WHAT A STRANGE PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE! Or at least a strange ending to a Psalm filled with so much praise sing to the Lord a new song! Make a joyful noise to the Lord. Which we've interpreted throughout the years to mean...You don't have to be able to sing to join the choir. Just be able to make a noise with joy! Right? Sing Praises to the Lord! The text says, And Why All This Merriment And Rejoicing? We're told why in the last two verses read verses 8-9. I don't know about you but the thought of the Lord coming to judge the earth does not give me a warm fuzzy. In fact, as much as I'm secure in my faith. The whole idea of judgment is a little unsettling, isn't it? Now Some People Get Excited About The Judgment. They give the impression that they just can't wait. Jesus is coming back and boy is he mad. They're waiting to see the showdown. They want to do like those Ortho Fire Ant commercials from a few years back. Remember those commercials where the man kills the fire ants, does a happy dance and just laughs hysterically they want to sit and laugh as the unrighteous get what they deserve.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT!  And I think that the people who are waiting for God to come back and pour the Ortho of judgment all over the world are sadly mistaken and misguided because wrath of God judgment is not what this text is all about. This text, good friends, is about joy, pure unbridled joy. Noisy, ecstatic joy, being so happy about something that we're overcome to the point that we just "bust out" with a noisy joy! You see the thing is, we often think of judgment, and we begin to feel guilty.  Most Christians don't need any help with guilt. Because we all know what we've done. We all know how we have failed God. We know of the times when we've failed to be the church, and we expect judgment. However, what we don't expect is the grace, because when we turn back to God what we find is love, mercy, and grace. We find a loving father who truly wants what is best for us. Who hurts when we hurt? Even when we hurt ourselves and those good friends is why God's people are able to rejoice. That's the reason for the rejoicing in this Text. That's what we mean in the church when we use the word, "Grace." God loving us in spite of us.  However, sometimes we can forget about that grace can't we? Sometimes we need God to send us something that reminds us all over again...that we are God's children and that God truly loves us. Until I became a grandfather, I had forgotten how effectively, little children help us to see God's Grace. My little granddaughter Kalli has a joy that is contagious! There are times when she is so happy that she just busts out with joy, and it's almost impossible to be around her and not be happy yourself. But then again, most children have that gift, don’t they? And I think that's why Jesus told us to come to God like little children, and to have faith as little children. 

Body:

CHILDREN ARE INSTRUMENTS OF GOD.  Children have a perspective that must be close to God's perspective children have an uncanny knack of being able to see straight into the heart of things without the complications of prejudice or pride, or skepticism. Of course children don't always get it right, but even when their perspective is incorrect they can make us smile. A certain little boy was quoting scripture he said, "A lie is an abomination unto the Lord...and very present help in times of trouble." Or the little boy who said, "Lot's wife was turned into a pillar of salt by day and a ball of fire by night." On the other hand, how about the little girl, who misquoted the 23rd Psalm, she said, "The Lord is my shepherd, and that’s all I want." Yes, sometimes they get it wrong...but more times than not...

CHILDREN LET US SEE THINGS THROUGH GOD'S EYES AND FEEL WHAT GOD FEELS.  We'll let them, they can teach us. I know you teachers know this. A certain grandfather was having a discussion with his granddaughter about heaven the little girl says, "I know I'm going to heaven." Grandpa said, "and how do you know?" Little girl said, "it's a free gift from God." Now this little girl might not even know what the word "grace" means, but she understood what God's grace is all about. If we'll let them, the children can build our Churches. Let me tell you what I mean little children are generally busting out with noisy joy all the time. When a child is happy everyone around that Child knows it, and I Believe with all my heart that the reason so many people today have been turned off by the Christian faith... They don't see the joy in the faces of Christians.  What is it that we lose as we grow older that keeps us from experiencing and sharing pure unbridled joy!?  Have you ever been around somebody who just radiates joy? It’s contagious. Now I'm not talking about bubbling over with laughter 24 hours a day, because inappropriate and forced joy. Can come across as fake, and that's just obnoxious. However, I'm talking about the gift of joy, being able to be happy in your life. Happy in your faith! I've known very devout Christian people who seemed totally miserable all the time. Crying in church every Sunday, reading the bible all week, attending Sunday School, attending every worship service, giving generously to the church people who worked hard but the thing is they did more harm than good to the cause of Christ. Because nothing they were, doing gave them joy. Who wants to be a part of something that makes you miserable?  Let me ask you something, "How Long Has It Been Since You Just Busted Out With Joy!?" How long since you sang in the shower? Or maybe just sang along with a song on the radio while you're driving down the road? If you've ever been to Las Vegas and walked through a Casino, you've seen people bust out with noisy joy as soon as they hit that jackpot. I believe that's the reason people go to casinos. They want to feel that joy. They want to feel like a kid again. The thrill of winning. The hope of riches. Of course, more than the thrills of winning, people experience the pain of losing. Moreover, the hope that's offered is false hope. That's not just preacher bias, it's the truth. More people end up losers than winners, but people will bust down doors and travel miles.  Just to feel that joy, and here's the real kicker.  The real joy is right here! There is no group of people who are more victorious than the people called Christians. Here's where the real winners are.  Here's where the hope is. Not false hope, but real hope. So, why don't people bust down the doors of the churches? Why don't they travel miles to experience this joy? You know don't you? You see they don't believe it. They don't believe it because they have seen too many Christians, People of God, People of faith, Church people, who have no joy in their faith.  And you know I've noticed that the most unhappy churches are the churches that have very few, if any children. I don't know about you but I love having Kids in church. I'd rather have to try to preach over 25 kids busting out with noisy joy. Than preach to 25 adults who look like they've spent the whole morning sucking on lemons. But that's where many people are that's where many Christians are. And Perhaps its because of the fact that...

Conclusion:

THE LORD IS COMING TO JUDGE THE EARTH.  Nevertheless, friends this scripture text challenges us to be happy at the thought of God's Judgment. In fact, it suggests that we should "bust out with a noisy joy at the thought." And that might seem hard for us adults, us grown-ups who sometimes forget how to be happy. Forget how to have fun. Maybe it would help if we remembered that we grown up adults. Are still God's children! And always will be. There will never come a time when God wants you to leave home and make a go of it alone. You will always be God's child, and believe me; God wants the best for God's children. And so in the midst of God's judgment.  We have God's grace and mercy. Maybe God has given us children so we can Remember how to be a child.

THERE WAS AN ANONYMOUS LETTER THAT FIRST APPEARED IN GUIDEPOSTS MAGAZINE.  It's a letter from a Grandfather to his Granddaughter. My Dear Granddaughter Hannah, You are only two but you've mastered attitudes that have eluded me for half a century. You react to life; you laugh or cry outright. You squeal, or sing or jump our shout. You seem to reach out and touch life-extracting joy from thin air. I act at life. Trying hard to hide my true feelings. I am calm, controlled and dignified. No one would ever know how sad or lonely I can be, or how excited. You see opportunities everywhere. While I see problems. You want to climb the attic stairs you see steps. I see danger. You want to paint you see colors. I see a mess. You love to learn with wild abandon you tackle new words and skills; you find laughter in mistakes. I find embarrassment. You want to know everything. I struggle to learn. I resist anything new. I've forgotten how to laugh at blunders.  You live in the moment your life is a series of thrilling nows. I languish in nostalgia, or I worry over the future. You are trusting. I am so disillusioned with people that I've come to expect disappointment. You are courageous. You walk right up to a stranger and smile. At lunch, you boldly bite into broccoli, and though you don't like it, tomorrow you'll tackle cauliflower with the same exuberance. I stick with the familiar favorites. Hannah, When I grow up I want to be just like you.  Friends, God loves us for who we are because we are God's children. It’s not about how good you are. How often you go to church. How much you put in the offering. Or even how much you read your bible. God loves you because you are God's child and no matter what our age... This truth should make our spirits soar. It should make us want to do a happy dance. It should make us bust out with a noisy joy!