Joy From the Word - April 12, 2011

Good Tuesday morning! What is the joy of being a Christian? In other words, why do we follow Jesus and learn His way? I know that working long days and nights chasing the next paycheck is not the way to show it, or at least that didn't work for me. Some of the happiest people don't work for an employer, have health insurance, or a retirement savings account, but happiness is not joy. If happiness depends upon the circumstances then joy must be more than just the set of environmental variables around us at any particular time. Ah, the sun has crested the neighbor's house and is shining into my office. That is a changing circumstance and does provide me with some happiness, as does the bird in the tree outside, but this is not joy. Where does joy come from then? Here is an interesting passage from Job: His soul draws near the pit, and his life to those who bring death. If there be for him an angel, a mediator, one of the thousand, to declare to man what is right for him, and he is merciful to him, and says, 'Deliver him from going down into the pit; I have found a ransom; let his flesh become fresh with youth; let him return to the days of his youthful vigor'; then man prays to God, and he accepts him; he sees his face with a shout of joy, and he restores to man his righteousness. (Job 33:22-26) Job would not have been the first person to ask about joy when he sat in his misery, or so it seems. But if anyone could have joy in spite of the circumstances Job would certainly have been one to watch. Job's circumstances were truly miserable and he had every right to sorrow. Here though he speaks of restoration in the Lord and makes a prophetic statement about the coming Christ. Jesus is our mediator and our ransom. Through our Lord Jesus we will one day be restored and see the face of God in great joy. Could this be the source of joy? In Jeremiah 15:16 we read, "Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts." Perhaps our joy can be found in God's word then? All we have to do is chow down on a Bible or two it seems. Of course, we know that Jeremiah didn't literally eat pages of papyrus with scripture written on it, though he was given a touch on his mouth by the Lord and given words to speak. Ezekiel, if I recall correctly, was actually given something to eat in the spirit and then spoke God's word. We are to consume the word of God by reading the Bible. Does God's word have the joy we seek? Jesus spoke of two faithful servants entering into the master's joy as a part of their reward, and later in Matthew an empty tomb causes both fear and great joy. In Luke there is more joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous persons who have no repentance, and after Jesus has returned from the grave the disciples had great joy. In John, Jesus explains that when he is taken from them the disciples would sorrow, but then their hearts would rejoice at his return, "and no one will take your joy from you." In Romans, Paul has this to say: "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (14:17) So far: we have joy in Christ's resurrection; joy in the Holy Spirit as a part of the kingdom of God; and we can have joy in our master as faithful servants. We also cause rejoicing in Heaven by our repentance. But where do we obtain joy? Paul wrote in Galatians 5:22 - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,.." Ah ha, the fruit of the Spirit! And finally, the last reference to joy in God's word: "Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. " (Jude 1:24-25) Jesus will one day present you and me to God with great joy! That hardly seems possible to us right now, but that is what faith is about: believing that Jesus will do exactly as he says in his word. What do we know from today's verses? Joy is a fruit of the Spirit and as such is not something we can simply grasp and hold onto. The fruit of the Spirit, including joy, is grown in us by the Spirit as we grow in Christ. We cause great joy by repenting before Christ, and we can enter into our Master's joy by serving faithfully. We have great joy in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus and no one can take that joy away. Joy is an integral part of the kingdom of God, and one day Jesus will present us to the Father with great joy. That is some good news for today! Have a great and joyful Tuesday! Bucky