Proverbs 17:22 A joyful heart is good medicine, But a broken spirit dries up the bones.

 

Ecclesiastes 3:4 A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance.

Jesus began His public ministry when He was about 30 years old (Luke 3:23), the age when a priest attained the full measure of duty and service in the Temple (Numbers 4:3).  Before that, Jesus earned a living as a carpenter, following in the trade of his earthly father Joseph (Mark 6:3, Matthew 13:55).  Jesus’ focus and purpose was to tell people about His Heavenly Father’s love for man.  Jesus had a serious purpose to tell people about the penalty of their sin and the forgiveness of sin that is found in repentance and receiving eternal life in Jesus Christ (John 3:16-18).  Jesus knew He had to die in man’s place for man’s sin penalty.  Jesus knew the pain and suffering He would feel as he was beaten and hung on a cross and separated from the love of His Heavenly Father.  Jesus knew the cost but He also knew the reward … eternal life for “us” and love and fellowship with Him.

Now, it is hard for me to comprehend that I am a “prize” worth dying for, especially when I sin and rebel against God or when I fail to give my best or when I am made to  feel worthless but Jesus sees my worth and He see the “joy set before Him” (Hebrews 12:2).  Jesus sees beyond my sins and failures and He see beyond His sacrifice on the cross to pay for my sin.  He sees the “born again” child that I can become if I accept Him as Savior of my life and he sees the “joy” of fellowship we will share on earth now and the “joy” of fellowship I will one day share with Him in Heaven and on a new new earth free from sin.  “Jesus paid it all and all to Him I owe.”  The sacrifice of Christ and our salvation in Christ is a serious and sobering issue that each person must address and answer to God about … “What did you do with my only begotten Son, Jesus?” (Mark 8:29)  And when you meet Jesus (after you die or are rapture to Heaven), He will know those who put their faith in Him and He will welcome them into His Heavenly Kingdom but He will also know those that did not make Him Lord of their life and He will sentence them to die eternally in the Lake of Fire.  Yes, this is serious stuff … so did Jesus laugh?

I can image as a young boy that Jesus laughed with his bothers and sisters and especially with His mother who was near and dear to Him.  And that is what humor is, when it is done the right way, it is an intimate way to share our weaknesses with one another and laugh about them.  Now, Jesus, didn’t really have any weaknesses but He understood our weaknesses and He experienced the weaknesses of living in an earthly body.  Plus Jesus understood His mother and I think He knew how to make her laugh at herself and with Him.

God has given us the ability to laugh and this may be the greatest gift God has given us, outside of His saving grace of course.  The ability to sing on key is a gift only some people are given but the gift of to laugh “on key” is given to everyone, if they choose to use it.  Laughing releases stress and anxiety and is a health benefit like eating well, exercising and getting a good night’s sleep.  The ability to laugh in spite of our grim circumstance and challenges we face does not mean that we don’t care about all the problems around us but it means that we know we are not responsible for all the problems and for fixing all the problems.  We are only responsible to be faithful to do God’s will and trust in God’s grace to work all things out for His good and His glory.  This is something the Scribes and Pharisees failed to recognize, that God’s grace covered their sin, not their good works.  In other word, learning to laugh at yourself puts things into a proper perspective here on earth, God’s in charge … not us.

As pastor Clay says, “take life seriously but not yourself” and as Buzzy says “learn to laugh at yourself and you will have a life time of entertainment”.

Because man is made in the image of God, it is logical to assume that God laughs.  In other words, we laugh because God laughs.  Perhaps God chuckled a little when He made the giraffe or the wiener dog.  And how about all those funny animal videos on the Internet … the one where they put a human voice over the moving lips of a dog who is asking about meat in the refrigerator make me laugh every time.  We laugh at the animals because they remind us of our crazy and faulty behavior.  And in a similar way, the humor of God can be seen in the way He uses our weaknesses to overcome strongholds in this world, by bringing down the proud and exhaling the humble for His glory.

Yes, there are serious things to do and times to be serious and times to weep but behind every dark cloud, God is overcoming the storms of life in unlikely and humorous ways.  Throughout the Bible there are men and women just like you and me, weak and flawed but when they surrendered their will to God, He used them in a mighty way.  If you were looking at David and Goliath, you would see a teen age youth without any armor, holding but a sling and stone facing a giant trained combat warrior … this was a comical sight to Goliath and the Philistines until David prevailed in battle. (1 Samuel 17:1-58)

When the Angel of the Lord said to Gideon, “O valiant warrior” (Judges 6:12), Gideon sure thought God was kidding.  Judges 6:14The LORD looked at him and said, “Go in this your strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?” 15He said to Him, “O Lord, how shall I deliver Israel? Behold, my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house.” 16But the LORD said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat Midian as one man.”

Abraham laughed (Genesis 17:17) and Sarah laughed (Genesis 18:12) when God told them they would have a child when Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was beyond child bearing years.  Laughter is a good way to react to the surprising blessings that God brings into our life, not laughing in doubt or ridicule but smiling in amazement and acknowledgement of our Great God!

Perhaps, the story that displays God’s sense of humor the most in the Old Testament is story of Haman and Mordecai in the book of Esther.  We learn in this book that the queen Vashti of Persia would not come when summoned by King Ahasuerus to display her beauty at a party where everyone was seven days drunk. However, in the culture of that time her cry for “the due respect of a wife” went over like a lead balloon and the King is given counsel to replace the queen, lest every wife be so inclined to disobey her husband.  The king arranges a “beauty” contest to select his new queen.  Esther, a Jew, who is the niece of Mordecai (a patriot to the King who attends to matters of the King at the gate of the palace) seeks wise advise on how to win the King’s favor and follows that wise advise.  Sure enough as God’s providential and grace combine, Ester become the new queen.

Sometime later, Mordecai reveals to Esther a plot of murder against the King by two of his “gate” keeping officials.  Upon investigation these two men are found to be guilty of treason and they are hanged.  However, at this time the King forgets Mordecai and he promotes Haman to the position of gate keeper and he gives orders that everyone must bow in the presence of Haman.  However, because Mordecai is a Jew, or maybe because he recognizes Haman’s prideful and wicked character, he refuses to bow.  This act of disrespect infuriates Haman so he drafts an order to wipe out all the Jews from Persia and convinces the King to sign it and make it law.  This also emboldens Haman to build a gallows to hang Mordecai.  Upon hearing this terrible news, Mordecai asks Esther to intervene and petition the King to save the Jews “at such a time as this”.

Esther knows the danger in approaching the King uninvited so she prepares a dinner for the King and Haman and “invites them to the dinner” in order to expose the wicked intent of Haman and undo the order to kill her people.  That night after the dinner, the King remembers in a dream that Mordecai has saved his life.  When Haman arrives at the gate, the King asks Haman how the King should bestow honor upon someone.  Well, the King wants to honor Mordecai but Haman thinks the King wants to honor him, so Haman says that a parade should be organized where the person of honor is mounted on a fine horse and someone goes before announcing that the man is of great honor in the King’s sight.  Well, here’s the funny part, the King commands that Haman do all these things for Mordecai, so Haman has to walk the city declaring how great Mordecai is to everyone while secretly inside Hamn wants to kill Mordecai.  This is the (1) first twist of comedy and irony that backfires on Haman and his big fat ego and mouth.

Then at the second dinner for Haman and the King, queen Esther reveals that her life is threaten by  a decree of the King to kill the Jews in Persia, since she is herself a Jew.  The King asks who made him sign such a foolish decree and she reveals that is was Haman.  The King responds with anger and he decrees that Haman be hung dead on the very gallows that Haman built to hang Mordecai.  This is the second and third twist of irony that backfires on Haman, in that (2) Haman is hung on the gallows he has built to hang Mordecai and (3) his order to kill the Jews become his own death sentence order.  Of course death is no laughing matter but in this story God reveals the truth behind this verse:

“He who digs a pit will fall into it, And he who rolls a stone, it will come back on him.”  – Proverbs 26:27

Now, when we look at the New Testament we see that Jesus first miracle was performed at a joyous wedding party where He changed water into “excellent wine” (John 2:1-11) and wine brings joy to the body (Psalm 104:15).  More specifically Jesus changes the Temple purifying water into wine which contained the ashes of the “red heifer” which purified men and objects which were containment from lepers.  The act of transformation of the water symbolized that “Jesus is” the cleansing and living water that purifies us from the sickness of sin and makes us joyous.

Jesus also had meals with tax collectors and sinners where there was no doubt a lively atmosphere of fellowship and discussion.  This is why He was criticized by some who said His behavior was inappropriate for a prophet of God (Matthew 11:19).  When Jesus tells a parable about the prodigal son, He tells about the party that the father has when his son returns to him in repentance.   This story is an illustrations of the celebration that occurs in Heaven when a sinner comes to a saving faith in Jesus Christ.  Of course in Jesus’ day and even our day, honoring a son who returns after wasting half of the families money is difficult to understand.  But, it’s a parable about our Heavenly Father and He is really the “prodigal” One who can give away His grace generously and extravagantly and never run out!

 “In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10).

And Jesus must have laughed with the children in order to hold their attention and make them feel at ease.  It was probably His welcoming smile and open arms that attracted the children to Him (Mark 10:13-16).  I have always thought that Jesus might have laughed a little as He was walking on the water while His disciples where struggling in the boat (Matthew 14:2527).  If they hadn’t been so sacred He probably would have said to them “Hey, catch you guys later, I’m taking this short cut to the other side”.

Some have said that Jesus was cruel for they way He spoke to the Canaanite woman who requested that Jesus heal her daughter because Jesus says that in comparison to the children of Israel she is like a pet dog.  But, Jesus is not insulting her but testing her faith to see if she understands that being called a dog was the way “the culture” of that time referred to non-Jewish people.  In comparison to Jesus, we are all like dogs that pee in God’s house and are dependent on His good grace for our daily boarding and bread.  Jesus is not agreeing with the cultural and He is not insulting her but I think Jesus spoke these words to her in a questioning way, “If people call you a dog does that prevent you from coming to Me?”.  If people call you a fool, will you still follow Jesus? (1 Corinthians 1:18 and 4:10)  Jesus didn’t think the woman was unworthy of His healing love but He is giving her an opportunity to publicly “out jest” Him in this exchange of words and teach those present that “faith” is greater than earthly labels.

Matthew 15:  21Jesus went away from there, and withdrew into the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22And a Canaanite woman from that region came out and began to cry out, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed.” 23But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and implored Him, saying, “Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us.” 24But He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” 26And He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27But she said, “Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” 28Then Jesus said to her, “O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed at once.

There are couple times when Jesus used a comical analogy to exaggerate the point He was trying to make.  When Jesus is teaching people how to properly “judge” others, He says that you need to first “judge” yourself and make sure you are on a righteous standing with God, otherwise you are acting like a hypocrite who is trying to remove a “spec” of wood from your brother’s eye while a “log” of wood is protruding from your own eye.  (Matthew 7:3-5)  Imagine a log of wood coming out of someone’s eye … now that is funny.  And when Jesus is explaining how money can be a great hindrance and idol that keep you from coming to God, He gives the impossible and comical example of a camel trying to go through the “eye of a needle”.  And then Jesus clarifies the point, saying that although money does blind a person to their need and desire for salvation, God message of Amazing Grace is able to save them if they come in repentance to the cross, just like everyone else.

Matthew 19: 23And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24“Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 25When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?” 26And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

When Jesus spits on dirt and puts mud on a blind person’s eyes to give him sight, I think Jesus is pointing out in a humorous way that He can heal “any way and any day”.  (John 9:6)  Not only is it comical to put mud on someone’s eyes so they can see but by making “mud” on the Sabbath, Jesus is challenging the understanding of the Scribes and Pharisees who accused Him of performing “work” on the day it was prohibited because of the 4th commandment (Exodus 20:8).  Jesus is purposefully and publicly doing “good work” on the Sabbath and He clarifies that the purpose of this commandment was to bless people by giving them “rest” from six days of labor, just as God rested on the 7th day after creation.  Jesus declares that He is Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8) and He desires “compassion for men above sacrifice”.  The Sabbath was a day to set aside to honor God and worship Him but the Scribes and Pharisees spent their time focusing on what “not to do”, instead of “what to do” to demonstrate their love for God.  Jesus is demonstrating the compassion and desire of God to heal men and women anytime and anywhere but these hypnotics are too busy straining out gnats and swallowing camels (see next paragraph).  They have lost sight of Godly love and kindness toward their fellow man and would criticize a person if they miss spelled words in their suicide note.

And when Jesus lashes out eight woes of judgment upon the Scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23, He does so with expressions that clearly paints a humorous picture of their pompous and prideful lifestyle.

• “For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness;”

 

• “You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!” 

 

• “For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness”.  

Then Jesus says Matthew 23:37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. 38“Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! 39“For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!’” 

Jesus is making an analogy that the Jews are like baby chicks and He is the mother who protects the chicks from harm but the Jews are “unwilling” to enjoy His loving care.  Then as they walk way from the confrontation with the Scribes and Pharisees, the disciples try to cheer Jesus up saying, “Hey, look at this beautiful temple that the Romans have built for us”.  At which point Jesus sarcastically implies, “Yes, and these wonderful Romans who built it are going to soon destroy it!”.  (Matthew 24:1-2)

And though the scene where the Roman guards arrest Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane is no laughing matter, when Jesus declares to the guards that are seeking Him that “I am”, (John 18:6) the guards stumble back and fall to the ground.  This must have been quite an odd sight to see this unarmed Jesus standing before all these mighty Roman guards who are sitting on their backside.

Yes, Jesus was a man of sorrow but he also had much joy from fellowship with His disciples and in sharing the joy of those He healed and cared for.  He must have enjoyed listening to the disciples enthusiastic reports, like when they cast our demons and I believe Jesus especially enjoyed the unharnessed zeal of Peter (ready, fire, aim), for He knew that zeal would one day be transformed and harnessed by the grace of His Holy Spirit and lead thousands to salvation.  And even now, I can’t help but think that Jesus smiles (or cringes) when He watches our unharnessed zeal for Him, even if the results of our zeal don’t go as we hope but end up more like something on America’s Funniest Home Videos.  

I think laughter is a preview of what Heaven will be like when we have joy without end.  And quite frankly, without God’s love that reaches down to lift me up and a sense of humor so I reach up and take His hand, I don’t see how anyone anyone makes it through this world.

+8^)  Rogersings 

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