Bella Vista Church of Christ
LIFELINES
August 21, 2002 Randall Caselman
Rejoice!! Be Happy!!
For too many of us Christianity is only a
Pie In The Sky Hope. A religion for the future, a faith for the dying. No!! Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly, life to the fullest, life above the ordinary, above the common. God wants us to enjoy life right now, right here. God placed His creation in Paradise. Man is the one who ruined the joy in the Garden. We have turned paradise into a pit with our careless selfish sins.
The concept of happiness for God's people is evident throughout the Bible. The garden of Eden, the rainbow, the promise of a new land for Abraham, Canaan for Israel, a return of the remnant, the Beatitudes of Jesus, the forgiveness of sins, the coming of the kingdom and the promise of Heaven, all say…. BE HAPPY!!
Allow me to bring to your mind three Biblical words which speak to us of Christian happiness.
JUBILEE is an Old Testament concept from Levitcus, Chapter 25. In the year of Jubilee a special celebration was commanded. A happy time. Joy flowed through the land. All debts were canceled. Lands were returned to the original owners. Those in prison were set free. Economic equity and justice were reaffirmed.
Jubilee was good news to the poor, the downtrodden and those who had failed in life. Jubilee meant a new lease on life. Sound familiar? Jesus came declaring Jubilee. He paid our debts. We are prisoners set free. Son-Set-Free People. Sins have been forgiven. Our original relationship with God has been restored, Paradise is found, heaven regained. Praise God for the Christian Jubilee.
It is not surprising to learn that, as far as we can determine, the Jews never observed Jubilee. That is sad. So sad to miss such an opportunity for joy and happiness. But what is even more sad is when we as God's children fail to celebrate daily the true, genuine happiness of our Christian Jubilee.
SHALOM was a Hebrew expression of greeting used in Jesus' time. The Jews used it much as we do, Good Morning. Even though the English word is not in our Bible, the Hebrew word occurs close to 300 times. Shalom means peace to you, prosperity to you. It came to be a word for hope. It pointed toward the time when Messiah would come and there would be joy, peace, prosperity, contentment throughout the kingdom of God. In this new economy, life would be lived to its fullest, above the common, more abundantly. A time when the lion and the lamb would lie down together and swords would be reshaped into plowshares.
Shalom has come. The Messiah, the Christ has restored the kingdom. Grace is here. Peace can reign in the hearts of God's people. Jesus said,
My peace I leave you, not the peace of this world, but Messiah peace… These things I have spoken unto you that in me you might have peace. Paul speaks of a peace that surpasses all human comprehension. Because of Jesus and His forgiveness, we can have peace with God… Peace with one another… And peace with self. Jesus is Shalom.
MARANATHA replaced the greeting of Shalom in the early church. Maranatha means
Lord Come Quickly, or Come O Lord. This New Testament word is found in I Corinthians 16.22. Some of our modern speech translations render it Come O Lord! Maranatha was a word of expectation. The New Testament church of the first century lived in joy and peace, lived above the world, enjoyed life to the fullest regardless of their circumstances because they expected Jesus to come today!... Right now! They wanted, waited expectantly, anticipating His coming. They anxiously watched for the moment. Folk, this kind of anticipation brings joy... peace beyond human understanding... Genuine happiness.
Here we are twenty centuries later and we are living in doubt, fear and paranoia -- all because we are afraid this world might come to an end. Let me tell you, that would be the best thing that could happen if you are a child of God! Life above the ordinary… Life above the common… Life to its fullest is knowing that death or the second coming is an automatic welcome home. Maranatha is happiness guaranteed regardless of the circumstances we are currently living in.
Rejoice in the Lord!... Let them shout with joy, and be glad. Let the Lord be magnified. He is a Lord who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant. And again, I say Rejoice.
RANDALL CASELMAN
