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Chara / Joy

There are several words for similar feelings - example like joy has several synonyms.

Sources

Genesis tells us creation and life bring joy Psalm 104 - A good bottle of wine is God's gift to bring joy to people's hearts P#lm 65 - Beautiful things bring joy Jeremiah 33:11 - Weddings

Corruption

Bible shows us that humanity and brokenness mark our world by death and loss

Joy in spite of corruption

God's people have reasons in God's faithfulness to be joyful. Joy in the LORD is not determinmed by current struggles, but by future hope and deliverance

Jesus

His birth gives good news and brings great joy

Matthew 5 - Jesus says to rejoice and be glad when we are persecuted for his Name

Apostles

Paul says he chooses joy when he is in jail

!!! note ""

Joy is a _choice_

2 Corinthians 6:10 -> Paul is filled with sorrow and yet rejoicing

!!! success ""

Christian joy is rooted in future hope and expectation of a Messiah, of
Jesus, to come again. It is a profound choice, not the result of current
circumstances

Questions

!!! note "1"

The Israelites choose a path apart from God. As a result, they get exiled
from their land and dominated by foreign nations. But the prophet Isaiah
knew that sorrow would not have the final word with these people. He looked
forward to the day when Yahweh would end pain and corruption to lead them
into endless, joyful living. Read Isaiah 49:13 and Isaiah 51:11 . What does
Isaiah tell us about God’s character in these passages? What does Isaiah
say will happen to God’s people?

!!! scripture "Isaiah 49:13"

13Shout for joy, O heavens! And rejoice, O earth!

Break forth into joyful shouting, O mountains!

For the Lord has comforted His people

And will have compassion on His afflicted.

!!! scripture "Isaiah 51:11"

11So the ransomed of the Lord will return

And come with joyful shouting to Zion,

And everlasting joy will be on their heads.

They will obtain gladness and joy,

And sorrow and sighing will flee away.

Isiah tells us that God is good and faithful. He mentions God's past faithfulness - For the Lord _has_ comforted His people as well as future faithfulness - So the randomed of the Lord _will_ return...

Isiah leans in on Yahweh's defining nature from Exodus 34:6. God's hesed, his steadfase love, is what is our hope. Otherwise our God is no different than any powerful but fickle diety.

Isiah also doesn't, in these short passages, promise or claim a promise of any kind of temporal happiness - the joy is historical-facing in reflecting on God's deliverance and future-facing inr reflecting also on God's deliverance. God's people were still supposed to find this joy in the midst of their bondage.

!!! note "2"

The prophet Isaiah looked forward to the coming of Israel’s redeemer. His
prophecies were fulfilled with the arrival of Jesus. Read Luke 2:9-11 . Why
were the shepherds afraid? What reasons did the angels give for them to
rejoice instead?

!!! scripture "Luke 2:9-11"

9And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the
Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10But the angel
said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great
joy which will be for all the people; 11for today in the city of David
there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Presumably the shepherds were afraid because of the glory of the Lord. All throughout the OT we have examples of God's people fearing this glory, specifically on Sinai. Yahweh even tells Moses that he can only be shown Yahweh's back due to his glory, and then Moses has to veil his face so that the glory of the Lord persisted on him would not terrify the Israelites.

The angels outright said that a Savior has been born, the Messiah has come. There is no greater cause for joy than the king of creation returning

!!! note "3"

Joy can persist in the harshest of circumstances because it depends on God
and his promises. Read Matthew 5:11-12 , Acts 13:50-52 , and Hebrews 12:1-3
. According to these passages, what specific truths about God can sustain
joy even through painful or dire situations?

!!! success ""

Joy can persist in the harshest of circumstances because it depends on God
and his promises.

!!! scripture "Matthew 5:11-12"

11“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely
say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12Rejoice and be glad, for
your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the
prophets who were before you.

!!! scripture "Acts 13:50-52"

50But the Jews incited the devout women of prominence and the leading men
of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and
drove them out of their district. 51But they shook off the dust of their
feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. 52And the disciples were
continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

!!! scripture "Hebrews 12:1-3"

Jesus, the Example

1Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let
us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles
us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2fixing
our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set
before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the
right hand of the throne of God. 3For consider Him who has endured such
hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and
lose heart.

1. Harsh treatment of us, particularly for faith, reflects Jesus' life. We stand with God-incarnate in living for a different kingdom which has negative consequences for us in the modern age, but obviously not in God's age that's already here and yet coming.

2. Holy Spirit gives us joy

3. We have long list of people in history who lived faithful lives, struggled with God, experienced pain, and yet were faithful the Lord by God's own grace. Similarly we are chosen and favored - the receipients of God's hesed love.

!!! note "4"

When we see how Jesus’ loving way of life has overcome death itself, joy
starts to become strangely reasonable. But this doesn’t mean it is wise to
ignore or suppress sorrow. Read 2 Corinthians 6:3-10 . How did Paul
integrate both joy and sorrow?

!!! scripture "2 Corinthians 6:3-10"

3giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be
discredited, 4but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in
much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, 5in beatings,
in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, 6in
purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in
genuine love, 7in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of
righteousness for the right hand and the left, 8by glory and dishonor, by
evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true; 9as
unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not
put to death, 10as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many
rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things.