Elf: Joy

“Elf” is the story about Buddy the human, (Will Ferrel) who was raised by elves in the North Pole. He isn’t aware of the fact that he is a human until he hears it from someone else, and then he goes on an epic journey to connect with his father, find his family, and get off of the naughty list.

One important fact about Buddy is that he is always happy. Theres only two times in the movie where buddy isn’t happy. The first is when he finds out that he isn’t an elf, and the next is when his dad kicks him out of his office and tells him to leave. Throughout the rest of the movie, however, Buddy is incessantly positive. It doesn’t matter what he goes through or what people think of him, he’s stoked to be here.

I think we can see that in this clip.

CLIP

His excitement is infectious! You find yourself getting excited just because he’s excited!

One thing that I think that Buddy has that we all desperately need is joy.

Philippians 4:4-7 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Rejoice Always

In the command to “rejoice,” there can be some confusion as to what that means. Really, what the term “rejoice” means is to have joy.

But, what is joy?

Joy: Closely related to gladness and happiness, although joy is more of a state of being than an emotion; a result of choice. Having joy is part of being a Christian.

So, if we were to boil it down, joy is a state of being content and glad in any circumstance.

So, are any of us joyful all the time?

Buddy the elf even had difficulties maintaining joy! He couldn’t stay satisfied when his dad didn’t accept him.

And yet, we are told that you must “rejoice in the Lord always!”

This can feel oppressive, it can feel like you aren’t a Christian because you don’t have joy. So how are we supposed to rejoice?

Only God can give you joy.

You need God to give you joy, because you can’t get it from anywhere else.

Joy is one of the fruit of the Holy Spirit in Gal. 5:22, it is a gift that only God can give.

And that means that you aren’t going to have perfect joy all the time.

Sometimes things are going to be difficult, you’re going to have a bad day!

Some of you will deal with depression, and you don’t have to feel like you’re terrible because you aren’t joyful all the time!

Don’t look elsewhere for joy.

If you don’t have joy it can be easy to start trying to find joy in different places, but they aren’t where joy comes from!

Give examples.

So, take time to reflect on God, think of all that He’s done for you, think on the cross, and you can grow in joy.

Don’t be Anxious.

The, the Bible talks about one of the biggest obstacles to joy in your life: anxiety.

The command, ‘don’t be anxious’ is a lot like ‘rejoice always,’ it seems impossible!

Peace, like joy, can only come from God.

That’s what v. 7 says! Only when the peace of God comes into your life will you be free from anxiety

And, a lot like joy, peace is also in the fruit of the Spirit in Gal. 5:22. It’s a gift from God.

So, once again, you’re not going to no longer deal with anxiety because you’re a Christian! For some of you, God is going to have to work on a lot more anxiety than others!

Pray

In all of this, there should be a question running through your brain. How?!

How do we rejoice always? How do we not have anxiety? How do we be like Buddy?

Prayer is a necessary part of having joy and peace

V. 6

“In everything” we have to be talking with God.

You won’t have joy or peace without prayer.

If you don’t talk to the source of joy and peace, why would you get either?

This doesn’t mean that, when you pray, you’re guaranteed to have no more anxiety and immediately be joyful! Sometimes, it is a process of God transforming you by renewing your mind and making you more like Jesus, and eventually He starts to change you into the creature you were made to be.

We can only have joy or peace because of Jesus.

Gospel presentation.

Why is joy so hard to maintain?

Read Phil. 4:6. What does rejoicing always look like to you?

In what ways do you need the peace of God this week?