Before we go any further could we just take a moment to thank all the people that make these weekends great. Musicians, actors, technicians, they give up much time and energy every week to help us see more of God.
Let me start by reading you a bit of the story of that first Christmas.
Luke 2:8-14 (NIV)
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
“Good news of great joy – for all the people.” Now, that sounds like a promise we need to own this Christmas.
Today, the gift were gonna wrap is Joy. I’d like to tell you how to get it and live it and sustain it in your whole life. And it simply starts like this – by understanding the difference between joy and happiness.
I. Joy and happiness
I think there is a huge misunderstanding in our culture of what the meaning of joy is. In our world we tend to equate having joy as being along the very same line as being happy. But what I would say is this – happiness is an emotion; joy is a principle. Joy is a truth, not a feeling. Let me explain. Think with me, in your mind, I’d like you to make a list of what would make you happy in life. Now, I don’t know your list, but a lot of times we tend to equate happiness with moments and things in our lives. If you were to be asked what would make you happy, you might answer with material things like.
- some more money
- a nicer house
- a new Dodge 4x4 –diesel truck
- a new Polaris 700
- a new dress
- a new pair of shoes
or you might answer with an experience, like...
- going to Hawaii
- going to the lake for a weekend
- going out for a nice dinner and a movie
- having a good marriage and nice kids
- having a challenging career
- or if you’re me – simply going to a buffet for a meal
- or going hunting
- or simply taking a walk in the park or a touch from my wife . . .
Whatever your answer is, happiness tends to be associated with the emotional side of life. What brings us pleasure or what we perceive would bring us pleasure, makes us happy. Now, all these things are good and fine – and some of them are even great, but what I need to point out is that most things on our “happy” list do not last forever.
- The cabin needs repairs
- Your Dodge truck wears out – not nearly as quickly as a Chev or a Ford
- That nice house soon needs new carpet
- And even buffets can become mundane (sounds crazy – but true)
- Sadly, even our closest relationships and the most challenging careers cannot sustain ongoing happiness in our lives
Happiness is a feeling – it’s up and down and sometimes all over the place. It’s fleeting. Now, joy on the other hand - joy is a spiritual principle. Joy really has nothing to do with stuff or things or even experiences. Instead, joy comes out of an inner sense of wholeness and completeness that only God can supply. Listen to a few quotes that try to describe joy:
Joy Ride - The author says this;
“Joy is happiness. But it is more. It is a feeling of being intensely overwhelmed. It is an experience of incredible fullness and pleasure; a spiritual awareness that something has entered your soul, and you know that you will never be the same again.”
Another quote I read said this. “Happiness is a part of joy, but in addition there is a strong sense of being part of things, of being alive, of well-being and vitality. There is also a sense of being swept along by the force of God. The author says, “When I have joy, I am at peace with God, with nature, with life, and with myself.”
Listen to what the Bible says about joy
I Peter 1:8 – I love this verse – “Though you have not seen him, you love him... and you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.” Inexpressible joy is what should describe our spiritual journey . . . surprising?)
Jesus added this line in John 15:9-11 – He said, “Remain in me... remain in my love... so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete...”
That word “complete” is what separates joy from happiness. Happiness can never be complete and it just doesn’t last. But – joy is a gift from God…that settles into the middle of your soul when you are walking in relationship with Jesus Christ. It is a sense of being in the embrace of God in whatever circumstance you find yourself in life.
So…the difference between happiness and joy is in the source – really. It’s an understanding of who is providing your joy. See, an experience of joy can simply be looking at a sunset or laughing hysterically with a friend or sensing the grace of God given through someone, poured out generously into your life. All of these can be moments of joy – complete joy - when we realize they are gifts from the One who loves us. They are gifts from the One whose sole desire is to satisfy our souls.
The key to understanding joy is this – it’s in realizing that joy is a gift from God that, as you walk with Him, He continues to pour into your life, regardless of your circumstances, regardless of stuff and things, and even regardless of people. (I Peter 1:8 on screen)
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,
Joy is a gift that only God can supply, and it does not wear out, or grow old, or disappear.
It’s forever – and it’s complete. In some ways it really is inexpressible – and it only comes from knowing the One who cares for your soul.
Now, one of the lines I just used was this – God gives us joy regardless of any circumstances. Let’s talk about this for a minute or two.
II. Joy and hard times
Warren Wiersbe says that there are 3 main things in life that rob us of joy.
1. Circumstances – most of us would say that when things are “going our way” we feel a lot happier and we are much more joyful and a whole lot easier to live with. Yet, have you ever stopped to consider how few of the circumstances of life are really under our control? We have no control over the weather, -26 degrees C tonight, the traffic, other people, or especially the stock market. So if our joy depends on circumstances, we’re in trouble. The poet Byron said this – “Men are the sport of circumstance.” (Great line) (story of Christmas lights)
This week – circumstances over took me a little bit. Very busy season, need energy, lots to do – home, work, kids.
Tuesday night I decided to put up the Christmas lights late at night, but I was in the spirit. And it was going great, until the last set of lights on the very top of the last cedar. So, I’m up on the very top wrung of the step ladder and I go to fling the net lights around the tree and the ladder slipped out - and I fell hard and knocked myself out - and it hurt. So for the rest of this week – sore – bruised - dull headache - sore muscles - during the busiest week of this season. See, circumstances, whether out of your control or not, and this one is questionable, can really mess us up sometimes, even at Christmas. But somehow folks joy in our lives – must not rely on our circumstances, yet so often they do, and the circumstance thief steals our joy.
2. The second joy-stealer is worry. Think about it – how many of us spend hours and days worrying our lives away, and worrying about most things we can’t change? Worry steals our peace and it steals our fulfillment in life and it even has physical consequences – and many of you understand this. I’ve been there - (and some of you have been) - tossing and turning all night, longing for rest, but frustrated by nagging worries. So what usually happens in our society is, we tend to find sleep at a drugstore, but most of us know we can’t buy rest – only God can give rest. And our joy is again stolen, by worry.
3. The third joy-stealer is people. Let’s face it – all of us have lost our joy at times because of people, just who they are, or what they say, or what they do. And there is no doubt – every one of but we still have to live with people and work with people – we cannot run from them.
I heard of a pastor one time that had been personally attacked on several fronts by his congregation say this: “This would be such a great church if it weren’t for the people.” I’m not sure he saw the humor in that line, but it’s something we all have to learn. People will steal our joy, but we can’t live without them. So, in spite of circumstances, and in spite of worries, and in spite of other people we must find joy. How?
Here are a few thoughts and some practical ideas for your faith walk perhaps these will help protect against joy-stealers.
The first thought is this and it may sound a little bit elementary, but here goes. Why not look at circumstances, people, and worries through your faith walk with Jesus Christ? Let’s apply our faith to the challenges opposing joy. See, Jesus knew that you and I couldn’t rest our life on other people, so He said “serve instead of being served”, and what He meant was what if we simply quit expecting so much of other people and simply gave more grace? What if we quit relying so much on other people to find our happiness and began to pass joy their direction instead – by serving.
What would happen if we did that? Well, what would happen is we would begin to see other people as God does as ones who need love and who need attention and grace and care, and we would just not be so concerned about what we’re are getting back from them. Philippians 2:4 says, [“Look not only to your own interests, but to the interests of others.”]
Because as we do that, we become a joy-giver and we suddenly realize that our joy doesn’t come from what other people do or say or think. Our joy comes from God – not other people.
Let’s talk about circumstances. Here’s another thought what if we looked at our circumstances through faith, instead of basing our faith on our circumstances? Too often our faith fades and our joy slides along with it, when negative circumstances hit our lives.
- like a financial crisis
- or a relationship breakdown
- or a health scare
- or a sore body during the biggest and busiest week or the year . . .
This sounds like a pat answer but, what if your faith was to strengthen with each circumstance – so that, by faith, Jesus stood between you and this rotten thing you’re going through, instead of that rotten thing blocking you from Jesus and your faith?
There is a great verse in the Bible that speaks of this paradox. The Apostle Paul said this, when he was in a very bad way –
“Jesus said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness’... so therefore, [Paul says], when I am weak, then I am strong.” (II Corinthians 12:9-10)
See, the secret to not losing your joy is in understanding where your strength comes from. If it is up to us alone, we’re in trouble, but as we are weak, Jesus becomes strong, and our joy becomes full.
I tried to apply that this week in my life and I gotta tell you it made a huge difference. Wednesday morning I woke up sore. I just asked God to give me spiritual strength when I had physical weakness. I asked Him for more patience and more love and more joy and more grace for others even though I was not personally feeling to much like giving out this week. I gotta tell you these last 4 days has been so good God totally answered my prayer.
Folks, we’ve got to put our faith to the test every once in a while and see if it works and in this real simple, but practical example from my week I gotta tell you it works. Circumstances need not rob us of our joy because circumstances are not what give us joy.
The third aspect of joy I want you to hear is how joy and Christmas go hand in hand.
III. Joy and Christmas
Let me jump right to the point when you and I follow Jesus
Christ the bible promises we will be filled with joy that it’s one of the gifts that we receive when we walk in step with Jesus.
Well the whole idea behind gifts is to give them away and I believe especially at Christmas that this is time as we continue to follow Christ and are filled with an “inexpressible and glorious joy” we must not hold His joy inside. Our natural response must be to begin to let it pour out to those around us.
Galations 5 says this; that when you walk by faith in Jesus
Christ that God will begin to change you by the power of His spirit on the inside of your life you’ll begin to see huge changes in who you are.
Galatians 5:22 says, that He give us gifts of His spirit like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
So that as God changes you, you no longer can keep this stuff inside – it begins to show up in your life. And folks, these are not bad changes – we all want this list and you’ll notice that joy is one of those gifts God gives you.
Well here’s what I believe, I believe the whole idea behind gifts is to give them away and I especially believe that about this gift called joy.
And even more so at Christmas time.
See, as we continue to follow Christ and are filled with an “inexpressible and glorious joy” people we must not hold His joy inside. Our response to receiving this gift must be to begin to let it pour out to those around us.
So how does that happen?
Well I think it starts by simply looking around you and talking a few small actions. And if you look around what do you see?
- How about your neighbor who lost his wife this year? Maybe he needs some baking or to sit around a table with your family, or maybe just a box of chocolates and a card that ensures you’re praying for him. Do you think that would give joy? or
- What if you took notice of that woman you work with, which is going through a brutal divorce – she’s in tears twice a week. Why not buy her lunch or see if she needs someone to babysit while she shops, or find out if she’s got money enough for December and then secretly take donations and give her a Christmas bonus? Would that cause joy? or
- What about your family or your marriage – does it need a little joy? . . . I don’t believe it’s too big a miracle for God to bring love between children and parents so the fighting can be replaced by joy – even for 1 or 2 days this Christmas. or
- What if, as a spouse, you decided to lay down any axes you want to grind, or any changes you want made and the contempt you feel, and simply love your spouse – openly, honestly, and unselfishly? What if you told your partner, daily, that you were praying for them and for your marriage, and showered them with love and romance and completely overwhelmed them with the joy of marriage this Christmas? Wow! Would that give joy? For sure.
- What if as a son or daughter you allowed the love of Jesus to work through you this Christmas? What if you actually told your parents you loved them? What if you actually saved some allowance money to buy a gift for them, and then spent some time investing in your family as well as your friends this Christmas? Do you think that would give your parents joy? Absolutely.
People – do you see it? The call on your life is not only to sense God and feel His joy, but as you walk with Jesus Christ, you begin passing that joy to everyone near you – and an amazing thing happens. God will multiply your joy over and over and over and over again, into the lives of others. Trust me on this one – if you spread the joy of Jesus, Emmanuel, of God with us, this Christmas, it will come back to you many times over! Be a joy-giver this Christmas. |
