Unending Joy

Introduction

Ok what is the deal with the beach balls? Have you ever been to a worship service with beach balls? No, me either. But I once heard on of my favorite Christian bands, Rend Collective, say seriousness is not a fruit of the Spirit but do you know what is…. Joy. Today as we continue our study in the life of Paul we see an apostle of Christ filled with Joy.

If we examine Paul’s life from a modern perspective it looks like Paul should have been filled with Joy before his encounter with the risen Christ. When Paul was still using the name Saul. Before Paul’s conversion he had a great life. Saul came from a wealthy family, he had the best education. Studying under the teacher Gamaliel was like Saul attending the best private school today. Education in Saul’s day was not free and Saul was sent away from his home in Tarsus to be educated in Jerusalem.

Saul had the best of both worlds, he was a from Jewish decent, he had the blessing of God’s chosen people, and he was a Roman citizen, this would afford him privilege in Jerusalem and the rest of the known world.

Saul came from the tribe of Benjamin and shared a name with the first king of Israel who also was from the tribe of Benjamin. Saul was a Pharisee, one of the religious leaders and protectors of Judaism. Before his conversion Saul had it good.

Then came the fateful day when Saul had his encounter with the risen Christ. This encounter lead to his conversion and Saul’s life seemed to spiral.

Saul changed his Jewish name to a Roman name “Paul.” Life was no longer easy for Paul, he was constantly on the move, traveling from place to place spreading the good news of Christ. Paul was no longer an influential Pharisee but instead made an meager living as a tent maker. Paul was often beaten and thrown out of towns. Paul didn’t always get along with church leadership, the first major argument in the church can be seen in Acts 15 between Paul and Peter.

And to top it all off Paul was arrested and put in prison at least three times. Although in Clement of Rome’s 1st Epistle to the Corinthians, Clement claims that Paul was imprisoned seven times. Clement also describes Paul execution at the hands of the Emperor Nero after his second imprisonment in Rome.

If we look at Paul’s life before and after his conversion through modern western eyes it would seem that Paul should have been filled with Joy before his conversion and not after.

But Paul’s testimony is the exact opposite. Acts records an amazing example of the true joy Paul experienced after his conversion.

Paul was on his second missionary journey and it wasn’t going the way he thought.

He had parted ways with his missionary partner Barnabas over a John Mark

Paul thought he was going to Asia Minor but the Holy Spirit directed him else where

Because of this he ended up in Macedonia in the city of Philippi where everything went wrong.

Joy comes from the Lord

Acts 16:16–18 “Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.”

Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke (ἡμῶν) were doing the Lords work (Matthew 28:19 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”)

Place of Prayer is of the Delphi Oracle

πὐθωνα - means python, which was the serpent who guarded the oracle, later came to mean speaking through someone, like a ventriloquist.

The oracle knew who these men were - like the demoniacs during Jesus’ ministry Mark 1:24 ““What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!””

This was not a good situation two phrases that could be misunderstood

the phrase “Θεοῦ τοῦ ὑψίστου had two very different meaning in the Jewish and Gentile world

the phrase “ὁδὸν σωτηρίας” was popular in Roman/Greek culture, they had many saviors

This annoyed Paul so he cast the spirit out of her.

Have you ever just said enough is enough?

Joy doesn’t mean people or situations are never going to bother, upset, or annoy us.

My Thursday this week!!!!

Joy is relational

Acts 16:19–25 “When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.” The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.”

Happiness is transactional, Joy is relational

When they saw their chance of making money had gone out (ἐξῆλθεν) they immediately grabbed Paul and Silas

The owners made up charges against Paul and Silas. These charges were three fold.

“Ἰουδαῖοι ὑπάρχοντες” - Anti-Semitism

“ἐκταράσσουσιν ἡμῶν τὴν πόλιν” - magistrates are responsible for order

“καὶ καταγγέλλοθσιν ἒθη ἃ οὐκ ἒξεστιν ἡμῖν” - probably the only true charge, it was against the law to preach judaism to Romans

As a result they were beaten and thrown into the inner most jail cell.

This was not a comfy jail cell with windows

This would have been in a cell where the only light would have been from torches. And at night when the torches went out it was complete darkness.

“Παῦλος καὶ Σιλας προσεθχόμενοι ὓμνοθν τὸν Θεόν” - If joy was transactional would they have been singing hymns? - Praise you in this storm.

Christmas Truce 1914

Joy is infectious

Acts 16:26–34 “Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.”

For the follower of Christ to be miraculously rescued was not new

(Apostles) Acts 5:19–26 “But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.” At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people. When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin—the full assembly of the elders of Israel—and sent to the jail for the apostles. But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported, “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were at a loss, wondering what this might lead to. Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.” At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them.”

(Peter) Acts 12:5–10 “So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.”

Paul and Silas’ Joy not only kept them in their cells but all of the prisoners

“δέσμιοι” - many prisoners

“ἠνεῴχθησαν δὲ παραχρῆμα αἱ θύραι πᾶσαι καὶ πάντων τὰ δεσμὰ ἀνέθη” - not just Paul and Silas’ bond

The jailer’s immediate reaction was to commit suicide

To lose everyone you were responsible for was the ultimate dishonor.

When Paul called out that they were still there the jailer rushed in

“ἒντρομος γενόμενος προσέπεσεν”

Have you ever been so happy you were trembling

Birth of my kids

He gathered his entire family

“ἡυαλλιάσατο πανοικεί πεπιστεθκὼς τῷ Θεῷ” - Joy spread from Paul and Silas to the jailer’s entire household.

Happiness can spread, but joy is infectious

Someone who is filled with Joy.

How to find Joy

Luke’s common theme through out this passage

Paul and Silas were preaching about God

Paul and Silas were singing hymns to God

The Jailer’s family was rejoicing they believed in God

The common theme is God

Surrendering to the Holy Spirit is the only way to find true Joy

Galatians 5:22–25 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

Joy is not found in our surrounding, it is not found in our friends or families, it is not found in money or lack there of, it is not found in what we do, it is not found in our leaders. True joy can only be found when we walk in step with the Holy Spirit.

Joy is found through

prayer

gathering together

fasting

reading scripture

And as Paul demonstrates - through spending time with the Lord

Conclusion

Psalm 30 “A psalm. A song. For the dedication of the temple. Of David. I will exalt you, Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me. You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead; you spared me from going down to the pit. Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. When I felt secure, I said, “I will never be shaken.” Lord, when you favored me, you made my royal mountain stand firm; but when you hid your face, I was dismayed. To you, Lord, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy: “What is gained if I am silenced, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness? Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me; Lord, be my help.” You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.”

Though we may suffer at times we should never find joy in our situations, in the people around us, in our wealth, in our government, or even in our church family. True joy only comes through a deep relationship with God through our surrender to the Holy Spirit. When we give our lives to Christ through the Spirit, then and only then can we find true joy.