THE PROBLEM OF JOY
1 Thessalonians 5:16
INTRODUCTION... Three words can be powerful (p)
What are the three most powerful words you can ever say to someone? Right away you are probably thinking of some powerful phrases than only contain three words… maybe you have said them to someone… maybe someone has said them to you.
I love you. I miss you. Seize the day. This will pass.
I am sorry. . Get lost loser. Don’t be afraid. Just do it.
Please forgive me. Let’s be friends. Never look back. Now or never.
Each one of these phrases is small, but packed with meaning and depending on the situation, can bring life and goodness or could just crush someone. Words are powerful!
Today we are going to look at one verse from the Bible that only contains three words. Yes I said three words. This verse is only slightly longer than John 11:35 (NIV 1984) which is the shortest verse in the Bible which is “Jesus wept.” Depending on the translation you use, the verse may only have two words! Even though this verse has only three words, each one seems to be quite powerful. What verse are we looking at?
1 Thessalonians 5:16.
READ 1 THESSALONIANS 5:16
“Be joyful always” (NIV 1984)
As I said, depending on the particular Bible you have in your hands, the verse might also say:
“Rejoice evermore” (KJV, KJ21)
“Rejoice always” (ASV, CEB, NASB, ESV, HCSB)
“Always be joyful” (NLT, CEV, TLB)
“Always rejoice” (NET)
However you slice it and however you read it, we are talking about “joy” today. Today as we talk about joy, I’d like to discuss with you the problem of joy, take a journey through the Scriptures, and then talk about the solution of joy. Problem. Journey. Solution.
I. THE PROBLEM OF JOY
As I began to dig into these three words in 1 Thessalonians 5:16, I realized that some of us might have an issue with the word “joy.” I suppose I should be totally honest and let you know that I personally struggle with joy at times. I am hoping this morning that by being honest about ourselves with ourselves, we will find the Truth God has for us in His Word. I think we struggle with joy for two reasons.
First, we are ruled by our definition of joy. Last week John mentioned that the Greek language, from which the New Testament is translated, has several specific words for “love.” He listed four for us and went through them. “Joy” is much more complicated. By my calculations, in the Greek language in the New Testament there are eleven (11) different words for joy/rejoice which covers the words joy, happiness, rejoice, joyful, gladness, to thrive, to be well, to be conscious of grace, for other people, for oneself, and all of them are often translated and smushed together as just “happy” or “joy” in English. When I say the word “joy” can you define it without stuttering or offering a story about it? When I say the word “joy” can you define it without using synonyms? We at times find defining “joy” quite complicated and difficult.
What does this mean? It means we may not be so sure what “joy” actually is. Is joy a feeling? If joy is a feeling is it dependent on circumstances? Is joy an attitude? Is joy a choice? Is joy inside of me or is it something divinely given? Is joy dependent on another person? Is joy given by things or possessions? Is joy psychological? I guess I myself have a lot of questions when it comes to “joy” because it seems to be a complicated concept and it seems more than mere happiness, more than dependent on circumstances, less of an attitude… I’m just not sure.
So our problem with joy is rooted in our definition of it… or the lack of definition.
Second, we are sometimes ruled by our negative emotions. I hate to say it but I can be ruled by my negative emotions. I hope you are honest enough to realize that can be as well. The Bible is replete with listings of our sinful nature and the negative emotions that plague us. Galatians 5:19-21, Ephesians 4:31, Colossians 3:8, Titus 3:3, and 1 Peter 2:1 lists for us hatred, bitterness, rage, anger, malice, and envy. I would add to these lists sadness, frustration, and depression. These negative emotions are part of our lives. We all deal with them because we are human beings and we are people with emotions.
What does this mean? I’m not sure yet, but it seems like negative emotions… specifically anger, sadness, depression, jealousy, and frustration seem to be in direct conflict with joy. Does that mean if I am angry I cannot have joy? Does that mean if I am frustrated I cannot have joy? Does that mean if I am depressed I cannot have joy? If I am dealing with negative emotions, is my joy gone? We haven’t even talked about pride, greed, and other aspects of our sinful nature which might also battle against joy.
So our problem with joy is rooted in that so many negative emotions seem to battle joy and squash it and grind it out of our lives.
Thinking about the problem of joy left me with some other deep questions:
What is the Bible’s (and therefore God’s definition) of joy?
What is the source of joy?
How do I keep joy?
What am I suppose to do if I find I have lost joy?
II. JOURNEY IN THE SCRIPTURES
As you can see, when it comes to joy, some of us have a lot of questions. I have honest questions about joy. So when I have questions, I do what any good husband does, I asked my wife. Actually, if I remember it right, she asked me what I would be preaching on this week. I told her the “confounding subject of joy” or something like that. She looked at me strange and said “joy” was not anything with any mystery. She stated without any hesitation that “joy” comes from “abiding in the presence of God.” She then got on her magic smart phone and read off a bunch of cheesy quotes about joy. Well, I thought they were cheesy. She thought they were heart-felt and moving.
Her statement got me wondering. Is she right? Does joy come from the “abiding presence of God?” In order to answer all this questions about “joy” I decided to look in the Scriptures. Any time, and I do mean any time, you have a question about God, life, or faith in Jesus, the answer is absolutely found in God’s Word. I started my journey in the Scriptures.
I have a “Thompson Chain-Reference Bible” which is an excellent resource to study the Scriptures. It is a Bible that has within it a “complete numerical system of chain references” that studies words, phrases, etc. I looked up 1 Thessalonians 5:16 which of course says, “Be joyful always.” Using the helpful guides in this particular study Bible, I looked up the study chain and followed it.
This chain of study begins in Deuteronomy 12:7. Deuteronomy 12:7 says, “There, in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the LORD your God has blessed you.” I could not help but notice several things about joy in this passage. First of all, the verse immediately points out “in the presence of the Lord your God” does the rejoicing occur. That lends credence to what Kelly mentioned to me that joy comes from abiding on the presence of God. Secondly, I noticed that the rejoicing and joy expressed is shared with others in this passage.
Deuteronomy 16:11 was the next link in the chain and this passage says, “And rejoice before the LORD your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name-- you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, the Levites in your towns, and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows living among you.” I noticed right away in this passage that joy is connected with the presence of God because it talks about the “place He will choose as a dwelling for His Name.” Again, joy seems to be connected to the presence of God. I also saw in this verse that joy is not limited to a particular person or type of person. Joy is felt or experienced or shared with people of all walks of life and circumstances because the passage mentions all types of people rejoicing.
The third link in our chain of joy this morning is Psalm 5:11 which says, “But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.” This Psalm verse shares with us again that joy is present for those who “take refuge in You [God]” which certainly speaks to the connection of God’s presence and joy. This verse also shares with us that joy can be experienced or felt or expressed when we are in difficult times. The frame of reference for the verse is for those who are “taking refuge” and that sounds like someone who is having obstacles, hardships, and stress.
At this point of the chain and in my study, I had to admit that Kelly perhaps had given me a wise nugget of wisdom about “joy.” Her strange look to me made me feel like I should know all about joy and it should not be as confounding as I was making it out to be. Yet, being the husband that I am, I was not going to give up without a fight and I was pretty sure not every passage I was going to look up points to “joy” as “abiding in the presence of God.” I looked forward and noted that the last two stops on the chain were in two books in the Old Testament which are considered “minor prophets.”
Zephaniah 3:14 says, “Sing, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem!” Ha! I said “ha!” as soon as I read this passage. This passage teaches us that joy is something that can be expressed; it is something felt in our heart, and is something that can be shared with those around us. We learn those things, but we see nothing about the presence of God. Ha! I was about to turn the page and noticed the very next verse, verse 15. You see verse 14 is part of a passage and its thought continues into verse 15. Zephaniah 3:15 continues, “The LORD has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The LORD, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm.” There it is… isn’t it? “The King of Israel is”… what? “With you.”
Zechariah 9:9, the fifth and last link on the chain I was looking at states, “Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” What do we find in this passage? Well, we find rejoicing and joy certainly being expressed and felt and shared in the presence of a king. Big deal? Actually it is a big deal. You see Zechariah 9:9 is quoted in Matthew 21 and John 12 (described in Luke 19) as a specific prophecy about Jesus entering Jerusalem and receiving praise. Who is Jesus? Matthew 1:23 says, "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, “God with us.” Again, rejoicing is directly tied to the presence of God and more specifically to the presence of Jesus Christ!
III. THE SOLUTION OF JOY
At the beginning of our time together, I asked a whole lot of questions about joy. They are questions I have and I believe questions you might have. I would like to take some time and untangle joy and get some answers.
First, what is joy? Joy as it is described in the Bible (specifically here in 1 Thessalonians 5:16) is a word that means “a state of happiness, well-being, and gladness.” Joy does seem to be a positive emotion that is not dependent on circumstances and is tied with our state of mind, our attitudes, and our overall state-of-being (Meier, Minirth, et al “Introduction to Psychology and Counseling,” 1991, page 76). Joy is what the wise men felt when they saw the star stopped over the place where Jesus was in Matthew 2:10. Joy is what the man feels when he finds the one sheep who had wandered off in Jesus’ parable in Matthew 18:13 and Luke 15:5. Joy was the state of being of the father whose son returned home in Jesus’ parable in Luke 15:32. With joy, was how Zacchaeus welcomed Jesus into his home (Luke 19:6). Joy was what the Pharisees and Sadducees felt when they struck a deal with Judas Iscariot to betray Jesus (Mark 14:11, Luke 22:5). Joy was the state of mind, heart, and spirit of the disciples in John 20:20 when they saw Jesus resurrected. So joy is definitely an emotion, but it is also a state-of-being that encompasses our minds and hearts.
Second, what is the source of joy? Our journey in the Scriptures absolutely answers this question for us. Joy, true joy, comes only from abiding in the presence of God. Joy, true joy, comes from an authentic personal relationship with Jesus Christ. When I say the words “abide in the presence of God” or “an authentic personal relationship with Jesus Christ” do you all know what I mean? I mean that you have accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior and you have the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life. I mean you are obedient to God and not actively pushing Him away with your lifestyle, sinful choices, and hypocrisy. I mean you are constantly trying to surrender your will to His will and allow Him to direct your mouth, heart, soul, and decisions. I mean you are allowing yourself to be transformed to look more like Jesus Christ each an every day. I mean you on purpose spend time in prayer, reading Scripture, and listening to the direction of God. “Abiding in the presence of God” is the only source of joy that I can find in Scripture.
With this being true, this also means several other things are also true about joy:
#1 Joy is a gift from God and therefore has an inexplicable quality to it
#2 Joy can be present in all circumstances as long as we abide in God
#3 Joy will cease if we are not pursuing our relationship with Christ
Third, what am I suppose to do if I find I have lost joy? What I am about to say may sound a little strange so I want you to track with me. The opposite of joy is not sadness, depression, anger, jealousy, frustration, or any other negative emotion that you can list or invent. The opposite of having joy is simply not having joy… I’m not sure what that is called exactly… other than joylessness. I do, however, know what causes lack of joy. If indeed the source of our joy is “abiding in the presence of God,” then when we find ourselves with lack of joy in our lives… we have discovered a symptom of the actual problem. Our problem is not lack of joy. Our problem is lack of God!
What am I suppose to do if I find I have lost joy? Pursue God! I really want to be practical and helpful for all of us as we seek to untangle the problem of joy. If you are finding a lack of joy in your life, may I humbly offer three suggestions for pursuing the presence of God in your life. As we pursue God, He promises that we will find Him (Proverbs 8:17, Jeremiah 29:13) and joy will be found as well (Matthew 6:33).
#1 Pursue God keeping the big picture in mind.
A relationship with God that generates joy is one that keeps the big picture in mind. What is the big picture? I believe the big picture we should keep in mind is that in all our decisions, life steps, attitudes, emotions, and everything else that we need to constantly be moving to be more like Jesus Christ. That is the big picture. The big picture is walking as Jesus did. The big picture is sanctification (which means becoming more like Jesus). The big picture is keeping God the #1 priority in our lives. 1 John 2:5b-6 says, “This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” This also means that we need not dwell on our failures, but keep moving towards Christ. Doing this generates joy.
#2 Pursue God in daily activities.
A relationship with God that generates joy is a daily personal relationship. In Matthew 6:11 (Luke 11:3) Jesus teaches us to pray, “Give us today our daily bread.” In Luke 9:23 Jesus says to those following Him “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Hebrews 3:13 says, “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.” The Christian way of life is not one that happens only on Sundays. We need to be pursuing God daily in Bible Study, Prayer, Fasting, Quietness, and Worship. Daily we need to be in communication with God. Doing this generates joy.
#3 Pursue God in serving others.
A relationship with God that generates joy is one that is focused on others. 1 Corinthians 10:24 says, “Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.” Philippians 2:4 echoes this thought when Paul says, “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” 1 Peter 4:10 states, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.”
How do I do that?
Do something unexpectedly nice for a neighbor you do not know.
Serve in the church… we have plenty of needs.
Serve in a school near your home.
Volunteer for something extra at work.
Send cards to people on the prayer list at church.
Pay for a soldier’s lunch that is behind you in line.
Bring in food for the food pantry.
Give a sacrificial gift in the offering.
To be honest, joy will flow when we, motivated by our love for God, serve other people in any capacity that gives Him glory. Doing this generates joy.
CONCLUSION
READ 1 THESSALONIANS 5:16
“Be joyful always” (NIV 1984)
Those are three little words aren’t they? Simple yet complicated. Easy but hard. Explainable and inexplicable. These three word sin 1 Thessalonians 5:16 drive us towards our God. These three word sin 1 Thessalonians 5:16 show us that a personal authentic relationship with Jesus Christ bears fruit in our lives in the form of inexplicable joy from God.
May you be blessed with joy as you abide in His presence.
