Season of Joy

EXPERIENCING JOY, AND KEEPING IT.

Introduction.

This is a tough Sermon in light of people losing everything. Over the weekend we had Tornados rip through the country. People lost there lives, their homes their businesses. Not a message they want to hear.

So is it possible to have Joy when you lost everything.

YES and it depends a lot on how you define Joy.

The writer of Hebrews says, “fix your eyes on Jesus the author and perfector of your faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the Father.

Psalm 126 ESV

A Song of Ascents. When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad. Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negeb! Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.

Song of Ascents In Hebrew, the word translated as “ascent” is ma’alah (מעלה), which means ascent or degree and indicates a movement upward.

Context

Zion destroyed and pillaged; people uprooted and moved out, everything taken. You are left with nothing, not even a dream. This was just the beginning. You are forced to walk to Babylon, (800 miles) you can look back and see nothing but smoke. You look ahead and your future is anything but certain.

Then we start asking questions.

We immediately ask the question why? Or Why is this happening to me.

Why - The toughest question you can ever ask.

Sometimes why is accompanied by silence.

Sometimes why can give you a heart piercing reason –

It is easy at times to lose your joy.

Health problems, Finances, Children are sick, bad report card, Uprooted, or in a place of unfamiliarity, Even Age

We can cry out, this is all unfair ! Then you look for someone to blame.

Gods people became the outcast

In this crazy messed up world, have you experienced your joy taken from you, it seems like Joy only lasts for a moment.

It comes and goes quickly.

PERSONAL ILLUSTRATION – Ladies you are making the perfect dinner for your husband and the kids and all of a sudden you get a phone call or a text, it is your best friend. You tell your friend about the amazing evening your going to have. You get into a hour long discussion and then suddenly you smell something burning. Burnt to a crisp is the amazing dinner you were preparing.

Your joy has turned into anger. Then you blame your friend because she would not stop talking and messed everything up for you.

Men, You get all comfortable in your chair to watch the ball game after church( not before). Then your wife says Honey go to the store and pick up all the baking ingredients needed for the pie she is about to make. You know that no matter what you pick up it will probably be the wrong stuff and you know saying no is not an option.

Your stuck with two questions, the first one is easy and comes naturally

Why - The toughest question you can ever ask. Because many times it comes with silence.

HOW!

How do I get my Joy back? – That word is defined as “ a cry of jubilation” it also can have laughter attached to it. Revivals sometimes come with laughter as a byproduct.

How do I get my Joy back?

1. Joy comes when you change your perspective. (vs 1-3)

It isn’t what God has taken away, it is how do I experience the peace of God in the circumstance.

Vs 2-3 - The Lord has done great things –

God never left His people they left him. God is there, sometimes you just don’t realize it.

Sometimes we as Christians believe for some reason, we are immune from difficulties.

It is how we handle the difficulties that shows where our Joy comes from.

Martin Luther King said, “I have a dream.” – he looked above the circumstance

Scripture says the Joy of the Lord is our strength.

God can bring good out of a bad situation – especially when you are trapped.

You can turn it around by knowing your God

2. Joy comes when we ask – What do you want to teach me, How can I glorify God in this?

Back to vs 2-3 - God is a God of Rescue. -

3. Joy comes like seasonal rain. (vs4)

4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negeb!

Califonia has been through many droughts and fires This year it was drought, fire and CoronaVirus.

We are tempted to think God is like the drought and the rain will never come, and Covid will never end. We are tempted to stay in a depressed state.

We begin to hold back and not give God the glory deserved.

Don’t stop giving, Don’t stop blessing, Don’t stop loving – the joy of the Lord is showering over you. AMEN.

The Joy of the Lord is your strength - AMEN

4. Joy comes by having tears turned into Joy (vs5-6)

What does this really mean – “Repentence”

It is a picture of repentence. It is a complete turnaround

“The psalmist celebrates the return of the Jews to Palestine after the Babylonian exile” (BCWT Pg. 377).

The people are given life ( fortunes). God is a God of turnarounds.

It is a picture of renewal

It is a picture of birth. (Tears in child birth turns into tears of Joy)

It is a picture of the cross – That is why Jesus could go to the cross joyfully

LK 6:21 Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.

Spiritual renewal can happen during a bad situation or right after one

AMEN

Joy comes by faith

We must remember the former because joy is contained in faith.

In faith your mouth will be filled with laughter and your tongue will sing the glories of the Lord. Then the world (those not in the faith) will know the tender mercies of God and that the Lord has done great things.

We know the end of the story, there will be a final overthrow of Satan and his hosts.

We will walk in peace, we will have King Jesus on the throne.

The source of true joy is God

Matthew 5:11–12 ESV

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

The faith is understanding the reward. Do you know there is a reward at the end of this life for all believers

Conclusion:

Joy comes as you journey back to Christ.

Illustration: have you ever been on a trip and when it was finally time to go home you were very happy. You had a lot of fun. It was a long journey but you started to miss your own bed, your own schedule and everything else.

It was a long journey back but each mile is one closer to Jesus.

Everyday your alive is one step closer to Jesus.

Pretty soon the familiarity comes back

When we come to the place where we understand it is all about Him then we are on a good journey back.

Joy comes when you know that where you are going is stable.

The prodigal Son is a great example of this Luke 15:11-32

I like to read all the way to vs 32 so e can get the whole story

Isaiah 35:10

Isaiah 35:10 ESV

And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Have you experienced Gods Joy?