Week of November 27, 2016
SERMON- ACT 2
During Advent at St John this year, our theme is “Emmanuel- God with us”. And each week we are
going to choose one of gifts (joy, hope, peace, and love) we receive when we know Emmanuel (God)
is with us.
BIG QUESTION-
What is Joy and how can I make it a part of my life?
WHAT IS JOY?
The biblical words are: Heb. śimḥâ, verb śāmēaḥ, which imply also its outward expression (cf. the Arab.
cognate, meaning ‘to be excited’), and less usually gîl (verb and noun); Gk. chara (verb chairō), and agalliasis
(frequently used in lxx, and corresponding to śimḥâ), meaning intense joy.
In both OT and NT joy is consistently the mark both individually of the believer and corporately of the church. It
is a quality, and not simply an emotion, grounded upon God himself and indeed derived from him (Ps. 16:11;
Phil. 4:4; Rom. 15:13), which characterizes the Christian’s life on earth (1 Pet. 1:8), and also anticipates
eschatologically the joy of being with Christ forever in the kingdom of heaven (cf. Rev. 19:7).
I. In the Old Testament- Joy is related to the total national and religious life of Israel, and is particularly
expressed in terms of noisy, tumultuous excitement at festivals, sacrifices and enthronements (Dt. 12:6f.; 1 Sa.
18:6; 1 Ki. 1:39f.). Isaiah conceives of joy in other than simply ritual terms (cf. Ps. 126), and he associates it
with the fullness of God’s salvation, and therefore with the anticipation of a future state (Is. 49:13; 61:10f.). In
later Judaism, as a result, joy is a characteristic of the last days.
II. In the New Testament- The Synoptic Gospels record the note of joy in connection with the proclamation, in
its varied forms, of the good news of the kingdom: for example, at the Saviour’s birth (Lk. 2:10), at the
triumphal entry (Mk. 11:9f.; Lk. 19:37), and after the resurrection (Mt. 28:8). In the Fourth Gospel it is Jesus
himself who communicates this joy (Jn. 15:11; 16:24), and it now becomes the result of a deep fellowship
between the church and himself (cf. 16:22). In Acts joy marks the life of the early church. It accompanies the
gift of the Holy Spirit to the disciples (Acts 13:52), the miracles performed in the name of Christ (8:8), and the
fact and report of the conversion of the Gentiles (15:3); it also characterizes the eucharistic meal (2:46).
Paul uses the term chara in three ways.
1. Progress in the faith on the part of the members of the body of Christ, and particularly those he has led
to Christ, is a cause for joy—he describes them, indeed, as hē chara hēmōn, ‘our joy’ (1 Thes. 2:19f.;
cf. Phil. 2:2).
2. Secondly, Christian joy may paradoxically be the outcome of suffering and even sorrow for Christ’s
sake (Col. 1:24; 2 Cor. 6:10; cf. 1 Pet. 4:13; Heb. 10:34, etc.), since it is produced by the Lord and not
by ourselves.
3. Joy is in fact, finally, a gift of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22), and is therefore something dynamic and not
static. Moreover, it derives from love—God’s and ours—and is therefore closely associated with love in
Paul’s list of the fruit of the Spirit.
Joy. In D. R. W. Wood, I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard, J. I. Packer, & D. J. Wiseman (Eds.), New Bible dictionary
(3rd ed., pp. 615–616). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT (and answer):
• Take a few minutes to read through the descriptions of joy. What surprised you?
•
Look up some of the New Testament passages mentioned in the description of joy. How do these
scriptures make a connection with your life?
•
Why do you think that we need to choose to live joyfully? (Hint- “see the graphic”)
•
How do you think living with a deeper sense of joy in your life may benefit you, your outlook on life,
AND your relationships with others?
•
CONVERSATION AND SMALL GROUPS: These
conversations are where you and others can bring
out the meaning of the scriptures and the sermon
for one another. Talking about the scriptures, the
sermon, and even your own story, can bring the
scriptures alive for you and for others. Take some
time in your small group this week, or in a
discussion with a family member or friends and
share your ideas about joy.
And do remember to PRAY together when you
are finished.