God’s Moral Laws
Designed into the universe
Looking at things culture believes to be true
Because they are
But what do they look like when “GOD” is removed from the picture
Today…
Happiness
State of well-being or contentment
Being happy
>>What makes you happy?
Different for each of us
Lots of good answers:
- Family
- Experiences
- Food
- Hobbies
- Etc
We have a:
CULTURE OF HAPPINESS
Constantly in the pursuit of happiness
Culture says…
YOU MUST BE HAPPY AT ALL COST!
Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present” ~ Jim Rohn (Author of ”How to obtain wealth and happiness”)
- Mentor to Tony Robbins
- Life coach
- Motivational guru
This has led to sayings like:
If ________ doesn’t make you happy, then change…
- Where you are in life
- Job
- Spouse
This pursuit of happiness has led to bad outcomes for society
- Feeling life is a failure because I’m not always happy
- Significant increase in antidepressant use
- 400% increase from 1988-2008
- Nothing wrong with truly needed antidepressants, but the rise is concerning
What is the Christian/Biblical response to this?
We have a term for this
We don’t say happy; we say…
JOY
John 16
16 “In a little while, you will no longer see me; again in a little while, you will see me.”
17 Then some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this he’s telling us: ‘In a little while, you will not see me; again in a little while, you will see me,’ and, ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” 18 They said, “What is this he is saying, ‘In a little while’? We don’t know what he’s talking about.”
19 Jesus knew they wanted to ask him, and so he said to them, “Are you asking one another about what I said, ‘In a little while, you will not see me; again in a little while, you will see me’? 20 Truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice. You will become sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy. 21 When a woman is in labor, she has pain because her time has come. But when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a person has been born into the world. 22 So you also have sorrow now. But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy from you.
Here, Jesus is talking about His death and resurrection
- You WON’T see me — MOURNING (death on the cross)
- The “World” (anti-Christ culture) will rejoice!
- But this is NOT joy
- You WILL see me — JOY (resurrection)
Key line:
“Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy from you.”
What do we know about the disciples and their ministry?
- Was it easy?
- Were they well-liked?
- Were they financially well off?
- Did they gain political power?
No, but Jesus still promises that “NO ONE WOULD TAKE THEIR JOY”
We can guess a few things that joy is NOT
1: Joy is NOT happiness
- Happiness can be TAKEN
- Based on circumstances
- Joy CANNOT be taken
- Not based on circumstances
2: Joy is not empty of pain/sorrow
- Joy can come FROM pain and sorrow
- Woman in labor
Christian Joy:
A settled emotional state of contentment, confidence, and hope found in Jesus Christ, produced by the Holy Spirit, and cultivated by a close relationship with God
The Momentum Of Joy
How can we think of joy that gets it away from “happy feelings”
Momentum is a good analogy
Granite stone in Gatlinburg, TN
Around 5000 pounds
Momentum:
- It can be difficult to get going
- Must be maintained
- Impossible to stop
How is Christian Joy like Momentum?
1: Joy Is Not Based On Circumstances
Here are some places where the Bible speaks of Joy in trials…
James 1
2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.
Romans 12
12 Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer. 13 Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
Matthew 5
11 “You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me. 12 Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Hebrews 12
Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Because joy is based on our CONFIDENCE and HOPE in Jesus, it becomes the MOMENTUM that carries us through all sorts of difficult things
Christian Joy says:
- God, I trust you
- God, I Believe in your promises
- God, I know you have GOOD in store for me
How is Christian Joy like Momentum?
2: Joy Must Be Maintained
How?
Hebrews 10
22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. 23 Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful.
Joy is maintained through a close, genuine relationship with God
To KNOW Joy is to KNOW Jesus
Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit
only through that relationship can we experience the Joy of the Lord
Hebrews 10
24 And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, 25 not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.
Joy is maintained through God’s church by way of good works and relationships
- If you are struggling to have joy, get to church
- If you are struggling to have joy, get to work
- If you are struggling to have joy, get a Godly friend
Christian joy gives a type of freedom
Romans 14:16-17
16 Therefore, do not let your good be slandered, 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
ON EARTH AS IN HEAVEN
When we are full of the joy of the kingdom of God, we:
- Love more fiercely
- Hope strong
- Forgive faster
- Humble quicker
- Persevere longer
- Give more generously
- Believe more deeply
Christian Joy says:
I know I don’t have it altogether, but I don’t have to because Jesus has saved me anyway.
Christian Joy says:
Even though you meant to hurt me, and while you possibly did, that hurt CANNOT overcome the joy that I have in my heart, through Jesus
Christian Joy says:
Even though the nightmare is dark, and my mourning has dampened my joy, I still realize that the joy CANNOT be extinguished and that there WILL BE JOY in the morning.
Christian Joy is not the absence of sadness
But gives us a unique ability to endure the sadness with great hope, knowing that somehow, someway this sadness will be used for our good, and God‘s greater glory