Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King; These words start a very familiar song we all usually sing this time of year.

But what is joy?

Joy is usually defined as meaning we feel goodness and happiness, so the things we do, the things our children do, the things we accomplish at work can all make us happy.

It is more of a state of being than an emotion, a result of CHOICE! (Hard to believe we have the CHOICE to be joyous)...

But how is true, biblical joy defined?

According to the Lexham Bible Dictionary, joy is closely related to victory over one’s enemies.

Biblical joy is defined a little differently that the world’s joy because its source is different!

Instead of finding happiness in the things of this world, true joy comes from the Lord - and the knowledge the victory has already been won over sin, Satan, and hell... through Christ.

Joy is part of the experience of being a Christian…and it all started with His birth!

As we continue to look forward to the time we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, we should do so with joy!

Author and minister S.D. Gordon makes this statement “Joy is distinctly a Christian word and a Christian thing.

It is the reverse of happiness.

Happiness is the result of what happens of an agreeable sort.

Joy has its springs deep down inside.

And that spring never runs dry, no matter what happens.

Only Jesus gives that joy.

He had joy, and sang its music within, even under the shadow of the cross.”

Happiness is defined in the KJV dictionary as “agreeable sensations which spring from the enjoyment of good; that state of a being in which his desires are gratified…it admits of indefinite degrees of increase in enjoyment, or gratification of desires.

Perfect happiness, or pleasure unalloyed with pain, is not attainable in this life.”

While there are may things of this world that try to steal our happiness, NOTHING can steal our JOY that comes from the Lord!

We may think we are happy, until a relationship is broken.

We may think we are happy until we come across a negative attitude.

We may think we are happy until we are faced with shame and guilt.

We may think we are happy until we grow lonely.

We may think we are happy until we face unforgiveness.

We may think we are happy until we meet worry, fear, trouble, insecurity, rejection and the list goes on and on and on.

But there is one thing for certain, if we rely on anything in this world, it can and usually will let us down.

Joy is found in a literal sense in the knowledge or experience of God, and true joy from the Lord cannot be taken from us.

How do we know?

We find scripture that confirms that!

How can we find joy when we may not be happy?

It is through our relationship with the Holy Spirit.

Sometimes we confuse joy with happiness, and think that we are blessed when everything goes our way and we are happy, but scripture does not support that.

We are told in the beatitudes BLESSED are the meek, the poor in spirit, those who mourn, etc.

While happiness can be taken in a moment, true Joy coming from the Lord provides us with an overabundance of peace and comfort, even in times when we may not have happiness.

Joy is something God desires for us, he expects of us, and in some ways since we find so much biblical teaching on joy, it is our obligation as Christians to be joyful!

In these verses we opened with, we find that God received Joy when we obey Him, that Joy is a product of Love, and that Joy is a truly Complete feeling when we put our full trust and faith in Christ.

God Receives Joy

If - conditional statement is made, it requires us to take an active part in our continued journey of following God.

These verses are still being written to the believers, the branches that are still on the vine.

Pruning is an active part of the life of a vine.

Branches that may have once heavy bearers, can decrease in their productivity.

As they decline in production, they too can be pruned.

Pruning does not necessarily mean removal in the sense of the Christian, but it does include disciplining of those outside the will of God.

Notice there are conditional promises made to the believer that continues to follow “abides” in Christ.

(Ask and it WILL be done)

And God’s words must abide in us.

How do we abide in God’s Word?

We must study and learn what God says to us.

We must give ourselves completely to God in our lives, our thoughts and desires have to be guided by the Words of God.

Being a follower of Jesus Christ requires us to be fully, totally, and completely bought out and immersed in Him and in His Word.

Do your best - God realizes we live in a sinful world and we are of a sinful nature.

So He does require us to actively live our lives in a manner that would be approved by God so that we can stand before Him unashamed because we have studied His Word, we know His Word, and we LIVE by His Word.

As a believer, we are called to keep God’s commandments, which is a demonstration of our love to Him, by WORKING to lead others to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

The word “Christian” means “Like Christ, or Little Christ” meaning we are to mimic His life, serving others as we go.

Because of the short lifespan Jesus lived on earth, all believers have the opportunity to do more evangelism, reach more people, and have the potential for a bigger impact than his earthly ministry had.

Remember, as Christ ministered to those within the middle east we see the impact He had.

We have been given the spread the Gospel unto all the world, now what are we going to do with it?

It is through these actions, not only following Jesus, but being a part of His ministry through studying, learning, and LIVING His Word that the Father is glorified.

God the Father receives JOY from us being obedient to His Word.

The active living of Gods Word allows us to bear much fruit - the fruit of righteousness, Godly character, and converts.

How can we bear MUCH fruit?

Just like a grape vine, the vine must be deeply rooted and well fed and as a result it will feed the branches so that fruit can be harvested.

For US, as the branches of the ministry of Jesus Christ, we must be well fed (study, learn, and live God’s Word) and nourished from the vine and remain deeply rooted so we can continually be fed.

It is by bearing much fruit that God is glorified.

Joy Is A Product of Love

The Father loves His Son.

Remember Jesus is God’s only Son and there is a natural love that only comes as a Father loves their children.

Yet Gods love is no ordinary love, no He loves with a perfect love BECAUSE of the perfect obedience of Christ.

As Christ loved His Father, and was obedient to His commands, God found Joy in Christs demonstration of love to Him.

Now, think of the love of Father and Son.

God loved Christ with a sacrificial and supreme love.

Christ was obedient to the Father even in death so that we could know the true love of God.

Because of the relationship between the Father and His Son, Christ also loves us in that same way the Father loves Him.

Christ loves us with the same natural love as God’s children - we are given the same love simply because, as believers, we are of the family of God.

If God loves Christ because of His perfect obedience, then how much more joy does He have when WE follow Him in faithful obedience?

Abide - continue, dwell, endure, remain, tarry, persevere.

When we first experience God’s love, it is almost overwhelming.

Yet many of us lose that closeness, the feeling we have at first.

Why? Life gets us down, things get in the way, and we do not persevere through life and remain in Christ’s love.

We are given a command to remain, to tarry, to dwell in Christ’s love.

We are literally invited to pull up a seat as “sit awhile” with God and just soak up His love.

Isn’t this the most awesome invitation?

I mean, how many of us have children that just want to crawl up in your lap and snuggle with you?

Why do they do that?

They feel loved, they feel safe and secure, and they are confident in their relationship!

OH CHURCH!

How much different would our lives be if we took the time to crawl up in the lap of the Savior so we could feel His love, feel safe and secure in His arms, and grow CONFIDENT in our relationship with Him!

But how do we remain in His love?

We are given a direct instruction - by keeping God’s commandments, we remain in Christ’s love!

But notice this is a conditional command - IF! - it is up to us to decide if we are going to remain in Christ’s love.

We can walk away from the fellowship with Christ.

We can move our thoughts away from God, we can turn cold towards the love of Christ, we can move away from the love of Christ, and we can return to our old ways/habits.

But we are invited to REMAIN, to ABIDE in His love.

It is our choice.

Free will again enters the picture.

We have the OPTION to remain in Christ’s love.

Think of this, if we truly love Christ, do we not want to show Him our love?