Lodge Service (2)

Joy

Galatians 5:22–23 NKJV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Today I’d like to share with you about joy.

I came across a letter that was written to Pastor Michael Youssef. The story is called Joy is Black.

Dear Michael,

One day I was trying to teach my students the difference between happiness and joy. They seemed to understand, so I suggested that maybe they could write about the color of happiness and the color of joy and then tell some of the things that they thought would bring them those feelings. They were all excited and they had used the whole gamut of colors to express themselves. It was an enlightening morning.

However, one little boy said that he knew that joy was black! I was devastated. I was sure that he was depressed and totally without joy. So I invited him to come give me a private audience and tell me about his paper. He said, "Well, Mrs. Lane, you told us that happiness was something that you felt when you went to a birthday party or when you went on vacation or got a new pair of shoes, but that it didn’t last. Then you said that joy was deep inside of you and that nobody could ever take it away from you. I figured if it was deep inside of you where it was dark, it must be black!"

I could have cried! How could I have been so stupid not to have seen that at first? I hugged him and told him that he was a lot smarter than I was. He just grinned.

There’s a huge difference between joy and happiness. Happiness is based on our circumstances. Maybe a letter came in the mail or somebody brought us a nice gift and it made you happy.

You can have joy even in difficult circumstances because joy comes from trusting that God has good plans for us whether we are in a trial or when we are experiencing good times.

James 1:17 NIV

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

We can have joy because we can trust that Jesus Christ is the same: yesterday, today, and for ever.

The is a Scripture verse on joy that I have often quoted but I thought that I should look at the context.

The verse is found in the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah was a cupbearer for King Cyrus. He had been send to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls of the city. On October 8th, the had a celebration, and Ezra, who was the scribe started reading the Book of the Law, which is the first 5 books of our Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

The Jewish people had been in exile for 70 years and were probably hearing the Law for the first time. They were weeping as it was read to them.

Nehemiah 8:9–12 NLT

Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were interpreting for the people said to them, “Don’t mourn or weep on such a day as this! For today is a sacred day before the Lord your God.” For the people had all been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!” And the Levites, too, quieted the people, telling them, “Hush! Don’t weep! For this is a sacred day.” So the people went away to eat and drink at a festive meal, to share gifts of food, and to celebrate with great joy because they had heard God’s words and understood them.

We have much reason to have joy. The people that had returned to Jerusalem rejoiced because they had heard God’s Word and understood what it meant.

We too have God’s word. We can receive much joy and strength from God’s word.

John 3:16 NKJV

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Psalm 23 NKJV

A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.

I want to close with a hymn that was written in 1871 (just over 150 years ago) and yet it has great meaning and gives us great hope for us today.

Hymn

Jesus loves even me.

By Philip Bliss and Emily Oakey

Emily Oakey suffered with really poor health her whole life and yet she helped pen the words:

1 I am so glad that our Father in heaven Tells of His love in the Book He has given; Wonderful things in the Bible I see, This is the dearest, that Jesus loves me.

Refrain: I am so glad that Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me; I am so glad that Jesus loves me, Jesus loves even me.

2 Though I forget Him and wander away, Still He doth love me wherever I stray; Back to His dear loving arms would I flee, When I remember that Jesus loves me. [Refrain]

3 O, if there's only one song I can sing, When in His beauty I see the great King, This shall my song in eternity be: Oh, what a wonder that Jesus loves me! [Refrain]

(#439 in our hymn book)

Today that is the joy that I want to leave you with: Jesus loves even me.