Choosing Joy with Humor

you're watching from for whatever device you're watching from we are so glad that you are tuning in with us now we are having a special event we're actually having an all staff meeting for those who guys that don't know are all staff meetings is basically where all of our staff really confuse all of our staff gathers and we have a meeting where we kind of discuss things and talk about things as an organization that's our Alec usually pours into us and so that's what we're doing now and Ted Cunningham has actually come and spoke he's coming to speak to our all staff and so you're gonna get to see that in a few minutes it's gonna be absolutely awesome yes and so I wanted to ask you Katie what are some of your favorite things about all staff listen I love a good all staff meeting because like you said all six of our campuses come together and we all hang out together sometimes we'll eat lunch together sometimes we you know just get a chance to see each other talk about ministry and life and then worship together obviously but my favorite thing is that I just could see all my friends who are at other campuses who I don't always get to see or hang out with during the week and so it is a my fav because I get to see all my people oh you're a people person yes yes so the team thing has been kind of tough for you because you haven't been able to see your people outside of like snow cones Saturdays yes outside snow coats out it should be very intentional otherwise it's been in a screen you know right which is unfortunate yes yes I'm excited looking forward to actual faces instead of screams yes then I don't have to mute myself and you know all kinds of difference all the things yes I'm just excited for the season of time where I don't have to when I talk to somebody I don't have to also see myself coming back at me so I'm very excited for the season R I no longer have to look at my own face I understand that thank you thank you my own face not your say I understand because I don't like looking at your face your face is great I understand because I look at my own face and so that's that's what I was trying to say thank you thank you i buy that for you and those watching at home so shorten just to take this moment to transition us out of that you so well what is your favorite part about an all staff meeting yes my favorite part of all staff I think hands down is um just getting to hear from pastor Alex no I'm his heart he's always sharing like kind of what he's studying with the Lord speaking to him and it's always encouraging you know I always leave those meetings just encouraged and just really you know recommitted to do the best that I can so that's probably my favorite thing is meeting and just hearing his heart yeah oh I love that that's so cool it is it is absolutely super cool well you know what gospel you know we always talk about and it's one of my favorite things that we segment that we have here in our pre-service party it's a highlight of the week highlight of the week yes so I am I'm fascinated to know and I know the people are fascinated to know gospel we've been waiting all week long to find this out okay okay what is your highlight of the week Thank You Kate the highlight of my week this last week my wife my amazing wife and I celebrated our two-year marriage anniversary and so it's just incredible like God has been really great I still wake up every morning like super blessed and like wondering how I get to be her husband and so it's just it was a great time we just got to just kick back had the baby just kind of chilled it was a lot of fun oh that's so cool listen if you are watching online right now why don't you go ahead and comment in the comments it congratulate Lindsay's Gospel on you see your anniversary in class thank you so much wedding emoji find a wedding emoji you can put it in the comments section thank you in advance Thank You Kate oh yeah you're so welcome congratulations setting you were highlighted them oh okay good one I've been waiting to tell you actually because it was a Morial Day weekend as we all know we all got to celebrate and I got the chance to go home so I'm from Georgia originally it's my homeland yeah and so I got to go home we talked last week about traveling I actually got to travel and see my family hang out with my little nieces that's Karen right right exactly I got to hang out with our new brand-new in above-ground pool love it it's about a foot deep at about three feet wide oh it cost $8 at Walmart it was a real investment that my parents made yeah for my new Walmart I know so it was a lot of fun we had a great time together so that was definitely the highlight of my weekend to see my family oh that's so awesome I love that you got to go back to the ATL it's been some time Downing's that's right I love it love it shout out to the Downing's we love y'all so much I feel like you're a regular feature on the show anyway so as you know the other segment that we do here is called a decree shout out of the week yeah we shout out one of our amazing teams and I feel like we've covered the majority of the large teams that make our organization running so I want to talk about some of the smaller teams within those oh a team within it yes a team within a team exactly yes so the first team within a team that we want to talk about this team let me to let y'all know let me let y'all know watching on this team really helps us do what we do I mean they make it happen everything that you see they're just incredible and these the team that I'm talking about is our AVL team AVL team stands for audio-visual light and give a hand to this team they're led by Josh Stephens I mean this team I can't say enough about it basically for those of you guys that don't know about the AVL team as I said it starts stands for audio-visual and lighting but one of my good redneck friend says it's everything that blinks or goes boom so I mean that basically covers it some of the people like oh I understand now I get it anyway so amazing people and they help us do what we do like even this thing that you're watching now their camera and staff people wish we could turn around you can see all the staff folks yes we have an AVL person come bring him out can he come on production production yeah so this guy actually is running the camera we wanted to give him a shout out shout out to him thank you so much for doing what you do we appreciate you you're normally on the other side of the camera but you're on this side we want to honor you so this is what the face of the AVL production team looks like imma let you go cuz I know this is uncomfortable for you very cool shirts they always have cool shirts and the one thing that I that I that I love the most about the AVO Telus is the way that they recruit develop and love on their volunteers they have one of the strongest volunteer teams we have like maybe three paid staff all the rest are volunteer they're here early they're here late they're you know they're just amazing and they have great attitudes the entire time I just love it so shout out to Josh Stevens for doing a great job of leading this team and making it truly truly great absolutely absolutely what these guys are all so I'm like we're staring at half of them right now so they are incredible cheering in the boat yep it's really exciting I want to be an exciting yes one of my other favorite things that we talk about during our pre-service party is we get to get to know our staff a little bit better so we've been talking to some campus pastors we're gonna switch it up today we're gonna get to know one of our staff members a little bit better now she is a part of the snowcone Saturday crew Oh remember cone Center that's right here you go I'm so glad for this absolutely she is just an incredible woman a friend of mine and yours so if you would welcome to the camera stage the one and only elementary minister at Owosso Hannibal a Napoleon is in the building welcome welcome welcome good to see you welcome we're so glad to have you all the way from Owasso all the way well done well done well Hannah we're gonna ask you a couple of questions we've been asking some rapid-fire some more serious we're just gonna keep it kind of right in the middle okay today so whatever comes to your right here you know your minds just whatever whatever comes absolutely feel good feel ready ready okay Hannah but tell us this the people want to know yeah what is something you love to do in your free time in my free time and I love to be outside I look like a dogs go running with them we've had some beautiful days and so just being outside so that's what I love what are your dogs names we have Huck and little ticks a little peg six not little lu li l will Tex and he is wool wool guy all right Hannah tell us this during quarantine you're just I know you're you're you're a real party or you're just doing all the crazy cool things yeah so by that I mean what show have you been binge watching on Netflix lately and I have really enjoyed Zoey's extraordinary playlist ice pop I'm a good one and Madam Secretary Oh a class is a class thing my favorites I think considering starting that one so thank you I'm gonna add that to my list yeah okay all right okay tell us this I know that you are the elementary minister at Owosso what is your favorite part of your job man I would say the favorite part about my job is like when kids get scripture cuz times you're up there teaching you're like man I hope that I'm sayin this well and it's eloquent and they get it but it's just when you see that light bulb going on they're like yes jesus loves me like no matter what that's just some of my favorite things is when I'm standing out there and I see it in their eyes yeah they get it I love it that's so cool I love that okay one last question for you now Gus what I already shared ours but what is your favorite part about what we are gonna get to experience here at at all staff meeting what's your favorite thing oh man I love coming together and worship like I love worship being corporate worship corporate teaching yes some of my favorites and so doing it all together so my best friends it's so good time I'm gonna get myself in that I love it thank you so much Hannah yes what a delight to hang out yes shout out to Hannah for joining us on the pre-service party now we're about to jump into this experience with Ted Cunningham and worship you've got absolutely going to have a great time you're going to laugh Ted Cunningham is super super funny it's gonna be a great time as we jump into this I want to just encourage you we believe here at Battle Creek Church that every encounter with God can change your life all it takes is one encounter with God to change your life so we just want to encourage you to position yourself to receive maybe that's turning off you know the notifications on your phone maybe it's putting your phone away if you're watching on TV but really positioning yourself so that you can receive from God whether that's you know reading in your Bible as pastors we going through the scriptures and following along or even just journaling what God is gonna speak to you in this moment but we're excited because church is about to start and we cannot wait for what God is going to do thanks so much for joining us this is the perfect place for imperfect people this is your place to know God to find freedom to discover your purpose and to make a global difference we are battle creek church a church who is for you and for our city we're a local church with six campuses across Tulsa and with two international campuses in Egypt and in Jordan we're in church who is committed to serving a community recently due to coab at 19 we've been providing groceries for families in need through our care portal we've been meeting the real needs of families across Greater Tulsa week after week through our adopted ministry we have been inspiring and empowering parents to invite kids into their homes and families through our campuses in Egypt and in Jordan we've been serving and supporting communities who are helping refugees and meeting their needs there were Haven ministry we've been honoring and valuing those special needs and their families through our tul nights we are committed to reaching the next generation with the love of God each week we celebrate God with passionate worship and powerful biblical teaching junior high and high school ministries who are inspiring students to live out their faith and a dynamic kids ministry it is raising up world changers this is your place for you and your family to know God to find freedom to discover your purpose and to make a global difference I'll rather stand together and sing springs forth in a beautiful melody Jesus Christ your reason for didn't shower us with joy and a grave for your glory pain in the night but joy in the morning cuter that cross you tell my soul to see [Music] creation mode the Savior it is great the big hurry that hell could not contain connect you like you a merry come q the heart [Music] you are [Music] we feel you're happy Lord Jesus sing it out Church sing my heart started beating again away your heart started beating again my life found meaning again with your heart since he started beating your heart started be you're [Applause] we [Applause] [Music] laughs search the world but he couldn't feel me imagine t praise its treasures and faith and ever okay the you came along we put me back to care never eat is hard [Music] we're in whole days [Music] this [Music] No and sound unfriend to show you my failures of Zoar do you see the mom we perfect he's a guy plan see into dancing [Applause] shame is each dancing shame [Music] [Applause] [Music] better than you there's on not me [Applause] [Music] [Applause] thank you Jesus [Music] - away without hope and with sunlight - from hell you came a-runnin there was mercy in your arms to fulfill empaths to a virgin came the web from a throne of envious go to a cradle in [Music] [Music] to the [Music] to redeem Oh create so too she you [Applause] [Music] you rose all of her when held its breath till that storms move forward for the land conquer dead in the dead was from there too in love the souls [Music] to the king of kings [Music] let's worship him in this place the source [Music] it's good innit I have missed that my crazy picture the church one after people knocking down the gates of Hell to reach men and women and boys and girls that Jesus died for it's the mission that he has called us to the power that we want and the power that we desire that's promised and in the book of Acts and was given to the New Testament church listen it's very much tied to the purpose of God it's not for your agenda it's not for my agenda the power is only available when we cooperate with him on his agenda of taking Jesus to the world when the Spirit came and I'm all about the spirit coming I'm for the Spirit of God but when the Spirit comes the gospel goes when the Spirit comes Jesus is lifted up I've never one time heard the Holy Spirit say what about me when we lift up Jesus the spirits agenda is lifting up Jesus Christ and church today is your watch and I just want to take a moment and as we move into this offering moment and I want to say thank you for your generosity over these last several weeks because of your giving you we have been able to truly wrap our arms around the city of Tulsa and an awesome way that we've been doing that one of the ways we've been doing that is helping the public school system and about preparing lunches for I think Union schools 50,000 meals a week jinkx has asked us to be involved and jinkx as well and the needs that are being met I get email after email after email in our church about story after story after story and after person after person after person and all of those stories there's a person and all of those people have a name and all of their names are attached to stories of what God is doing in their life and we're excited about the fact that since January in our church that's the beginning of year 200 people that have become first-time givers in our church 200 would you celebrate that 200 people that's 200 people have decided to take a step of faith to get off of the sidelines and to get in the game of generosity and participating in the kingdom of God not just with their lips but with their treasure so we're celebrating those 200 people that are taking a chance on God and taking that first step towards becoming what we call around here an initial giver and maybe you're watching the services this week and you've never given you've never taken that step to trust God with any of the treasure that he has put in your hands I just want to ask you today consider taking that first step becoming an initial giver the two very simple ways in this online world for you to do that the first is you can text the word Battle Creek to 5 5 5 8 8 8 Battle Creek to 5 5 5 8 8 8 and a card will come up with opportunity for you to give or you if you're visiting on our website Battle Creek Church com /give and today I just want to say to you is I've spent a lot of time on the phone the last week or so with people in our church just checking on and asking how they're doing I just want to say to those of you who are doing well I praise God with you that your job has been amazing that your salary has been fine your income has not gone down and your health as well we are worshiping the God of heaven the healer and thanking him for that provision and protection over you for those of you who are struggling hey let us know we would love for the body of Christ to come around you and help you in whatever your need is and and to those of you who are fine I just want to challenge you during this season as we head into the summer would you be very very very generous to make up for those and our church who are now hurting and are suffering and so church I just want to thank you for your giving because it enables us to push the gospel forward and it the kingdom of God and it's all about his kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven today we have the great privilege of hearing from our friend Ted Cunningham Ted come on up here if you would today I gave you one instruction on what to preach about just one I said make us laugh it has to be biblical but make us laugh with a biblical fashion that's entertaining that's all right that's see no you all right well it's good to see you all I look down here John and Mary two of my favorite people at Battle Creek we run into each other all the time at counseling conferences and they are they're real the real deal right there I love you guys it's good to see you in gospel I don't know if you remember the last time I was here you made an announcement that you were soon to be a father and that has happened so congratulations gospel we are excited for you how many months old [Music] how many weeks six months and two weeks wow that's good that you got that down like that all right that's why I didn't understand what is he saying so well we started two weeks ago with our social distancing church services in Branson and I got to be honest you know we the Saturday before we went back I'm walking through the tape on the floor and all of this in our lobby thinking to myself is this worth it this isn't worth it and then Sunday came and close to 50% of our church returned we know many are going to be easing into it as the weeks and months go along but Alex will tell you the pastor started chatting a lot online going at each other the reopening is a lot harder than the closing was and a pastor friend of mine in Southern California which that's very important to start to understand that what's going on in Southern California is very different than Branson Missouri and Tulsa Oklahoma we understand that we're praying for our brothers and sisters in California and New York from coast-to-coast but he just he put this the snarky comment out there and where he was discouraging pastors from doing the socially distancing church services and these are his exact words so you can tell it's coming from a pastor in Southern California I'm not encouraging kids to quote me on this but he said if you try to do a socially distant church service the quality will suck I can't even explain to you what that did to me and so I did what every pastor should do I piped out a snarky reply no I did not I did type it out I didn't hit Send I have a godly wife does anybody in here have a godly wife that keeps me from hitting the scent she allows me to type it out because John will tell you that's good that's part of our healing it's part of our therapy but I typed it out and you know what I typed out John this is true and Amy said don't you dare send that I typed out at Woodland Hills Family Church in Branson Missouri we are gonna suck the best we can and she said you delete that immediately so I'm grateful that battle creek's going back next week and I hope Battle Creek you suck the best you can to as as we head into it and so you know right before the pandemic it I had a new book come out called a love that laughs it was perfect timing to write a book on laughter before a pandemic sales have been crazy I'm up to like 40 copies sold but I saw it I already know who I'm gonna give these to I was sitting in my Tacoma I've watched deserts and Tacoma pull in who is that desert say in Tacoma is he in here all right you get this copy you come up and get afterwards then I saw a blue Tacoma who's that are they in here all right you get this one any other tacoma's I'm out of copies but that's up to forty two copies I'm excited I'm going to tell people we've sold 42 copies of this book so I want to talk to you today about an expression of joy y'all have been talking a lot about joy but I want to talk to you about one of my favorite expressions of joy and that is laughter and the value of it you know I was asked to do podcast and services and they're live streams for date nights pandemic and people saying hey just come on encourage our people dealing with a lot of anxiety in about the first month there wasn't a lot of requests for laughter and as you've learned from watching Alex laughter as hard in an empty room but about a month goes on and people are like we're ready for the relief and my job as a pastor is one thing but my other side job of encouraging couples and helping couples through this time especially has been just to remind them that marital satisfaction is possible for any couple in any season or stage of life because it depends on factors and skills that couples can do something about and I believe every couple can experience high levels of marital satisfaction and laughter isn't the only thing but it is one thing that helps couples enjoy life together my job I don't feel is to help couples become comedians people will tell me all the time we don't laugh a lot in our marriage because I'm not all that funny and I'm like that's no excuse you've got to find ways and I don't get up every day and tell Amy jokes a lot of people think that's how it works in our home I just tell her I'm a-rippin jokes out left and right with their that I don't get up in the morning she turns on a fog machine and says hey ladies and gentlemen that's not how it works we're finding our shared sense of humor and so the key for us is to work to always be looking for it stop trying to be funny and start looking for it because it's all around you humor is everywhere that's why your favorite comedians Jim Gaffigan Brian Regan these guys they can go for 15 20 minutes off of pie off of cake off of a hot pocket they're just making observations and I've been encouraging couples how to find their shared sense of humor in this season and I was actually writing that chapter chapter three in the book at Panera getting ready to meet Pat Kershaw she's an 83 year old retired missionary at our church she served for 60 years with international students incorporated she meets with me once a month this is a true story she meets with me once a month to hold me accountable as her pastor and she's always asking me the tough questions and she sat down at Panera Bread and she said Ted what are you working on I said I'm working on helping couples find their shared sense of humor and and she was what are you writing right now I said well I'm just teaching couples about observational humor before I talk to them about physical humor and how they can use observational humor to find their shared sense of humor I said Pat have you seen anything funny lately as you as I saw it yesterday up in Springfield while getting my mammogram now every pastor needs a good mammogram story from an 80 year old member I said Pat I that's not what I'm talking about you know listen hear me out she goes it was at Mercy Hospital in Mercy hospitals a Catholic hospital and there's verses all down every hallway and in every room and she goes you know what verse they have hanging on the mammogram machine at Mercy Hospital I said I'm dying to know she said second Corinthians four eight four we are hard pressed on every side but not crushed that's the whole verse you got to put the whole verse in context so that's what we're talking about looking for it and calling it out and if you have your Bibles I want us to spend a little bit of time I want you to turn to Luke chapter six and today we're talking about not just getting through a difficult time but going through it with joy getting to the end of the season with joy and having joy through the whole season and how laughter is one expression and is dusty slay one of my favorite comedians says you know a lot of guys will come out and ask the crowd are you having a good time he goes I don't do that I don't ask the crowd ever if they're having a good time I tell him we're having a good time we're having a good time that reminds me of my dad on every summer vacation he never asked us if we were having a good time he just told us we're having a good time and we're gonna see the words of Jesus and the Beatitudes today as we learned that as Christians we live in the moment in light of the future a lot of times people are waiting for something great to happen I see this with couples all the time if we just get through this season or stage then we can have high levels of marital satisfaction my passion is to encourage couples how to experience high levels of marital satisfaction in any season or any stage to stop waiting for it and to start looking for it in Luke 6 20 through 23 and you know there's a large crowd gathered but Jesus speaks to his disciples those who are following him to understand the context of this you need to know that they gave up a lot to follow him and he's going to tell them of their position and it's not something they have to look forward to but it's something they can experience now because of what's coming living in the moment in light of the future looking at his disciples Jesus said blessed are you who are poor for yours is the kingdom of God many of them gave up much humble means and followed Jesus verse 21 blessed are you who Hunger Now for you will be satisfied blessed are you who weep now for you will laugh blessed are you when people hate you when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil because of the stoy Seng that will be when we all see Jesus but it we don't wait for that day we rejoice in this day because of that day we live in the moment in light of the Future which means we can take any season or stage of life and find ways to enjoy life together rejoice in that day and leap for joy because great is your reward in heaven we call him at our church anthems I love the anthems and going back the last two weeks when Katie Gummer experienced director said what are we looking for and worship but I'm saying let's get the anthems out and you know one anthem goes seven eight minutes but I said let's go there and and when we think about we sing you know you you build in a song I think of ten thousand reasons when we're worshiping worshiping worshiping and then something happens in me when we get to that verse that says and on that day when my strength is failing the end draws near and my time has come I've been quite emotional the last couple of months amy was very concerned for me the first three weeks through the pandemic preaching to an empty room I was crying a lot through services and she goes I'm coming with you next week to be your emotional support person and and she got in the room I hope you're expecting the actually I hope whenever you show up whether it's next Sunday or sometime throughout the summer into the fall whenever you show up I hope you're prepared to be emotional yeah it's gonna hit you and people said I haven't had a tear in church for years and it hit me like a ton of bricks the first Sunday back when I think of those moments my kids tell me dad you think about and talk about death way too much you know why I'm able to because I know what's coming and in light of this moment right now that we live in I can have great joy thinking about whatever I'm going whatever season I'm in I know what is coming I know what I am prepared for rejoice in that day a leap for joy because great is your reward in heaven for that is how their ancestors treated the prophets meaning you will be following others who went along this path here's what I love when we talk about joy and we talk about happiness and the word bless there actually means happy happy are you who Hunger Now happy are you who weep now happy are you who are poor because you are yours is the kingdom you will be satisfied you will laugh laughter reminds us that present suffering will soon turn to joy laughter reminds us that what we're experiencing now is not it this is not the end laughter reminds us of the hope of heaven randy Alcorn says in context here he's talking about people having great reward in heaven in other words he's saying you will laugh in heaven surely Jesus will join in the laughter and be a source of much of it and when Jesus laughs it's always the laughter of both God and man it's one of the biggest criticisms we receive at our church people say you guys laugh way too much at your church they say you laugh too much and there's too many people to which I always say then you're probably not going to like heaven if you're not in the laughter and you're not into people because both of those will be there and follower of Jesus this is an expression of our joy this is an expression of knowing we're living in the moment in light of the future Martin Luther said if the earth is fit for laughter then surely heaven is filled with it heaven is the birth place of laughter aw Tozer said the people of God ought to be the happiest people in the whole wide world the Christian owes it to the world to be super naturally joyful why is it that the church is so down on this idea of happiness on this idea of laughter and joy sometimes we have this misguided distinction between joy and happiness but John Piper says the Bible is indiscriminate in its use of the language of happiness joy contentment and satisfaction so what I want to do just for a few minutes today here in the room which it's good to see people do you remember when we used to do this in this neat it's it's possible again you're looking forward to it I know but let's just talk a little bit about laughter and why God gives it to us and why it's important and then hopefully laughs um along the way number one laughter pleases God randy alcorn says laughter is not only human it's explicitly biblical and pleasing to God it's therefore inconceivable to think that Jesus didn't laugh laughter pleases God let's begin to laugh as an expression of joy laughter is all around you you need to look for it Amy and I just made the decision if I don't get her belly laughing every day and she doesn't do something to get me belly laughing and you can start with low-hanging fruit singing and dancing you're like I stink at it that makes it all the better and take a dance move or a song that you're not good at and anywhere you're in a stressful situation just break it out we were getting our drivers licenses Korean Amy and I all three of us were at the DMV so we could get the stars so we could travel on airplanes when we used to travel on airplanes and we're in line and it was going to be 45 minutes an hour before we even got to the front to give the information and and I'm just sitting there going oh this is painful but then all I had to do to get a smile on Amy's face was to just start a little shake just real light nothing big nothing fancy she looks over and she what are you doing come on stop it on then you just you get a little more into it it's it's such it's everywhere you go it's at any time it has no limits it's free indulge sing turn on the car just bust into a song do something to make one another laugh during quarantine I've been encouraging couples you're spending so much time together there's so much craziness in this season yes there's hurt and loss and pain and weeping and mourning we get all of that but in the midst of it you can find times and ways to enjoy life together my new thing with her and I'm not gonna demonstrate it to to y'all right now cuz I'm still working it out but I I speak to her throughout the day like a hipster pastor and you know I grew up learning you should always use you know the same tone and language be the same person on stage that you are off stage and and that's kind of changing with the next generation I hit that and so I just walked around the house and I'll give you one but I'll walk out in the morning and she knows hipster preacher Ted's coming when I walk out and I'm like Amy right like you see the video start and I go what is up I am so excited to start the day with you she knows what I'm doing and some of you're like you're insulting and I'm not meaning to insult anybody in Tulsa although there are a few in Tulsa okay but that's us and here's what I'm here to tell you you have a shared sense of humor you do what is it Amy now requested I'm able to we our family's been playing 5060 games of Yahtzee during quarantine and when I get Yahtzee I respond like the hipster Patrick yeah right just do whatever you can to move from just a smile or a smirk to a full-on expression of belly laugh to say hey I'm glad we're going through a difficult season together it's everywhere this is pleasing to our Heavenly Father when we enjoy this together Chuck Swindoll calls laughter a therapy proverbs 17:22 says a cheerful heart is good medicine but a crushed spirit dries up the bones chuck swindoll says laugh out loud it flushes out the nervous system laughter is the most beautiful and beneficial therapy God ever granted humanity but it's not just a medicine this is what I love about laughter laughter is a medicine but the one of the reasons Alex uses laughter - is because he knows it's not only a medicine but it helps other medicines go down humor opens us up for truth it gets us ready to receive truth a lot of times if you're in a stressful meeting at work and and you're just stuck on something and there's no new ideas flowing and there's no creativity coming to the table laughter is a great way to shift the focus and change gears and get people open to new ideas one of the reasons I love using laughter when I speak is because I feel like while you're laughing your mouth is open and we can cram truth down your throat laughter is a medicine but it also helps other medicines go down this is a big one during this time humor helps us cope 19th century preacher Henry Ward Beecher said a person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without Springs this jolted by every pebble in the road good humor makes all things tolerable it's not it relieves tension it relieves this stress which takes us now into some of the physical benefits of laughter I love this one laughter burns calories according to Vanderbilt University you can shed up to 40 calories a day with 10 to 15 minutes of laughter if you've ever been to a comedy show you know when you leave saying my face hurts my side hurts that's because you've been getting a workout there are physical benefits it reduces tension throughout the entire body this is why we say to couples couples who use laughter to manage stress and work through difficult situations not only experience higher levels of marital satisfaction but they're able to go through difficult seasons together and their relationship lasts longer now this one I love your body can't tell the difference between fake and real laughter this is why a lot of your Cancer Treatment Centers of America MD Anderson they have something called laughter therapy where they get in a room and they just start fake laughing I want you to try it right now just fake laugh yes that's totally fake but you're reaping the benefits of it right we know after is contagious you ever walk into a room see someone laughing and your first thought is what did I miss a lot of times they see in these therapy sessions the fake laughter turns to real laughter because people are going how ridiculous is this it is easier for us to make others laugh than it is to make ourselves less and I'll prove it right now I want you to tickle yourself just do it right now to tickle yourself real quick yes see you're not laughing now turn to your neighbor no don't tickle your neighbor in a this is not the time for I gotta cut that illustration until 2021 but it's easier for us to help other people laughs this is your your body knows that's not real that person's there your mind knows that that's totally fake but your body's saying I'm taking in all the benefits this is why I tell you the next time Alex tells a joke that doesn't work fake it not for him for you seriously right now where you're at just start laughing and sometimes that's what it takes to get the ball rolling your body cannot tell the difference so let that tension be relieved let that stress be relieved burn calories cope with whatever you're going through fake laugh and then now we get into humor grows to people closer together when you're laughing with someone it says I'm with you I'm on the same page I get what you're going through I understand what's happening laughter singles in the room please hear this laughter makes you more attractive you don't need the face of Brad Pitt the body of the rock or the ego of Tony Stark okay you just need a few jokes a paycheck and a few jokes but this is a big deal everybody on online dating sites checks the box that says I want someone with a sense of humor the online dating sites are trying to figure out how to get into the algorithms how do we measure someone's sense of humor because they know it is that important to how someone is attracted to another person a sense of humor and laughter makes you more attractive laughter humanizes me laughter is a shake of the head acknowledging I can't believe I just did ethel barrymore said you grow up the day you have your first real laugh at yourself learning to lighten up and laugh at what's going on around you Pastor Mark Patterson he puts it this way you grow up the day and you're the happiest and healthiest when you laugh at yourself the most you've got to take God seriously but you can't take yourself so seriously honestly I think we grossly underestimate God's sense of humor I believe the chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever we tend to ignore the second half but maybe we need to take fun more seriously and that's what I want to do is we end is just have a practice session with this and I want to talk to the families to couples and families and do this with pictures because mom and dad are stressed during this time I get it you became in-home educators many of you trying to work from home some of you trying to figure out what is next for you and I just want us to pause for a second and and learn to to laugh in a season to find joy in a season not to wait for it not to hope it finds us one day but to make the choice and before we do so I just want to share two things with you that we're not talking about when we talk about choosing joy or choosing laughter we're not talking you know about a bias a confirmation bias that says everything is rosy all the time there's nothing going on just laugh your way through any difficult situation we know that timing is everything and there are times that laughter is not appropriate there are times the joke is not appropriate I'm I worked with couples John Mary worked with couples and individuals and you know sometimes they want to avoid pain and deny reality that's not what we're talking about that's that toxic positivity we're talking about a confirmation bias that says today when I get up and if I'm choosing joy that means I'm going to look for it all throughout the day if I'm choosing laughter that means I'm going to find the opportunity I'm gonna look for the signs I'm gonna look for the verses out of context in a room I'm gonna find it I'm gonna call it out and I'm gonna help those around me reap the benefits of this as well and so for those families out there that just needs to unwind for a little bit I know we're going into summer and we're gonna start to see all those pictures on the beach of families dressed in matchy-matchy outfits barefoot on the beach but I found a couple pictures that I think better reflect what a lot of families and I think they should be posting these pictures instead this is one of my first favorite pictures of a family at the beach and maybe it's on where you're at and not up here I don't know oh I swipe it I'm from Branson we don't have technology and Branson see there we go all right we should have done a pre-production meeting for it anyway it kind of takes the punchline out of this joke now that it took so long to get up there I apologize anyway I love these pictures that are caught by the photography's are the real moments that we have as families but this one is my absolute favorite this is you dropping your children off at church next week not knowing what's going to happen no that's terrible that should plug it edit it out but I love this because it shows a difference between mom and dad and you know mom has this look of horror on his face but look at dad dad is like we're having a good time all right this is there's nothing's gonna go wrong but as we think about family life I just I told Amy you know part of our passion is eradicating the kids centered home and to hear parents talk about children early on so pay attention gospel this is very important because there's a big debate over nursing and formula and it was going on when we were raising our kids is you know 17 years ago and I'll I'll never forget nursing didn't go well for us and it was it was rough we went into the doctor I'll never forget at the six-week checkup and the doctor older guys should have retired years earlier said to Amy and I goodnight what are you doing starving this baby because her chart her weight was so down Amy broke into tears I was a mess that night we were in small group and if you're not in a small group if you're not in a community group you need to get one because this is where you take the trials of life and the pain of life and other people can help you find joy in it I love home groups because I leave home group I usually sit on the steering wheel thinking my life's a wreck going into it but when I'm done with home group I'm like today man like hey at least we're not as jacked up as all those other people in there they they got to figure some things out before we go any further and so we went the home group that night and Amy and I were a mess we weren't we weren't doing all that well because we were just accused of being terrible parents because our baby was not taking on don't lactase lactose people don't send me any she's 17 now we don't need help with nursing I always get email but what you should have done I don't I don't want to but we explained what was going on and this older lady in our group had raised her kids got up and she went into our kitchen and she got that thing of free formula down out of the cabinet and she started making Krynn a bottle and I came in I said hey whoo whoo whoo whoo I said what are you doing she said I'm making Korean a bottle I said oh no formula I said oh no you're not she goes you give me one good reason why I can't give Corinne this bottle of formula I said well first of all I don't want to go into Community College that's where I want to start with this whole thing I said because I had read the books and smart kids are nursed and the ones that struggle took formula but what happened she went into that room I'll never forget her name's melody she went in and Corinne sucked that whole bottle down slept through the night first time in six weeks she slept through the night we got up the next morning anything I looked at each other we hadn't heard from her we broke into tears she's dead did she know she was sleeping right and then that wasn't it it was just starting for us as a family and we were too serious as a family and too serious as parents and we had to learn how to lighten up then then we started getting judged for the binky anybody here raised on a binky yeah I took a binky but then people started going you she's gotta have problems you can't do this Corinne took a binky until she was three years old right and sure she's 17 and can't pronounce her essence but we're we're precious she's nailing the other 25 letters and we're proud of her for it we gotta lighten up as parents stop taking things so serious Gospels the only one not laughing down here cuz he's all stressed then you get the family bed hey you got the family bed going on gospel you do yeah let me tell you something there's no way you can have a family bed and that many children it doesn't happen you're only gonna have one with the family bed I got to tell you anyway but don't you don't you get that where the judgey judgey comes in everybody's judging each other and I'll lighten up my goal in the church in marriage and in family let's just help one another go through seasons and stages enjoying life together let's be in the moment in light of the future your kids are gonna be okay at Community College no problem I always get I always get letters from the community I am a professor at a community college professor that's pretty strong perfect anyway Oh see that's terrible this is comedy now we're into the comedy section of the message there's nothing off-limits in the comedy section in the Bible section yes in the comedy section no what else we got okay this this going on I I am shocked at the negotiations I see in stores today between parents and children right my mom and didn't look at me and when I was doing this on the floor and asked me if I wanted something what will it take to stop my mom stepped over me and said meet me on aisle eight whenever you're done with whatever that is so you and all your parents just said meet us at home right you're getting your own ride home when you act like that has anybody here ever been offered by a stranger to spank your children I've seen it happen like and I love it when the credit but the discipline and that's that takes parents to a whole nother level discipline Oh parents stressed today over discipline how many of you remember when your dad your dad couldn't figure out which of your siblings was at fault so he just spanked all of you anybody remember that those were good days how many remember when your dad sent you upstairs the wait for your spanking yeah that was worse than the spanking you and your brother would sit there should we go down she forgot he sent you up there should we remind him that we're up here waiting on this spanking and then you'd hear your dad coming up the stairs you'd heard the belt hittin every loop and my brother he's four years older than me he's stubborn he'd sit on his side of the bed and be like well daddy ain't gonna break me I'm like are you kidding I'm screaming on the backswing Oh so don't light now how many remember when your mom spanked you with whatever she had handy yeah we're fine we've been spanked with every utensil in the kitchen and we made it through the whole thing stop stressing about discipline what's the next one oh this one is a big deal too now you're gonna let your kids ride the bus gospel oh I don't think so listen how else they gonna learn about life we all learned about life on the bus and now parents like I'm not putting my kid on the bus he listen people don't believe me when I tell this story I grew up in the cornfields of Illinois it is a true story bus drivers had permission to pull the bus over and kick off the bus in the middle of the route any unruly child I was kicked off once maybe twice a week okay and you would see you would see kids kicked off going through the cornfields trying to beat the bus home so long as we stayed out ahead of the combine we were fine but you got home it's time to lighten up we're gonna make it live in the moment with your marriage and your family in this season even this difficult season that we're going through but find ways to enjoy life together vaccines I'm not even a sane thing about those I can't I won't I refuse to say anything about vaccines because I know and I can't believe I left that picture in there because of the sensitivity of the culture that we live in but but think this through with me for a second when Philippians 4:4 when it says rejoice in the Lord always not sometimes not later not when we get to it not after this difficult season rejoice in the Lord always and in case we didn't get it I will say it again rejoice we know you're going through a difficult season we know this has been a challenging season we know we're entering into a new season from closing down to reopening and there's nothing about today where I'm encouraging you to take what we're going through not seriously many of you will not return next week when church opens and decisions are being honored right now I honor that we say at our church hey if that's if for if you're in a vulnerable population if you have underlying health conditions you need to stay home you need to take care I'm not taking the death of people lightly at all but what I am learning to do in this season is find ways to rejoice not in myself not in my family not in my marriage but I'm rejoicing in the Lord the joy of the Lord truly is my strength I hope it's your strength I hope you're able to find moments throughout the day where you're not thinking about well you know when we get through this when we're able to finally take that vacation when the kids are finally back in school this is not the time to wait we rejoice in this day because of that day we rejoice in the Lord now in this moment because we know what is true and we know what is coming I'm I'm learning to laugh each day there's not a day in quarantine where I haven't laughed or made a me laugh or made the kids laugh like we're finding creative ways to do that expressing the joy that we have in the Lord for some of you laughter has been been absent in your home for a long time and maybe through most of this quarantine I'm not asking you a day to just start telling jokes I'm not asking you today to just start dancing at the DMV but I'm asking that you look in because what's coming out of you right now was in you before the pandemic hit this isn't the pandemic I I've had calls from all over the country pastors saying we've heard that there's a 33 percent increase in domestic violence would you come on a podcast and help our people not become domestic abusers and I'm saying well please don't scare your people because the bottom line is this if you're abusing someone during the pandemic more than likely and the majority of that is from people who control manipulation was already in them it's just being intensified during this season no one went from a peaceful marriage to two weeks into a pandemic being an abuser what's coming out of you was in you before the pandemic follower of Jesus we are able to rejoice now find joy now laugh now even in the midst of a difficult season because we know what is true and we know what is coming and we find that joy in the Lord and my desire for you is you tune out today and as you go throughout your day look for it look for it make the decision I'm gonna find joy today make the decision I'm gonna make my family laugh today I'm gonna let my family see humor come out of me but it starts in your relationship with the Lord it starts with where you are with Jesus let the joy of the Lord be your strength rejoice in the Lord always let your laughter be an expression of joy and I hope for the Battle Creek family for the Woodland Hills family I'm praying for you during this time what a what a difficulties I'm grateful for my friend Alex who I don't think a phone call goes by without us making one another laugh as we spend time together encouraging one another I hope that's happening for you and your family as well I hope your neighbors see that in you as well as you rejoice in the Lord today because of that day would you pray with me father we come to you in this season it feels like we're moving from a season of loss and I know there will be more loss but to a season of uncertainty - what do gatherings look like what does business look like what is our coming and going throughout the day look like may as followers of Christ as we choose joy as we choose laughter as we find that joy in our relationship with you may we express it if we see it we call it out we find joy in it we share it with others we know that you have given us laughter is this great therapy may we take this medicine today may we take it in may we receive it may we share it with others may we minister to people with the joy that we have in you during this time I pray a blessing over Battle Creek as they go back next week for those who will be on campus and those who will stay online that this church through the months ahead will experience great unity and great peace and much will be accomplished in the name of Jesus through online and on campus thank you for how you have ministered to me through this time [Music] grateful I know I use laughter a lot Lord to cope and it's been hard for me to pray worship read scripture without tears without emotion during this time I pray that I don't use laughter as a cop-out that I receive what I need to receive that you continue to fill me daily but then the joy that I have in you is something that is expressed freely and generously and poured out I pray that for moms and dads and grandmas and grandpas and sons and daughters husbands and wives as we learn to live in the moment in light of the future we pray all of this and the good name of Jesus and through the authority of that name Amen man thank would you think Ted with us what a great message and a great word a timely look at a bunch of different scriptures and what God has for us in our lives in that day as we jump into Acts one of the things you're gonna see is that in Acts chapter 1 Acts chapter 2 just the very first two chapters that God fully accomplished what he promised partially and it's kind of weird to say that right but but remember he said you will receive the Holy Spirit that happened you will receive power that happened you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem Judea Samaria and to the ends of the earth that happened in that moment because as we'll see in a couple of weeks there were people from all of those places there in Jerusalem what had happened and so God God fully accomplished what his plan was which tells us a whole lot about how dependent upon us this whole thing is right so we don't have to take ourselves so seriously we just rejoice and what the Lord is doing in us and what the Lord is doing through us and and so to those of you watching for the last Sunday at home we can't wait to see you next Sunday June 7th at the Battle Creek Broken Arrow campus so Broken Arrow only is gonna open on week one people have asked well what week are we gonna open other I don't know what we'll see what I don't know we'll we'll we'll figure it out along the way in fact if you know two or three hundred Midtown people come week one will probably open Midtown the next week if five of you come it may be a while before Midtown opens and so we're running this whole thing based on the lordship of Jesus right and obviously we're listening to experts and but we're also playing to the comfort of you our people and as you get comfortable and so if you not come into the service let me encourage you to take a baby step this week get up and put clothes on and watch the service on June seventh with a clothes on take a shower and and brush your teeth before you come to your living room for church and maybe get in your car and drive to your campus and watch on your iPad but but just start taking steps towards normal towards reentering this world that we have to live in and we have to also share Christ in and so just start taking baby steps and we'll see you next Sunday if you are social distancing stay home and watch online because we're not we're not gonna on June 7 think we will have hand sanitizer and we'll clean everything and and we'll take those kinds it will open the door for you but but we're gonna do kids church we're gonna put the kids together we're going to worship we're going to sing out loud and if you want to wear a mask wear one I'm not and so June 7th we're gonna come back and worship together you'd be praying this week okay I love you have a blessed week [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] you [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music]

Channel: BattleCreek Church

Views: 1,519

Rating: 5 out of 5

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Id: sHbsApUk_k8

Length: 76min 35sec (4595 seconds)

Published: Sun May 31 2020