Let me ask you today… What brings you the most joy? Or to put it another way, what life experience brings you the greatest joy? For most of us…it would probably be our family. For some of us it might be our jobs or careers. For others it might be recreational time or vacation time. For others it might be just spending time with friends. I hope that most of us might have a hard time answering the question because you have several things that bring you great joy!!
This passage is quite incredible because it teaches us to rejoice, “Always”. For most, if not all of us, that seems an impossible experience.
Max Lucado talked about an experience with a man who owned a parakeet named Sparky. He was appropriately named because he was teeming with energy and sang and played all the time. But one day while cleaning out Sparky’s cage he accidentally sucked him up in the vacuum cleaner! He quickly rushed to get the bag open and then ran to the bathroom to shower off poor Sparky. Then he turned on his blow dryer to dry him off! He took him to the vet and had him checked out and everything seemed to be ok. A couple of weeks later he went back to the vet for a follow-up visit. The vet asked how Sparky was doing. He said, “Sparky just hangs out in his cage and doesn’t sing or play much anymore”. He just stars into space and has not energy”. I know that is talking about a bird, but lots of people identify with Sparky.
When your life gets turned upside down how do you respond? Remember when I told the story after our Disney Trip and asked, “What do you do when your honey pot breaks down?” Well, it might depend on your maturity level! But this scripture sets a high mark of experiencing joy in all situations. It reads, Rejoice in the Lord, always. So how is this achievable?
First, I do not think this suggests that we never experience negative emotions. We may not be happy or joyful when someone cuts us off in traffic or the AC unit breaks down. Or more personally when we lose our insurance or when a friend betrays our trust. Even Jesus, in his humanity experienced disappointment, anger, grief and sadness along with joy. But I want to share important aspects of being able to rejoice in the Lord always.
First, Joy is not found in externals. This is internal, supernatural joy.
There is often a distinction made between happiness and joy which relates to joy being an internal affection not based on outward events. Theologian Henri Nouwen described the difference between joy and happiness. While happiness is dependent on external conditions, joy is “the experience of knowing that you are unconditionally loved and that nothing – sickness, failure, emotional distress, oppression, war, or even death – can take that love away.” Thus, joy can be present even during sadness or grief.
In a similar thought, C.S. Lewis, great Christian writer and apologist distinguished between fleeting happiness (temporary pleasure) and joy, which is a deep, profound longing for something greater and more enduring than can be found in temporal things. True happiness, according to Lewis, is found by orienting oneself toward the ultimate source of these things, namely God. Joy is a divine gift that points us to our true home in Christ and requires a turning away from temporary worldly pleasures to embrace a more lasting spiritual fulfillment.
Paul himself is Exhibit A in this teaching. Remember, Paul wrote these words while he was in prison and not sure whether he would live or die. He even stated that to die was gain. He was orienting his life toward God and nothing in life or death could take away his joy. So, this is rejoicing in the Lord, not the circumstances. Rejoice in the Lord…. Say it with me…Rejoice in the Lord. It does not say rejoice in your circumstances. If not careful, we can be overcome with our circumstances and live in doubt or bitterness or sorrow. This rejoicing carries us beyond our circumstances.
Again, it reads, Rejoice IN THE LORD. This leads to the second aspect of this joy.
Second, Joy is seeing with an eternal perspective vs an earthly perspective.
Happiness is often manufactured through an experience we like or that brings us pleasure. We are watching our toddler grandchild. There are certain things he really enjoys doing. But if you take those things away, it will not go well! In classic toddler fashion he gets angry and can have a meltdown! But that is expected of a toddler. However, I hope we learn how to cope better when we lose things, or we do not get our way as a part of our maturing in life. Obviously, some learn this better than others. Some are not good losers or winners in events. But let’s face it, we form emotional attachments with things that impact us greatly and this can have a profound impact on our sense of joy.
You may also remember from the Acts account that Paul and Silas were beaten and put in darkest dungeon in Philippi. What were they doing? Unlike Sparky the parakeet, after they were severely beaten and put in the darkest dungeon, they were not complaining or sad or angry about their situation. The scriptures says that they were singing! Paul and Silas, undaunted, prayed in the middle of the night and sang songs of praise to God, while all the other prisoners listened to their worship. Suddenly, a great earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. All at once every prison door flung open and the chains of all the prisoners came loose. (Acts 16:25-26). I should note here that our joy greatly impacts those around us! It is joy that attracts people, not negative emotions.
In other places, the apostles rejoiced that he was counted worthy to be persecuted for the cause of Christ (Acts 5:41) How could Paul and Silas and the apostles be joyful in such difficult times?
Jesus said in John 16:33…In the world you will have trouble…But be of good cheer! I have overcome the world.
If you review that verse you will see that Jesus is looking beyond the present experience to view the greater and eternal perspective that He has overcome the world. This is a tremendous JOY principle. This is exactly what Paul and the other apostle were doing!
Since we are having Holy Communion today, I want to tie this to the event of Jesus when he was eating the Last Supper. On the surface, this was not a joyful occasion, right? It was a somber occasion. But Jesus was eager, even excited about eating this meal. How could he do that? He was looking beyond the event. He was looking from an eternal perspective.
Hebrews reminds us of this great truth. It tells us that Jesus, for the JOY that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising its shame. Hebrews 12:2
If Jesus was focused only on His cross and the suffering of His passion, he made not have been willing to freely lay down his life. But he was looking from an eternal perspective to endure his struggle. I find that when we lose our eternal perspective we are quickly overcome with the situation or problem or struggle we may be facing. Our problems overcome us, rather than overcoming them.
We recently lost Sam Campbell. In my last visits with Sam, he shared that he was ready to fight his last battle with pain, and he had no regrets. His conscience was clear with God, and he was not wanting sorrow or sadness to prevail in his passing. He was finishing his course in faith and going to be with Christ and receive a crown of righteousness.
As I share this, it is normal for us to grief over loss of loved ones. Yes, we will grieve, we will get angry at times, we may experience frustration, and we may find ourselves in dire straits as Paul did here. But down deep inside there is still a song of joy we have to sing, even if we can’t carry a tune in a bucket. There is still a supernatural song of joy in us. The Psalmist put it like this, Weeping may endure through the night but joy comes in the morning! (Ps 30:5)
It’s like a woman in labor when her pain gives way to joy unspeakable in holding a newborn child. It is hard to put into words the great joy that you experience in these life events.
This is the eternal joy that is in the depth of our soul. Yes, we can sing, I’ve got that joy…joy…joy…joy…down in my heart… And nothing is this world can extinguish it! It is looking from an eternal perspective that cannot be taken away.
Third, Our Joy Is Full or Complete vs Empty or Incomplete
This is like Jesus telling the woman at the well…You drink the water that I give you… and you will never thirst again!! There is a condition to keeping this joy…Trust and Obey!
John 15:10 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. 11 I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.
Some translations read FULL. That Greek word for this is plerothe. One meaning is to CRAM full. We would say in the South…. It is slam full!! Our life is to be crammed full of joy.
The announcement the angels brought to the shepherds the night of Jesus birth was what? Good news of great what? Joy! The word is MEGA…meaning we will have GREAT joy! Not just a little trickle but we are overflowing with joy.
Here is what I have discovered, God will give joy in the midst of loss or misfortune or unwanted changes that may create heartbreak. Into the darkness has come great light. Light is overcoming darkness here. The curse is broken…Joy to the Word the Lord Is Come! We can get a little Christmas early and get ahead of Walmart, ok!
Many might rightly ask: How do we get this kind of joy?
I like what one pastor said many years ago that has stayed with me over time. The world did not give this joy to you and that world cannot take it away from you. This joy is more internal and supernatural. It is the Spirit of Jesus Christ in us that brings about this great joy! It was the promise of salvation that caused heaven and earth to rejoice.
Galatians 5:22 mentions the fruit of the Holy Spirit…Love, Joy, Peace, etc. So, joy is the second fruit mentioned. Joy is the fruit of the Holy Spirit…. We cannot create this or find it on our own. This is what the Holy Spirit bring us as a gift of God. Happy experiences can be manufactured but they are fleeting, and they can leave us empty and wanting more. I was driving up from Fairhope yesterday afternoon and I saw an old truck with a painted sing on the back glass that read, “Never Satisfied”. I chuckled when I saw it because it rings true for those who do not have the joy of the Lord in their lives. This joy is given to us by the Presence of the Holy Spirit living in us. It is the joy planted in us. Parallelling this is Romans 14:17
17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
This means that if the Spirit is in us, we will have the fruit of joy. If the Kingdom of God is in us, we will have righteousness, peace and joy…in the Holy Spirit.
Before I close, I want to make one final but important comment. Note the scripture says…Rejoice in the Lord, always. I think the phrase, “In the Lord” is very important because it is the real foundation of this joy. Again, this is internal and supernatural, not based on external things in the world. Possessions, power, positions are not what bring this kind of joy. Because all those things can fade or be taken away. One of the greatest reason Christ came was to bring us this kind of joy!
More personally I want to share that I feel great joy here at 5 Rivers. When I first entered this place there was a tremendous spirit of joy and freedom. It was like breathing fresh air or coming up out of the water when you are running out of breath and you need to breathe! But the real joy we experience is not generated by us, but it is the fruit of the Holy Spirit living in us and living in our midst as a church! We can’t create it but we can spread it!
So, what about your life today? If you lack joy, there may be some good reasons. But whatever you may be facing in your life… I hope you never lose the mega joy that Christ has come to bring us.
David said in Psalm 51 Search my heart O God and see if there be an evil way in me, a wrong spirit within. A joyless spirit within me. This might be the very best gift you can give your family or your friends. Will you open your heart to allow the Spirit of Christ to bring His eternal joy in your life?
This meal today represent the greatest gift Christ offer us through His body and blood. He still desires that His joy may be in us and that our joy may be complete or full! It makes we want to paint a sign on the back of my car that reads, “Christ paid it all!” I’m fully satisfied!”