Joy: It's a Choice!!
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How’s your JOY Tank??
22 “And now I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me, 23 except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. 24 But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.
25 “And now I know that none of you to whom I have preached the Kingdom will ever see me again. 26 I declare today that I have been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, it’s not my fault, 27 for I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know.
28 “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders. 29 I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. 30 Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following. 31 Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you—my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you.
32 “And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself.
33 “I have never coveted anyone’s silver or gold or fine clothes. 34 You know that these hands of mine have worked to supply my own needs and even the needs of those who were with me. 35 And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
36 When he had finished speaking, he knelt and prayed with them. 37 They all cried as they embraced and kissed him good-bye. 38 They were sad most of all because he had said that they would never see him again. Then they escorted him down to the ship.
Paul is on his way to Jerusalem.
He recognizes that he is not certain what awaits him there.
He knows that he will not see the Ephesian Elders again.
He gives them a couple of charges...
1- Remain Faithful as he himself is remaining faithful
But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.
2-Keep watch over the flock
“So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders. I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following. Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you—my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you.
After these words and words about Paul’s ministry among them they pray, they embrace they weep, and Paul leaves.
Paul KNEW that what awaited him in Jerusalem was NOT going to be a joyous experience - but he went anyway...
In Caesarea Paul was warned
Several days later a man named Agabus, who also had the gift of prophecy, arrived from Judea. He came over, took Paul’s belt, and bound his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, “The Holy Spirit declares, ‘So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles.’ ” When we heard this, we and the local believers all begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.
But he said, “Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus.” When it was clear that we couldn’t persuade him, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”
After this we packed our things and left for Jerusalem.
Again, Paul KNEW what awaited him in Jerusalem. As our reading continued this week, Paul arrived in Jerusalem, false charges are laid against him, and he is arrested. He was flogged and mistreated - even though he was a Roman citizen...
Like the scene last week with Paul and Silas in jail I have to ask, how could Paul do this? How could he go to Jerusalem KNOWING it would not be pleasant.
Well, Like last week there is a peace that comforts us when we KNOW that Christ is present with us in our struggles. AND that assurance grows JOY within us.
What is joy?
Joy is NOT happiness. Joy is NOT always smiling. JOY is a GIFT that comes from the peaces and comfort of Christ’s presence with us. But, joy is also a DECISION. We DECIDE to have joy knowing that Christ is with us in the midst of the good and the bad!
We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.
Jesus had JOY in the face of crucifixion.
Notice it doesn’t say Jesus enjoyed the cross. Rather, he ENDURED the cross, but he ENDURED it with the JOY that was set before him. He CHOSE to have JOY in the face of crucifixion because HE KNEW that after all was said and done He would be seated at the right hand of God the father. He CHOSE to have JOY because he knew that His crucifixion would pioneer the way through sin and death and back to life that His followers would be able to follow. He chose JOY in the face of crucifixion because he knew that many of His followers would be put on trial, persecuted, flogged, beaten, lit on fire, fed to wild beasts, beheaded, and crucified themselves. That was the road they would walk down as they followed Him. But, because he walked that road before them with joy, THEY COULD CHOOSE TO DO THAT TOO!
Paul could face persecution in Jerusalem with JOY because he was following the way of His master!
So, how do we have joy?
2 See, God has come to save me. I will trust in him and not be afraid. The Lord God is my strength and my song; he has given me victory.” 3 With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation!
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. 2 He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord’s favor has come, and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies. 3 To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.
We have JOY because Christ has come. We have Joy because Christ is with us. We have Joy because Christ will come again!
Christ has come
Christ came and fulfilled God’s promises not only to the Jewish People but to the whole world. Christ came and provided comfort, beauty, restoration, and most importantly SALVATION.
There is NO greater joy than the joy of Salvation. This is NOT only the joy of what happens to me when I die. It is not only the joy that we participate in the Kingdom that will come in the Resurrection. It is the JOY that Christ is working in us and continuing to redeem the world through us by the power of his Spirit - by the power of his presence.
That bring me to the second reason we have joy - because Christ is with us!
Christ was promised to be Immanuel - God’s presence with us.
22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: 23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’ ”
When Christ came, he came as the only begotten Son of the Father. He came as the Word, God, become flesh to be God with us.
But, Christ is STILL God with us. Christ promised to remain with us, especially as we carry out his commission to go into all the world as his followers.
18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
But, we also have JOY in the promise that Christ will come again!
We are not forgotten, we are not orphans. The Christ who came, the Christ who is with us in our lives by the power of the Spirit, is the Christ who will come again!
9 After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. 10 As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”
1 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.”
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.
We have JOY because of Christ presence in history, Christ’s presence with us presently, and Christ’s presence that will come to us physically when he comes to fully rule in the New Kingdom!
This ought to encourage us that what we do no is valuable - even if it leads to ridicule, shame, torture, and persecution
58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.
It is JOY that encourages us to continue to do the work of the Lord when all is against us.
This is what Paul told the Ephesian Elders - He was going to continue to be strong in his faith and teaching no matter what came and he encouraged the Ephesian Elders to do the same.
But, in order to do that, they would have to CHOOSE to have JOY!
And for us it is not different. JOY is a choice!
It grows from the peace of Christ's promised presence - but we must CHOOSE to take joy in that...
We CHOOSE joy now in our circumstances KNOWING that what awaits us is far greater...
18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. 19 For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. 20 Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, 21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.
As we CHOOSE joy and remain faithful there is a greater joy awaiting us...
4 “Yet there are some in the church in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes with evil. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 5 All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine.
A greater joy is in store for those who remain faithful. This is true in every one of the letters to the seven churches in Revelation - Faithfulness produces great rewards in the coming kingdom - and that future joy should ignite our joy now. But, in these verses to the church in Sardis it is most clear… they would receive robes of white.
Often, robes of white, carry the symbolism of purity and being made righteous. And, yes that is true. HOWEVER, there is another nuance. There is the nuance of JOY AND GLADNESS… white robes, according to Charles Spurgeon, were festive holiday clothing of the Jewish people. The point is not just that we would be redeemed and declared righteous. But, like at a royal celebration we would be welcomed in and announced/confessed to be welcomed into a great time of celebration - LIKE A WEDDING FEAST!!!
Revelation 19:9 (NLT)
“Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” And he added, “These are true words that come from God.”
32 “And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself.
So, what is joy?
Joy comes from Christ’s presence. It is the ability to know Christ is with us no matter what and then to look ahead to that greatest fulfillment when Christ returns. Joy is the ability to live of the accruing interest from the down-payment/principle of the JOY that will come!
How do I get this joy?
First - SALVATION in Jesus Christ! This secures Christ’s presence in our life and secures that we will be inheritors of the ultimate Joy that is to come.
SECOND - WE MUST CHOOSE TO DRAW FROM THE BANK ACCOUNT OF JOY NOW! We must CHOOSE joy now. IN the midst of the good, in the midst of the bad… WE MUST CHOOSE JOY!
