#4
(The Church’s Stance While Awaiting Christ’s Return
Series)
“BE JOYFUL!”
TEXT: 1
Thess. 5:16 2 Cor. 6:4-10 Jn. 16:22 Philip. 4:4
INTRO: One of the
3 great promises of the Declaration of
For
Christians, JOY is not something you have to earn ... IT IS SOMETHING YOU
ALREADY HAVE – but you might not even know it! Indeed, you might have it in Christ and
yet not have discovered it:
ILLUS: The
great newspaper publisher of the early 20th century, William Randolph
Hearst, was a great patron of ART works, he spent a great deal of time and money
collecting great works of art. One
day he found a description of an artwork that he felt he must own so he sent
agents around the world looking for it.
After months of searching for this one piece overseas they returned
empty-handed, but they discovered some amazing information. The art work was actually near-by, it
was found in a warehouse owned by William Randolph Hearst!!! HE ALREADY OWNED IT BUT HAD FAILED YEARS
EARLIER TO UNCRATE IT. HE HAD BEEN
SEARCHING FOR A TREASURE HE ALREADY HAD BUT DIDN'T REALIZE HE HAD
IT!
– Source Unknown
This
is true of Christian JOY … we have it already in Christ; we just need to
discover it and enjoy it! To find
anything however, you must know what it is you’re looking for. So, we are going to look at Christian joy
... something every saved person possesses in Christ!
PROP.SENT: The Bible teaches
us that Christians are to be joyful in Christ, that Biblical joy is not a simple
feeling but a frame of mind and established on a relationship with Jesus
Christ. It is not fleeting like
feelings, it is the knowledge that we are never victims, we are always
VICTORS! Victors by nature are
joyful people!
I. THE COMMAND OF JOYFULNESS 1 Thess. 5:16a Philip. 4:4
A. Requirements 1 Thess. 5:16a Philip. 4:4
1. "BE
JOYFUL!"
a. In Greek the verb is in the present
IMPERATIVE: 2nd person plural ... meaning it is a command for the whole
church!
b. This is
not a suggestion!
2. This is consistent with Paul’s
other writings to churches in the New Testament:
a. In PHILIPPIANS 4:4 we read, "REJOICE IN THE
LORD ALWAYS, I WILL SAY IT AGAIN: REJOICE!"
b. In literature anything that was
repeated was done so for strong emphasis!
c. In fact the entire letter to the
church in
d. In light of the fact that Paul
wrote from a prison cell facing possible death makes the theme even more
remarkable!
e. To the Philippians it was also a
command and not a suggestion!
3. It wasn't meant for those
Christians who had nice backgrounds only; it was for all Christians of all
time!
4. If you are not experiencing
Christian joy ... something is wrong!
a. Either you don't understand
it.
b. Or you are not looking for
it.
c. Or you are too stubborn to allow it
to rule in you!
5. Sometimes we fail to experience
Christian Joy because we are not focused properly ... we only see the present
sufferings:
ILLUS: Many
years ago a sailing ship was lost in a terrible storm at sea in a very deserted
area of the ocean. Only one man
survived the storm, being washed upon a deserted island. In his desperation he daily prayed to
God for deliverance and help. Each
day he hoped, but no one came, not even a passing ship. He managed to store a few things from
the ship that floated ashore, and he even built a crude hut ... everything in
the world he had left he kept in that hut.
One day while returning from a hunt for food he looked up toward his
crude hut to discover it was on fire. Now everything was lost ... he ran to it
but it was too late to save anything!
He fell into a deep depression and couldn't sleep that night, angry at a
God who answered a cry for help this way! He began questioning whether life
was really worth living! As dawn
broke he rose up and went down to the shoreline, and to his amazement he saw a
rowboat coming toward him with a larger ship off-shore! Once aboard ship he discovered that the
captain would not have known about him had it not been for the signal fire he
thought the man had made ... the man's last straw was actually a God-send for
his rescue! Do not despair when
calamity strikes, God is always able to bring blessing out of curses! This KNOWLEDGE IS WHAT GIVES US OUR JOY,
not the circumstances of each trial!
– Source Unknown
6. This is where Romans
7. In this light Paul MAKES THE
COMMAND FOR JOY; JUST THAT … A COMMAND!
B. Reasons:
1. While the individual ingredients in
our life aren't always pleasant the combination of our entire life will reveal a
God who loves us and is always working on something good for
us!
ILLUS: Like
a cake; while few of the individual ingredients are tasty, such as baking soda
or powder … who would like a teaspoon of that by itself!? Or, who would eat the raw eggs by
themselves, or just the flour alone, or just the extracts added alone! Most of the ingredients alone would gag
us ... but blended together they are one tasty treat of desirable texture! The finished product brings great joy to
those who partake of it! So in our
life in Christ, some individual experiences may not be pleasant but blended
together in our entire walk with God we will know Biblical joy as God works out
His Will for our good!
– Source Unknown
2. The reason a Christian can
experience joy even in the midst of great pain or a painful struggle is the
knowledge that God is ALWAYS IN CONTROL!
a. There are no accidents for the
believer!
b. Satan has no authority over us
unless permitted by God, and God never permits anything that will destroy us,
only our own bitterness can rob us of JOY, or anger and
resentment!
c. If you are in a trial right now it
is completely within God's knowledge and approval ... and the outcome will be
good when it gets here! Hang on to
your joy in the Lord in the meantime!
3. Paul not only gave this advice ...
he practiced it!
a. This is evident in the themes of
his books, mostly written from prison cells or following beatings and
scourges!
b. Paul wrote a great deal about joy
and love while experiencing a great deal of rejection and pain in his life; even
facing death frequently! It
WORKS!!!
4. Other reasons to be
"joyful."
a. It is the only way to survive this
world and still be happy!
b. It sets us apart from the world ...
an unbeliever’s joy is tied to the things of this world ... OUR JOY IS TIED TO
THE THINGS OF ANOTHER WORLD!
c. It keeps us strong during trials we
can't understand!
d. It gives meaning to meaningless
experiences!
e. It enables us to stay on course
when a storm is overwhelming us.
II. THE CONCEPT OF JOYFULNESS 1 Thess. 5:16b; 2 Cor.
6:4-10
A. Relational 2 Cor.
6:4-10
1. Paul keeps everything in
perspective, even the worst that this life can throw at us is really powerless
to destroy us or defeat us if we keep our focus and our joy in
Christ!
a. “As servants of
God …”
(1. Great
endurance;
(2. In troubles, hardships, and
distresses; 6:4
(3. In beatings, imprisonments and
riots; 6:5
(4. In hard work, sleepless nights and
hunger 6:5b
(5. In purity, understanding, patience
and kindness; 6:6a
(6. In the Holy Spirit and in sincere
love; ... etc. 6:6b-8a
b. “Genuine ... yet
regarded as imposters; known yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on;
beaten, and yet not killed; SORROWFUL, YET ALWAYS REJOICING: poor, yet making many rich; having
nothing, and yet possessing everything!”
2. It is obvious from such a list as
this that Paul equates the Biblical nature of JOY as something more than just a
feeling!
a. It is obviously based on something
more substantial than just how we feel; it is based on WHO WE ARE RELATED TO –
JESUS CHRIST!
b. Biblical joy has little to do
with feelings, but a great deal to do with my relationship with Jesus
Christ!
c. If you are in Christ YOU CAN BE
JOYFUL ... no matter your present circumstances or
trials!
3. "IN HIM
..."
a. “We move and have
our being”
b. “We are more than
conquerors”
c. “We already dwell
in heavenly places”
d. “All things are
possible!”
4. The secret to Biblical joy is being
IN HIM!
B.
Renewal 1 Thess.
5:16b
1. This kind of Joy can renew your
spirit no matter what trial you still are going
through!
2. What enabled Paul and Silas to sing
at
a. It was their joy in Christ that allowed them
to sing!
b. It renewed their spirit even after
a pretty rough day! (Or decade!).
Biblical joy rooted in our relationship with Jesus Christ can enable us
to be joyful and help us to put aside the painful trials for the moment!
ILLUS: A
carpenter that was hired to help restore an old farmhouse had just finished up a
rough first day on the job. A flat
tire had made him late to start work his first day, his electric saw had quit,
and now his pickup truck refused to start.
As he rode home with a friend, he sat in stony silence. At home finally, he walked toward the
front door, paused briefly at a small tree to just touch the leaves, and entered
his house ... he underwent a tremendous transformation however as he
entered! He came in smiling,
hugging his kids and wife! What
brought on this transformation was a ritual he had come to practice. He had dubbed this small tree his
"trouble tree." He knew he couldn't
avoid problems in life, but he didn't want to carry them into his home and have
them rob his relationships of joy.
Everyday, he stopped and touched this tree, symbolically transferring all
his problems to the tree so he could enter trouble free his home and his
relationships. Each morning on the
way out he touched the tree again to pick up the problems so he could deal with
them. However, in the morning they
always seemed lighter or fewer!
This is what happened to us when we touched Jesus Christ; we transferred
the burdens to Him who loves us, what a joy is ours because of our relationship
Jesus bought on that tree! –
Source Unknown
4. We can experience real renewal in
the relationship we have in Christ; we experience a real transformation no
matter how many trials we undergo when we have touched our
Lord!
III. THE CONTINUATION OF JOY! 1 Thess. 5:16c John
A. Revelation 1 Thess.
5:16c
1. "Always" ... this joy was meant to go on forever
... no end!
2. It is not a momentary thing … it is
a permanent dynamic!
3. How many people in this world are
joyful ALWAYS? Christians can
be!
a. Remember, we are not talking about
an EMOTIONAL STATE - IT IS A RELATIONAL ONE!
b. This is one of the unique features
of Christianity ... the joy that emanates from us all the time ... irrespective
of circumstances!
4. How tragic so many Christians don't
realize this great truth ... it has not been revealed to them about their wealth
of joy in Christ!
ILLUS: A
man who had been a drunkard on Chicago's Skid Row for many years came to a
mission one night. He heard the
message, ate the meal, and went to bed.
That was his last night on earth, he died poverty stricken and
friendless, never to see another day.
What he did not know was that he had inherited over 4 million dollars in
England. The authorities had
searched in vain for him but were unable to find him because he had no
address. He was unaware of the
riches that belonged to him and so he died miserable and poor! DO YOU KNOW THAT GOD HAS GIVEN US GREAT
JOY IN CHRIST! -- Or are you miserable and poor not realizing your real wealth
in Christ?
– Source Unknown
B. Reassurance John
16:22
1. Yes, there are times of tears, and
anger and frustration, fear and loneliness ... but these times will all be
temporary for those in Christ. Jesus has reassured us that this will not
last or be a permanent state!
a. Jesus reassures the disciples that
the pain they were experiencing for the moment will disappear in time and that
the joy that comes will never be taken away from them! Jn.
16:22
b. (SEE ALSO JOHN
2. The "MISERABLE SAINT" breaks the
heart of God as well as deprives himself and others of the life of
Christianity. We are not poverty
stricken when it comes to joy, some only act like it!
ILLUS: One
of the greatest misers of the 20th century was a miserable rich woman named
Hetty Green. She died in 1915 with
over $1,000,000! She however ate
cold oatmeal because she considered it too expensive to heat it; her son had to
suffer through a leg amputation unnecessarily because Hetty Green wasted time
looking for a free clinic to do the surgery! She finally died because of a stroke she
suffered while becoming too excited over a discussion about the value of
drinking skimmed milk to save money.
She had unlimited wealth at her disposal but failed to enjoy it because
she chose to live in poverty instead! How many Christians do this with
JOY!? In Christ they are rich in
joy, but they choose to live miserable examples of Christian
life!
– Source Unknown
3. There is no excuse for a believer
not to experience genuine Christian joy!
4. Jesus gave all assurances that it
would be available to those that sought it!
5. THE ONLY REASON PAUL COULD WRITE TO
THE
a. The
Bible doesn't ask us to do what can’t be done!
b. Get off the sour-puss kick and
enjoy the joy that is ours in Christ Jesus!
c. If you need to cry at times or feel
angry … fine, but don't live in this state! Touch the tree (the cross) and leave
your burdens there, and enjoy the transformation Christ brings to your
life!
d. "Oh what joy divine, is mine ... leaning on
the everlasting arms.”
CONCLUSION: Christian
joy is not so much a feeling as much as it is a fact!
It is a state of mind that realizes
God is in control of everything in our lives ... even sorrowful events will
yield positive results as God guides those events and us! Therefore we can rejoice always. It is a fact of our relationship to
Christ that brings inward joy!