too small for Jesus to consider. God has better things to do than bother about me.” How wrong you are! Jesus came precisely for YOUR sins–your terrors, your tremblings. Jesus is with us to help us through our trials, to conquer our temptations. Jesus is with us to call us from the darkness of our sins, to repentance and God’s marvelous light.
To you, Jesus says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” Understand, Jesus is not saying, “You won’t have troubles.” Jesus knew better than to say something that foolish. He, Himself, was a Man with troubles. He was afflicted, beaten, misunderstood, denied, deserted, betrayed, crucified. He dealt with more troubles than any of us can imagine. No, Jesus would never say His people will have no troubles. Nor did Jesus say, “Do not think about your troubles.” In the Garden of Gethsemane, as He took your sins and sweat, as it were, great drops of blood, He thought about the coming day of suffering and death He would endure to save you.
No, Jesus would never say, “Don’t think about your troubles.” He does say: “Don’t let your hearts be troubled.” What Jesus is saying is that when troubles come, as they did for every person in the Christmas Gospel, don’t let those troubles ruin and run your life. Don’t let them dominate you. Don’t let those troubles push Him out of your heart. If Jesus who has forgiven you, reconciled you with His Father, lives within you, then there is no difficulty you will ever encounter which can stop you from rejoicing evermore. Since God is with us, we can rejoice evermore.
Years ago, on a wintry night in Chicago, Barbara climbed on her father’s lap and asked a caring question, “Daddy, why isn’t my mommy just like everybody else’s mommy?” Bob May looked across his small, two-room apartment, toward his wife, Evelyn. For over two years she had been fighting cancer. For over two years, everything he made had gone to pay the bills of her treatment. As he held his daughter, he prayed to the Lord for an answer to her question. Hugging his daughter closer, a thought came to him and he tried to answer his daughter’s question with a story. The story began this way: “Once upon a time there was a reindeer named Rudolph, the only reindeer in the world that had a big red nose. Naturally, people called him Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.” Bob’s story continued on, telling how, even though some folks have troubles, they are still important. His daughter understood. And she often asked her father to repeat the story. So it was until his wife died. Through his pain and loss, Bob worked on the story of Rudolph. He wanted to give the story, as a Christmas gift to his daughter. She loved it. So did his co-workers when, in 1938, he read it at a Montgomery Ward’s Christmas party. Maybe you love the story, too.
So why do I tell this story? Well, like Bob, you have problems. Like Bob, you also have a Savior. Like He did for Bob, Jesus–Immanuel, God-who-is-with-us–will hear your prayers. Like He did for Bob and countless others, Jesus–God-who-is-with-us, Immanuel–can take your pains, your problems, and with His omni-caring power transform them. He has done it for others. He will do it for you. If you believe in Him as your Savior; if you trust in Him as being God-always-with-you, He can take that which is wrong and incomplete in your life and, as impossible as it sounds, allow you to “rejoice evermore.” Amen.
LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) for December 15, 2002
ANNOUNCER: I’m Mark Eischer, and right now I’d like to introduce one of my co-workers here at Lutheran Hour Ministries. Rev. Dale Skeesick is a gift planning counselor and here to talk about the subject of wills and estate planning. Dale, I understand first you’d like to share a word with our listeners, especially those who are helping to support this program in a very special way.
SKEESICK: Yes, I would. I would like to begin by saying thank you to the many friends of Lutheran Hour Ministries who faithfully support us with their gifts and their treasures. I’d especially like to thank those individuals who have made provisions in this lifetime to remember Lutheran Hour Ministries after they’re gone. What a blessing it is for these faithful individuals to know that after the Lord calls them home, they have done something to ensure the ministry will carry on and the Gospel will continue to be proclaimed to a world lost and hurting.
ANNOUNCER: Dale, what is a bequest?
SKEESICK: A bequest is an act of giving; leaving by will or passing something on to another. It’s a way of leaving a legacy once you’ve gone to join God in heaven. Donors to Lutheran Hour Ministries come from all backgrounds but they seem to have one thing in common–a passion to spread the Word of God, and it is this passion that moves an individual to consider a gift in this way.
ANNOUNCER: Dale, how do such gifts provide a witness to the family and to others?
SKEESICK: Such a charitable gift gives the opportunity to demonstrate love for family. But it also is a way to provide for a person’s other wishes. A bequest through a will or through other estate plans enables a person to thank God for the countless blessings they have received.
ANNOUNCER: How would a charitable gift like this relate to the overall life of Christian stewardship?
SKEESICK: Estate planning ensures that an individual’s desire for their God-given earthly blessings will be followed through. We sing in the well-known hymn: “We give Thee but Thine own, whate’er the gift may be, All that we have is Thine alone, A trust O Lord from Thee.” I think this says it well. Everything we have in this life is a gift from God. Christian stewardship is just another word for the management of our resources.
ANNOUNCER: Now how does one go about setting up a plan like this? Who do you need to consult with?
SKEESICK: Setting up an estate plan is rather easy. An estate plan is both an individual privilege and a Christian responsibility. Without a plan in place one loses the opportunity to demonstrate love for their family as well as remembering the Lord’s work after they’re called home to heaven. After prayerfully considering how best they can support this ministry, one can contact the Gift Planning Department here at Lutheran Hour Ministries, and we’d be happy to assist in any way we can. We can be contacted toll-free at 1-877-333-1963. Also, an individual can contact us and receive information via the Internet by logging onto www.lhmgift.org.
ANNOUNCER: And, Dale, just to clarify, you are not in the business of writing wills yourself, are you?
SKEESICK: On no, we’re not. When an individual calls, we can assist them by giving them specific bequest language they can take to their legal advisor.
ANNOUNCER: Dale, you have the privilege of meeting some fine folks who are helping support this ministry in many ways. Could you share some stories or comments from them?
SKEESICK: Yes, I could. On a certain visit, one individual summed it all very well when he said, “We know God has placed us here for a reason, to reach out our lives as missionaries of the Gospel.” He responded, “When I do close my eyes in eternity, I now can feel the Lord is still working through what we had.” I think that says it very well.
ANNOUNCER: Thank you. We’ve been talking with the Rev. Dale Skeesick, gift planning counselor.