Are you happy?

Luke 2:8–10 (ESV)

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 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.

Msg Title: Are you happy?

Prayer.

Are you a happy person? if i was to ask someone close to you… are you happy - i wonder what the would say? i wonder what would be given as testimony about you.

Some people talk about Happiness as the one deciding factor in life. If you look around - it seems to be what most people are chasing - Whatever it is… that makes them: Happy

But the bible has much to say about happiness but instead of the word happy - it employs a different word which we know as JOY.

Psalm 4:7 “7 You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.”

Psalm 16:11 “11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Habakkuk 3:18 “18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.”

There is a distinction here - The bible seems to guide us to focus on JOY rather than the emotion driven state of happiness

And here the ANGEL of the Lord appears to them and says: this birth which has happened today in Bethlehem will be the source of MUCH JOY

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.

Luke 2:10 (NIV)

10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.

One of the central themes of advent is JOY. Not happiness, but JOY.

So lets focus in on that today - and allow God to speak to our hearts

I think its important to remind us of this today that we are called to be people of God who are people of JOY - why? well lets get into it:

1.HAPPINESS IS TEMPORAL

The angel of the Lord said this birth, the birth of our lord, will CAUSE GREAT JOY.

Not happiness. (which it includes)

Not emotion. (which it includes)

This is a clear distinctive of the believer:

The world wants to be happy - But the world is continually LET DOWN by happiness!

there is increasing levels of depression which is because of the age we are living in and specificially its related to overall happiness. Where you look determines what you think

If you are looking at someone else - for that level of THING in life - You will be let down because what is someone elses version of happy is not the same as yours.

Depression rates are so HIGH - dont need to GO into this but happiness it seems is an increasing moRE DIFFICULT GOAL - and i think the reason is that weve forgotten perhaps how happiness works. Its WHATS HAPPENING AROUND US!

** I saw a funny Yeh video the other day that was really a satire comedy thing but it displayed something that thought was quite sad. They did an expose on what people do when they see either amazing SITES or Visit attractions in major cities and the like and it was amazing

What did the majority of people do when they saw the SIGHT

the grand canyon

The lion in the wild on safari

Reach the top of the empire state building

The band comes out and plays theire favourit song

What did the majority of people do?

(***pulls phone out - Lifts up in front of themselves - and hits record - takes picture)

We’ve lost something - Whats happening - Our happiness - is temporal - Were taking it away from ourselves.

Yes we want the memories to live on (photos, vidoes and the like)

But we used to just ENJOY things - Live in the moment - Take it all in. NOT PUT IT ON A SCREEN!

Now i believe this is a reminder of LIFE -= what is the key - Balance. Sure at the end of the night before youre about to head home you should take a photo with yoru fieneds to remember it later. to have tht memory.

But HAPPINESS IS TEMPORAL. its Here and nnow - and then its GONE.

I know this because i love doing the THINGS that make me HAPPY. what are they?

I love to go out on my boat - and FISH

I love to go out on my surf board - and surf

I love to smoke a 10lb rack of ribs for 6 hours...

but what is the commonality between thos things - YES THEY MAKE ME HAPPY - But they ALSO END

The boat returns to shore

The wave im surfing on ends

The meal is HAD

Happiness is NOT ENOUGH - Do you see why the angel didnt say happy now?

This is the reason

Because Happiness is temporal (its not enoughyt

but

2.JESUS WILL CAUSE GREAT JOY

JOY IS LIKE HAPPINESS, BUT WITH PURPOSE

and for the BELIEVER IN JESUS - ITS NOT ATHE SURFACE LEVEL

JOY IS DEEPER, JOY IN THE LORD IS ETERNAL

Romans 14:17 “17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

Its something much deeper - and long lasting, eternal

That should help you as you navigate life. Navigate this season

There is a DEPTH to Joy that HAPPINESS just doesn’t have.

Do you know this?

Luke 2:10 (NIV)

10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.

Write this down: JESUS WILL CAUSE GREAT JOY IN MY LIFE

When i wrote this down i didn't have the “will” in there

But there needs to be

Theres a WILL in that statement because there is a an IF

If you come to JESUS - He will cause GREAT JOY

If you hear His word - Accept his Forgiveness Which is the GOSPEL - Will cause GREAT JOY

Hearing the GOOD news - will cause JOY in your life

Being in Relationship with JESUS will cause GREAT JOY

if you leave the nets and follow him - he will CAUSE In you a JOY which will be everlasting

Acts 8:4–8 (ESV)

4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. 5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. 6 And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was much joy in that city.

I want to make a big statement that may shock you - but i want to say it as your pastor

“THE JESUS THINGS BRING THE DEEPEST JOY”

THINGS THAT ARE ATTACHED TO JESUS (or to God) & A LIFE OF FAITH & BUILDING THE CHURCH BRING THE MOST JOY INTO OUR LIVES - Because they are carry eternal significance

Think of the answered prayer in your life

Think of the things that God has allowed you to step into

Anything Jesus had you through

Anything God has given you (a family, a job, a life, children, frends - this church)

WHAT GOD BRINGS IN - NO ONE CAN TAKE AWAY

This is why we can face hard things, unlike the world.

because we have the fullness of Joy - and its eternal with HIM!

I WANT TO FINISH WITH A STORY:

I have been studying the life of CT STUDD lately - Who was a missionary and pionner in teh faith at the end of the 1800’s in england.

He was born in 1860

He was a famous cricketer - so good that he was the only person who did the double scored a thousand runs and 100 wickets in a season - which to this day is considered incredible

He was born to a wealthy Father - who made money developing rural india.

But God got a hold of his life.

Charles Thomas Studd, often known as C. T. Studd (2 December 1860[1] – 16 July 1931), was a British missionary, a contributor to The Fundamentals, and a cricketer.

As a British Anglican[2] Christian missionary to China he was part of the Cambridge Seven, and later was responsible for setting up the Heart of Africa Mission which became the Worldwide Evangelisation Crusade (now WEC International). As a cricketer, he played for England in the 1882 match won by Australia, which was the origins of The Ashes.

A poem he wrote, "Only One Life, 'Twill Soon Be Past", has become famous to many who are unaware of its author.

addit verses

Psalm 4:7 “7 You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.”

Psalm 16:11 “11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Romans 14:17 “17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 15:13 “13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

Habakkuk 3:18 “18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.”