This broadcaster has 536 podcast archives available on-demand.
Keep up-to-date with this broadcaster on social media and their website.
October 8, 2021 8:00 am
Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ that we want to blow mature as believers we want to become more and more God will if that's true then God if he's happy what we become more and more happy if you're growing Christian you should be more happy best appoint God's happy you want to be more like him to be happy like he is joining us today on this additional fellowship of the word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana going pastor Bill Gebhardt now is once again shows us how God's word. Our world should know. I don't think is very somber Sharing the good news is check Erin is not the way God is not how we operate. Go to the end of Timothy to first Timothy 615 and here Paul's ending it up but is not talking about the Lord Jesus Christ and notice what he says. I start in verse 13 he said I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things in Christ Jesus, who is testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, and then he says this, which he will bring about at the proper time crisis coming back okay fine.
Then he says he who is blessed the only sovereign the King of Kings and the Lord of lords. Now we always take Jesus the King of Kings and Lord of lords, and he's he's sovereign. It also says here blessed Mark Diaz happy he's happy and he sovereign and is the King of Kings and Lord of lords see the changes your whole perspective of who Jesus is and what is accomplished. God is happy. He wants his people to be happy.
We always say that it's important that a person becomes conformed to the image of Christ, that we want to grow in godliness mature as believers we want to become more and more godly.
Well, if that's true then God if he's happy. What should we become more and more happy if you're growing Christian you should be more happy best appoint God's happy you want to be more like him.
Be happy like he is told me to Luke 1515 we seen this before but Jesus going to teach in three parables and one he wants to talk about is he doesn't want to just talk about lost things being found. That's part of it, but what he really wants to talk about his what does God think about it.
When something is lost is found in uses three different pictures to do it.
Three completely different pictures. The first one is the lost sheep. So he says in verse four. What man among you if he has 100 sheep and has lost one does not. You said leave the 99 he said in the open pastor go after the one which was lost until he finds it, and when he is founded he laces all lays it on his shoulders and what's the next word rejoicing happy he's rejoicing and when he comes home. He calls together his friends and his neighbor same to them, rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost to what happens to God when something that is lost is found. He's happy.
He goes on what woman if she has 10 silver coins and loses one of them does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it, and when she found that she calls together friends and neighbors, saying, rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I lost in the same way I tell you there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over center reap everybody's happy. They might still give my baby mean just the angels are happy. God is in happy okay but the next one has to do with the prodigal son in the prodigal son as we know the story well we have to do with the father. What is the father like that clearly God so look a dime to verse 20 after he's come back it said he got up and it came to his father and while he was still a long way off, his father saw him, felt compassion for them and he randomly braced embrace them and kissed him now would you call that a sad scene are happy when I'm just off the top my what you think.
What are you doing home nice happy.
Now watch the sunset in father, I have sinned against heaven in your site am no longer worthy to be called your son. But the father said to his slaves quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him and put a ring on his hand sandals on his feet and bring the fatted calf and kill it and let us eat and celebrate for this son of mine was dead, and is come to life again.
He was lost and fine and they began to celebrate in a father with because they're all happy than the older son comes in is you never gave me the fatted calf never been a great for me and I didn't leave that thing.
But notice how the father ends in verse 32 but we had to celebrate and rejoice for this brother of yours was dead and is he said has begun to live. He was lost and he was found is the nature of God.
God is happy he's especially happy when that which is lost is found mean you ever think about that day you came to Christ. It may God happy I made you happy. I hope it made me happy. May God happy.
He said all heaven rejoices there's happiness here.
I'm a happy God.
You see, that's the way this works now this picture of God go with me back to Psalm to the book of Psalms Psalm two. Psalmist is writing and he's writing about some it's very important in this whole subject matter.
Most human beings don't care for God and I like him and they don't want them in their lives. They just don't know do anything to avoid them, invent their own religions and all have their own religion and say I don't have to deal with God I don't have to deal with any that I'll just make up my own religion. And then all believing that religion and everything will be fine for those say I'm agnostic or atheistic at another is a God exist or I don't think there is a God at all, so I don't having to do with God. That's man that's what man does he rebels against God. That's the way it works for me so that's the context here and it says why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing.
The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed, and saying let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us, but I don't like to do with God I don't have to having to deal with God. There notice the next verse he who sits in the heavens laughs so funny, so the good to be able to do it, it will have to do with me. They can avoid me forever really I don't have to have any part of God really he laughs. It's an interesting thing from that point of view, the Lord scoffs at them. He said he will speak to them in his anger and he said and terrify them in his fury you can avoid me said. But here's the other thing I think that's funny because as I think that's funny that you think you can do without me. I think this is the funny thing that's the nature of God.
Now notice when you get to the end of this. I love the way it ends. He said do homage to verse 12 do homage to the son that he not become angry that you perish in the way for his wrath may soon be kindled and then it says this.
How blessed are those who take refuge in him. Asher Asher happiness how happy are those who take refuge in him. We can avoid God will ultimately either know God as your Savior is your judge for your little one way the other New Testament is as every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and I can avoid but if you put your faith in him. How happy are those who take refuge in. See you happy. God wants us to be a happy people go with me to Hebrews chapter 1.
Now if you remember the context of the book of Hebrews Jewish believers find themselves in a difficult spot. Nobody likes them. The Romans don't like Jews.
The Greeks don't like Jews.
But the Jews now don't like Jews who believe in Jesus so there ostracize this people they can't your families disown them. They can do business and so one of them comes up with a bright idea. The best way to do it is to go back in the Judaism still believe in Jesus, but let's become Jews again. That's why the whole book is written in the in the author the book says you can do that if you're dumb enough to do that you're going to do just like that first generation you're going to die in the wilderness. You're never going to have the promised land. You're never going to. You're never going to get the life that God promised you. If you decide to do that. So the first thing he wants to tell Ms. Jesus is better than everything in Judaism. In fact, everything in Judaism is just a shadow but Jesus is the substance so the first thing he goes after angels. He said Jesus is better than all the angels are not even close to Jesus. And so that's why he says in verse six and when he again brings the firstborn into the world. He says let all the angels of God worship him and the angel and of the angels. He says who makes his angels winds and his ministers a flame of fire, but of the son he says your throne of God is forever and ever. And the righteous scepter. The scepter of his kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness know what would God does. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you. He said with the oil of gladness above all your companions. So what good got annoyed him with gladness he he anointed him with gladness or happiness now to think about that for a moment. Is it just summers a lot. He said it is above all your companions know who the companions of the Lord is a man to talk about menu maybe is a time but angels that's the context maybe is he talking about both likely so if that's true, is there anybody or anything in the universe happier than Jesus risen as a happy years you see on a motivating force, this is now, go with me to Hebrews 12 the end of the book verse one and two. Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us. He's talking to us, he said, let us lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run the race with endurance the race that before such a describe our lives, how we should go about doing with our lives.
Then he says this here's our example, he says, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and the perfecter of faith. Though Mrs. know who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising a chain and set down at the right hand of the throne of God. How did Jesus endure the cross for the joy set before we mean the joy was to the joy of redeeming a people. The joy of granting an entrance into heaven for anyone who would believe in him, that the joy of having eternal bride to be intimate with him forever. The joy of pleasing and doing the father's will.
There's a lot of joy. Jesus says that's how endured the cross, I have a prevailing joy about me or even a prevailing happiness. You see, I think that's amazing. When Jesus part. Now some people say no Jesus he was he was never happy. He was a man of sorrows.
He was acquainted with sorrows. He became sin.
He understands with sorrows. As for the sake the Internet and the Bible says. I remember we want both the Bible says he never left the Bible never said he never left the Bible doesn't say anywhere.
It doesn't bed.
He laughed. Now that's an argument he's not happy right okay. Remember, that's true.
He never breathed. The Bible never says a. The Bible never said he yawned the Bible never said he sneezed so I didn't do any of those things because the Bible never said the Bible studies for human okay so beyond any sneezed and he breathed and he laughed and when you read the discourse of Christ to realize the unique sense of humor that he has the way he uses hyperbole to teach stories.
It's amazing and are referred to herein is that edible Fox heat.
He has a sense of humor and it comes up in a lot of different places. He is fully human. God is happy and he wants us to be happy as well. There is one catch, though the only way you can really have this kind happiness is almost always against your natural instincts to be happy.
That's what we got ourselves a whole lot of trouble. There is a way to really be happy and will look at that next time. But I want you to see this. I want you to go to Jeremiah chapter 2 with me in verse 13. Now it's ironic that I'd end the sermon on happiness with Jeremiah was the weeping prophet. Okay, good.
Seem like the most happy guy, but he says something very insightful.
Here God is making his case against Judah and is making a strong case and he says in verse 13 God speaking. He said for my people have committed two evils. There's two things wrong with the way Judah has acted one they have forsaken me that's interesting. Now notice what he means by that. The fountain of living waters. They have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters. There's a same expression Jesus uses the Samaritan woman I give you living water will never thirst again. He said they but he says here there forsaken me. I I offer them as Jesus in a come to give you life and you give it to you abundantly. He said I've I've come to offer you an abundant enriching full, happy life, but you rejected next part of the verse. He then says to you and for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water.
That's what happened to the people of God, they thought they could do their own way.
In other words, if you look at in this context, be they human themselves their own cisterns of things they thought would make them happy and he said I have that against you, that one is not work now want to think about this in the application of it when it comes to happiness. Just think of the things you and I do to make ourselves happy to make you really happy for an average American. One word right more, that's it. I know for a fact all I need is more you give me more. I'll be happy you and when you get more you want more. When you get that you want more you get that you one more and then you start realizing this is making me very happy at all. All those kind of things you see and go along with more cyst stuff like if I have more stuff then there really be happy to see that that's that's can really make me happy.
I used to say I don't see it anymore so don't get offended. I used to say that that when we were in the Cooper housing project some the happiest people I ever met were done at the Cooper housing project in Asia see it seems to me that the closer you live to the lake, the more unhappy you are okay. I got a lot of flak for that. So I don't say that anymore, but the but it does make a point.
You see, you think that if I could just migrate from the inner-city project and get out LOL that's one to be happy, but you're not using. If you're young. What's even worse.
I'll be happier from popular from just popular. I'll be happy to be popular, but popular won't make you happy at all.
In fact, when you're really young, you find that being popular in high school won't really help much in life. You know it's not some.
It's going to really do it for well how about if I'm just beautiful or handsome. That'll make me happy.
I can't even begin to tell you the depression rate among people in our culture who are beautiful and handsome in a worst-case scenario you're so driven by this that you can grab plastic surgeries to keep his beautiful voice and are as handsome as you can and you and I both know you seen them on TV. Someone had 1015 20 plastic surgeries. Why are they doing that would be happy how I look now horrible credits at ongoing idea that I that'll make me happy.
You see all those kind of things. There's nothing this early wrong with all this in Timothy.
Paul says if you're rich in this present world got to. Here's the first thing I want you to do this at first, I want to realize you're only rich because of me.
Secondly, don't put your security are significant to me because you have money, but thirdly, he says, enjoy it, be happy with it.
There's nothing wrong with the stop but you have to know where it comes from the joy doesn't come from the stuff the joy comes from the giver, not necessarily the gift so you're free to be as unhappy as you want to be and out. It's a shame if you are because you don't have to be, of all people. Spurgeon is right, we should be the happiest, happiest people you could find no you can think that you can find happiness for some of us is just the place. If I just got to a place. I'll be I'll be happy. I mean, isn't that the whole point of Disney World and Vegas isn't Disney World Vegas on happiness brokers know what that is though you spent thousands and thousands of dollars good is going to be happy right but even if you are the ever notice it doesn't last.
You see is not really going to last.
That's the point that's with the point that God wants to make God is happy.
He wants us to be happy and you'll only find a kind of happiness that were talking about in your relationship with him. That's what will go next time which break father.
This message is universal.
Everyone of us want to be happy. We've all pursued in a variety of ways. We've all experienced temporal happiness, but it's so circumstantially oriented so that certain things are happening in our life are happy. But when other things happen were miserable. Father I pray that we understand that you have designed us to relate to you in such a way that we can have prevailing happiness even admits amidst the sorrow of life. We can still be happy father our happiness in these difficult circumstances can serve as a great witnessing tool for the good news. Happiness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. When people see our happiness become something that they would desire, and it becomes contagious because we have the message of our Savior that we can get father I pray that each of us ask ourselves my happy my a person would be considered for our good pastoral giver on the radio ministry of fellowship Lord, if you ever miss one of our broadcast or maybe you dislike of the sum of the method one more time. Remember, you can Google a great website called one place.com that's one place.com and you can listen to Fellowship in the Word online at that website you will find on today's broadcast but also many of her previous audio programs as well Fellowship in the Word. We are thankful for those who financially support our ministry and make this broadcast possible. We ask all of our listeners to prayerfully consider how you might help his radio ministry continuous broadcast on this radio station by supporting us monthly with just a one-time gift support for ministry can be sent to Fellowship in the Word. 4600 Clearview Pkwy., Metairie, LA 7006 if you would be interested in hearing today's message in its original format that is is a sermon, the pastor will deliver during a Sunday morning service at Fellowship Bible church visit our website@bcnola.org that SBC 10 oh LA.O RG at our website you will find hundreds pastoral sermon you can browse through our sermon archives defined sermon series you're looking for. You can search by title.
Once you find the method you're looking for an online work you prefer, you can download the sermon and listen at your own. And remember all this absolutely free of charge.
Once again our website is SBC Nola.org forecaster Bill Gebhardt and Jason Gebhardt. Thank you for listening to fellowship in order