Philippians 1:16-18; James 1:1-5, “Joy” (2)

In the NT we also see that the cause of joy is important.  In Luke 10:17-20 Jesus warns His disciples not to find joy in what causes them to be exalted in people’s eyes (they even had authority over demons) but to find joy in the fact that their names were written in heaven.  You can see how chara is not dependent on hedone.  Thus we often find the theme that there is joy in suffering.

§  Matt. 5:3-12: The entirety of the Beatitudes is contrary to “philosophy.”  Take the first: Blessed (a term some translate “happy”) are they that mourn.  People do not normally think like this.  Jesus says it is true.

§  Matt. 5:10-12: Blessed/happy are the persecuted. Rejoice and be glad.

§  Rom. 5:2-3: We “rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  … but we also glory in tribulations” because of what it produces.

§  James 1:2: “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials” because of the good thing that the trials can produce in your life.

§  John 16:20: Your sorrow will be turned to joy.

§  Heb. 12:11: No chastening seems joyful but painful, but yields the fruit of righteousness afterwards to those who are trained by it.

Another important NT theme is the idea of complete or full joy.  It is God’s plan for His people.  Note that the cause of this joy is not sensual pleasure but is rather bound up in the spiritual disciplines (Bible reading, prayer, etc.).

§  John 15:11: These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may remain full.

§  Jn. 16:24: Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

§  1 Jn. 1:3-4: Fellowship with Christ and each other produces full joy.

§  2 John 12: Fellowship is again the cause … “I hope to come to you and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.”

We often distinguish between joy and happiness with the former being a deep sense of our relationship with Christ while the latter is a feeling dependent on our circumstances.  This can be a helpful distinction but remember that the word for blessed in the Beatitudes (Matt. 5:2-12) is often translated happy.  But note that Jesus is saying that this happiness does not depend on sensual pleasure.  Our senses may be saying “life is difficult” and yet we still are “blessed.”

Samuel Dickey Gordon, an evangelical author in the turn of 20^th century, penned the following definition of “joy”.  In Philippians we will see it manifested in Paul.  May it be the fruit of the Spirit in our lives as it was in his!

Joy is distinctly a Christian word and a Christian thing.  It is the reverse of happiness.  Happiness is the result of what happens of an agreeable sort.  Joy has its springs deep down inside.  And that spring never runs dry, no matter what happens.  Only Jesus gives that joy.  He had joy, singing its music within, even under the shadow of the cross.  It is an unknown word and thing except as He has sway within.