Dear Christian friends:

Are you happy today? Some people are happy because it is Mother's Day. Some are happy because yesterday we had a very nice anniversary banquet and we all had a good time. Others are happy because they are well and it is a beautiful Sunday in May. But maybe some of you are not happy today.

Perhaps you have no mother this Mother's Day. Perhaps you are not well and you have many problems and grief. How would you feel if your house was destroyed by the tornado last Thursday? Could you be happy today? Do you think Mrs. Mackey is happy today?

So often our happiness depends on earthly things. If we fail or lose these earthly things we are sad and not happy. But if we have all these earthly things then we are happy. But this is not true happiness. True happiness does not depend on our earthly things.

In our text today Jesus shows us what true happiness is:


True happiness comes from sorrow turned to joy. Sorrow for our sins and joy that God forgives our sins. Our joy should not be in our beautiful building but rather in the beautiful words of God preached here. Is this your joy today?

Happy because we will leave this world of sorrows (body of sin) to be free from sin with God in heaven. We have much sorrow because as Christians we are weak and can't please God as we ought to and wish to.

But when we die we shall be free from our weaknesses and doubts and fears. We will see Jesus. He says, "Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy." (John 16:22)

On this anniversary of our church we should look back and think about all of our former members who are fully free and see Jesus: Dr. Salvner, L.P. Dave, Carl Fels, Jens Hansen, H. Humble, H.B. Kundsen, Lyle Hansen, Vira Gammon, M. Gran, H. Hendrickson, Mrs. Youngdale, Mrs. Brueske, Mrs. Early, Dejarles, Lauby Hanson. Let us rejoice that many former members who served during the last sixty-five years are in heaven. Their joy no man taketh from them.

This should give us new strength to work on and endure godly sorry the sorrow of our sin and weaknesses and have joy and hope for the future.

Lets finish our new building and work hard to lead many new deaf children to Jesus and keep them with Him to life and glory in heaven.

Amen.