Experiencing Joy and Keeping It
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Intro: Because it is the Christmas season, how many of you remember a joyous Christmas?
I love Christmas - It gives me Joy- or should I say Jesus gives me Joy. AMEN
I am not using the word “Happy.” In our English language
Happiness is circumstantial and comes and goes like the wind. It is a feeling. I would like to go deeper than that this morning.
In the Greek JOY means Blessed and Fortunate . Have you ever heard the phrase “tears of great joy.” - As when a mother births a child and cries.
Question, Are you blessed and fortunate?
Joy comes from within, it is more than a feeling, it is a gift of God.
In Hebrew it is a Cry of jubilation, it is a shout also defined as a war cry. It is great happiness and emotion
The prophet Isaiah gives us a picture of the Joy of the coming Messiah.
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.
We are going to take a look at
Text : Psalms 126 Part of the Great Hallel- It is called a song of ascent, a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. ans as you approached Jerusalem you would sing. It is a call to praise in the sanctuary
A Song of Ascents.
1 When the Lord brought back the captive ones of Zion, We were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter And our tongue with joyful shouting; Then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us; We are glad.
4 Restore our captivity, O Lord, As the streams in the South.
5 Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting.
6 He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed, Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.
This takes me back to a song - “ I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart i will enter his courts with Praise- I will say this is the day that the Lord has made and will rejoice for He has made me glad.” AMEN
Context
Zion pillaged; people uprooted and forced out, everything taken. You are left with nothing, not even a dream. You are forced to walk to Babylon,(800 miles) you can look back and see nothing but smoke. Your future is anything but certain.
Our modern context in Isreal, would be the release of Hostages, the restored security of Israel and a future hope.
The opposite of Joy is gloom ( a form of depression) Then we start asking questions.
We immediately ask the question why? Or Why is this happening to me.
Why - The toughest question you can ever ask. Sometimes why is accompanied by silence.
When life happens at times It is easy to lose your joy.
Today, I want to answer the question HOW?
How do I get my Joy back?
Lets take this passage and break it down into its three categories
1.Joy comes with a change of perspective. (vs 1-3)
Sometimes we need a different view point or position.
It isn’t what God has taken away, it is how do I experience the peace of God in the circumstance.
Vs 2-3 - The Lord has done great things –
People ask the question : where was God when __________________. He was there all along. In the mess and the sickness and the filth and the shame. He has always had outstretched arms. This sinful world will be judged and it will be for all eternity. The evil will be stamped out, sickness will be no more, death will be a thing of the past.
Remember this, God is not your personal Genie - He is and always will be God. That is really hard for us to figure out at times.
In these passages - God never left His people they left him. God is there sometimes you just don’t realize it.
God is still in control.
He is the God of Inheritance God is the God of your inheritance. A God of Purpose
11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,
12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.
13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
You might receive little in way of an inheritance here on earth, but in heaven it is going to be amazing.
Transition
Sometimes we as Christians believe for some reason, we are immune from difficulties.
It is how we handle the difficulties that shows where our Joy comes from.
Scripture says the Joy of the Lord is our strength.
God can bring good out of a bad situation.
Joy comes when we ask – What do you want to teach me, How can I glorify God in this
2. Joy comes like seasonal rain. (vs4)
vs 4 said, Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negeb! (desert)
California went through a drought and fires and we all cut back another on our water usage. Peoples lawns dried up. Many put in fake grass or bark or rocks. But even with the adjustments, Now that the rains are here it is a time of refreshing.
The rain now signals the end of the fear. – Fire season is officially over here and good fortune is upon us.
Look back to the previous rains and don’t let the droughts drive you into depression.
We are tempted to think God is like the drought and the rain will never come.
I have heard for all my christian years that Christ is coming- Christi is coming - Well I am excited to tell you, Christ is coming.
It is not a feeling or wishful thinking, it is a fact. It puts joy in my heart
3. Joy comes by having tears turned into Joy (vs5-6)
Psalms 73–150: An Introduction and Commentary Joy Reclaimed (126:4–6)
dry places as potential rivers; hard toil and good seed as the certain prelude to harvest.
“The psalmist celebrates the return of the Jews to Palestine after the Babylonian exile” (BCWT Pg. 377).
The people are given life ( fortunes). God is a God of turnarounds.
It is a picture of renewal - Dry ground is now lush ground
It is a picture of birth. (Tears in child birth turns into tears of Joy)
It is a picture of the cross – That is why Jesus could go to the cross joyfully
LK 6:21 Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
Spiritual renewal can happen during a bad situation or right after one
4. Joy comes by faith
We must remember the former because joy is contained in faith.
In faith your mouth will be filled with laughter and your tongue will sing the glories of the Lord. Then the world (those not in the faith) will know the tender mercies of God and that the Lord has done great things.
We know the end of the story, there will be a final overthrow of Satan and his hosts.
We will walk in peace, we will have King Jesus on the throne.
The source of true joy is God
11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Faith is understanding the reward. Do you know there is a reward at the end of this life for all believers
5. Joy comes as you journey back to Christ.
Illustration: have you ever been on a trip and when it was finally time to go home you were very happy.
You had a lot of fun. It was a long journey but you started to miss your own bed, your own schedule and everything else you missed.
It was a long journey back but each mile is one closer to Jesus.
Everyday your alive is one step closer to Jesus.
Pretty soon the familiarity comes back
When we come to the place where we understand it is all about Him then we are on a good journey back.
6. Joy comes when you know that where you are going is stable.
The prodigal Son is a great example of this Luke 15:11-32
You know the story - Son takes his inheritance and squanders it away. He has nothing and ends up feeding pigs. He finally comes to his senses and thinks to himself, my fathers servants have it better than me, maybe i need to go home.
Those the LORD has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
Have you experienced Gods Joy?
Joy is a gift of the Holy Spirit
Galatians says, the fruit of the Spirit is joy.
If it is a fruit. Think of it coming from a tree, you have to nurture it, water it, let the son shine on it. Take care of it and it will take care of you AMEN
Conclusion
I want to close with a scripture.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
If you continually praise God – your joy will return.