Live Like a Champion – Week 17
“The Promise of Joy”
John 15:9-17 (NLT)
“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. This is my command: Love each other.
This Week’s Memory verse: John 15:11:
INTRODUCTION:
Minister and author Samuel D. Gordon says joy is defined as:
“distinctly a Christian word and a Christian thing. It is the reverse of happiness. Happiness is the result of what happens of an agreeable sort. Joy has its springs deep down inside. And that spring never runs dry, to matter what happens. Only Jesus gives that joy. He had joy, singing its music within, even under the shadow of the cross.” (from his ‘Quiet Talks’ series of books)
I. I’ve Got the Joy, Joy, Joy Joy Down in My Heart!
“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.”
1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (ESV)
“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.”
~Be Alert
~Be faithful
~Be a mature adult
~Be strong
~Be loving (do all in love…EVERYTHING)
Motivational speaker and author Jim Rohn made this statement regarding love and joy and how they work together:
“Nothing can bring more joy to life than beautifully fulfilling relationships.”
II. The Joy Source
John 15:11
“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”
But also demonstrates who is our source.
“The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.”
“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon
WHY? So it would be a testimony to others who are watching!
III. Is Joy conditional?
“ Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.”
(ESV) says to “count it all joy…when trials come~grumblings, murmuring, sarcasm?
Shannon, Kenny & Kenton Rose. One of my ‘kids’ in youth group and close with whole family. (Easter 2021)
Her momma wrote: Don’t think for one second that because she is sweet and compassionate that she is weak. Oh No! This girl can break a horse, train a dog, drive a boat, pull a four horse trailer and back it up wherever it needs to go. She can load and unload 50 bales of hay without complaint….She is strong and she is a fighter… She recently received a diagnosis of metastatic cancer in her breast, ovary, and a 5.9cm tumor in the bone of her shoulder. She is currently having a bone scan to see if the cancer has “camped” anywhere else. During this most devastating news, she has maintained her resolve to do whatever it takes to be victorious in this journey.
She has not let this diagnosis steal her joy. She was asked to be a part of a clinical trial study at Duke Cancer Institute that is showing great promise.
Quote from Kenny when I told him our church would be praying: Ken, Thank you buddy! We are giving this to God daily and trusting in him for healing! Thank you for the prayers! I’m believing that this will become a beautiful story to help someone down the road!
They are facing this trial knowing that through it all, God will be glorified.
“And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!”
Nehemiah was there to encourage the people.
Not to be a ‘Debbie Downer’ or a ‘Negative Nancy’
Recently while listening to KLOVE radio, the hosts of the afternoon show were talking about having a good time, laughing and enjoying time together when someone came in and they were in a bad mood. They had a choice to let that person influence them, or they could try to encourage and boost the spirits of that person.
“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”
CONCLUSION:
God’s Word tells us in Romans 8:38-39 that nothing can separate us from His love, but He still gives us the choice in what we are going to do with it. What are you going to choose to do with it?
We are told that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks (Luke 6:45), so are your words reflecting His love for Him and for others?
Child’s song: Jesus and Others and You
“J” is for Jesus for He has first place, “O” is for others you meet face to face,
“Y” is for you, in whatever you do, Put your self third and spell JOY.
In this self-centered, me first, and what’s in it for me world we live in, it is our job to shine the light of God’s love and joy. They have to see the hope, the grace and the mercy that flows out of God’s love. And it must be shown in the way we live our lives. We can say it all we want, but unless we show it in our actions, all we are is noise makers.
“So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”
So as the worship team comes, we are going to open up the altars.
- Maybe you have lost your joy. Jesus wants to meet you here and restore the joy of your salvation (process we have to work on daily…justification, sanctification, glorification)
- Maybe you are feeling weak from all the things the world has been throwing at you lately. Jesus wants to meet you here and let you know that His Joy will be your strength as you cast all your cares on Him.
- Maybe the devil has put a cork in your fountain of joy by filling your mind with distractions and lies. Jesus wants you to let go and let God do the work in you!
“You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.”
He is calling forth a team to go out and share this message of joy that this world so desperately needs!