Final Words About "Joy"

This Sunday I finish a 15 part series of sermons called "Revive Your Church" that really has been a series of messages related to joy.

Psalm 85: 6 "Will You not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you."

The real sign of a revived people and church is joy.

In spite of doing 15 messages, there has been much about joy that I have omitted.  Look at just a few things:

The Bible uses a number of words to express joy.

Hebrew:
- Sinchah (1 Samuel 18:6): means bright and shining, a glad and joyful disposition
- Masos (Acts 3): means to leap or jump, the man healed at the temple jumped with joy
- Rinnah (ranan, Psalm 126:6): conveys the idea of exuberant expressions with a particular reference to shouting over God’s saving work
- Gil (Psalm 13:5): the root means to move around in a circle, joy as God’s ongoing works or attributes, joy can’t stand still

Greek:
- Agalliao: loud, public expressions of joy in worship with focused attention on God’s work in the believer
- Euphraino: emphasizes the community of joy, an atmosphere created when God’s people gather to celebrate and feast, sharing and growing together brings joy
- Charis: the word for grace also means delightful, chara is the primary word used for joy in the New Testament

Then these verses could have formed more messages:

So many passages in Psalms that speaks of joy such as Psalm 35: 27 "Let them shout for joy and be glad...."

Psalm 98: 4 "Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises."

Luke 10: 20 "...but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven."

Luke 10: 21 "In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit..."

John 16:20 "...but your sorrow will be turned into joy."

Acts 13:52 "And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit."

Galatians 5:22 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy..."

I Peter 1:8 "....yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory."

Jude 24 "Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy."

The point I've made throughout this series is that joy is not a destination, but a by-product of knowing a person.

This Sunday we celebrate the Lord's Supper in the 10:15 service as we are reminded by Paul in I Corinthians 11:26 "For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup. you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes."  

There is a future joy awaiting those who joy is in the Lord now.  See you Sunday as we gather for Sunday School at 9 and worship at 10:15.  No Sunday night services nor any Wednesday (1-2-19) services.  Enjoy this time with family.