The Greatest Joy
Advent 2018 • Sermon • Submitted
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· 57 viewsJesus' obedience to the Father is our greatest joy
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Advent- Anticipation of Hope, Peace and Joy
Advent- Anticipation of Hope, Peace and Joy
Our hope is God, exemplified and illustrated in the flesh by the coming of Christ- We have an eternal hope because of Christ’s obedience to the Father’s will, by laying down His life to pay the just punishment for our sins and the sins of those who had sinned prior to His death. We are able to continue to hope because Christ not only paid our debt but he conquered death by rising again!
This act of Christ’s obedience made it possible for us to have peace with God. When we were once at war with Him, we now are able to be in a state of peace, because the has justly punished our sin (on Christ) and those who believe in Him have been brought near to Him. If you have questions about the hope, the peace or the process of how that has been accomplished, I would love to talk with you about it.
This morning we have the privilege of identifying what Scripture says about JOY!
This is a season to be Merry to be joyful. So JOY will be our focus this morning.
Joy Defined-
Joy Defined-
What is the Source of our joy?
What is the Source of our joy?
Joy is: an emotion, a feeling of great pleasure, great happiness, exultation, elation. To be delighted, jubilant, merry.
Joy is: an emotion, a feeling of great pleasure, great happiness, exultation, elation. To be delighted, jubilant, merry.
Joy in action is to rejoice! That is the verb form of this emotional state
Joy as a noun can also be used to describe something that is a cause of joy and gladness.
Christmas Present Video
Christmas Present Video
There is a very close connection between gratefulness and joy! We can see that in the video. Have you ever met someone who was very grateful, I just about guarantee they were also filled with joy.
Joy Discovered-
Joy Discovered-
Where do we find joy?
2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.
3 You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
4 For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian.
5 For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.
6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
3 You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,
Isaiah 9:3
Luke
10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
Luke 2:
God gives us joy.
God gives us joy.
Ultimately, He is the source of our Joy.
Ultimately, He is the source of our Joy.
Luke
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
But there are a number of ways we can find joy from Him
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
The Holy Spirit’s gift
The Holy Spirit’s gift
It is a blessing to know that we are commanded to have JOY even though it is not something we can attain on our own. No matter how hard I try, I can never remain in JOY apart from the gift of God, through His Spirit!
When I taught a class titled “Anger Transformation” is discovered how angry I was, As I have been studying JOY, I realize how much I lack it, and need to ask the Holy Spirit to grant me the experience of Joy through His work.
As the Holy Spirit opens our eyes to the incredible riches of God’s character, goodness and majesty, we will experience the fruit of the spirit. This is not something that we can automatically produce in our own lives. It is produced by the work of the Holy Spirit, being generated by the grace of the very God who created us. What a peace-giving joyous reality this is. We will get back to this concept in a few minutes when we consider the extent of our joy.
There are other ways God gives us joy in addition to Himself
It is a gift of the Holy Spirit
Fruit and Fellowship
Fruit and Fellowship
19 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? 20 For you are our glory and joy.
4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.
Joy comes from seeing spiritual fruit in people’s lives that we have invested in
4 As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy.
3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
Joy comes from fellowshipping together with God and with the body of Christ.
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
James 1:2
Joy comes from trial, which are used to prefect us and complete us as the Sovereign God omnisciently deems to be necessary.
God’s Creation: The work of His hands
God’s Creation: The work of His hands
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty, 2 covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent. 3 He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind; 4 he makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire. 5 He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved. 6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. 7 At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they took to flight. 8 The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that you appointed for them. 9 You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth. 10 You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills; 11 they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. 12 Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches. 13 From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. 14 You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth 15 and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man’s heart. 16 The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. 17 In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees. 18 The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers. 19 He made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting. 20 You make darkness, and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep about. 21 The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God. 22 When the sun rises, they steal away and lie down in their dens. 23 Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening. 24 O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. 25 Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great. 26 There go the ships, and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it. 27 These all look to you, to give them their food in due season. 28 When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things. 29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. 30 When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. 31 May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works, 32 who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke! 33 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being. 34 May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord. 35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord!
Psalm 104:
When God created all things, he said “It is good.” Though the world we live in has been cursed by sin, we are able to see the handiwork of God in the order, design and vastness of His creation.
The Greatest Joy
The Greatest Joy
The Greatest Joy
The Greatest Joy
Harvest Joy
Harvest Joy
2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. 3 You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
Joy of Victory
Joy of Victory
4 For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. 5 For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. 6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:4-
The Thrill of Victory and the agony of defeat
The Thrill of Victory and the agony of defeat
Substitutes won’t cut it
Substitutes won’t cut it
An attitude of gratitude
An attitude of gratitude
Show the Christmas Presents video-
Joy Deliberated
Joy Deliberated
as the Holy Spirit opens our eyes to the incredible riches of God’s character, goodness and majesty, we will experience the fruit of the spirit. This is not something that we can automatically produce in our own lives. That is why this kind of joy is the greatest Joy. It is produced by the work of the Holy Spirit, being generated by the grace of the very God who created us.
What I mean by this is what is the extent of our joy.
Some passages we find in the Bible such as , refer to “Complete JOY” and mentions the “fullness of Joy”
11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Complete Joy or the Fullness of Joy will only be found when we are at peace with God, that is, when we agree with God on everything. Most importantly, is that we agree that God is central.
Today, we are encouraged to believe we are central in just about every facet of our lives. This is the secular mindset.
Paul in the book of Romans says those who believe they are central, have minds that are set on the flesh. This is a prevalent and prevailing view in our society including in many churches. John Crist- VIRTUAL CHURCH VIDEO in a light hearted way shows the ridiculous secularization of even the worship of many Christians.
We in fact are born with this secular mindset that we are most important and it is the basis for many beliefs and opinions we hold to.
This was discussed in an blogpost titled Did Christ Die for Us or for God?
In this blog, it is shown that God is and must be central to every facet of our lives, “He is simply the most absolute reality” He was in existence before us and is the one who brought all things into existence. This biblical mindset must prevail in ever belief, including the fact that Christ died first and foremost to show God’s righteousness, not to save us. Though that was a divine by-product of Christ’s death.
25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Romans 3:
What does this have to do with JOY?
When we confess and believe the God’s Righteousness and Glory is most important, we will never lose our Joy, because it is based upon one who is infinitely good.
Throughout eternity we will be blessed with the JOY of increasingly understanding the JOY giving character of God, though we will never fully grasp all that He is, because we are finite.
WOW! Mind blowing, isn’t it? To think that from now to eternity future, we can never fully understand the character of God, yet we are promised the blessing of knowing him more fully each day, forever!