Long ago, an important message of joy came from an angel to some shepherds, recorded in Luke (2:10,11, NLT). The angel said, “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!”
Why did the angel say that the message “will bring great joy to all people”? Because this announcement was about the birth of Jesus! Because of his sacrifice on the cross, EVERYONE can experience joy in God’s future kingdom because they will be raised out of death and given an opportunity to live forever!
Joy is similar to happiness, but instead of a feeling, it’s more like an attitude – a state of mind. It’s deeper than happiness and lasts longer. Think of happiness as a short burst of nice feelings, like when you open a birthday present and it’s exactly what you wanted. Afterwards though, that feeling fades. And when you go through a difficult situation, you might not be feeling so happy.
Joy, on the other hand, is a deep, continual attitude of cheerfulness, calm delight and quiet contentment – EVEN when things get tough. To be content is to be satisfied with what you have, no matter the circumstance.
“To rejoice” means to feel or show joyful feelings. 1 Thessalonians (5:16, Berean Standard Bible) says, “Rejoice at all times.” Notice how it DOESN’T say, “Only rejoice when times are good.” Living a Christian life will not always be easy, but let’s remember that tough experiences help our characters to develop and grow. Believing in God, Jesus and the kingdom can lead to rejoicing!
Speaking about Jesus, Hebrews (12:2, NIV) says, “…For the joy set before him he endured the cross,…” Jesus rejoiced in doing his Father’s will, and that joy carried him through his pain, suffering and injustice.
In Galatians (5:22), we learn about “the fruit of the spirit” – nine good qualities God wants us to cultivate. Joy is one of them! In John, (see 15:9) Jesus talked about his love for his followers. He said to keep his commands and remain in his love, just as Jesus obeys God’s commands and stays in God’s love. He then said, (John 15:11, Berean Literal Bible) “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you and your joy may be full.”
Keeping Jesus’ commands and following God’s will will bring us joy!
So, what is joy? A deep, continual attitude of cheerfulness, calm delight and quiet contentment. The Bible tells us to rejoice in ALL things – even in trials – because they help our characters develop and grow. Let’s think about Jesus and how he felt so much joy in doing God’s will…WE will cultivate the good “fruit” of joy when we do the same!
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What is the fruit of the spirit? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNlMJODZ5Ns
Why did Jesus come to earth? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLsfPwHxjLM
Why did Jesus have to die? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLo5QMO0ViY
When will God’s kingdom be here? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWTh5Bg4kXE
What will God’s kingdom be like? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUqK3p_uHxk
This video is from Christian Questions Podcast. For more information please go to https://christianquestions.com
