The Invitation to Joy

Introduction

The Invitation Series

Today: The Invitation to Joy

Pain and brokenness in the midst of what we're told is to be a joyful season - Christmas.

Barriers to allowing joy in.

Need to assess, improve, fix

The movement taking delight often involves letting go of our need to assess, find something to improve on, fix.

Ex: Over the moon about ______ and someone throws cold water on it by pointing out what still needs worked on, fixed, improved?

Joy doesn't seem natural for us. We seem to have to work at it, schedule it, plan for it. Manage it.

How we “manage” our joy. Not too high, not too low.

Except when it comes to sports, we avoid extremes.

Fans, players - expect a lot of joy

BUT anything else, we manage it because it might be embarrassing.

Sometimes we don’t manage it as well as others: Caught by the person in the car next to you at the stop light. When Patti sees me spontaneously combust at home on occasion.

Groups - Flash Mob. Not enough ambulances. If I could dance and sing like that!

Often confused with inner peace.

Except when it comes to sports, we avoid extremes.

Fans, players - expect a lot of joy

BUT anything else, we manage it because it might be embarrassing.

Sometimes we don’t manage it as well as others: Caught by the person in the car next to you at the stop light. When Patti sees me spontaneously combust at home on occasion.

Groups - Flash Mob. Not enough ambulances. If I could dance and sing like that!

Past our prime

Lost Dreams

Tough circumstances

Joy

Anticipation of something good.

Joy like the passage we’ll read later talks about is not common (when we see it, we think the person has lost their mind).

How can we experience joy even in the midst of tough circumstances?

How can we experience joy even in the midst of tough circumstances?

Discovering Joy

Lu

Luke 1:39–45 ESV

In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

This passage is part of the birth narrative and it has a purpose:

Provides evidence that prophecy is being/has been fulfilled

Provides the context for all that will follow.

Gabriel visited her when Elizabeth was 6 months pregnant and she returned home after about 3 months, apparently before John's birth.

NT - Introduction to the idea of being joyful from an angel - scary, ugly creature. Don't be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy.

39-40 Mary started a long trip.

Zechariah and Elizabeth lived in the country.

Feeling of well being, success, good circumstances.

Feeling

Feeling of well being, success, good circumstances.

Find something you lose

Good doctor report

Good grades

Get a warning instead of a ticket

Action

Action regardless of the feeling.

Rejoice in the wife of your youth (). No conditions given.

When lies are spread about you on social media

Trying times because they produce endurance ()

The action leads to the feeling (when the rough time is over)

Joy of the HS - inner contentment not dependent on what happens to us. Spirit is present in every follower of Jesus.

Expressed when finding lost sheep, coin, prodigal son returns, when someone says yes to Jesus.

Mary’s action: left almost immediately after Gabriel's visit on a long trip to Zechariah and Elizabeth’s who lived in the country.

Experiencing Joy

Joy is to be part of our character( fruit). Truth about character - it grows over a lifetime.

Joy grows as we practice our faith, carry out our mission, support and encourage one another.

In opposition

Evidence of God's work

Experiencing Joy

What Mary Experienced

Feeling

Feeling of well being, success, good circumstances.

Find something you lose

Good doctor report

Good grades

Get a warning instead of a ticket

Action

Action regardless of the feeling.

Rejoice in the wife of your youth (). No conditions given.

When lies are spread about you on social media

Trying times because they produce endurance ()

The action leads to the feeling (when the rough time is over)

Joy of the HS - inner contentment not dependent on what happens to us. Spirit is present in every follower of Jesus.

Expressed when finding lost sheep, coin, prodigal son returns, when someone says yes to Jesus.

Mary’s action: left almost immediately after Gabriel's visit on a long trip to Zechariah and Elizabeth’s who lived in the country.

From the Spirit

41-42 Elizabeth was filled with the holy spirit.

The spirit gave her inspiration to interpret or understand the significance of what was happening at that moment.

When the spirit of God breaks through and captivates us, joy lifts our eyes to take in and celebrate the good he is doing around us

Attentiveness in the Moment

Fruit

Fruit

Joy - fruit of the spirit. Filling of the holy spirit brings joy. Can't reach for it, grab it, make joy happen. Maybe the reason life seems so joyless is because we've not bee filled/captivated by God's spirit yet; opened ourselves to allow him in fully. Not because we don't want to or because of something wrong with us. Maybe because of all the things blocking the way in we've not had time or energy to address.

Joy - fruit of the spirit. Filling of the holy spirit brings joy. Can't reach for it, grab it, make joy happen. Maybe the reason life seems so joyless is because we've not bee filled/captivated by God's spirit yet; opened ourselves to allow him in fully. Not because we don't want to or because of something wrong with us. Maybe because of all the things blocking the way in we've not had time or energy to address.

Most real, authentic experience of Joy comes from a relationship with God, the experience of life that Christ brings and in our relationships with other people.

Character

Joy (chara) is part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit that should be evident in the Christian community ()

Joy marks God's people. It is to be a significant part of our character. ; ; it is a state of being.

chairo - rejoice, state of gladness, well being.

Joy is a state of well being being that God's people are to be known for. It is to be a significant part of our character. ; .

Not just the feeling and expression but an action we choose to show gratitude for what God has done and is doing.

When it is our character, it becomes our activity. Taking delight in someone or something. Spontaneous, verbal expressions. Dancing.

Truth about character - it grows over a lifetime.

The movement taking delight often involves letting go of our need to assess, find something to improve on, fix.

Living Joy

Joy like the passage talks about is not common (when we see it, we think the person has lost their mind).

How we respond when we see someone in public singing and dancing - back up the ambulance.

Joy has an outward expression. A LOT of celebration in the bible. Important to celebrate.

OT - joy expressed in connection with the feasts that recalled God's deliverance; God's help in battle; nearness of protection in times of need and distress. Singing, celebrating. Dancing.

Elizabeth's expression of joy - When Elizabeth saw mary she cried out - loudly. 42 - krauge - Crying, screaming, shouting with excitement poetically

Picture the intensity building in the dialogue in a musical right before a song breaks out

agalliasis - joy so intense you have to express it with words and bodily movement. King David.

agalliasis - exultation; joy. Be extremely joyful, extreme gladness. State of intense joy and gladness expressed verbally or through bodily movement.

My soul/spirit rejoices in God my savior. MSG: I'm dancing the song of my savior God.

The baby's expression of joy - kick mom in the kidney, got footloose, jumped.

skirtao - Leapt for joy. Gk: Leaping of dogs. Joyful movement

skirtao - Leapt for joy. Gk: Leaping of dogs. Joyful movement

Scene like a musical.

Scene like a musical.

The movement taking delight often involves letting go of our need to assess, find something to improve on, fix.

You Are Blessed

Know YOU are blessed

An expression of wishing someone well; a good word

God’s blessing: an act of favor on someone: Something good has happened here

Something good has happened here

Despite your circumstances - pregnant and unmarried. Being blessed has nothing to do with circumstances ( - Sermon on the Mount)

Trust what God Has Said

Mary - Why me? Humility

You have something to be exuberant about because you believed what the angel told you would happen.

MSG: I'm bursting with good news

Joy seems/is to pour out of people who experience a close relationship with Jesus.

The possibility of Joy pouring out of us in character and experience regardless of our circumstances is greater in relationship with Jesus

Joy seems/is to pour out of people who experience a close relationship with Jesus.

Abiding in him...the spirit living in us leads to fullness of joy. He's the source.

Lack of trust is a joy stealer

Experiencing something positive, to be happy about because she believed what the angel told her (that it will happen).

Lack of trust is a joy killer, stealer.

The movement taking delight often involves letting go of our need to assess, find something to improve on, fix.

skirtao - Leapt for joy. Gk: Leaping of dogs. Joyful movement

Used when talking of having an experience of good things happening to you. In , the people who experience difficulty or tough circumstances are blessed or experiencing something positive. The nature of blessedness has nothing to do with circumstances.

Blessing - An expressing of a wish; a gift for the wellbeing of another. God's blessing: An act of favor of the one being blessed.

A religious practice - end of worship, etc.

Humility helps us receive joy: Why me?

Joy is Public, Not Private

synchairo - experienced with others.

eudokeo - be pleased with someone or something

The movement taking delight often involves letting go of our need to assess, find something to improve on, fix.

Acceptable times, places

Ex: Over the moon about ______ and someone throws cold water on it by pointing out what still needs worked on, fixed, improved?

Joy doesn't seem natural for us. We seem to have to work at it, schedule it, plan for it. Manage it.

Often confused with inner peace.

How we “manage” our joy. Not too high, not too low.

Except when it comes to sports, we avoid extremes.

Fans, players - expect a lot of joy

BUT anything else, we manage it because it might be embarrassing.

Sometimes we don’t manage it as well as others: Caught by the person in the car next to you at the stop light. When Patti sees me spontaneously combust at home on occasion.

Groups - Flash Mob. Not enough ambulances. If I could dance and sing like that!

Turning Sadness to Joy

The path to joy goes through Jesus and his Church.

Trust Jesus: he promised...

Receive God’s good word (blessing) about you

Be involved in his mission

Express it together.

Joy is a shared expression of our faith community

The path to joy goes through Jesus and his church.

When joyful - blessed are YOU because you believed the promise you were given would happen. Not me. Joy moves our focus and attention from ourselves to others.

When it is our character, it becomes our activity. Spontaneous, verbal expressions. Dancing. Taking delight in someone or something.

Joy grows as we practice our faith, carry out our mission, support and encourage one another.

The movement taking delight often involves letting go of our need to assess, find something to improve on, fix.

As we anticipate the promise of something good: Jesus returning to restore everything and the burdens of this life are gone.

Ex: Over the moon about ______ and someone throws cold water on it by pointing out what still needs worked on, fixed, improved?

Joy grows as we practice our faith, carry out our mission, support and encourage one another.

agalliasis - expressed verbally and through bodily movement. Sharing, dancing (David)

synchairo - experienced with others.

eudokeo - be pleased with someone or something

The movement taking delight often involves letting go of our need to assess, find something to improve on, fix. Joy doesn't seem natural for us. We seem to have to work at it, schedule it, plan for it. Football teams after a win.

Ex: Over the moon about ______ and someone throws cold water on it by pointing out what still needs worked on, fixed, improved?

ENJOYMENT

Lack of trust is a joy killer,stealer.

OT - Delight - pleasure, satisfaction; experience emotional delight.

NT - experiencing gladness (chara). result of the experience of the Holy Spirit; fruit.

Connected with and an evidence of faith ()

chairo - rejoice, state of gladness, well being. Not just the feeling and expression but an action we choose. Implies gratitude for what God has done. Response to people, things, events; especially connected with what God is doing among us.

Because it's an action, joy is a real expression of our life together meant to be shared as we anticipate the promise of something good: Jesus' return to finish restoring everything and removing the burdens of this life.

Because it's an action, joy is a real expression of our life together meant to be shared as we anticipate the promise of something good: Jesus' return to finish restoring everything and removing the burdens of this life.

euphraino - make someone glad or happy, celebrate.

agalliasis - expressed verbally and through bodily movement. Sharing, dancing (David)

Turn sadness into joy by practicing our faith supporting and encouraging one another and being involved in our mission.

eudokeo - be pleased with someone or something

Comfort in disappointment

relief - feeling when a burden is reduced or removed

Regardless of circumstances - ;

real expression of our community together. Supposed to share it.

Anticipating eternity with Jesus.

anticipation of something good.

Turn sadness into joy by practicing our faith supporting and encouraging one another and being involved in our mission. Because it's an action (more than a feeling) - a real expression of our life together meant to be shared as we anticipate Jesus' return.

The path to joy goes through Jesus and his church.

Joy is to be part of our character( fruit).