Rejoice! Why? - Part 1

1 Thessalonians 5 v 16 - "Rejoice evermore."

The KJV version of this verse is quoted above. Other translations say "Rejoice always." That sounds pretty idealistic right? We should rejoice in times of exam stress, fall out with friends and even bereavement? YES! Whenever we look at this dirty, broken, sinful world that we live in, we have one constant; one thing that we can always be confident and secure and joyful in - Jesus. And in Him we find the answer to our question - Why rejoice?

Take it back a few of Paul's letters to Galatians 2:20 and we find the answer as to why we should rejoice..."I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Here we are - Jesus Christ, the Son of God, loves guilty, hell deserving, broken sinners such as us. But it doesn't stop there - He gave Himself to die on a cross. He was taken, tied up, beaten, tortured, had a crown of thorns dug into His head, and finally He was nailed to a cross of wood for six hours in scorching heat. Add on to that, the fact that during those six hours, God's wrath was poured out on His Son, we can begin to see the love that God has for us, and it continues to go deeper than we could ever imagine. 

Herein lies our reason to rejoice. Even with a pile of GCSE's or A-levels to cope with, you're going through a rough time, or everything just seems to be falling apart; as Christians we have a reason to rejoice in the God who brings comfort and joy and true satisfaction into our lives - who loves us and gave Himself for us. And through that we can be called sons of God and we're invited into the family of the most high God. 

Let me add on that joy isn't meaning to walk about with a smile acting like there's nothing wrong in the world. This joy is a joy that does not rely on our circumstances, but comes from the joy of knowing full salvation through Christ Jesus:

"All to Jesus I  surrender
 Now I feel the sacred flame
 Oh the joy of full salvation
 Glory, glory to His Name."

Amen.