St. Luke's Church Faribault
12-16-18

      • Psalm 118:24ESV

      • Psalm 24ESV

  • Joyful, joyful, we adore thee

      • Luke 2:1–7NLT

  • Away in a Manger

      • Luke 2:8–14NLT

  • Hark The Herald Angels Sing

      • Luke 2:15–20NLT

  • Go Tell It On The Mountain
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    William Shakespeare wrote- Some are born great, Some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them. I want to hijack that quote this morning, with joy. Have you ever thought about that when looking at joy? Some are born with joy, some have achieved joy, and others have had joy thrust upon them.
    Looking at these kids, they certainly have not been born joyful, it doesn’t appear that they have achieved joy, in any way, but they have had joy thrust upon them.
    I think sometimes we mistakenly think of joy that way. Sometimes we think that people are joyful because they have been born into the right circumstances, they have lived a “charmed” life if you will. Their family has money, they have a head start on life. The were just born with good things, they have reason to have joy.
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    We see those that are sort of self-made. They have worked hard, earned a good living, did a good job of raising kids, and so through their efforts, they have achieved joy, they are entitled to it.
    Lastly, we see others that have joy thrust upon them. They have married into a good family, tripped over a rake and fell into a pile of money, won the lottery. Somehow through a twist of fate fell into joy. The there is the rest of us, that are in search of joy. We try and find ways to get joy, and we have it for a minute but it slips away. There are periods of joy, and there are periods of wishing for joy. In fact we find we spend more time looking for joy, than having joy. It doesn’t have to be that way.
    Just like hope, and just like peace the non-biblical world has hijacked joy. The world has taken this biblical concept of joy, and destroyed it, changed it into this slippery elusive snake that tempts us to try and grab a hold of it. So we do everything we can to capture it. Missing most of our life, in pursuit of it.
    There are two major problems with the way the world sees joy, and we will clarify them here today. The first is that when the world sees joy they see it as an emotion resulting from out side circumstances. Let me explain, the world tells you to have joy, you have a spouse, a couple of kids, you are sitting in a comfy chair in front of roaring fire next to the Christmas tree while the dog or cat is curled up on a cushion.
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    The second false idea of joy that the world has is source of joy is in my hands. What I do to my outside circumstances causes my joy. If I do not have joy in my job, I need to find a job that brings me joy. No joy at home I need to find something to bring me joy- so I go shopping to get something.
    The first one says that joy is a passive emotion related to our circumstances. But look at what Paul says in Philippians chapter 1, verse 18, but I’ll start one verse back in 17.
    Philippians 1:17 NIV
    The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.
    Paul is talking about people who are preaching from false motives, they are not so much preaching to exalt Christ, but to stir up trouble for Paul who, by the way, is not in very good circumstances. In fact, he is in chains. SO he goes on
    Philippians 1:8 NIV
    God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
    Philippians 1:18 NIV
    But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,
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    But what does it matter, Paul says-What does it matter the circumstances. As long as Christ is preached, Paul says I rejoice. The circumstance do not determine that Paul is going to rejoice. Then Paul adds this after thought.
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    He adds it on in a manner as if he is trying to tell himself something, trying to convince himself of something. If the Greek it is as if, he is replacing his first thought, changing it to be a commitment to rejoice. And it is phrase as if it is the least likely thing he should be doing.
    A commentator wrote it could be paraphrased like this. In this I rejoice, and as a matter of fact, I’ll even continue to do so.
    Then later on in the same letter in chapter 4, Paul writes about rejoicing again.
    Philippians 4:4 NIV
    Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
    Phil 4:
    Rejoice in the Lord always. Always! Does Paul mean that always you are going to have circumstances that are pleasant? No, he can’t because he is in chains! He must mean independent of his circumstances. And in case you think he made a mistake, he says it again. I will say it again, rejoice.
    That is an imperative, a command. Rejoice-always.
    Our fist point then is the Bible calls us to rejoice independent of our circumstances.
    We are commanded to rejoice.
    in spite of our circumstances.
    Which leads us to the second point the source of joy is in our hands. Now the Even though we are commanded to rejoice, the source of what we rejoice in is not a product of ourselves.
    Let me explain further- Suppose I have a job that makes me miserable. God commands me to rejoice, so perhaps I should change my job to find joy.
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    Yet, God’s word commands me to rejoice, in spite of my bad circumstances. How can we do that?
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    God calls me find my source not in what I produce, but to find my source of joy elsewhere. Now I am going to to 1 Peter chapter 1.
    1 Peter 1:3–5 NIV
    Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
    1 Peter 1:3 NIV
    Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
    1 Peter1
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    Luke 2:1–20 NIV
    In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
    1 Peter 1:3 NIV
    Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
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    Peter starts with praise in verse 3, then he starts to list things we have as a result of our faith in Jesus Christ. When you repent of your sins, and turn toward Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you are given these benefits.
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    We are given a new birth into
    a living hope
    an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade and is kept in heaven
    shielded by God’s power until the coming salvation
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    1
    You have by your faith in the Lord Jesus- a living hope, and inheritance kept for you in heaven, and you are shielded not by your own power, but by God’s power. And then Paul says-in verse 6.
    1 Peter 1:6 NIV
    In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
    In all this you rejoice! This is outside of yourself, and it is something you cannot achieve for yourself. This something only Christ achieves for you. The source of your joy is what Christ has done by adopting you into this new birth.
    Your joy doesn’t lie in the stuff in this world. Not in your hope that things will work out. But that sure and certain hope of Jesus Christ. That you will day see the glory that will be revealed.
    Your inheritance is not in your 401K or your hime value or in your bank account-but it is kept fro you in heaven.
    And you are shielded by God’s power-through your faith. You are shielded by your won abilities, but by God’s power.
    In this you rejoice. Your source of joy is outside of yourself, Your source of Joy of Jesus.
    We are commanded to rejoice in a source outside of ourselves-JESUS
    Brothers and Sisters, we are commanded to rejoice, and we can do that because our source of our rejoicing lies in the living resurrected power of the Lord Jesus Christ, So rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again Rejoice.
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      • Philippians 1:17NLT

      • Philippians 1:18NLT

      • Philippians 4:4NLT

      • 1 Peter 1:3–5NLT

      • 1 Peter 1:3NLT

      • 1 Peter 1:6NLT

  • One Small Child
  • The Birthday Of A King
  • O Come Let Us Adore Him
  • Joy to the World
St. Luke's Church Faribault
gordon@slcfaribault.com
(507)334-6608
http://www.slcfaribault.com
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