Unwrapping Joy

What is the difference between joy and happiness?

Much Happiness is based on earthly realities that are changing

Christmas gifts bringing fleeting happiness or not meeting expectations

Opening gifts for Christmas:

There is the box that does not have what you thought it was in it.

The gift that was cool for a bit but then the cool factor wore off

The disappointment from the parent that thought a gift would bring happiness but the kid enjoyed playing with the box even more!

Mature Joy is based on spiritual realities that are unchanging! This type of joy can be considered the happiness that grew up and became mature!

Joy - deep seated and enduring affection

Joy is a point of view. (Perspective)

To pursue joy is not to run toward health and wealth prosperity gospel or power of positive thinking thought processes. Sin and suffering are powerful forces in our growth as Christians. However, there is no need for perpetual self flagellation. There is room for balancing biblical truth and the elevating experience of real christianity.

Truth about Joy matters!

Truth matters. There is truth about Joy just like there is truth about Christ, God, and everything else.

Truth about joy matters because if we desire a specific outcome we should make sure we are pursuing that outcome on a foundation that is true and unshakable.

Don’t aim for a moving target? Bird and Tractor

If we desire a relationship with God then the truth mandates the only way to gain that relationship is through Christ.

John 14:6 ESV

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

We are in a world of overwhelming busyness, overworked moms and dads trying to juggle the responsibilities of getting food on the table each night with the added challenge of dealing with children in homeschool situations. We are in a world with constant distractions of media and news pouring in unrelenting in the amount thought pollution pouring into our minds. We have children and teenagers dealing with uncertainty from day to day on what format their school will deploy and what that means for them as they try to find normal in the midst of it all. There are individuals that we know that have been slammed with personal loss. A job that is not there anymore. A parent that is suddenly gone. It is quite easy to see the pessimistic view of everything. What does any of this have to do with truth? We need to be able to find joy! We need it! We need to search for it!

Would you rather find bubbles of joy or would you rather find anchors? There is something about bubble that is amazing. They are fun and there is a mystery to them that is thrilling. The way they move through the air and are caught by the slightest movement or air and flicker in response. They are fun but fleeting. If we consider joy to be the things of this world that are like the bubbles then we are embracing something that is fleeting and less than our souls truly need.

We need the type of joy that is an anchor to our soul. No matter how big the waves are is our anchor strong enough? I recall a trip to the Keys that i took with my cousin, dad, and grandfather. We were anchored just off of the shore of Key West in a slightly exposed lagoon for several days. During this time a storm blew in and we watch a beautiful mini yacht as its anchor started slipping. The anchor continued to drag across the bottom as the wind drove the vessel across the lagoon until it ran aground. A vessel that looked like it was fine on the outside was now in crisis because it did not have the right anchor for the situation. If we do not have the right anchor there will be a storm that comes.

Have we embraced the truth that the bubbles in our life are enough?

Do we see the truth that there is something stronger that anchors our soul in the storms?

A joy that cannot be shaken.

A joy that is worth pursuing, asking God for.

Are we reminding ourselves of the truths that bring this joy to bear in the deepest parts of our soul.

We need this joy! Why? Because...

Suffering is unavoidable !

James 1:2 ESV

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,

this passage states’ “when you” not if you...

This passage also points out that joy is a perspective. Our point of view should be that trials should be met with joy. This seems challenging if we consider joy to be the bubbles and warm fuzzies. Joy comes from something bigger. A bigger perspective. Why does our Joy need to come from a bigger perspective? Because...

Happiness is not enough!

In the worldly sense, the things that bring the warm fuzzies are not enough. There are so many things that bring happiness that fall short of what truly brings steadfast joy.

Our view of joy or happiness should not be like the story of the kid who was surprised with a trip to Disney World. He had never been on this kind of trip and was super excited about the plane ride. When they got to the airport and headed to the baggage claim he saw the belts moving and started to jump up and down exclaiming, “I love Disney World!” He may have had expectations that were set a bit too low. He was totally unaware that there was so much more in store!

Yes, I do believe that God wants happy people. Even Moses identified the Israelites as happy:

Deuteronomy 33:29 ESV

29 Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord, the shield of your help, and the sword of your triumph! Your enemies shall come fawning to you, and you shall tread upon their backs.”

Happy is the same word translated blessed in other areas of scripture. Many other places that Blessed is used is a reference to blessings that come from the Lord.

Israels happiness is God centered, God glorifying, and God given.

This Happiness is rooted in the truth that they are Saved by God!

Unwrapping the Christmas Promise of Joy!

Luke 2:8–20 ESV

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

“Fear Not” was the first thing said in the declaration by the angels! Could you imaging, the brightness of the radiance of the Lord, the terrifying view of a supernatural being, and the shepherds who where considered the lowly of society being faced with God’s glory. Of course they would be terrified. But the first words are fear not. In my mind the opposite of fear is peace which we talked about last week.

Joy in vs 10 is great joy. emphasizing “great joy” is only found a few times. It emphasizes how truly special this joy is. This joy is for all who would trust in Him! What really brings this joy? At its heart is the reality that we are now; through the sinless life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, Reconnected in relationship with God.

What else does the Bible say about Joy?

Hebrews 12:2 ESV

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.

Joy was set before Jesus! We have promise after promise of eternity with Him before us as well!

Nehemiah 8:10 ESV

10 Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

God had shown this truth to Nehemiah: Joy brings strength!

James 1:2 ESV

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,

Focus rather than feeling - focus on truth rather than feelings dependent on outcomes

Joy is a point of view. (Perspective)

Our view of joy or happiness should not be like the story of the kid who was surprised with a trip to Disney World. He had never been on this kind of trip and was super excited about the plane ride. When they got to the airport and headed to the baggage claim he saw the belts moving and started to jump up and down exclaiming, “I love Disney World!” He may have had expectations that were set a bit too low. He was totally unaware that there was so much more in store!

Joy is not necessarily an outward expression. It is a state of being. Sometimes we may need to remind our face that we are joyful. ;)

What robs joy?

Wrong perspective robs joy.

Back to Hebrews 12:1-4

Hebrews 12:1–4 ESV

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 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. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

We are running this race but it is clear that the best way to finish we is to look to Jesus. His story reminds us that there was a struggle but he has endured!

Hebrews 2:2–4 ESV

2 For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, 4 while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

We can see here testimony about the truth of the angels message!!!

What changes our perspective?

Not taking care of your body - 1 Corinthians 6:9-20

1 Corinthians 6:9–20 ESV

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. “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. “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Allowing unnecessary stressors (clashing cymbals) p88 & p89 of Reset.

Moral failures- resulting in guilt, shame, embarassment

Reset: Living a Grace-Paced Life in a Burnout Culture Repair Bay 5 Relax

“I should have . . . I shouldn’t have . . . I should have . . . I shouldn’t have . . .”

Reset: Living a Grace-Paced Life in a Burnout Culture Repair Bay 5 Relax

“I want it . . . I need it . . . I must have it . . . I will have it . . . I got it . . . I want it . . . I need it . . .”

Anger: hate to malice to ill will to resentment to revenge; ends up in controversy with disagreements, debates, disputes, and divisions!

Reset: Living a Grace-Paced Life in a Burnout Culture Repair Bay 5 Relax

“How could she . . . ? I’ll get him . . . She’ll pay for this.”

ends up in controversy with disagreements, debates, disputes, and divisions!

Vanity

Reset: Living a Grace-Paced Life in a Burnout Culture Repair Bay 5 Relax

“Me up, him down. Me up, her down. Me up, all down.”

Anxiety

Reset: Living a Grace-Paced Life in a Burnout Culture Repair Bay 5 Relax

“What if . . . ? What if . . . ? What if . . . ?”

Reset: Living a Grace-Paced Life in a Burnout Culture Repair Bay 5 Relax

“Why me? Why me? Why me?”

Expectations

Media and Technology

Psalm 46:10 ESV

10 “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

Take a snow day! Are we more enamored with the box than the gift?

We even add stressors when we prioritize aspects of church over the head of the church

What perspective was taken toward Jesus in His life? Mary, shepherds, family, disciples, people, Pharisee...

Mary Treasured and Pondered (Treasured is like a mother cares for her child)

Justin Bieber quote on happiness

People reports that actually, the Biebs is thankful for all he has, but “he feels something is missing from his life that can’t be bought," a source told the outlet. "It’s a missing feeling of happiness. He is very much grateful for his amazing life and especially for Hailey. It’s difficult for him that he can’t just enjoy everything and feel happy. He has been in treatment for this before.”

Bieber has good days and bad days, the source added, but “what he struggles with mostly is that he knows he is beyond blessed, but he has days when he feels empty and confused.”

People's new report echoes what Us Weekly reported last month: that Bieber feels a bit empty. Getting married didn't fulfill him, a source told Us then, and he just feels overwhelmed. “He has so much going for him but he doesn’t feel whole," the source said.

Could it be that we are at our best when we are embracing the purpose of our existence? Consider a tool such as an ax. Set on a woodshed it accomplishes nothing. It does not live up to its potential. Given to the hands of the unskilled it could be misused and dulled to the diminishment of its effectiveness. Given to the master woodsman it is properly sharpened. It is cared for and when needed reconditioned. It is able to undertake the mightiest of projects! An ax does not do any of this on it’s own! Only when given to the right person does it truly embrace the purpose of its existence.

We are not our best in the woodshed, we are not our best when given to the wrong person, we are best when given to our God who takes care of us and wields us according to his purpose.

The Happy Christian: Ten Ways to Be a Joyful Believer in a Gloomy World Introduction: The Happiest People In the World

• We love and are loved by the one true and living God.

• God is our perfect Father.

• We know Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

• The Holy Spirit is sanctifying and empowering us.

• Our sins are forgiven.

• We are justified and adopted into God’s worldwide and heaven-wide family.

• We have all the promises of God.

• Everything is working together for our good.

• God is our guard and guide.

• God lives in our hearts.

• Jesus has prepared a place for us in heaven and will welcome us there.