If you were asked to give one word that describes God, what would it be?
Loving? Holy? Awesome?
Or maybe,
Distant? Angry? Mysterious?
Did you choose “joyful”? Probably not many would choose that adjective. But the Bible makes it clear that God, among the traits and emotions that mark him, is joyful. Here are a handful of texts that affirm this:
- Nehemiah 8:10 concludes, “. . . the joyof the LORD is your strength.”
- Psalm 16:11, You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
- Isaiah 62:5, “For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your sons marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoiceover you.”
- Zephaniah 3:17, “The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoiceover you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”
- Matthew 25:21, “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things, enter into the joyof your master.’“
- Luke 15:10, “In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
As we will see on Sunday, “like father, like son.” Jesus also lived a life marked by joy. Yes, he was “a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief” but the river of joy never ceased to flow.
And the best news is that his joy is our inheritance! We will learn how to live in the joy that Jesus gives.
Emotions
“The Joy of Jesus”
John 15:1-11
- A person of joy
- In spite of his difficulties
- In light of his destiny
- A path to joy
- Abide in Jesus
- Ask of Jesus
- A promise of joy
- It is fruit
- It is full
Direct download:
IBC_20160717.mp3
Category:
Emotions
-- posted at: 12:00pm EDT