Joy to You and Me — Part One
December 25, 2013
Joy to You and MeLuke 2:8-20Theme: Rejoicing in the promise.This week’s lessons teach us that true joy is found in Christ alone.
Lesson
Joy to You and MeLuke 2:8-20Theme: Rejoicing in the promise.This week’s lessons teach us that true joy is found in Christ alone.
Lesson
Joy to You and MeLuke 2:8-20Theme: Rejoicing in the promise.This week’s lessons teach us that true joy is found in Christ alone.
Lesson
Joy to You and MeLuke 2:8-20Theme: Rejoicing in the promise.This week’s lessons teach us that true joy is found in Christ alone.
Lesson
Joy to You and MeLuke 2:8-20Theme: Rejoicing in the promise.This week’s lessons teach us that true joy is found in Christ alone.
Lesson
Joy to You and MeLuke 2:8-20Theme: Rejoicing in the promise.This week’s lessons teach us that true joy is found in Christ alone.
Lesson
Theme: Deliverance and Joy
This week’s lessons show us that although things happen that take away our joy, still we can turn to God for healing and joy’s restoration.
Scripture: Psalm 126:1-6
One of the literary techniques that contributes to effective poetry is the use of sharp contrasts, like John Milton’s description of blind Samson in Samson Agonistes:
O dark, dark, dark, amid the blaze of noon,
Irrecoverably dark, total eclipse
Without all hope of day!
Theme: The Loss of Former Joy
This week’s lessons show us that although things happen that take away our joy, still we can turn to God for healing and joy’s restoration.
Scripture: Psalm 126:1-6
Theme: Praying for Joy’s Restoration
This week’s lessons show us that although things happen that take away our joy, still we can turn to God for healing and joy’s restoration.
Scripture: Psalm 126:1-6
Yesterday, we looked at how we can lose the joy of our salvation, and also the loss of joy from some great spiritual victory. We now continue with two other losses.
Theme: Joy after Sorrow
This week’s lessons show us that although things happen that take away our joy, still we can turn to God for healing and joy’s restoration.
Scripture: Psalm 126:1-6
What does the psalmist do after he has remembered those earlier days in which “our mouths were filled with laughter”? As we read in yesterday’s study, one thing he does is ask God for the good times again. We see a second thing in today’s lesson.
Theme: God’s Promise of Eternal Joy
This week’s lessons show us that although things happen that take away our joy, still we can turn to God for healing and joy’s restoration.
Scripture: Psalm 126:1-6
What is joy? Quite simply, joy is a supernatural delight in God and His goodness. When joy is at work, it transforms our entire outlook on life, even its unhappy parts. Perhaps I can better explain what joy is by contrasting it with happiness, because these are entirely different things. Every Christian attribute has its counterpart in the world. The world has passion; Christians have love. The world strives for security; Christians trust God. The world seeks self-gratification; Christians know peace, even in want. And in the same way, the world seeks happiness while Christians know joy.
In yesterday’s study, we concluded by talking about happiness. On the other hand, joy is quite different. Joy comes directly from God, and is not related to circumstances; and so no circumstances can ever destroy it. Thus if the individual belongs to God and is allowing God to fill him with joy—along with all the other fruits of the Christian life described in Galatians 5:22-23—he will triumph.
The first principle for having Christian joy is that you must be a Christian. I know this seems obvious, but in my experience at least two classes of people need to face this squarely. The first class is composed of those who are not Christians and know it, but who think that Christian fruits can be grown without a Christian life. If you are such a person, you need to recognize that joy is supernatural, and that it’s only given to those who have surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ.
Sin keeps us from God, who is the source of joy. And anxiety also works against it. Instead of experiencing sin and anxiety in his life, the believer in Jesus Christ should experience a life of holiness and peace. And he should realize God’s peace as he submits all aspects of his future to Him. Paul wrote, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-7).
There’s a great deal of unrest in this world, and there will always be unrest for those who do not know Jesus. Apart from Him there is no true peace, no joy, and no real happiness either. But this should never be the case for the Christian. If you are a Christian, you should draw close to God. You should feed on Scripture, and “the God of hope [will] fill you with all joy and peace in believing” (Rom. 15:13).
The Christian life is a struggle, of course. Jesus promised His followers, not a comfortable life, but a cross. But it is not only that! After times of struggle there are also often pleasant times of sweet rest. After warfare there is victory. Along with the groans of spiritual exertion there are times of joyous celebration.
Remember that the book has two parts. The first and longer part concerns the building of the walls, a task in which Nehemiah played the leading role. This part fills chapters 1-7. The second, shorter part concerns the revival in Jerusalem and the rededication of the people. In this revival Ezra, the priest and spiritual head of the nation, is most prominent. This part occupies chapters 8:1-12:26. In the dedication of the walls these two important sections of the book come together.
Not only was the objective itself overwhelming, but Nehemiah also had to cope with a people who had tried to build the walls before, had failed and were now dispirited. There had been nearly a century of defeat. The people had settled down into accepting things as they were. Somehow Nehemiah inspired this dispirited people to believe the job could be done.
After we are told about the dedication of the people, followed by a ceremonial sprinkling of the gates and wall, we are told of the great service of dedication itself. As I indicated above, it consisted of two parts: first, a festive wall-walk, in which Nehemiah led one group of the people in one direction while Ezra led a second group of the people in the other direction; and second, a formal service at the temple at which the choirs sang and the priests offered sacrifices.
The second thing I notice about the celebration services at the dedication of Jerusalem’s wall is the rejoicing. This is related to what I have been saying about singing, since the best singing flows from a rejoicing heart.
Canadian Committee of The Bible Study Hour
PO Box 24087, RPO Josephine
North Bay, ON, P1B 0C7
