Joy
The Joy of the Lord is Our Strength
Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, "This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep." For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." The Levites calmed all the people, saying, "Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve." Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.
Nehemiah 8:9-12
After years of exile, a remnant of the Israelites was able to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. However, the walls of the city were still broken down leaving the city exposed to natural disasters and enemies from all around. Nehemiah, hearing of this bad situation, went to King Artaxerxes and asked he could return to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls. The king granted his request and provided Nehemiah with the resources to do it. After many difficulties, Nehemiah, and the Israelites with him, rebuilt the walls. Shortly after it was completed the Israelites were called together to celebrate the Feast of Trumpets.
The LORD said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites: 'On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of sabbath rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. Do no regular work, but present a food offering to the LORD.'"
Leviticus 23:23-25
On that day Ezra, the priest and teacher of the Law, read to the Israelites from the Book of the Law of Moses. The Book of the Law was written in Hebrew but because of their long exile, most of the Israelites now spoke Aramaic more often than Hebrew. This meant that the Levites had to help many of the Israelites understand many of the Hebrew words. Everyone took this very seriously, so it took many hours of standing for the people to finally understand what the Book said. After gaining an understanding of what the Law said, many of the people were sad and even grieved at their current state. But Nehemiah, Ezra and the other Levites told the people not to grieve but to celebrate and enjoy the day for it was a holy day for the Lord. They told them that the joy of the Lord was their strength.
As we enter our season of celebration with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other holidays, 2020 is going to be different than years past. This is making some people sad or even grieving for the loss of their normal opportunities to celebrate with friends and family this year. Therefore, it is going to be especially important that we remember Nehemiah's words this year. The joy of the Lord is your strength. We need to understand what this joy is and how it manifests itself in our lives. The story of our joy begins months before Christmas.
Once when Zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
Luke 1:8-9
Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,
Luke 1:11-14
The angel told Zechariah that his wife would give birth to a son, John the Baptist. He would be a joy and many people would rejoice because of his birth. This message to Zechariah was a sign of our future joy. Months later, Mary, a relative of Elizabeth, was visited by the Holy Spirit.
In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."
Luke 1:26-28
Mary was troubled by this greeting but the angel assured her.
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.
Luke 1:29-31
"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail."
Luke 1:34-37
Mary believed and accepted that what the angel told her would come to pass. Sometime later she decided to visit her relative Elizabeth. When she arrived and greeted Elizabeth, the baby in Elizabeth's womb leaped for joy.
At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!"
Luke 1:39-45
Even before Jesus was born, the joy had begun to spread. John the Baptist in the womb felt the joy. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Joy was beginning to spread. One thing to note here is that three people, Zachariah, Elizabeth, and John the Baptist have been filled with the Holy Spirit. We also know that the Holy Spirit came on Mary. Each of these people were joyful. The Holy Spirit seems to somehow be connected with the joy these people felt.
for he [John] will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.
Luke 1:15
And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.
Luke 1:46-49
When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.
Luke 1:57-58
His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
Luke 1:67-68
John the Baptist would later explain to his disciples more about the joy he had. He told his disciples that his joy was complete with the coming of Jesus.
To this John replied, "A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.' The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.
John 3:27-29
After Jesus grew up, we know that he went to see John the Baptist to be baptized. When this happened, the Spirit of God descended on Jesus like a dove.
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
Matthew 3:13-17
This is a beautiful picture of the trinity with Jesus Christ, the Father, and the Spirit all being present at the same time and place. God's plan for the salvation of humankind was coming together at the appointed time. This is truly a joyful moment. However Jesus still had to go through the years of his ministry on earth spreading the Gospel. By examining the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, one kind find many examples of things that Jesus did during his ministry that brought people joy.
"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
Matthew 13:44
Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. "Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.
Luke 6:22-23
The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."
Luke 10:17
On this occasion Luke described Jesus as being full of joy through the Holy Spirit.
At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.
Luke 10:21
Then there was the joy that people felt when they realized that Jesus had been resurrected.
He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you." So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
Matthew 28:6-8
He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?"
Luke 24:38-41
When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.
Luke 24:50-52
Reading these verses, you can almost feel the joy that the disciples had. They had witnessed Jesus death and were now rejoicing at his resurrection. We need to remember though that there were three days when Jesus lay in the tomb when the disciples did not feel very joyful. They were fearful instead.
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"
John 20:19
With all the negative events going on around us today, sometimes we can feel that our joy is overwhelmed by other things. Sometimes it may seem like our joy does not last. Trouble and persecution may come up and we can seem to lose our joy. Jesus explained an example of this in the parable of the sower.
Then he told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
Matthew 13:3-6
The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
Matthew 13:20-21
The seed in this parable is the word of God. For some people, they hear the word and are full of joy. However, it only lasts for a short time when trouble or persecution comes. These people can quickly fall away and lose their joy. No one wants to be in this position. What can be done to prevent this?
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
John 15:7-11
People need to remain in Jesus. This can be difficult. But if people want to remain in Jesus, they need to break up that rocky ground and throw away the rocks.
This is what the LORD says to the people of Judah and to Jerusalem: "Break up your unplowed ground and do not sow among thorns.
Jeremiah 4:3
Pass through, pass through the gates! Prepare the way for the people. Buildup, build up the highway! Remove the stones. Raise a banner for the nations.
Isaiah 62:10
The way to break up the ground and throw away the stones is to keep his word in you. This means read, study, memorize, meditate and just keep God's word in our heart. Even when things look tough, you need to stay in God’s word. More importantly, you need to follow what it says.
I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word. Be good to your servant while I live, that I may obey your word.
Psalm 119:14-17
If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life.
Psalm 119:92-93
Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart.
Psalm 119:111
God’s word in our hearts gives us joy. The second thing to do follows from the first. It is faith. As we hear God’s word it generates faith.
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.
Romans 10:17
Then we need to run with perseverance the race that is set before us. Many years ago, in college, I used to make a five-mile run across campus several times a week. One day I was feeling tired and discouraged. Things were just not going my way. As I rounded the curve toward the end of my run, I wondered if I was going to make it to the end. Then I looked up and saw a cross on the top of a nearby church. I had never noticed it before. But on that day, it filled me with joy. I had a new wave of energy and finished the run. This is a poor analogy compared to what many people face in the race they are running but the idea is the same. We need to focus on Jesus who because of the joy before him and endured the cross.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2
Some days it may seem just too much, but we should consider it pure joy that we know when we persevere our faith grows stronger.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4
In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
1 Peter 1:6-9
The third key to keeping your joy is the Holy Spirit.
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,
Romans 14:17
As you may recall, when Jesus went to John the Baptist and was baptized, the Spirit came down upon him like a dove. You could say he was anointed. The Holy Spirit is often symbolized by oil in the Bible. In the following verse from Hebrews, Paul quotes from the Old Testament concerning the Son who was anointed with the oil of joy or the Holy Spirit.
But about the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy."
Hebrews 1:8-9
As Christians, we are filled with the Holy Spirit. This does many things for us but one of those is he gives us the opportunity to have joy because one of the fruits of the Spirit is joy.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23
Paul explained this even more clearly in his letter to the church at Thessalonica.
For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.
1 Thessalonians 1:4-7
Jesus understood that when he rose and returned to heaven to sit at the right hand of the father, things were not going to be easy for those who followed him and believed. They would go through many trials and would weep, mourn and grieve. Jesus tells us that we should ask, and we will receive so that our joy will be complete.
Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, "Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, 'In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me'? Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
John 16:19-24
While we wait for his return, we can be assured that God is protecting us. Jesus prayed that the Father would protect those he left behind. Jesus prayed this prayer out loud in front of his disciples so they would know that God would be with them through whatever would happen. Hence, they could have the full measure of joy within them.
After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
John 17:1-3
"I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. "I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.
John 17:6-13
God loves each one of us and one day we will be in his presence without fault and with great joy. To God be the glory.
To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
Jude 1:24-25