Experience Joy

December 21, 2014
Experience Joy!
Matthew 1, Luke 2      NOTES NOT EDITED

SIS – We can have a deep and abiding joy—feeling of expectant delight—when we focus on Who is at the center of the Christmas story.

We can more clearly understand joy when we look at those who experienced that first Christmas.  Joy is a hard notion to pin down with a sufficient definition.  The dictionary describes joy as, “a feeling of great pleasure or happiness.”  That is OK as far as it goes but it does not express adequately the biblical understanding of joy.  The best way of getting a grip on what joy means is by seeing it in action.  I’ve showed this clip as it relates to gratitude, but it equally demonstrates what it means to experience joy.

VIDEO:  3 Year-old Rejoices Over Answered Prayer

You might have noticed a bit of “leaping with joy” in this little one.  Well, joy often has that affect on somebody.  Look at a similar reaction from someone in the Christmas story:

LK 1:39-43

What is joy?  Joy often leads to jumping would be one conclusion.  The Greek word for joy has an extensive usage both in the Bible and in the secular world.  The range of its meaning is both broad and deep.  Getting hold of the meaning of true joy is a bit like trying to catch a greased pig at the county fair.  You see it.  You pursue it.  You get a hold on it.  But, it gets away.  Joy is hard to define.

My conclusion from a study of the original word shows two streams coming together to form the river of joy.  One stream is “delight or glad-heartedness.”  This is a delight that goes much deeper than happiness which is related to pleasurable circumstances.   Joy is sustained not by one’s circumstances but by the focus of one’s faith—that is, delight arising from a focus on the Person and Work of Jesus Christ.  The word joy is in the same family as the word, “grace.” Joy is the delight we receive as a gift when we focus on Jesus.  A second stream contributing to the river of joy from a biblical perspective is “expectation.”  Expectation is related to the sustaining belief that what God has promised, He will provide.  Those meeting the baby Jesus immediately recognized that He was the Messiah, whom the Jews had been expecting for millennia.  Joy sprang to life when people saw Jesus—the literal fulfillment of God’s promise. So, I have come up with my own definition of “joy”—expectant delight.  As long as one stays focused on God in Christ one has a sense of expecting good things to come, and that brings continuing delight.

Now, let’s look at a sampling of those who experienced joy as they experienced the Christ child that first Christmas.  I have already mentioned John the Baptist, another baby not yet born who “leaped for joy” when meeting Jesus—Who also was still in the womb.  So, I’ll begin our survey of people who met Jesus and experienced joy with:

1.  Simon—SEEK for it (Lk. 1:25-26)

Before we examine Simeon’s joy at finally seeing the Messiah, let me point out some interesting facts regarding this event.  First, we are talking about two time periods after Jesus’ birth.  Verse 21 speaks of the “eighth day” which would be the prescribed time for circumcision.  This demonstrates that Jesus was “born under the Law to redeem those under the curse of the Law” (Gal. 4:4).  In fact the Law is mentioned five times in this passage to establish this fact (uke 2:22, 23, 24, 27, 29) This clearly identifies Jesus as the “sacrificial lamb that would take away the sins of the world” (John 1:29).  Between verse 21 and 22 pass 33 days—“days of purification for Mary” after giving birth (Lev. 12:3-4).  A third part of this story comes when Simeon meets Jesus as He is brought to the Temple for consecration (setting Him aside for service to God).  Finally, we see Mary bring an offering of “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.” These “doves” (or pigeons) were prescribed as “burnt offering and sin offerings” (Lev. 12:6-8).  This offering demonstrates two important truths about Mary.  One, she was sinner as much in need of a savior as anyone else, contrary to the teachings of the Catholic church (since 1850).  Two, they were poor and could not afford a lamb which was the typical sin offering.

Into this event of Jesus in the Temple enters the character called, Simeon.  ²⁵ There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel’s consolation,  ⁿ and the Holy Spirit was on him. ²⁶ It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah.

We are told Simeon had been “waiting to see the Messiah.”  We are not told how long he had waited, though it implies he had been seeking the Messiah for some time.  Verse 29-30 tells us that Simeon’s patient seeking resulted in an experience of great joy:

²⁹ Now, Master, You can dismiss Your slave in peace,

as You promised.  ³⁰ For my eyes have seen Your salvation

Joy results when we live “devout and righteous lives in anticipation of one day seeing Jesus face to face.  Joy comes from SEEKING it.

2.  Mary—to have joy we must SING for it (1:46-55)

⁴⁶ And Mary said: My soul proclaims the greatness of  the Lord,

⁴⁷ and my spirit has rejoiced  in God my Savior.

Mary goes on to overflow in praise about the immense joy and satisfaction she feels because of her relationship with Almighty God.  I may be spiritualizing the text a bit, but it seems obvious that Mary’s heart had much to say that mere prose could not express.  This is one of many songs (commonly referred to as such in commentaries though it doesn’t specifically state they are musical tunes) related to the Christmas story in the Bible.  Zechariah also had a song.  It demonstrates how joy simply cannot—should not—be suppressed but must be expressed in some way—such as singing.  I cannot stress strongly enough how important a place singing has throughout Scripture.  I’ve said before, the largest book in the Bible is the Book of Psalms—the Hebrew songbook.  

In one (of many) situations as the nation Israel entered into battle they did not lead with heavy artillery, but with choirs.  2Chron. 20 details one such battle between Israel and an arch-enemy, Moab: 

²¹ Then he consulted with the people and appointed some to sing for the Lord and some to praise the splendor of His holiness.  When they went out in front of the armed forces, they kept singing.

We have the same examples from the American military as our cavalry would charge into battle at the bugle’s call.  During the Civil War a drummer and fife player would lead the march.  Music has also been shown to be quite effective in medicine as well.  Multiple studies have shown that calming music can lower blood pressure rates and can even lower the stress hormone cortisol just as much as anti-anxiety medications (www.thefix.com).  Singing and music are powerful ways to call up feelings of joy from deep within our souls.

When God touches your soul you must not suppress it.  The Theological Dictionary of the N.T. states this about joy:  “joy is not just inward. It has a cause and finds expression.” You will enjoy great delight and experience deep joy if you “sing for joy.”  By singing we normally think of harmony, melody and music.  We would all do well to find some form of “musical expression” in order to draw up from deep within us sounds of joy arising from God dancing upon the strings of our heart.

There are many ways to sing about what God is doing in your life.  One is to simply sing.  Some are not as “delightful in song” as others.  Perhaps you could play an instrument.  OK, some are not as talented musically as others—then play a radio (or mpg player these days) and sing along, or hum along.  But, one way to experience joy is to sing about it.  Let music draw up from deep within your soul feelings of rapturous delight that mere prose or common speech cannot elicit.

I think too many Churches underestimate the power of music to produce, not only joy, but greater devotion in general.  In too many churches the music is sort of an “hor d’oeuvre” before the main meal of the sermon.  This really turns church music into little more than a musical performance rather than true worship which will increase our joy.

The key is this:  what God does deep within us, we must get out of us!  Joy bubbles up from deep within when we sing.

3.  Elizabeth—SHARE it.

Joy is never a solo performance.  Look at Lk. 1:57:

⁵⁷ Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she had a son. ⁵⁸ Then her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her His great mercy,  ^z and they rejoiced with her.

The NIV says, “and they shared her joy.”

Let me summarize the story leading up to this joyous occasion.  Elizabeth was Mary’s cousin.  Six months before the angel announced to Mary that she would have a son an angel appeared to Elizabeth’s husband, Zechariah the priest, and said,

¹³ But the angel said to him: Do not be afraid,  Zechariah,

because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. ¹⁴ There will be joy and delight for you, and many will rejoice at his birth.

This baby would be John the Baptist who would prepare the way for the ministry of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.  Jesus said of John, “Among those born of women no one greater than John the Baptist has appeared” (Mt. 11:11).  So, when John was born it was truly a remarkable and wonderful occasion, not only because of who John was but because Elizabeth and Zechariah were old and beyond child-bearing years (Lk. 1:18).  So, the joy from Elizabeth giving birth to the fore-runner of the Messiah was powerful and contagious.

When it comes to truly experiencing joy the principle seems to be, “the more the merrier!”  We all have experienced this phenomenon.  When our children are born we are filled with joy.  As family and friends come to see the new baby, we experience the joy of birth all over again.  A room full of people and a new baby generates an explosion of joy.  This is true for every major event or accomplishment in our lives.  The more we share a joyous event, the more joy we experience ourselves.  Joy is like a snowball rolling down a hill—it gets bigger and bigger as it goes.

I have a little plague hanging on my wall that my Mom sent me many years ago.  It is a poem that talks about “love” but I believe it also applies equally to “joy.”  I’ll change the words to make my point:

The joy in your heart is not just there to stay
Joy is not joy ‘til you give it away.

Sharing multiplies our joy.  Isn’t that what Christmas is really all about—sharing the joy we have in knowing Christ with others?  Gifts, decorations, and such are nice, but Christmas is really about friends and family sharing the joy of Christ.  That’s where we find real joy.

4.  The Three Wise Men—SACRIFICE for it (Mt. 2:1-2, 11)

2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived unexpectedly in Jerusalem,  ² saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?  For we saw His star in the east  ^l and have come to worship Him.”

Then verse 11 . . . Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary His mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped Him.  Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

The true spirit of Christmas is giving.  God gave His Son.  The Wise Men gave the Son gifts, and we can give the world the joy that comes from hearing the gospel message of Jesus Christ.  The first “Noel” or the first Christmas carol talked about “joy and giving.”

¹¹ Today a Savior,  who is Messiah  the Lord,

 was born for you in the city of David.

Two key words appear in that verse:  “for you.”  As I said last week “the greatest Christmas gift is not UNDER a tree, but ON a tree.”  Christmas is about God “giving His Son, Jesus” who would die on an old rugged cross to be the Savior of the world—to be the Savior “for you.”  Jesus, and the joy He brings, is a gift from God just “for you.”

The Wise Men’s action of “giving gifts that first Christmas demonstrate that the joy of meeting Jesus just cannot be suppressed—true joy must be Expressed.

Over and over in the story of Christmas we see that joy is a feeling that just cannot be contained—it must be expressed in some tangible way.  The gifts from the Wise Men represent a great sacrifice, not so much because they were gold, a precious metal, or frankincense and myrrh, expensive fragrances, but because they travelled over 500 miles to deliver their gifts.  They literally risked life and limb travelling over harsh and dangerous regions to get to the Messiah.  It represented a journey of perhaps months, perhaps a year.  We know this because by the time the Wise Men arrive Matthew says that they “entered a house” (v11).  Jesus and His family were no longer in the stable. 

Also, the word describing Jesus changes from Luke birth narrative to Matthew’s visit by the Wise Men.  In Luke’s account Jesus is referred to as a “brephos,” or infant.  In Matthew’s account by the time of the visit of the Wise Men, Jesus is referred to as a “paidion,” or toddler.  Also, we know that the Wicked King Herod in an attempt to destroy the Newborn King Jesus, ordered all baby boys in Bethlehem under the age of two years (Mt. 2:16).

The journey of the Wise Men was long, arduous, risky and expensive.  The gifts they brought were expensive.  The Wise Men’s actions represent a great sacrifice.  True joy always involves great sacrifice.  It costs something to follow Jesus and to share his love with others, but it is through sacrifice that we experience the deepest and most meaningful joy in our relationship with Jesus.  In fact, James says,

^1:2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers,

whenever you experience various trials.

Jesus also experienced how joy increased through great sacrifice.  Hebrews 12:2 gives us this remarkable description of true joy:  Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses  surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance  the race that lies before us, ² keeping our eyes on Jesus,  the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him  endured a cross and despised the shame  and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne.

Remember I said earlier that my definition of joy was “delightful expectation.”  Hebrews describes this virtue as “the joy that lay before Him” – delight and expectation, or “expectant delight.”  How could it be that Jesus is described as both a “man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isa. 53:3) and at the same time as a man “anointed with the oil of gladness (joy) above all His fellows?” (Psa. 45:7).

Here’s what we must grasp:  sacrifice does not diminish our joy but multiplies it.  This principle is repeated many times throughout the Scriptures.  If we want true joy, we must SACRIFICE for it.

It costs something to give away the “joy of knowing Jesus.”  Many, many people who claim to be Christians exhibit “zero” joy in their lives.  The reason is simple:  they sacrifice little or nothing in service to the Kingdom.  The may give a little of their time.  They may give a little of their talents and treasures.  But, most Christians, especially in America know “little” of real sacrifice.  Consequently, they experience little joy in their lives.

Yet, in the Underground Church in China (as well as in other areas of the world where Christians are persecuted heavily) the joy of worship and service make the sacrifices they face almost melt away.  The persecuted church in China is so full of the joy of salvation that they will often meet from 8 in the morning to 8 in the evening to worship and listen to a sermon—a 12 hour sermon!  They must meet in caves or in remote forests just to keep from being killed or imprisoned.  Far from diminishing their joy, their sacrifice fans the flame of their joy into a raging inferno of praise and an unquenchable thirst for God’s Word!

The Christmas story is filled with people experiencing a supernatural joy:  Simeon, Anna, Mary, Elizabeth, the Wise Men and more.  They all have one thing in common.  The source of their joy was meeting Jesus Christ.  Focusing on Jesus Christ is the only source of deep and abiding joy.  Experience Jesus this Christmas and experience joy.

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Time Out

Each day we are given 24 hours to use as needed or desired. Unfortunately, my current workload takes about 25 hours a day.

I need to pare down some of my activities. I will not be posting on this blog for now.

There are thousands of other blogs that offer more information than anyone can possibly use. I hope you find a few that you really like.

See you later!

American Prosperity

American prosperity. For over two centuries it has been widely assumed that prosperity is the enduring birthright of a nation that touts herself as, “One Nation Under God.” In fact, our great Founding Father Thomas Jefferson saw the connection between God and freedom, or God and prosperity. His views on the matter remain permanently set in stone on the northeast interior wall of the monument bearing his name. The last line on that wall comes from a letter Jefferson wrote to George Washington, January 4, 1786.

God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep forever.

Not without sufficient irony, secular-progressive humanists in our country perpetually present the myth that Thomas Jefferson is the main figure among the Founders pushing for a completely secular state. They use as a red herring words, taken out of context from another letter Jefferson wrote. Those words are: "the separation of church and state." Only in a country blinded by the false hope of perpetual prosperity as a birthright could be so blind as not to see the complete disconnect between Thomas Jefferson’s words etched in stone and the wholesale misuse of his words for the “separation of church and state.” The facts are incontrovertible; yet, the lie remains and continues to grow. When God is separated from government and every vestige of His Providence scrubbed from public discourse in the marketplace, prosperity is no longer a birthright but it is indeed a myth. It is a dangerous myth.

“Can the liberties [prosperity included] of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift ofGod?” That is a rhetorical question requiring no answer. But, there is an answer. The answer is founded upon the very words of God, Himself. God establishes an absolute hard-wired connection between piety and prosperity, between truth and success. God says,

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful
(Joshua 1:8-9).

God established the basis for national success and prosperity. History proves by a preponderance of evidence that atheism and agnosticism, pragmatism or scientism, nor any “ism” can sustain liberty and prosperity for a nation. Only a devotion to the One True God guarantees such.

Our national distrust and disloyalty to the God “who gives us liberty,” offers no true hope of any long term prosperity as a nation, regardless of the present national optimism at the changing of the guard.

America’s greatest enemy is pride. America’s greatest hope is revival.

I Didn't Think . . .

MONROE, Ohio - A top cop mistakenly shot himself in the thigh after giving his daughter a lesson in gun safety, police said. Middletown police Chief Greg Schwarber, 54, was preparing to clean his Glock .45-caliber pistol on Friday and didn't realize the gun was still loaded, according to a police report.

“I didn't think the gun was loaded.” These words come up often after an accidental shooting. I have never heard of someone saying, “I knew the gun was loaded but I just didn’t care.”

Yes, I do see a spiritual lesson in this incident. The Bible says, (and I will paraphrase), “The fool says that I don’t think God exists” (Psalm 14:1 ). Here's the lesson. Most people who disavow a belief in God have the same attitude as the police officer who shot himself and the fool the Psalm describes. Both assumed that there was a one-to-one correlation between what they thought and what was actually true. In fact, there was no correlation between what the wounded officer thought and reality. Likewise, there is no relation between what the “fool” thinks and reality.

God exists whether we believe it or not. True is true whether anybody believes it or not. Reality is not relative as many seem to “think” these days. If God exists whether we believe it or not and if the truths set out in His Word are true whether anybody believes them or not then the consequence of foolishly ignoring the salvation God offers is true whether anybody believes it or not.

The Bible says in another book, “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation” (Hebrews 2:3). This is a rhetorical question in which the answer presumed by the question is: “we can’t.” It does not matter what a person thinks; what matters is what is true?

People who ignore the call of God upon their consciences and the clear message of the Bible are playing with a loaded gun. It will be too late when the person stands before God in judgment. No person will then be able to escape the eternal punishment of hell by saying, “I didn’t think hell existed,” or “I didn’t think the Bible was true.”

Only a fool would play with a loaded gun. Don’t be foolish.

Irony

Much of theological truth is couched in irony. Irony refers to an “unexpected outcome.” What we see is not what we expect, such as in the ancient fable of the race between “The Tortoise and the Hare.” In such a race we would naturally expect the hare to cross the finish line first. In fact, he does not.

Christian theology has its own ironies. One such irony is discussed at length in the Book of Romans, chapter 8 (see verses 18 to 30). Here we have the Apostle Paul inspired to write about hope in terms of suffering, futility, corruption, and complete weakness. Certainly, one would not naturally expect such conditions to provide much hope. More so one would expect ease and power to be more conducive to an attitude of hope.

On March 24, 1872 at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London the preeminent Baptist preacher of the time offered this reflection on the above passage:

“A lack of depth in the inner life accounts for most of the doctrinal error in the church. Sound conviction of sin, deep humiliation on account of it, and a sense of utter weakness and unworthiness naturally conduct the mind to the belief of the doctrines of grace, while shallowness in these matters leaves a man content with a superficial creed.”

People chafe against any notion they are “utterly weak and unworthy” and incapable of any progress toward godliness on their own. People prefer to be of the type that to pull oneself up by “moral bootstraps.” There is little evidence of much conviction of sin these days. A shallow, self-determined religiosity is the order of the day. Grace is not needed and the Bible is unheeded.

There is little irony in regard to why society is the way it is. We have what one would expect a self-righteousness might provide – shallow, superficial churchianity where hope is based upon works and despair continues to abound. Perhaps there is a bit of irony in that.

Homosexuals Invade Church

“Worshippers at a Bible-teaching church in Lansing, Mich., were stunned Sunday when members of a pro-homosexual, pro-anarchy organization named Bash Back interrupted their service to fling propaganda and condoms around the sanctuary, drape a profane banner from the balcony and feature two lesbians making out at the pulpit.”

A small-town news journal covered this recent church invasion. A pro-homosexual activist group stormed the church services at Mount Hope in Lansing to seek “tolerance” for their lifestyle. It would be ironically funny if it were not so sad. Sounds like a toddler throwing a temper tantrum in the hope of getting adults to respect his or her wishes. Some may also think that this type of behavior is uncharacteristic of most homosexuals. To these persons I simply invite you to attend a San Francisco Gay Pride Parade. The fact is that some the most intolerant, belligerent, and bizarre behavior can be found in communities with a high percentage of homosexuals. This type of behavior from these cultural terrorists does not find a place in most news coverage. It is not politically correct to show homosexuals in a bad light.

This homo-activist group calls themselves, Bash Back. Keep in mind the church they invaded is not a church that has been politically active on any issue, including homosexuality. It was just a church that was convenient to invade. In fact, the members present during this blasphemous fiasco did not even offer any resistance to the invaders. Instead, when the pulpit area was clear of the terrorists, the pastor offered a prayer asking that these “homo-terrorists” find healing for their anger and hate.

I’m posting this because this type of belligerence and rebellion characterizes so many of those involved in homosexual activism, but the regular media is hesitant to say anything about it. The Bible describes those involved in “homo-terrorist groups” such as Act Up and Bash Back: “God gave them over to degrading passions for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of women and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error” (Romans 1:26-27).

I understand that those enslaved by the homosexual lifestyle will find this passage in Scripture direct and hard to hear; however, it is not loving to keep people from the truth that can set them free. Homosexuality, like all sin, enslaves those who give in to such tempations. Jesus can, and will, set them free if they surrender to Him as the Lord and Master of Life.

Sad, So Sad

Headline (MSN): "Liberal churches join effort to overturn Prop 8"
(Caution: this post is a little longer than usual)

Just a few short years ago the people of California voted overwhelmingly to define marriage as the union between a man and a woman. Four Supreme Court judges over-ruled the will of the people and struck down the newly enacted law. This November the people of California voted to amend the State Constitution (by referendum as it is done in California) to again define marriage as between a man and a woman. The liberal groups challenged the Proposition. The Supreme Court of California upheld the right for the people to decide. The people decided and now the liberal pro-homosexual activists and their friends are asking the State Supreme Court to over-rule the will of the people.

Does that all sound like something important is going on in California? If you think it sounds important, you are right.

There are all kinds of angles to this story. There is the “pro-homosexual, in-your-face-like-it-or-not” angle. There's the constitutional angle. There's the "on-what-basis-can-the-Supreme Court overrule-the-clear-will-of-the-people" angle. There's the "fair-play" angle. The people of California have won fair and square -- twice! There's also the "common-sense" angle. Common sense would seem to say that there is a reason why every society in the history of man has identified marriage as between a man and a woman. Men and women are such a perfect biological fit for marriage that no society in recorded history has ever argued otherwise -- until now! It just belies common sense to suggest that a "union," as in marriage union, can be completed using all bolts or all nuts. Even a child with an erector set can see the logical fallacy in that.

But the most disturbing angle of all is that to which the headline above refers: the church angle. Churches -- liberal churches -- are defending the marriage union between a man and a man or a woman and a woman against all logic and the clear didactic propositions of Scripture.

Make no mistake about it; the Scriptures are not ambiguous in regard to homosexuality. The liberal, pro-homosexual, so-called theologians may try to twist the Scripture to conform to the new "politically correct atmosphere," but they twist the Scripture to their own hurt. These pro-homosexual, mis-guided theologues are not the first to "twist the Scriptures" to fit their own agenda. Peter spoke of this a long time ago. This is how the Living Bible so vividly describes such theologues:

there are people who are deliberately stupid, and always demand some unusual interpretation-they have twisted his letters around to mean something quite different from what he meant, just as they do the other parts of the Scripture-and the result is disaster for them" (1Peter 3:15-16), TLB).

It is sad enough that sectors of the American public have drifted so far from the plain truth of nature and Scripture. Even sadder is the fact that groups calling themselves "churches" are leading the way.

I'm sure that many reading this blog will be offended by my plain speaking. I'm sure many (thought they know nothing about me) will label me a hate-mongering homophobe. Fact is, I'm just a person seeking truth. Love is not love if it is not true. Marriage is not marriage if not based upon truth. A lie is a lie whether it gives us warm fuzzies or not.

But the truth . . . well the truth will set us free. I choose to be free and help set others free.