Sermon Notes
Sermon: Shared Joy by Rev. Jessica Johnson
Date: October 28, 2018
Key Passage: Psalm 126
Sermon:
Opening
Do you have problems in your life? Do you feel overwhelmed by your problems? Everyone has problems in their life. These problems vary from person to person. It could be relationship issues, work issues, financial issues, illness, and so on. Some people feel so overwhelmed by their problems that they fall into depression and feel so trapped that they begin to consider suicide.
Miracle Question
I want to think of a major problem in your life that you would love to solve. Maybe it is a marital issue or dealing with some trauma in the past. Maybe it is a work issue or a relationship issue. Whatever it is, I want you to keep this specific problem in mind as I ask you this question:
What if, after you go to sleep tonight, a miracle happens and the problem that you’re having is suddenly solved! But because this happens while you are sleeping, you have no way of knowing that there was an overnight miracle that solved the problem.
SO, when you wake up tomorrow morning, what might be the small change that will make you say to yourself, “Wow, something must have happened-the problem is gone!” What would that world look like without your problem? What would your life be like? What would you be like? What would your relationships be like? If this miracle really did occur, I want you to think deeply about what that would look like and feel like. How would you feel if your problem was suddenly resolved and gone? (Kollar)
This question is called the “miracle question” and it is often used as a counseling technique in solution-focused counseling. (You can learn more about it in the book, Solution-Focused Pastoral Counseling: An Effective Short-Term Approach for Getting People Back on Track by Charles Allen Kollar.)
Context of Psalm 126
In Psalm 126, the people had once experienced that feeling where their problem was suddenly resolved. The words in this psalm are images of joy: laughter, great things, glad, fortunes, and shouts of joy. In fact, the phrase “shouts of joy” is repeated a few times, so much so, that one would think that this is a song of praise.
However, this Psalm actually is considered a corporate lament. Why if they are speaking of the great things God has done for them and they are saying things that evoke positive images, then how could they be sad? It is, because they know what it is like to have their problem solved by God, and they, once again, find themselves in the midst of a struggle.
While most of the Psalms are associated with David, it is thought that Psalm 126 was written by Ezra about the release of the Israelites following the Babylonian captivity. However, the crisis or issue the psalmist was writing about could have been some other issue they faced. This psalm was a pilgrimage song that the returning exiles did sing on their pilgrimages.
Past Restoration
Psalm 126:1-3 opens the Psalm by recalling the past problem and how God saved them from it or solved it for them. This past problem referenced by the Psalm could have been the exodus out of Egypt or some other communal restoration. The Israelites face many trials and hardships as a nation throughout the Old Testament.
If the miracle question from earlier were to happen for you, one of the things you may feel is that the whole thing is very surreal. And that is how they described it: “we were like those who dream”. They couldn’t believe it was real and that the burden had been lifted. They were so overwhelmed by joy that they were filled with laughter and shouts of joy.
What is the first thing you want to do when something incredibly good happens to you? You want to burst forth in song or shouting tell all about your good fortune. They misfortunes were reversed so suddenly, and they were so overjoyed by it that all of the nations knew of what had happened.
Prayer for Renewed Restoration
Psalm 126:4-6 is a prayer for God to once again restore them from a new problem. While there is some debate about the issue they were facing, such as returning from the Babylonian exile, it really doesn’t matter. The point of this psalm is that they recognized God had saved them in the past, and they have hope that He will save them again.
In verse 4, the Israelites ask for the restoration to be like the streams of Negev. This request wants the restoration to be quick, and it represents an urgency about their need. For them, joy of the past was washed away with tears of the present. They wanted the Lord to act dramatically and completely save them as He had done in the past. The streams of the Negev were like a flashflood that rapidly brought new life. The desert land would be completely dry for most of the year, but during the rainy season, life came back to the earth and they were able to grow and harvest crops. This sudden source of water was enough to make the scorched, barren land into a garden full of life.
In verses 5-6 the analogy becomes about the sowing of seeds and reaping a harvest of joy. Agricultural references are common throughout the Bible. In the notes of the ESV Study Bible, it makes this statement about this passage: “Since Israel’s life in the land was to show forth a new Eden for all the world to see, such agricultural fruitfulness would necessarily be tied to active faithfulness on the part of the people (cf. Deut. 30:9-10).” Verses 5-6 really could have been the returning home after the Babylonian exile, because it makes references to land being almost impossible to work with after long years of neglect. Yet, harvest was possible with persistence and faith.
Practical Applications
First, investment and sacrifice precede reward. This is represented in verses 5-6. This could reference denying of Self and focusing on God. It could be an investment into a building a relationship with God through spiritual habits and disciplines. In the New Testament, the sowing of seeds mostly was used to spread God’s Word to others and about faith.
Second, hope of the possibilities can sustain us in difficult realities as seen in verse 4. God can take a desert and turn it into an oasis with a bit of rain. Difficult times do not need to lead to despair. The Israelites did not give up and succumb to depression, rather they turned to God for help. They knew God had helped them before and trusted He would do it again.
In the New Testament, in Romans 8:18 (ESV), the Apostle Paul states, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” The Bible gives us a history of all that God has done for the human race, for the world, and, if we look carefully at our own lives, we can see God’s hand in it and what He has done for us. Reflection is an amazing tool. These deeds serve to establish trust that God will continue to care for us. This world is temporary, but life with God is eternal. The best is yet to come. This is especially important for those who struggle with depression and despair. The light of hope from God can guide us through the dark times.
The third lesson is that the world pays attention to what is going on with the people of God. Verse 2 states that all the nations knew of all the great things God had done for the Israelites. Do people know what great things God has done in your life? When something good happens to me, I often want to tell the world. This includes when I recognize God’s hand in my life.
God promises true restoration, renewal, and revitalization. Revitalization is about bringing new life into something. Let’s look at where we are in Church history. The Church just recently celebrated Reformation Sunday, which celebrates that 501 years ago Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the church. About 500 years before that, the Church was involved in the Crusades. Granted, not the Church’s finest moment in history. About 500 years before the Crusades, Gregory the Great became pope, and he was famous for the first large-scale mission out of Rome. His goal was to send missionaries to convert the Anglo-Saxons in Britain. The 500’s AD also saw some of the final church councils that avowed the biblical canon and the creeds. Finally, about 500 years before that was the life and ministry of Jesus Christ on this earth and the birth of the Church.
All of these events represented a shift in the thinking of the Church, an awakening and a renewal of spiritual interest. This is a loose timeline, but if something occurred about every 500 years to shift the Church, then we are due for another shift. As we sit here 500 years after the Reformation, a time of revitalization is coming. When I went to Convocation, we talked about it. When I went to the conference in Rocky Mount, they talked about it. There Church needs to be revitalized. The message of Christ is the same. What changes is the Church’s commitment to God and His Word as well as the methods in sharing that message.
Culture and society have greatly changed. Persecution against Christianity is increasing. Mental health issues are on the rise. We need God’s hope and truth and grace more than ever. Yet, pressures from society and the media have thrown down the gauntlet, so to speak, so how will we, as the Church, answer? May God give us the strength, the direction, and the words to answer. The world is watching.
Further Suggested Study:
Sermon: Shared Joy by Rev. Jessica Johnson
Date: October 28, 2018
Key Passage: Psalm 126
Sermon:
Opening
Do you have problems in your life? Do you feel overwhelmed by your problems? Everyone has problems in their life. These problems vary from person to person. It could be relationship issues, work issues, financial issues, illness, and so on. Some people feel so overwhelmed by their problems that they fall into depression and feel so trapped that they begin to consider suicide.
Miracle Question
I want to think of a major problem in your life that you would love to solve. Maybe it is a marital issue or dealing with some trauma in the past. Maybe it is a work issue or a relationship issue. Whatever it is, I want you to keep this specific problem in mind as I ask you this question:
What if, after you go to sleep tonight, a miracle happens and the problem that you’re having is suddenly solved! But because this happens while you are sleeping, you have no way of knowing that there was an overnight miracle that solved the problem.
SO, when you wake up tomorrow morning, what might be the small change that will make you say to yourself, “Wow, something must have happened-the problem is gone!” What would that world look like without your problem? What would your life be like? What would you be like? What would your relationships be like? If this miracle really did occur, I want you to think deeply about what that would look like and feel like. How would you feel if your problem was suddenly resolved and gone? (Kollar)
This question is called the “miracle question” and it is often used as a counseling technique in solution-focused counseling. (You can learn more about it in the book, Solution-Focused Pastoral Counseling: An Effective Short-Term Approach for Getting People Back on Track by Charles Allen Kollar.)
Context of Psalm 126
In Psalm 126, the people had once experienced that feeling where their problem was suddenly resolved. The words in this psalm are images of joy: laughter, great things, glad, fortunes, and shouts of joy. In fact, the phrase “shouts of joy” is repeated a few times, so much so, that one would think that this is a song of praise.
However, this Psalm actually is considered a corporate lament. Why if they are speaking of the great things God has done for them and they are saying things that evoke positive images, then how could they be sad? It is, because they know what it is like to have their problem solved by God, and they, once again, find themselves in the midst of a struggle.
While most of the Psalms are associated with David, it is thought that Psalm 126 was written by Ezra about the release of the Israelites following the Babylonian captivity. However, the crisis or issue the psalmist was writing about could have been some other issue they faced. This psalm was a pilgrimage song that the returning exiles did sing on their pilgrimages.
Past Restoration
Psalm 126:1-3 opens the Psalm by recalling the past problem and how God saved them from it or solved it for them. This past problem referenced by the Psalm could have been the exodus out of Egypt or some other communal restoration. The Israelites face many trials and hardships as a nation throughout the Old Testament.
If the miracle question from earlier were to happen for you, one of the things you may feel is that the whole thing is very surreal. And that is how they described it: “we were like those who dream”. They couldn’t believe it was real and that the burden had been lifted. They were so overwhelmed by joy that they were filled with laughter and shouts of joy.
What is the first thing you want to do when something incredibly good happens to you? You want to burst forth in song or shouting tell all about your good fortune. They misfortunes were reversed so suddenly, and they were so overjoyed by it that all of the nations knew of what had happened.
Prayer for Renewed Restoration
Psalm 126:4-6 is a prayer for God to once again restore them from a new problem. While there is some debate about the issue they were facing, such as returning from the Babylonian exile, it really doesn’t matter. The point of this psalm is that they recognized God had saved them in the past, and they have hope that He will save them again.
In verse 4, the Israelites ask for the restoration to be like the streams of Negev. This request wants the restoration to be quick, and it represents an urgency about their need. For them, joy of the past was washed away with tears of the present. They wanted the Lord to act dramatically and completely save them as He had done in the past. The streams of the Negev were like a flashflood that rapidly brought new life. The desert land would be completely dry for most of the year, but during the rainy season, life came back to the earth and they were able to grow and harvest crops. This sudden source of water was enough to make the scorched, barren land into a garden full of life.
In verses 5-6 the analogy becomes about the sowing of seeds and reaping a harvest of joy. Agricultural references are common throughout the Bible. In the notes of the ESV Study Bible, it makes this statement about this passage: “Since Israel’s life in the land was to show forth a new Eden for all the world to see, such agricultural fruitfulness would necessarily be tied to active faithfulness on the part of the people (cf. Deut. 30:9-10).” Verses 5-6 really could have been the returning home after the Babylonian exile, because it makes references to land being almost impossible to work with after long years of neglect. Yet, harvest was possible with persistence and faith.
Practical Applications
First, investment and sacrifice precede reward. This is represented in verses 5-6. This could reference denying of Self and focusing on God. It could be an investment into a building a relationship with God through spiritual habits and disciplines. In the New Testament, the sowing of seeds mostly was used to spread God’s Word to others and about faith.
Second, hope of the possibilities can sustain us in difficult realities as seen in verse 4. God can take a desert and turn it into an oasis with a bit of rain. Difficult times do not need to lead to despair. The Israelites did not give up and succumb to depression, rather they turned to God for help. They knew God had helped them before and trusted He would do it again.
In the New Testament, in Romans 8:18 (ESV), the Apostle Paul states, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” The Bible gives us a history of all that God has done for the human race, for the world, and, if we look carefully at our own lives, we can see God’s hand in it and what He has done for us. Reflection is an amazing tool. These deeds serve to establish trust that God will continue to care for us. This world is temporary, but life with God is eternal. The best is yet to come. This is especially important for those who struggle with depression and despair. The light of hope from God can guide us through the dark times.
The third lesson is that the world pays attention to what is going on with the people of God. Verse 2 states that all the nations knew of all the great things God had done for the Israelites. Do people know what great things God has done in your life? When something good happens to me, I often want to tell the world. This includes when I recognize God’s hand in my life.
God promises true restoration, renewal, and revitalization. Revitalization is about bringing new life into something. Let’s look at where we are in Church history. The Church just recently celebrated Reformation Sunday, which celebrates that 501 years ago Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the church. About 500 years before that, the Church was involved in the Crusades. Granted, not the Church’s finest moment in history. About 500 years before the Crusades, Gregory the Great became pope, and he was famous for the first large-scale mission out of Rome. His goal was to send missionaries to convert the Anglo-Saxons in Britain. The 500’s AD also saw some of the final church councils that avowed the biblical canon and the creeds. Finally, about 500 years before that was the life and ministry of Jesus Christ on this earth and the birth of the Church.
All of these events represented a shift in the thinking of the Church, an awakening and a renewal of spiritual interest. This is a loose timeline, but if something occurred about every 500 years to shift the Church, then we are due for another shift. As we sit here 500 years after the Reformation, a time of revitalization is coming. When I went to Convocation, we talked about it. When I went to the conference in Rocky Mount, they talked about it. There Church needs to be revitalized. The message of Christ is the same. What changes is the Church’s commitment to God and His Word as well as the methods in sharing that message.
Culture and society have greatly changed. Persecution against Christianity is increasing. Mental health issues are on the rise. We need God’s hope and truth and grace more than ever. Yet, pressures from society and the media have thrown down the gauntlet, so to speak, so how will we, as the Church, answer? May God give us the strength, the direction, and the words to answer. The world is watching.
Further Suggested Study:
- Psalm 126
- Romans 8:18
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