The Joy of the Kingdom
Psalm 30; Luke 10:1-20[1]
Let’s be honest: our
world feels like chaos right now. We’ve already lived through a time of turmoil
that most of us couldn’t have imagined a couple of years ago. And if the
sweeping changes that have affected everything from gas prices to the ways
movies are released haven’t been enough, it seems like every week we’re hit
with something that is “unprecedented.” It feels like that word is getting worn
out this year! If you look closely at your friends and neighbors, or even if
you look closely at yourself in the mirror, I think beneath the appearance of
everything being fine, many of us are actually struggling. We’re tired, we’re
stressed out, and we’re afraid. And the “hits” just keep on coming.
When you look at all
that, it may seem completely out of touch with reality to even talk about “joy.”
How can anyone in good conscience talk about “joy” while so many are suffering
so desperately? And yet, with all the pressure we’re all living under, I would
say that finding joy in our lives is precisely what we need. When we live out
of our stress and fear, we are never able to be our best selves. But finding
joy in life gives us the hope that enables us to rise above all that would box
us in with fear and to live out of our compassion and kindness instead.
Our Gospel lesson for
today might raise this question for some of us. When you look at all the
turmoil and the suffering going on, it may seem irresponsible to talk about the
“joy of the Kingdom.” But the joy found in our Gospel lesson for today doesn’t
come from some naïve detachment from the harsh realities of life. It comes right
out of them. In our lesson for today, Jesus warned those who would take a stand
for the Kingdom of God of the dangers it may involve. In this context, he was
sending 70 (or 72) of his followers “on ahead of him” to take the good news to
as many people as possible. And he was preparing them for what will happen as
they work to spread the “peace” of God’s kingdom.
Jesus knew that there
would be some who would welcome the peace they were bringing into their homes
and their lives. But he also knew that there would be some who would reject it.
He warned them that he was sending them out “like lambs into the midst of
wolves” (Lk 10:3). Jesus had already told them more than once that he must go
to Jerusalem where he would face rejection, torture, and eventually death. And
he warned those who would follow him that they must be prepared to take up
their own cross “daily” (Lk 9:23). Jesus knew that those were willing to join
him in sharing the “peace” of God’s kingdom would not be welcomed by everyone
they met along the way. And he knew that some of them would literally risk
their lives for the sake of the good news.
Even though this group
of disciples apparently did not face that level of threat on this occasion, the
call to follow Jesus and to carry out the mission of the Kingdom of God would sooner
or later lead many of them into danger. We might think that would put a damper
on their sense of joy in serving God’s purposes in this world. But that was not
the case. As the New Testament shows us, time and again those who suffered for
the sake of their faith considered it a privilege to be counted worthy to
suffer for the sake of Christ, for the sake of God’s kingdom, and for the sake
of the peace, justice, and freedom God was bringing into the world.
Their joy in serving
the kingdom of God didn’t come from the ease or comfort of their lives. Rather
it came from the promise of salvation. That’s what Jesus meant when he
instructed his disciples to “rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Lk
10:20)! Their joy was inspired by the confidence that God will never fail us or
forsake us but will be with us no matter what our circumstances. Their joy was
inspired by the assurance that God will keep his promises. Their joy was
inspired by their faith that God’s kingdom will make all things right and
restore everyone and everything to life. That was the kind of joy they found as
they followed Jesus in ministry to their world.[2]
Jesus continually bore
witness to the joy of the Kingdom—in his parables, in his proclamation of the
Gospel, and in his life. What makes the good news about Jesus so joyful is the
faith that God’s kingdom of justice, peace, and freedom is already transforming
this world. That hope frees us so that we can live joyfully now, even in the
midst of all the difficulties we may face, and even in the face of the
suffering that many have to endure!
When
you think about the stress and fear we’re all going through right now, I think we
might agree that we could all use a dose of joy right about now. I’m not
talking about looking at life through rose-colored glasses. I think the joy we
need is the joy that Jesus pointed us to: the joy of God’s future, where those
who suffer will be comforted, the poor will be supplied with everything they
need, and the oppressed will be set free to live the lives they were meant to
live. It’s a joy that comes from looking for the day when God will turn all the
mourning in the world into dancing. As we redirect our lives from fear to joy,
we can serve others with love in the hope that God’s kingdom is already making
all things new!
[1] © 2022 Alan Brehm. A sermon delivered by Rev. Alan Brehm PhD on 7/3/2022 for Hickman Presbyterian Church, Hickman, NE. For a video recording of this sermon, check out my Pastor Alan YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/W4DbflNw06Y
[2] Jürgen
Moltmann, The Passion for Life: A
Messianic Lifestyle, 74, calls this kind of joy the “laughter of the
redeemed, the dance of the liberated.” Moltmann uses this phrase with reference to
the celebration of the resurrection at Easter, but I would say that it applies
as well to the joy of the kingdom of God in Jesus’ ministry.
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