Last Sunday, my pastor, Jason Harris, delivered a very powerful sermon called, “All I Want for Christmas: Christmas Joy.” In his sermon he explored many aspects of joy that really encouraged my soul and got me thinking more deeply about this wonderful concept of joy.
I am sure you have heard the expression when referring to joy, that the world can’t give it and the world can’t take it away. The first take-a-way from Pastor Jason’s sermon, that really hit home, was when he said that: “the joy of the Lord is a supernatural gift.” If this is true, and I am certain it is, then the world really can’t give us true joy because it is a gift of God to those who know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. And as far as the world not being able to steal our joy this is also true since true joy doesn’t depend on our circumstances but in our walk with the Lord. (Psalm 16:11) says: “…In Your presence is fullness of joy…” As long as we stay close to Jesus we can never lose our joy.
Even in the midst of suffering we can have joy because we know that Jesus is right there with us as we go through the trial and He gives us the strength to endure. For we read that: “…for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10). In addition, no matter how much we may suffer on earth – heaven makes all the difference because as the apostle Paul says in (Romans 8:18): “ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”
The second thing that Pastor Jason shared was that joy is knowing that death has been defeated. When Jesus went to Calvary he died – but in doing so He was able to defeat death once and for all. Now when we die we go to be with Jesus so whether we live or die we win either way! What a joy to know that when we die we will get a glorified body and reign with Jesus forever in heaven.
And third, Pastor Jason shared one of the most important verses on joy in the entire Bible – (Hebrews 12:2): “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” In this verse we see that we are the joy that gave Jesus the strength to go to the cross because He knew by doing so we could be reconciled to Himself and what joy that must have brought Him. We likewise, when we suffer for the gospel, can experience great joy because we know we are doing something that is pleasing to the Lord.
As Christians we need to study this concept of joy to realize that we have the greatest news in the universe – that Jesus died so we can have our sins forgiven and our fellowship restored with our heavenly Father. There can be no greater joy then spending time in the presence of Jesus.
The world is always seeking after happiness but we as Christians need to show the world that happiness is fleeting whereas joy endures forever. I believe that one of the greatest ways to attract someone to Jesus is to show true joy at all times. When we do this our witness will be so much more powerful. Anyone can be happy when everything is going well but only the Christian can demonstrate the supernatural joy of the Lord at all times because it is a precious gift of the Lord and the true defining characteristic of a follower of Christ.