Alright, the title of this
message this morning is laugh it up
laugh it up. Something happened to me earlier throughout this week
I was out at work I work for a moving company right
while I was out at work I was attempting to give the gospel to a co-worker of
mine
I've heard it said once before that you know the workplace is not necessarily the
right place to be giving the gospel
and that's true because when you're at work you're on your bosses
dime you're out there to help him make money
you're in your bosses in business to make money and when you're at work you
should be there for your boss
doing whatever you can to help them out but the job that I do specifically
you know I also do a lot of service I drive around and I
you know bring people furniture and I move from place to place
so when it comes to co-workers I was told a long time ago when you're in the
truck by yourself with the co-worker
it's appropriate to give the gospel and I did I attempted to
you guys know since I've been here since I've been at work I've
given the gospel to a handful of my co-workers some of which get saved and
some of which don't
this one co-worker in particular right I was giving him the gospel
well giving him the gospel this this I'm gonna call him a kid even though he's
actually older than me I think he's like 32 or 34
he doesn't act like his age obviously and he is a very immature guy and
I'm going through the plan of salvation but I'm giving it to him in tidbits not
normally like how we would at the door because
obviously that's the best way to present the gospel is going through the
simple you know way of salvation you know the Bible way to heaven
but in this scenario I kinda had to like jump around and
explain some certain things and this guy
is wanting to be a DJ like that's like his thing he wants to be a professional
musician DJ and like going around and doing parties for people and stuff like
that so as I'm going through the plan of salvation right I noticed that before
this a lot of the co-workers and me and others you know it's okay to have a good
time to go around and laugh and be silly and have jokes and you know just kind of
have make light of things but when it comes to work it's called work it's not
called play right it's a place of business it's a place that we're to go
to to take serious especially has we believe that the Bible clearly teaches
has sold providers of our houses as men and to take our work very serious and
when I'm on the clock and I hear the young guys chatting around and being
goofy and silly I think I need to leave through example a way and showing them
how to be serious how to know when to be silly and goofy and fun and know when to
be serious and stern and be important so they everyone knows this guy's that
silly goofy easygoing joke full guy right and you know that guy that just is
always about having fun it's always a joke and life is nothing serious I mean
we all know the famous quote from the Batman scene of the Joker right he looks
at Batman he says why so serious right and that's the character the Joker which
is a clown which is a which is someone that doesn't he's an evil person but
nevertheless right as I'm attempting to give him the gospel all of a sudden he
is critically listening he's critically listening and he and he wants to know
what the Bible has to say and what I'm trying to show him and I go through the
whole plan of salvation and what's funny was at the very end when he never called
upon the name of the Lord he had a lot of hang-ups he had a lot of you know
arguments and you know as the Bible clearly teaches an heretic after the
first and second admonition reject right and move on and you know I'm giving him
time and chance and chance and when at when the end came he just he didn't
believe it and I was like okay well at least I sowed a seed or I may have
watered a plant or I did something to give you the truth and in the process of
this at the very end he looks over at me and he goes now I'm depressed now I'm
really upset I didn't want to hear this this is the last thing I wanted to hear
I didn't want to know the truth of heaven hell God judgment and these
things so when I read when I looked over at him I realized as the Bible clearly
teaches right remember the bulletin that I showed you guys earlier look down at
it your bulletin and Isaiah 22 verse 13 it says in the latter half let us eat
drink for tomorrow we shall die see the world does not want to know about the
things of God they don't want to know there's a future judgment coming they
just want to eat drink they want to be married they want to have fun now they
want their best life now they want to have fun now and you know what they're
gonna laugh it up laugh it up because here's the thing at the end of the day
we're all gonna die and death is inevitable some people don't think so
some people don't think they're ever gonna die but the Bible says it's
appointed unto men once to die and after this the judgment it is inevitable that
you will die and you will meet your maker the question is are you a sheep or
are you a goat and if you're a sheep and you're a child of God you're in God's
blessing you're saved you're sealed into the day of redemption you will see the
Lord Jesus Christ and brothers and sisters who have also believed but if
you're a goat and you have not believed there is an eternal judgment for you
there is an eternal pit of hell and it's waiting for the unsaved and the Bible
makes very clear that if you do not put your faith in Christ you will end up in
this place it says for instance in Revelation chapter 21 verse 8 but the
fearful and the unbelieving and the abominable the whoremonger the
sorcerer and murderers and idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the
lake which burneth the fire on brimstone which is the second death and we preach
that time and time again and you know and I know that when we go out preaching
the gospel haven't you had it to where you're attempting to show someone God's
glorious gospel the message of hope the message of salvation and the lost and as
you're explaining it they laugh at you they laugh they mock at it they think
it's a joke they think it's a game and you know what I just tell him I just
think to myself father forgive them they know not what they do but
nevertheless laugh it up because at the end of the day is it me you're trying to
make fun of and they are they're trying to associate us with the plan of
salvation because we should we are ambassadors right in Christ's stead and
we need to know that when the unsaved are laughing at you they're not
laughing at you they're laughing at God because we are representatives of God
on earth now like I mentioned before our bulletin right I don't know if you've
noticed by now but we have a verse and a picture that's associated to the sermon
now look down at the picture if you would on the bulletin this is a very
iconic image it is an image that is actually found in ancient Greece and I'm
gonna read for you what the Wikipedia says the origins of this image is it's
the laugh now cry later image it's two masks one smiling and being silly and
giddy and the other one is crying and weeping and it says in Wikipedia the
image of two masks one frowning and one smiling are symbols of the performing
arts and the last or in the past this symbol was often used on maps to
indicate a theater this symbol originated in Greece so back in ancient
Grecian Empire when you wanted to know where the theater was or the place of
entertainment and fun they associated this image to where the theater was
where the performing arts would be where the puppet show would be where the place
of entertainment would be so obviously this image I believe is a very accurate
representation of what the world is going to experience they will laugh now
laugh it up but if you don't take serious God heaven hell the Bible and
things like that you will cry later and not only will you cry you will weep
you'll be gnashing your teeth you'll be in anguish and torment forever and that
word doesn't sink into a lot of people's mind for ever never and everlasting
punishment prepared for the devil and his angels and I want us to understand
the severity of what is going on around us but not to be discouraged when you're
laughed at when you're made fun of look they made fun of the prophets they made
fun of the disciples they made fun of Jesus Christ himself but who's gonna be
laughing at the end look down if you would at Proverbs chapter 1 look at
verse 26 what does it say I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when
your fear cometh when your fear cometh as desolation in your desk your
destruction cometh has a whirlwind when distress and anguish cometh upon you you
know one day the Lord and it's true the Bible makes very clear the Lord is not
willing that any would perish but that all would come to repentance
nevertheless there comes a time when God says I will love them no more and this
is a problem in the state of Christianity today they don't think God
is serious they think God is only love all love and not judgmental and not some
man of wrath God is vengeful he is jealous he is all loving and he's all
these attributes and some so this gets me into my first point my first point is
this the world just wants to be amused all the time and look I tend to fall
guilty of this sometimes I want to have a good time in my life I remember when I
first married my wife something I explained to her is that in my life I
want to go around having as much fun as I possibly can and that's not necessarily
a bad thing but you got to remember that at the end of the day life is more than
just fun that's the icing on the cake it's the cherry on top it's the nice
parts of life but the Bible teaches us in Ecclesiastes chapter 3 right there's
a time to laugh and there's a time to mourn there's a time to dance and I
don't know the other part to that one but there's a time in a season for
everything and it is appropriate to sometimes not have fun not to be amused
not to be having our fancies tickled so to say because life is more than that
now the unsaved they don't understand this the unsaved are going around in
in their life trying at all points to have a good time they're trying to
suppress the facts that they're miserable and depressed and you know if
you don't have the Lord Jesus Christ let me tell you this you're miserable you
may be putting a front out to everyone that you're not miserable but at the
end of the day who are you trying to convince me because you didn't convince
me the Bible told me that without Christ they're all destitute they're all
everything's vain it doesn't matter and the unsaved are trying to fill the hole
in their heart that Jesus is supposed to fill with something else fill in the
blank here's something that a lot of people like to try to fill it with
entertainment television I went on to remember brother Raymond he was here
just recently during the second year anniversary when I was at faithful word
Baptist Church brother Raymond was at the preaching class and he preached the
subject one time on television consumption and I went and found the
facts the stats of where he got some of his facts and he said something to me
that really rang loud in my ear that the amount of television consumption that
the world consumes in is mind-boggling did you know according to the AC Nielsen
Co which I don't know what organization that is but according to this
organization the average American watches more than four hours of
television each day there's 24 hours in the day 16 hours of which are awake and
four hours of those is spent just on television on the average American I
wasn't able to find the stats of the rest of the planet I looked through some
different sources nothing was very dogmatic they just kind of generalize
and they put averages which doesn't make sense unfortunately because you can't you
can't find out world consumption because of averages because this place
may consume more than this place so they're just taking both numbers and
saying well an average the planet as a whole but nevertheless Americans consume
four hours of television every day do you know what that adds up to in a week
in one week 28 hours of television is consumed 28 solid hours there's seven
days in a week more than one complete day it's just television 24 hours in
the day right so 24 and four extra hours as a whole or what Americans are
consuming in their TV consumption and look the TV has nothing to offer you it
has nothing that is beneficial for you I mean I do from time to time watch me a
documentary I do from time to time watch me something educational I even watch
something that is entertaining there I said it but nevertheless four hours four
hours is a long time that you could fill with so much other important things if
you read your Bible four hours a day for a year you'd read the Bible in a hole
like four times so what's more important to the person in this world but Kim
Kardashian is doing or what the Lord Jesus Christ has to offer us and look
what does that add up to in a year in a 12-month year four hours a day 28 hours
a week adds up to two months of the year of complete television consumption for
crying out loud could you imagine a guy sitting down for two solid months not
sleeping just watching a screen you want to talk about programming you want to
talk about twisting how you think stick someone in front of a screen for two
months of the year they will be programmed period no matter what I'm not
above this and neither should any of us we need to realize the importance the
severity of our time we only have so much time on this earth right and we
need to find ourselves utilizing our time in the best way possible I'm not
saying don't have fun I'm saying the fun should not be the priority it should not
be the majority it should not be most often is fun now if you take this to
considerate this is just television I'm not good I'm gonna get into other things
but I don't have a lot of stats on these other things because I don't have enough
time to prep this all in my sermon but what else are other things that people
use to fill their time with for fun drugs alcohol which falls into drugs in
my opinion partying which I want time out of conversation what define party
what does this mean to party you know because it's funny if you think about it
right I remember when I was young and stupid I party what does this mean right
well you're dancing well why do you just call it dancing well you're drinking
why don't you just call it drinking well I'm talking to friends why don't you
just call it volleying with friends see there's a difference but you they just
put it under a generic term of party why cuz it sounds fun it sounds exciting it
sounds like something you desire and want let's party well what are we gonna
do we're gonna dance why don't you say we're gonna go dance oh we're gonna go
you know talk story with friends why don't you just say we're gonna go talk
story with friends they want to use this term on a very specific reason we're
gonna party because it appeals to a younger demographic and I couldn't like
I said find statistics and stats on how many people participate in drugs for
entertaining reasons because you know and I know that I would venture to guess
75 to to even 80% of people are probably consuming and using drugs for
entertainment and what good it's not helping your physical health it's not
helping your mental health you're just doing it because they are trying to
either suppress something numb something or they're trying to have fun and look
kids listen up the Bible says that there are people who enjoy the pleasures of
sin for a season I'm not gonna sit here and pretend that things that are sinful
are not pleasurable but they are pleasurable for a season which means a
small moment in time but you got to realize that your parents of the Bible
are teaching you things that will give you fun for your whole life the whole
spectrum of your life you can have a lot of fun in a short period of time or you
can have a little bit of fun throughout your whole life I mean there's nothing
wrong with having a good wholesome moral game night with your family friends and
brothers and sisters and talking about wholesome things and having a singing to
the Lord these are great thing I have fun when I sing I don't know about you
guys but I do I have fun when I'm talking doctrine with brothers and
sisters in Christ I have fun when I'm playing a generic board game with
someone but I don't need to go out and get inebriated to have fun and that's
what I'm trying to get at they don't understand that they don't even know how
to have normal clean natural fun but turn if you would to Proverbs chapter 23
a lot of what we're gonna be in is in the book of Proverbs and I forgot to
quote it but a moment ago it talked about the simple one right people who
are out trying to have fun or constantly just simple tins and there's nothing
wrong with being simple but staying in your simplicity is a problem the Bible
says we need to get wisdom we need to educate ourselves we need to press
towards the mark of the high calling which is in Christ Jesus we want to go
into perfection we want to educate ourselves that's a good thing let me
tell you this sometimes educating yourself is not fun I'll admit that
learning another language at strengthening your math you know doing
your history your science it's not always the funnest thing but the end
thereof you'll realize that it's better off for you you're actually gonna have
more fun in life you have more knowledge but the simple person is out
in their life not trying to further their education sharpen their mind they
just want to stay simple and enjoy shallow things things that are not
really deep things that are just I mean similar to that of children children are
easily amused and that's fine it's nothing wrong if kids laugh at a simple
joke but elder people people who are in their 20 30 40s laughing at something
that's not even funny and you know and I know one of the most irritating
ridiculous things to hear is a bunch of drunk people bantering and sounding like
a bunch of idiots laughing at nonsensical stuff look it's ridiculous
they're they're so out of their mind they look and sound like children in
ways but look down at your Bible if you would at Proverbs chapter 23 verse 29
what does the Bible tell us about people who are using drugs to find
entertainment Proverbs chapter 23 verse 29 it reads who hath woe who hath sorrow
who hath contentions all three of those don't sound good right whoa sorrow
contention who hath babbling who hath wounds without cause who hath redness of
eyes they that tarry long at the wine they that go to seek mix wine look not
thou upon the wine when it is red when it giveth his color in the cup when it
moveth itself aright at the last it biteth like a serpent and stingeth like
an adder so I'm gonna pause there really quickly on verse 32 at the last
it biteth as a serpent and stingeth as an adder so remember like I said earlier
kids there is a pleasure of sin for a season and like I said I would be doing
you guys an injustice if I wouldn't warn you of the the wiles of sin they look
appealing they in ways probably are very appealing but they at the last will
sting like a serpent and bite like an adder meaning that the end of that you
have wounds you have woes you'll have sorrows you'll have redness of eyes you
have wounds without cause so is it all worth it in the end no it's not worth it
I have a saying in my house and it's choose your suffering you either suffer
a lot for a short period of time or you suffer a little throughout the long
period of your life and let me tell you this if you choose your suffering in
life you're gonna find yourself having a better life in the hole because you
can either get it all at once or you distribute it on your own self-discipline
throughout your life meaning that when your friends try to make fun of you for
not going out and hanging out and partying with them and they laugh at you
look I know it hurts I know peer pressure exists I know it's not fun to
be laughed at by your friends but look what's the title of this message laugh
it up take it to the bank you don't even realize that at the end of that
road is mirth heaviness wickedness destruction remember the story of the
prodigal son right he wanted to go out in his life and enjoy it all now take it
all in party and what happened to him he destroyed his life now praise the Lord
the prodigal son got it right and came back and was willing to understand the
errors of his ways because he had a good father that raised him in a good
godly home and he realized what was bestowed upon him from a young age but
not a lot of the world is like this do you think that people are hearing
messages like this constantly not at all you know this I know this they are
wanting to surround themselves with people that will tell them what they
want to hear not what they need to hear what they want to hear the Bible says in
the end times they will heat to themselves teachers having itching ears
meaning they're gonna find people that tell them what they want to hear but
nevertheless what does the Bible say preach the word be instant in season out
of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine meaning that
we first reprove someone we then rebuke them but the end is to exhort them to
lift them up but nevertheless let's keep going the end of that road of drunkenness
drug abuse and all these things that the world has the offer is woes it goes
on to read in verse 33 behind I shall behold strange women and thine heart
shall utter perverse things yea thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the
midst of the sea or as he that lieth upon the top of a mass they have
stricken me shalt thou say and I was not sick they have beaten me and I felt it
not when shall I awake I will seek it yet again for crying out loud you and I
know about people who have drug addiction people who are addicted to
this lifestyle who desire this lifestyle who want this lifestyle and I wish more
than ever some of my loved ones I could grab shake it out of them because the
Bible makes very clear reprove enters more into a wise man than a stripe on a
hundred stripes on a fool's back if I could beat someone a hundred times on
their back and at the end of that they get it then I would do it whoa why would
you want to beat someone because I want what's best for them I want them to
realize that if they continue on this road it's going to destroy them who are
you to judge how do you know these things the Word of God has told us that
the end of these things it bite us as a as a adder and sting it like a serpent
so you can either believe it or not nevertheless laugh it up and remember
that co-worker I mentioned in the beginning right who was telling me he
was depressed but what do you think he did the second he stepped out of the
truck he went and laughed up another joke and made fun and was just
constantly enjoying the rest of his day what does it say in this verse in verse
35 they have stricken me shalt thou say and when and I was not sick they have
beaten me and I felt it not when shall I awake I will seek it yet again for
crying out loud as a dog return it to his vomit so is people who are willing
to go back to their folly okay David we get it the world out there is laughing
up a storm they're making fun of the things of God they're not taking these
things serious well why would they do this they want to be amused all the time
they consume television they're into drugs but here's the thing the world
back to this television consumption what is the world teaching people the world
is teaching people that you do not ever want to have a negative feeling you do
not ever want to be depressed you do not ever want to hate something be negative
be upset or any of that anything that is bad negative anger hate is equals bad
period that's what the world is pushing the world wants people to think that if
you are sorrowful there's something wrong with you why are you sorrowful well
for crying out loud there have been people who have lost loved ones and they
get in the business world time of mourning right which is natural that's
appropriate that is good if you lost a loved one a brother a sister a wife a
husband a mom a dad a grandma grandma you lost someone that is near and dear
to you and that makes you sad you're not crazy that is okay but the world looks
at you and say what's wrong with you why are you sad you shouldn't be here's some
antidepressant you should not be depressed about this why are you
depressed because I lost a loved one and even for the Christian who truly
understands that their loved one is saved and on their way to heaven we
don't need to mourn as the heathen do nevertheless we mourn morning is okay
there's a time to eat and a time to laugh and in our lives Jesus Christ was
known as a man of much sorrow Jesus Christ went around his life doing good
preaching the gospel preaching the truth healing people doing all these things
but if you can associate a term to Jesus you know what it was sorrow in that
while we were yet sinners Christ died for us he who knew no sin he became sin
for us that we may be known as the righteousness of God in him he was
tempted to know points like as we are yet without sin if anyone in this world
had any reason to not be punished or not take on the struggles that we deserve
it's Jesus Christ nevertheless he did that because he loves us and we need to
look at that as an example and realize that our Lord who we serve was known
as a man of much sorrows so I'm not saying go around as a sad sap and just
be sad all the time indeed be depressed but it's okay from time to time to look
at your nation look at your island look at your family and the degeneracy of
man and be sad about it what was Jeremiah known as he was known as a
weeping prophet he wrote the book of Lamentations which is another word of
saying crying he was sorrowful he looked at Judah and was sad he didn't
want to see his people destroyed but he knew God was just and he knew that God
was gonna do what he said he would do and he came to the people of Judah and
the rest of the world and said repent get right with God he does not want to
destroy you but he will and it's not gonna be fun it's a fearful thing to
fall into the hands of a living God so if in your life you find yourself having
sorrow empathy anger hatred these things take it to the bank as long as what
you're negative towards is righteous and godly then you're on the right track the
Bible says be angry and sin not let not the Sun go down upon your wrath that
means there's a time where you are to be angry like when the pedophile gets away
with what he's done like when the murderer gets away with what he's done
like when our nation goes and wages war with foreign invaders that we have
nothing to do with like when the people around us in our nation are just folding
and folding and not coming to God it's okay to be sad I know I find myself sad
for let alone the people here in Hawaii but for my personal loved ones for my
brothers and sisters in Christ look I have struggles you have struggles we all
have struggles the Bible says the fervent prayer of a righteous man
availeth much if you guys need prayer and I want prayer I'm gonna come to you
for when I have problems but don't let people tell you that if you're sad angry
or upset that that equals bad how dare you who do you think you're out what's
wrong with you here's a pill this will make it all go away here's some drugs
so make it all go away here's the screen watch this this will make you feel good
you need to feel good laugh it up because tomorrow you will die you know
what so look down at your Bible if you would turn to 2nd Kings and while you
turn for there I'm gonna read from you from this article from the pharmaceutical
journal more than 20 million let that word let that number sink down into your
heads and hearts more than 20 million antidepressants were prescribed between
October and December of 2020 a 6% increase compared to the same three
months in 2019 according to statistics reported by the NHS Business Service
Authority and they give this long acronym NHS BSA overall the statistics
show that 23% more patients received an antidepressant item and the third
quarter of 2020 and through 21 compared to the same quarter in 2015 through
2016 so let me let that sink down into your 23% 6% increase 20 million more
dosage of antidepressant to people because why look last year sucked in
every sense of the imagination everyone is in hardship everyone's going through
problems David you just said it's okay to be sad yeah but I'm not telling you
to go to a drug to satiate that to numb that to make you feel better go to God
why were people not begging the churches for help why were people not coming and
asking for the service of God why were not people on all fours prostrated on
the ground begging God for forgiveness begging God for mercy because they're
not understanding the truth how about the Bible has taught us look laugh it up
it's gonna happen soon to a theater near you but it goes on to say but the a NHS
BSA report on the statistics noted that across 2020 as a whole the rate of
increase antidepressants prescribing slowed in fewer items prescribed than
would have been expected based on 2019 treads so basically they're saying there
was a time before 2020 where it was slowing down now notice they didn't say
it dipped they're saying it plateaued so there's an increase of antidepressants
2019 plateaus 2020 wing rockets up and then it goes on to read antidepressants
have been steadily increasing in usage since 2015 so from 2015 to modern day
there's been a steady increase of people consuming antidepressants the
report says with two twenty point five million antidepressant drug item
prescribed between October and December 2020 compared with 19 million nineteen
point three million items during the same three months in the previous year
all of the drug groups observed a large increase in monthly prescribing on
average five percent points percentage points between these areas so basically
they're just saying that there's been a slow increase but specifically in those
three months it was drastic it went it dramatically raised up and they try to
associate wall because of lockdowns because of this and because of that and
arguably so yeah it probably was because of lockdowns in these things but like I
said nevertheless did they come crying to God did they do what the people of
Nineveh did in in sackcloth and ashes begged the Lord for forgiveness no they
didn't and if they did what did God say the Bible says if my people called by my
name should turn from their wicked ways humble themselves and turn from their
wicked ways then I'll hear from heaven I'll heal their land did you know that
pestilence and famine and disease is a judgment of God in ways some people
don't get that they think it's a man-made thing and it's man operated and
maybe it is but I believe that the God I serve is the creator of the universe
and can put on a people a plague the botch of Egypt or fill in the blank and
like I said we don't need to in our lives go around pretending like all is
well and dandy when it's not look things are bad out there and I know I've said
it from time to time I know every other Sunday I get here and I'm like look
outside look outside but seriously stop every now and again while you're at the
store while you're shopping while you're on your way to work and look around like
truly look at people they're not happy they're pretending to be happy they're
putting on a facade as if they're good and they're inebriated they're
intoxicated they're numbing themselves and they'll laugh and joke and be giddy
and be silly but in their hearts they are hurting and we need to ask the
church the institution of God to mankind show people the light the message of
hope to salvation that if they would just simply believe on Christ and follow
him then they'll live a decent life they'll actually be happy for crying out
loud the Bible says the way of transgressors is hard Jesus says my yoke
is easy so Jesus has a burden it's a yoke a yoke is a instrument that you put
on an animal to help plow fields but he has a yoke you have to be willing to
deny yourself pick up your cross and follow him you have to be willing to
love your neighbor as yourself which means not being selfish and and and see
what you can do for someone else I'm hungry I'm hurt and I've allowed a loaf
of bread I'm gonna cut this in half and give it to someone else David you could
use that you worked for it yeah but you know what this bread is gonna perish and
be gone I have the bread of life the words of God the things that will help
people on a spiritual matter it's not this physical food that matters not the
physical house the AC the car these things don't bring you sadists
satisfaction I am missing the term you're not gonna be satisfied thank you
satisfaction no it's not gonna bring you satisfaction these things the sports the
music everything that this world has the offer outside of the things of God what
did Solomon say in the book of Ecclesiastes vanity of vanity all is
vanity not some is vanity all is vanity if it doesn't bring you closer to God
it's vain period where you are in 2nd Kings this is an example of people
trying to make fun of the man of God this is Eli sha the protege of Eli jha
Eli jha and Eli sha represent John the Baptist and the Lord Jesus Christ
Eli sha was mocked and made fun of and look what it says in 2nd Kings chapter
2 verse 23 and he went up from thence unto Bethel and as he was going up by
the way there came forth little children out of the city and mocked him and said
unto him go up thou bald head go up thou bald head and he turned back and looked
on them and cursed them in the name of the Lord and there came forth two she
bears out of the wood and tear forty and two children of them and he went
from thence to Mount Carmel and from thence returned to Samaria for crying
out loud how many times have you gone out so winning and people are laughing
at you and mocking you and like ah look how stupid you are look at you wasting
your time and all this stuff how remember in the New Testament right when
John I think it was James with the Lord Jesus Christ and they go to this one
city and they reject them the Bible says you know if this city won't hear you
shake up the dust off your feet and move on right John and James which mind you
John is the beloved disciple he's the one that leaned on Jesus's breasts at
the stop Last Supper he's the one that said gee would you that we pray to God
that fire come down and rain on these people like you lie she did Elijah did
Jesus says you don't know what you're asking I've come not you know for the
right I've come not for the righteous but sinners to repentance I've came to
seek and to save that which is lost so obviously when we're out at the door and
people are mocking and making fun of us I don't think you should go out of your
way to pray that God sends she bears or fire from heaven to destroy them father
if it give them they don't know what they're doing but be willing to be
mocked and ridiculed for the Lord Jesus Christ be willing to accept someone
laughing at you for crying out loud if you can if you can't learn to laugh at
yourself there's a problem look I just it's to me it's a pet peeve because like
you know I don't know you go out and like some people just wear their
feelings on their sleeves and like how dare you laugh at me who do you think
you are and they try to defend themselves all the time it's like look
get over yourself bro like it's okay they're not they're making fun of you
because of the Lord Jesus Christ and and mind you I will be defensive towards the
Lord Jesus Christ but at the same time I don't need to defend him he's gonna
defend himself like I said it's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of
a living God I don't truly want someone who makes fun of me to go to hell now a
child of the devil who's willing to fight against the Lord yes I do want
that person to burn and go to hell but nevertheless the average Joe out there
is not a child of the of the devil he's just a guy who's who's confused who's
programmed who has no idea and I hope that in his life he learns to be
softened to the message of salvation so he can get saved because what if that
happens let's say you go to a door guy makes fun of you three years later you
see that same guy in your church saved puts their faith in Christ you need to
open him with welcome arms and say hey praise the Lord you figured out
salvation it made fun of me in the process I can handle it like I said we
need to be tougher than that I mean like I said another message for another time
but turn if you would to Ephesians chapter 2 and this is the last place I'm
gonna have you look Ephesians chapter 2 the reason why I say this is because I
was deceived you were deceived we all at one point in our life we're not saved we
didn't understand the gospel we didn't know the things of God we didn't know
what we know today because no one showed us no one taught us we didn't care so we
need to understand that though the world's laughing at these things though
the world doesn't care about these things though the world is numbing
themselves though they're making fun of us in the process we can be above
reproach we can be a light under the Gentiles we can be the salt under the
earth you know the Bible says in Matthew chapter 5 you know blessed are you and
men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against
you falsely for my sake rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your reward
in heaven for so persecuted they the prophets which are before you if you're
not willing to live godly in Christ Jesus if you're not willing to get out
and go preach the gospel the lost you're not going to be persecuted and if you
don't want that life then that's between you and God but I want to in my life go
to the grave saying I've done everything I could for the Lord Jesus Christ I want
him to look at me and say well done now good and faithful servant so if you live
godly in Christ Jesus you shall be persecuted period it's what the Bible
promises but look down if you would at Ephesians chapter 2 verse 1 what does it
say and you have he quickened the word quicken it doesn't mean fast it means
brought to life and you have the quickened who were dead in trespasses
and sins were in time past he walked according to the course of this world
according to the prince of the power of the air the spirit that now worketh in
the children of disobedience among whom also we all had our conversation in
times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and
of the mind and were by nature the children of wrath even as others but God
who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were
dead in sins hath quicken us together with Christ by grace ye are saved and
hath raised us up to gather or together and made us sit together in heavenly
places in Christ Jesus that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding
riches of his grace and his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus for by
grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of
God not of works the city man should boast for we are his workmanship created
in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we what
should walk in them title of this message this morning is laugh it up
laugh it up people and you Christians same thing if you're not choosing to
deny yourself and go serve the Lord Jesus Christ and are filling yourself
with entertainment and fun and amusement laugh it up because you're gonna lose
rewards in heaven you're gonna lose people save that you could have got
saved you will get to heaven you're saved by grace as it said clearly but
when you get there the Bible says he that goeth forth and what weepeth
bearing precious seed shall doubtless come again rejoicing bringing his
sheaves with him like I said choose your suffering weep now laugh later the
world says laugh now and they will weep later let us follow emulate the Lord
Jesus Christ be people of sorrow but be as Paul says content in all things
whatsoever state we are in I've learned how to a base and I've learned how to
abound in all things I've learned to be content beaten in prison made fun of
mocked ridiculed all of it is worth it at the end when the Jesus looks down and
says well done now good and faithful servant title of this message this
morning is laugh it up our heads and have a word of prayer
dear Heavenly Father thank you so much for your word thank you so much for
salvation please help those who are confused and blinded by the prince of
the power of the air to have softer hearts and lead us to those who want to
hear the message of salvation help us to gain thick skin to be willing to be
mocked and ridiculed for you and to be willing to choose our sufferings and to
understand that life is more than just about fun but it's about working for you
and pleasing you help us to guide us to those who want to hear the message of
salvation help us sow seed on good ground so that they can be saved and
learn to serve you for the rest of their lives and in Jesus Christ's name we pray
amen