BE OF GOOD CHEER

INTRODUCTION:

In this sermon we wish to examine and apply the expression, “Be

of good cheer.”

Or, as we would say, “cheer up; be happy; rejoice.” As

expressed in the New Testament…

1 Thessalonians 5:16 …Rejoice always,

Philippians 4:4 …Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

1 Peter 1:8 …whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

The expression “Be of good cheer” is found several times in

the N.T. (seven in all the KJV)…

In spite of this age of depressing news, the Christian has much

to be happy and cheerful about…

Things will probably never be exactly as they should be, or as

we would want them to be, but in spite of this, we can be

happy and cheerful…

True happiness comes from a relationship with God…

“BUT STRAIGHTWAY JESUS SPAKE UNTO THEM, SAYING, BE OF GOOD CHEER; IT IS I; BE NOT AFRAID” (Matthew 14:27)…

The context is the account of Jesus walking on the Sea of Galilee..

Jesus spoke the words, “Be of good cheer” to take away the

fears out of troubled hearts…

There are many things that can trouble us in our day. Any who

walk the troubled sea of life will have hardships…

However, the same Jesus who, by His presence and word, spoke

peace in the hearts of the disciples wishes to come to us in

the restless turbulence of our lives and say, “Be of good cheer.”

Psalms 46:1 …God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore will we not fear, though the earth do change, And though the mountains be shaken into the heart of the seas; 3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, Though the mountains tremble with the swelling thereof.

Isaiah 41:10 …Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

If we have to travel a troubled road in life such tribulation can influence a shape to those lives that is detrimental to our souls…

Ecclesiastes 7:14 …In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yea, God hath made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything that shall be after him.

“WHEREFORE, SIRS, BE OF GOOD CHEER; FOR I BELIEVE GOD, THAT IT SHALL BE EVEN AS IT WAS TOLD ME” (Acts 27:22,25)…

The context records the terrible storm that engulfed Paul and the ship he was on when he voyaged to Rome to stand before Caesar…

Acts 27:33 …And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take some food, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye wait and continue fasting, having taken nothing. 34 Wherefore I beseech you to take some food: for this is for your safety: for there shall not a hair perish from the head of any of you. 35 And when he had said this, and had taken bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all; and he brake it, and began to eat. 36 Then were they all of good cheer, and themselves also took food.

When Paul expressed his confidence in that which was told him,

he was expressing confidence not in hearsay or mere conjectures

and speculations of men, but in a specific message from God…

We today have a special message from God–His revealed

written Word…

Things will always be as exactly described therein. Ex.

prayer–peace of mind…

Philippians 4:4 …Rejoice in the Lord always: again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your forbearance be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

We also have the same confidence that Paul expressed in the Word of God…

2 Corinthians 5:8 …we are of good courage, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord. 9 Wherefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well-pleasing unto him. 10 For we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

III. “SON, BE OF GOOD CHEER; THY SINS BE FORGIVEN THEE“… (Matthew 9:2)

Matthew 9:1 …And he entered into a boat, and crossed over, and came into his own city. 2 And behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, be of good cheer; thy sins are forgiven. 3 And behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. 4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven; or to say, Arise, and walk? 6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath authority on earth to forgive sins (then saith he to the sick of the palsy), Arise, and take up thy bed, and go up unto thy house. 7 And he arose, and departed to his house.

The sin of the justified believer breaks his fellowship with

God…

Isaiah 59:1 …Behold, Jehovah’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2 but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, so that he will not hear.

However, we can be of good cheer because there is a fountain

flowing from Calvary…

It is a matter of great rejoicing when sins are forgiven…

Luke 15:10 …Even so, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

Acts 8:36 …And as they went on the way, they came unto a certain water; and the eunuch saith, Behold, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went on his way rejoicing.

Your debts may not be to creditors’ satisfaction, but your

sins can be released…

Your physical health may not be good, but some day you

will have a new incorruptible body…

Your physical responsibilities may be a heavy burden, but

there is coming eternal rest…

Your family may be a burden to your heart, and things may

improve or not improve, but we can be of good cheer because

our sins have been forgiven…

While this assurance is an occasion of cheer to the Christian, the

one who is not a Christian has no reason to be truly happy until he

repairs his relationship with God…

Initially, one trusts in God, repents of his sins, confesses his

faith in Christ, and is baptized into Christ for the remission of sins…

Thereafter, one grows in grace and knowledge, worshiping God

regularity as shown in the Scriptures…

He renders love and service to his fellow man…
He maintains his fellowship with God through prayer that can

be done anytime, anywhere…

1 John 1:7 …but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

“BE OF GOOD CHEER, PAUL; FOR AS THOU HAS TESTIFIED OF ME IN JERUSALEM, SO MUST THOU BEAR WITNESS ALSO AT ROME” (Acts 23:11)…

Imagine the comfort this must have brought to Paul. On other

occasions, he was told what evils would befall him…

Acts 20:22 …And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: 23 save that the Holy Spirit testifieth unto me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me…

21:10 …And as we tarried there some days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. 11 And coming to us, and taking Paul’s girdle, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, Thus saith the Holy Spirit, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. 12 And when we heard these things, both we and they of that place besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.

God has likewise promised to be with us in our afflictions and

hardships…

Hebrews 13:5 …Be ye free from the love of money; content with such things as ye have: for himself hath said, I will in no wise fail thee, neither will I in any wise forsake thee. 6 So that with good courage we say, The Lord is my helper; I will not fear: What shall man do unto me?

How does God comfort?

2 Corinthians 1:3 …Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; 4 who comforteth us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort them that are in any affliction, through the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

Through His Word…

Romans 15:4 …For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that through patience and through comfort of the scriptures we might have hope.

Through His providential care…

2 Corinthians 7:5 …For even when we were come into Macedonia our flesh had no relief, but we were afflicted on every side; without were fightings, within were fears. 6 Nevertheless he that comforteth the lowly, even God, comforted us by the coming of Titus; 7 and not by his coming only, but also by the comfort wherewith he was comforted in you, while he told us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced yet more.

Let us trust implicitly in God. We, too, can be comforted

in Him…

“BE OF GOOD CHEER: I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD“…

(John 16:33)

Even as Jesus spoke these words, He knew death was imminent…

Jesus knew that He was about to die a very excruciating, painful

death…

He was able to face it by looking at the joy that was to follow…

Hebrews 12:2 …looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

What will it be like to die?

No human being on the earth can tell us…

Jesus has experienced it; we know about it through His word…
It is viewed as a peaceful sleep…

Acts 7:60 …And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

It is viewed as a departure to be with Christ…

Philippians 1:23 …But I am in a strait betwixt the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ; for it is very far better:

It is viewed as going to a homeland…

Hebrews 11:13 …These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For they that say such things make it manifest that they are seeking after a country of their own. 15 And if indeed they had been mindful of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a city.

It is viewed as a new life with a new body…

2 Corinthians 5:6 …Being therefore always of good courage, and knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord 7 (for we walk by faith, not by sight); 8 we are of good courage, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord. 9 Wherefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well-pleasing unto him.

Jesus said, “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world”…

CONCLUSION:

With these confidences and words of encouragement, the

Christian can be of good cheer…

One’s happiness in this world depends on how he looks at life…
There is no reason for complaining, self-pity, feeling sorry

for ourselves, sadness, or depression. Why?

Jesus is near…
God’s Word is sure…
Our sins are forgiven…
We can be comforted in God (His Word, His care)….
We have overcome the world…

Schultz Lane

Church of Christ

Schultz Lane

Church of Christ

Be of Good Cheer