A Joyful, Celebrative Church!
As we gather together, we are to celebrate with great JOY. Our CHURCH life together is to be filled with JOYFUL PRAISE!
JOY IS A BLESSING!
Psalm 89:15 – Blessed are the people who know the JOYFUL SOUND! They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance.
WHY DOES THIS MESSAGE BRING “GREAT JOY”?
Luke 2:10 – Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of GREAT JOY which will be to all people…
It is a revelation of the LIFE OF JESUS! (His life, death, resurrection, promise of eternal life, Holy Spirit (Comforter), the kingdom of God, promise of His 2nd coming, etc…)
The angels rejoiced! The Shepherds rejoiced! Joseph and Mary rejoiced! Wise men rejoiced! Others rejoiced! We can rejoice! It’s a message of GREAT JOY TO ALL PEOPLE!
THE MESSAGE OF SALVATION
We are SAVED from our sins and the the consequences of our sins (all have sinned… (Matthew 1:21; Romans 6:23)
We are delivered from the kingdom of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of light (I Peter 2:9,10)
Through genuine repentance and conversion, believing in Jesus and receiving Him as our Savior and Lord we can have assurance of eternal life! (Luke 13:3,5; John 1:12; Romans 6:23; I John 5:11-13)
SALVATION BRINGS JOY
Isaiah 12:3 – Therefore with JOY you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
Luke 10:20 – …REJOICE because your names are written in heaven.”
JESUS IS OUR SOURCE OF JOY
Jesus birth, death, and resurrection is the reason we celebrate with JOY! As we accept Him as Savior, He comes to live within us by His Spirit. The fruit of His Spirit abiding in us is – JOY!
Acts 2:28 – You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me FULL OF JOY in Your presence.’
THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY
As we remember, when Jesus was coming into Jerusalem before His crucifixion, the crowds of people were REJOICING, and praising – with JOYFUL shouts to the Lord!
Zechariah 9:9 – “REJOICE GREATLY, O daughter of Zion! SHOUT, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.
Matthew 21:4-11 – All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: 5 “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.’” 6 So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them.8 And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches (in John 12:12 – “palm branches”) from the trees and spread them on the road. Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:“HOSANNA to the Son of David! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ HOSANNA in the highest!” (“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” – Luke 19:38) 10 And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?”11 So the multitudes said, “THIS IS JESUS, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”
Luke 19:39-40 – And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.”40 But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.”
GREAT JOY
How was their GREAT JOY expressed? Waving palm branches; Crying out and shouting praises to Jesus —“Hosanna, blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord!”
It impacted the city, and brought glory to Jesus!
“HOSANNA”
“Hosanna” – a Hebrew word originally used in praying for help, but by this time a JOYFUL shout of praise to God! EXB; “O be favorably disposed” AMPC; “HOORAY” CEV; “Please deliver us” CJB; “Praise to – welcome…” ERV.
Let’s also consider the ark of the covenant being brought back Jerusalem, which is an Old Testament story foreshadowing of this event.
BRINGING THE ARK OF THE COVENANT TO JERUSALEM
2 Samuel 6:12-15 – David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David WITH GLADNESS… 14 Then David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.
2 Chronicles 15:16-28 – Then David spoke to the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers accompanied by instruments of music, stringed instruments, harps, and cymbals, by raising the voice with resounding JOY….and Eliezer, the priests, were to blow the trumpets before the ark of God; and Obed-Edom and Jehiah, doorkeepers for the ark. 25 So David, the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lordfrom the house of Obed-Edom WITH JOY. 28 Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord WITH SHOUTING and with the sound of the horn, with trumpets and with cymbals, making music with stringed instruments and harps.
DELIVERANCE FROM EGYPT WITH JOY
Psalm 105:43 – He brought out His people with JOY, His chosen ones with GLADNESS.
Exodus 15:20-21 – Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took the timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. 21 And Miriam answered them: “Sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!”…
REJOICING AFTER JESUS RESURRECTION
Matthew 28:8 – So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and GREAT JOY, and ran to bring His disciples word.
John 16:22 – Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will REJOICE, and your JOY no one will take from you.
REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS AND FOREVER
Philippians 3:1 – Finally, my brethren, REJOICE in the Lord.
Philippians 4:4 – REJOICE in the Lord always. Again I will say, REJOICE!
I Thessalonian 5:16 – REJOICE evermore (always).
Special note: REJOICE even when it hurts, when our faith is tried, and when we are distressed, when things aren’t going as expected or anticipated…
Habakkuk 3:17-19 – Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls— 18 YET I WILL REJOICE in the Lord, I will JOY in the God of my salvation.19 The Lord God is my strength…
THE LORD IS THE JOY OF THE WHOLE EARTH
Psalm 48:1-2 – Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in His holy mountain.2 Beautiful for situation (in elevation), the JOY of the whole earth, is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.
THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN BRINGS GREAT JOY
Matthew 13:44 – …the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for JOY over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Romans 14:17 – the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
IF WE DON’T SERVE WITH JOYFULNESS AND THANKFULNESS, WE AREN’T BLESSED!
Dueteronomy 28:47-48 – “Moreover all these curses shall come upon you and pursue and overtake you, until you are destroyed, because you did not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you… 47 “Because you did NOT serve the Lord your God with JOY and GLADNESS of heart, for the abundance of everything, 48 therefore you shall serve your enemies…
Other Scriptural revelations of THINGS THAT BRING JOY IN THE CHURCH
GOD’S WORD IS A SOURCE OF JOY
Psalm 119:162 – I REJOICE at Your word as one who finds great treasure.
Jeremiah 15:16 – Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the JOY AND REJOICING of my heart;
John 15:11 – “These things I have spoken to you, that MY JOY may remain in you, and that YOUR JOY may be full.
I John 1:4 – …these things we write to you that YOUR JOY may be full.
ANSWERS TO PRAYER BRINGS JOY
John 16:22,24 – Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will REJOICE, and your JOY no one will take from you… Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your JOY may be full.
ONE OF THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS JOY
Galatians 5:22-23 – …the fruit of the Spirit is love, JOY, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control.
FAITH and HOPE BRING JOY
I Peter 1:8 – whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you REJOICE with JOY inexpressible and full of glory,
Romans 5:2 – …through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in HOPE of the glory of God.
Philippians 2:16 – holding fast the word of life, so that I may REJOICE in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.
Titus 2:13 – looking for the blessed HOPE and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior
Romans 15:13 – Now may the God of HOPE fill you with all JOY and peace in believing, that you may abound in HOPE by the power of the Holy Spirit.
WHEN JESUS RETURNS IT WILL BE A TIME OF GREAT JOY
I Peter 4:13 – …rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be GLAD with EXCEEDING JOY.
SATISFACTION PRODUCES JOY
Psalm 63:5 – My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise You with JOYFUL lips.
LOVING TRUST BRINGS JOY
Psalm 5:11 – …let all those REJOICE who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for JOY, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name be JOYFUL in You.
SCRIPTURAL INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT GOD’S PEOPLE REJOICING
MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE TO THE LORD
Psalm 66:1 – Make a JOYFUL shout to God, all the earth!
Psalm 81:1 – Sing aloud to God our strength; to the God of Jacob. Make a JOYFUL shout…
GATHERING TOGETHER WITH JOY
Psalm 122:1 – I was GLAD when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the Lord.”
GOD’S INSTRUMENT
The CHURCH is God’s instrument to extend His kingdom on earth. The CHURCH is the New Testament ’House of the Lord’. It is to be a rock-solid foundation, founded on the principles of God’s Word
Romans 14:17 – …for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and JOY in the Holy Spirit.
LOCAL CHURCHES
Local churches – The type of church Jesus is building is a GLORIOUS AND JOYFUL, TRIUMPHANT CHURCH that overcomes the kingdom of darkness!
LET’S BE STRONG IN THE LORD
“THE JOY OF THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH” (Nehemiah 8:10).
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Special Acknowledgement and thanks to John Miranda for sharing this message at our online service.
