Rejoice, Rejoice, Rejoice

Welcome, I am so glad you are hear. Thank you for joining us. I am Pastor Kyle and I have the great opportunity to share God’s word with you today. I will be looking at the 3rd part of our advent series. But before we jump in today I want to make sure everyone is caught up with us.

This is the first year we have had an advent season in our church for a long time and many churches don’t have advent seasons anymore. They were always something we did but I really didn’t know why. I thought it would be good to define the advent season because the word advent may not be familiar to everyone. Advent simply means.

Advent - The arrival of a notable person, thing, or event.

During the Advent season we look at two events in time. We look back to the moment Jesus was born, his arrival. We use the Christmas season as a time to remember and refocus on the birth of Jesus and what that means for us. We also look forward to the future event of when Jesus will return. We currently live in between these two times.

We are looking at 5 specific words that the bible uses to focus believers during the advent season. The 5 words are: Hope, Faith, Joy, Peace and Love. Each church uses these differently. I look at it as they help to describe the relationship we have with our Lord and Savior.

It is like if you were trying to explain to a friend why you had a good marriage. You would describe your marriage with words like love, team work, or compromise, sacrifice, or laughter. During advent we use these specific words to look at the relationship we have with God.

None of these words were new when Jesus was born but our relationship with Jesus changes the meaning and impact of them. They cannot be separated and develop together as we grow and mature.

Pastor Chris started the series with Hope. He looked at what true hope looked like verses those with a false hope or no hope.

Chuck did a great job last week with sharing about faith. He shared what the bible says about how we should respond when our faith is challenged, what faith is a gift means and that we have a saving faith.

Today I am sharing the third advent topic of Joy. We are going to look back at why we rejoice at the birth of Jesus, We will look forward to what we will have to rejoice in the future when Jesus returns, and we will look at what we have to rejoice today in our daily lives.

Our main verses this morning will be in 1 Peter 1:3-9. Please take out your bibles with me as we read them. We will be using a lot of scripture today so we will be moving all over the bible. When I started my research on Joy my first search yielded 258 passages on Joy. I narrowed that down to the ones I wanted to focus on and there was 9 pages of scripture. I figured no one is ready for a 2 hour sermon on Joy so I have done my best to condense it down. Let us read.

1 Peter 1:3–5 CSB

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. 5 You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

1 Peter 1:6–9 CSB

6 You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials 7 so that the proven character of your faith—more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; though not seeing him now, you believe in him, and you rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Rejoice That He Came

As we look at why we rejoice that Jesus was born we must pause for a moment and talk about what is Joy. One dictionary defined it as this:

Definition of JOY: Closely related to gladness and happiness, although joy is more a state of being than an emotion; a result of choice. One of the fruits of the spirit (Gal 5:22–23). Having joy is part of the experience of being a Christian.

It is used about 180 times in the bible. It is usually used as an emotion. It is an an emotional response to praise worthy events or blessings. It can be a noun or a verb. As a noun is is a feeling of great pleasure or happiness. As a verb it is an action. As a verb you can rejoice even though we may not be feeling joyful.

Now lets look more deeper into the scriptures.

1 Peter 1:3 CSB

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead

Blessed. That means praise worthy. God is worthy of our praise.

Why is God praise worthy? He gives everyone who receives Jesus a new birth. Our New birth is from God and God alone.

John 1:12–13 CSB

12 But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name, 13 who were born, not of natural descent, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God.

Everyone who recieved Jesus as their Savior is a new creation. A creation that has been given freedom from the bonds of sin. Who becomes a child of God. This should be enough to rejoice forever but it is even deeper.

Peter says the reason that God did this was because of “his great mercy”. We did not deserve to be given the gift of salvation.

We are saved by grace through faith. As Paul writes to Titus:

Titus 3:4–5 CSB

4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared, 5 he saved us—not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy—through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

It was not by our righteousness but by his mercy that we are saved.

He chose not to punish us the way we deserved. We are given a new birth because in his mercy wanted too. It is more than just a do over though. It is not a mulligan. It is not like he said “well try again, do better next time. I am wiping the slate clean.” We are born into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

A living hope causes us to action.

Many just have a hope but they do not live like they believe in it. If I hope to get a promotion at work but do nothing that would make my boss consider me for that position, then do I have a living hope? We need hope. Man without hope is a very dark place.

Jesus told his disciples:

John 15:11 CSB

11 “I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.

Jesus was teaching the disciples and then he states the reason he is telling them these things is so that they can have his Joy and that their Joy can be complete or full.

God gave us a new birth though the birth and death and resurrection of Jesus. What we have recieved so far should bring us great Joy but we have not recieved everything that we have been promised. God’s word promises that there is more to come when Jesus returns.

Rejoice That He Will Come

John writes:

1 John 3:1–3 CSB

1 See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children—and we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know him. 2 Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when he appears, we will be like him because we will see him as he is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure.

John reaffirms that a person who receives Jesus is a child of God. You can almost here his joy and excitement in this statement. “We are his children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed”.

Going back to Peter, he describes this transformation that will happen in all believes when Jesus returns.

1 Peter 1:3–5 CSB

We can rejoice that we have been given an inheritance.

This is not what we think of today with a big check or a house and car when a parent passes away and gives an inheritance to their children. This is a gift of our new birth. God has promised an inheritance a gift that is passed to us that we will receive at the end.

This inheritance is imperishable. This inheritance is not money that can be spent or a house that will break down. It will last forever. This inheritance will also be undefiled. That means that there will not be a blemish in it. It is an everlasting and completely pure gift. but not only that it will not change from its original quality. It is unfading unlike a new perfect car that starts to break down the second you buy it. This gift will never loose any of its quality.

This inheritance it being kept in heaven with God and his angels. This is not a first come first serve reward. I have a place in heaven that is being kept for me. For me, no one else. I do not have to beat any one to it or fight anyone fore it. I cannot loose it.

1 Peter 1:5 CSB

5 You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

Guarded is a military term to mean kept secure.

Did you catch that “you“ are being guarded by who’s power, God’s Power, until when, until it is revealed in the last time.

Our God sent Jesus to save us and then gave us an imperishable, undefiled, and unfading inheritance that is being kept guarded by God.

But what about today? We have looked back to Jesus’ birth and forward to Jesus return. What about today?

Rejoice That He Is Here Today

Honesty Time: Who here is going though what you would define as a trial? We have health trials, financial trials, children trials, and parent trials. We have trials at work, trials at school, trials at home. We have physical trials, emotional trials and spiritual trials and trials of faith. Did I cover all of them? Probably not

Does God promise that we will never face trials again? Who here would love to never have a trial again in their life? Be honest.

Let me word it a different way, Who here never wants to grow in any facet of their lives ever again?

1 Peter 1:6–7 CSB

Peter tells us to rejoice because it is through trials that our faith is proven. A proven faith is more valuable than gold. Our proven faith may result in praise, glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus.

Trials are a part of life. They a method that God uses to bring Glory to Himself. The bigger the trial the larger the Glory.

Paul says it this way. I love this section of verses because it ties all of the advent words together, Love, hope, Joy, Peace, faith.

Romans 5:1–5 CSB

1 Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 We have also obtained access through him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, 4 endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. 5 This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Once again we who are declared righteous by our faith and the Joy knowing this creates. But “we also rejoice in our afflictions.”

For the purpose of producing endurance, and proven character, which produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us because god poured out his love in our hearts.

Should we be surprised when we face trials...

1 Peter 4:12–16 CSB

12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you as if something unusual were happening to you. 13 Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may also rejoice with great joy when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are ridiculed for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 Let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or a meddler. 16 But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God in having that name.

When we face trials and suffering as a Christian we have a special suffering because we share in the suffering of our Lord and savior. And we should rejoice in this.

Trials build us and grow us. name one area of your life that grows without a trial of some type. We inflict trials on ourselves every day to become better people or to improve ourselves. Athletes work out, we have training at our jobs, we go on diets. Trials are what improves us even when they are hard and hurt.

Does this mean that that we walk around with happy smiles on our faces when the world is falling apart around us? No.

An athlete will put their body through excruciating pain over and over again for what reason. For the glory and hope of the future out come.

We rejoice when we focus on the hope of what God promises and we despair when we loose hope, when we loose focus on what God is keeping safe for us.

Rope analogy.

When we get to a point when we first focus on the eternal hope and we have the Joy that God is speaking of then the bible says:

1 Peter 1:8–9 CSB

8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; though not seeing him now, you believe in him, and you rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

My joy is inexpressible. How do I or any other christian communicate what it feels like to be confident in the salvation of Jesus and the Hope of the assurance and quality of my inheritance in heaven.

Extra References James 1:2-8, 2 Corinthians 6:1-13,

Conclusion

What do we do if our lives do not match up with this Joy.

If you have not recieved Jesus and want to or what you have heard today intrigues you, I ask that you stick around and start a conversation with myself or Chris or any other Christian. You too can have the same hope and joy that I have. There could be a place in heaven saved for you as well.

If you have recieved Jesus, examine yourself and your joy related to Jesus birth and resurrection. His second coming and how you are living your life today. If you are struggling today with the answers to those questions. I ask you what are you going to do about it. One of the things about trials is that you can endure so much more with proper training and support. Why do we have trainers or nutritionists? They help us prepare for our goals. Why does the military train so hard away from the battlefield before going to war? Because it would be ridiculous if we promoted on the job training on the battlefield.

I am going to be very frank and honest with you today. This is why Chris, Chuck, and I are working to develop a place for you to prepare. Our focus verse this year has been

Colossians 1:28 CSB

28 We proclaim him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

Mature believers have great Joy and have had their character proven over and over again. We believe it takes three things to most effectively mature a believer.

1) Receive solid and truthful teaching.

Show up to church, if you cannot make it, watch online, read good books, participate in small groups. Take the lead on your own training. If you need help ask.

2) Have a small group.

Friendships are built here, discussions, dialog, encouragement and correction will most likely come from a small group.

3) Have a place of service.

Put your hands to work. Just reading cookbooks will not make you a chef. you must try out what you have learned. There are so many opportunities.

One year ago I preached on my last Sunday as the interim pastor of Dishman Baptist Church. I am amazed at what God has done since then. I look out into a group of people that has changed drastically this year. There are more new faces than familiar ones some days. But what I see more than anything is potential. I see an army of believer that could make a dramatic difference in the Spokane Valley next year but there is one major thing in our way. Ourselves, God says everyone of us has a role, young and old, weak and strong. So I lay the gauntlet down this year, do not sit on the side line anymore, learn God’s word more than you ever have this year. Hang our with each other invite people over to your home be in community with each other, and more than anything this year put your hands to work. There is so much that God can accomplish through us if we are willing to keep our focus on Jesus. The baby who’s birth we celebrate on Christmas Day.

1 Thessalonians 5:23–28 CSB

23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. And may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will do it. 25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us also. 26 Greet all the brothers and sisters with a holy kiss. 27 I charge you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the brothers and sisters. 28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

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