“There’s a Pony in Here Somewhere”
Once upon a time a family had twin boys
One was very optimistic in his behavior
One was very pessimistic in his behavior.
The parents were worried about the extremes of attitude and finally took the
boys in to see a psychologist.
The psychologist observed them for a while and then said that they could be
easily helped.
He said that they had a room filled with all the toys a boy could want. They
would put the pessimist in that room and allow him to enjoy life.
They also had another room that they filled with horse manure.
They put the optimist in that room.
As they observed both boys through one way mirrors, the pessimist continued
to be a pessimist, complaining that he had no one to play with.
They went to look in on the optimist, and were astounded to find him happily
digging through the manure.
The psychologist ran into the room and asked him what on earth the he was
doing.
The smiling boy replied that with all that manure, he was sure there had to be
a pony in the room somewhere!
We live in a time when negative things seem to draw the most attention.
If you follow the news each day as I do, it is difficult not to notice that all the
media covers are the bad things that are occurring in the world.
Every death and murder, every abduction and natural event that takes places
receives more than its share of attention each day of our lives.
Even watching the weather we are given the negative view
“40% chance of rain tomorrow”
Did you ever hear a weatherman say there was a 60% chance of sunny skies?
Certainly our national media dwells on the negative.
We in the Church are often challenged by pessimism as well.
There are those who seem always to be looking at, and for, the negative in
everything.
They take an attitude, or often even verbalize the idea that
“It cannot be done”
Or “We tried that before and it did not work”
Now we are not talking about being realistic or considering carefully the
options before us, that is pragmatism.
What we are considering is the negative, defeatist attitude that some hold
And the effect those thought processes have on the work of the Lord.
In today’s lesson I want to look at “Jesus the Optimist”
Think with me for a moment of the world that Jesus entered.
Among the Jews there was great pessimism at the time.
They hated the Roman government
They hated the control it held over them as well.
They were looking for the Messiah, but seemed to not really believe that He
would come.
As it turns out (in part due to this pessimism) they did not receive Him when
He did come.
However, from Heaven’s view… optimism came at the very birth of Jesus
the Christ!
In Luke 1:14 we read “And you will have joy and gladness, and many will
rejoice at his birth.”
And again in Luke 2:11-14 “For there is born to you this day in the city of
David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You
will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." And
suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising
God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill
toward men!"
This was the event mankind had needed and waited for from the time of
Adam!
Now He is here!
The Savior, Emmanuel, “God with us” has arrived!
This begins the time of optimism, from heavens view, and from mankind’s
view.
Think too, about some things that could have made Jesus himself pessimistic!
To begin with, his own countrymen, and even His family rejected Him!
John 1:10 and 11 “He was in the world, and the world was made through
Him, and the world did not know Him.
He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.”
His own did not receive Him! That must have been very difficult!
That could have caused Him pessimism from the very beginning of His
Ministry.
And then He had to deal with the doubt, and even the denial, of His disciples.
Matthew 14:28 “And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You,
command me to come to You on the water."
So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he
walked on the water to go to Jesus.
But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning
to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"
And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to
him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
His closest followers exhibited doubt from time to time.
That would cause most anyone to become pessimistic
And too, Jesus had problems with the “religious leaders” of His day
Recall that the Pharisees sought ways to destroy Him.
Luke 6:11 “But they were filled with rage, and discussed with one another
what they might do to Jesus.”
These supposedly good people plotted to rid themselves of the very Messiah
they claimed to be looking for!
And then
One dark night, one of His own
Comes to Him… and kisses Him, with the kiss of betrayal!
But Jesus did not let circumstances determine His outlook
He never lost His positive attitude
Jesus was an example of optimism and trust
He was always inwardly in control… even in the garden
No… He was not looking forward to the events that were coming
He was not looking forward to what He must endure
But He was optimistic about the final outcome!
Many of the events of His life could have lead to pessimism and frustration,
But He would not allow that… He had a mission and He would be victorious
no matter the cost!
And Jesus was optimistic about the future!
Look at John 10:17
“Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take
it again.”
Do you see that?
Not the part about dying, the other part
The part about taking up His life again!
He KNEW that it would all be ok and that He would live once more
That is Optimism!
And in Matthew 12:40 He says “For as Jonah was three days and three nights
in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three
nights in the heart of the earth.”
See He did not look at the difficulties that he was facing as the way things
would be… He instead chose to focus on the promises of the Father that all
would work out, that all would be well!
In John 14:6 Jesus tells us that HE is the WAY and the TRUTH and the
LIFE… and that no one can come to the Father except through Him.
He remains focused on His mission, and not on the things He must endure
along the way.
Jesus was optimistic about His own future
And… He was optimistic about His church as well!
In Matthew 16 beginning at verse 13 we read “When Jesus came into the
region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men
say that I, the Son of Man, am?"
So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah
or one of the prophets."
He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living
God."
Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for
flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My
church, and the gates of Hades (KJV Hell) shall not prevail against it.”
What is He saying here? That He is the Christ?… yes
But more than that, He shows His own optimism for the church and that not
even Hell itself is going to prevent its coming.
In Mark 9:1 Jesus says the kingdom WILL come
It WILL come … with power
Jesus knew He had a mission (as do we) and He knew that it would happen!
He had optimism, because His own Father had promised that it would be that
way.
Again, Jesus showed optimism in His speech and in His attitude!
I also suggest that Jesus was optimistic about You and I
_____________________________________________
For many reasons I am a terrible shopper…
I am terrible at Birthdays and other events as well because of my enthusiasm
for those for whom I purchase gifts.
I remember as a child buying my Dad or Mom a gift and being so excited for
them to have the gift that they often knew what the gift was before the day of
giving came.
I was excited about the gift, and optimistic that they would like the item that I
had purchased for them.
And I often gave away the surprise in my enthusiasm!
Jesus is the same way for us!
Look at John chapter 10 beginning at verse 7
“Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door
of the sheep.
All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not
hear them.
I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and
out and find pasture.
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have
come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
Jesus is tell us that He has a gift for us… a wonderful gift and He believes in
us and is optimistic for us.
And look at John 5:28 and 29
“Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the
graves will hear His voice and come forth— those who have done good, to
the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of
condemnation.”
Again we see optimism!
Not a focus on what we may endure along the way,
But an optimism that we will endure this life and be victorious!
Jesus was optimistic about us, and our success in this life.
He was so optimistic about us that He has no other plan to spread the Gospel
except us!
And the early church was optimistic as well!
The church began on a high note
We see in Acts 2 that some 3000 accepted Jesus and were baptized for the
remission of their sins
The church had 3000 members on the first day it existed!
And as you read through the book of Acts you see that they continued in that
optimism and maintained a positive outlook.
Acts 2:44 says “Now all who believed were together, and had all things in
common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all,
as anyone had need.
So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from
house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,
praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the
church daily those who were being saved.”
They were optimistic because of the news they had been given and they were
telling everyone the good news!
They trusted God in every situation and expressed their optimism that God
would indeed do as He had promised and that their future was sealed!
See… Christianity
Real Christianity is optimism expressed!
We have a promise, an agreement if you will, with God about our future!
And we Christians are called to be optimistic!
If we are going to be Christ-like, if we are going to wear His name and be
like Him … Then we ought to be optimistic as He is optimistic!
In James chapter 1 beginning at verse 2 we read “My brethren, count it all
joy when you fall into various trials, (3) knowing that the testing of your faith
produces patience.”
Is James telling us that we should be happy because we are struggling?
No!... James is saying that we should remain optimistic!
He is saying that even in our difficulties it will be OK!
Look at Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to
those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
How do we “know”? God says so… He promised us!
So we should remain optimistic about life and about the things that are
happening even though we do not understand them at the time!
And we have the promise of the resurrection described in
I Corinthians 15
WE are “more than conquerors” Romans 8:37 tells us.
And we WIN according to Revelation 2:10
It takes faith … It takes effort
And it takes work… to remain optimistic
But we have so much to be optimistic about!
Jesus is certainly the perfect example of optimism
He carried out His Fathers plan
He looked past the grave that would not hold Him
He brought us a gift
And ... He gave us a cure for sin
Here is another optimistic verse from the writing of Paul
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Philippians 4:13
Certainly Jesus was an optimist
And we ought to be optimistic as well.
Let not your heart be troubled
In My Father's house are many mansions
I go to prepare a place for you.
I will come again and receive you to Myself;
that where I am, there you may be also.
No matter what happens along the way, it will all be ok!
Today, if you have never put on Jesus in baptism
If you have never been baptized for the remission of your sins
You have no hope
You have no reason to be optimistic
But you can change that
You can have that optimism for the future
You can accept the gift that Jesus has for you
You can wipe away your sin and be made perfect and glorious and have the
joy of knowing that eternity with God awaits you,
No matter what else you must endure.
But you must take the first step and obey
Or, perhaps you have obeyed but find yourself in the depths of pessimism
Jesus established the church to encourage and pray with each other as we
evangelize the world.
We, like Jesus, care about you and want to assist you in any way possible
Whatever your need today
Come now while we stand and sing.
Earl Ash
April 22, 2007 PM