143 Sermon Illustrations on Joy

1. Good Christian men, rejoice

With heart and soul and voice;

Give ye heed to what we say:

News! News! Jesus Christ is born today!

Ox and ass before Him bow,

And He is in the manger now:

Christ is born today!

Christ is born today!

2. Good Christian men, rejoice

With heart and soul and voice;

Now ye hear of endless bliss:

Joy! Joy! Jesus Christ was born for this!

He has opened heaven’s door,

And man is blessed for evermore;

Christ was born for this!

Christ was born for this!

3. Good Christian men, rejoice

With heart and soul and voice;

Now ye need not fear the grave:

Peace! Peace! Jesus Christ was born to save!

Calls you one and calls you all

To gain His everlasting hall:

Christ was born to save!

Christ was born to save!

[Tune “In Dulce Jubilo”]

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1. Come, we that love the Lord,

And let our joys be known;

Join in a song with sweet accord,

Join in a song with sweet accord

And thus surround the throne,

And thus surround the throne.

Chorus

We’re marching to Zion,

Beautiful, beautiful Zion;

We’re marching upward to Zion,

The beautiful city of God.

2. Let those refuse to sing

Who never knew our God;

But children of the heavenly King,

But children of the heavenly King

May speak their joys abroad,

May speak their joys abroad.

3. The hill of Zion yields

A thousand sacred sweets

Before we reach the heavenly fields,

Before we reach the heavenly fields,

Or walk the golden streets,

Or walk the golden streets.

4. Then let our songs abound,

And every tear be dry;

We’re marching through Emmanuel’s ground,

We’re marching through Emmanuel’s ground,

To fairer worlds on high,

To fairer worlds on high.

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Some days I don’t think our family is large enough.

Having many children means chores are divided

So are the clothes

And the books

Time to practice on the piano

Time to bake cookies or brownies

Time to make a meal because Mom is helping to paint outside

Having many children means many stories to listen to

At mealtime

While dishes are being washed and put away

In the van driving to another dentist appointment

Going to Wal-Mart

On trips to see big sister with her new family

Having many children means tears to shed

When they fall off the pony and are injured

When they leave for another country

When they fall in love

When they miss the one they love

When they miss Mom and Dad

When they simply grow up and move away

Having many children means many joys to share

As they overcome fears

As they prepare to play in their first piano recital

As they romp in the Gulf of Mexico

As they play with their best friends in the woods and fields

As they receive an e-mail from special people far away

Having many children can cost money–

but the investment in their lives is invaluable

Having many children can cost your sanity–

you thought you clearly told them what to do yet somehow they misunderstood

Having many children can drive you to your knees because there is no

other posture in dealing with the uncertainties of childhood and adolescence.

Then when you think they have grown and are on their own, you realize

life has taken on a new dimension.

In THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS, C.S. Lewis writes an imaginary exchange between a senior devil and his pupil on the subject of pleasure:

He (God) made the pleasures: all our research so far has not

enabled us to produce one. All we can do is to encourage the

humans to take the pleasures which our Enemy has produced, at

times, or in ways, or in degrees, which He has forbidden. Hence

we always try to work away from the natural condition of any

pleasure to that in which it is least natural, least redolent of

its Maker, and least pleasurable. An ever increasing craving for

an ever diminishing pleasure is the formula.(1)

Any pleasure -- whether good or illegitimate -- will enslave us when we turn it into our life’s utmost pursuit. Hunger for even the simple pleasure of food can become a life-dominating drive. The first temptation of Jesus in the desert was to fulfill a perfectly legitimate bodily need. He was naturally hungry, having fasted for forty days and nights, when Satan suggested that he turn stones into bread. Today, we wrestle with the same suggestion from Satan: WHAT’S WRONG WITH FULFILLING NORMAL BODILY NEEDS? DIDN’T GOD MAKE YOU THIS WAY?

Yet Satan’s temptation is to reduce humans’ ultimate pursuit to merely one of pleasure -- the idea that sensual pleasure drives all of our motivations and needs. Jesus responded with Scripture: “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4). By reiterating this truth, Jesus replaces Satan’s view with the proper WILL TO MEANING view. As humans, we cannot live on food alone. We must have meaning and purpose to survive. In his experience in a Nazi concentration camp, psychologist Victor Frankl discovered that when men lost meaning they quickly died. Mankind needs a transcendent reason to continue striving against the struggles that life presents.

Now this is not to say that there is no value in pleasure or that pleasure is not a legitimate goal. But pleasure can become a distraction or digression in the serious quest for life. When pleasure or the pursuit of it begins to distract us from life’s ultimate goal, it can become an idol of the heart -- not just something we might worship, but something we rely on to give us some sense of security, however fleeting.

A problem that has emerged along with the growing affluence of society is the desire for immediate gratification. Short-term pleasure is given priority over lasting satisfaction. The expectation of immediate gratification not only moves us beyond genuine needs, it also just as quickly lowers our threshold of thrill. As a result, we are on a constant search for the next high that comes from either a pleasurable experience or the acquisition of something new.

Yet clearly the route of unbridled pleasure is not the course that will lead us to where our souls seek to go. In his book HERETICS, Chesterton remarks, “The carpe diem religion is not the religion of happy people, but of very unhappy people. Great joy does not gather the rosebuds while it may; its eyes are fixed on the immortal rose which Dante saw.” Any pleasure, however good, if not kept in balance will distort reality and lead us into believing that pleasure is the ultimate end we are seeking. Some of us who are aware of this danger have instead gone to the other extreme of denying ourselves of the sheer delight and pleasure that God has made possible for us. Ravi Zacharias rightly concludes that, “The closer we get to legitimate pleasures the closer we are to God. In fact, all legitimate pleasure is a gift from God.”

The pleasures of everyday life, if received rightly and accepted as God’s gift to us, can point us towards the transcendent, towards God Himself. What we need is the wisdom in dealing with that which can so easily seize our hearts. The point is not to avoid or deny desire (as Buddha would teach), but to desire and enjoy pleasure in its proper context: pleasure is a means, not an end. Every pleasure that is sought as an end in itself ultimately ceases to deliver, and the aching void in our soul persists.

Joy is the greater end, the joy of knowing God and living for Him. It is also this joy that will give us the wisdom in keeping our pursuit for pleasure in check. God does not want us to be rid of pleasure (after all, he created it!), but to experience all things in view of who God is and what pleasure is according to the one who made it.

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1. C.S. Lewis, THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS (New York: HarperCollins, 1996), p. 44.

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Copyright © 2007 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

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[Original illustration at this number was a duplicate of HolwickID #5015]

“Learn how to be happy with what you have while you pursue all that you want.” — Jim Rohn

“Happiness comes when you believe in what you are doing, know what you are doing, and love what you are doing.” — Brian Tracy

“Happiness is an attitude of mind, born of the simple determination to be happy under all outward circumstances.” — J. Donald Walters

“A good laugh is sunshine in the house.” — William Makepeace Thackeray

Philippians, Letter of Joy — 1:12–30 — Joy in Suffering « Leader information »

A. Prison as a Plus Philippians 1:12–14 (NAS)

12 Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, 13 so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, 14 and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.

1. What cause for Joy does Paul find in his suffering?

a. « his imprisonment resulted in the gospel being made known »

2. In what two ways did this take place?

a. « Paul was able to witness to his guards and those around them »

b. « Paul’s example emboldened others to witness also »

3. What scriptural promises did this prove?

a. « Romans 8:28 »

b. « Matthew 10:19, Mark 13:11, Luke 12:11 »

B. Purposes for Preaching Philippians 1:15–17

15 Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; 16 the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defence of the gospel; 17 the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment.

1. What are wrong reasons for proclaiming Christ; for “full-time service”?

a. « for money; 1 Timothy 3:3, Titus 1:7, 1 Peter 5:2 »

b. « for an easy life; Romans 12:8, 2 Corinthians 8:7 »

c. « for show, fame, mastery; 3 John 1:9, 1 Peter 5:3 »

2. What are right reasons for proclaiming Christ; for “full-time service”?

a. « the love of Christ constraining us; 2 Corinthians 5:14 »

b. « in obedience to God; Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:8 »

c. « God’s appointment, Christ’s sending, the Spirit’s gifting; John 15:16, 1 Corinthians 12:27-30, Ephesians 4:11-16 »

C. Rejoicing Response Philippians 1:18–20

18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice, yes, and I will rejoice. 19 For I know that this shall turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20 according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I shall not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ shall even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

1. what kind of deliverance or salvation (verse 19) did Paul expect? « See 2 Corinthians 1:10-11, 4:14-15, Romans 8:28 — in him Christ and His Gospel will be advanced. – “Release from imprisonment” (Chrysostom). “Preservation of his life” (Oecumenius). “Victory over his enemies” (Michaelis). “His own salvation in a spiritual sense” (Reinwaldt, Lightfoot) »

a. « from shame: — for example, from failing in his ministry »

b. « that Christ be exalted, God glorified »

2. by what agency does he expect this to come about

a. « their prayers »

b. « the working of the Spirit of Christ »

D. Living to Labour Philippians 1:21–26

21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labour for me; and I do not know which to choose. 23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; 24 yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. 25 And convinced of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again.

1. How do the following verses illuminate verse 21?

a. Galatians 2:20

b. Col 3:3–4

2. Death would be a gain for it would take him from suffering; but what is listed as advantages for his remaining alive:

a. « the opportunity for fruitful service »

b. « for the sake of his spiritual children »

c. « for their growth and progress »

d. « for enjoying their faith »

e. « that he may possibly come again »

E. Support in Suffering Philippians 1:27–30

27 Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ; so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; 28 in no way alarmed by your opponents — which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. 29 For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, 30 experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

1. What will give Paul joy in hearing of it in his spiritual children?

a. « worthy conduct »

b. « steadfast »

c. « united in spirit and labours for the gospel »

d. « unfazed by opposition »

2. how can the same thing be both destruction and salvation

a. « see 2 Corinthians 2:14–16 for another instance »

3. what are the favours that God gives to His children

a. « to believe »

b. « to suffer … why … see Acts 5:41 »

Philippians, Letter of Joy — 1:1–11 — Joy in Prayer « Leader information »

A. One last note of introduction. We pointed out that the writer of the book of Acts, Luke, appears to have joined the missionary team in Acts 16:10 with the “we” there. Then, the we disappears in the mid-chapter, only to reappear in Acts 20:5 on a subsequent visit of Paul to Macedonia as they returned to Troas. From this, many have thought that Luke, “beloved physician,” remained at, or later returned, to Philippi, working at establishing the new church there.

B. The Salutation Philippians 1:1–2 (NAS)

1:1 Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons: 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1. Who sent greetings to the church at Philippi?

« Paul and Timothy »

a. did they jointly write this book (see verse 3)?

« No; only Paul as the context and contents show. »

b. what was their title?

« Bond-servants / slaves; cf 19:11, 13; prophets; etc. »

c. what title did Paul not use?

« Apostle »

d. why?

« No need to emphasize his authority; no controversy »

2. Who are the people addressed…

a. … the saints?

« N.T. term for true believers or disciples; the Christian is holy, purified, separate in his position or status, even though as to state that is yet in the future. »

b. … the overseers?

« Are these part of the saints … I hope so! Other term is presbyter and is also the office held by a pastor-teacher »

c. … the deacons?

« Comment on diakonai in Acts 6:2, 4 — “neglected in the daily deaconage … to deacon tables … deacon the Word” »

3. This is not only a greeting but a prayer for

a. a Greek greeting, Eirene, or « “grace” »

« “May you be an object of favour” »

b. equivalent to a Hebrew greeting, Shalom, or « “peace” »

« “Having peace with God, may you know His wholeness” »

C. Paul’s Thanksgiving Prayers Philippians 1:3–8

1:3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 1:4 always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, 1:5 in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. 1:6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. 1:7 For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me. 1:8 For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. (NAS)

1. Why would Paul feel joy in his prayers of thanksgiving?

a. « his fond remembrance of these people »

b. « their participation or fellowship with his ministry »

c. « his confidence of God’s keeping them »

d. « their standing by him in his suffering and work »

e. « his Christ-given affection for them »

2. What historic incidents makes the tone of these verses so appropriate? – Acts 16:33-34, 40

a. « the Philippian jailer’s actions upon his conversion »

b. « how Lydia and the brethren identified themselves with Paul despite the city’s attitude toward him »

D. Paul’s Current Prayer for Them Philippians 1:9–11

1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, 1:10 so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; 1:11 having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (NAS)

1. What spiritual blessings does Paul ask for them?

a. « abounding love »

b. « real knowledge »

c. « discernment to know what is excellent, worthy pursuing »

2. what do you find Paul asking for them that is missing in most of our prayers for each other?

a. « they be sincere »

b. « they be blameless »

c. « they be filled with the fruit of righteousness »

E. Some questions on this passage

1. there is a short, little word repeated frequently in it

a. what is it?

« “All” – particularly in “you all” »

b. why might it be so used?

« No partiality or favouritism; everyone include in prayer »

2. Paul’s first European convert was at Philippi, being

a. (a) the man from Macedonia

b. (b) a woman from Asia Minor

c. (c) a slave girl from Philippi

3. The Philippian church were Paul’s partners in

a. (a) his tent-making business

b. (b) in the spread of the gospel

c. (c) in Lydia’s fabric store

4. Paul’s epistle to the Philippians is one of the

a. (a) sternest he ever wrote

b. (b) most personal of all his writings

c. (c) most complex and difficult of all his letters

5. Which ONE thing did Paul NOT specifically pray for them

a. (a) they abound in enlightened love

b. (b) they could discriminate between right and wrong

c. (c) they be kept from harm and danger

d. (d) they show Christian fruitfulness

6. What impressed you most in this passage?

Philippians, Letter of Joy — 2:12–30 — Joy in Service « Leader's information »

A. Joy in Service

1. The Basis of Service — 1. our Salvation 2:12–13 NAS

12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

« a. comments from Biblical Museum (Holwick #25517)

(A) as…obeyed — John 6:28-29 — as ye have been obedient to God

(B) not…only — ye need not the prompting of my presence

(C) work…trembling — Heb 4:11, 2 Cor 7:1, 2 Pet 1:10, Heb 6:11-12, 4:1 — be nervously anxious to be and do right

(D) for…you — 2 Cor 3:5, Eph 2:8-9 — this is your encouragement, that the work within is a work of God

(E) both…pleasure — Prov 16:1, Jer 32:39, Heb 13:20-21 — He supplies the impulse, and, through you, He performs the work. To Him, therefore, be all the praise.

» b. what are the marks of salvation based service?

(A) « it is an act of faith-obedience »

(B) « it takes place even in the absence of accountability »

(C) « it is done in due consideration of God’s Person »

(D) « it reveals itself as God’s rather than man’s work »

2. The Basis of Service — 2. the Word of Life 2:14–16 NAS

14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing; 15 that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may have cause to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.

« a. comments from Biblical Museum (Holwick #25518)

(A) do…things — Jam 5:9 — needful, right, however humble the work, or difficult

(B) murmurings {grumbling} — 1 Cor 10:10 — probably referring to Israelites

(C) disputings — inward questionings

(D) that…be — Matt 5:45, Eph 5:1 — that ye may be regarded as

(E) harmless {innocent} — pure

(F) the…rebuke {reproach} — 1 Pet 2:12 — irreproachable

(G) crooked…perverse — Deut 32:5 — “in reference to their moral obliquity and their distorted spiritual growth.” (Ellicot)

(H) among…world — Matt 5:14, 16, Eph 5:8

(I) holding…life — John 6:63 — manifesting the Gospel by living and preaching the Word, from Whom they have life

(J) in…Christ — day of judgment

(K) that…vain — 1 Th 2:19 — but find that his zeal is productive of hoped for results

» b. What are the marks of Bible-based service?

(A) « uncomplaining, unquestioning »

(B) « reflecting the Christian’s status as a child of God »

(C) « standing as a lighthouse in a dark, dangerous world »

(D) « ornaments to our spiritual parents »

B. Joy in Service

1. Examples — 1. Paul 2:17–18 NAS

17 But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. 18 And you too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.

« a. comments from Biblical Museum (Holwick #25519)

(A) offered — poured out, referring to pouring out of his blood as a martyr

(B) upon…faith — he hopes that his death may have the effect of strengthening their faith, and prepare them for heaven

(C) I…all — Acts 20:24, Col 1:24 — he would rejoice in anything that would be a service to them

(D) for…me — that his death would be a gain to him and a benefit to them {Latimer to Ridley at their martyrdom: “Be of good comfort, master Ridley, and play the man. We shall this day light such a candle, by God’s grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out.” — Foxe’s Book of Martyrs}

» b. what exemplary conduct in service is shown by Paul?

(A) « self-sacrifice »

(B) « joyful for them »

(C) « sharing his joy with them »

(D) « eager to share their joy »

2. Examples — 2. Timothy 2:19–23 NAS

19 But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition. 20 For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. 21 For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus. 22 But you know of his proven worth that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father. 23 Therefore I hope to send him immediately, as soon as I see how things go with me;

« comments from Biblical Museum (Holwick #25520)

I…Jesus — Jam 4:15, John 10:30 — if it may be His will, and for His glory

likeminded — with myself in this respect

who…state — and whose care might otherwise be perfunctory

all — who are now with me, except Timotheus

own — profit, glory, safety

not…Christ’s — Matt 16:24, 2 Cor 5:15, 1 Cor 10:33 — i.e., the welfare of His cause and people at all personal costs and hazards

ye…him — ye know his well tried character

as…father — loving, obedient, entering into his father’s work and spirit

in — for

so {as soon as}…me what issues my present affairs will have

» what exemplary conduct in service is shown by Timothy?

« like-minded with his spiritual parent »

« genuine concern for them; a shepherd heart »

« of proven worth in proclaiming the gospel »

« a dependable and ready emissary »

Examples — 3. Epaphroditus 2:24–30 NAS

24 and I trust in the Lord that I myself also shall be coming shortly. 25 But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need; 26 because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. 27 For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly in order that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you. 29 Therefore receive him in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard; 30 because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was deficient in your service to me.

« comments from Biblical Museum (Holwick #25521-2)

trust — confident

I…shortly — he trusted that he would be able soon to follow Timothy

Epaphroditus — Phil 4:18 — (Venus-like, beautiful), possibly Epaphras, a Colossian — Col 1:7, 4:12, Phm 1:23 — Nothing certainly known of him, beyond this passage

because…sick — he was sorry that their trials should be increased by a knowledge of his

he…death — his illness was likely to be fatal

but…hirn — Ps 103:2-4, 107:21, 116:15 — restoration to health, one form of Divine mercy

and not, etc. — Isa 27:8 — mercy to those who are dear, to be regarded as a mercy to us.

carefully {eagerly} — diligently. The sending precipitated by the news he had heard of their sorrow, which the presence of Epaphroditus might allay

receive…Lord — because of his relation to me and you in Christ

all — every form, degree, and proof

reputation {esteem} — honour for sake of their work and character

for…death — his zeal for Christ had exposed him to imminent danger

not…me — Matt 25:36, 40 — his service to Paul was the expression of his zeal for Christ

» What exemplary conduct … shown in Epaphroditus?

« a proven servant (minister to others needs) »

« concerned for others rather than himself »

« worthy of high esteem »

« ready to risk, to give his life in service »

Somebody has well said that there are only two kinds of people in the world. There are those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good morning, Lord," and there are those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good Lord, it's morning."

Philippians, Letter of Joy — 2:1–11 — Joy in Humility « Leader information shown in this fashion »

A. Joy in Humility — because of Unity Philippians 2:1–4 (NAS)

2:1 If therefore there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

1. in verse 2, how are Christians asked to give joy?

a. by « a unity of mind — agreed upon the truth (see Ephesians 4:1-6 » )

(A) « “one faith” — there are some fundamental Christian truths on which there must be agreement — some of these here are »

(B) « the person of the Trinity — Spirit, Lord, Father »

(C) « the way of salvation — calling, faith, baptism [not water!] »

b. by « a unity of love — agreed in caring and considering each other; living out 1 Corinthians 13 in reality, not theory »

c. by « a unity of spirit — literally, “common-souled” — in accord on what matters; “kindred spirits” »

d. by « a unity of purpose — in spiritual priorities »

e. … to whom? « — to spiritual parents, to Christian leaders, to God »

2. from verse 1, what spiritual blessings will assist us in this?

a. the « encouragement in (paraklesiv en – standing alongside us by) Christ – same root as used for “comforter” – to make strong »

b. the « consolation (literally “speaking beside” or soothing words) of love — from God in the first part »

c. the « fellowship (koinonia or communion; “commonality, oneness”) of the Holy Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 3:16) »

d. the « Spirit-given graces of human affection and caring »

3. verses 3 and 4: how is this « unity in humility » to be evidenced?

a. in « self-less motives »

b. in « respectful attitudes »

c. in « supporting actions »

B. Joy in Humility — by Jesus’ Example Philippians 2:5–8

2:5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

1. This is sometimes referred to as the “Kenosis” passage, because that is the Greek word for “emptied” found in verse 7. What emptying steps do you find in these verses?

a. He « took on servant-hood (though He and the Father are One) »

b. He « took on manhood (though He is Deity) »

c. He « carried His obedience as a servant to the point of death »

d. He « suffered death by crucifixion — both excruciating and a curse, therefore, the ultimate in humiliation, in His self-humbling »

2. Does this mean that the Son of God ceased to possess the attributes of Deity?

a. John 1:14–18

b. Matthew 17:1–2, Mark 9:1–2, 2 Peter 1:16-17

c. « no, they were set aside or masked so that he might be “very God of very God and very man of very man” — see Hebrews 4:15 »

C. Joy in Humility — seeing Jesus’ Glory Philippians 2:9–11

2:9 Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus “every knee should bow,” of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

1. Read Acts 2:36. Sometimes speakers, in urging Christians to dedicate themselves for Christian service, or for surrender, urge them to “make Christ Lord of their lives.”

a. What is wrong with that phrase?

(A) « Jesus Christ is Lord and Sovereign of all, including our lives, whether we acknowledge that fact or not. »

(B) « Acknowledging that Jesus is Lord is an intrinsic part of faith, of our conversion experience — not some follow-on process (see Romans 10:9–10) »

b. What phrase would you suggest should be used?

(A) « give the Lord Jesus the control over your life (Colossians 3:16) »

(B) « stop quenching the Holy Spirit, stop grieving the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19, Ephesians 4:30) »

Happiness is largely predictable; joy, on the other hand, takes us by surprise.

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Among the readings we associate with Advent are these words from the prophet Zephaniah, depicting a day of celebration. “The Lord is in your midst, God will rejoice over you with gladness, ....as on a day of festival.” (Zeph. 3:14-20) This is an exceptional image, for it paints a God who is not so serious or so powerful as to stand above and apart from the people. This God appears in the midst to of the people, taking part in their exuberant celebration.

Trying to capture the power of this passage, a colleague writes. “The image I have is of God as a rabbi at a Jewish wedding lifted on the shoulders of the dancing guests celebrating the union of the bride and groom.” Calls to rejoice and celebrate are frequent in scripture, but the image of God actually stepping up to share in our human celebration, dancing, if you will at a wedding reception, is rare.

It's rare, and I fear it may be too simple. For in the midst of good times, it's relatively easy to celebrate. Whereas the true test of faith is whether we can celebrate when things are not going according to plan. It was this way for the Apostle Paul when he wrote his letter to the Philippians. It was during a time of mounting persecution. Paul had already been arrested, and was being held in a Roman prison, and he was writing a letter of consolation to the little church in Philippi. Paul knew that hard times were coming for such small clusters of Christians all across the empire. But he wanted to share with them a word of encouragement, so he wrote: “Have no anxiety about anything, but ... with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which passes all human understanding, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

“Have no anxiety about anything.....

....Easier said than done!

The peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding. This is the source of the joy we feel in God's presence. And it's a joy that came come when we least expect it, even in the face of circumstances which would not appear to give much reason for rejoicing. Perhaps that's the difference between true joy and mere happiness. It was so for Jesus when he shared his last moments with his disciples - and he knew that death was waiting in the wings, but still he said to them: “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” He said this at the supper which he knew would be his last; he knew he would be leaving them very shortly, yet the one thing he wanted them to remember him by at the moment of separation was the joy. As Fred Buechner puts it, “Happiness turns up more or less where you'd expect it to be -- a good marriage, a rewarding job, a pleasant vacation. Joy, on the other hand, is as notoriously unpredictable as the one who bequeaths it.”

But when God comes a calling on us, all our occasions shall dance for joy. That's what the apostle discovered even as he sat there in his lonely prison cell. God came dancing down the corridors of that dreary prison and filled him with a peace which did surpass all human understanding.

Which brings me back to the beginning, to the lesson from Zephaniah, which pictures God dancing in the midst of the people. When I shared this image with a friend the other day, it sparked her memory and inspired her to tell her story. She has graciously given me permission to share it with you in the hope that it might help someone else. It speaks to the kind of joy we are discussing here. The person of whom I speak is now in her mid eighties, but when she heard about the God who could dance at a wedding, she was inspired to tell the story of her divorce, which happened some forty years ago. It followed ten years of pain in a difficult marriage. During that whole time her husband was involved in a series of love affairs, and would not, or could not, give the habit up. For ten years she struggled to make the marriage work, keeping the vows, she thought, for better, or for worse. And there was their nine year old daughter. ... Wouldn't it be better for her sake to hold the family together? Finally she discovered that her husband had fathered a child with another woman. After days of painful conversation and reflection, she graciously offered to take the child in, and raise it as her own, it would be her child too. Her husband scoffed at the idea. “He laughed in my face.”

“He laughed in my face.”

That was more than she cold take. She decided to make the break, taking her daughter to a tropical island, where it was possible to get a divorce, simply by filing papers after six weeks of residency. Mother and daughter registered at an inn with a heavy metal fence out front, and a large, imposing gate; there was a hand-painted sign outside which read: Heaven's Gate. Hoping for some words of healing in a time of painful transition, she brought with her a copy of Mary Baker Eddy's Science and Health. Not exactly the sort of book most of us would take with us to that proverbial deserted island. But when times are tough, we sometimes reach out for straws. And in any case, she wanted to use this time to make some decisions about the future and if possible, to get closer to God. Maybe Mary Baker Eddy could help. Unfortunately, the book was a bust.

Heaven's Gate was another story. Lovely inn-keepers, with a nine year old daughter. A flock of other folk, come to the same island to end failed relationships, all presented the opportunity to share their stories, and begin new friendships. There was a lawyer from Washington State; a swarthy German from St Louis.

My friend and her daughter became very close to the inn-keepers and their daughter. In the days they explored the island and its lovely beaches, swimming at crescent bays lined with tamarind trees; at night, they listened to the music of the steel band, shared long dinners with the other guests, dancing with the governor of the island, black and white together. And the swarthy German began to take some interest in my friend. “He was so good looking and so gracious to me, I felt like a real person again. I really blew my top!, “ she finishes the story with a flurry, throwing her hands up in delight, a tremendous look of glee spreading across her face in the sheer joy of the memory, reveling in the feelings of that hour even though it happened more than forty years ago.

And in this story of joy and liberation, there is God, The Spirit, dancing in pleasure and in delight to the music of the steel band, alongside the woman who is feeling truly free for the first time in ten long years. And she finds God, not in the book of theology, but in the food, and the dancing, and the good times with her daughter, and the friendship, and the love, all of which are cause for great rejoicing! As surprising and as delightful as the one who bequeaths them. God celebrating not in the consummation of a marriage, but in the discovery that real joy is possible once again for a middle age woman and her daughter even in the pain of betrayal and divorce. At Heaven's Gate.

As Paul indicates in his letter to the Philippians, we are to rejoice, not just in the good times, but in all times. And when things are seeming rather hopeless, and when even a holiday like Christmas seems to have lost its luster, we can still rejoice in the Lord. In closing his epistle to the Philippians, Paul gives this formula, not for mere happiness, but for the deep joy that comes from God. When times are difficult, and when the bad things seem to be getting the better of you, then suggests the apostle, think on these things: “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the peace of God which surpasses all human understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say, Rejoice.” Amen.

*

1. I have a song that Jesus gave me,

It was sent from heav’n above;

There never was a sweeter melody,

’Tis a melody of love.

Chorus

In my heart there rings a melody,

There rings a melody, with heaven’s harmony;

In my heart there rings a melody,

There rings a melody of love.

2. I love the Christ who died on Calv’ry,

For He washed my sins away;

He put within my heart a melody,

And I know it’s there to stay.

3. ’Twill be my endless theme in glory,

With the angels I will sing;

’Twill be a song with glorious harmony,

When the courts of heaven ring.

On my last wood project, I cut off a board twice and it was still too short. If I could invent a board stretcher, I’d make a fortune.

I’ve always been a frustrated inventor. I’m so excited about my latest project that I had to share it with you. Betty always had to help me operate the drill press in my shop, but I just devised a contraption that allows me to operate the up and movement of the drill with my foot. It’s a life saver — creating it was almost more fun than using it. It’s exciting.

I hope you do things that are exciting. Do you know that the very best vitamin is vitamin X — Xciting! Whether you are excited about your church, your hobby, your work, your avocation or your spouse, you need some excitement in your life, and it doesn’t have to be a roller coaster ride at a Six Flags park.

A little spice helps most foods, but a little spice in your life can also be very beneficial to your outlook and attitude. A little spice may not hurt your church service, either. Get out of a rut!

Psalm 126:3 (NIV) says, “The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” It’s great to be excited about what God has already done for us, but we need to get turned on with excitement about what He is going to do for us in the future — starting NOW!

Sacred delight is good news coming through the back door of your heart. It's what you'd always dreamed but never expected. It is sacred because only God can grant it. It is a delight because it thrills. It is this sacred delight that Jesus promises in the Sermon on the Mount.

And he promises it to an unlikely crowd:

"The poor in spirit ... Those who mourn ... The meek ... Those who hunger and thirst ... The merciful ... The pure in heart ... The peacemakers ... The persecuted . . ."

It is to this band of pilgrims that God promises a special blessing. A heavenly joy. A sacred delight.

Father, some of us have the gift of encouragement and some the gift of teaching, or another gift. We want to use those gifts for you, so that Christ will shine through our lives. Help us use our gifts to reach out to the world.

In a December 2004 Tampa Tribune feature, local Southern Baptist preacher Tom Rives was profiled in his part-time role as KoKoMo the Clown, enthusiastically delivering uplifting spiritual messages to kids and nontraditional church audiences. Said Rives (who estimates he has trained about 400 people for his clown troupes), “I don't think [preachers] should be going around with a Bible tucked under their arms and a scowl on their face.”

To his critics who say clowning is undignified, Rev. Rives said, “I tell them that all Baptist preachers are clowns. I just went to class and got certified.”

”The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad.” — Psalm 126:3

Some Christians are sadly prone to look on the dark side of everything, and to dwell more upon what they have gone through than upon what God has done for them. Ask for their impression of the Christian life, and they will describe their continual conflicts, their deep afflictions, their sad adversities, and the sinfulness of their hearts, yet with scarcely any allusion to the mercy and help which God has vouchsafed them. But a Christian whose soul is in a healthy state, will come forward joyously, and say, “I will speak, not about myself, but to the honour of my God. He hath brought me up out of a horrible pit, and out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings: and he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God. The Lord hath done great things for me, whereof I am glad.” Such an abstract of experience as this is the very best that any child of God can present.

It is true that we endure trials, but it is just as true that we are delivered out of them. It is true that we have our corruptions, and mournfully do we know this, but it is quite as true that we have an all sufficient Saviour, who overcomes these corruptions, and delivers us from their dominion.

In looking back, it would be wrong to deny that we have been in the Slough of Despond, and have crept along the Valley of Humiliation, but it would be equally wicked to forget that we have been through them safely and profitably; we have not remained in them, thanks to our Almighty Helper and Leader, who has brought us “out into a wealthy place.” The deeper our troubles, the louder our thanks to God, who has led us through all, and preserved us until now. Our griefs cannot mar the melody of our praise, we reckon them to be the bass part of our life’s song, “He hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad.”

KOTZEBUE, Alaska (BP) -- My name is John Forrester, and I am a Southern Baptist North American Mission Board church starter strategist serving in the Arctic of Alaska. The following is a true story that happened in my ministry.

Near the end of the summer of 2005, a young Eskimo man named Glenn came to my church. He told me that he had been living in the lower 48 and had given his life to Christ down south at a Baptist church but that he had to return home to Alaska to be baptized. He asked me if I would baptize him; he believed that to be obedient to the Lord, he needed to follow through with baptism. I agreed with him but told him our baptistery was rotten and the church did not have the funds to purchase a new one yet, and that would need to wait. (None of the other churches in town had a working baptistery).

Glenn responded by saying we could use the ocean, which is located just across the street from the church. I reminded him that even though it was the end of August, the water in the ocean would be very cold. Remember -- this is in the Arctic.

“I am an Eskimo, I can handle it,” he said.

So we set up a date a couple of days later, which by now was the first of September. We had a visiting mission team from Georgia working with us that week, and the visiting pastor asked if he could go in the water with me. I said he could.

We did the baptism on a Tuesday evening. The entire team came out of the church to watch, as did several others from the church and some unchurched people. Some 25-30 people were watching. The visiting pastor was wearing insulated waders, but I did not have any waders -- I just wore jeans and a shirt. The guest preacher had a thermometer on his boot that registered 40 degrees. The air temperature was 28 degrees and the wind was blowing very hard.

Glenn stripped down to just some swimming shorts and no shirt. The visiting preacher prayed, and then I baptized Glenn. After I took him down under the water, he came up shaking so hard I thought he was going into shock. But he was just excited to be baptized. The visiting mission team videotaped the whole thing. When Glenn came out of the water, he got in front of the video camera and shouted, “My name is Glenn and I just got baptized for Jesus in the Arctic Ocean!”

You know, it seems strange -- while the water was very cold and the wind made the temperature feel even colder, the joy of baptizing Glenn took the sting out of the bitter weather.

With every salvation decision, heaven rejoices as a new member comes into the Kingdom of God, and Satan screams.

Glenn has a burning desire to share Jesus with everyone that he can. He even feels that the Lord is calling him into the ministry.

It is awesome how one step of obedience can lead to more.

When Isaac Watts was a teenager in late-seventeenth century England, he did not care for the type of songs being sung in churches at the time. It is said that one Sunday after returning from a service and expressing much dissatisfaction, his father replied: “Well then, young man, why don’t you give us something better to sing?”(1) Watts, then eighteen years old, accepted his father’s challenge. The next Sunday he produced his first hymn, and for the next two years, young Watts wrote a new hymn text for his church every Sunday. When threatened with a whipping for annoying his family by constantly speaking only in rhyme, legend holds that he cried out, “O father, do some pity take/ And I will no more verses make.”

Fortunately for us, Watts did not forever keep this promise. His love for rhyme and the truth of Christ eventually led him to become known as the “Father of English Hymnody.” Over two and half centuries later, our hymnals still contain some of Watt’s best, and are beloved by many.

In my opinion, Watt’s hymn “Joy to the World” is one of the most uplifting hymns in existence, capturing the spirit of what Christ’s birth means to humanity. The song appeared in his well-known hymnal of 1719, Psalms of David Imitated In the Language of the New Testament. Watts intended this collection to give the Psalms a New Testament meaning and style. The hymn is a paraphrase of the last half of Psalm 98:

“Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth; make a loud

noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. Let the floods clap their

hands; let the hills be joyful together before the Lord; for He

cometh to judge the earth; with righteousness shall He judge the

world, and the people with equity.”

Both Psalm 98 and “Joy to the World” are songs of rejoicing at the incredible ways in which God is active in the world restoring his people to himself. Psalm 98 looks forward in anticipation to Christ’s coming, bringing justice on earth through judgment and mercy. This prompts the psalmist to urge everyone to shout for joy together, including the waters and hills of nature. Watts begins his hymn with this promise fulfilled:

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare Him room,

And Heaven and nature sing,

And Heaven and nature sing,

And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

God continues to rule the world today with truth and grace. Amidst the busyness of the holidays, Watts reminds us that we have much to slow down and joyously take in. We behold in our midst a savior who “comes to make His blessings flow, far as the curse is found.” Let us take a moment to savor the wonders of his love all around us and repeat the sounding joy of his birth. The Lord is come!

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1. K.W. Osbeck, 101 MORE HYMN STORIES, (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1985), 52.

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Copyright © 2006 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness. — Proverbs 14:13.

In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. — Psalm 16:11.

The world has its joys, too; but, apart from God, they are a poor counterfeit of the true. They are often precarious, uncertain, fitful while they last: the grave will sooner or later close over them, and they will vanish like the transient flash of summer lightning, never to be recalled, or “as a dream when one awaketh.” But, Christians – “everlasting joy,” like a festive chaplet or coronet, shall be upon your head! Yours are to be robes ever bright, palms ever green, crowns never fading. “The Lord shall be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning shall be ended.” — J. R. MacD.

Worldly joy is fleeting – vanity itself;

Vain the dazzling brightness, vain the stores of wealth;

Vain the pomp and glory; only Thou canst give

Peace and satisfaction whilst on earth we live.

There is none, Lord Jesus, there is none like Thee,

For the soul that thirsteth, there is none like Thee!

Barbara Johnson has written a book with one section titled, “Splashes of joy in the cesspools of life.” Isn’t that a good word picture describing what a Christian should be? If you watch the evening news and prime time shows on TV, you get the impression that the world out there is a cesspool of Satan. ABC and NBC seem to be getting worse.

We would do well to splash a little joy on those with whom we make contact each day. We who are PA Dutch would say “spritz” instead of “splash”. So be a spritzer for God today. Don’t be a gusher and overdo it, but be a refreshing spray of God’s love in someone’s life. You don’t have to do something grandiose like pay their income taxes. Use your imagination and you will find all kinds of ways to encourage someone’s life.

Jesus said in Matt. 5:16 (niv), “… let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Did you catch the last part of that? We are nice to people, not to draw attention to ourselves, but to the Lord we serve. A wonderful choir anthem is built on the theme — “Serve Him with Gladness.” — good idea!

Someone has stated that apples, not caffeine, are more efficient at waking you up in the morning. OK everyone — apple flavored Wendy’s Frosties for breakfast.

Someone has suggested this as way to keep your sanity — “Let the child in you out at least once a day.” In other words, don’t be so stiff and stodgy — enjoy some little things in life and don’t be afraid to laugh a little. The phrase, “lighten up” may also be good advice.

We probably all know people who look and act as though they used a dill pickle for a pacifier when they were a baby. On the other hand, we probably all know people who take life as it comes with an air of serenity and joy. Which type would you rather have in your company? Which type would you rather be?

Am I suggesting that a Christian should be light-hearted and frivolous? Not at all. I just think we should be pleasant and comfortable to be with. We should demonstrate the peaceful character of Christ. After all, our whole purpose is to be a reflection of Christ to the world around us. Let’s be good mirrors.

Psalm 119:5 (nlt), “Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your (God’s) principles!” Wow — is that ever a mouthful of truth.

The celebration of Christ’s resurrection stands in contrast to Christmas joy.

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Easter joy has been harder to come by this year. Between the growing ugliness of American politics and the acrimony within the church body, I’ve found it harder to anticipate looking up from the broken body of my Lord to rejoice this Sunday in the resurrected and ascended Christ.

When I shared my struggle with a good friend, he suggested I revisit a collection of sermons that the 19th-century priest John Henry Newman preached in Oxford in response to the challenges of his own day. After turning to Newman, I found a surprising insight: In his view, my tempered joy is not merely acceptable or tolerable but rather called for as a deeply Christian response to Easter.

In a sermon titled “Keeping Fast and Festival,” Newman begins with a comparison of Christmas and Easter. At Christmas, he says, we rejoice with the “natural, unmixed joy of children.” Easter joy, however, is not the same. This joy is experienced as “a last feeling and not a first.” It grows out of tribulation, as Paul writes in Romans 5, emerges from the harvest (Isa. 9:3), and comes after (and out of) Lent and Good Friday.

In other words, if living through Lent teaches us even a little about how Christ bears the world’s suffering, then our Easter enthusiasm should look different from our response to God’s arrival as a baby at Christmas. It should feel more seasoned, more aged, and more worn. Easter joy isn’t the joy of children, says Newman, but rather of convalescents who have received the promise of healing, who are starting to get well but still regaining our strength after a Lenten season of confronting our weakness and sorrowing over our sin.

Newman’s image of Christians as convalescents brings to mind the story of healing at the end of The Magician’s Nephew by C. S. Lewis. At the culmination of the book, Diggory, the young hero, watches Aslan plant a magic apple in the newly created Narnian soil. A tree immediately grows from it. In Narnia, the apples have immense power of healing and strengthening. Aslan then gives Diggory a fruit from the tree and sends him back to our world to help heal his sick mother.

When Diggory gives his mother the magic apple, he doesn’t see immediate recovery. In our world, filled with the vigor of redemption, not creation, her healing is slow and gradual. Diggory first notices that her face looks a little different. Then a week later, she’s able to sit up. Finally a month later, she’s well enough to sit in the garden with her son. In the midst of this process, Diggory struggles to believe that her healing is really happening. But “when he remembered the face of Aslan, he [does] hope.”

We, too, should often (although not always) expect our healing to look more like Diggory’s mother’s — one marked by a tempered joy that doesn’t preclude struggle. As George Herbert writes, even as we grow in faith and rest in God, we still often feel “thin and lean without a fence or friend ... blown through with ev’ry storm and wind.”

Like many exposed to various stripes of evangelicalism, it’s easy for me to place a high premium on subjective experience, emotiveness, and outward expression. As such, it’s easy for me to fear that my perceived lack of joy at Easter — or any other time of year, for that matter — is due to weakness and sinfulness. While that may be true at times, Newman challenges the belief that it is always true, rejecting the lie that “since it is the Christian’s duty to rejoice evermore, they would rejoice better if they never sorrowed and never travailed with righteousness.”

However, worrying about my own lack of “appropriate” emotion is not the solution and, in fact, may be part of the problem. When I refuse to let go of disappointment with my own brokenness and that of the world, I fail to recognize not only “the languor and oppression of our old selves” that persists this side of heaven but also the reality of the new life given to me. The solution is not to emote more or blot out the sorrows of this world but rather to turn in prayer, not inward, but upward.

“We must beg Him who is the Prince of Life, the Life itself,” says Newman, “to carry us forth into His new world, for we cannot walk thither, and seat us down whence, like Moses, we may see the land, and meditate upon its beauty!”

Easter joy does not require us, then, to leave this present hour behind or to be unbruised by the events of this world. Instead, it comes when, like Diggory, we return to the brokenness around us (including our own brokenness) with the comfort of Christ’s presence and the instruments of grace that he provides for us throughout the paschal season.

In this act of return, joy comes wearing a different, darker guise, but it also appears deeper, better, and more miraculous than anything we could ever expect.

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Elisabeth Rain Kincaid is an assistant professor of moral theology at the Aquinas Institute of Theology. Her research focuses on questions of moral formation, the development of virtue, and the intersection of law, business, and theology.

A different version of this piece originally appeared at Covenant, the weblog of The Living Church magazine.