True Joy

Introduction

3rd Sunday of Advent- Joy

Defining Joy-

Webster’s- the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires

Biblical- Closely related to gladness and happiness, although joy is more a state of being than an emotion; a result of choice. One of the fruits of the spirit (Gal 5:22–23). Having joy is part of the experience of being a Christian.Brenda Heyink, “Joy,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).

another way to put it...

Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary Joy

Joy is the fruit of a right relation with God. It is not something people can create by their own efforts. The Bible distinguishes joy from pleasure. The Greek word for pleasure is the word from which we get our word “hedonism,” the philosophy of self-centered pleasure seeking. Paul referred to false teachers as “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Tim. 3:4 HCSB).

Luke 2:10 ESV

10 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.

I. Understanding the Context of the Situation

A. Historical Context

1. 400 years of silence

The modern Bible’s Old Testament ended with the prophecies of Malachi, which were written between 430 to 420 BC. Toward the end of the Persian empire.

Alexander the Great ruled his empire from 330 to 323 BC but his vast territory disintegrated immediately after his death. Various generals, friends, and family members fought for domination in his former territories. Four bodyguard, generals divided his lands. and Ptolemy ruled Egypt. Judea under the Ptolemaic and Seleucid dynasties was generally peaceful and stable. The era was also marked with increased Hellenistic influence in Palestine, from art, architecture, politics, and culture. Many Jews adopted Greek names and learned to speak and write Koine Greek.

king Antiochus IV (214 to 164 BC) who persecuted the Jews and forbade them from practicing Judaism. Antiochus forced the Jews to worship Greek gods and ordered the destruction of the Scriptures—an act which greatly angered the Jews. Some Jews welcomed the change, but other rigidly adhered to Judaism as a response to the repression.

As the repression of Judaism continued a Jew named Mattathias (along with his sons) rose up and led the rebellion against Antiochus in 167 BC. His son, Judas Maccabeus, also led the Jewish revolt between in 167 BC until his death in a battle against the Greeks in 160 BC. This era saw the rise of the Hasmonean Dynasty starting from Judas Maccabeus and ending with Antigonus II Mattathias (the Hasmonean) who led a fierce rebellion against the Romans.

The 400 years between Malchi and Matthew were anything but silent, but had no legitimate prophet from God. Until we heard a voice crying out in the wilderness.

2. Roman oppression and rule

The Roman general Pompey invaded Jerusalem in 63 BC which led to the capture of the city and the end of the Hasmonean Dynasty. Roman rule over Palestine began in the same year through Hyrcanus II, but Parthia was also a dominant force in the Near East at that time. They invaded and took Jerusalem in 40 BC.

The Roman general Marc Antony brought Herod back to Jerusalem, drove the Parthians out, and installed Herod (an Idumean) as secular ruler of the Roman province of Judea.

In year 19 BC, Herod improved the Second Temple first built by Zerubbabel during the Achaemenid period. He was Judea’s ruler when Jesus was born between 6 and 4 BC and was responsible for ordering the Massacre of the Innocents in Bethlehem shortly after Jesus’ birth.

3. Jewish cultural bondage

The Mosaic Law was the foundation of the Pharisaical rules called the “Torah” – the law that God gave through Moses to the Jewish people of the Old Testament

-The Mishnah were additional teaching of sermons and sayings by Jewish rabbis meant to interpret the original Mosaic Law.

-The Pharisees prided themselves on following not just the letter of the Mosaic Law, but even the letter of the Mishnah. Most notably, the Pharisees sought to abide by the external laws that distinguished the Jewish people from all of the other nations – the laws that made them outwardly distinct.

The Mishnah is the foundational document of rabbinic Judaism—all of rabbinic law, from ancient to modern times, is based on the Talmud, and the Talmud, in turn, is based on the Mishnah. But the Mishnah is also an elusive document; its sources and setting are obscure, as are its genre and purpose.

The Pharisees' insistence on the binding force of oral tradition (“the unwritten Torah”) remains a basic tenet of Jewish theological thought. When the Mishna (the first constituent part of the Talmud) was compiled about 200 ce, it incorporated the teachings of the Pharisees on Jewish law.

There are 613 laws in the old testament… Then there is the Mishna that they were adding to enhance and enforce in the culture...

B. Personal context- They were looking for a Savior! The Messiah.

Which brings us to our main text.

Acts 16:25–34

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. 27 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” 29 And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.

II. Joy. It’s what Jesus brings.

A. Salvation

B. Everlasting Joy

III. Joy. It’s what we receive

A. The Jailer’s despair

B. The Compassion Shared

C. The Joy that set in

IV. Joy. Do you truly have it?