What is True Joy?

Blessed - Joy vs Happy

Ecclesiastes 12:13–14 “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.”

People search high and low for anything to improve their lives. They seek happiness in earning

Exercise 7 minutes

Sleep more

Spend more time with family and friends

Get outside more

Help others: 100 hours per year - magic number

Practice smiling

Plan a trip, even if you don’t actually take one

Meditate

Move closer to work

Practice gratitude

A. We don’t need a top 10 list of things to make us happy or more money, bigger home or ??, we need…

We need a Savior and an eternal perspective:

John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Ecclesiastes 3:11 “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.”

Blessed - descriptive of the highest state of happiness, internal to oneself.

Unfortunately, happiness in our culture is based on circumstance, external from ourselves.

Joy - Not based on circumstances, but is based on the relationship one has with the Lord, and therefore, it is such an attitude that can be controlled by a complete faith in Christ. Paul says it this way in Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

The concept of joy then best represents the spiritual qualities that our Lord impresses upon us in the Beatitudes.

Paul presents joy as the byproduct of a complete faith in our Lord; Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”

Joy in the New Testament is an imperative (authoritative command) but not happiness! 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Three Essential beliefs to understanding Joy in our lives:

Settle the question of authority in one’s life. Who has all authority over us? One’s self? No one? Some religion? Money?

Jesus shows that the authority must be God John 5:30 ““I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.”

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Paul says that if we, His disciples, seeks contentment and peace, it is only to be found in the relationship with Jesus Christ. Philippians 4:6–8 “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. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

True joy does not depend on outward circumstance.

To a great extent our lives are at the mercy of events. A sharp word of criticism or correction can leave a wound that festers for hours. Our faith in the triumph of righteousness fluctuates with the reports from the nightly news or the past days events.

All of us are affected by our circumstance. It is one thing to be affected and another thing to be mastered by it. 1 Corinthians 6:12 ““All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything.”

Jesus Christ was a man of sorrows yet full of joy at the cross. Hebrews 12:2 “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Paul says this in Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Experiencing joy is having single mindedness in Christ. James 1:6–8 “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything ‘ from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

Philippians 3:7 “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.” A single mindedness on Christ.

Paul tells us we can control our feelings & emotions. Ephesians 4:26–27 “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.”

We have the ability to determine our joy; we make choices every day, and so often we choose to be unhappy because of what somebody said or did to us. We could have chosen not to get angry or sad and made the choice to be content.

Closing: Have you completely submitted and surrendered yourself to the Lord?

Do you fully know the true joy that comes in a relationship with Jesus Christ?

True joy does not depend upon the kind of house in which we live; it depends upon the kind of man that lives in that house. It does not depend on the clothes we wear; it depends on the kind of individual that is clothed. Philippians 4:11–13 “…I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

Matthew 5:3–4 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

Poor = lacking sufficient money; worse than is usual, expected, or desirable; of a low or inferior standard or quality

Mourn = feel or show deep sorrow or regret for (someone or their death), to lament; to be in a state of grief or sadness."Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her." Gen 13:

Jesus begins the Beatitudes by setting the foundation which all of us MUST have.

Not poor physically, or mourning over earthly losses, but a condition of the heart and soul that realizes we have unforgiven sin and have NOTHING before God - We are in NEED of a Savior, we NEED forgiveness in order to enter eternal life.

Matthew 4:17 “From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.””

We are command to repent - What does repentance look like?

1. Luke 18:9–14 “He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.””

Pharisee:

Standing, perhaps looking to heaven

Thankful…for not being like other men, an extensive list!!!!

Self righteous - fasts & tithes and compares himself to others

Tax Collector:

Could not look up & beat his chest - outward sign of humility

Be merciful to me a sinner! Could only beg for mercy, nothing more.

2. Psalm 51:17 “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”

Only when we realize the only hope we have for forgiveness and healing is in Jesus Christ does God

Isaiah 57:15 “For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.”

Isaiah 66:2 “All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.”

Joel 2:13 “and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.”

2 Corinthians 7:10 “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.”