Outrageous Joy in your life
Phil 4:10-13
Good Morning online church glad to have you with us and be a part of Rosedale-
I would like us to look at Paul and his pursuit of Joy instead of happiness.
In the pursuit of happiness most give up Joy.
Joy is what even more people lose in heart and then wonder why they are not happy.
Who’s willing this morning to ask the Lord for Joy?
Prayer-
Joy is most of the time associated with money and doing everything you want when you want to do it.
If that is the case then all rich people should be happy and we know that is not true.
If that is true, then we would not have such a rate of divorce, murder, job changes, road rage.
We wouldn’t see a society that looks like they sucked on a lemon
We wouldn’t have a society where people have few friends and most do not have a good friend.
This fact ties together with the sermon a few weeks ago called crazy faith and the paralyzed man needing 4 friends that would be willing to drop him from a roof down in front of Jesus. In some cases we don’t have 4 friends like that.
Can you imagine, if money was the only thing that brought us joy, there would not be a lot of people being able to experience joy.
Phil 4:10-13 read from Bible
So to kick off this sermon about Joy we see one scripture from the apostle Paul talking about being content where he is at.
He has known hungry and he has known what it was lot to have plenty.
He says that he has learned a secret from living that has shown him that truth.
In everything, no matter what he has gone through or is going through, he says that he is content where God has him… so how do we get there?
Would you have to say this morning, you would like the answer to that question?
He ends this text with “I can do all things through him (Christ) who gives me strength
Joy is a choice
Joy is not determined by your situation. Circumstances may change but joy does not have too.
Now, you need to understand that the man that makes these claims the apostle Paul has not always known that kind of joy. He was a Pharisee, a well educated and well respected man who took great pleasure coming after Christians because they did not line up with his beliefs.
He had money, he had respect, the very things that most men are after.
He thought that he was doing God’s will.
He has a Damascus road experience with Jesus (Acts 9) and everything changes.
After his encounter with Jesus, after he is walking with Jesus, he finds that joy doesn’t come from what you do or who you are but who you are putting your trust in.
Obstacles Paul faced after coming to Christ
His message was rejected
He was beaten/stoned
He was deserted by some of his friends
Some of his converts had already backsliden
Lack of money
Plots to kill him
Persecuted/oppressed
Bite by a poisonous snake
Shipwrecked several times
Shackled and imprisoned
Sounds like if you are trying to find joy in stuff, people, jobs, money, he is living proof it doesn’t work- he had worldly joy before he came to Christ but he found lasting joy by making the choice that joy was going to be found in Jesus.
A joy found that would last longer than a fleeting moment of time.
Paul had every right from what he went through and going through to not have joy but Paul choose to be content where God had him
Paul is writing about being content while locked up… hardly the place we would write these words as we are going through some of the toughest times of our lives.
Ever notice the ones who are under such stress and turmoil yet can keep joy and their faith as they go through those hard times.
You look at their lives and those without Christ cannot understand how a person is able to do that.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice……………Phil 4:4
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer…………..Romans 12:2
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
God’s joy brings Godly hope.
What did Jesus say about joy?
“If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. 'This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”
Why is choosing joy important?
Studies show that joyful people have less chance of having a heart attack, maintain a healthier blood pressure, and tend to have lower cholesterol levels. There's research to prove that joy boosts our immune systems, fights stress and pain, and improves our chance of living a longer life.
Is joy a choice?
Even though we may seek it, desire it, pursue it, etc., feeling happiness is not a choice we make. Joy, on the other hand, is a choice purposefully made. Happiness doesn't bring joy, and joy isn't the byproduct of happiness. Joy is something better than happiness.
In the bible, the words “joy,” “rejoice,” or “joyful” appear a total of 430 times, compared with “happy” or “happiness,” which appear only ten times. Joy is lasting, and it satisfies the heart in a unique and marvelous way.
What is the Greek word for joy in the Bible?
When we look at the Greek word for JOY in biblical text we find the word Chara (pronounced khar-ah). Chara is used to describe ones who rejoice, who are glad, and who have received joy!
The difference between joy and happiness lives in the mind and heart.
Joy is a little word. Happiness is a bigger word.
Joy is in the heart. Happiness is on the face.
Joy is of the soul. Happiness is of the moment.
Joy transcends. Happiness reacts.
Joy embraces peace and contentment, waiting to be discovered.
Joy is a practice and a behavior. It’s deliberate and intentional.
Happiness comes and goes along its way.
Joy is profound and Scriptural. "Don't worry, rejoice." Instead of "Don't worry, be happy."
Joy is an inner feeling. Happiness is an outward expression.
Joy endures hardship and trials and connects with meaning and purpose.
A person pursues happiness but chooses joy.
Joy is a fruit of the Spirit, and when we find joy it’s infused with comfort and wrapped in peace.
It’s an attitude of the heart and spirit, often synonymous with but not limited to following Christ Jesus and pursuing a Christian life.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” — Galatians 5:22-23
In choosing joy, there is hope. With joy, hardship offers growth and opportunity. With joy, self-esteem and self-respect are indestructible.
The Psalmist
“You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.” — Psalm 30:11
1 Peter 1:8
Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory.
Joy comes from the Lord and goes deep into your soul
1 Chronicles 16:27
“Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his place.”
Joy in obedience
Paul said in Philippians 4:11-12, “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well feed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
Paul at times had plenty, but much of the time he had very little. But he said he learned the secret of contentment, whether times were good or times were bad. This then begs the question, who is more likely to find contentment, the folks with very little, or the folks with much?
The truth is that the Paul’s secret of contentment can be found and enjoyed by anyone, regardless of wealth or social status.
1Timothy 6:6-8
“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.”
Paul says we should be content with food and shelter. Jesus even said that if we follow him, our earthly good might be meager.
Two antonyms of content are worry and anxiety.
Worry can be so destructive.
Worry not only robs us of joy and enjoying our daily lives, but it can also do temporary and long term damage to our bodies.
So we have seen a couple things- (1) Joy is a choice because it is not based upon situations and circumstances and (2) Paul has taught by example that we have to learn to be content with what we have.
The Stoics proposed that to achieve this they had to not care what happen to them and anything that happened was God’s will-
Something happened to your dog- I don’t care
Something happened to your neighbor- I don’t care
Something happened to you-I don’t care
They believed if they tried hard enough that they could abolish every feeling of the human heart. They believed nothing happened that was not in the will of God no matter how painful.
For the Stoics, contentment was a human achievement …Paul teaches us it was a divine gift. Paul says “I can do all things through Christ that gives me strength.”
Paul could face anything because in every situation he had Christ
Your smile increases your face value!
Pastor Chuck Swindoll shares a story in his book “laugh again”
Illustration
Grandma and granddaughter were spending the evening together fixing supper and the girl suddenly asked her grandmother “how old are you” the women startled said well honey, when you get to my age you don’t share your age with anybody. Aw, go ahead grandma, you can trust me! I never tell my age. Grandma began fixing supper and noticed the granddaughter missing for about twenty minutes- much too long so she went upstairs and found that her granddaughter had dumped her purse on the bed and was sitting in the midst of the mess. When their eyes met, the granddaughter said- grandma, your are seventy six years old. Why yes I am, how did you know that? I found the date of your birthday here on your driver’s license and subtracted it from the year… you are seventy six! That is right sweetheart, you are correct…I am seventy six. The little girl continued to stare at the driver’s license and added “you also got a f in sex”
Of you don’t purposefully go after Joy, it will be hard to grasp because life and circumstances will suck the life out of you, you have to go after joy, find joy in the midst of hardship, in the midst of disappointment, in the midst of trials. The joy of the Lord is our strength but it so easily can be lost if we are not intentional in finding it
Pastor BW and Barb and I were at dinner last week and the waitress made several mistakes, had a voice that just was plain annoying because it was high pitched and scattered but I didn’t say anything and we were out in the parking lot and BW looks at me and says that her voice was a little annoying… we both laughed because we were both thinking it and we could have been upset because his meal was pretty messed up. Believers in Jesus enjoying each other in spite of complications of situations.
One more story- I want you to get this point as we close-
This man goes into a restaurant and he is so full of joy- most people don’t know what to do with it because most are so unhappy.
The waitress asked him “how are you doing?
I am wonderful
Is it your birthday? She asked.
No honey, it’s better than that!
Your Anniversary? No, better than that!
What is it? It is the joy of Jesus. Do you know what I am talking about?
The lady shrugged her shoulders and answered, “No, I have to work on Sundays”
As we close. Let’s just ask to Lord to give us Joy. Prayer for Joy
