Sheep Life. Baaa!

4^th Sunday of Easter

April 22, 2018

Psalm 23; 1 John 3:16-24; John 10:11-18

            On the drive to my children’s old school, which I did daily for three years, we crossed over the Amtrak train tracks. We drove by Martin State Airport, home of the Maryland Air National Guard. And besides seeing all the trains and planes, we’d see construction trucks, dump trucks, and buses. It was quite the variety of transportation vehicles that we saw every day. Now, we drive along Route 144 every day and we see horses and cows and mules and goats. There are two farms in particular that I always pay more attention to because I’m curious where the animals are going to be. One is on the right side as you go west and they have chickens. However, these appear to be free range chickens because you never know whether they’ll be in their yard or over under the trees or over in the neighbor’s yard. The other animal I always look for are the sheep. They’re just before the chickens, but on the left side. They caught my eye one day because they were all lined up along the far fence, all in a row, head to rump, all lying down, and I was impressed that these animals would be so coordinated all on their own. When it was 80 degrees a couple weeks ago, they were all lying down again, but that time bunched together, all in the shade of their barn. I didn’t see even one of them out in the sunshine!

            You may have noticed that today, the fourth Sunday of Easter, is Good Shepherd Sunday. It happens every year. We read the 23^rd Psalm and one of the passages about Jesus as the Good Shepherd. The Scripture and the images are familiar ones to many of us, and you’ve probably heard at least as many sermons about shepherds and sheep as I’ve preached. Well, we’re doing one more this morning because in looking up ideas for children’s time today, one suggestion was considering the 23^rd Psalm from the perspective of the sheep, and that’s something I hadn’t done before.[1]  Considered myself as a sheep, yes. The bible often compares us to sheep and that’s not really a bad thing. Y’all probably know this having lived closer to sheep for longer than my ten months here, it turns out that sheep aren’t really dumb, like I’d always thought. That was a myth started by cattle ranchers.[2]  You see, you can’t herd sheep the same way you herd cattle.  Cattle are herded by cowboys and dogs at the rear of the herd, driving the cattle from behind to go where you want them to go.  But you can’t drive a sheep the same way; sheep must be led from the front, and they will follow a leader.  Rather than being pushed from behind, like cattle, we also look forward, keeping our eyes on Jesus, our good shepherd.

Jesus will lead us, if we will trust him enough to follow, and he will provide for us. That’s the very first verse of Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” Because it’s a little awkwardly worded, that wasn’t really driven home for me until I learned it in Spanish, “El Señor es mi pastor, nada me faltará.” The Lord is my pastor, or shepherd, same word in Spanish. Nothing is missing, or lacking, to me. I have everything I need. I shall not want. It’s not that I shall not want my shepherd; it’s that he provides everything we need, beginning with food. “He makes me lie down in green pastures”[3] – perfect! Sheep eat grass. My shepherd is making me rest in a place abundant with good food. And everyone needs sustenance.

The next couple verses have to do with direction and guidance. “He leads me beside still waters.”[4] That’s also a good thing! Sheep can drown in fast moving water; they need still water so that they don’t get carried off and die. “He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”[5] Much like those goats that got stuck under the bridge on the Penn Turnpike a couple weeks ago,[6] 

sheep can also wander into places that they can’t get out of. That’s why when the one sheep out of the one hundred went missing, the shepherd had to go find him.[7] In every children’s book I’ve read that story, the picture is always of the missing sheep having fallen down a hole and completely unable to get out by himself. We, also, need leading away from things that will kill us or get us stuck. We don’t always follow that guidance, but Jesus offers it.

It’s like the story of the man in the flood, waiting on top of his roof for God to save him. Have you heard that one? Like, I said, there was a flood and a man, who’s very devout, is on top of his roof because the water has risen so high. A boat comes by in a boat and offers rescue, but the man replies, “It’s all right. The Lord will save me.” Later the water is up to his waist and another boat comes by and the guy tells him to get in again. He responds that he has faith in the Lord and the Lord will save him. With the water at about chest high, another boat comes to rescue him, but he turns down the offer again, saying, “No, go away. The Lord will save me. “ With the water now at chin high, a helicopter hovers overhead and throws down a ladder and they encourage him to get in, yet mumbling with the water in his mouth, the man again turns down the request for help, saying, “No I don’t need help. My Lord will come.” Well, the man drowns and arrives at the pearly gates where he meets St. Peter. Confused, the man asks, “Peter, I have lived the life of a faithful man – why did my Lord not rescue me?” St. Peter responds, “We tried! We sent you three boats and a helicopter!”

Jesus offers to lead us beside still waters so that we don’t get carried away with the current. Jesus offers to lead us down paths of righteousness so that we don’t get stuck. We don’t always pay attention. We don’t always follow. Sometimes we go astray. Sometimes we get distracted. Sometimes after Jesus rescues us and gets us unstuck, we still live and act like we’re still stuck. Sometimes the rescue doesn’t take the form we think it should look like and so we don’t even recognize it for what it is. Some times. Other times we accept the offer of salvation and righteousness and we follow down the path that he leads us on.

Then come the predators. And this isn’t just a hockey team from Nashville. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”[8] Less so, perhaps for today, but 2,000 years ago the sheep were in meadows without fencing and with only the shepherd to keep them safe from predators. You can imagine following a path through the forest and coyotes or foxes or bears with their eyes shining watching those sheep being led out to pasture. The shepherd used the rod to beat off the predators and the staff to pull the sheep back from dangerous places. We know King David, when he was a shepherd, used some rocks and a sling to protect his sheep, since that was also how he beat Goliath. The sheep aren’t afraid of what might prey on them because the good shepherd is with them. Remember from our Gospel reading, the hired hand runs away when the wolf comes. “The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away… he cares nothing for them.”[9] The good shepherd, though, lays down his life for the sheep. The predators have to get through him first.

Even the next verse has to do with animals who only seek to hurt the sheep. “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.”[10] Imagine, as the sheep graze in those green pastures, how many other animals are watching them. They’re eating in safety only because of the shepherd. Others may watch, may look for a chink in the armor, may look for a scrap that falls from the table. And that may be true, and that’s ok. Because we know from Psalm 4 that we read last week, “You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”[11] We don’t to worry what may come. Jesus says don’t worry about tomorrow, or about what you’re going to eat, or what you’re going to wear, or what may or may not happen.[12] Worrying isn’t going to add a single hour to your life.[13] Instead, Jesus says, “Seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”[14] “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.” Keep your focus on God’s kingdom and God’s justice. Don’t worry about who’s watching you or where their food is coming from. You can dwell in safety, and not in fear.

Finally, “you anoint my head with oil.”[15] Oil was 1^st century first aid. It’s what shepherds used on cuts and places where thorns stuck the sheep. Jesus, the shepherd, is still also the master physician. Jesus offers healing. The verse I skipped over earlier, if you were paying attention, was “he restores my soul.” Restoration and renewal are a kind of healing. 1 Peter 2:25 calls Jesus the shepherd of your soul. Jesus isn’t just the good shepherd of your physical body, or your heart and mind; he’s also the caretaker and guardian and keeper of your soul. He cares how it is with your soul. Sometimes our bodies are just fine and it’s our soul that’s in need of being anointed with healing oil.

The Methodist movement started off with John Wesley and his friends at Oxford regularly meeting in a small group, called the Holy Club, and they asked each other, “How is it with your soul?” Then as Methodism grew, each person was assigned to a small group, called a class meeting, and each class meeting began with the same question, “How is it with your soul?” Participating in a class meeting was required because they believed that being part of a small group within the church was particularly helpful in Christian discipleship and growth. The class meeting also made sure that no one in the church was left out or overlooked. Everyone had a sense of belonging and a space to share about the state of their soul, what needed healing, what needed anointing, what was at peace.

             This is part of the work of restoration, of being renewed. Yet even in restoration, we know that we are not the same as we were before. We’re not restored to how we were before; we’re restored to a new normal. Injury has to heal and may leave scar or ache when it rains. Life after isn’t the same as life before. Just ask the caterpillar. Yet because the caterpillar was transformed, it can now fly. That’s what Jesus offers for all of us sheep.

This morning we are sending forth friends to a new life, the next stage in their life. And we can do that because we know that wherever God leads them, “Goodness and mercy will surely follow them all the days of their life, and they shall dwell in the house of the Lord their whole life long.”[16] Thanks be to God. Amen.

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[1] https://worshipingwithchildren.blogspot.com/2015/03/year-b-fourth-sunday-of-easter-april-26.html

[2] Feasting on the Word, Year B, Vol. 2, p. 450

[3] Psalm 23:2a

[4] Psalm 23:2b

[5] Psalm 23:3

[6] http://www.wgal.com/article/goats-saved-in-dramatic-rescue-on-the-pa-turnpike/19687327

[7] Luke 15:3-6

[8] Psalm 23:4

[9] John 10:12-13

[10] Psalm 23:5a

[11] Psalm 4:8

[12] Matthew 6:25

[13] Matthew 6:27

[14] Matthew 6:33

[15] Psalm 23:5b

[16] Psalm 23:6

Can I Get a Witness?

3^rd Sunday of Easter

April 15, 2018

1 John 3:1-7; Luke 24:36b-48

Witness

You may have noticed that this week’s post-resurrection appearance of Jesus to the disciples begins in a similar way to last week’s. Jesus shows up, and the first words out of his mouth are, “Peace be with you.” Jesus keeps popping up, startling his disciples, and so the first thing he has to do is keep the peace and calm them down. Jesus begins with peace, both in the upper room and here as well. Then, it says “Jesus opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.” Jesus effectively did this last week, too, although a little more hands-on as he invited Thomas to touch the nail marks in his hands and put his hand in his side. That was just another way of understanding the Scriptures, as Jesus had told them that these things, his death and resurrection, all happened to fulfill the law and the prophets. And once the disciples receive his peace and come to a new understanding of Scripture, or in other words, once they’re set free from bonds of fear and death, then Jesus commissions them to become witnesses.[1]  Jesus says, “Repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in [my] name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.”[2] You are witnesses of these things.

This is not the only place in Scripture where those who follow Jesus are called witnesses. Paul writes to the Thessalonians that they are witnesses, and so is God, of his witness to them.[3] Telling the reader “you are witnesses” happens not only in the New Testament but even in the Old Testament, which, we know is the Law and the Prophets that Jesus fulfills. God calls us his witnesses through the prophet Isaiah, chapters 43 and 44, which are some of my favorite passages in Scripture.  “’You are my witnesses,’ declares the Lord, ‘and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed — I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I am God.”[4] We are God’s witnesses. We witness that God alone is God. We witness that there is no savior outside of Jesus Christ. We witness that God’s Spirit still moves in and through us today. We are witnesses for God.

Now, a few words about witnesses, in case you haven’t been in a courtroom or watched one of the many legal dramas on TV. First, the witness’s role is different from anyone else in the courtroom. A witness is not a judge or the jury, whose job is to hand out judgment. Scripture says “judgment belongs to God.”[5] That is not our responsibility as witnesses. Furthermore, we are not the lawyer, trying to argue the case and find loopholes in the law. Have you ever successfully argued someone into going to church with you? No. You witness, saying, “Here’s what God is doing in my church.” And you invite, “Come be part of it.” The God who says, “Peace be with you,” doesn’t need or want people arguing for him. He says we’re to witness for him; not be his lawyer. God doesn’t need a lawyer. Instead, next month we’ll celebrate Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit, whose names include advocate and counselor. We need the help and the advice; God does not. One more thing about who we’re not. In 1 John we read that we are “children of God.” We are God’s children, as in he is the parent. We are the ones who are learning and growing. Moreover, we are not God’s grandchildren. God isn’t going to spoil us or fill us with sugar and then send us home. We are already home when we are with God. Neither are we God’s parents. We’re not in charge of God, we’re not responsible for making sure God eats three square meals a day. We’re responsible for ourselves and our actions. We’re God’s children, and God’s witnesses. We’re not the lawyer, or the judge, or the jury, or even the observers or court reporters. We’re not the parents or the grandchildren. We’re God’s children, and we’re his witnesses.

As witnesses, we share what we know. We share what we have seen. This means we have to be credible. It means we have to have some kind of relationship with God in order to be able to give a witness about him. And, we have to have some kind of relationship with the person with whom we’re witnessing. They have to trust us that what we’re saying is true. This means that we are not false, or unreliable, or cruel, or misleading. It means that we do not have our own agenda when we share the Good News of Jesus Christ. The only agenda is God’s, and here in Luke’s Gospel, he says we’re to preach repentance for the forgiveness of sins. We’re to preach that new life is possible. We’re to preach resurrection. And, remembering what St. Francis supposedly said, this isn’t all through speaking. St. Francis said, “Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words.” We’re not just to preach resurrection, we’re to live resurrection. For some people, our lives are the only bible they are ever going to read. So make sure your witness, your life, is true, reliable, and full of mercy. When someone asks you, why do you believe what you believe, make sure your answer is ready. If you pause and say, “uhhhh….,” and never give a straight answer, you are not being a good witness for God.

So, a related question, what kinds of experiences and understandings do we need so that we can be credible witnesses to God?[6] Well, I get emails from our denomination’s Discipleship Ministries and this past week’s was titled, “It Takes Two.” Rev. Junius Dotson, the General Secretary of Discipleship wrote, “Discipleship has two parts: personal and corporate. Now, either one on its own is important and a good thing. But if you do your discipleship on your own, without being in relationship with other people, it will be ineffective. Likewise, if you only do your discipleship building within a group setting and never develop personal relationships, it will also be ineffective.”[7] This means you should read the Bible on your own and be part of a bible study. This means you pray by yourself and you pray here in worship. It means you, personally, have a relationship with God and we, as the church, Christ’s body, have a relationship with God. That’s what makes all of us, individually and corporately as the church, a good witness for God.

Finally, what do we witness to? Last week we were witnesses of joy and humor, remembering that those are things that attract and welcome. Jesus says we’re to witness to forgiveness. Some people just need to hear, “God forgives you and offers you a new life where this past sin is no longer remembered.” I already mentioned that we’re to witness to the power of resurrection. The power of resurrection is the power to plant seeds of transformation, which we may or may not see grow.[8]  I know we have many farmers and gardeners and landscapers among us, yet in God’s kingdom sometimes our job is just to plant. Sometimes our job is just to water. Sometimes our job is to reap the harvest of what we did not sow or tend. We don’t always get to see all the stages and yet we trust God is at work in all of them, whether we get to see each stage or not.

We witness to life in Christ, the life that makes itself known by its fruits. You can live according to your own desires, however you want, which will lead to immorality, corruption, idolatry, hate, fighting, obsession, losing your temper, unhealthy conflict, selfishness, rivalry, jealousy.[9] Or, you can live according to the Spirit, and others will see in you, see your witness, to love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.[10] We declare the presence and power of God in all seasons of life, whether in the midst of tragedy, despair and death, or in the midst of joy, celebration, and life. We witness to Christ’s presence here among us through what we say and what we do. In the Book of Common Prayer, the standard prayer of confession begins, “Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.”[11] In thought and word and deed we are witnesses. We witness to the God of truth, of justice, of peace, the God of love. And this God commissions us to be witnesses to the love that brought Jesus back from the dead and heals the sick, to resurrection, to new life.[12] After all, God’s purposes in the world are to redeem creation and to redeem us. That’s what we witness to.

And the only security in this witness is the security of eternal life. We don’t receive security, Jesus doesn’t offer that. He offers peace. In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells his disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”[13] Witnessing is often a great risk. You may or may not have a sympathetic audience. You can’t control how someone else will respond to you. You can only control you. That’s why Jesus’ peace is the peace that surpasses all understanding and guards your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.[14] Living your life faithfully, in peace, and with joy and love and kindness is your witness to God and his joy and love and peace. Thanks be to God.

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[1] Feasting on the Word, Year B, Volume 2, p. 426

[2] Luke 24:47-48

[3] 1 Thessalonians 2:10, my paraphrase

[4] Isaiah 43:10-12, emphasis mine

[5] Deuteronomy 1:17

[6] Feasting on the Word, p. 429

[7] Email, #seeallthepeople, April 12, 2018

[8] Feasting on the Word, p. 426

[9] Galatians 5:19-21

[10] Galatians 5:22-23

[11] BCP, p. 360

[12] Preaching God’s Transforming Justice, Year B, p. 210

[13] John 14:27

[14] Philippians 4:7

My First Concussion: A Reflection on 2018's Lenten Discipline

My Lenten discipline for this year was different. Usually, I pick something like giving up desserts or junk food, or adding something like restarting my daily devotional if I’ve gotten out of the habit or listening only to Christian music in the car (the main place I listen to music). My Lenten discipline is usually something I can accomplish with my own self-control. This year’s Lenten discipline was completely out of my control. I gave up being sick.

            I had been on antibiotics for six out of ten weeks starting in December, treated for pneumonia, an ear infection, and chronic sinusitis. By Ash Wednesday (this year on February 14), I was tired of being sick. So, half-jokingly (because I knew it was out of my control), on Ash Wednesday I told my congregation that for Lent I was giving up being sick.

I took my last antibiotic pill on the first Sunday of Lent. In one sense, I kept my Lenten discipline, in that I didn’t catch a cold or any other virus. This was nothing I did, however, because I didn’t do anything special to not get sick. I still went on hospital visits and home visits. I still greeted every parishioner with a handshake or a hug as they left worship. I still exchanged signs of God’s peace during worship. I still have a three and a five year old who bring home germs. I still have a weakened immune system because of the treatment for my rheumatoid arthritis, meaning I’m more likely to catch something and more likely to get sicker for longer with it. I refuse to be paranoid about germs or live in a bubble, even when I’m giving up being sick.

So, instead of a virus, during the 5^th week of Lent, I gave myself a concussion. It was the day school let out early because of ice and snow. Since I was home early with my kids I decided to do a load of laundry. Leaning over into the hamper, I wacked the center of my forehead hard against the corner of the dresser. My kids heard me yell, “OW!” and came running. The five year old got me an ice pack from the freezer. The three year old got me a Band-Aid (and one for himself, too!) Instead of laundry, we all sat on the couch and watched a movie. As the week went on, it got better (partly because I had time to myself for two days going to a friend’s memorial service and, therefore, the ability to pay attention only to myself and what I had to do and time to rest).

Then came Holy Week. And I overdid it, making my symptoms worsen. It wasn’t church-related activities that overdid it, though, it was more laundry. On Monday, my day off, I did six loads of laundry, and was so pleased that I’d even gotten them all folded and put away! (Some would say, sounds like you shouldn’t do laundry! However, I refuse to live my life as a hostage, or victim, to any medical condition. You gotta keep living.) Tuesday morning was okay, but Tuesday afternoon I hit a wall, complete with more symptoms I hadn’t had before, like light sensitivity. Wednesday, I paid more attention, nursed it along, survived, and went to bed at 8:30 p.m. Thursday was my scheduled rheumatologist appointment, but since my RA is doing better since the last dose of Remicaid, my rheumatologist was much more concerned about my concussion and worsening symptoms. He sent me directly from his office to Head First, an urgent care specializing in concussions and head injuries, half a mile down the road.

Sports trainers don’t quite know what to make of a 38 year old pastor mom concussion. I’m not their usual patient. One of them asked forgiveness for missing church on Easter because he was on his honeymoon. I told him I think God understands. They gave me a computerized memory and speed test. I scored in the 90^th percentile (for my age group). What can I say, I’m competitive and I love puzzles. Yet, as long as I keep having any symptoms, they keep wanting to see me back.

I was reminded again about Paul’s explanation about strength in weakness, “God said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ …For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). A colleague with Food for the Hungry told me that when I was first diagnosed with RA in 2006. The professor I worked with the most in seminary told me that in 2010, just before I graduated. There is strength in weakness. I am just as strong when I am sick as when I'm healthy. 

Take it easy. Rest. No heavy lifting. This advice came mere hours before the Maundy Thursday service. What did I do? Texted my youth group families to ask for help with the heavy lifting and finishing set up. And they came through.

When I am weak, then I am strong, because then I have to depend on others and we are all stronger together.

I’ve Got Joy!

Holy Humor Sunday

(a.k.a. 2^nd Sunday of Easter)

April 8, 2018

John 20:19-31

            I had a lot of fun doing research for today. It’s not every day when you get to look up jokes to use in worship! And, actually, it made me wish I’d been celebrating Holy Humor Sunday every year that I’ve been a pastor, instead of only learning about it now. I’d have had a lot more fun on the first Sunday after Easter for the past seven years, and I think those congregations would have enjoyed it, too! I did know that the Easter season, which lasts for 50 days, is supposed to be a time of joy, and my second year pastoring instead of a Lenten bible study, I led an Easter bible study and we used the book that had recently come out called “Between Heaven and Mirth: Why Joy, Humor, and Laughter Are at the Heart of the Spiritual Life,” by Father James Martin, a Jesuit priest. We had a lot of fun with that study, sharing jokes and favorite funny movies, while also gaining a solid understanding of why joy and humor are essential parts of faith.

            This morning’s Gospel reading is a familiar one to many of us. After the resurrection and the early morning in the garden, Jesus appears to his disciples, who are overjoyed when they see him! They’d been hiding behind locked doors, hunkered down in fear, and then Jesus shows up! Their joy knows no bounds. But, Thomas isn’t with them, and he refuses to be taken in by this story. So, a week later, again the disciples are hunkered down behind locked doors, this time Thomas is there, and again, Jesus shows up. Thomas responds with worship, “My Lord and my God!” And you can imagine Thomas in a reverent posture, now with his heart at peace. Do you think, later on, in retelling the story, Thomas could laugh at himself? “Yeah, I was really skeptical. I thought those guys were pulling my leg. But it turned out the joke was on me! Jesus really was alive!” “And, oh, the joy that flooded his soul.”[1] Yet note what happens next. John, the author, makes a little aside note to the reader, saying, “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”[2] These things are written so that you may have life. Earlier in John’s Gospel, Jesus has already said, “I came that you may have life and have it to the full.”[3] Other versions say “have it abundantly,” or “live life to the fullest.” Take a minute and think about what an abundant life or a full life means. What do you imagine? A harvest overflowing? Joy, peace, love, goodness, patience, kindness, and all the other fruits of the Spirit?

            A few years ago at a conference I met a colleague who serves in the North Georgia Annual Conference. He’s around my age, has three kids, and was in the middle of a doctorate program at the time, in addition to serving a church and occasionally speaking at conferences like the one I was at. I commented to him on how busy his life must be. He replied back that it was full. There is a difference between a busy life and a full life. A busy life is busyness for the sake of being busy, or because you’re expected to be, or because that’s what makes you look good, or because you don’t know how not to be. Especially in the D.C./Maryland area, there are A LOT of busy people. I think a full life, however, is a little different, even though it may not appear that way on the surface. A full life keeps God at the center, rather than the idol of busyness. A full life has more joy than anxiety. A full life can still be quite active and involved, yet comes from a place of peace rather than one of stress. Something I once heard is that we are to work from rest rather than rest from work. And when we studied the Mary and Martha passage in bible study this past week, that came up again. They’re the sisters Jesus goes to visit. Martha gets caught up in all the preparations and work, while Mary sits at Jesus’ feet. Martha complains and asks Jesus to tell her sister to help her. And Jesus replies that Mary has chosen what is better, and it won’t be taken from her.[4] Begin with rest. Begin with time with Jesus. Then go to work. That’s the framework for a full life. And a full life has those fruits of the Spirit, which may or may not be in a busy life. If you’re trying to move from a busy life to a full life, then joy, laughter, and a sense of humor will certainly help.

            First, it really helps to be able to laugh at yourself. Don’t take yourself or your work or the church too seriously. There are some things when you can’t laugh at the time, but you know you’ll laugh about them later. One of my first thoughts when I clunked my head here a couple weeks ago was that if I have a scar, it’s going to look like Harry Potter’s. Other things you have to laugh, because the other option is to cry, like having snow in April. I’d rather laugh at the absurdity of the weather than feel frustrated that the weather hasn’t warmed up yet. The author G.K. Chesterton once said that “angels can fly because they take themselves lightly.” And even many of the saints throughout time could easily laugh at themselves. Or think about the saying, “laughter is the best medicine.” That’s because it decreases those stress hormones and strengthens your immune system. It relaxes you. And when you’ve got a busy life, you need things that lighten the stress and tension.

            Did you know that we’re naturally drawn to happy people? Think about it, when you’re choosing a check-out lane at the grocery store, are you going to walk about to the cashier who’s grumpy or the one who has a smile on their face? We’re attracted to joyful people. And the reason why we’re drawn to joy is because we’re drawn to God.  God is the source of all joy. The disciples hiding in the upper room knew that. That’s why they were overjoyed when Jesus appeared in their presence. “Joy is the surest sign of God’s presence.”[5] Consider all the times and places you find joy and delight. In the garden. With your children or grandchildren. With pets. A project turning out just right. Joy is a sure sign that God is there, too.

The problem is that unfortunately, suffering is linked to our faith journey far more often than joy is. Church attendance swelled after 9/11. Many of us have a story about a journey through the valley of the shadow of death and meeting God there. Yet God not only meets us there, God also meets us in joy and laughter and humor. We are quick to take the credit when something goes right, often forgetting that it was God who gave us those skills and talents and gifts. The truth is that joy and humor build a more lasting and healthier community than suffering and despair do. Instead of the grocery store example, think about our front door here. If our ushers and greeters are squabbling and complaining, even lifelong members are not going to have a good feeling coming in to worship. But joy and humor welcome and attract and build up the body. They show hospitality. They show friendliness. Remember, we’re not talking about biting sarcasm or laughing at someone; we’re talking about a welcoming laugh, a joke that makes the other person smile and brightens their day.

            A full life includes joy and laughter. John wrote these things so that you may have life in Jesus’ name, eternal life. Who wants an eternal life that’s miserable?! However it is that you picture heaven, it probably includes joy. As we catch glimpses of heaven on earth, as we pray and work toward God’s kingdom come, it’s going to include joy and peace and goodness and those other fruits of the Spirit. A full life, a life that honors God, is going to include those things as well. So cultivate them, be intentional about seeking joy, creating joy, finding reasons to laugh, and engage your sense of humor.  It’ll keep you healthier, not just physically but emotionally and spiritually, too.

            One more thought to leave you with as you consider how to cultivate joy and laughter and humor in your life. There’s another place in John’s Gospel where Jesus talks about joy. He says, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”[6] The “this” that Jesus is referring to is his command to “Love one another just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down your life for your friends.”[7] Love one another just as Jesus loves you so that you may know his joy and your joy may be complete. This is also what Paul says as he begins the section on the fruits of the Spirit. Before he compares the two different ways of living, living according to the Spirit versus living according to your own selfish motives, Paul writes, “You were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only don’t let this freedom be an opportunity to indulge your selfish impulses, but serve each other through love. All the Law has been fulfilled in a single statement: Love your neighbor as yourself.”[8] Loving your neighbor as yourself, loving one another just as Jesus has loved us leads us to that life of joy and peace, that full and abundant life that Jesus came to offer us. Jesus didn’t come just so that you could have a life of mere existence; Jesus came that you might have a full life. That you might have joy. That you might be able to laugh at whatever life throws your way, whether it’s snow in April or whatever other ridiculous thing has happened this week. Laughing has just as much to do with God as crying. Thanks be to God.

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[1] “He Touched Me”, UMH ?

[2] John 20:30-31

[3] John 10:10

[4] Luke 10:42

[5] Between Heaven and Mirth, p. 15

[6] John 15:11

[7] John 15:12-13

[8] Galatians 5:13-14, CEB