Allen Jackson - Joy and Strength

December 21, 2024 | S

Pastor Allen Jackson's mission is to help people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.

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Allen Jackson Ministries | Allen Jackson - Joy and Strength | December 21, 2024
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Allen jackson: the third week of advent is
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  • Traditionally celebrated with a focus on joy,
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  • And i would like to honor that this weekend.
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  • We're starting luke chapter 2 in verse 10 with
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  • A verse that is a part of the christmas narrative.
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  • It says: "the angel said to the shepherds, 'do not be afraid;
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  • For behold, i bring you good news of great joy which will be
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  • For all the people; for today in the city of david there has been
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  • Born for you a savior, who is christ the lord.'"
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  • It's the angelic announcement to the shepherds in the shepherds
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  • Fields that the christ child has been born in bethlehem.
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  • And i'm always interested by the way it begins.
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  • The angels begin by saying, "don't be afraid."
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  • Do you have room in your imagination that an
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  • Announcement--a god announcement in your life,
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  • Your first reaction to it would be fear?
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  • I promise you the angel said, "don't be afraid,"
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  • It's because the shepherds are afraid.
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  • It's new to them and it's frightening.
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  • The angel says, "you don't have to be afraid.
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  • I bring you good news of great joy."
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  • The greek word for great is megas, from which
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  • We get mega, so in plain, "big joy."
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  • It's bad grammar, but i think you get the picture.
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  • The angel said, "i've got good news, big joy for everybody."
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  • That's the good news of the jesus story is it transcends all
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  • The things that divide us, all the barriers, all
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  • The way we hyphenate our identifications.
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  • Jesus transcends all of those.
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  • Jesus opened the door for every person,
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  • Regardless of iq, ethnicity, height, dexterity,
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  • All those things that divide people.
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  • Jesus opened the door. i have a good friend.
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  • He's an orthodox jewish man and he said to me and to a group of
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  • People i was with, he said, "you really have a gift."
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  • He said, "the christian faith is about good news.
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  • It's about god loving you."
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  • And i think sometimes, as christians, we overlook that.
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  • The jesus story is about good news of big joy for everybody.
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  • And here's our challenge. we don't know much about joy.
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  • I think most of us think joy is just a synonym for being happy.
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  • And biblically, it really has a very different meaning.
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  • And that's what i wanna take a few minutes with you.
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  • The bible tells us that we are complex beings.
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  • We've talked about this before.
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  • I'm not gonna belabor it this morning, but it--the bible talks
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  • About us in terms of body, soul, and spirit.
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  • You are a spirit.
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  • The part of you that is most directly
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  • Created in god's image is your spirit.
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  • The scripture says that in eden god crafted man
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  • From the dust of the ground and then he breathed
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  • Into him and man became a living being.
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  • Your spirit is created in god's image.
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  • Your spirit is eternal.
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  • When your body stops functioning, you're not done.
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  • Your spirit steps into eternity.
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  • You are a spirit, you have a soul.
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  • Your soul is your mind, your will, and your emotions.
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  • And then you live in a body.
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  • You get an earth suit, that's what one of these things are.
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  • You're born with an expiration date.
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  • I know that's frustrating, but it's true for all of us.
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  • But your body is not you.
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  • When your body stops functioning, your spirit
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  • Continues right on into eternity.
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  • For every aspect of your person, there is an
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  • Expression of contentment or fulfillment.
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  • For your body, it's pleasure, okay?
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  • Pleasure's not evil.
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  • God created you with the ability to experience pleasure.
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  • Pleasure was god's idea.
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  • Now if you spend your life committed to nothing but the
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  • Pursuit of pleasure, you're a hedonist and it's highly
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  • Probable you'll miss the kingdom of god.
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  • But it doesn't make pleasure wicked or evil or wrong.
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  • Now, fulfillment for your soul, for your mind, your will, and
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  • Your emotions, we call that happiness.
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  • And again, god created you with
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  • The ability to experience happiness.
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  • It's not evil or wicked or inappropriate.
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  • It was god's idea.
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  • God is not opposed to happiness.
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  • It's really good to get that cataloged in your heart 'cause
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  • Some people think, you know, "god thinks if
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  • It makes you happy, it's wicked."
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  • That's not true.
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  • But fulfillment for your spirit is joy.
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  • Now here's the challenge.
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  • Most of us have a plan, an imagination, of how to
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  • Secure--we even spend time and energy and effort in considering
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  • The pursuit of pleasure or the pursuit of happiness.
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  • And again, it's not wrong.
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  • But most of us have very little imagination, awareness,
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  • Understanding, or commitment to the cultivation of joy.
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  • And joy is a necessary component for your spiritual health.
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  • A life without joy is a life with a tremendous deficit.
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  • And so, we're gonna spend our time today trying to unpack
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  • Those things and see if we can understand the distinctions and
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  • What it would be like to be people of joy.
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  • Again, i'm not trying to diminish your
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  • Pleasure or do away with your happiness.
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  • I'm just saying without the existence
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  • Of joy, you're leading a diminished life.
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  • And we've had such a limited imagination.
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  • I think for most of us, we've thought joy was just another way
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  • Of saying happy, and they're very different things in the
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  • Same way that pleasure and happiness are different.
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  • They may be related.
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  • There may be a connection between them,
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  • But they are very different things.
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  • In the same way, so is joy.
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  • So let's start with this notion that joy
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  • Is connected to spiritual choices.
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  • After all, joy is about your spirit, and so it's logical that
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  • Spiritual choices are going to have an
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  • Influence, an impact, on joy in your life.
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  • Deuteronomy 28.
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  • It's a chapter in the law of moses, and it
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  • Is a chapter about blessings and curses.
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  • The first verses of deuteronomy are
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  • About the blessings of god in your life.
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  • The last two-thirds of that chapter are
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  • About the curses of god in your life.
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  • The blessings are so all-encompassing,
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  • It's really remarkable.
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  • It says you'll be blessed in the city and in the field, when you
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  • Sit and when you stand, when you come in and when you go out.
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  • The curses are pretty overwhelming as well.
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  • But in that chapter, in verses 47 and 48, we're
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  • Given kind of a key to understanding it.
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  • Says: "you didn't serve the lord your god with joy and a glad
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  • Heart, for the abundance of all things; therefore you shall
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  • Serve your enemies whom the lord will send against you, in
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  • Hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in the lack of all things."
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  • There's a contrast.
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  • It says you chose not to serve the lord your god with joy and a
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  • Glad heart, even though he gave you abundance.
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  • It's a choice.
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  • He said you didn't choose to
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  • Serve the lord joyfully, gratefully.
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  • You were god's people, the covenant people.
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  • You were the recipients of blessings and abundance
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  • And supernatural interventions and
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  • Deliverances, many tangible expressions.
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  • You have the form of worship.
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  • You have daily sacrifices.
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  • You engaged in religious behavior but you--if you don't
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  • Serve the lord with joy and gratitude,
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  • He said you can serve your enemies.
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  • So it isn't simply that we go through the motions of being
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  • Religious, it isn't that we just do the right thing out of a
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  • Sense of obligation or duty or commitment or tradition.
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  • But the attitude of our heart is important.
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  • Joy is a necessary component to spiritual wellbeing.
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  • And in the same way that in nutrition, to be healthy
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  • Physically there are some--there are certain things, elements,
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  • That you need to make a part of your diet.
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  • Maybe it's very minute amounts, but without them you are not
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  • Going to physically maintain your strength and health.
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  • And joy is necessary for your spiritual wellbeing.
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  • I wanna elevate its significance in your imagination.
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  • I want you to begin to think about
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  • It in a purposeful, intentional way.
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  • I'm gonna suggest you think about joy as a force, in the
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  • Same way that gravity is a force.
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  • You don't have to be conscious of it, but your
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  • Awareness of it will work to your benefit.
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  • And joy is a force in your life.
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  • It can add momentum to you or it can diminish you in its absence.
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  • It's an important thing.
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  • Look at isaiah 35 and verse 10.
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  • Says: "the ransomed of the lord will return
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  • And come with joyful shouting to zion,
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  • With everlasting joy upon their heads.
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  • And they will find gladness and joy,
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  • And sorrow and sighing will flee away."
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  • Before you turn the page, look at that last sentence.
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  • There's a set of opposites that are included there.
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  • It talks about gladness and joy being found and
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  • It talks about something else fleeing away.
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  • What is it that flees away?
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  • Sorrow and sighing.
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  • Now, this is a season of the year that often brings with it
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  • Some real expressions of sorrow, 'cause we're reflecting a bit on
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  • The year and things that have happened or didn't happen or
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  • Loved ones that we've lost or circumstances that didn't
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  • Materialize or unwanted things that have intruded, and it's not
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  • Unusual to get to this season of the year with people trying to
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  • Celebrate and in you there's a sense of sighing and sadness.
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  • Doesn't make you weak or wrong or inadequate.
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  • It's just a reality.
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  • But there is a prescription that enables
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  • Those things to move away from us.
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  • It says that if we find gladness and joy,
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  • Sorrow and sighing will flee away.
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  • So the question that begins to grow in
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  • Me is how would i cultivate joy?
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  • How would i let joy in my heart emerge?
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  • If it will cause sighing and sadness to move away from me,
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  • That's a good thing, 'cause i don't wanna spend
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  • My life with unnecessary sadness or sighing.
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  • So let's take a minute with this idea of the development of joy
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  • Or cultivating joy in acts 13 and verse 52.
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  • You can turn the page now.
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  • Says: "the disciples were continually filled
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  • With joy and with the holy spirit."
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  • Now, words have a meaning and in this
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  • Sentence it's particularly significant.
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  • Says they were continually filled
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  • With joy and the holy spirit.
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  • That's an intentional use of language.
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  • It's very possible in the greek language to have said that they
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  • Were filled with joy one time, as a statement
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  • Of occurrence at one point in time, it happened in
  • 00:10:09.567 --> 00:10:12.270
  • The past, it was complete and entire.
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  • But that's not the verb tense that's used here.
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  • Here it says they're continually filled
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  • With joy and with the holy spirit.
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  • May i ask you a question?
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  • Why do you have to be continually filled?
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  • Do you leak?
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  • Was your original filling inadequate?
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  • What happened? "continually filled."
  • 00:10:35.126 --> 00:10:37.328
  • After all, the book of acts, from which this verse comes, is
  • 00:10:37.328 --> 00:10:40.365
  • Really a book that is about the person of the
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  • Holy spirit and his involvement in our lives.
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  • In acts chapter 1, jesus--it's about jesus's ascension back to
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  • Heaven, and before he leaves for heaven, he says to his closest
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  • Friends and followers, "don't leave jerusalem
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  • Until you're baptized with the holy spirit."
  • 00:10:54.612 --> 00:10:58.016
  • And in acts chapter 2, the holy spirit is poured out on the day
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  • Of pentecost and the people are speaking in
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  • These unknown languages and a crowd gathers
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  • And peter stands up and tells the jesus story.
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  • And in the same city where a few days earlier they had screamed,
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  • "crucify him," thousands of people accepted jesus of
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  • Nazareth as messiah and are baptized.
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  • So the book of acts begins with this outpouring of the holy
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  • Spirit upon jesus's closest friends and followers, and the
  • 00:11:21.106 --> 00:11:24.275
  • Whole city is engaged in what's happening.
  • 00:11:24.275 --> 00:11:27.412
  • And we get to acts 13 and it says they were "continually
  • 00:11:27.412 --> 00:11:30.248
  • Filled with the holy spirit and joy."
  • 00:11:30.248 --> 00:11:33.418
  • Now i think we have a challenge in the
  • 00:11:33.418 --> 00:11:34.753
  • Way we imagine spiritual things.
  • 00:11:34.753 --> 00:11:37.055
  • Typically, our goal is to be accomplished spiritual persons,
  • 00:11:37.055 --> 00:11:41.659
  • So it's--the language we use tends to suggest that we
  • 00:11:41.659 --> 00:11:44.329
  • Accomplish something and leave it behind.
  • 00:11:44.329 --> 00:11:46.564
  • I was saved or born again or converted.
  • 00:11:46.564 --> 00:11:50.568
  • I was baptized.
  • 00:11:50.568 --> 00:11:53.004
  • I was filled with the spirit.
  • 00:11:53.004 --> 00:11:55.306
  • I repented.
  • 00:11:55.306 --> 00:11:57.142
  • And we tend to have a list.
  • 00:11:57.142 --> 00:11:58.510
  • When we tell our stories of experiences in our journey and
  • 00:11:58.510 --> 00:12:02.247
  • The way we describe them as if they were something that we
  • 00:12:02.247 --> 00:12:04.382
  • Encountered one time, we brought them to full
  • 00:12:04.382 --> 00:12:06.584
  • Completion, and we have left them behind.
  • 00:12:06.584 --> 00:12:11.723
  • Now, i don't wanna cause you to live in fear or to question your
  • 00:12:11.723 --> 00:12:16.327
  • Conversion or your entrance into the kingdom of god.
  • 00:12:16.327 --> 00:12:20.098
  • But i do wanna call into question the idea that those
  • 00:12:20.098 --> 00:12:22.934
  • Things are simply something you experience
  • 00:12:22.934 --> 00:12:25.203
  • And then you've moved beyond them.
  • 00:12:25.203 --> 00:12:27.472
  • It seems to me that the counsel, the teaching, the
  • 00:12:27.472 --> 00:12:29.641
  • Invitation of scripture, is that your spiritual
  • 00:12:29.641 --> 00:12:32.277
  • Life requires attention, that it requires
  • 00:12:32.277 --> 00:12:37.482
  • Care, that it requires revisiting.
  • 00:12:37.482 --> 00:12:42.720
  • In this particular verse in acts it says they were continually
  • 00:12:42.720 --> 00:12:45.523
  • Filled with the holy spirit and joy.
  • 00:12:45.523 --> 00:12:48.326
  • Again, did they leak?
  • 00:12:48.326 --> 00:12:51.129
  • I think it's more helpful to think of spiritual
  • 00:12:51.129 --> 00:12:53.398
  • Things as something that need replenished.
  • 00:12:53.398 --> 00:12:56.701
  • "i had a very good meal in july.
  • 00:12:56.701 --> 00:13:02.707
  • I ate vegetables, whole grains.
  • 00:13:02.707 --> 00:13:06.978
  • I was completely hydrated.
  • 00:13:06.978 --> 00:13:10.081
  • It was a good meal."
  • 00:13:10.081 --> 00:13:12.550
  • But if that was the last time i ate,
  • 00:13:12.550 --> 00:13:15.954
  • I'd be a little wobbly this morning.
  • 00:13:15.954 --> 00:13:18.690
  • Agreed?
  • 00:13:18.690 --> 00:13:20.058
  • We have a notion that, physically,
  • 00:13:20.058 --> 00:13:21.926
  • You have to continually take in nourishment.
  • 00:13:21.926 --> 00:13:25.496
  • Pleasure isn't something you just
  • 00:13:25.496 --> 00:13:26.831
  • Want to experience one time.
  • 00:13:26.831 --> 00:13:29.334
  • Happiness isn't something that you want
  • 00:13:29.334 --> 00:13:30.702
  • To say, "i was happy once.
  • 00:13:30.702 --> 00:13:32.670
  • I was nine."
  • 00:13:32.670 --> 00:13:36.341
  • And joy in your life is something
  • 00:13:36.341 --> 00:13:38.743
  • That requires attention.
  • 00:13:38.743 --> 00:13:43.047
  • Allen: 2024 has almost slipped past us.
  • 00:13:46.918 --> 00:13:49.854
  • Thank you for your partnership this year.
  • 00:13:49.854 --> 00:13:51.956
  • It's been the most remarkable season
  • 00:13:51.956 --> 00:13:53.625
  • We've ever known together.
  • 00:13:53.625 --> 00:13:55.260
  • And i thank you for your faithful investment of time,
  • 00:13:55.260 --> 00:13:58.162
  • Energy, and prayers in our ministry.
  • 00:13:58.162 --> 00:14:00.131
  • Change is taking place in the earth.
  • 00:14:00.131 --> 00:14:02.667
  • We're seeing in our own nation, god responded to us
  • 00:14:02.667 --> 00:14:05.236
  • With tremendous mercy and grace.
  • 00:14:05.236 --> 00:14:08.106
  • We have leaders that are headed to washington, d.c.
  • 00:14:08.106 --> 00:14:10.642
  • To enact changes, to restore a set of values
  • 00:14:10.642 --> 00:14:13.111
  • That have brought strength to our nation.
  • 00:14:13.111 --> 00:14:14.679
  • It's a time of great optimism and hope and anticipation,
  • 00:14:14.679 --> 00:14:18.383
  • And i believe that's true in the church as well.
  • 00:14:18.383 --> 00:14:20.852
  • Folks, we can't stand on the sidelines
  • 00:14:20.852 --> 00:14:22.887
  • And expect somebody else to be the change.
  • 00:14:22.887 --> 00:14:25.356
  • We need the presence of god to emerge in our schools,
  • 00:14:25.356 --> 00:14:28.326
  • On our college campuses, back in our churches.
  • 00:14:28.326 --> 00:14:31.729
  • And so i think it's a critical time that we bring the message
  • 00:14:31.729 --> 00:14:34.499
  • Of the truth of jesus christ.
  • 00:14:34.499 --> 00:14:36.100
  • It's a hopeful message.
  • 00:14:36.100 --> 00:14:37.602
  • It's a message of wholeness and healing and deliverance
  • 00:14:37.602 --> 00:14:40.238
  • And freedom that we desperately need in our cities,
  • 00:14:40.238 --> 00:14:43.641
  • In our communities, wherever god's people gather.
  • 00:14:43.641 --> 00:14:46.377
  • Join us.
  • 00:14:46.377 --> 00:14:47.712
  • Let's be a part of what god is doing in the earth,
  • 00:14:47.712 --> 00:14:50.014
  • And we will celebrate his faithfulness
  • 00:14:50.014 --> 00:14:52.150
  • To the people of our generation.
  • 00:14:52.150 --> 00:14:54.218
  • Thank you for being a part.
  • 00:14:54.218 --> 00:14:56.054
  • Female announcer: god has uniquely blessed us.
  • 00:14:57.789 --> 00:14:59.824
  • The best is yet to come.
  • 00:14:59.824 --> 00:15:02.794
  • God has heard our prayers.
  • 00:15:02.794 --> 00:15:05.096
  • God has delivered us from oppression.
  • 00:15:05.096 --> 00:15:09.200
  • We live in a season of shaking,
  • 00:15:09.200 --> 00:15:11.836
  • But together we stand, united in heart and purpose
  • 00:15:11.836 --> 00:15:17.108
  • To accomplish the will of god in our generation.
  • 00:15:17.108 --> 00:15:21.379
  • We will not stop.
  • 00:15:21.379 --> 00:15:23.614
  • Allen: i want to ask you to make
  • 00:15:25.516 --> 00:15:26.918
  • A sacrificial investment in our ministry.
  • 00:15:26.918 --> 00:15:29.287
  • We have a generous partner who will match every gift
  • 00:15:29.287 --> 00:15:31.322
  • Between now and the end of the year.
  • 00:15:31.322 --> 00:15:32.991
  • We're making plans for the year ahead with a boldness
  • 00:15:32.991 --> 00:15:35.793
  • And a courage unlike anything we've done in the past.
  • 00:15:35.793 --> 00:15:38.997
  • We wanna make as clear a statement for the gospel
  • 00:15:38.997 --> 00:15:41.499
  • Of jesus christ.
  • 00:15:41.499 --> 00:15:42.834
  • We wanna strengthen the church.
  • 00:15:42.834 --> 00:15:44.502
  • We want to tell the truth in a way that people
  • 00:15:44.502 --> 00:15:47.071
  • Can rally around it.
  • 00:15:47.071 --> 00:15:48.473
  • God is moving in the earth,
  • 00:15:48.473 --> 00:15:50.108
  • And we intend to participate with him.
  • 00:15:50.108 --> 00:15:52.443
  • I hope you'll join us as we look forward to the new year.
  • 00:15:52.443 --> 00:15:56.047
  • Thank you in advance for your generous investments
  • 00:15:56.047 --> 00:15:58.583
  • In what god is doing.
  • 00:15:58.583 --> 00:15:59.917
  • God bless you.
  • 00:15:59.917 --> 00:16:01.386
  • Announcer: as we step into this new season,
  • 00:16:01.386 --> 00:16:03.721
  • Let's be faithful to seek god.
  • 00:16:03.721 --> 00:16:06.324
  • Let's make room for him to refine our hearts so we can
  • 00:16:06.324 --> 00:16:09.394
  • Join him in what he's doing.
  • 00:16:09.394 --> 00:16:11.963
  • Pastor allen's new 90-day devotional journal called
  • 00:16:11.963 --> 00:16:15.466
  • "set apart for his purposes" can help.
  • 00:16:15.466 --> 00:16:18.236
  • Each day brings a new scripture, teaching, prayer,
  • 00:16:18.236 --> 00:16:21.672
  • And a journaling prompt.
  • 00:16:21.672 --> 00:16:23.541
  • We'll also send custom page markers so you can flag
  • 00:16:23.541 --> 00:16:26.511
  • Anything you want to revisit.
  • 00:16:26.511 --> 00:16:28.579
  • Request your copy of "set apart for his purposes"
  • 00:16:28.646 --> 00:16:31.015
  • When you donate $50 or more today at allenjackson.com
  • 00:16:31.015 --> 00:16:35.319
  • Or call...
  • 00:16:35.319 --> 00:16:40.058
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:16:41.692 --> 00:16:45.496
  • Allen: when you're a christ follower, when you
  • 00:16:47.165 --> 00:16:48.499
  • Make a profession of faith, the holy
  • 00:16:48.499 --> 00:16:50.368
  • Spirit takes up residence within you.
  • 00:16:50.368 --> 00:16:51.903
  • The bible says you're a temple of the living god.
  • 00:16:51.903 --> 00:16:55.940
  • The fruit of the spirit, the evidence of the spirit in your
  • 00:16:55.940 --> 00:16:58.643
  • Life, that you have cooperated with the holy spirit, is a
  • 00:16:58.643 --> 00:17:01.579
  • Transformation of your person from the inside out.
  • 00:17:01.579 --> 00:17:05.483
  • Christianity was never intended to be a
  • 00:17:05.483 --> 00:17:06.984
  • Set of rules forced from the outside in.
  • 00:17:06.984 --> 00:17:10.054
  • It's about a transformation of our person and our life.
  • 00:17:10.054 --> 00:17:12.890
  • We choose to allow the spirit of god to bring change to us, to
  • 00:17:12.890 --> 00:17:17.328
  • Change our soulish, selfish, carnal, earthly
  • 00:17:17.328 --> 00:17:22.133
  • Way of responding to life, to let god responses
  • 00:17:22.133 --> 00:17:24.902
  • Begin to emerge in us more fully.
  • 00:17:24.902 --> 00:17:28.306
  • And it's called fruit.
  • 00:17:28.306 --> 00:17:30.975
  • Now, fruit reflects something of the character of the tree.
  • 00:17:30.975 --> 00:17:34.979
  • You know, we like to talk--the new testament talks to us about
  • 00:17:34.979 --> 00:17:37.081
  • The gifts of the spirit, the expressions of the power of god,
  • 00:17:37.081 --> 00:17:40.818
  • Prophecy, gifts of healing, the workings of miracles,
  • 00:17:40.818 --> 00:17:44.789
  • Those supernatural expressions.
  • 00:17:44.789 --> 00:17:46.591
  • The bible doesn't call those things fruit,
  • 00:17:46.591 --> 00:17:48.759
  • It calls them gifts.
  • 00:17:48.759 --> 00:17:50.461
  • When you see a christmas tree this year with gifts beneath it,
  • 00:17:50.461 --> 00:17:55.333
  • None of you imagine that you could cause the gifts to grow in
  • 00:17:55.333 --> 00:17:58.603
  • Size or value by fertilizing the tree, right?
  • 00:17:58.603 --> 00:18:04.041
  • Nobody looks at those gifts and thinks, "well, you know, if i'd
  • 00:18:04.041 --> 00:18:05.643
  • Just gotten a bigger tree, i'd get bigger gifts," right?
  • 00:18:05.643 --> 00:18:11.182
  • Everybody is seeing there's no connection.
  • 00:18:11.182 --> 00:18:12.683
  • The gift reflects the grace and the
  • 00:18:12.683 --> 00:18:15.520
  • Care of the giver, not the tree.
  • 00:18:15.520 --> 00:18:18.589
  • Well, fruit, on the other hand, when you--if you have
  • 00:18:18.589 --> 00:18:21.058
  • Good fruit, you understand it is the reflection
  • 00:18:21.058 --> 00:18:23.628
  • Of a healthy, vital, vibrant tree.
  • 00:18:23.628 --> 00:18:28.799
  • So it's not whether or not we believe in the gifts of the
  • 00:18:28.799 --> 00:18:30.701
  • Spirit or the fruit of the spirit.
  • 00:18:30.701 --> 00:18:32.036
  • We need both.
  • 00:18:32.036 --> 00:18:33.371
  • The fruit of the spirit is the insulation
  • 00:18:33.371 --> 00:18:35.573
  • For the gifts of the spirit.
  • 00:18:35.573 --> 00:18:36.908
  • The power of god expressed through the life of an
  • 00:18:36.908 --> 00:18:38.910
  • Individual that hasn't yielded themselves to transformation by
  • 00:18:38.910 --> 00:18:42.213
  • The spirit of god is very difficult to sustain.
  • 00:18:42.213 --> 00:18:47.285
  • The fruit of the spirit enables the power of god to move through
  • 00:18:47.285 --> 00:18:50.755
  • Our lives more remarkably without doing damage.
  • 00:18:50.755 --> 00:18:54.759
  • But the evidence of the holy spirit
  • 00:18:54.759 --> 00:18:56.360
  • In our lives, one of those, is joy.
  • 00:18:56.360 --> 00:18:59.730
  • Joy comes through the presence of the spirit of god.
  • 00:18:59.730 --> 00:19:03.801
  • Now why would we care? why does it matter to us?
  • 00:19:03.801 --> 00:19:06.470
  • Is it just a talking point for a crafted sermon?
  • 00:19:06.470 --> 00:19:10.107
  • I hope not.
  • 00:19:10.107 --> 00:19:11.709
  • I wanna suggest to you that, biblically,
  • 00:19:11.709 --> 00:19:13.644
  • We learn that joy enables us to endure.
  • 00:19:13.644 --> 00:19:17.515
  • And whether we like it or not, life comes with
  • 00:19:17.515 --> 00:19:19.717
  • Seasons where it's required of us, endurance.
  • 00:19:19.717 --> 00:19:22.954
  • Isn't that true?
  • 00:19:22.954 --> 00:19:24.889
  • Look in 2 corinthians 7 and verse 4.
  • 00:19:24.889 --> 00:19:27.491
  • It says: "great is my confidence in you;
  • 00:19:27.491 --> 00:19:29.493
  • Great is my boasting on your behalf.
  • 00:19:29.493 --> 00:19:31.596
  • I'm filled with comfort; i am overflowing
  • 00:19:31.596 --> 00:19:33.898
  • With joy in all our affliction."
  • 00:19:33.898 --> 00:19:37.301
  • That last phrase, i know it's in the bible, but it's odd.
  • 00:19:37.301 --> 00:19:41.305
  • It says: "i am overflowing with joy in all our affliction."
  • 00:19:41.305 --> 00:19:46.143
  • I don't know about you, but when i'm in difficult seasons, i
  • 00:19:46.143 --> 00:19:49.280
  • Haven't thought about overflowing with joy.
  • 00:19:49.280 --> 00:19:51.182
  • I've thought about overflowing with complaining, overflowing
  • 00:19:51.182 --> 00:19:54.518
  • With criticizing, overflowing with blaming somebody else, but
  • 00:19:54.518 --> 00:19:59.457
  • It hasn't really occurred to me that i could overflow with joy.
  • 00:19:59.457 --> 00:20:03.494
  • So there's some realignment being discussed here.
  • 00:20:03.494 --> 00:20:05.863
  • Look at 2 corinthians 8 and verse 1.
  • 00:20:05.863 --> 00:20:08.599
  • He's writing to the same group of christians:
  • 00:20:08.599 --> 00:20:10.134
  • It's the church in the city of corinth.
  • 00:20:10.134 --> 00:20:13.137
  • He said, "now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that
  • 00:20:13.137 --> 00:20:15.406
  • God has given to the macedonian churches."
  • 00:20:15.406 --> 00:20:19.043
  • The churches that started with that visit to philippi.
  • 00:20:19.043 --> 00:20:22.413
  • "out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their
  • 00:20:22.413 --> 00:20:26.684
  • Extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity."
  • 00:20:26.684 --> 00:20:31.856
  • Now, that's an odd sentence.
  • 00:20:31.856 --> 00:20:34.425
  • It has paired things together that i
  • 00:20:34.425 --> 00:20:36.160
  • Would never pair in my imagination.
  • 00:20:36.160 --> 00:20:39.463
  • It says, first of all, "out of the most
  • 00:20:39.463 --> 00:20:41.365
  • Severe trial, they have overflowing joy."
  • 00:20:41.365 --> 00:20:45.936
  • Huh?
  • 00:20:45.936 --> 00:20:48.172
  • How do you do that?
  • 00:20:48.172 --> 00:20:50.141
  • "out of severe difficulties," i usually has overflowing whining.
  • 00:20:50.141 --> 00:20:55.613
  • And then it says something equally odd.
  • 00:20:55.613 --> 00:20:57.948
  • It says, "from their extreme poverty,
  • 00:20:57.948 --> 00:21:01.152
  • They welled up in rich generosity."
  • 00:21:01.152 --> 00:21:03.888
  • How can you be generous from a place of extreme poverty?
  • 00:21:03.888 --> 00:21:10.795
  • Well, from the way i do accounting,
  • 00:21:10.795 --> 00:21:12.129
  • It's pretty difficult.
  • 00:21:12.129 --> 00:21:14.131
  • But the bible invites us towards a little different perspective
  • 00:21:14.131 --> 00:21:17.168
  • On how we evaluate our giving, our gifts.
  • 00:21:17.168 --> 00:21:20.371
  • See, we tend to value a gift based
  • 00:21:20.371 --> 00:21:21.872
  • On the value of what we give.
  • 00:21:21.872 --> 00:21:24.575
  • God tends to value our gifts based
  • 00:21:24.575 --> 00:21:26.210
  • On the value of what we retain.
  • 00:21:26.210 --> 00:21:29.880
  • I'll give you an example.
  • 00:21:29.880 --> 00:21:31.215
  • Jesus, it says in the gospels, was on the temple mount
  • 00:21:31.215 --> 00:21:34.085
  • And people were bringing their gifts.
  • 00:21:34.085 --> 00:21:35.619
  • It was a public offering.
  • 00:21:35.619 --> 00:21:37.621
  • And there were some making gifts of tremendous value.
  • 00:21:37.621 --> 00:21:41.625
  • And a widow came along and put in a few pennies and jesus
  • 00:21:41.625 --> 00:21:44.795
  • Gathered his disciples together and he said, "that woman has
  • 00:21:44.795 --> 00:21:47.565
  • Given more than all the rest of these."
  • 00:21:47.565 --> 00:21:49.967
  • And the disciples said, "no, lord, you didn't see it.
  • 00:21:49.967 --> 00:21:53.304
  • There were people who gave gifts of
  • 00:21:53.304 --> 00:21:55.639
  • Incredible amounts throughout the day."
  • 00:21:55.639 --> 00:21:58.809
  • And jesus said, "yes, they gave out of their abundance, but she
  • 00:21:58.809 --> 00:22:01.812
  • Gave all that she had to live on."
  • 00:22:01.812 --> 00:22:04.982
  • Jesus attached greater value to her gift because it represented
  • 00:22:04.982 --> 00:22:09.286
  • An expression of total commitment.
  • 00:22:09.286 --> 00:22:13.124
  • Now, i don't believe it's a condemnation
  • 00:22:13.124 --> 00:22:14.725
  • Of giving out of your abundance.
  • 00:22:14.725 --> 00:22:16.727
  • When god blesses you, i think that's appropriate.
  • 00:22:16.727 --> 00:22:19.830
  • But clearly, he's inviting us to this imagination that it isn't
  • 00:22:19.830 --> 00:22:22.867
  • So much about what we give, it's what we hold on to.
  • 00:22:22.867 --> 00:22:25.803
  • So it's possible for the macedonian churches to have
  • 00:22:25.803 --> 00:22:28.506
  • Given with tremendous generosity, even though they
  • 00:22:28.506 --> 00:22:31.108
  • Were battling great poverty in their own lives.
  • 00:22:31.108 --> 00:22:36.080
  • What intrigues me is their response.
  • 00:22:36.080 --> 00:22:39.583
  • In the midst of circumstances that were unpleasant,
  • 00:22:39.583 --> 00:22:41.986
  • That are described by paul as severe, it
  • 00:22:41.986 --> 00:22:44.789
  • Says they still overflowed with joy.
  • 00:22:44.789 --> 00:22:49.160
  • Joy enables us to endure, to overcome distasteful,
  • 00:22:49.160 --> 00:22:54.031
  • Unpleasant, uncomfortable circumstances, to not be
  • 00:22:54.031 --> 00:22:57.568
  • Dominated by them, to not have them steal from
  • 00:22:57.568 --> 00:23:01.405
  • Us the meaning and the integrity of our days.
  • 00:23:01.405 --> 00:23:06.076
  • Look at the next passage.
  • 00:23:06.076 --> 00:23:07.411
  • It's james chapter 1 and verse 2.
  • 00:23:07.411 --> 00:23:08.846
  • It says: "consider it all joy, my brethren,
  • 00:23:08.846 --> 00:23:11.348
  • When you encounter various trials."
  • 00:23:11.348 --> 00:23:14.318
  • Again, it's plain language but, to be honest, i'd
  • 00:23:14.318 --> 00:23:16.887
  • Like to white that verse out of my bible.
  • 00:23:16.887 --> 00:23:19.757
  • I'd like to highlight it and hit delete.
  • 00:23:19.757 --> 00:23:22.760
  • Consider it all joy when you win the lottery.
  • 00:23:22.760 --> 00:23:27.865
  • Consider it all joy when i walk in the house at the end of the
  • 00:23:27.865 --> 00:23:30.234
  • Day and kathy says, "you are handsome and brilliant."
  • 00:23:30.234 --> 00:23:35.906
  • Woo-hoo, i'm joyful!
  • 00:23:35.906 --> 00:23:39.844
  • But that says consider it all joy when you
  • 00:23:39.844 --> 00:23:42.346
  • Face different kinds of difficulties.
  • 00:23:42.346 --> 00:23:46.383
  • Why would i do that? it gives us an explanation.
  • 00:23:46.383 --> 00:23:49.920
  • "knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
  • 00:23:49.920 --> 00:23:54.391
  • And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be
  • 00:23:54.391 --> 00:23:57.194
  • Perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
  • 00:23:57.194 --> 00:24:01.398
  • How do you arrive at the place where you lack nothing?
  • 00:24:01.398 --> 00:24:05.402
  • Apparently, it's not about asset accumulation
  • 00:24:05.402 --> 00:24:08.639
  • Or emotional strength.
  • 00:24:08.639 --> 00:24:12.376
  • So i wanna suggest something for our closing prayer.
  • 00:24:12.376 --> 00:24:14.745
  • I wanna take a minute and just offer a few expressions of
  • 00:24:14.745 --> 00:24:16.981
  • Thanksgiving to god, some things i can be grateful for.
  • 00:24:16.981 --> 00:24:20.851
  • And if there's anything in your life for which you can say
  • 00:24:20.851 --> 00:24:22.586
  • Thank you, i would encourage you to just
  • 00:24:22.586 --> 00:24:24.688
  • Quietly say thank you to the lord.
  • 00:24:24.688 --> 00:24:26.257
  • If nothing else, you can be thankful i'm done.
  • 00:24:26.257 --> 00:24:28.792
  • Woo-hoo.
  • 00:24:28.792 --> 00:24:30.160
  • 'cause some of you wondered if i would ever hush.
  • 00:24:30.160 --> 00:24:32.663
  • I'm going to.
  • 00:24:32.663 --> 00:24:34.899
  • Let's take just a moment or two and offer an expression of
  • 00:24:34.899 --> 00:24:37.167
  • Thanks, and then i will close with a prayer for those
  • 00:24:37.167 --> 00:24:39.670
  • Of us that are facing real challenges.
  • 00:24:39.670 --> 00:24:41.705
  • And when i thank the lord, i like to put my hands up.
  • 00:24:41.705 --> 00:24:43.607
  • If that freaks you out, you don't have to do that.
  • 00:24:43.607 --> 00:24:46.143
  • It won't hurt you, but doesn't make you
  • 00:24:46.143 --> 00:24:47.645
  • A crazy person or a fanatic or a zealot.
  • 00:24:47.645 --> 00:24:49.947
  • We're not gonna film it and post it.
  • 00:24:49.947 --> 00:24:52.683
  • That would be an idea.
  • 00:24:52.683 --> 00:24:56.086
  • But let's just take a moment and say thank you
  • 00:24:56.086 --> 00:24:58.489
  • To the lord, 'cause we've been guilty of serving
  • 00:24:58.489 --> 00:25:00.591
  • The lord without joy or gratitude.
  • 00:25:00.591 --> 00:25:03.627
  • We've done it reluctantly, out of a sense of obligation, kind
  • 00:25:03.627 --> 00:25:07.565
  • Of a compliance, but our heart wasn't in it.
  • 00:25:07.565 --> 00:25:10.935
  • And let's just take a moment and say, "god, thank you."
  • 00:25:10.935 --> 00:25:14.371
  • Fair enough? all right.
  • 00:25:14.371 --> 00:25:16.273
  • Lord, we wanna say thank you today.
  • 00:25:16.273 --> 00:25:18.175
  • You've been good to us. you have blessed us.
  • 00:25:18.175 --> 00:25:20.411
  • You have watched over our lives.
  • 00:25:20.411 --> 00:25:22.479
  • Lord, you've poured out abundance
  • 00:25:22.479 --> 00:25:23.847
  • On us and freedoms and liberties.
  • 00:25:23.847 --> 00:25:26.250
  • Lord, through jesus, you have forgiven
  • 00:25:26.250 --> 00:25:28.218
  • Our sins and redeemed us.
  • 00:25:28.218 --> 00:25:30.487
  • You have given a purpose to our lives and a meaning to our days.
  • 00:25:30.487 --> 00:25:34.058
  • We praise you for it today, lord.
  • 00:25:34.058 --> 00:25:35.859
  • We thank you for the food we eat and the clothing and the shelter
  • 00:25:35.859 --> 00:25:38.662
  • And transportation and education,
  • 00:25:38.662 --> 00:25:41.365
  • The medical that is available to us.
  • 00:25:41.365 --> 00:25:45.302
  • Lord, you have blessed us so abundantly, and we just wanna
  • 00:25:45.302 --> 00:25:48.539
  • Pause to say thank you for the privilege of
  • 00:25:48.539 --> 00:25:51.175
  • Worshiping in public without fear of reprisal.
  • 00:25:51.175 --> 00:25:54.044
  • We praise you for it.
  • 00:25:54.044 --> 00:25:55.379
  • For comfortable places and convenient places.
  • 00:25:55.379 --> 00:25:57.548
  • We praise you, lord, we have access to the word of god.
  • 00:25:57.548 --> 00:26:00.084
  • That you've given us the strength for a new day.
  • 00:26:00.084 --> 00:26:02.653
  • We give you glory and honor today because you are worthy of
  • 00:26:02.653 --> 00:26:05.990
  • All praise and majesty and glory and honor.
  • 00:26:05.990 --> 00:26:09.526
  • We bless your name today, that in your great mercy you have
  • 00:26:09.526 --> 00:26:12.963
  • Called us out of darkness into the kingdom of your son.
  • 00:26:12.963 --> 00:26:16.567
  • You've opened our eyes and our ears to
  • 00:26:16.567 --> 00:26:17.935
  • Hear and our hearts to receive.
  • 00:26:17.935 --> 00:26:19.903
  • We praise you for it, father.
  • 00:26:19.903 --> 00:26:22.539
  • That you haven't counted our failures
  • 00:26:22.539 --> 00:26:23.874
  • Against us, but you have loved us.
  • 00:26:23.874 --> 00:26:26.543
  • We bless your name today because you are worthy.
  • 00:26:26.543 --> 00:26:29.747
  • We give you glory and honor, and we pray for one another, lord.
  • 00:26:29.747 --> 00:26:33.751
  • You know every need and every circumstance,
  • 00:26:33.751 --> 00:26:36.487
  • And i pray that the power of a living god would
  • 00:26:36.487 --> 00:26:38.589
  • Be expressed on our behalf this day.
  • 00:26:38.589 --> 00:26:40.991
  • Lord, bring life to our bodies and
  • 00:26:40.991 --> 00:26:42.559
  • Peace to our minds, hope to our souls.
  • 00:26:42.559 --> 00:26:45.663
  • Open doors of opportunity where there
  • 00:26:45.663 --> 00:26:47.364
  • Has been no possibility before us.
  • 00:26:47.364 --> 00:26:50.367
  • We praise you for it today.
  • 00:26:50.367 --> 00:26:52.469
  • Lord, give us the strength to complete this season.
  • 00:26:52.469 --> 00:26:55.506
  • Open our hearts to you as never before.
  • 00:26:55.506 --> 00:26:57.541
  • We thank you that you're a god of mercy and love and grace,
  • 00:26:57.541 --> 00:27:01.345
  • That you are anxious to be involved with us,
  • 00:27:01.345 --> 00:27:03.847
  • That you are willing to deliver and restore.
  • 00:27:03.847 --> 00:27:06.316
  • We praise you for it, in jesus's name, amen.
  • 00:27:06.316 --> 00:27:11.188
  • Cc by aberdeen captioning 1-800-688-6621 www.aberdeen.io
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  • ♪♪♪
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