"The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:17-20
The second expectation is - You Can Expect Joy From God As You Share Your Salvation.
TRUTH: Joy comes from being used by God to share His joy with others.
Another
way you will know you have joy in the Lord is that you will want to share it!
“Restore to me the joy of your salvation and
grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your
ways, and sinners will turn back to you.” Psalm 51:12-13
When
the 72 went out in Jesus’ Name to share the good news of the Gospel of the
Kingdom, they saw the power of God heal and deliver and change lives and their
joy increased! Not only because they had joy BUT BECAUSE THEY SAW OTHER PEOPLE
GET IT!
ABOUT
THE ONLY THING THAT MATCHES THE JOY OF YOUR SALVATION IS SHARING THAT JOY AND
SEEING SOMEONE ELSE RECEIVE IT! The disciples had seen that and were filled
with joy!
I
don’t know of anything that gives me more joy than knowing that I have been
used by God to bring comfort, or encouragement of joy to someone else!
Sharing
the joy of your salvation is the SWEET SPOT of enjoying your salvation!
When
you go out to share you joy with others:
·
You Find A Sweet
PRESENCE!
·
You Find A Sweet
POWER!
·
You Find A Sweet
PEACE!
·
You Find A Sweet
PASSION!
·
You Go With A Sweet
PROMISE!
·
You Find A Sweet
PRODUCTIVITY!
Someone
once said that the way to joy is: Jesus Others You
JOY
COMES FROM CELEBRATING YOUR SALVATION - BUT JOY STAYS WHEN YOU SHARE IT WITH OTHERS!
1) THE WOMAN AT
THE WELL FOUND JOY AND THEN SHARED IT WITH A CITY!
2) ZACCHAEUS
FOUND JOY AND SHARED IT WITH HIS CITY IN FORM OF TAX REFORM.
3) THE WOMAN AT
THE TOMB FOUND JOY WHEN THE STONE WAS ROLLED AWAY AND THEY RAN TO SHARE THE
NEWS!
These
disciples returned to Jesus in great joy after they had shared the news about
the Kingdom of God!
THREE
THINGS HAPPENED WHEN PEOPLE FOUND SALVATION WITH JESUS:
THEY
CELEBRATED IT
THEY
SHOWED IT
THEY
SHARED IT
YOU SHOULD EXPECT GOD TO GIVE YOU JOY AS
YOU SHARE THE JOY OF YOUR SALVATION!
Luke 15:7 – “Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven
over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no
repentance.”
Are
You Celebrating Your Salvation?
Psalms 47:1 “Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of
joy!”
Are
You Showing Your Salvation?
Philippians 4:4 - “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will
say, rejoice!”
Are
You Sharing It?
Acts 2:42-47 – “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the
fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with
awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the
believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions
and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet
together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together
with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the
people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
Vance Havener said, “There is something wrong with our Christianity when we have to beg most
of our crowd to come to church to hear about it.”
Have you forgotten the joy of your salvation?”
Have you forgotten the joy of your salvation?”
TODAY, ALL ACROSS THIS LAND
THERE WILL BE MAJOR LEAGUE BALL PARKS FILLED WITH BASEBALL FANS EXPRESSING
THEIR JOY OVER BASEBALL – AND THEY WILL FIGHT TRAFFIC AND CROWDS AND PARKING
SPACE AND PAY A LOT OF MONEY TO DO IT.
WHILE ACROSS THAT SAME LAND
THERE WILL BE HALF EMPTY CHURCHES WITH JOYLESS PEOPLE WONDERING WHY NO ONE COMES
AND SECRETLY WONDERING WHILE THEY ARE THERE.
WE DON’T WANT TO
BE THOSE GUYS AND WE DON’T WANT TO BE THAT CHURCH – DO WE?
GOD EXPECTS US TO
HAVE HIS JOY – AND SO DO THOSE UNCHURCHED FOLKS WHO WALK IN OUR DOORS?
AS WE COME TO THE END OF WHAT HAS BEEN A GOOD YEAR – A
YEAR OF HOPE – I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US MAKE NEXT YEAR A YEAR OF JOY!
WHO WANTS TO HELP ME?
WHO WILL COMMIT TO:
CELEBRATE YOUR SALVATION?
- IF YOU DO – EXPECT HIS JOY!
SHOW YOUR SALVATION?
– IF YOU DO – EXPECT HIS JOY!
SHARE YOUR SALVATION? – IF YOU DO – EXPECT HIS JOY!