Wednesday, October 2, 2019

The Fruits of the Spirit: Joy


Pastor’s Pulpit for October 2019
The Fruits of the Spirit: Joy

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23; ESV).

Joy (cara [chara] in Greek) is not the same thing as happiness.  Not if we understand happiness as only good feelings in the heart, a positive disposition of the mind, and a smile on the face.  Christians are not always happy in that sense.  How could we be?  There is much to be sad about in this fallen world and in our fallen flesh.  But we do always have joy.  Christian joy is a gift of the Holy Spirit.  Christ is its source.  It is rooted in the redemption and forgiveness of sins and eternal life we have through our Lord Jesus Christ.  It flows from faith in Christ and the sure and certain knowledge that our Father in heaven loves us.  And so Christian joy abides and perseveres even in the midst of great sorrow and suffering.  This is why St. Paul can write from a prison cell: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice” (Phil. 4:4). 

Some people think a Christian must always be happy and smile.  This comes out of American pop-Christianity.  Frankly, it’s fake.  It is a denial of reality.  Sad things happen in a fallen world.  Christians weep.  We weep over sin.  We grieve over death.  We hurt.   We suffer.  We suffer sickness and injury and loss.  We suffer guilt and regret.  We suffer persecution from others.  These things may cause us to feel emotions that are less than pleasant. 

Christian joy is not an emotion in this sense.  Though it may sometimes be felt as the emotion of happiness, at other times it is hidden to sight and known only by faith.  We know we have joy, even when we don’t feel it, because we know we have Christ.  And having Christ, we have salvation, life, forgiveness of sins, and all things… “For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s” (1 Cor. 3:21-23).

Christian joy is not based on the present set of visible circumstances, but on the knowledge by faith of God’s steadfast love and favor for Christ’s sake, and the sure and certain hope of the resurrection of the body and the restoration of all things, the undoing of evil and the triumph of the good, when Christ comes again in glory.  That is to say, we know the end of the story.  Disney movies can be quite stressful when it appears that the wicked queen just might win.  Maybe the prince isn’t going to make it in time.  Maybe Snow White will stay dead forever.  But then, we know that in Disney movies, they all live happily ever after.  So we’re certain as we watch the movie, even when all seems hopeless and the princess lies dead, that the prince will come and give her the kiss of resurrection, life, and love.  So we enjoy the movie, even when we get to the sad parts, or the scary parts.  The end is coming, and all will be well.

We know that Christ, who died for our sins, is risen from the dead.  He lives and reigns.  He rules all things for the good of His beloved, His Bride, the Church, us!  And He is coming back for us, to take us to Himself, to the eternal Wedding Feast, where there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, where God Himself will wipe away every tear from our eyes (Rev. 21:4).  Then there will only be joy, unencumbered by grief and sadness.  Then feelings of happiness will always accompany the joy we now know by faith, but not always by sight.

Jesus tells His disciples frankly that they have sorrow now (John 16:22).  In their case, it was because of His impending death on the cross.  In our case, it is because of sin and death and their effects in this life.  But the Lord brings about a turn of sorrow into joy.  “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice.  You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy” (v. 20).  How?  Why?  Because Jesus is risen from the dead.  And the disciples, and we, will see Him!  “I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you” (v. 22). 

What finally turns our sorrow into joy?  Jesus, who was crucified for our sins, is risen from the dead!  And He will raise us!  And so we even “rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Rom. 5:3-5).

Joy gives birth to rejoicing.  “Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning” (Ps. 30:5).  “You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness” (v. 11).  “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.”  Even in sadness.  Even in the face of death.  Grieve, yes, but not as those who have no hope (1 Thess. 4:13 ff.).  Grieve as Christians.  Which is to say, rejoicing always.  For joy is God’s gift to you.  Joy is a direct result of Christ for you.  O Lord, give us an increase in the fruits of the Spirit, especially joy in your great salvation.  We ask it for Jesus’ sake, our Savior and our Joy.  Amen.

Pastor Krenz

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