Gladness Not Sadness
By
Shelby G. Floyd
When it comes to worship and living the Christian life, would it not be better to have the joyful spirit of King David, when he said, “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD?” (Psalms 122:1). Some people will say, “I was sad or mad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord!” The Christian life is mainly to be a life of gladness and not sadness. It is to be more like a wedding feast than a funeral fast.
Wedding Feast or Funeral Fast?
It is
disconcerting than some religious people both yesterday and today, equate true
religion with wearing a long face and never enjoying the salvation and service
we have in Christ. It was the same in the days of Christ. In his early Galilean
ministry, his Pharisee critics wanted to know why he and his disciples were
enjoying life so much. It their estimation they were having too good of a time.
They asked, “How is it that John's
disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?”
(Mark
Leviticus 23:26-32
The LORD said to
Moses, “The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a
sacred assembly and deny yourselves, and present an offering made to the LORD
by fire. Do no work on that day, because
it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before the LORD your
God. Anyone who does not deny himself on
that day must be cut off from his people.
I will destroy from among his people anyone who does any work on that
day. You shall do no work at all. This
is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you
live. It is a sabbath of rest for you, and you must deny
yourselves. From the evening of the ninth day of the month until the following
evening you are to observe your sabbath."
NIV
God’s Word or Traditions of Men?
But the proud Pharisee in the parable taught by Christ said that he fasted twice a week. (Luke 18:12). Therefore, the implication was that to be as good as he was everyone should do the same.
When we serve the God of heaven, it means that our life ought to be more like a wedding feast that a funeral fast. Wedding guests honor the bridegroom by feasting and having a good time. Jesus used two illustrations to show how inappropriate it would be for his disciples to fast while he was still with them. "How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast. (Mark 2:19-20). John the Baptist declared that Jesus was the bridegroom while he was just the best man. (John 3:29). We usually fast when we lose our loved ones in death. They would fast when Jesus died on the cross, but that sorrow would be turned to joy after his resurrection and ascension to heaven. The sons of the bride chamber should rejoice over the marriage of the Lamb. (Romans 7:1-4; Ephesians 5:22-33).
Rejoice in the Lord Always!
It would be just as inappropriate today to fast as it would be to put new wine into old wineskins, or new cloth into an old garment. No one would do that. Therefore, God’s people should rejoice in the Lord and live a life of gladness. “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). Let us all remember that the early church served God daily with gladness of heart and in favor with God and man. (Acts 2:46-47). Copyright © 2007 All Rights Reserved