Sermon Tone Analysis

The Blessing of Joy December 15, 2019 SBC

December 15, 2019

SBC

Introduction - The Story is told of Jimmy Durante - Comedian, composer, actor, singer and songwriter who lived from 1893-1980 one of the great entertainers of this past generation… He is known for saying, “If I knew how old I was going to be, I would have taken better care of myself.”

Also, “Politics is developing more comedians than radio ever did.”

He was also known as the Schnoz - because of his ‘big’ nose.

He once said, “My nose isn’t big.

I just happen to have a very small head.”

Make someone happy,

Make just one someone happy,

And you will be happy, too.

He was asked to be part of a show for W.W. II veterans.

He told them his schedule was very busy and he could afford only a few minutes, but if they wouldn’t mind his doing one ‘short’ monologue and immediately leaving for his next appointment, he would come.

Of course, the show’s director agreed happily.

But when Jimmy got on stage, something interesting happened.

he went through the short monologue, which he said he would do and leave, but instead, he stayed.

The applause grew louder and louder and he kept staying.

Pretty soon, he had been on fifteen, twenty, then thirty minutes.

Finally, he took a last bow and left the stage.

Backstage someone stopped him and said, “I thought you had to go after a few minutes.

What happened?”

Jimmy answered, “I did have to go, but I can show you the reason I stayed.

You can see for yourself if you’ll look on the front row.”

In the front row were two men, each of whom had lost an arm in the war.

One had lost his right arm and the other had lost his left.

Together, they were able to clap, and that’s exactly what they were doing, loudly and cheerfully.

These men made the most of very difficult and challenging circumstances.

- Over coming adversity - sharing each others pain as well as joy.

Turn in your Bibles this morning to

Jesus knew the difficulties of His circumstances while on earth before he was ever born - yet he came for you and for me… to help us see that in life, you will have troubles - trials - tribulations, but that he is there to help you through them and to bring you joy, which in return fulfills His joy.

He came to save us from our sin which separates us from God.

What he was about to go through when he shared this event with his disciples, telling them of his certain death, he wanted them to know… what is about to happen is for you… for the hope, peace, and joy to the world through his sacrificial death on the cross.

True joy comes about by having a healthy perspective on life created by faith, balancing tension and stress caused by trials and tribulations.

By faith in Jesus, we receive hope, peace, and joy… all be cause God loves us.

Our faith is built on His love and us trusting in Him for all things… believing that he is in control and has everything under control.

The difference between happiness and joy is said to be this: happiness is an emotion in which we "experience feelings ranging from contentment and satisfaction to bliss and intense pleasure," whereas joy "is a stronger, less common feeling than happiness."

We experience joy when we achieve selflessness to the point of personal sacrifice.

Oct 7, 2014 That’s what Jesus did… he sacrificed himself for His disciples… for us and that is what gave him joy, even in the midst of facing death.

It is important to know the difference between being happy and having joy.

Sheryl Crow famously wrote in a song, "If it makes you happy, it can't be that bad.

If it makes you happy, then why ... are you so sad?" Crow apparently could discern that being happy isn't always what is best for us.

Rev. Dr. Christopher Benek is the associate pastor of family ministries at Providence Presbyterian Church.

Joy and happiness are wonderful feelings to experience, but are very different.

Joy is more consistent and is cultivated internally.

It comes when you make peace with who you are, why you are and how you are, whereas happiness tends to be externally triggered and is based on other people, things, places, thoughts and events.

by Psychologies

Happiness is in circumstances...

Joy is in identity!

Jesus wants us to find our identity in Who he is, in who you are, and why you are...

The Bible clearly tells us who Jesus is.

Next week we will be looking at

In this verse we are told Jesus is the One and Only Divine Son of God.

The Disciples believed that.

Their faith would sustain them in the midst of trials and tribulations for the rest of their earthly lives.

Jesus wanted them to know that, because he knew people would hate them for their belief and the stance the took on Who Jesus truly is.

In this passage Jesus identifies himself as the Vine; God the Father as the Gardner and his disciples as the branches.

The central point of this passage is that if you remain in Him and He remains in you, you will be filled with Joy, regardless of the circumstances in life.

A good Gardner cuts out the dead branches and burns them, because they are dead and ineffective.

A good Gardner also prunes every branch that bears fruit so it can produce more fruit.

Both the cutting out and the pruning sound unpleasant - one more than the other.

The dead branches are destroyed.

The pruned branches still exist because they are of value and still producing fruit.

Even though it my be unpleasant, it’s purpose is significant and it brings satisfaction.

God’s desire is for us - to bear fruit - to experience the joy of bearing fruit - a fruit that reflects and emulates the life of Jesus.

The purpose of trials in life is to bring us to maturity; completeness for us.

That was the message of Jesus to His disciples.

Sometimes we create our own trials; other times God allows them to come so that he can get our attention as to what our walk with him is truly like.

In the case of the Disciples, they would experience trials that they had no control over, other than standing up for their faith in Jesus.

And because they would, Jesus wanted them to know; even in the midst of life’s most challenging circumstances you can experience, hope, peace, and joy.

This entires dialogue between Jesus and His disciples is about His love for them and that no matter what happens in the days to follow, He will always be with them; love them.

He wanted them to know the inner joy that comes, apart from outer circumstances.

a few weeks ago I journaled about a man who was asked if he knew whether or not God approved of him.

Nick Gumbel in his writing on the Bible in One year wrote: ‘

God loves you unconditionally, wholeheartedly and continually.’

These were the words of the late Alex Buchanan, described as a pastor to the pastors.

He was partially blind, profoundly deaf in one ear, with only 5% hearing in the other; he had suffered nerve damage during major surgery that left one side of his face paralysed.

I remember hearing him speak about God’s love and he kept repeating the words, ‘God loves you unconditionally, wholeheartedly and continually.’

When he finished his talk he came up to me and said, ‘Do you believe that God approves of you?’

I said, ‘Actually, I really struggle with that because I know things about myself that no one else knows and I find it difficult to believe that God approves of me.’

He replied, ‘We all struggle with that.

But God wants you to know that he approves of you.

He wants you to know he loves you unconditionally, wholeheartedly and continually.’

So as you come to Christmas this year, think on those words… that’s why Jesus came… He came in love and His love is unconditional, wholeheartedly, and continually.

Prior to Jesus teaching at this point in the Bible, Christmas reminds us of his coming… So, like the Disciples, like you and me, Mary and Joseph had good days and bad days; their life was filled with good news and bad news… Life can be like a roller coaster, up and down, up and down...

As we focus on what Jesus said about Joy and then read the story of Jesus birth, here is what we find...

and then read the story of Jesus birth, here is what we find...

Good news… they were pledged to be married!

Marriage is a great joy; ment to be an ever lasting joy; because in marriage, you discover who you are and how much you are loved as well as who the other person is and how much they need love and how capable you are of loving!

Bad news… before they came together, Mary become pregnant.

It wasn’t a result of their physical union, rather it was a result of the immaculate conception of the Holy Spirit who came upon Mary in Spirit only, not physically and she conceived!

WOW - Amazing - But how?

In the proper context of marriage, having a baby is both exciting and terrifying news at the same time… WOW, I’m going to be a father or mother… woo… can I do this?

am I … are we ready for this?… we all face those thoughts.

Bad News… Joseph found from Mary’s own lips that she was going to have a baby… but how could this be?

It wasn’t something that Joseph could find an immediate answer to.

It wasn’t until he wrestled with it and thought he had come to the right conclusion by silently divorcing her, so she would not receive any public shame and ridicule.

But then God gave him some ‘Good News’ An angel appeared to him and said, “It’s going to be ok!

This is where faith comes in… believing in God, trusting in Him… abiding in him… Him being in you and you in Him.

As we continue in the story of the first Christmas… Christ’s coming, we continue to see good new and bad news...

Good news… they worked things out and proceeded to get married