The Three Musketeers

“Always be joyful. Pray continually, and give thanks whatever happens. That is what God wants for you in Christ Jesus.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

Children’s Talk - “The Joy of the Lord is your Strength”(Nehemiah 8:10)

The baloon experiment.

Bill and his friend Ben have their birthdays on the same day - remarkable! Bill is happy with his life; everything is going well; He’s smart, popular, tall and athletic’ good looking, rich and has lots of girlfriends! He doesn;t have a Saturday job becuase his dad earns enough to give him all the pocket money he needs. In fact he thinks, he’s got everything he needs and life is pretty good

Ben, well he’s happy too! Though he is not half as intelligent and Bill and certainly not as tall or as sporty or as good looking and he doesn’t have quite as much money, though he does have a Saturday job and his prospects are not as good and he doesn;t have a girlfriend - but hey, that’s not everything in life is it?

Sadly things begin to go wrong for Bill and Ben. Things go badly at home for Bill, his dad loses his job and less money is coming in; Bill becomes unwell and loses his place on the sports teams and Ben loses his Saturday job; fails a few mroe tests and his girlfriend dumps him and kids are still mean to him at school.

Let’s see how they cope with this experiment!

Ben copes much better because of what is on the inside; the living water of Jesus; the power of the Holy Spirit. The joy of the Lord is His strength.

Last week Andy spoke to us on the topic of “Don’t Worry” and today I want to finish the line of the Old Carribean spiritual “Dont worry, Be happy!” (Bobby McFerrin).

Here's a little song I wrote You might want to sing it note for note Don't worry, be happy In every life we have some trouble But when you worry you make it double Don't worry, be happy

Good advice because as we were reminded last week, "Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow; it only saps today of its joy."—Leo Buscaglia

A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones - Proverbs 17:22 (NKJV)

A happy heart is good medicine and a joyful mind causes healing, But a broken spirit dries up the bones. (Amplified)

“There is a marvelous medicinal power in joy. Most medicines are distasteful; but this, which is the best of all medicines, is sweet to the taste, and comforting to the heart. This blessed joy is very contagious. One dolorous spirit brings a kind of plague into the house; one person who is wretched seems to stop all the birds from singing wherever he goes . . . [But] the grace of joy is contagious. Holy joy will oil the wheels of your life’s machinery. Holy joy will strengthen you for your daily labor. Holy joy will beautify you and give you an influence over the lives of others.” - C.H. Spurgeon.

Let’s take some medicine! - I am going to try and make you laugh with a few carefullly chosen jokes!

Why do bees have sticky hair? - They use honeycombs.

Why can't you tell a joke to an egg? - It might crack up!

What kind of key opens a banana? - A mon-key!

Knock, knock. - Who’s there? - A little old lady. - A little old lady who? - Wow, I didn’t know you could yodel!

How did that make you feel? -A merry heart does good, like medicine and it feels good, BUT a joke is a temporary fix and having a laugh is not the same as BEING HAPPY or LIVING IN JOY!

Norman Cousins was hospitalized with a rare, crippling form of arthritis. When he was diagnosed as incurable, Cousins checked out of the hospital. Aware of the harmful effects that negative emotions can have on the body, Cousins reasoned the reverse was true. So he borrowed a movie projector and prescribed his own treatment, consisting of Marx Brothers films and old “Candid Camera” reruns. It didn’t take long for him to discover that 10 minutes of laughter provided two hours of pain free sleep. Amazingly, his debilitating disease was eventually reversed. After the account of his victory appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine, Cousins received more than 3,000 letters from appreciative physicians throughout the world.

to live in joy, real joy, as we shall see heals the soul! Which is why we are thinking today of Paul’s words - “Always be joyful. Pray continually, and give thanks whatever happens. That is what God wants for you in Christ Jesus.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

But before we get into the words, let me remind you, or intrrduce you if you have never met them before to the 3 Musketeers!

You might know their motto? - “All for one and one for all, united we stand divided we fall.” Porthos; Athos; Aramis and d'Artagnan (based on 3 real Musketeers - Isaac de Portau (Porthos), Henry D'Aramitz (Aramis) and Armand d'Athos et d'Autevielle (Athos) as was d’Artagnam - Charles Ogier de Batz de Castelmore, sieur d’Artagnan. The Regiment of Musketeers formed in France in 1622, as part of King Louis XIII's personal bodyguard, originally consisting of 100 men in two Companies; one wearing gray and the other wearning black!

The Musketeers could rely on eachother and as such others and especially the King, could rely on their honour and their word was thier bond - “Indeed, four men like them, four men devoted to each other from their money to their lives, four men always supporting each other, never retreating, performing singly or together the resolutions they had made in common; four arms threatening the four points of the compass or all turning to a single point, must inevitably, be it surreptitiously, be it openly, be it by mines, by entrenchments, by guile, or by force, open a way to the end they wanted to reach, however well defended or far off it might be.”― Alexandre Dumas, The Three Musketeers.

The musketeers of Louis XIII were soldiers who served as a combination of secret service and special forces. Their main duty was to protect the king and his family. In a time of frequent plots and conspiracies, this was no small task. The early 17th century was a troubled time in France.

We to have our Musketeers, that will keep us loyal to our King Jesus. They are not men; nor persons at all, they are attitudes of mind and heart - One is called JOY; the other is called PRAY and the final one is called GIVE THANKS!

ALWAYS BE JOYFUL:

The great composer, Joseph Haydn, was once asked why his church music was so cheerful. He replied, ‘When I think upon God, my heart is so full of joy that the notes dance and leap, as it were, from my pen, and since God has given me a cheerful heart it will be pardoned me that I serve him with a cheerful spirit.’

A Christian’s joy is not a natural joy that ebbs and flows according to the circumstances that surround us, but a supernatural joy that comes from God and is rooted in our relationship with him.

It is a joy that fills our hearts even in the midst of persecution. Joy was one of the marks of primitive Christianity, which amazed the heathen world and attracted men to Christ.

Paul is concerned that the joy of the Thessalonians might be strangled by suffering, so he urges them to rejoice not in what was happening to them, but in their Saviour and all that he has done for them.

Written around AD 51, Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians was intended to be an encouragement, praising them for their spiritual maturity and persistence and pressing them toward deeper growth in their faith.

These three things — joy, prayer, and thanksgiving — are evidence of the fire of the Holy Spirit at work in every believer, something which Paul encouraged beleivers to persist in so that they would “not quench the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19).

The injunction Be joyful always is at first sight a little surprising coming from one who had had to suffer as much and as continually as Paul. However as we look a little deeper into his life history we discover that Paul learned that affliction and deep joy can go together (2 Cor. 6:10; 12:10), and he rejoiced in tribulations (Rom. 5:3; Col. 1:24; cf. Acts 5:41; 16:25).

So, Paul advises us to a life of perpetual joy whatever the circumstances, however difficult they may be! - Philippians 4:6

Unreal! Unlikely? Unreasonable? - It can at first sight appear to be the case and clearly Paul was not suggesting that this happens because you are free from struggle and hardships!

On the contrary, this is something you can know in spite of the pain; the difficulties and the hardships!

He would say to us as a Church of Jesus Christ - Be joyful in suffering (1 Thessalonians 1:6). To have joy in the midst of suffering is a common Christian phenomenon (Matt 5:11–12; 1 Pet 1:6; 4:13).

When the sorrow or suffering results from being identified with Christ, the Holy Spirit creates a supernatural joy—a wellness of soul that cannot be dampened by adverse situations. The explanation may be found in 2 Corinthians 4:16–18: “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”

Such joy comes independently of one’s circumstances; it is given to those who live in the Spirit (Rom 14:17; Gal 5:22). The note of joy is often struck in his other letter to a Macedonian church, that to the Philippians (cf. Phil. 4:4).

Indeed, few things about the New Testament church are more remarkable than this continual stress on joy. From an outward point of view there was little to make believers rejoice. But they were ‘in Christ’; they had learned the truth of his words, ‘no-one will take away your joy’ (John 16:22).

Now joy is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22; cf. Rom. 14:17); it is not something Christians work up out of their own resources.

The various derivatives of joy occur with startling frequency throughout the New Testament.

The word for ‘grace’, for example, is from this root, as are one of the words for ‘to forgive’, one for ‘to give thanks’, and another for ‘gifts of the Spirit’.

In other words, joy expresses itself in a life of gratitude.

A joyful person may suffer but they don’t despair;

they may be hurt and offended but they forgive;

they may have lots to lrgitimately moan about but thet give thanks;

they may be not very wise or powerful or influential but filled with and gifted by the Spirit they can do great things for God!

New Testament Christianity is permeated with the spirit of holy joy and a Christian is invited to know the “joy of the Lord is our strength”!

It is our first Musketeer! It acts as a bulwalk against al the troubles of life. As a famous tract of the Third Century AD put it

“Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition, when infinite joy is offered to us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in the slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” - C.S. Lewis.

PRAY CONTINUALLY:

Our second great Musketeer is PRAYER - Prayer is a mighty weapon against the challenges we face each day!

“The moment you wake up each morning, all your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists in shoving it all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other, larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in.” - C.S. Lewis

People who maintain their joy during terrible circumstances, maintain an attitude and practice of regular prayer (1 Thes 5:17; cf. 1 Thes 1:2; Rom 12:12; Eph 6:18), and typically give thanks to God, no matter what their circumstances.

By prayer Paul means, ‘It is not in the moving of the lips, but in the elevation of the heart to God, that the essence of prayer consists’ (Lightfoot), and it is this that enables us to put into practice the injunction pray continually (cf. Luke 18:1; Rom. 12:12; Eph. 6:18).

It is not possible for us to spend all our time with the words of prayer on our lips, but it is possible for us to be all our days in the spirit of prayer, realizing our dependence on God for all we have and are, being conscious of his presence with us wherever we may be, and yielding ourselves continually to him to do his will.

Such an inward state will of course find expression from time to time in verbal prayer, hence the frequent ejaculatory prayers throughout Paul’s letters; prayer was so natural to Paul that it inevitably found its way into his correspondence).

Martin Luther, when pressed by huge volumes of work, did not use it as an excuse to stop praying, but said, ‘I have so much to do that I cannot get on without three hours a day of praying...If I should neglect prayer but a single day, I should lose a great deal of the fire of faith.”

The Christian should maintain a constant attitude of being in God’s presence. Such a person will pray often and about many things, including requests, praise, and thanksgiving.

It comes in the form of a command, never quit praying for prayer is a lifting up of our hearts to God in humble submission and dependence, trusting him as our loving Father and acknowledging him as our almighty Lord.

Prayer is “mighty in God to the pulling down of strongholds. We put on the armour of God and crucially “pray always with all kinds of prayer in the spirit”(Eph 6).

So Paul is encouraging the Thessalonians and us to take hold of God in every situation and at all times, to draw near to him especially in times of conflict, and to develop an intimate relationship with him.

GIVE THANKS WHATEVER HAPPENS:

Our third great Musketeer is to GIVE THANKS! - To live a life of GRATITUDE!

In an article entitled: Giving thanks can make you happier - Harvard health Journal, August 14, 2021, It states that Pschology research has shown that, “gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships. “

The word gratitude is derived from the Latin word gratia, which means grace, graciousness, or gratefulness. Gratitude is a thankful appreciation for what we receive whether its a material gift or a person or the basis foodstuff of life or a sense of health and wellbeing, etc.

Gratitude is our acknowledgment of God’s goodness in our lives. Our thanksgiving that He is the ultimate source of “every good and perfect gift”(James 1:17).

To give thanks for whatever happens is an invocation to trust in the sovereignty of God over all thigns in our lives. Linking this to prayer and praise, it is as William Barclay said: “When we pray, remember: 1. The love of God that wants the best for us. 2. The wisdom of God that knows what is best for us. 3. The power of God that can accomplish it. (Prodigals and Those Who Love).

This command to be thankful, no matter what happens, is possible only by God’s grace. When we can agree with God that ‘in all things God works for the good of those who love him’ (Rom. 8:28). Even in our difficulties and trials God is teaching valuable lessons (Rom. 5:3–5), and they are to be welcomed and used accordingly.

As James notes in James 1:2-4 "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

It is however important to note that to give thanks in all circumstance is not the same as saying we should ‘give thanks FOR all things.

He is not saying thank you God for this teriible disease or this terrible pain I am suffering; or this dreadful violence or hardship that is being enacted on me, but rather thank you that inspite of it all; in this circumtances I can experience your presence and your grace in my life!

Indeed, Paul says this in 2 Cor. 9:8 “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

A thankful spirit does not come naturally to most of us. Certainly it pushes us beyond our natural capacities when difficult or painful situations invade our life.

It may not be easy to see the bright side of a particular trial, but if God is over all, then his hand is in that trial; his own cannot but recognize his goodness and make their thanksgiving.

George Matheson, the Scottish minister and hymnwriter, who was practically blind at eighteen, once prayed, ‘My God, I have never thanked you for my “thorn”. I have thanked you a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my “thorn”. I have been looking forward to a world where I shall get compensation for my cross as itself a present glory. Teach me the glory of my cross; teach me the value of my “thorn”. Show me that I have climbed to you by the path of pain. Show me that my tears have made my rainbow.’

To be thankful is a fruit of grace and is in contrast to the constant grumblings and ingratitude of a godless world. For Christians there is no situation in which we cannot give thanks.

Cultivate a heart of gratitude! Even though there are many circumstances that can shift our focus from God and wear us down: financial instability, physical illness, grief, loss, and the stress of our daily lives, learn to see these not through the lens of complaining about it but giving thanks that God has got this!

As Paul puts it in Philippians 2:12-18 “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.” - Things can appear to be going wrong but God i8s at work in you adn controlling all circumstances so that even when difficulties come our way, God will be working out his purposes and we can rejoice!

When we think about facing these things, how often do we consider them through a lens of gratitude? What if we thanked God in advance for walking with us through these trials? What if we thanked him for what we will learn by experiencing these situations? What if we took this Scripture seriously at the beginning of each day - Psalm 118:24 "This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

And if life is really tough and there is much that could get you down, take this Scripture on board - Colossians 3:15 "And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful."

A life of joy and prayer leads to a thankful heart. Our 3 Musketeers!

God’s will for us in 3 injunctions - “Always be joyful. Pray continually, and give thanks whatever happens. That is what God wants for you in Christ Jesus.”

This is not the totality of the divine will, God would have us do other things, but this will certainly give us the means and the reilience to do His will.

Let us then cultivate a spirit of constant devotion so that our lives are filled with the presence of God and that we might know the reality of Phillipans 4:5,6 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."