part 3 of the “Eyes Up” series
“...where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord....
Psalm 121:1-2 NIV
So we are in this series of posts where we are focusing in on verses above. In this series of posts, we are fixing our focus and looking to where true help comes from in order to do the things that God calls us to do to the best of our ability and have the life He wants us to have - a life to the full (John 10:10).
Joy.
We all are looking for joy in some form. We look for jobs that will bring us joy. We look for relationships that will bring us joy. We look for hobbies that will bring us joy. We look for joy.
But it’s hard for us to find joy in a world that pushes more more more. You need this. You need that. This will make you happy. This person will make you happy. Buy this. Buy that. More more more.
How then do we have joy?? - EYES UP!
I want to draw your attention to the verse below from the book of Hebrews:
“fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” - Hebrews 12:2 NIV
Now, wait.... really? “For the JOY.... He endured the cross.” Really?
I have read Hebrews 12:2 before many times and I have taught it a few times. But this stood out at me this time. There was nothing joyful about a cross. No one ever said, “Oh boy I get to be crucified!” A cross symbolized torture and execution. In Jesus’ case, it was a symbol of murder. A symbol of joy?
Then I realized what the writer of Hebrews was saying. Jesus knew what the outcome was going to be. Jesus knew that He had to go to the cross to have joy. Jesus was probably the only person to look at the cross and say “Oh what joy fills me because I get to go to the cross.” I know that’s weird to read - and it was weird to type.
But Jesus had joy even at the last moment when it’s figured that joy would have been far from His mind. This is because He had His EYES UP! “The joy set before Him” was His mission - US. He was joyful because through His pain and sacrifice many people would be helped. After all, Jesus came to “save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21, NIV). He was joyful to the end because it was His mission. He had his EYES UP.
It is possible sometimes, I think, that the reason why joy runs short in our lives is because we are focused down. We are focused on us and what we need and not what we have. This world we live in drives us to want more more more more more and there is never a level of contentment because there is always something better that comes along and steals our joy. I would say we suffer from the grass is always greener syndrome. There is always something else that comes along that we think will make us happy and we wind up empty. Jesus left this world full of joy and He was hanging on a cross.
A friend of mine - a wise old man - sends out text messages every morning and in one a few weeks ago he said this:
“Make today YOUR Triumphant Day leading into YOUR record-breaking August, and don’t let anyone steal your joy or happiness, share it with everyone! - by John
Joy is yours to have or surrender. Which will you do?
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” - Philippians 4:12 NIV
The next Fruit of the Spirit I want to look at in this post is…
Peace. What is that anymore?
Look around you, turn on the news or scroll Facebook/Twitter and you will see there is really no such thing as peace anymore. People are constantly at each other because of their opinions and refusing to accept one another’s views and move on with life. There is chaos in the line at Walmart because someone cut in line and instead of just letting them have the spot - a verbal fight breaks out. There are posts on Facebook that end up in a verbal war - behind a screen - because people just let it go. I see people yelling and screaming at other people and then I realize it’s because they forgot to get bread. There are riots and protests and tension all over. There is no peace because we have the wrong focus.
David writes:
“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” - Psalm 133:1 NIV
I am sitting here writing this post in a state of peace - because I refuse to engage my energy in stupid arguments that will not get me anywhere. You may not believe me. There are times when I scroll through Facebook and see something that I could comment on - and boy is it a good comment. But I keep scrolling because I know 20 comments later - after the battle of opinions - that I am going to be mad at the whole situation because, in the end, it was just a waste of time. We have lost what it means to be unified and live in peace with each other. We all have to be right right right and it’s robbing us of our peace.
How do we get true peace? - Eyes Up.
Jesus had been with His disciples for about 3 years now. They had become close and learned a lot from Jesus and each other. Then one day they sat down to dinner with Jesus and Jesus started talking and acting weird.
First, He got down on His hands and knees and started washing their feet - a job that was meant for a lowly servant. Then Jesus told them that one of the people at the table would betray Him. Finally, He looked at Peter and told him that he would deny ever knowing Jesus (John 13). Wow! What a dinner right?!
Jesus and the disciples then go on a walk. They were walking to the garden where Jesus would often pray. He has a conversation with them along the way and tells them a lot of things that led them to have a lot of questions. Jesus also told them that the world would hate them for having and continuing to follow Him (John 14-16).
Well, isn’t that just good news! Jesus was on a roll with the crazy talk.
But then He said the words below to His beloved friends and our eyes up answer for peace:
“I have told you these things, so that in me may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33 NIV
Did you catch it? It’s easy to fly over these two simple words. I did. I went right by them and I have even taught this verse. But the Bible breathes (2 Timothy 3:16 + Hebrews 4:12) and is alive! Words that you have read in the Bible before can come to life at a different season of your life. So I ask again - did you catch the two words?
“I have told you these things, so that in me may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33 NIV
Jesus basically says - the only way to have true peace is - “in me”. In Jesus alone will we find true peace. Jesus is the only One that has “overcome the world”. If Jesus beat the world - we can too. We just need to have our eyes up and see how He did it.
And I can tell you one thing - Jesus (and the disciples) didn’t have peace by engaging in pointless arguments. The disciples watched Jesus who had His eyes up and by watching Jesus the disciples knew where to fix their gaze.
“fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith...” Hebrews 12:2 NIV
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