Jesus, Man of JOY
John 15:11
"These things have I spoken to you that MY JOY may remain in you, and that YOUR JOY may be full!"
BULLETIN BLOOPER-Bertha Belch, a missionary from Africa will be speaking tonight at Calvary Memorial Church. Come tonight and hear Bertha Belch all the way from Africa.
A HEALTHY DOSE OF LAUGHTER
A child laughs 400 times a day on the average, while an adult laughs only 15 times each day. Which is puzzling since laughter feels so good and is so good for us!
NORMAN COUSINS used to say that laughter is so beneficial for your body that it is like ’inner jogging." He healed himself of a major chronic disease with LAUGHTER THERAPY.
Furthermore, it is a natural STRESS RELIEVER. Have you ever laughed so hard that you doubled over, fell off your chair, spit out your food ? You cannot maintain muscle tension when you are laughing!
LAUGHTER 1S JUST GOOD MEDICINE!
A JEWISH PROVERB:
"What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul."
MARK TWAIN:
"LAUGHTER is the greatest weapon that we humans possess and its the one we use the least!"
ABRAHAM LINCOLN said, "If I do not LAUGH, I should die!
""Love may make the world go ’round, but laughter keeps us from getting dizzy."
Almighty God has said all along that a JOYFUL heart is good medicine! He’s given us a PRESCRIPTION for JOY
JESUS’ OPEN SECRET
2000 years ago, Jesus appeared in this world. The world has never forgotten Him and His name is spoken every second of time! In fact, time is dated from His birth! Millions of us follow Him today!
But He had a SECRET ... an OPEN SECRET, spread throughout the entire N.T.! SECRET OF JESUS was - and is - HIS INNER JOY!, Jesus had a CHEERFUL disposition and a MERRY HEART that came from His father!
SOURCE OF JESUS’ JOY
SPIRITUAL PERSPECTIVE
Revelation 4: 11 "GOD created all things for His PLEASURE!" His JOY!
JESUS, MAN OF JOY!
Jesus wept AND JESUS LAUGHED!!!! He was God! He was Man! And LAUGHTER is characteristic of the kingdom of God!
Romans 14:17 The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and JOY in the Holy Spirit,"
FUN REFLECTIONS ON LIFE!
1. Ever notice when you blow in a dog’s face he gets mad at you, but when you take him in a car he sticks his head out the window?
2. You have to stay in shape. My mother started walking five miles a day when she was 60. She’s 97 now and we have no idea where she is.
Jesus Himself, a Man of JOY, had a MERRY outlook on life His good natured approach to life was ROOTED IN A GREAT INNER JOY!
When they called Him a ’wino,’ He laughed it off (Matthew 11:19).
When they reproached His disciples because they did not fast, He said they couldn’t because they were part of a wedding party (Matthew 9:15).
When they accused the disciples of violating the Sabbath by plucking ears of grain, He took delight in pointing out that David once violated the some law by eating the sacred bread which was reserved for priests, and then passing it out to his troops (Matthew 12:3-4).
What was the attraction? Why did the Galilean fishermen leave their nets and follow Him? Why did Levi abandon his booth and cash box to join His team?
Jesus was a man of such JOY, such GLADNESS of Spirit, such FREEDOM and OPENNESS that He was irresistible! People wanted to be near Him, to catch His bright spirit, to learn His SECRET, to share His J0Y and join in what He was doing.
The Joy of the Lord 1.Joy was at the tomb of the resurrected Lazarus, man’s
sisters.
2. Joy was there when the leper returned to thank
Jesus.
3. Joy was there when a woman caught in the very act
of adultery was forgiven and released from her sin.
4.JOY was there when the deaf heard, the blind saw,
and the lame walked.
5. when the little children flocked to Jesus!
6. JOY was there when the boy gave Jesus his lunch so
that HE could work a miracle and feed the thousands.
7. JOY was there when Jesus forgave Zacchaeus
8. JOY was there when Jesus stood up in the boat and
stopped the storm.
9. JOY was there when dawn broke and the women knew
that Jesus was resurrected from the dead. EVERYWHERE JESUS WENT, THERE WAS JOY!
JESUS HAD A SENSE OF HUMOR
1.HE described the teachers of the Jewish law as
straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel.
2. He said it was easier for a camel to go through the
eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the
kingdom of God."
3. He described the care with which the religious
leaders washed the outside of their cups before
drinking from them, but left the inside soiled.
4. He talked about blind men attempting to lead to
blind men, about dead people burying dead people,
about picking figs off a thorn bushes , about
hiding a lamp under a bed.
JESUS WAS A MAN OF JOY!
1.He visited some fishermen along the shore of the Sea
of Galilee and said to them, Follow me.
2. Not their first encounter with Him
3. Wasted no time, dropped their nets and took off
after Him! WHAT ATTRACTED THEM?
5. Commanding appearance? Impressiveness of His voice
of . authority? Tempting prospects He set out
for them? . Poor conditions in the fishing
industry? Something else?
6. What did make Levi the tax collector leave his
booth and cash box and follow Jesus? Was Jesus
was a rich man? A seer with second sight? . .
An angel from God?
Only one answer! Jesus was a man of such GLADNESS OF SPIRIT, such FREEDOM and OPENNESS and MAGNETISM in His attitude, that He was irresistible! They wanted to be near Him To catch His spirit! To do what He was doing for other people! To learn His SECRET!
Mark 12:37: Great crowds of ""common people,"’ heard Him "’GLADLY,"’ and many accepted the GOOD NEWS of the kingdom that He preached without realizing who He really was!
WHAT IS JOY in the Lord?
JOY is the relationship we have with God and enjoyment of the good things (and sometimes not so good things) that come from His hand!
If our freedom in Christ is angel food cake, JOY is the frosting!
If Bible gives us the wonderful words of life, JOY is the music!
JOY IN GOD’S WORD
The other SOURCE -. God’s written Word!
Nehemiah 8: 10: "The JOY of the Lord is your strength!"
PSALMS are spilling over with GLADNESS at the GOODNESS of God! We see various forms of words JOY, JOYOUS, ENJOY, DELIGHT, GLADNESS, EXUBERANCE AND JUBILATION.
105 times in the Psalms alone = hymns of praise and thanksgiving!
"Shout for joy!"’ "’Praise Him with the clash of cymbals" "Praise Him with tambourine and dancing" "Make music to Him" "Praise Him, sun and moon" “My heart leaps for J0Y"’ "In Your name I will lift up my hands"’ "The hills are clothed with gladness" "The valleys... shout for JOY and sing."
Proverb 15:13: ""A MERRY heart makes a cheerful countenance."
Proverbs 17:22: ""A CHEERFUL HEART is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones!"
Eccl. 2:26: "God gives wisdom and knowledge and J0Y to a man who is good in His sight."
Zephaniah: "The Lord ... will REJOICE over us with singing!"
N.T. = full with the JOY OF THE LORD TOO! You will find people laughing, skipping, leaping, shouting, singing, dancing, playing instruments and celebrating.
John 15:11: ’These things have I spoken to you that MY J0Y may remain in you, and that YOUR 30Y may be full!"
There was JOY at Jesus’ resurrection and JOY at His ascension.
Acts: During the days after Pentecost, the "disciples were filled with JOY and with the Holy Spirit (13:52)." Having such a good time that people thought they were drunk!
Everything the apostle Paul did was done with JOY!
Genesis to Revelation: 542+ references to JOY! 105 in Psalms alone!
THE GOSPEL, is a message of love, bathed in JOY!
Bible (ISAIAH): even the rivers and trees of the forest clap their . . . . .hands in praise to God! Isaiah says put -on the GARMENT OF PRAISE,
WE SHOULD BE THE MOST JOYFUL PEOPLE ON THE PLANET!
GOD’S WORD is alive with JOY and bright with CHEERFULNESS, filled with love and excitement
Love is the FIRST fruit of the Spirit, and the second is JOY!
To feel His love and know His JOY, WE NEED TO WALK OUT OF THE JUNKYARD OF OUR MISERY AND SHUT THE GATE!!!
When we confess our sin and ask Jesus to help us turn from it, He touches us and says, “Be of GOOD CHEER!"
He says, ""Your sins are forgiven and your faith has made you whole; welcome to the kingdom of God."’
In one word, Jesus says, "JOY!
He says, "These things have I spoken to you that MY JOY may remain in you, and that YOUR JOY may be full!"
What is it that we really want in life? What will bring us JOY? Jobs? Better Jobs? Houses? Cars? Boats? Spouses? Children? Fixed incomes? Health? Security? Fame? Notoriety? Wardrobes? Jewelry?
What we all want is LOVE and the JOY it brings with it!!!
It is more than simply human JOY we are seeking; we seek THE J0Y OF KNOWING JESUS!
WHAT ABOUT YOU’?
Psalm 37:4: "Delight yourself also in the Lord," Why? "and he will give you the desires of your heart.’
JESUS CAME TO BRING US JOY! And it was for future Joy that He went to the cross. But ... He is no longer on that cross! The tomb is EMPTY! AMEN?
CAN”T TALK ABOUT JOY WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT THE SHOUT!
There comes a time when, due to the GOODNESS OF ALMIGHTY GOD, we simply have to burst forth!
Joshua 6 SHOUTS OF JOY that brought down the walls of Jericho!
The GREATNESS OF GOD shows forth in His SHOUTS OF JOY!
JOY is an integral part of our whole relationship to God!
The JOY OF THE LORD rises above circumstances and focuses on God!
THE JOY OF THE LORD isn’t momentary! It is constant! It stays and weathers the shocks of life because God also stays!
HOW JOY EXPRESSED?
Bible says... Laughing! Dancing! Singing! Clapping! Leaping! Foot-stamping! And SHOUTING!!!
Deuteronomy 16: 15 : "You shall be altogether JOYFUL!"
Luke Christmas story: Angels appeared to shepherds and SHOUTED FOR JOY! "Glory to God in the highest, and peace among men of His good pleasure." .
Luke on Palm Sunday: Jesus’ disciples SHOUTED JOYOUSLY, "Blessed is the King!"’ as He descended from Mt of Olives.
I Thess. 4:16 When Christ returns, He will "descend from heaven with a SHOUT, with the voice of an archangel, and with the TRUMPET OF GOD!’
Psalmist: "’SHOUT for JOY to the Lord, all the earth!" "Shout aloud.
BUT YOU CANNOT KNOW THE J0Y OF JESUS UNTIL YOU KNOW THE JESUS OF JOY!!!
PUT ON YOUR GARMENT OF PRAISE AND SHOUT FOR JOY
