Dwell on: Joy
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Don’t be an Eeyore
Don’t be an Eeyore
We are to be joy filled, joy evident Christians. Who wants to be an Eeyore and look at life as a downer, or depressing? Christians should be the most joyful people in the world, today we are looking at, dwelling on joy.
We are choosing to dwell on, ponder, consider, meditate on many things in this series and our focal passage has been (Php4:8):
8 Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.
And then the application
9 Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.
As mentioned, the virtue that we are going to dwell on today is “JOY”
Joy is an element of the kingdom of God (Rom14:17)
17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Joy an element of the Kingdom and you are a kingdom dweller if you are in Christ Jesus and our joy is found in the Holy Spirit and it comes with peace and with righteousness.
Joy is a part of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal5:22)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
(insert Eeyore picture here)
Many Christians today seem to be lacking joy, have a deficiency of joy or even in experiencing joy in their Christian walk. When we are hum drum, when we have an Eeyore attitude or outlook it impacts all areas of our Christian walk, including our worship.
Such as a lack of enthusiasm in worship
We come because that is what a Christian does, comes to worship; but we go through the motions only
We sing because that is what we do, but our heart is not behind the words that we are singing
We take the Lords Supper but we don’t do it in celebration of the Lord’s death until He comes as the scripture says.
This morning may we look at joy defined, the sources of joy and the results of joy
Joy Defined
Joy Defined
Joy is more than a feeling that comes and goes according to circumstances, for that would be happiness. Joy is more, it is deeper, it is clearly seen over 130 times in the New Testament alone.
χαρά, ᾶς, ἡ - Greek word Chaira (noun form) - meaning joy, gladness, delight, used 60 times in the New Testament in this form
χαίρω - Greek word Chairo (verb form) - meaning to rejoice, used 72 times in the New Testament
χάρις - Greek word Charis (noun form) - meaning grace.
In the word Charis, transliterated as the word grace according to Vines Bible dictionary in the objective form means “that which bestows or occasions pleasure, delight, or causes favorable regard”
Don’t know if you guys like the Greek stuff, but once in awhile it maybe nice to see things as originally used. 3 words in 1 word in English for joy. Now having said that how about some biblical explanations, illustrations of defined joy?
Scripture shows some of the following regarding joy
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Great Joy (Mt2:10)
Leaping Joy (LK6:23)
Filling Joy (Act13:51-52)
God’s joy (Rom5:15-17)
Jesus Joy (Jn15:11)
Inexpressible Joy (1Pt1:6-8)
Joy in the Lord (Php4:4)
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Great joy- after being questioned by Herod when following the star to find the Messiah, there was great joy when the Magi saw the star over where the child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
Leaping joy - in the midst of the Luke version of the Beatitudes when it comes to ostracized, insulted, scorned Jesus says in that day to leap for joy
23 “Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets.
They are not alone, they were in good company, it was done to the prophets before them, it was doing to be done to them, and set’s an example for us today.
Then there is
Being filled with joy - At the gospel message going out to the Gentiles and their receptivity to it, Paul and Barnabas were chased out of town by the Jews, but they did not let that stop them. Look at this.
51 But they shook off the dust of their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
So we have joy, gladness delight, rejoicing that comes from grace.
Joy and grace are directly related and linked to one another.
Mark Copeland says
“Joy is directly proportional to grace one has received or at least to the perception of grace one received.”
(insert matchbox cars picture here)
Receive a small gift, joy maybe minimal
Receive a large gift, your joyous reaction is greater. Would you rather have a matchbox car of your dreams or the real car of your dreams
(expand on greater is the grace of God that gives us the joy of the Lord than anything else)
When we, as Christians, are lacking joy there is something wrong.
Billy Sunday a famous outfielder become evangelist who was very influential in the late 1800’s early 1900’s said this
“If you have no joy in your religion, there is a lack in your Christianity somewhere.”
In a paraphrased quote from William Gurnall a 17th century Anglican Clergyman
“Why so many have little heat of joy is they have so light light of the Gospel in their mind. . . the further you are from the light of truth the further he must be from the heart of comfort” or in other words, from joy.
When we understand grace, it will help us to better to understand and experience more of God’s joy.
15 But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.
16 The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification.
17 For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
The joy of the Lord is abiding and makes our joy full.
11 “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.
Joy that is inexpressible
6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
inexpressible and full of glory, the glory of God because of the grace of God given to the people of God who His because of their faith in God and obedience. This joy, this inexpressible joy is contrary or counterpart to the temporary joy, passing pleasure of sin.
24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,
Even Solomon sought out joy in “everything under the sun” to find out and conclude everything is vanity of vanities. But the joy of the LOrd has made it possible, regardless of situations, circumstances we may be in, could be facing, may have just recently gone through, that we are to rejoice in the Lord
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!
When we have grace by faith when we understand what we have in grace, we have joy and then we are able to dwell, ponder, consider, meditate on the sources of our joy.
Joy, It’s Sources
Joy, It’s Sources
To fully grasp and to enjoy joy, we should know the sources of joy.
Joy comes from faith (Php1:25)
25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith,
Convinced, convicted, sure, progress comes from joy in the faith. Not just for the speaker (in this case Paul) but for the listeners (in this case church at Philippi)
Joy comes from Word of God (Rom10:15; Rom15:13)
Joy comes from hearing the word of God that brings faith
15 How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Faith because someone brings the word of faith that can fill you with all joy, hope and peace. The good goods that brings forgiveness
Joy comes from forgiveness (Ps31:1-5; Ps31:10-11; Ps51:7-12)
I want to mention David’s lament from his sin (Ps31) but want to point out David’s forgiveness that results in joy
7 Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me to hear joy and gladness, Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.
9 Hide Your face from my sins And blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit.
Even when we falter, even when we fall short, even when we may stumble or even fall, there is opportunity for restoration to the joy of your salvation when you turn to Him, repent and follow Him again.
Joy comes from Christian fellowship (Phi1:7) restoration (2Cor7:7)
7 For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
then there is restored comfort, restored joy
7 and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced even more.
Joy comes from giving to others (Act20:35)
35 “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
Paul found joy in working, giving to others.
Joy comes in sharing the gospel (Act11:20-23); hearing about how others responded to the gospel (Act15:3)
20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord.
22 The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch. 23 Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord;
And who doesn’t love to read, hear, see someone respond to the gospel?
3 Therefore, being sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and were bringing great joy to all the brethren.
Joy’s expressible results
Joy’s expressible results
How to do you express the inexpressible? May we look at some biblical examples of expressing joy.
Joy results in expressions of joy (Act8:35-38; 1The1:6; Rom5:1-2; Rom5:10-12)
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him. 36 As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?”
37 And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” 38 And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.
Could you image the Ethiopian Eunuch being like and Eeyore here? No way. He was ready, he wanted to be a Christian, wanted to respond to the gospel, he did not want anything to hinder him.
6 You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit,
Sometimes the joy comes with some tribulation as noted here in the passage to the church at Thessolonica; but the joy here is in the Holy Spirit because of their faithfulness, because of them being imitators of the apostles and Jesus.
But when responded to the gospel look at the result
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.
Peace, and exultation in hope!
10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
Exulting in hope because once separated now reconciled!
12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—
All because of One man, that man being Jesus who took on the sin of the world for us who believe.
Joy is found in the strength of the Lord (Neh8:10)
10 Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Nehemiah found his peace, found his joy and his strength in the Lord, as should we.
Joy and peace are found in believing (Rom15:13)
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
(Invitation slide 1-joy of the Lord is my strength slide) invitation
For true, lasting, eternal joy is found in Christ.
True joy, lasting joy, eternal joy found in obedience to Christ resulting in being transferred into the possession of Christ and He being yours and you being His.
Joy comes as we receive the forgiveness of our sins
Joy comes when we believe and have fellowship with one another as kingdom dwellers
(expound more on invitation (invitation slide-2) prayer (exit slide)