Advent: Finding Joy

Intro

In the middle of sorrow, great and small, often times we forget that there is a joy that is always coming. There are trial and tribulations, problems and persecutions, sadness, sorrow, weeping. In this season of Advent when we light the candles of hope, peace, joy, and love we feel and hear story after story of hopelessness, chaos, sorrow, and hatred.

Exp

Here is the good news. No matter how bad it gets. No matter what we have faced, are facing, or will face, there is a place we can find joy that never goes away. It is always near at hand. There is coming a day when joy is permanent and will never go away. Today is not that day, but today we can find a piece of it. And everyday we can find a piece of it.

PS

Today that’s what we are going to talk about. How can we find a lasting joy?

The State of Joy

Psalm 126:1–2 NIV

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”

Ps 126:1-2

Restored

The nation and promise of Abraham.

Genesis 22:17–18 NIV

I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”

Ge 22:17-18

As time went on they became a nation of slaves in captivity, oppressed and beaten down

400 years later they left Egypt stronger and richer that they ever were

In our lives we find ourselves enslaved by many things

In our lives when we trust in God and in His time, we are set free.... restored

The Path to Oppression

Psalm 126:2–3 NIV

Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.

Ps 126:

The testimony to those who are not His people

He has done vs He is doing

We are filled — on the He has not the He is

We cannot rest on the past.

Philippians 3:7 NIV

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.

The reason Paul considers it loss, is because that’s what it is when we rest on our past glories, as great as they may be, they diminish and keep us bound. Our job is always to press forward to the next glory. If we do not we will find ourselves in a place where we pray

Prayer, Repent, Petition

Psalm 126:4 NIV

Restore our fortunes, Lord, like streams in the Negev.

Ps 126:

Recognize our return to captivity

Recognize that we are addressing YHWH

Let the answer come quickly…streams of Negev

The Answer and a Promise

Sowing with tears

The seed is so precious we don’t want to lose it.

The seed is all we are. It us. It is given with great passion.

Songs of joy.. back to verse 1

The seed bears fruit.

Conclusion

As I said already, and we have experienced in these days, sorrow surrounds us, we have trials of great troubles. Joy seems difficult to find but it is promised. We remember the great things the Lord has done for us but is we remember on thing is that he is always working always moving us towards the next glory. The fastest path to joy is to carry these seeds, planting, and reaping. If you want joy, you must plant.