Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: JOY (12/07/17)
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TITLE: Jesus Joy | Previous Challenge Entry
By Rebecca Lunn
12/14/17 -
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Even before he was born, the fragrance of joy enveloped Jesus. And even before the crystal heavens were set in space, or the sapphire seas were rimmed by beaches, Jesus was rejoicing always in his Father’s presence filled with delight day after day as they crafted mankind together. Once the whole vibrant world was finally made and languages and nations were delineated, Jesus was even more exuberant. So much so that he became a human himself in order to live on earth instead of in heaven.
On his successful entrance into earth, Jesus was given an immense birth-day splash as a newborn. His Father back in heaven signaled the entire military of thousands and thousands and thousands of symphonic angels to brighten up the night sky with shouts of joy. Glorious declarations of ‘peace on earth’ and ‘goodwill to men’ were announced to a handful of shepherds in tiny Bethlehem. Dumbstruck with awe, the shepherds arrived as birthday guests to gaze with wonder at baby Jesus asleep inside a manger.
Even more birthday guests from afar arrived bearing kingly gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. That party of magi had been making lengthy calculations of Jesus’ birthday star which was pulsating night after night with scintillating joy. From the East, they hurried west with high expectations and were overjoyed with whooping joy when the star led them right to the God-child. They all bowed down before Jesus in worship and adoration.
As Jesus grew older, his fragrance of joy became even more poignant. At age twelve while he deliberated with the religious intelligentsia in the temple courts, Jesus amazed and delighted them with his comprehensive answers and penetrating questions. Since Jesus had always loved righteousness and hated wickedness (the same way his Father had), therefore God, his God, set him above his teachers and peers by anointing him continually with the oil of joy.
This powerful joy upon Jesus was not lost on Zacchaeus who himself reveled in the joy of wealth which he had acquired honestly (and dishonestly). Zacchaeus wanted to have a closer look at Jesus the Joy-giver. Was Jesus more joyous because he was wealthier? Zacchaeus had scrutinized in his mind the various money parables Jesus had been telling regarding riches and talents and God and mammon. When Jesus singled him out for a visitation, Zacchaeus gladly welcomed the chance. Instantaneously, he felt a rush of jubilation when a transference of Jesus’ joy transformed his heart. “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Zacchaeus hit oil—the oil of joy!
In the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus’ tears were mingled with blood, a quiet joy steeled his resolve as he prayed. He happily told his Father that he would see Him soon in glory; he rejoiced that he kept his disciples safe. He was glad that the Father will give his followers the full measure of his joy within them to sustain them through ongoing trials.
During his betrayal and arrest in Gethsemane, Jesus brought joy back to the high priest’s servant by healing his right ear which Peter had impulsively slashed off. Jesus even made Judas pleased by not resisting arrest so he could keep the thirty pieces of silver!
Even while Jesus endured the agony and the vulgarity of the cross, he brought joy to the thief who hung on a cross next to him by guaranteeing him Paradise. The stench of sin and death did not overpower the fragrance of joy on Jesus as he looked forward to the triumph of glory that was securely set before him. Eternal life would be available to all, not just the gods! The whole of creation which he had designed with his Father could become all new again! With a shout of joy, Jesus cried, “It is finished!” The way to glory is opened up!
Jesus ascended up into his Father’s splendor in full view of his disciples leaving them with an unspeakable joy. When Jesus poured out the Holy Spirit upon them from on high, the praying group of disciples broke out ecstatically in new tongues bubbling up even more praises.
For the next two thousand years since, Christmas merriment and Easter gaiety have been especially celebrated by all Christ-followers to display the everlasting, unmistakable fragrance of the joy of Jesus.
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