Author: Joy Lotito

Nobleton Community Church
January 7, 2024
text:  I Corinthians 16: 1-9
Reverend Paul V Lehmann

Listen to the audio here

letcher Tarkington spoke for most of us when she said: “I wish that there was some wonderful place called “The Land of Beginning Again,” where all our mistakes and all of our heartaches and all of our poor, selfish greed could be dropped like a shabby coat at the door, and never put it on again.”

Our desire as children of God should be to do better in the future than we have in the past. Jesus The new year presents us with the opportunity of finding a “Land of Beginning Again.” We will be using a new calendar, and we will be facing new challenges and new responsibilities, but we are deceiving ourselves if we believe that the new year will be completely different from the old year, unless God intervenes. For we will be confronted with many of the struggles, problems, and heartaches we knew during the past year. We soon fail to keep our New Year’s resolutions.

When we talk about “doors of opportunity,” we must realize that the opening of doors is all God’s responsibility. We just need to be ready to walk through them when he does it. In Acts 19:1 we read that Apollos who had been working with Paul, had gone to Corinth. A little further from where Carol read this morning, –in verse 12 we see that Paul was urging Apollos, to go to Corinth, but he was unwillingly —but Paul tells them he will go when he has the opportunity. Some have felt that Apollos was strong willed and that he wasn’t going to go to Corinth, just because Paul told him to go. I believe though, that there might be another reason. Apollos was willing to obey God whenever, and wherever he would tell him to go. For some reason it wasn’t in God’s timing for him to go then, but when the door was open —he went.

The important thing to realize is; God’s timing is not ours—and when he finally opens the door we must be ready to walk through it by being prepared, and then obey.

Jeannene and I have seen this to be true many times in our lives, but there were two significant times when God’s timing and ours didn’t seem to coincide. Yet in the long run, his timing was perfect of course. Our first ministry in Boma, Dem. Rep of the Congo, I was principle of a high school, and taught Phys. Ed., built an outdoor basketball court and started a basketball team. We had a Bible Study in our home for these players. At the end of our first four year term, 34 young people had given their lives to Christ. But we were feeling led to go to the Capitol City for our next term and help with the newly started church planting efforts. However God had other plans, and when we came back after a year of speaking in churches in the States, we were assigned once again to Boma. I couldn’t understand how the Lord and I “got our wires crossed” so much. Nevertheless it was all in the Lord’s timing. I led Theological Education by Extension Classes, and   was involved with a tent meeting outreach, which resulted with having discipleship classes for 76 converts that lived in our section of the city, and through this a church was planted. Everything that I was involved with, was what I would be doing in Kinshasa. After one year we were able to transfer to the capitol.

While we may have a deep inward desire to “begin again” realistically we should recognize that our present position is really our door of opportunity for significant achievement and worthwhile service. Paul recognized in verse 9 of our text that; “a great door for effective service” was open to him in Ephesus. Instead of running away from difficulty, he said, “but I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost”…then he adds, “and there are many adversaries.”

In spite of difficulties, disappointments, and outright opposition, the apostle Paul determined that he would seize this opportunity for significant service and do whatever was necessary to be done at the moment. The Greek word for open here, means—wide open—not just a little, or a crack, but the door was wide open.

This pagan city of Ephesus resisted his preaching in the past—but now, they were receptive to the gospel, and the three years that Paul stayed and preached there were very fruitful, and the church he planted became one of the greatest churches in church history. In the book of Revelation chapter 2 where Ephesus is the first church that Jesus is talking to John about, we read that they have worked hard, and persevered, and they don’t tolerate wicked people. They endured hardships for the name of Jesus, and they didn’t grow weary. But then he says in verses 4 and 5: “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your ‘lampstand’ from its place” That is—their position of prominence. This isn’t a position that is recognized by other people and other churches but rather a position that God gave them. That’s what makes this so necessary that they repent and restore their first love for the Lord. Probably also for each other, because when our love for the Lord fails, we begin to say things against each other. In the KJV, the old English word is “backbite.” That’s what dogs do when they fight. What a terrible state to be in.

Now the danger for us today is to be commended like the church at Ephesus, and then begin to fall and lose the love that we once had for the Lord. This leads to not responding to the opportunities that he gives us. Sometimes that means that we sort of, “rest on our laurels” from the past, or we may think about what opportunities “might” open up in the future. But we need to recognize that the past has gone for good, and the future dreams will not become a reality unless we take advantage of the opportunities that God gives us TODAY.

Today is our day of opportunity for effective service. In John 9:4 Jesus explains; “As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming when no one can work.” Then in II Corinthians 6;2 we read; “…In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, in this present time. Not sometime in the future. It is absolutely necessary to recognize the importance of the present, in contrast to the past or the future.”

It is foolish to rely on what we might have done in the past, or to weep over lost opportunities. It is also just as foolish to just wait for the future to happen. The only thing we can be certain of is the present. Does this mean that we don’t think about or plan for the future? No—not at all—we should plan and set goals and consider what we should do TODAY, in order to accomplish what God has laid on our heart to do.

In Proverbs 10:9 we are told; “in their hearts, humans plan their course but the Lord establishes their steps.” Back in verse 3 we read; that we should submit or commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. Some translations say, “He will bless them.”

The last part of verse 9 of our text shows us though that Paul was confronted with many adversaries. There are many, who oppose him,

He was opposed by the Jewish leaders who violently disagree with his ideas about the kingdom of God. Paul believed that the Kingdom of God was wide enough and large enough to include the Gentiles. He believed that the love of God was all-inclusive and that God was just as concerned about redeeming the Gentiles as he was the sons of Abraham. In preaching salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, he was confronted with violent opposition that led to his imprisonment and eventually to his death. In spite of his external opposition from religious leaders, Paul continued his faithful service.

Paul experienced hostile opposition from the pagans whose financial security was threatened by the conversion of those who contributed to their business in Ephesus. Those who profited because of the temple of Diana were agitated to the extent that they rioted (Acts 19:23-29).

Jesus was confronted with many adversaries. On one occasion even Christ’s family sought to dissuade him from the direction in which his life was pointing. At the beginning of his ministry, he was violently opposed by the Devil, who sought to tempt him to deny his redemptive purpose. There were times during Jesus’ ministry when even the disciples opposed him. When Jesus predicted his death n Matthew 16:21-22, we see that; “Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, Never, Lord! This shall never happen to you!” He just didn’t understand the redemptive purpose, that Jesus was born to die for mankind. Of course it was all in God’s timing.

Once when he returned to his hometown of Nazareth, he attended the synagogue and he was asked to read the Scriptures. He read from Isaiah 61:1-2 and verses 18-21. The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”  Then he ended by saying: “today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. The people were so enraged by his message that they tried to throw him over a cliff (Luke 4:28-29). We read though that; “He walked right through the crowd and went on his way.” Almost from the beginning of his ministry he experienced hostility and opposition on the part of the religious establishment who saw him as a threat to the laws and traditions as they interpreted them. They also added things to the law and they demanded that the people follow these, but they themselves didn’t. (Sounds like our politicians, doesn’t it?)  Anyway this conflict eventually led to his death.

We may worry about external opposition, but perhaps our greatest danger will be the internal hindrances that keep us from doing God’s will for our lives. This is true of our individual spiritual lives, but also collectively for our church, this body of Christ. These inward adversaries can be conquered only as we enter the doorways of opportunity for WORSHIP, STUDY, AND PRAYER in which we let God work within us so that his will might be accomplished through us.

Each of us has a built-in tendency because of sin, to avoid obligations, burdens, or difficulties. It is natural unfortunately, to be selfish and self-centered. Unless we are alert and determined to do otherwise and give ourselves over to the filling and the control of the Holy Spirit, we will continue to live carnal lives, and we will find ourselves drifting through this coming year, adding days to our lives instead of filling those days with significance and meaning.  

We must seize our opportunities for service. In the Old Testament in the account of creation, Eve didn’t seize the opportunity to obey and serve the Creator God, and Adam didn’t support her against the enemy Satan, who continues to deceive us, like he did them. Cain their son then, killed his brother Abel, because he didn’t seize the opportunity to obey and worship the Lord with all of his heart. When we hate our brothers and sisters in Christ, or when we hate anyone, it is the same as if we have killed them, or at the very least, wanted to kill them. In Matt. 5: 21-22 we read that; “we are told -do not murder because that person is subject to judgement, but Jesus said that the person who is angry with a brother or sister is also subject to judgement. In I John 2:9 we read; “You claim to live in the light, but you are living in darkness. “Walk by faith and not live in darkness.”  I John 3:15 tells us; “Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. “

The door of faith is open.  Paul rejoiced that God opened the door of faith to the Gentiles (Acts 14:27). He was delighted that Gentiles could trust God and walk by faith and enjoy his favor.

To each of us is given the privilege of walking by faith (Prove. 3:5-6) to walk by faith is to enjoy the presence of God as Enoch did and Abraham and all the others listed in that great faith chapter 11 of Hebrews.

When we trust in Christ alone the door to divine sonship is open to all who will receive Jesus Christ as their Savior from sin. (John 1:12) “To as many as received Him, and believed in His name, He gave the (power) or the  right to be called the sons of God. Most of you here this morning have already seized the opportunity to enter this door (the door of salvation). We can rejoice that the door is still open for others to enter. Some have declined to enter this doo and consequently remain in the darkness of spiritual destitution outside of the family of God. Don’t be that person. If you have not received Jesus Christ by inviting Him into your life, you can do so this morning.

The door to Christian witnessing is open.  Paul speaks of a door being open to preach the gospel in the city of Troas. The door will be open for us to announce the good news of God’s love in our community during the coming year. We, like the apostle Paul, should be praying that God would open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ. (Col. 4:3) and he adds “for which I am in chains.” In verses 4-5 he says; “Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.”

Jesus said, “I am the door; if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture” (John 10:9). Jesus is the door to forgiveness, He is the door into new life, eternal like, the very life of God. He is the door to new spiritual power and energy. He is the door to hope for the future as we seek to live lives of significant achievement and service. He is the door to the eternal home of God at the end of our life.

On this first Sunday of the New Year, let each of us determine that we will be alert to seize every opportunity for worship and service to our God and to those about us. By so doing we will discover that we have already found the “land of beginning again.”

The enemy will try his best to keep you from stepping through the gigantic doors of opportunity God desires to open for you. Satan is afraid of what will happen when “his” territory is invaded by someone fully equipped with a full arsenal of spiritual weapons! So know this; God will open doors for you—but He needs you to make a determined decision that you will walk through them, no matter the opposition, with the help of His Holy Spirit. By opening the door, God has already done His part, which would have been impossible without his assistance. Now He beckons you to come dressed in the whole armor of God and in the power of His Word—and then proceed through that effectual door into new territory this year. It may look like enemies are everywhere, but it is simply a fact that the devil and his forces flee and collapse when they are subjected to a show of strong faith!.

God doesn’t open a door for you to walk through so you can fail

He is with you every step of the way.

Your situation may look frightful, but think about this: If God has supernaturally opened a new door for you—-a door that’s never before been opened—-He is not beckoning you to walk through it so you can fail. He is with you every step of the way, and He will empower you to defeat every foe and bring Him glory in that new territory that is yours to possess in Jesus’ name!

At the last Passover Supper, Jesus knew very well how the disciples were going to feel after he was betrayed. He knew they would feel like all was lost, and that they were alone. The power that they were going to receive because of what he would accomplish on the cross, would be greater than anything they had ever experienced before.  That’s why He told them in I Cor. 11:23-25 that every time they eat the bread and drink from the cup— to do it remembrance of Him.

HOW IMPORTANT IS THE VIRGIN BIRTH TO YOU?
Nobleton Community Church
December 24, 2023
Reverend Paul V Lehmann

Text: Matthew 1:18-25

Quite a few years ago I remember they were talking about a “virgin birth” of sorts as they called it. It was expected from a Komodo dragon named Flora, one of two dragons at Chester Zoo, in northern England. Flora laid 11 eggs in May that year, three of which collapsed. These three eggs were opened and were found to contain embryos, showing they had been fertilized. But who was the daddy? Flora had never mated with a male dragon or even mixed with one. DNA tests have now proven that flora was both the mother and father of the fertile eggs. Although other lizard species are known to be able to self-fertilize, this is the first time this has ever been reported in Komodo dragons.

Now I don’t know what the attitude of these scientists are towards the Virgin Birth of Jesus, but they reported with tongue in cheek, “We will be on the lookout for shepherds, wise men and an unusually bright star in the sky over Chester Zoo. Actually this kind of talk is blasphemy and is steeped in unbelief of the real Virgin Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. This kind of comment is made in the same vein as saying; “ they will be on the lookout for a man in a red suit flying through the air in a sleigh pulled by reindeer.”

In one of his columns for The New York times, Nicholas Kristof once pointed to, belief in the Virgin Birth as evidence that conservative Christians are “less intellectual.” Are we saddled with an untenable doctrine? Is belief in the Virgin Birth really necessary? Kristof is absolutely aghast that so many Americans believe in the Virgin Birth. “The faith in the Virgin Birth reflects the way American Christianity is becoming less intellectual and more mystical over time,” he explains, and the percentage of Americans who believe in the Virgin Birth “actually rose five points in the latest poll.” Yikes!! He says; “ Is this evidence of secular backsliding? He continues by saying: “ The Virgin Mary is an interesting prism through which to examine America’s emphasis on faith,” Kristof argues, “because most “Biblical scholars” regard the evidence for the Virgin Birth…as so shaky that it pretty much has to be a leap of faith.”
Now here’s a little hint: anytime you hear a claim about what “most Biblical scholars” believe, check on just who these illustrious scholars really are. In Kristof’s case, he is only concerned about liberal scholars like Hans Kung, whose credentials as a Catholic theologian were revoked by the Vatican. The list of what Hans Jung does not believe would fill a book. Kung is the anti-Catholic’s favorite Catholic, and that is the real reason he is so loved by the liberal media.

Throughout the history of the Christian Church, the majority of theologians, even most of those who question many of the miracles recorded in the Bible, accept the doctrine of the Virgin Birth. For those who don’t, they are really not Christian; for to be Christian, this is a fundamental doctrine.

Let’s look at this doctrine. It was among the first to be questioned and then rejected after the rise of historical criticism and the undermining of Biblical authority that inevitably followed. Critics claimed that since the doctrine is taught in “only” two of the four Gospels, it must be elective. That is, an option—you can believe it, or choose not to believe it. This premise to me intellectually doesn’t make sense. We cannot pick and choose things to believe about the Bible, or what is in the Bible, and still claim to be a Bible believing Christian. A lot of the disbelief is based on the fact that they say that the Apostle Paul, did not mention the Virgin Birth in his sermons, so he must not have believed it. They fail to mention that Paul talks about the “incarnation” in Philippians 2:5-11. It is very clear that Paul believed that Jesus was in His very nature God, and this equality with God didn’t keep him from coming to earth and taking on the nature of a servant. It is impossible for this to be the case unless God was involved, by His Spirit, with the conception before His birth.

Besides, the liberal critics argue, the doctrine is just too supernatural.
Modern heretics like retired Episcopal bishop John Shelby Spong argues that the doctrine was just evidence of the early church’s over-claiming of Christ’s deity. It is, Spong tells us, the “entrance myth” to go with the “resurrection, the exit myth.” The thought that comes to my mind is; if only Spong were a myth.

Now, even some revisionist so-called evangelicals claim that belief in the Virgin Birth is unnecessary. The meaning of the miracle is enduring, they argue, but the historical truth of the doctrine is not really important. REALLY?

So what do you have to believe about Christ to be a Christian? Not much according to most liberal theologians. However, I like what Albert Mohler says: He first poses the question; “Must one believe in the Virgin Birth to be a Christian? He responds to his own question by saying: “This is not a hard question to answer. It is conceivable that someone might come to Christ and trust Christ as Savior without yet learning that the Bible teaches that Jesus was born of a virgin. A new believer is not yet aware of the full structure of Christian truth. The real question is this: Can a Christian, once aware of the Bible’s teaching, reject the Virgin Birth? The answer must be NO!!

Matthew tells us that before Mary and Joseph “came together,” Mary “was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.” (Matt. 1:18). Matthew explains that this fulfilled what Isaiah promised (Isaiah 7:14); “…The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Which translated means of course, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)

The Isaiah 7:14 passage predicts the virgin birth of the Messiah. It is a sign given to Ahaz, who didn’t want it, but God is going to give him one, whether he likes it or not. Now the sign being “a young woman” would be no sign at all to Ahaz, or to the house of David, or to anybody else, but if a virgin conceives and bears a son, that is a sign. The Hebrew word that is used is what has caused a problem. It is almah, which translates virgin, but also commonly was “young woman” However a Hebrew scholar who is a committed Christian was asked about the use of this word almah. He said; Suppose you went to visit a friend of yours who had three daughters and two of them were married and one was still single. He would say; “These are my married daughters, and this young lady (almah) is my 3rd daughter. If you would imply that she was anything but a virgin he would be angry. The 72 men who translated the Hebrew scripture in the Old Testament into Greek to become the Septuagint, translated the word virgin, not young woman.



Luke provides even greater detail, revealing that Mary was visited by an angel who explained that she, though a virgin, would bear the divine child (Luke 1:35): …”The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.”

Even if the Virgin Birth was taught by only one biblical passage, that would be sufficient to obligate all Christians to the belief. We have no right to weigh the relative truthfulness of biblical teachings by their repetition in Scripture. We cannot claim to believe that the Bible is the Word of God and then turn around and cast suspicion on its teaching.

Millard Erickson, a Baptist Conservative theologian, states this well: “If we do not hold to the virgin birth despite the fact that the Bible asserts it, then we have compromised the authority of the Bible and there is in principle no reason why we should hold to its other teachings.” Thus, rejecting the virgin birth has implications reaching far beyond the doctrine itself. Implications, indeed. If Jesus was not born of a virgin, who was His biological father? There is no answer that will leave the Gospel intact.

Like William Barclay who includes so much background of New Testament times in his commentaries, and much of what he says about scripture is very informative and helpful, nevertheless, he always downplays the miraculous and explains it away, sometimes with the most outrageous statements. He says in his commentary of Luke 1:26-38; “The church does not insist that we believe in the doctrine of the Virgin Birth…we can make our own decision as to whether we believe in it or not.” I’d like to know what church he is talking about. There is no true church that doesn’t accept it. No matter if it is the Roman Catholic Church, The Greek or Eastern Orthodox Church, and or Protestants of all denominations accept it. The Apostles Creed declares it, as well as the Nicene Creed. — NO,NO; We are not at liberty to just make a decision based on what we think is right. Jesus was either God with us and our Savior, both God and man or he is totally human. He must be divine and his conception was by the Holy Spirit and not Joseph or any other human, or else he can’t be our Savior. The Savior must be without sins in order to save us from our sins.

Rejecting the supernatural at the birth of Christ, of course leads to for some, rejecting or explaining away His miracles including the Resurrection. Barclay does the former, but somehow manages to cling to the reality of the resurrection and the ascension.

The Virgin Birth explains how Christ could be both God and man, how He was without sin, and that the entire work of salvation is God’s gracious act. If Jesus was not born of a virgin, He had a human father. If Jesus was not born of a virgin, the Bible teaches a lie.

Carl F. H. Henry, the dean of evangelical theologians, (if you will), argues that the Virgin Birth is the “essential, historical indication of the Incarnation, bearing not only an analogy to the divine and human natures of the Incarnate, but also bringing out the nature, purpose, and bearing of this work of God to salvation.” Well said, and well believed.

We sing in the Christmas Carol “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” :
In the first verse: “God and sinners reconciled.” Then in the second verse we sing: Off-spring of the Virgin’s womb: Veiled in flesh the God-head see; Hail the incarnate Deity. Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel.

Nicholas Kristof and his secularist friends may find belief in the Virgin Birth to be evidence of intellectual backwardness among American Christians. But this is the faith of the Church, established in God’s perfect Word, and cherished by the true Church throughout the ages. Kristof declared that his grandfather a so-called devout elder in the church, believed that the Virgin Birth is a “pious legend.” The fact that he could hold such beliefs and serve as an elder in his church is evidence of that church’s doctrinal and spiritual laxity, or worse. Those who deny the Virgin Birth but affirm other doctrines by choice, have already surrendered the authority of Scripture. They have undermined Christ’s nature and nullified the incarnation.

This much we know: All those who find salvation will be saved by the atoning work of Jesus the Christ, the Virgin-born Savior. Anything less than this is just not Christianity, whatever it may call itself. A true Christian will not deny the Virgin Birth.

The main reason the Virgin Birth should be important to us is because our salvation depends on it. Without a sinless Christ, that is God incarnate, a God-man that becomes flesh, it is impossible for Him to save us. While we cannot say dogmatically that God could enter the world only through a virgin birth, surely the incarnation is a supernatural event. If that is eliminated we compromise the deity of Christ. The humanity of Christ is also important, because otherwise He is not wholly identifying Himself with humanity. Both are important, but the Virgin Birth separates His birth from all other births of good men. He is not half man and half god like so many other Greek and pagan gods, He is both God and Man. If Jesus were born of two human parents, he would not of been able to take our sin upon Himself and die on a cross for us to break the curse of sin that was brought about by the first Adam. It was because of Adam all of us must die, but it is because of Christ (the 2nd Adam), the scripture teaches, that all of us are made alive in Him.

Is the Virgin Birth important to you? It should be very important, because without this fact, we have no Savior!

Nobleton Community Church December 17, 2023
Third Sunday of Advent
Text: Psalm 126; Philippians 4:4-7
Pastor Paul V. Lehmann

My friend and former colleague David Ens, who was a missionary in Paris, France when we were there, tells about a Cambodian refugee girl named Chanta, who was a single parent and lived in an apartment complex called Camembert where she lived with her three sons. The structure is so called because it resembles two wheels of camembert cheese on their sides.

The complex is located in the section of Paris called Noisy le Grand, close to a major shopping mall. It was from here one winter that Chanta was returning home with her hands full of groceries, on this day it was a typical winter day in Paris, which usually means wind and rain that sometimes turns to sleet. She had her umbrella but it was hard to hold against the wind. From the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of a dark-complexioned youth in the shadow of an archway. She passed by, thinking he was simply seeking shelter from the drizzle. Then, the sound of footsteps and Chanta felt her purse being wrenched from her grasp. Au secours! (“Help”) she screamed as the boy ran off. Two would-be Samaritans took chase. But they soon returned with nothing to offer but their condolences. Tearfully Chanta made her way back to her apartment. Gone were the documents which were so important that gave her the legal right to be in France. Gone were her credit cards, her money, her checkbook, her expensive new prescription glasses and her house keys.

Fortunately she had left the boys at home and would be able to gain entry. This was little comfort, however, knowing that she had no way to have another key made and a replacement lock would cost nearly
$300. As Chanta rode the elevator to the sixth floor she called out to the only One she knew could really help her—Jesus. Only He could

set things right. After putting the groceries away and the children to bed, she retired for the night.
The next day, Chanta made her way to the police station to report the theft. While she gave her report, the desk sergeant was interrupted to book two young men arrested for possession of stolen goods. Among the incriminating evidence in their possession were two of Chanta’s credit cards. Thank you, God, “she prayed quietly as the officer handed her the cards.
Back at home, Chanta was informed that the train station had called. They were holding her purse and her keys. Again, she thanked God. One more call came that day from the caretaker of a nearby apartment complex. He explained that, while cleaning the grounds, he had found her identification papers and two checkbooks. Chanta raced to reclaim these precious items, her heart full of joy. Truly her Savior had come through for her again.
That evening she took inventory of what had been lost and what had been found. The cash was gone and so were her precious glasses. She would need to reorder them and perhaps even be required to have her eyes tested again. The following day, at the optometrist’s office, Chanta was pleased to find that her test results were still in the computer and she had only to order new glasses. She cringed as she paid for them though, but it had to be done. Now she only needed to wait the week or so before she could pick them up.
During that week Chanta had the opportunity to tell her story at her Cambodian Evangelical Church in Marne la Valee. The congregation joined their prayers with hers.
One week had gone by since the robbery. Chanta was at home when the phone rang. A Frenchman identified himself and asked if she was Madame Noun Chanta. When she confirmed this, he went on to say that a pair of glasses had been turned into the lost and found at the mall and that from the receipt inside the case, they had traced them through the optometrist back to her.
Chanta ran to the office to make her claim. Another brief prayer of praise. With her glasses back in her possession she realized there

was now no need to order—and pay for—the new pair. When the clerk agreed to refund her money, Chanta breathed yet another “thank you” to the Lord.
The following Sunday she gave her testimony in church for what Jesus Christ had done for her. Everyone was reminded of John 16:24 which says; Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
How often do we fret and worry when something like this happens, instead of praying and trusting, moving forward with what we need to do, but not allowing our circumstances to affect our inner joy. When we trust God our joy increases even more when he answers our prayer. Certainly receiving your I.D. papers and credit cards are a big deal in France, especially for someone who is not a citizen. The miraculous way that Chanta got these back is a cause for JOY.
Our problem is, even though we know better in our hearts, as Christians, we still depend on good happenings to make us “happy.” We still believe that it takes happy things to make us happy, and we still confuse that with inner joy, that only Jesus Christ can give.
The fact is, that often our joy comes, when we suffer the most. We experience the effect of the suffering, with joy after the trial is over, but the truth is, for the Christian we have the joy in our hearts, in our inner being already—through the suffering.
The Greek word for “joy” is derived from the word for grace. This is important to note, for it tells us categorically that joy is produced by God’s grace. This means “joy” isn’t a human based happiness that comes and goes. Rather, true joy is divine in origin, a fruit of the Spirit that is manifested particularly in hard times. Someone may feel happiness, exuberance, excitement or be in “high spirits,” but all of these are fleeting emotions. On the other hand, “joy” is a Spirit-given expression that flourishes best, when times are strenuous and stressful, daunting and tough!
In the example that we have in First Thessalonians 1:6, the Thessalonians were under great stress due to persecution; yet in the midst of it all, they continued to experience great JOY. In fact, the Greek strongly implies that their supernatural joy was due to the Holy

Spirit working inside them. Paul even called it the “JOY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.”
I like the interpretive translation of this passage that Rick Renner gives us:
“You throw your arms open wide and gladly welcomed the Word into your lives with great enthusiasm. And you did it even in the midst of mind-bobbling sufferings—a level of stress and intensity that would be suffocating and crushing for most people. But while you were going through all these hardships and hassles, you were simultaneously experiencing the supreme ecstasy and joy of the Holy Spirit.”
In our text that we read from Psalm 126, we see that when the Lord restored his exiles to Jerusalem, it was like a dream to them because they were filled with laughter, and they sang for joy.
Now the Holy Spirit was not yet given to be in them, but the joy was still supernaturally supplied to them in their singing. In verse 3, they recognized that the Lord had done amazing things for them!—What Joy!
God is able to restore our joy, when we are not experiencing it like we would want to. Our tears can be seeds that will grow into a harvest of joy because God is able to bring good out of tragedy. When burdened by sorrow, know that your times of grief will end and that you will again find joy. We must be patient as we wait. God’s great harvest of joy is coming! Remember; “those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.”
Jesus reassured his disciples in John 16:1-33, that he was going to be taken from them for a short time, and then they would see him again. He was referring to his death, and then his resurrection. He said to them that they would weep and mourn over what is going to happen to Him, but the world will rejoice. (Now the world still rejoices, every chance they get to eliminate Jesus, even the name of Jesus), but here he tells the disciples that their anguish will turn to wonderful joy when they will see Him again. He is not talking about His second coming, but when they saw Him after He rose from the dead. He said that; “ You have sorrow now, but I will see you again then you will

rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy. At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. The truth is, you can go directly to the Father and ask him, and he will grant your request because you use my name.” He points out to them that they haven’t done this before. Then he says: “ Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have ABUNDANT JOY.
You see, when we ask our heavenly father in prayer for what is on our hearts, –in the name of Jesus—this should give us much joy. But I’m afraid that too often, we don’t experience any joy when we pray. We just go through the motions, or repeat prayers because we think it is our duty to pray.
C.S. Lewis described joy in his book “Surprised by Joy” as:” an unsatisfied desire which is itself more desirable than any other satisfaction… I doubt whether anyone who has tasted it, would ever, if both were in his power, exchange it for all the pleasures in the world.”
We can manipulate circumstances to our own advantage to obtain what we think will bring happiness, or expend great efforts in pleasure-seeking, but joy is entirely free. You cannot earn it, buy it or deserve it. It is a divine gift to receive rather than a selfish goal to pursue. The opposite of joy is not sadness or sorrow but anxiety.
Jesus encouraged his followers by saying; “do not worry about your life.” Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” He tells them to consider the joy of the birds who sing for joy, or the flowers in their glory, and if the Lord of the universe clothes creation with such extravagance, then we can rejoice in his love regardless of our circumstances. Jesus says that we rest in God’s love so that our joy may be in us, and that our joy may be complete. (John 15:11)
We see that the joy that was announced by the angels—“I bring you good news of great joy” is intertwined with peace and love. We will talk more about God’s LOVE next week for our fourth Sunday of Advent.
In closing today, remember that the best that the lost world has to offer is a temporary happiness. But when the seed of God has been placed inside your human spirit, that divine seed produces a ‘joy” that isn’t based on outward events or circumstance. In fact, when
times get very challenging, the supernatural life of God rises up inside you to defy that awful pressure! This supernatural “JOY” will sustain you in even the hardest of times!