June 22, 2021 – Reflections on “Celebrate, Jesus, Celebrate!”

        Celebrate, Jesus Celebrate, Celebrate, Jesus Celebrate.  He is risen, He is risen, And He lives forevermore, He is risen, He is risen, Come on, and celebrate, The resurrection of our Lord.      Don Moen.

     We celebrate births, anniversaries, graduations in various ways with balloons, cake, good food, music, and much rejoicing. We celebrate special days such as Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day, and July the 4th. Sometimes we don’t even understand the true meaning of what we celebrate, and it becomes an empty celebration.

I remembered this song from long ago. Celebrate, Jesus, Celebrate! How would we celebrate the Savior of the World who left Heaven to take on human flesh as a baby, leaving Home and His Heavenly Father? He gave up much to do His Father’s Will of being a sacrifice for our sins, dying on the cross. This was foretold in Isaiah 9:6. For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

          They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” John 8:19.

Jesus had a mission on earth that He completed with his last breath. A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to His mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and He bowed His head and gave up His spirit. John 19:29-30.

Jesus spent His life teaching about His Father and reflecting His teachings by the way He lived. He prayed, He performed miracles, and traveled many miles teaching the people God’s Ways.

He told us Who He is while on earth: Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” John 6:35.

        Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” John 8:12.

        So, Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. John 10:7.

        I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. John 10:9.

       I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. John 10:14-15.

       Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26.

        Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6.

         I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5.

How and when do we celebrate Jesus, God’s Son? The One who promises to be with us at all times is preparing a place for us who believe, to live eternally? He forgives us; He brings us peace; He protects us and loves us. He provides for us.

We sing His praise; we reflect His Goodness by the way we live and think and respond to others. Seeing Jesus in others by loving like He does.

        Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.  I Corinthians 13:4-8.

We can celebrate Jesus by reflecting His Goodness each day. Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Colossians 3:12-13.

Another way to celebrate Jesus is: Pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. I Thessalonians 5:17-18.

         Is it impossible to do these things? Yes, under our own strength. Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 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.  I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:4-7,13.

         Believing in Jesus changes our lives and transforms us. We begin on a new adventure of seeing beyond ourselves to the One who created us. The one who knew us before we were born and placed a longing for Eternity in our hearts. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, He has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. Ecclesiastes 3:11.

It is when we feel spiritually malnourished; we learn to trust Him and listen to this verse. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”

         Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Psalm 37:3-6.