Rev. David Holwick ZO
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
December 9, 1990
Hebrews 12:1-3
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I. Christmas is supposed to be a happy season.
A. Celeste at big sale - people let her cut in line.
1) New Jerseyans actually nice!
2) Helped that Josiah was screaming his head off.
B. Yet many people are depressed this time of year.
1) There is joy in presents and family reunions.
a) But it wears off.
2) Can the "spirit of Christmas" last all the time?
II. Joy and Christians.
A. The world thinks Christians are guilt-ridden party poopers.
A Catholic priest once said to Groucho Marx:
"Mr. Marx, I want to thank you for bringing so much
joy into the world."
Groucho replied rather ungraciously,
"I want to thank you for taking so much out."
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B. The opposite should be true.
1) Fruit of Spirit.
2) The mark of a truly spiritual person.
III. What Christian joy is all about.
A. More than an emotion.
1) (Plastic smile. "God loves you. And so do I.)
2) Joy is our special way of looking at life, because we know
God is working for us.
3) He produces joy in our hearts.
B. Old Testament - focus on God's actions of deliverance.
1) Sickness, enemies.
2) God's great deeds celebrated in worship.
a) Lots of noise, singing and dancing.
C. New Testament - concept of joy is expanded.
1) God's acts of deliverance continue to be reasons for joy.
a) Essence of gospel. Isaiah 63:1-3
"But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid.
I bring you good news of great joy that will be
for all the people.'" Luke 2:10
2) But new dimension - joy even in suffering. 1 Pet 1:6-9
a) Joy does not have to be affected by our circumstances.
b) Reason: Ultimate deliverance is coming (heaven).
1> That joy will be even better than what we have now.
IV. How to experience Christian joy.
A. Personal relationship with God.
1) You can really know and experience God.
a) Expect great things from God. (Joy is gift of Spirit)
b) Commit your daily needs to him.
c) Turn to Bible to be reminded of his promises.
2) Sin breaks the relationship.
Quote by 17th-century mystic, Francois Fenelon:
"Those who are God's are always glad,
when they are not divided,
Because they only want what God wants,
and want to do for him all that he wishes.
Peace of conscience, liberty of heart, ... freedom from
the fears and lusts of the times,
Multiply a hundredfold the happiness which the true
children of God possess...
... if they are faithful."
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B. Personal relationship with Christians.
1) Key element in Paul's letters.
2) Do you seek believing friends, talk about spiritual things?
a) (Don't be afraid to look like a fanatic.)
C. Look for joy beyond the sorrow.
1) Jesus had joy in spite of cross. Heb 12:2
2) He tells us to rejoice at troubles, because our reward in
heaven will be great. Matt 5:10
3) Remember: Your joy is determined by God, not world.
a) If world is depressed now, just wait till after Christmas.
b) God's joy endures.
V. God's joy.
A. He rejoices over one sinner who repents. Luke 15:7
B. (cop who contemplates suicide, gets saved, has joy with wife)
Bill Eikenbary grew up in a Christian home, but drifted away
as a young person.
His dream in life was to be a police officer.
He soon became one, and set his sights on being a sergeant.
A few years later he achieved it, and his ambitions were fulfilled.
Soon his job no longer seemed rewarding.
He became an alcoholic and sank into depression.
By 1980 he had considered suicide more than once.
One night he sat at his desk with his service revolver cocked
and pressed against his head.
He never knew why he didn't pull the trigger.
A few weeks later Bill was patrolling the downtown at 2 a.m.
He came to a church and walked to the front door.
It was unlocked, and he went in.
His flashlight beam came upon an open Bible on a communion table.
As he read it, the passage from the Psalms spoke to his heart.
Bill closed his eyes and prayed to Jesus to become his Lord.
He said he experienced a cleansing that words cannot describe.
All is depression and despair were washed down the drain.
The next day he told his wife and she revealed that she had been
attending that same church for several weeks.
She had given her life to Christ in the same sanctuary Bill had
been in only hours earlier.
In Bill's own words,
"My heart overflowed with joy as we wept in each other's arms."
Have you experienced the joy of God's salvation?
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ILLUSTRATED BIBLE DICTIONARY "JOY"
I. Bible.
A. Joy is consistent mark of the believer and church.
B. More than an emotion, it is a quality.
C. It is grounded in God and derived from him.
D. Characterizes life on earth (1 Pet 1:8) and anticipates joy
in heaven. (Rev 19:7)
II. Old Testament.
A. Expressed in festivals.
B. Prevailing feature of the Psalms.
1) Corporate worship.
2) Individual worship.
C. Isaiah associates joy with salvation. Isa 49:13; 61:10f
III. New Testament.
A. Gospels associate joy with the preaching of the gospel.
1) Jesus' birth.
2) Triumphal entry.
3) After the resurrection.
B. John has Jesus himself communicating joy.
C. Acts has joy marking the life of the early church:
1) Accompanies gift of Spirit,
2) Miracles,
3) Conversion of Gentiles,
4) Eucharistic meal.
D. Paul sees joy three ways:
1) Progress of converts in faith gives him joy.
2) Joy may paradoxically be the outcome of suffering.
a) It is produced by our Lord, and not us.
3) Joy is a gift of the Spirit.
a) It is dynamic and not static.
b) It derives from love - God's and ours. 1 Pet 1:8
c) But it may be interrupted by sin.
1> Our daily spiritual walk must be watched.
Copyright © 2024 by Rev. David Holwick
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