The Discipline of Celebration

Our Theme for 2020 is “Seeing Spiritually.”

We are beginning this year with a series on Spiritual Disciplines.

We talked about seeking the Lord in Silence and Solitude.

We talked about prayer and fasting as a means of aligning ourselves with God.

Last week we worshipped, not just for a good feeling, but to really offer ourselves to the Lord.

This week we are going to talk about the spiritual discipline of celebration.

Yes, I just used discipline and celebration in the same sentence!

Celebration is important! - It is important that we take time to celebrate and that we do it well.

Coincidentally, this happens to be Super Bowl Sunday, so there is going to be a lot of celebration today.

Play clip of End Zone Celebrations.

End Zone celebrations have been a subject of controversy.

Players have been fined and teams penalized for excessive celebration or for taunting their opponents.

As a result, players began to refer to the NFL as the “no fun league!”

In May 2017 The NFL announced that it was going to lift the ban on celebrations.

Players are allowed to work the crowd and publicly celebrate their accomplishment as long as it is good-sportsman-like conduct and it doesn’t delay the game.

Why is celebration important for NFL players and for Christians?

Celebration releases us into freedom.

Leviticus 25:8–12 ESV

8 “You shall count seven weeks of years, seven times seven years, so that the time of the seven weeks of years shall give you forty-nine years. 9 Then you shall sound the loud trumpet on the tenth day of the seventh month. On the Day of Atonement you shall sound the trumpet throughout all your land. 10 And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, when each of you shall return to his property and each of you shall return to his clan. 11 That fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; in it you shall neither sow nor reap what grows of itself nor gather the grapes from the undressed vines. 12 For it is a jubilee. It shall be holy to you. You may eat the produce of the field.

Freedom is to live care-free.

“Jubilee” in Hebrew refers to the sound of a trumpet.

It is closely linked to the idea of Sabbath.

Sabbath is something that we do weekly, and seasonally, as related to the feasts.

But there was also one year out of every seven that was declared a sabbath year.

Every seven sevens a grand year of ultimate Sabbath.

On this year, it was like a giant “reset button.” Everything would go back to the way it was when God gave his people their inheritance.

Debts would be cancelled.

Land would revert to it’s original owner.

Everyone would return to their family and place of origin.

Arguably, it would be like going back to the Garden of Eden.

There is no indication in the Bible, or in any other historical record, that this celebration ever took place.

Is it any wonder? Can you imagine actually doing this?

Even Bernie Sanders wouldn’t vote for redistribution on this scale!

Socialists sometimes tout the Year of Jubilee as a Biblical precedent for their model society, but it remains an ideal; in the real world it invites corruption.

Perhaps Jubilee (like the Law and the Old Covenant) was meant to show us what we could never attain apart from Christ?

Freedom is throwing off what weighs us down.

Jesus was the fulfillment of Jubilee!

Jesus didn’t hold on to anything.

Jesus forgave our sin and cancelled our debts.

Jesus restores us to our original Divine inheritance.

Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

What things have you let go of to follow Christ?

It is normal for believers to go through times of realizing that certain things are keeping them from following Christ completely.

It may be old habits or addictions.

It may be money or success.

It may be relationships that need to be prioritized differently.

Sometimes God will let us take those things up again after a time because they no longer have power over us like they once did.

But there may be things in our lives, like the Sabbatical year, that we have to release to God over and over again.

Releasing should bring joy, like a weight is lifted off and we can run with purpose toward our real goal!

Freedom is trusting God with everything.

What would it take for you be truly free?

Are you worried about what people think?

Are you worried about your own financial or relational security?

Are you worried about your future or your legacy?

“The spirit of celebration will not be in us until we have learned to be ‘careful for nothing.’ And we will never have a carefree indifference to things until we trust God … No one would dare celebrate the Jubilee unless they had a deep trust in God’s ability to provide for their needs.” - Richard J. Foster, In Celebration of Discipline

What happens if you give to God what you cannot control?

Celebration draws out our inner strength.

The story of Ezra and Nehemiah is probably the closest that Israel ever came to celebrating a Jubilee.

They returned to their ancestral homeland.

Their debts were literally paid through Divine providence.

It was a complete starting over, probably the biggest exercise in dependence on God since crossing the Red Sea.

Nehemiah 8:9–12 ESV

9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” 11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.

Joy is releasing what is inside, first the bad, then the good.

The people heard the Law for the first time in a generation (probably reading from Deuteronomy) and they wept with conviction at the Word of the Lord.

The conviction of the Holy Spirit is not a bad thing, it doesn’t even have to feel bad.

It’s the lies of the enemy that make us feel hopeless or inadequate.

Expressing godly sorrow which leads to repentance is a good thing, it’s the bad feelings on their way out!

The people were instructed not to grieve, or probably better stated, to move through their grief to joy!

How long does a person have to mourn over their sin before they can move to joy?

Apparently not very long!

Forgiveness is real. You don’t have to stay stuck.

Joy strengthens you.

How Laughter and Smiling Affects Your Physical Health

https://www.medicaldaily.com/health-benefits-laughter-and-smiling-how-expressing-joy-affects-your-physical-411681

They Release Chemicals. When we smile, the movements of our muscles send signals to our brains. These signals release serotonin and endorphins, which are known as the “feel-good” chemicals of the brain. These chemicals make us happy when they are released, and they can reduce perceptions of pain.

They Relax the Body. Laughter, particularly a good hard belly laugh, can relieve built-up body tension and stress. When we laugh, the muscles we use to do so will relax, and they can stay relaxed for 30–45 minutes after that.

They Reduce Stress. When endorphins are released in the brain, stress hormones, such as cortisol, are reduced. When we feel stressed, anxious, or fearful, our bodies release more cortisol. This cortisol release creates negative, unpleasant, stressful feelings. We can lower our cortisol levels by laughing and relaxing.

They Support Lung Health. When we laugh, our lungs expand and become replenished with oxygen. We let a lot of air out and a lot of air in. This process is similar to deep breathing techniques used to relieve stress. Deep laughter sends more oxygen-rich nutrients and blood throughout the body.

They Support Heart Health. Laughing on a regular basis lowers blood pressure, increases blood flow, and improves the function of blood vessels, which can all decrease your risk of heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.

They Promote a Healthy Immune System. Laughter is a great way to reduce stress hormones and increase “feel-good” hormones. Due to these processes and changes in chemicals, our immune systems increase the numbers of white blood cells and other infection-fighting antibodies. This improves our everyday health and protects us from viruses.

They Serve as Exercise. A good laugh is also good exercise. It burns calories, provides our body with movement, increases conditioning and toning, and keeps our cardio systems working.

Joy is working from a place of rest.

Part of Christian maturity is learning to live from the God’s strength instead of from our own human nature.

Each year I take a personal retreat where I reflect on the past year, evaluate my present circumstances and set goals for the future. One of my evaluation questions asks not only if I am working in obedience to Christ, but am I doing so from a place of striving or from rest?

I have learned that If I am striving and struggling to accomplish something that it’s my flesh doing it.

If I’m striving, then I am trying to meet my own need or satisfy some inner longing that only God can fill.

When I’m following Christ, I will work hard and be diligent but it doesn’t feel like work. It feels like joy.

Celebration helps us to journey well.

So joy and celebration are good for you! But as a spiritual discipline there is another reason why they are vitally important.

Celebration should mark each milestone on our journey.

At each milestone of our Christian journey there needs to be celebration - just like a touchdown, we want to take a moment to engage the crowd and let that rush of adrenaline propel us on to the next play.

The Christian life is one of growth and change.

It’s a journey and celebration helps us to both recognize that fact and measure our progress.

Sabbath was not just a time of rest, but a time of regrouping - taking stock of what has been accomplished and where we are going.

The Jubilee was designed to keep people in a continual state of dependence on God but it was also designed to maintain the identity , vitality and relational connection of God’s people.

Jubilee was designed to be shalom - that place of perfect peace.

Philippians 4:4–7 NLT

4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! 5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. 6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Celebration helps us to remember well the past.

God commands his people to rejoice.

Not only in the New Testament but in the Old Testament too!

Leviticus 23:40 ESV

40 And you shall take on the first day the fruit of splendid trees, branches of palm trees and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days.

It’s the eleventh commandment, “Thou shalt party!”

The purpose of the “party” is to remember well the accomplishment or the milestone.

God wanted his people to remember the joy that they had when he brought them out of Egypt.

When we celebrate with friends, dance at someone’s wedding, take pictures or eat cake we are marking he occasion with a celebration.

We want the joy of that occasion to stay in our memory forever.

Celebration lets us know that we have arrived.

Whenever we finish something really big or reach an important milestone we celebrate our arrival at that place.

We celebrate graduation from an education.

We celebrate weddings, childbirth, baptisms, anniversaries and funerals.

The ultimate Jubilee is heaven. It’s the end of our journey on earth.

But who knows what adventures await us then?

Celebration is like that giant “reset button.”

It doesn’t mean it’s the end, but it’s rite of passage from one thing to another.

It’s how we know that one phase is completed and another has begun.

The next two weeks are going to be weeks of celebration as we go back to Telford next week for commissioning and then have our official installation here in two weeks. Am I excited? Of course. But it’s not just about celebrating the past. It’s about preparing for the future.

As a Christian discipline, celebration is more than just a good time or a good feeling.

It’s abandoning our cares to enter into joy!

It’s reaffirming our trust in God.

It’s letting the joy of the Lord fill us and motivate us.

It’s remembering, re-energizing and refocusing.

It’s letting God take us to a new thing or a new level.

Questions for Reflection

What brings you joy in life? When is the last time you really got excited or laughed out loud? Is joy a regular part of your life or is it the exception?

Are you able to cut loose and really celebrate in a care-free manner? What’s holding you back or weighing you down? What needs to happen for you to be free?

What are you looking forward to? What is your next milestone to celebrate? Set a time or a goal together with God and prepare to celebrate when you reach it!