Five Great Reasons for a Joyful Life
Griffith Baptist Church – 12/14/08
P.M. Service
Text: Nehemiah 11-12
Key verse: Nehemiah 12:43 – Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.
Premise: There is no reason in this universe why a Christian should have no joy in life and especially life in Christ. Let the whole world know!
The Introduction
CHAIN LETTER FOR PARENTS It reads: "Dear Friend: This chain letter is meant to bring relief and happiness to you. Unlike other chain letters, this one does not cost money. Simply send a copy of this letter to six other parents who are tired of their teenagers. Then bundle your teenager up and send him or her to the parent at the bottom of the list. In one week you will receive 16,436 teenagers – and one of them should be worth keeping. Warning: One dad broke the chain and got his own teenager back." SOURCE: Contributed by Phil Morgan.
I don’t know too many people who hate to laugh, to have joy.
That is why I can never figure out Christians who seem to be so unhappy:
o Some who complain more than anything
o Always seem to have a sour look on their face
o Never have a praise or a testimony of God’s goodness
o Always look at things as an inconvenience
We should be people of joy – Psalms 16:11 - Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
An English preacher named Watkinson was out on a beach with his little grandson. An elderly man came along. They spoke and the elderly man began to lash out at the preacher ... using terrible language. It frightened the little boy. Another man came along behind the disgruntled older man and said, "Please don’t be alarmed by him. He is suffering from a sun stroke." The little boy later said to his granddad, "Granddad. I hope you don’t ever suffer from a sunset." Some today are suffering from a sunset. They no longer see the new day and welcome it with joy in their hearts. They want things to remain as they were.
Discuss the text:
1. Chapter 11 deals with those who were selected to come and live in Jerusalem (10%)
2. Chapter 12 deals more with the temple setup, the priests and Levites and the dedication of the walls.
3. At the end of chapter 12 there is a celebration of the temple order and the focus for our message is on verse 43:
Let’s take a look at 5 great truths that can pick us up and keep us going, especially when we find ourselves down.
Body
1. A Great Salvation
A. Given with love
i. Nothing beats the love of God in our lives - Ephesians 2:4 – But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
ii. It is what drove Jesus to the cross and kept Him there - John 15:13 - Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
B. Given with grace
i. Looks like this man could use a good dose of common sense and grace - Friday at quitting time, Jim said, ‘Boss, have you got any extra work I can do tonight?’ Sure do but I can’t pay you overtime. That’s okay, I just don’t want to go home. Why not? Well, I’ve been in the doghouse since last night. I see...Why? What did you do to deserve that? I still don’t know, it must be one of those woman things. I was minding my own business relaxing in front of the TV. My wife enters the room & asks, "What’s on the TV?" And honestly, I swear all I said was, "Dust!" She’s been mad ever since!”
ii. Saved by grace (Eph. 2:8-9)
iii. Grace power is greater than sin power – Romans 5:20 – Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
iv. Grace operates every day of our lives
C. Given forever
i. What part of “everlasting life” do we not understand
ii. God is not an Indian giver
iii. Hebrews 7:25 - Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
2. A Great Freedom
A. Freedom from sin
i. A young woman went to her pastor and said, "Pastor, I have a besetting sin, and I want your help. I come to church on Sunday and can’t help thinking I’m the prettiest girl in the congregation. I know I ought not think that, but I can’t help it. I want you to help me with it."The pastor replied, "Mary, don’t worry about it. In your case it’s not a sin. It’s just a horrible mistake." (Haddon Robinson, "Good Guys, Bad Guys, and Us Guys,")
ii. We still can be affected by sin:
a. We are freed from the power of sin but not the presence
b. We may still struggle, but it does not have dominion over us unless we let it.
iii. Romans 6:6-7 - 6Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7For he that is dead is freed from sin.
B. Freedom from hell
i. The ultimate penalty is forever gone for the Christian!
ii. In Christ, we never have to fear the flames of hell, which was prepared for Satan and his angels anyway (Matt. 25:41)
C. Freedom to live
i. To enjoy life
a. The wonder and miracle of life – Psalms 139:4 - 14I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. 15My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
b. The Christian life is never boring (ups and downs)
c. Take notice of your very breath
ii. To enjoy God
a. It is amazing that He can be on His throne and in your heart
b. He wants contact with you
iii. To enjoy each other
a. We are called brothers and sisters in Christ
b. It doesn’t matter where you are from, when you are saved you have a different family
c. We all have two things in common, just as John Newton said, we all are great sinners and we all have a great Savior.
iv. To enjoy blessing
a. Our God loves to bless us and give to us
b. An abundant life - John 10:10 - I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
• This isn’t necessarily talking about material wealth
• This is to say that he can so we can have a fuller, richer, more meaningful life
c. It place of origin is heaven - Ephesians 1:3 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
v. To enjoy each new day as a gift
a. Every time we wake up is fresh
b. As we go throughout the day, it is new and sometimes challenging
c. As we make it to bed each day, we look forward to a new tomorrow with God
3. A Great Opportunity
A. To know God
i. Through the Spirit – John 14:16-17 – 16And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
ii. The more we know God the greater we love and appreciate Him
B. To tell others
i. You share the things you are excited about
ii. We should be excited about God.
iii. Look what it says at the end of verse 43 of our text: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.
C. To express thanks
i. God loves to hear thanksgiving
ii. The example of the Jews – Nehemiah 12:40 - So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me:
iii. Hebrews 13:15- By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
4. A Great Savior
A. Willing to come
i. He left the throne room of heaven
ii. He left a life of luxury with His Father
iii. He came to a sin cursed earth
B. Willing to die
i. He knew the consequences
ii. He knew His ultimate destiny with the cross
iii. He had the power and gave His life of His own accord - John 10:11-18 - 11I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 12But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. 17Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
C. Willing to represent
i. Christ was resurrected and ascended to heaven
ii. He goes to prepare a place for us (John 14:2)
iii. He now intercedes for us – Hebrews 7:25 - Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
D. Willing to come again
i. The second time Christ comes, He will come to conquer
a. The first time He came, He came as a servant
b. The second time He comes, He will come as a sovereign
ii. John 14:3 - And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
5. A Great Future
A. In each new day
i. How do you see each new day?
ii. We, as believers, should see each day as a great day.
iii. If we don’t wake up rejoicing, how do we expect others to be persuaded that Christ is worth it?
B. In death
i. We have nothing to fear from death
ii. If you don’t know the Lord, you have everything to fear from death
iii. The believers victory cry - 1 Corinthians 15:55 - O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
iv. The grave is simply a holding tank where we wait for an immortal body!
C. In the promises of tomorrow
i. Christ has promised us an outstanding tomorrow
ii. The future looks very bright
iii. Having a bad day today, there will always be a better tomorrow in Christ
iv. I like the ending of the book – Revelation 22:1-5 - 1And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 4And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. 5And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
Conclusion:
Have you had your joy taken?
Better yet, have you given your joy away?
The joy of the Lord is your strength, which means you cannot face life without it.
