Reflections On Joy

<< Previous | Index | Next >>
                          "REFLECTIONS"

                              On Joy

INTRODUCTION

1. We continue our "Reflections" on things that are...
   a. True, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report - Php 4:8
   b. Virtuous and worthy of praise - ibid.

2. A virtue worthy of reflection is that of joy...
   a. An element of the kingdom of God - Ro 14:17
   b. A component of the fruit of the Spirit - Ga 5:22

3. Many Christians appear to fall short in experiencing such joy...
   a. It is often apparent as they go about their daily living
   b. It frequently carries over into our worship (e.g., lack of
      enthusiasm, boredom)

[What is joy?  How can Christians be filled with joy?  Let's begin our
reflection by noting ...]

I. THE DEFINITION OF JOY

   A. IN THE GREEK...
      1. The noun is chara
         a. Which Thayer defines as "joy, gladness"
         b. Vine adds "delight"
         c. By one count the word is used 60 times in the NT
      2. The verb is chairo
         a. Which is most often translated "to rejoice"
         b. It is used 72 times in the NT
      3. Closely related is the word charis
         a. Which is the word most often translated as "grace"
         b. Grace in the objective sense is "that which bestows or
            occasions pleasure, delight, or causes favorable regard"
            - Vine
      -- Joy is gladness that comes from grace!

   B. THE RELATION OF JOY TO GRACE...
      1. Joy is directly proportional to grace one has received, or at
         least to the perception of grace that one has received
         a. Receive a small gift, and your joy might be minimal
         b. Receive a large gift, and your joyous reaction is greater
      2. When Christians' don't have much joy in their lives, something
         is wrong:  "If you have no joy in your religion, there's a leak
         in your Christianity somewhere." - Billy Sunday
      3. Here is one explanation why Christians may be joyless:  "The
         reason why many poor souls have so little heat of joy in their
         hearts, is that they have so little light of Gospel knowledge
         in their mind.  The further a soul stands from the light of
         truth, the further he must needs be from the heat of comfort."
         - William Gurnall
      -- The more we understand God's grace, the more we will experience
         God's joy!

   C. THE JOY OF THE LORD IS ABIDING....
      1. The Lord certainly does not want Christians to be joyless - cf.
         Jn 15:11
      2. The joy He gives is "inexpressible and full of glory", able to
         sustain us in the worst of circumstances - cf. 1Pe 1:6-8
         a. Unlike the "passing pleasures of sin" which are fleeting
            - He 11:25
         b. Even the good things in life eventually prove to be "vanity"
            - Ecc 2:10-11
      -- The Lord has made it possible for the Christian to say:
         "Rejoice!" - Php 4:4

[A failure to remember things graciously given which make for joy in our
lives can explain why some Christians do not have the degree of joy
(gladness, delight) they should have.  But we have every reason to be
joyful.  We just need to remember what it is that produces joy.  Let's
reflect on just a few...]

II. SOURCES OF JOY FOR THE CHRISTIAN

   A. JOY IS A CONSEQUENCE OF FAITH...
      1. Joy comes from having a confident trust (faith) in God - cf.
         Php 1:25
         a. For faith in God dispels attitudes that prevent joy from
            occurring
         b. Such as worry, doubt and fear - cf. Mt 6:25-30; 14:27-31
      2. This emphasizes the role of God's Word in producing joy...
         a. For faith comes from the Word of God - Ro 10:17
         b. In turn, faith produces joy - cf. Ro 15:13
      -- Thus the need to read and study the Bible daily!

   B. JOY IS THE RESULT OF OBEDIENCE...
      1. Obedience to the Word of God fosters joy in the hearts of the
         obedient
         a. Notice the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch - Ac 8:35-38
         b. Also the conversion of the Thessalonians - 1Th 1:6
      2. Conversely, disobedience dispels joy and produces fear! - cf.
         He 10:26-27
      -- Could lack of joy be an indication of lack of obedience on your
         part?

   C. JOY IS BASED UPON FORGIVENESS...
      1. The guilt of sin is a major reason why many people lack joy
         a. Awareness of such guilt causes stress, unhappiness, and
            worry
         b. As Paul illustrated describing the dilemma of one struggling
            with sin - cf. Ro 7:22-24
      2. But where there is forgiveness, there can be joy!
         a. Consider David's psalm of confession - Psa 32:1-5,10-11
         b. The correlation between forgiveness and joy is also seen in
            Psa 51:7-12
      3. Those in Christ can enjoy forgiveness of sins and the joy that
         follows - Ro 5:1-2,10-11
      -- If you have not yet received the forgiveness found only in
         Christ, there is no way to experience the abiding joy that
         comes only "in the Lord"

   D. JOY COMES FROM CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP...
      1. It is a joy just to see such fellowship
         a. Paul experienced joy by witnessing love and fellowship in
            Philemon - Phm 7
         b. He also found great joy in learning of the restoration of
            brethren - 2Co 7:7
      2. How much more, the joy of experiencing such fellowship!
         a. Paul rejoiced in the fellowship he had with the Philippians
            - Php 4:10
         b. John spoke of the joy that comes of Christian fellowship
            reunited - 2Jn 12
      -- Are you developing the kind of Christian fellowship that adds
         to our joy?

   E. JOY COMES FROM CHRISTIAN SERVICE...
      1. There is the joy of spreading the gospel
         a. Barnabas rejoiced in the conversions at Antioch - Ac
            11:20-23
         b. The Christian Jews delighted to hear of the conversion of
            the Gentiles - Ac 15:3
      2. There is great joy in seeing the spiritual progress of others
         a. This was a frequent source of joy to Paul - Ro 16:19; Col
            2:5; 1Th 3:6-9
         b. John wrote that this was the highest form of joy - 3Jn 4
      3. Jesus also spoke of the "blessedness" (i.e., joy) of giving to
         others - Ac 20:35
      -- Those willing to be involved in serving the Lord, whether it
         be through teaching or the giving of one's time, energy or
         money, will experience joy from such service!

CONCLUSION

1. The wonderful joy of the Lord is open to all who would receive it
   through such things as:
   a. Faith in Christ
   b. Obedience to His Will
   c. Forgiveness through His blood
   d. Fellowship with His disciples
   e. Service in His Kingdom
   -- And it is the kind of joy that can sustain us through life, as
      Nehemiah told Israel:

             The joy of the Lord is your strength - Neh 8:10

2. Why not begin experiencing this joy today by...
   a. Obeying the gospel of Christ
   b. Receiving the forgiveness of sins through the blood of Christ
   c. Participate in the fellowship of Christian love as you work toward
      bringing others to salvation in Christ - cf. Ac 2:38-42

   Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in
   believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the
   Holy Spirit. - Ro 15:13
<< Previous | Index | Next >>
Home Page
Have A Bible Question? | Want A Free Bible Study Course? | Looking For A Church Near You?
Want To Talk With Someone By Phone? | Want To Discuss The Bible By Email?
Search The Outlines