Al Anderson [re~born]

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Laughter and the Church

When did the church become somber? What happened to the laughter?

[Genesis 21:5-6]⁵ Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
⁶ Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.”

This whole story is filled with the word laugh and laughter. From chapter 17 to 12. God brought laughter to Abraham and Sarah. The next time the word laugh is mentioned in the NIV translation is in the book of Job. A book about calamity and suffering mentions Job laughing five times. Job laughing, the one who had suffering heaped on him.

Job 5:22
You will laugh at destruction and famine, and need not fear the beasts of the earth.

Job 8:21
He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.

Job 39:7
He laughs at the commotion in the town; he does not hear a driver’s shout.

Job 39:18
Yet when she spreads her feathers to run, she laughs at horse and rider.

Job 39:22
He laughs at fear, afraid of nothing; he does not shy away from the sword.

Job 41:29
A club seems to him but a piece of straw; he laughs at the rattling of the lance.

Job shows the reaction of a Godly man to earthly calamity, “Laughter”.

In the new testiment, in the Be-attitudes

Luke 6:21
Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
(Whole Chapter: Luke 6 In context: Luke 6:20-22)

Luke 6:25
Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.

After watching last nights episode of “Joan of Arcadia” we talked about the theme of the show of light in unexpected places. She brought ot a lesson book from Peachpit press called “Parable of the Dancing God” It uses the prodigal son story to talk about the nature of a loving God waiting your return for a celebration. Thinking about many churches it seems that the church is waiting for the prodigal to return so that they can heap coals on their head.

Just pondering things this morning, it is a theme that is turning up in a couple of places. This weeks bible study on Romans finally made it to Romans 8 after seven chapters on the plight of sinful man and the trap of claiming forgiveness but not freedom. That is to be forgiven and freed from the trap of sin and run straight back to it.

Where is the joy? The joy of freedom and the joy of release. The joy of God that let Job laugh and is “life more abundantly”

I don’t know if I have the answer to where the joy went, I just know where it should be.

Does church make you happy? Why or why not.

1. I was in a church that had no joy. It was miserable, to say the least. Fortunately, God has placed me in a body of believers that is the most incredible thing I've ever experienced. It's not that we don't have troubles or frustrations, but our people really and truly love one another and have the love of the Father in them. We always have a good time when we're together - laughter is a huge part of our fellowship and even the service. It is truly amazing.
   — Christy    Dec 15, 09:57    #