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The Humor of Christ - Biblecourses.com · 1 The Humor of Christ HE most requested sermon I have on...
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1 The Humor of Christ HE most requested sermon I have on Jesus is The Humor of Christ. For too long His humor has been neglected, avoided, or denied. We have a misconception that religion and hu- mor cannot mix. I. JESUS WAS A HUMORIST As a boy preacher, I nearly was whipped in Arkansas for stating this. Young preachers were advised, Do not joke from the pulpit. Do not tell stories. Sour religion comes from artistic pic- turesnot Scripture. Jesus cried but three times. You print the unusualnot the usual. Jesus was not a wimpHe did not cry His life away. Psychology says, Be afraid of men who cannot laugh. Jesus was not sad, tepid, or defeated. Without humor man is deficient as a human being. Humor and human come from the same source. God has a sense of humor. He made the camel, the monkey, and you! John the Baptist did not joke. But Jesus did! Jesus attended at least twelve feasts. The first miracle was at a wedding. Sermons on Jesus: A Princeton Seminary professor discovered that the spirit of optimism really does make a difference. He made a study of great preachers across the past centuries. He noted their tre- mendous varieties of personalities and gifts. Then he asked the question, What do these outstanding pulpiteers all have in common besides their faith? After several years of searching he found the answer. It was their cheerfulness. In most cases, they were happy men. But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, and say, “We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.” For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He has a demon!” The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!” Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds (Matthew 11:16-19). Tragically, Christians (Luke 15) neither fast nor feast. The elder son could not fast or feast. Hu- mor is exaggeration, and Jesus used exaggera- tion. Both the enemies and admirers of Jesus have been blind to His humor. Buddhism is slow suicide. Philosophy cannot laugh. Christianity is to be serious but not solemn. Abe Lincoln cried, but he was witty. One who cannot cry cannot laugh. Worship is not a funeral. Worship is a celebration. II. OBSERVATIONS Jesus used humor regarding His enemies. He was not cut out of black cloth. Jesus was a warm friend, full of good news (the gospel) and laughter. Tell that old fox, Jesus said. Peter in Acts 2 said, It is too early to be drunk. Humor allows openness and honesty. Humor disarms hostility. Strain out a gnat and swallow a camel is exaggerated humor. The parables reflected humor. Twenty-one funny episodes are in Luke. Humor hits a man at his point of seriousness. The henpecked do not laugh. Will Rogers used humor to get people to think and not to be hurt. The expression of blowing your horn in giving, the illustration of a splinter and a board, the persistent widowJesus used them all to tickle your funny bone. He used humor in dialogue. Jesus nick- named His apostles. He always had the sur- prise, the hook in a parable. Humor preserves sanity, restores perspective, and allows spice in life. Man only plays when he is human, and he is only human when he plays. T
Transcript of The Humor of Christ - Biblecourses.com · 1 The Humor of Christ HE most requested sermon I have on...
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The Humor of Christ
HE most requested sermon I have on Jesusis �The Humor of Christ.� For too long His
humor has been neglected, avoided, or denied.We have a misconception that religion and hu-mor cannot mix.
I. JESUS WAS A HUMORISTAs a �boy preacher,� I nearly was whipped in
Arkansas for stating this. Young preachers wereadvised, �Do not joke from the pulpit. Do not tellstories.� �Sour religion� comes from artistic pic-tures�not Scripture. Jesus cried but three times.You print the unusual�not the usual. Jesus wasnot a wimp�He did not �cry His life away.�Psychology says, �Be afraid of men who cannotlaugh.� Jesus was not sad, tepid, or defeated.Without humor man is deficient as a humanbeing. �Humor� and �human� come from thesame source.
God has a sense of humor. He made thecamel, the monkey, and you! John the Baptist didnot joke. But Jesus did! Jesus attended at leasttwelve feasts. The first miracle was at a wedding.
Sermons on Jesus:
A Princeton Seminary professor discoveredthat the spirit of optimism really does make adifference. He made a study of great preachersacross the past centuries. He noted their tre-mendous varieties of personalities and gifts.Then he asked the question, �What do theseoutstanding pulpiteers all have in commonbesides their faith?� After several years ofsearching he found the answer. It was theircheerfulness. In most cases, they were happymen.
But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, andsay, “We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.” For John came neither eatingnor drinking, and they say, “He has a demon!” The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Behold, a gluttonousman and a drunkard, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!” Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds (Matthew 11:16-19).
Tragically, Christians (Luke 15) neither fast norfeast. The elder son could not fast or feast. Hu-mor is exaggeration, and Jesus used exaggera-tion. Both the enemies and admirers of Jesushave been blind to His humor. Buddhism is slowsuicide. Philosophy cannot laugh. Christianity isto be serious but not solemn. Abe Lincoln cried,but he was witty. One who cannot cry cannotlaugh. Worship is not a funeral. Worship is acelebration.
II. OBSERVATIONSJesus used humor regarding His enemies. He
was not cut out of �black cloth.� Jesus was awarm friend, full of good news (the gospel) andlaughter. �Tell that old fox,� Jesus said. Peter inActs 2 said, �It is too early to be drunk.� Humorallows openness and honesty. Humor disarmshostility. �Strain out a gnat and swallow a camel�is exaggerated humor.
The parables reflected humor. Twenty-onefunny episodes are in Luke. Humor hits a manat his point of seriousness. The henpecked donot laugh. Will Rogers used humor to get peopleto think and not to be hurt. The expression of�blowing your horn� in giving, the illustrationof �a splinter and a board,� the persistentwidow�Jesus used them all to �tickle yourfunny bone.�
He used humor in dialogue. Jesus �nick-named� His apostles. He always had the �sur-prise,� the hook in a parable. Humor preservessanity, restores perspective, and allows spice inlife. �Man only plays when he is human, and heis only human when he plays.�
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CONCLUSIONSkeptics cannot see His deity; brethren have
a problem with His humanity. There was no halo
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circling His head; His hands were not folded inprayer.
�Charles B. Hodge, Jr.
