The Gift Of Joy Series

The words that were just read, came from the prayer of Jesus, in the garden just before he was betrayed by Judas and arrested by the temple guards. And you’re thinking, that’s a weird advent reading.

Maybe, or maybe not.

This Advent season your preaching team has been focusing on Gifts from the King. Normally when we celebrate someone’s birthday, we celebrate by bringing them gifts. But this year we are focusing on the gifts we receive from Jesus, the birthday boy.

On week one I spoke on the gift of Love, and this past week Pastor Rob spoke about the gift of Peace. Next Sunday, is actually Dec 21, the shortest day of the year. I know, the day still has 24 hours, stop it, you know what I mean. And Pastor Deborah will be speaking on the Gift of Hope.

This morning, I will be focusing on the gift of Joy. Which is kind of fitting in that Joy is woven throughout the Christmas Story.

Joy really is the entire focus of the first Christmas, as the chorus of angels reminded the Shepherds in the fields as they brought them news of the Baby born in a stable, Luke 2:10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.”

But the gift of joy, wasn’t confined to the Christmas story, even though that was where it began. As we continue our journey through the New Testament, we see the gift of joy appearing throughout Christ’s earthly ministry.

The Father’s joy was mentioned when Jesus was baptized, it was mentioned when he forgave people. And on that first easter, the women, expressed joy when they realized Jesus had been raised from the dead.

And as Jesus prays in the Garden, knowing that within hours one of his friends would betray him and he’d be arrested. Knowing that before a full day had passed, he would be accused in a mockery of a trial, convicted and sentenced to death and would die a horrific death on the cross.

That even knowing that his followers would scatter. That his closest friend would deny knowing him, Jesus prays for those who would choose to follow him. John 17:13 “Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy.”

He was praying that his followers would embrace the gift of Joy he was giving them. And that becomes a reality throughout the story of the church.

The words joy and rejoice are used over 130 times throughout the New Testament.

Some of those verses you are probably quite familiar with.

We are told in 1 Thessalonians 5:16 Always be joyful. And a very similar command in Philippians 4:4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!

And when Paul lists the Fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5, this is what he told the early believers, Galatians 5:22–23 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

So, it would seem that Joy is not only a gift, but it appears that it’s a gift that we are expected to embrace. The words, always be joyful, and always be full of joy, aren’t suggestions, they are commandments.

And God will never command us to do something he doesn’t empower us to do through his Spirit. We believe that as Wesleyans. Wesley taught that real Christian holiness is always joyful holiness, because joy is the evidence of God’s Spirit at work.

And maybe you are thinking, Denn I’m just not a naturally happy person. I’m not one to display my emotions or smile a lot.

That’s okay, because within the Biblical context, joy and happiness are two different things.

Happiness is an external emotion that is often connected to external circumstances. This happened and so I am happy. On the other hand, that happened and that makes me unhappy.

For some of us, our emotions are tied to external influences like the weather. I am really shallow in that my happiness can often be tied to the weather. When it’s bright and sunny I feel happier than when it’s grey and dreary.

The experts call it Seasonal Affective Disorder; I just know that makes me feel SAD.

Which is a one of the reasons why the Guptills try to go south in February, in search of the sun.

William Lyon Phelps wrote, “If happiness truly consisted in physical ease and freedom from care, then the happiest individual would not be either man or woman, it would be, I think, an American cow”