Sabbath Rest 6

Matthew 27:50-51 “Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in town, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart.” NLT

Much of my life was spent feeling like an outsider. I was younger than the other kids in my neighborhood, and while I desperately tried to keep up, I was just smaller. As I grew older, I was always a little different. My artsy, introverted personality kept me from making many friends, and as I grew into adulthood, my classification as a woman clergy automatically labeled me as “different.” In mind though, I just thought I was on the outside because I was obese. The theme throughout all of those circumstances, though, was that I was an outsider. People were generally nice to me, and things weren’t all bad, but most of the time, I just wanted to blend into the wall. To this very day, I don’t enjoy calling attention to myself, which makes preaching pretty tricky. There are still times that I think to myself in the middle of a sermon, “These people are looking directly at me!”

The account of the death of Jesus as recorded in Matthew tells that at the moment Jesus releases His Spirit, the veil of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. In short, this veil that it speaks of served as the barrier between the Holy of Holies, the place where the Spirit of God dwelt, and the place where the Israelites worshipped. This curtain’s ripping from top to bottom was important because no one but God could’ve done that. And secondly, we realize that now we have access to worship Him, in His very presence. Now we can go into the Holy of Holies and make our own petitions known. When the Temple veil was ripped, we knew that Jesus is our High Priest, who has made the final and ultimate sacrifice for our sins. We gained the right to worship, and we are no longer outsiders. He accepts us, just as we are because we have been bought with the precious blood of Jesus.

As we face another week, let’s remember that because of Jesus, we don’t have to feel that we are outsiders, alone, or less-than-desirable. His sacrifice opened the door for us to be able to worship, in the presence of Almighty God. He accepts us, and He makes us worthy.

What characteristics have you used to label yourself in the past? Whether they’re good or bad, think more of what God thinks of you. Chosen, loved, saved, creation, child...all of these are what Jesus made us by dying on the cross and defeating the grave.

Encouragement for Today

Hebrews 13:15 “Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name.” NLT

Ephesians 1:4-5 “Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will.” ESV

J-O-Y

John 15:11 “I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.” NLT

During this past Christmas season, I was tasked with creating a window display for our store. Part of that display included the letters “J-O-Y,” cascading down an old ladder. I bought the 9” paper mache letters and brought them home to spray paint them red. I didn’t want to just lay them in the grass to paint them because I just knew that dead grass sprigs would get caught in the wet paint. So I laid them on our concrete driveway, confident that any residual paint would wash away when the winter rains/ice came in the new year. 

That very day that I painted those letters, my husband came home to find “J-O-Y” outlined on the driveway. He said he knew instantly what I was doing but wished I might’ve used a cardboard box or something as a backdrop. I wished I had too. I was still optimistic about it eventually washing away, but to my dismay, it’s still there as bold as it was the day I painted it. 

But I have to say that what I once saw as something unsightly, I now see as a daily reminder. Every day when I leave for work, I see JOY, a reminder of what God has done in my life. And every day when I come home from work, I see JOY, a reminder that nothing can wash away my joy.

John records in his Gospel, the words of Christ about loving one another. Jesus states very plainly that if we simply love Him and one another, our joy will be full, overflowing to be exact. It’s interesting to me that Jesus basically says that our joy is dependent upon how we love Him and one another, and He even uses Himself as the example. Just as Christ has love us, and gave His life for us, we are also to love one another. Our love for one another is not dependent upon how others treat us. It’s dependent upon how we treat others, and how we share His love with them. And how we love Jesus...well, we must simply obey Him. How much easier could it be?

In modern times, we may sometimes confuse happiness with joy. Happiness is circumstantial, dependent upon the happenings in our lives. Joy is the knowledge of the abiding presence of God. I don’t know about you, but I choose joy over happiness any day. When hard days come, and it seems like there’s no end in sight, happiness fades, and washes away. Joy is still there. The assurance of knowing that He is with us is a comforting peace that supersedes anything we may be facing.

Do you have joy in your heart? The Scripture says to remain in Him, the true Vine, and He will cause you to bear fruit, His joy.

Encouragement for Today
James 1:2-4 “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” NLT

John 16:24 “Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.” NLT