And Jesus Laughed

January 20, 2016

And Jesus Laughed

I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy.

Yes, your joy will overflow!

John 15:11

Many Christians have a hard time picturing Jesus laughing. I don’t. When Peter and the other disciples reminisced together about their days with Jesus, I believe their most common image of Jesus was of him smiling and laughing. Certainly Jesus was serious when he needed to be, and he did weep over Jerusalem and his friend, Lazarus. But when you picture in your mind the children running after him and being pulled up onto his lap, can’t you see a big smile on his face?

Jesus employed much humor in his parables and other teachings. Not so much the one-liners late-night comedians like to use, but through the use of hyperbole, and at times he even had a sarcastic wit. Isaiah tells us that Jesus “was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief” (Isaiah 53:3). Yes, this is true, but Jesus was also happy, and he enjoyed parties and festivals with his friends. Life has plenty of pitfalls, but Jesus’ mission contrasted sharply with the ways of the world: “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10).

There hasn’t been much good news in the first three weeks of the New Year. Between terrorist attacks, plummeting stock prices and sniping political candidates, we may find it hard to be optimistic about life. Even so, the world did not give us our right-standing with God, and the world cannot take it away. We may not feel like singing, "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah,” but as we reflect on these words of Jesus can we at least get a little smile?

“I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:20

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.