Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost
Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost
Light of Christ Anglican Church
The Rev. Mike Moffitt September28th, 2025
Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost
The Joy Of The Lord Is My Strength
Nehemiah 8:9–10
When I was 22 years old I received a call from my father that my cousin Joel had drowned at a beach outside of Wilmington, NC.
He was there with his fiancé and her family on vacation. Joel had his 22nd birthday the day before (he was 10 days older than me). He was a very godly young man. I mean he was a serious Jesus follower and had been for most of his life. He had just graduated from UNC-Greensboro and landed a job as a designer for one of the furniture factories in that area. He was soon to be married to a beautiful and godly young woman. Upon hearing of his death I was stunned and could not imagine why God would take someone like him home so early. I wondered why not someone like me who claimed to be a Christian but there was not enough evidence to convict me.
As I drove down to attend the funeral in Greensboro I was numb. I don’t recall ever seeing so many people attending a funeral. The funeral home had to open two large auditoriums to accommodate the crowd. When I arrived I noticed that my cousin Marc, and Cy and Chris, my Uncle and Aunt, were praying with people who were overwhelmed with grief. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Joel’s brother, mother and father were ministering to those who were distraught. This was one of the most loving and amazing families that I knew of. They adored each other, they adored Joel. His sudden death was a huge emotional blow. How could they be tending to the sorrow of others. During the funeral service my cousin sang and played a beautiful song on the piano that he and Joel had written together months earlier. The sermon and praise at that funeral that afternoon was incredible and I found out later that 11 of Joel’s friends gave their life to Jesus Christ at that service.
As we drove down Battleground Blvd. in the funeral procession I looked in the rear-view mirror and there were cars with their headlights and blinker on as far back as I could see.
Many years later I asked my uncle Cy to share with me what happened that gave them the strength and courage to bear up like that. He told me that he and Chris were scheduled to sing at a Full Gospel Convention that weekend in Charlotte, but they felt that God would have them keep that commitment. At that convention they met a man who had lost his son six months before and couldn’t seem to go on. My Aunt and Uncle buried Joel on a Thursday, yet God used them to speak His word to this broken man a few days later. Cy assured me that they had their times of grief, but Jesus was still their beloved Master and Savior. Their joy and strength were still found in Him, even when their hearts were broken. I wanted to be a man like my Uncle Cy.
This past week I watched Erika Kirk, the wife of Charlie Kirk, speak at his memorial service. I know that she’s grieving deeply, and the loss of her husband will be felt for the rest of her life. As she spoke I saw the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit directing her. I saw the anointing of the Holy Spirit not just bear her up but embolden her. I saw the joy of the Lord in the midst of her sorrow.
There was power and conviction in her words and bearing because even though Charlie was gone to be with his Lord, Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit were as tangible as if they stood right there with her. In truth as a believer the Holy Spirit indwells her. Here was another occasion where God’s people carried on even through a huge tragedy had fallen upon them.
Dave Roseberry in his blog, “The Anglican,” wrote that after spending five hours watching Charlie Kirk’s memorial service he was stunned after listening to Erika Kirk’s portion which lasted 28 minutes. He wrote:
And then Erika Kirk spoke. Her words cut through everything. She stood before that sea of mourners and said what no one expected: “I forgive him.” She forgave the man who killed her husband. The man who shattered her family’s life. And when she said it, the whole place changed.
It was like history itself shifted, like an earthquake nudged the earth’s axis. What could have been a call to arms became a witness to Christ. I am not a reporter, and I didn’t catch the words of this widow exactly, but they were shocking and intense. And unexpected.
It drains the poison out of what was done to her and her family. By forgiving, she refused the path of bitterness and vengeance. Make no mistake, that was a spiritual battle, fought in real time, and she won it. She could have rallied thousands with angry words. She didn’t. She turned away from that temptation and lived His example over everything else.1
I reminded me of the story of Stephen, a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ in the early church in Jerusalem. You can read the story in the Book of Acts chapters 6:8 to 7:1–60. In verse 8–12,
And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council…
Stephen confronted them at great length proving from Scripture that Jesus Christ, who they had murdered, was the Messiah who rose from the dead and was now seated beside the Father in Heaven. He ends with an accusation which caused a violent response in Acts 7: 54–60,
Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
This story is simply amazing. The sermon he preached was powerful and designed to clarify the state of the souls of those who heard it. Their reaction was 1 https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#label/David+Roseberry/FMfcgzQcpnVJlfBtlrNFNzFxJpHvgBzk evidence that who they served was the enemy of God.
For me the important part was Stephens response to his stoning. As the stones were pummeling his body and head he looked up and saw Jesus standing beside the throne of God.nI love the imagery here. Hebrews 1:2–3 tells us,
butin these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…
I have this picture in my mind of Jesus watching his disciple being martyred and standing up while saying to the Father, “Father let him see me.” Think about this scenario for a moment. Stephen was being pummeled to death by rocks thrown by those who hated him, who were enraged because he was a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Notice that his focus wasn’t on them but on Jesus. Being full of the Holy Spirit, his gaze was looking for Jesus who he found him looking down at him. I’m certain that the joy of seeing Jesus standing in acknowledgement of Stephen’s faithfulness further incited their rage. Then as he looks at Jesus, the Holy Spirit speaks to his heart and Stephen asks the Father, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”
Seeing Jesus gazing back down to him enabled Stephen to have a very different perspective on what was happening. Notice what Stephen was not doing. He was not crying out for justice, though nobody would blame him for doing so. Instead he was interceding on behalf of those who were stoning him. He was praying for God’s mercy because they couldn’t see what he was looking at. When the Holy Spirit moves in you there is great joy at the recognition of His presence. Once again we see an example of the supernatural move of the Holy Spirit bringing joy, real joy in the midst of pain and suffering.
Some have suggested that we are on the cusp of revival, which is something that I have been praying for a long time as have many of you. Dr. J. Edwin Orr was an Irish Baptist minister, professor of church revival, and renewal defined revival as,
The Spirit of God working through the Word of God, in the lives of the people of God.
From what I’ve been reading recently concerning the world-wide response to Charlie Kirk’s murder we might well be.
In our Old Testament reading this morning from Nehemiah 8 we find a great example of that. The story of the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem began in the Book of Ezra and continued in the Book of Nehemiah. Simply having Jerusalem fortified was not enough to secure God’s blessing. The people needed to be rebuilt into a holy covenant community. This aspect of the covenant restoration would begin with Ezra, a scribe and faithful priest, reading the law of God to the people. Ezra was the man responsible for having the temple rebuilt and for returning God’s people to worship. Nehemiah, in all his work of rebuilding the walls, just carried on the work Ezra had begun.
Listen to Nehemiah 8:2–3,
So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.
Just to give perspective to this amazing move of God…the Book of the Law was contained within the first five books of God’s word: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. So for approximately six hours the people of God stood listening to God’s law read and explained.
What was the response to this? Were they complaining that this was way to long? It says they were weeping and mourning because the law of God had the desired effect of bringing repentance. This may have been the first time that many who were there had heard the Law of God, and the Spirit was moving in them to bring a covenant commitment.
The Word of God was doing its intended work. 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us three things the Word of God is profitable for: reproof, correction, and training in righteousness. Sometimes it hurts to be reproved and corrected, and these tears were evidence of some of that pain.
Ezra, Nehemiah, and the Levites did not want the people to mourn, even though it is a good thing to be under the conviction of the Holy Spirit through the Word
of God. Yet if the sense of conviction is greater than the sense that God is doing a good and holy work, then tears are ineffective.
Our knowledge of our sin should never be bigger than our knowledge of Jesus as our savior. We are great sinners, but He is a greater savior. Therefore, they were assured that “the joy of the Lord is your strength” even when you are being convicted of sin. When we are convicted of sin we know that the Holy Spirit is doing a work in us, so that through true repentance we can be glad and take joy.
Ezra and Nehemiah knew that when there is repentance for sin and then turning to God for salvation there is restoration and a reason to celebrate. So they needed to receive this gift of God because “this day is holy to the Lord your God.” The people grieved because the Word of God brought the needed knowledge of their sin. But now they could walk in joy because God was doing a great work.
Also, their response should be to share with those who had little a portion of food and drink so that they could also join in the celebration of God’s mercy and forgiveness.
In Psalm 16, 1 Peter 1:3–9, and Gospel reading from John 15 there is the same overall theme of joy that is found through our relationship with God.
The Psalmist testifies that it’s when he focuses on God in any and every situation God makes known to him the path he must follow. It’s there “in your presence there is fullness of Joy; and at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
In 1 Peter the Apostle is writing to encourage persecuted and frustrated believers in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. He exhorts them to stand fast in their faith. He reminds them to remember the joys and the glory that is coming for those who persevere. He gives them instruction on how to live in the midst of trials and undeserved suffering. He wanted them to focus on the promises that are made to those who remain faithful.
As I consider what we can ascertain from the Scriptures concerning the life of the Apostle it’s easy to see why he was called by many the “Apostle of Hope.” Listen again to chapter 1 verses 8–9,
Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Finally, in our Gospel reading from John 15:7–11 Jesus invites His disciples to follow Him in obedience, abiding in His love. They should follow His example just as he has followed His Father in Heaven, abiding in His love. Why? John 15:11, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”
Rod Whitacre in his IVP Commentary on the Gospel of John writes,
Actually joy is not what springs to mind for many people when they think of obedience. They see obedience as conforming to rules, which produces drudgery or chaffing. Rules often induce guilt in those not keeping them and a prideful delight in those who do obey. But the obedience Jesus is talking about is an obedience not to societal rules, but to the Father who is all love. To obey him is to conform one’s life to the very pattern of God’s own life. Such obedience shares in his life, which is characterized by harmony, grace, goodness and beauty. We are in intimate union with him and swept up into his dance for which we were created, and which brings the deepest fulfillment and deepest joy to our lives. Jesus’ joy came from such intimacy with the Father and his delight to do that which pleases the one who is all love and goodness. Jesus is showing how our joy may be complete. If we have no joy in obeying the Father, then indeed, we might ask ourselves what does bring us joy. The answer will reveal to us our own hearts.2
Every example that we have seen this morning are of those in our day and in the Word of God who chose to follow Jesus Christ in love, in faithfulness to the Word of God, for the glory of God and the building up of the kingdom of God. That’s where true joy is found.
Let’s pray.
©2025 The Rev. Michael J. Moffitt
