October 12, 2025 “Joy”

Pastor David Moore

Psalm 126:1-6 (NIV)

1 When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. 2 Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” 3 The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.
4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negev. 5 Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. 6 He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.

Theme this week: The signs that the Spirit is moving in our hearts (changing us.)

When a person accepts Christ, the Holy Spirit moves in the life of the Christians and begins to alter the person.

Today we will look at the specific attribute “joy” that becomes a part of a Christian as the Spirit transforms that life.

Romans 5:1-11 (NIV)

1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Christian joy comes from our relationship with God.

Galatians 2:16

We know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ.

Jesus teaches that we receive God’s acceptance and blessing, which is a free gift, we want it because what Jesus did. The Holy Spirit becomes part of our lives and is enabling us to change how we live. We then begin to live to please God. This means that we are justified by faith because of what Jesus accomplished on the Cross for us. Jesus’ sacrifice made God’s acceptance of us possible.

So, what is the mark of the followers of Jesus? We rejoice in the hope in the glory of God. As a disciple who follows Jesus, they have a core of joy, developed by the Holy Spirit.

We rejoice in the suffering and then we finally rejoice in God. This demonstrates an inner core of joy in a disciple of Jesus.

Anything that makes us happy is passing away.

C. S. Lewis said if you don’t want your heart broken, don’t give it to anything.

Christian joy gets us out of this dilemma, because Christian joy is not based on circumstances.

We rejoice in the midst of suffering, not for suffering. Suffering produces perseverance. Perseverance means character and courage and the willingness to keep going. All this leads to hope, specifically hope in the future glory of God. Suffering has the potential to lead to joy, usually over time, with patient mentoring by the Holy Spirit.

As Christians, we’re forced to seek God who has everything we’ve needed all along, but we sought circumstances for our happiness instead of God for our joy. When we go to God, we develop poise, a sense of joy that has permanence, that sits with us as we live in the assurance of God’s love. So, our joy is not based on circumstances, we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. When we become Christians, we have a certainty about our ultimate future because our future with God is not dependent on our actions.

We have been told there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. We have a certainty that someday we will share in the hope of the glory of God and be with Him in eternity. The promise is forthcoming.

All the things that give us joy – friends, job, ministry, success, our life, children – all of these are signs pointing to God Himself.

The gospel shows us the mortal peril we are in. The amount of debt that has been taken from us is because of our sin. We understand how much we owe God and how we have fallen short. The magnitude of God’s grace and forgiveness has saved us.

When we see the extent of God’s love for us, then we understand the value of God’s love for us and at that point real joy is present in our hearts and minds.

God bless. Sit with that joy in your heart each day.