Advent Week 2: Intentional Joy
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Biblical Joy is our focus for this second week of Advent.
Similar to the way we talked about hope last week, I want to challenge you to think about joy in an intentional way too.
First of all, let’s establish that Joy is a gift from God. In one sense, anyone can experience joy because God is the creator, and because people are made in his image, and he’s a God of Joy, people can have joy.
In the same way that the emotion of love, and acts of love can be experienced by anyone, and feelings of hope, and fulfillment, and so on…
And all of these when experienced on any level are because God is the moral, absolute, good, infinite, originator of all good things…
But there is a falling short with all of these in this world. The world is limited, and cannot know love, or peace, or hope, or joy in their ultimate sense. Neither could Israel. In the same way that God infused hope into His people through the promises of the coming Messiah, he also infused a sense of Joy in those who understood His work of redemption and salvation.
Put it this way…those who are rescued from sin and the tremendously awful consequences of sinning against God, are joyful. Those who remain in captivity and bondage, though they might taste joy momentarily, can never know GOD’s Joy.
I want to know GOD’s JOY. What’s the difference between His Joy, and every other source of joy?
Psalm 16:11 You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Fullness.
God is never going to go broke on joy.
He has full joy. He is full OF joy.
TO be in His presence is to be in the presence of JOY!
But let’s return to this idea of being intentional about joy. For this, let’s examine this text, Psalm 126:5-6.
Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.
This, being a song of ascent, was a song that was sung as Israel made their journey to Jerusalem for the festival and feast days. It was a time to remember God’s faithfulness, and what he’d done for them.
In this song, they recall
1. Their time captivity in Babylon and how God delivered them from it.
2. Their immediate response to their salvation… Joy and laughter expressed outwardly.
“We were like those who dream.” This is too good to be true. Is this real? Are we really free?
3. The affect it had on the enemy nations around them.
Then they said “The Lord has done great things for them.”
And how does the world like Christian experience of God’s salvation? Some wonder, some mock, some hate, some attack, others are indifferent.
Israel said “We are glad.” So, believers, be glad in your salvation, and what has been done for you in Christ, no matter what others may say.
Then verse 4 takes a turn from the honeymoon phase of salvation, to the hard work of intentional joy in God, and what it takes to keep moving forward with hope.
Though they were free from captivity, the journey was not over. SO they would sing… “restore our fortunes like the streams in the Negeb.”
The negeb was a region full of dry river beds that would get flash flood in the Spring. What causes flash floods? When there’s more water than the land can handle.
Restore us, oh Lord, like that…
Work in our lives, overflow the riverbanks. I don’t want just a sprinkling of rain, I want a flood of God’s blessing over me. That’s the request. That’s what believers should want.
But look at the reality described in the next 2 verses that finish up this psalm.
Those who sow in tears...
Who are they?
SO we have to think, why are they sowing, and why are they crying? And then they go from crying to weeping. Ever been there? Ever done that and you didn’t even know why you were getting progressively worse?
I’m convinced that the sowing in this text is everything in life that just has to be done, regardless of circumstances. That’s a learned attitude, isn’t it? Kid’s don’t get this right away. They need to be taught.
Go take out the trash please… tears, weeping…and then falling to the floor in a fit, no more forward motion, no more sowing, and definitely no joy.
Adults, we struggle with this too. Some more than others. Can’t people be whiny sometimes? I can. I hate getting out of bed. One of the worse things in the world. But it’s a must if anything of consequence is going to be accomplished in my life and for the people I love. So I need to be intentional.
But the sowing isn’t necessarily connected to the weeping. It’s not sad, in and of itself, to sow seed. it’s the other stuff that encompasses us, and distracts, and frustrates, that makes us cry and weep, but the sowing must still be done. It’s a crucial part of the process of fruitfulness and joy. If a farmer doesn’t sow, then no matter what else he does, or how much sun and rain and good fortune there is, he will NOT be coming home with anything.
In verse 1 we see Israel is free from captivity. They have been restored. There is salvation and joy and praise on their tongues. But life is hard. And sin abounds. And the curse is still prevalent. And the world rages on and curses God, and hates good and rejoices in evil. Those with faith in God are still persecuted. Work is tiring, and people can be difficult. It’s laborious to disciple children to follow Jesus when satan tempts them every day. Then there’s our own sin and rebellion and spiritual laziness that we all deal with daily.
…But we want to be like streams in the Negeb, don’t we?
This is the Christian life. God’s people don’t stop sowing when tears are flowing. We look by faith to the promises of God, not because this life is promised get easier, but that final redemption is coming. There is a day when those who persevere will come home, and the joy will be incredible.
Intentional joy is choosing to sow seeds of righteousness in a world of unrighteousness, because our inner joy is secured in the work of Jesus Christ.
Much of Israel’s history as they awaited the messiah would have felt like great sorrow. Sorrow in the waiting, with promises of a joy to come that would outweigh the struggle.
They sang this song, and others, to preach to themselves that this life is not all there is, and there is a life to come where joy will be reaped unending. Praise God for this truth!
Church, this is the intentional joy we need to yearn for, yes, in this season, but at all times and every season. And we do this by looking to Christ, the completion of our joy in God.
Luke 2:10-11 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. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Don’t fear, because of this news. Christ the Savior is here!
And he would stand in the synagogue as a man and proclaim that he was this long awaited fulfillment of joy. In Luke 4:18-19 jesus would read this passage from Isaiah 61:1-4
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.
They shall build up the ancient ruins;
they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
the devastations of many generations.
And he said, “Today this has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
JOY, freedom, repair, restoration, praise, and gladness instead of mourning…All because of Jesus.
Brothers and sisters, there is much joy in God and he will never lack, so seek him for your joy, not the temporal pleasures that are here for a moment and gone the next.
In terms of our mission, it’s clear that there is a shortage of joy in this world. You can see this by simply observing that those who are not following Christ, and are not secure in His righteousness, are anxious and sorrowful, and trusting in joyless idols. One way we need to keep sowing with intentional joy is by taking what we know about eternal life, weeping over those who reject God today, and keep on going out with the seeds of the Gospel. Keep sowing and keep going, even while the tears are flowing. Especially while the tears are flowing.
“Oh, my brothers and sisters in Christ,
if sinners will be damned, at least
let them leap to hell over our bodies.
And if they will perish, let them perish with our
arms about their knees, imploring them to stop,
and not madly to destroy themselves.
If hell must be filled, at least let it be
filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let
not one go there unwarned and unprayed for.
- Spurgeon
Let’s be the most joyful people on earth, and spread that joy to the world as we spread the Gospel to those who are still held captive by sin.
IF you struggle with keeping your joy, be more intentional in looking to the reality of your rescue, and the sureness of your future glory because of Christ’s death and resurrection. When he rose from the grave, he gave us the Holy Spirit to indwell us, and he sealed us with a joy that cannot be taken. And because Scripture teaches us that joy is a fruit of the Spirit, not our efforts, we know that this cannot happen apart from sincere, diligent and faith-filled prayer.
IF you need prayer for this today, for completed joy, be sure come find one of the elders and let us pray with you about this.