Focus on Joy

1 John 1:1-4 The New King James Version

What Was Heard, Seen, and Touched

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life;

2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us;

3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.

Focus on JOY: Another ATTITUDE:

Attitudes we have reviewed in the last several weeks:

Attitude about Adoration: Who God is and What God has done;

Attitude about Confession: Agreeing with God about our sin;

Attitude about Thanksgiving: God wills that we be thankful all the time;

Attitude about Supplication: Pleading a humble petition to God;

Attitude about Fellowship: Be Ready to do any good work in His name;

Now Attitude about JOY:

JOY is Another ATTRIBUTE of the fruit of the Spirit produced when we walk in the Spirit.

- Walking by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit who lives in every believer and who directs our steps.

- He directs our steps both by way of biblical truth and by way of internal power.

- The Bible sets the course,

- The Spirit, in us, provides the power,

- Walking obediently in that course.

Walking is the picture because it’s one step at a time;

Putting “one spiritual foot in front of another”;

-We walk in the path of obedience to Scripture;

-Empowered by the Holy Spirit.

FULL AND COMPLETE JOY:

Result of us surrendering our life to Jesus and cultivates a personal relationship with Him.

Result of us living by the two Great Commandments (Matthew 22)

- Loving God;

- Loving others.

Joy is born, Joy is not bought;

It is the cause of our happiness, not the effect of our pleasure;

It is a deep and abiding inner rejoicing;

It is as promised to those who abide in Christ;

Joy affects the whole and entire personality;

Joy is not found in the things of this world;

Temporary happiness maybe but that is not the same thing.

Joy is a maturing attribute;

Joy to the fullness implies it requires growth;

Joy to the fullness implies it requires these disciplines:

Spiritual disciplines include:

1. Prayer

2. Supplication

3. Fasting

4. Personal Bible study

5. Submission and obedience to God

6. Confession

7. Worship

Joy is the end result of the Spiritual Disciplines functioning in our lives.

God brings about the transformation of our lives through these disciplines,

Genuine joy requires a transforming work within us.

Can our Joy be stolen ?

Our joy is always under assault;

External circumstances steal our joy;

Internal moods or emotions steal our joy;

So SIN steals our joy;

Disunity is THE BIG JOY STEALER in a fellowship;

Disunity is destructive to our joy;

Disunity is destructive to our message of Christ to the world.

How should we pray concerning unity in out fellowship ?

What God has joined together, let no Man put asunder.

What bounds us together in unity?

It is NOT external unity that is holding us together.

It is Internal unity that is a force pulling us together in Christ.

Jesus said you will know His disciples by their love for one another.

Don’t be passive in your loss of joy;

Recognize the great loss;

Do everything you can to draw close to God;

Reclaim the fullness of joy!

One aim of the entire Bible is to help us glorify God as we experience the deep joy of a close relationship with Him and close relationships with one another.

As we grow in obedience to loving God and loving others, we will grow in joy.

Purposes of this scripture:

Informing the congregation:

- so that you too may have fellowship with us;

- so that our fellowship is with the Father and His Son;

- so that our joy may be made complete;

- so that you may not sin;

- so that you may know that you have eternal life.

So, the next several weeks we are studying from the Book of First John:

Three important themes in First John:

a. The importance of eyewitness testimony the words and works of Jesus;

b. The importance of His earthly ministry;

c. The knowledge that Jesus is God’s revelation of Himself;

d. The eternal life available to believers in Jesus Christ.

NOTE: An uncomplicated worldview of right and wrong:

-Christ versus anti-christs;

-Light versus darkness;

-Truth versus falsehood;

-Righteousness versus sin;

-Love of the Father versus love of the world;

-The Spirit of God versus the spirit of the world;

-Children of God versus children of Satan.

John redraws lines that had begun to fade in the minds of his readers;

John speaks to compromise to the Gospel;

John takes a hard stand on truth doesn’t neglect love;

Love for God and for one another: a major theme;

John teaches: recognize the line between truth and error;

John teaches: it must always be done in a spirit of love.

False teachers were fighting to change the minds of the congregation;

False teachers were confusing the congregation;

False teachers were teaching them to compromise;

False teachers were teaching them to deny absolute truth.

But Truth doesn’t neglect Love;

Again: Love God and love one another;

Again: Recognize the line between truth and error;

Again: It must always be done in a spirit of love.

DON'T MISS THE NEXT SEVERAL STUDIES !!!