By Peter Biggs

Think of joy as the 'canary in the mine'. When it dies, it does so quietly, we may not have noticed. Something is wrong.

Luke 2:8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields near by, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

Joy is not a common word you hear. Books like 'The Joy of Cooking' reall y describe pleasure. To most it's a kind of 'old-fashioned' term. But it is a term used in the Bible repeatedly. It is of course a word we hear every year at this time. Joy is a 'Christmas word' if you will.

Firstly it is an experience - not a dry theoretical idea.

1. Jesus... and joy

Joy is a quality that Jesus had in his life
Matt 25:23 His master said to him, 'Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'

Luke 10:21 At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit

John 15:9 As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

Joy is described as a fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.

1Peter 1:8 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, 9 for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

2. Others...... and joy
Joy comes through loving relationships
You know the feeling... sit in an international arrival lounge at the airport - and observe the joy many have in seeing someone they love. The simple sight of certain people brings a joy to our hearts. Paul said of the believers in another place... writing to them...
1Thess 2:19 For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you?

When we love another person (family or friend) and see them blessed, we feel joy. Jesus, when the 72 disciples returned from a wonderfully effective mission... responded to their success...
Luke 10:21 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.

Joy is a strength - a quality that may dwell under, even with, suffering and pain.
Neh 8:10... the joy of the LORD is your strength."

James 1:2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

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This shows the 'SEAT 'of joy... it is the 'inner being', the heart, the very center of a person. Beneath emotion, beneath understanding. Joy involves the emotions and is inspired by truth grasped by the mind, but it has a depth that defies analysis. Perhaps it is the experience of God's love.

Joy is NOT unattainable. The testimonies of Christians are legion. Many, many Christians speak of times when they felt God being SO NEAR tears welled up - not tears of sorrow, but... joy. a "joy unspeakable and full of glory" (1Peter 1:8 KJV).

Joy is described as coming in fulfillment of a hope or a need. The wise men... Matt 2:10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.

Matt 13:44 "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.

3. Yourself...... and joy

How to obtain Joy in ourselves?
A quality of inner 'completeness' perhaps describes something of Biblical Joy. In truth this 'serene' quality is illusive in our everyday experience.

Who makes us complete, who enables us to feel that inner rest? God alone. The all sufficiency of all he has does for each of us as we have believed 'into' Jesus Christ. Our righteousness, our peace with God, our savior, our friend, our sanctifier, our strength.

Joy is a God-given 'Barometer' of life.
Avoiding obsessive introspection, there is a place for us to 'examine ourselves'. It's easy to become anxious and then to 'strive' - in a way that is going in the opposite direction to trusting God. This can become so chronic in our lives that we think it are normal. We 'settle' into an unhappy joylessness.

Think of joy as the 'canary in the mine'.
When it dies, it does so quietly, we may not have noticed. 1Thess 5:16 Be joyful always;

How to have Joy restored in our hearts...
"Make me to hear JOY and gladness; that the bones which thou has broken may rejoice. ""Restore unto me the JOY of thy salvation Psalm 51:8, 12...

Confession and forgiveness of our sins - repentance that extricates us from lesser 'gods' and complications, distractions. Asking, seeking - but Joy comes from God's presence - the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Put another way it is the invisible God revealing himself to our inner being.
Eph 3:16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fulness of God.
To glimpse such provision, such tender, never ending, unconditional love. To grasp the eternal perspective in the great promises, of course involves the mind and the undertanding, but there is more. That is the ultimate source of Christian joy.

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

JOY is... Everlasting -
Isaiah 51:11 reads
"Therefore the Redeemed of the Lord shall return and come with singing into Zion: and EVERLASTING JOY shall be upon their head; they shall obtain gladness and JOY and sorrow and mourning shall flee away."

A prayer:
'Lord anchor and inspire your people with the revelation of yourself in the Scriptures...'
Jeremiah 15:16 "16 When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight,

December 22/2009