Joy
Notes
Transcript
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Unique challenge- joy cannot be manipulated. One cannot fake it until he makes it.
This is unique from love and peace in which you can pursue loving and peaceful actions even when you don’t fell like it
Its easy to find joy in circumstances.
We are in the boxing ring of circumstances. The ring represents one’s inner man. The two contestants are joy and sorrow. When circumstances are pleasant- well-paying job, sunshine, good friendships, and health- joy is pummeling the life out of sorrow. When the job is lost, the clouds roll in, the friend gossips about us, and the headache is pounding,- sorrow rains it blows down on joy. As the match continues over the years, sorrow seems to be gaining standing over joy more with the taunt of victory while joy throws its wild punches that rarely connect with sorrow.
Joy signals that he is done, but before sorrow can be pronounced the winner, he walks over to the ref and asks if he can talk to sorrow. The ref looks over to sorrow to see if he would acquiesce to the strange request. Surprisingly, sorrow was eager to comply.
Joy walked over to sorrow and whispered: “I don’t think we are opponents; we are on the same team. Our opponent is the one sitting over to the left side of the rink. Sorrow sighed and said: “I think you are right.
Joy and sorrow walked over to the ref and declared: “We would like to challenge Facade to a fight.”
Facade was somewhat startled by the request, but he then sauntered up to the rink mockingly said: “I will take the challenge.”
How can joy and sorrow be on the same team when they are opposite emotions? This takes place when the goal is the same- restoration. Ultimately the restoration of a creation back to perfect order under God’s rule. This secondary result is the wholeness of the individual soul. Sorrow weeps over the incompletion of the goal; Joy rejoices in the advancement of the goal.
Sorrow cries over the unreconciled relationship; joy finds refuge in an unwavering reconciled relationship with Christ.
Why is Facade the opponent of joy and sorrow? He imitates both of them and has a totally different agenda. He is all smiles when things are going his way. He has a shallow sorrow when his plans get interrupted. He is cheap and fragile. He is an imitation that must be defeated.
How so?
First let’s consider what joy is not and then what joy is
Joy is not the absence of sorrow
Joy is not the absence of sorrow
If this is so this trivializes pain and sorrow
Sadness responds in such a way that reflects that good is not being done while affirming that good still exists.
Sorrow can be a godly response
1 To You I will cry, O Lord my Rock: Do not be silent to me, Lest, if You are silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit.
35 Jesus wept.
Husband- your wife shares something discouraging, hurtful, or confusing. If you want to move on to the next project or you think the pain is trivial, how might you respond?
Can God work in you in such a way that you weighed what she said, still offer hope, not try to move on with just offering to alieve it with money, and not fix it with words.
Only God can produce this so ask Him. “May my strength not just be exercised in might, but exercised in genuine sorrow.”
It may sound like: “That’s tough; that hurts. I know that I can’t fully grasp how that feels, but I want to walk with you in it.”
Joy is not the presence of a smile
Joy is not the presence of a smile
A smile can be a facade; joy cannot.
To be optimistic can be shallow.
To put on a thin coat or veneer of happiness is not a substitute for joy.
“Joy is delightful confidence in the triune God who orchestrated, accomplished, and applied our salvation.”
“Joy is delightful confidence in the triune God who orchestrated, accomplished, and applied our salvation.”
(It’s a) “settled happiness. `It’s a gift from God that “is ours today because Christ is here; it’s ours tomorrow because Christ will be there; and it’s ours forever because he will never leave us.”
Menikoff, Aaron. Character Matters (pp. 46-47). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.
4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy,
5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now,
6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
Joy is marked by dependence. It is abounding in the advancement of others. It rests on the tenacious work of Christ.
18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.
He responded to the antagonism that he faced with a sigh and yet firm resolve to rejoice. Why was this so?
19 For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
20 according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.
21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell.
23 For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.
24 Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you.
Paul chooses to rejoice in the midst of the adversity of those thinking to afflict him in his imprisonment. He does this because he knows that this very adversity will actually result in his deliverance. This deliverance is not a release from jail for the adversity would not yield that. Rather it is a furtherance of God’s sanctifying purposes. For Paul he will not be ashamed. He will continue on. For the sake of Christ His (Christ’s name will be honored) Life or death cannot hinder these purposes. Both situations are gain when one lives to honor Christ. Living in the flesh will result in more fruitful labor with others. Departure from the flesh will only be entrance in a fully enjoyment of the One Paul was living for.
Life in the flesh- is fruitful labor, necessary in helping others, honoring Christ, incomplete
Life after death-enjoyment of Christ, better for Paul
The fruit of joy is produced by God, and it has a personal luscious nature in the one in whom it dwells. However, it has a contagious nature to it- others are attracted to it and benefit from it. Joy is not self-centered
25 And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith,
2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
17 Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.
Joy has a killer- confidence in the flesh. He doesn’t consider it a burdensome thing to keep reminding them of things that will rob them of their joy.
1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.
Joy is tied to obedience. It is tied to the obedient work of Christ. It is tied to your obedient response to the work of Christ.
Possibly explore assurance of salvation
Joy has an object from which it always derives its energy
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
The object of joy never diminishes
Circumstance are not the producers of joy; they are the occassions to find out about the solid joys
This call for rejoicing is in the midst of pursuing peace among the body of Christ. Peace can only be had as people rejoice in Christ rather than looking to others for their happiness.
Looking at Jesus until you smile.
Closing
As Joy and Sorrow ruthlessly worked against Facade, they found his fighting technique to be poor but persistent.
Joy and sorrow shared a growing bond as they fought together against Facade. As the fight came to a close and the hands of Joy and Sorrow were raised together in victory, Sorrow then walked over to his comrade and put him on his shoulders and lifted him up. “My friend, I was but a temporary companion, go rejoice forevermore where this is no more Sorrow.”