Galatians chapter number five. Galatians chapter five. It's been a little while ago now, but we began a series on the fruit of the spirit. We're just going to pick right back up with that. Look at the next fruit that is mentioned in this list here. Just draw your mind back. There are the works of the flesh, the ugly, ungodly behavior of the old man. then there is the fruit of the Spirit. Remember the word fruit there is singular. It's not the fruits of the Spirit, but it is the fruit of the Spirit. This is that which is produced by the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. This is not what we muster up. The first one that we looked at a couple of weeks ago was love, and it's certainly true. then all of us need to love more and love more deeply and love more truly, both to God and to our fellow man, but in the flesh, that's impossible. It must be done by a life of yielded submission to the leadership of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Such is true for this other fruit that we'll look at tonight. Galatians 5, verse 22, there's that word but, which brings sharp, comparison, a sharp contradiction to what has just been said. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. Against such there is no law. They that are Christ have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, Let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, ending one another. Tonight we take a look at the fruit of the Spirit, joy, joy. I would like to give you an opening definition of this. I borrow this from Pastor John MacArthur, He defines joy as more than a mere human emotion. And I think that's vital that you catch this. That joy is more than a mere human emotion, but is a feeling of happiness based on spiritual realities. Now that's deep and that's rich. It's not merely a human emotion. but it is a sense of happiness or exuberance or joy or a satisfied contentment that is based on, that is rooted in spiritual realities. Not based on circumstance, but based on who we are in Christ. And it is vital that you understand this. Happiness is fleeting. Happiness is a mere emotion. But the joy of the Lord, what God gives, supersedes mere human emotion. And in fact, it supersedes circumstance. And it's based on the realities of who we are in Christ. Who we are in Christ. It is a deep down sense of well-being because we are at peace with God. That's what joy is. Don't think of joy as merely an emotion. Our emotions are often like roller coasters that can be up one minute and down the next, but joy, the joy of the Lord is a constant. It is a constant based on who we are and what Christ has done for us. Now, I don't know if it's right to place too much emphasis on the order of these nine fruit that are listed here, but I think we can surmise that the Holy Spirit didn't put joy as the last of the nine of the fruit of the Spirit. I don't want to put too much emphasis because they're all important and it's all part of really bearing the fruit of the Spirit is bearing the image of Christ. That's really what it is. When we buy the power of the Spirit, when we live lives through which the Holy Spirit produces this fruit in us, we are just mimicking who Jesus is and the life He led. I don't want to put too much emphasis on this one's first and this one's last, but I do want to say God didn't put joy as the last part of the Christian life, the last of the nine fruit of the Spirit. The Christian, above all others, has a reason to rejoice. Above all others. Listen to me, if you are here tonight, Child of God, you are trusting in Jesus as your Lord and Savior. You have a reason to rejoice. You have a great, unchangeable, immutable reason to rejoice, and that is who you are in Christ and what Christ has done for you. We have justification for having joy in our lives. Grimness, grimness, is not a Christian virtue. There are some people who identify themselves as Christians who look like they have spent the entirety of the day sucking on a dill pickle. Rather than being baptized in water, they were baptized in salty vinegar, and it ain't washed off yet. But this should not be the day-to-day behavior or conduct of the child of God. We have a reason to rejoice, to have some joy in our heart. Unfortunately, there are some Christians whose theme song makes its way right off of the hee-haw pages. Gloom, despair, and agony on me. deep, dark depression and excessive misery. That's not how life should be for a child of God. Now, I realize, and I'll get to this, we all have those days. Isn't that a fact? Well, I'll get into this. But we, above all others, have a reason to rejoice and to have some happiness and abiding, deep-seated, satisfied contentment in who we are in Jesus Christ. I do not suggest that we walk around giddy or silly. I don't know where this expression comes from. I guess I'm living in the past, and I wouldn't have made a hee-haw reference, but my mother used to say, You grinning like a possum. Now, I don't know what that means, but they used to say that all the time. You grinning like a possum. I'm not saying that the child of God has to walk around grinning like a possum all the time, but you ought not be grumpy as a gorilla either, if I can coin my own expression. You don't need to walk around looking like you're miserable all the time. If you were born again Christian, you ought to have some joy in your heart. And that joy in your heart ought to make its way to your face every once in a while. There are some people who claim to be Christians who think that solemnity and sobriety, and listen, I think we ought to be sober-minded and serious. I think we should. But if that excludes having joy, then we've gone too far with it. Well, there are some Christians who think, I just walk around with permafrost on my face and I'm more spiritual than everybody else. You got a permanent frown on your face, I got to wonder if you got any joy in your heart. Have you got a piece of God within you? A perpetually sad saint is a curious anomaly indeed. Did you hear that? I don't know why I go to trouble writing these sentences. A perpetually sad saint. is a curious anomaly indeed. The Bible says a married heart does good like medicine. Laughter is good for the human heart. Being joyful and rejoicing is only natural for a Christian. Hey, I've got new life in Jesus Christ. I'm going to heaven. And there's nothing on this earth or in hell beneath that's gonna stop that. And if you're saved tonight, that's true of you too. And you ought to have some joy in your heart about it. Can I invite your attention over just a couple of books to Philippians in chapter number four? The book of Philippians in chapter number four. Want to read what is a familiar passage? Philippians 4 verse 4 says, rejoice in the Lord. Is that next word in your book? It's in my book. Rejoice in the Lord always. Amen. And again I say, rejoice. Rejoice. Rejoice, old saint. You have a reason to rejoice. You have a joy that is unspeakable and full of glory. And the half of what we have has never yet been told. There's a reason we sung that song tonight. Rejoice! And it's as if the Apostle Paul said, just in case you didn't hear me, and again I say, rejoice! Rejoice! If you'll flip over just a couple more books to the book of 1 Thessalonians, chapter 5, you'll read another familiar little passage. In fact, this is one of the briefest verses in all of the Bible. 1 Thessalonians, chapter number 5, verse 16. Rejoice evermore. Chapter 5, verse 16 of 1 Thessalonians, rejoice evermore. Now, the Holy Spirit has now told us to rejoice always, and again I say rejoice, and then rejoice evermore. Now would God have us to be joyful or to rejoice without a basis on which to rejoice? Would God just have us walk around happy for no reason? Has He commanded us to just go around here and pretend like everything's okay, even if it's not? No, no. We have a reason to rejoice. There's a foundation of our rejoicing, and it is who we are in Christ. We are saved. We are born again. We've been bought. We've been redeemed. The blood of the sinless Son of God has been shed for our sins and heaven is our home. We have a reason to rejoice. And if we will yield ourselves to the Spirit of God, that fruit of joy will be seen in our hearts and in our lives. God has given us a sure basis on which to place our rejoicing, and it is He and His Word and His promises and what He's done for us. We're not to just rejoice over nothing, we're to rejoice in who we are and whose we are, and whose we are, His. We ought to have joy in worship. I'm going to mention just a Couple of things. We ought to have joy in worship. Something is strangely wrong with us when we can cry at movies, but not weep over lost souls. When we can sing with the radio, but can't raise our voices in praise to God during worship. When we can shout at the TV, uh-oh, and can't say amen to church. Thank you, brother. When we can laugh at filthy jokes, but we can't find any joy in the Lord, something is strangely wrong with us. We ought to count it all joy to be able to come to the house of God and worship our creator. Not a duty, but a delight. not some curious punishment by our Christ, but something that we rather delight in and even look forward to, that we get to gather with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and fall down at the feet of King Jesus. That ought to be a reason to rejoice. Someone asked me this weekend, would it be wrong if I clapped in church. I was a little bit taken back by it at first, and then thought on it for a little while. And my response to that is, first of all, if the Holy Spirit burdens you to clap, then clap. I don't have a problem with it. I don't care. Honest to goodness, I don't care if you want to clap, you want to lift holy hands. I feel a little bit like Brother Tom Horn does. I like what Brother Tom Horn said. He said, if you're not raising holy hands at home in your worship closet, don't come down here and do it to be seen of men. If you're not rejoicing and clapping hands at home, don't come down here to do it to be seen of men. But if you've got the joy of the Lord in your house and you've got the joy of the Lord in your heart, I don't see any reason you can't have the joy of the Lord in his house. I don't think we have to be cookie cutter copies of one another. If somebody wants to clap, let them clap. You know, I went down to Jacksonville to what is a very predominantly black church. And there's just no other way to say it. They are much more responsive to the preacher than what we are accustomed to. And I'm not saying I want all of that, but a little bit of it wouldn't hurt us. A little bit of it might help us a little bit. You get down there, man. I wished it didn't if they'd let me preach. I'd probably preach myself to death down there. But we ought to have some joy in worship, lifting our voice, lifting our hands, lifting our hearts in praise to our King, our Creator, and not stifled and bored and looking at our watches. Some people want to clap. Some people want to lift holy hands. Some people want to sleep. We've got to give it to everybody. Let me just throw that little jab in and then go on. We ought to have joy and worship in who our God is, what he has done for us. Worshipping and delighting in God, not just here, but every day, every day. Any of you all remember the cartoon character Droopy? Droopy was always one of my favorites. He had this long, sad, he was a dog, and he had this long, sad, melancholy face. And sometimes he would hold a sign that says, I'm happy. I want to get one of them signs for some Christian folk. I really do, because they look like droopy standing around. Some Christians, I put this on Facebook this evening, some Christians look like they're always expecting the undertaker, but never the upper taker. Amen? We ought not be living every day like we're looking for the undertaker to come and get us, maybe I'd live every once in a while, we're looking for the upper taker to come and get us. And that puts some joy in our hearts. Now, yes, we all have our days. We all have our days, we have those days. When you get up and the tire's flat, car won't start, you get a speeding ticket, the dog dies, you get laid off from work, you're hurting. I mean, we all have those days, I get it. But what God gives to us in joy rises above all of that frustration and gives you a certain level of peace that supersedes all of that. Nehemiah said it like this, the joy of the Lord is my strength. The joy of the Lord is my strength. We should have joy in worship, but we should have joy that rises above circumstance. Only the Christian. can truly find the silver lining on every cloud. Only the Christian can hang on to Romans 8, 28 when all the world falls to pieces around him. Only the Christian can have a peace that passes all understanding in the midst of adversity. You want to know why the Christian can have joy regardless of circumstance? Because our joy is not found in what is going on around us. Our joy is found in what has happened inside of us, within us. That's where our joy lies. If you look to circumstance and situation to find fulfillment and happiness, it'll always be fleeting. But the joy of the Lord is sure and steadfast. I want to read this to you. I thought it was so well written. Joy is the enjoyment of God and the good things that come from the hand of God. If our new freedom in Christ is a piece of angel food cake, joy is the frosting. I thought Frank liked that one. He sure made a good cake this past Sunday. I enjoyed that. If the Bible gives us the wonderful words of life, joy supplies the music. If the way to heaven turns out to be an arduous, steep climb, joy sets up the chairlift. Joy rises above circumstance and situation. The saint, though often cast down, still has a reason to rejoice. No matter what the world throws at you, I'm going to hold on to Romans 8, 28, aren't you? I can't help it. These are going to overlap a little bit. We've got the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, and peace comes right in behind this. I'm going to hold on to that. Now, none of us, none of us, I'm gonna walk out of the doctor's office after hearing this word, cancer, doing back flips, cartwheels, and excited. None of us are going to walk away from the graveside thrilled and overjoyed. I mean, we live in human bodies, we deal with human emotion. But what we have in Christ rises above that. And I have seen it time and again when God's children have a joy that is inexplicable to this world. While they're not necessarily happy because of their circumstance, they are at peace with God even through their circumstance. and find a measure of joy. Even when they walk away from that casket, there is that measure of joy that comes to the child of God that says, I'm going to see them again. They're there just as sure as they were a believer. I'm going to see them again. The world doesn't have anything for that, dear friends. The world can't give you anything to duplicate that. Happiness is an emotion, and joy is an attitude. Emotions come and go. But attitudes come and grow. Robert Morgan said that and I liked it. So I thought I'd quote him on that. Happiness is an emotion. Joy is an attitude. Emotions come and go, but attitudes come and grow. We should have joy that rises above our circumstance. And that's not always easy. In the flesh, it's impossible to find joy. in the midst of horrendous situation and circumstance. That's why we must be filled with the Spirit. I was reading a story of a man who had been sentenced to death. This was during Christian persecution. He was being sentenced and going to be put to death simply for being a Christian, for no other reason. other than Christian persecution. They were killing Christians, martyred them. He went to bed the night before and slept to the surprise of some of the others that were in the prison with him. He got up at 4 a.m., had his time of private prayer and devotion and worship. Someone came to him and said, man, don't you realize you're going to be put to death today? You know what he responded? This is the day that the Lord hath made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Now that's some kind of supernatural gift, isn't it? You're not going to do that in the flesh. That is a gift of God in giving you joy that rises above circumstance. We can have that, friends, if we will fill ourselves or be filled with the Spirit of God. But I think all of this is based on the fact that we can have joy in Jesus. Joy in Jesus. At the announcement of the birth of baby Jesus, what was said, I'm going to turn over to Luke in chapter 2 and just read a verse from there. Luke in chapter 2. At the announcement of the birth of the Christ child, He that was, oh, I tell you, all that revival got me wanting to preach. He that was born king. He didn't have to wait for somebody to vacate the throne. Jesus was born king. Luke chapter number two, verse eight, and there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night as they normally do at the end of December. But let me pass by that and leave that alone. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. If you're there in Luke, turn over to Matthew 28 and just stick your finger there for just a second. At the announcement of the arrival of Jesus, there was joy. And I realized that between His birth and His resurrection, there was a cross. But I also remind you that the Hebrew writer said this, in Hebrews he said that Jesus, and we're looking at Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame and sat down at the right hand of the Father. So we have the birth of Christ, there is a herald of joy. But then in Matthew 28, in verse number eight, At the resurrection of Christ, there's another herald, Matthew 28, verse 8, and they departed quickly from the sepulcher with fear and great joy, and did run to bring his disciples' word. That's the women that were there early that Sunday morning. At the birth of Christ, there's joy. At the resurrection of Christ, there's joy. Even during the crucifixion of Christ, Jesus endured that for the joy that was set before him. Friends, listen to me. Weeping may last for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Psalms 30 verse 5. There is coming a day when we will gather around the throne and rejoice endlessly, perfectly, fully, and absolutely satisfied in Jesus. We ought to rejoice, not on circumstance and not just in who we are, but we must rejoice in Jesus. Folks, if there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repents, how much joy you think there's gonna be when there's a whole bunch of redeemed saints gathered together in that celestial place? Heaven will be a place of joy. We ought to rejoice in the forgiveness of sins. We ought to rejoice in the present provision and promises of God. We ought to rejoice in the future certainty of a home in heaven. You know, I've often wondered, and God forgive me if this sounds wrong, I don't mean it to sound wrong, but I've often wished that there was a Bible verse that said Jesus laughed, or Jesus enjoyed, we just don't have that. And I think God knows better about how to write a Bible than I do. You understand that. I don't mean to be disrespectful, but I can tell you this much, and you think about this. There was something about Jesus that children were drawn to him. And you walk around with a frown, grumbled, hateful look on your face, And the last thing children gonna want is to be around you. So I had this mindset, that while Christ appreciated much, much, much more than we ever could, the seriousness of the work that lay in front of him, I think he had the joy of the Lord in his heart. And I think it could be seen by those that were around him, including little children, that always just wanted to crawl up in his lap and be near him. Folks, I think we ought to be like him in that way. Think we ought to emulate him in that way. Don't let Satan rob you of joy, because I guarantee you he'll do his best to do it. You know, if you're walking around mumbling and murmuring and griping, you ever thought about it like this? Why would anybody Why would any lost person want what you've got if it can't put a smile on your face every once in a while? You understand what I'm asking you? Why would the lost look at us and say, man, I want what they have, but we look like a bunch of murmuring, complaining, griping, grumple stiltskins all the time? That's another made-up word, but I use it after kids awfully. Look like a grumple stiltskin walking around. Why would anybody want that? Don't let anyone, including our enemy, rob you of your joy. You keep that. There's a reason they say, misery loves company. Because misery is contagious. But joy is too. So is joy. I'm going to tell you something. If you don't have or you're not experiencing the joy of the Lord, it may just be that they're seeing in your life. Listen to me. A guilty conscience will not suffer a rejoicing spirit. Well, I worked hard on that. A guilty conscience will not suffer a rejoicing spirit. One of the reasons why I think so many of God's children don't have any joy in their life is because they've got a guilty spirit because they're living in open rebellion to God. and a guilty conscience will not yield or give over to a joyful spirit. Delight yourself, dear saint, in who your God is and what he has done, and the fruit of joy will bloom in your life. In fact, I think that some of the most beautiful that I have personally witnessed has come from God's saints who are in some of the most barren and desolate times of life. Do you understand what I'm trying to say by that? That when the whole world is upside down, but they're still holding on to Jesus and got a little bit of song in their heart and a little joy in their life, that yet yields some awfully sweet fruit to the glory of God. I'm going to read one last thing. It directly corresponds to the song that we sang earlier, 1 Peter chapter 1. Whether you realize it or not, that last song that we sang is pulled directly off the inspired page. 1 Peter chapter 1. I'll read this in close. 1 Peter 1 verse 6 says, Wherein ye greatly rejoice, Though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations, trials, or testings, that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the peering of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen ye love, in whom, though now ye see him not yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. There's a reason to rejoice. with joy unspeakable and full of glory, the salvation of your soul. May God make us a joyful people, a rejoicing people. Put a little spring in your step. May God cause us to value Him above all else.