Saturday, April 28, 2012

April 29, 2012

"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

 
There are two things you can expect from God in this text. One we discussed yesterday and it is - You Can Expect God To Give You Joy As You Celebrate Your Salvation. 
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?”
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!


April 28, 2012

"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

What can you expect from God?

In the first two weeks we have learned some solid truths about healthy expectations of God.

Week one there were three truths from the encounter between David and Goliath. First, you can expect that if God allows a giant to appear before you it is to prove that His power is greater than the giant. Second, you can expect if God places a giant before you so He can raise up the giant within you. Third, you can expect that when God raises up the giant within you it is so you can raise up giants around you!
 
Last week we learned that we should expect God to help us get through our personal Jordan.

Sunday we will learn the third expectation - you can expect God to give you joy.

Do you have joy in your faith?

Do you live in spiritual joy?

I believe God desires for you to have joy. The disciples discovered joy in this text and gave Jesus great joy.

There are two sources of joy that I want to call your attention to in this encounter.

Expect Joy From God As You Celebrate Your Salvation - "However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” 

The ultimate and ongoing source of spiritual joy must be found in your salvation.

If you cannot comprehend and celebrate the significance of your salvation in Christ, you will never be able to experience true joy.

These disciples were sent out by Jesus on a spiritual mission trip. As they went from town to town in His authority they saw demons cast out and diseases healed. Imagine how must joy they must have experienced and how much joy they must have given others! After completing a successful mission they returned to Jesus greatly hyped by what they had seen and done.

Jesus' response to them was significant. You need to hear it and understand it.

He told them not to get too impressed with the signs and wonders but to be very impressed by their salvation. Joy arises as you begin to grasp the greatness of your salvation wrought by Christ and bought by His blood.

Salvation brings forgiveness of your sins! What joy that brings!

Salvation redeemed you! That means His blood paid the price to buy you back out of the debts of your sins. That brings joy!

Salvation adopted you into God's family as His child and joint-heir with Christ. What a joyful realization!

Salvation regenerates you! That means His Spirit brings life to your spirit which was dead in its sins. What a joyous truth!

Salvation brings you into a personal relationship with God through Christ. You can walk with God and talk to God and hear His voice and feel His presence once you have been saved! The joy of the Lord becomes your joy!

Salvation connects you with eternal life! When you come into relationship with God through Christ, His life flows into the eternal part of you and your name is written into the heavenly Book of Life! Knowing you have received eternal life brings real joy!

The truth could not be more clear or simple to understand. If you want deep constant and abiding joy - spend your time meditating on and celebrating the great joys inherent in your salvation! If you cannot be joyful over your salvation nothing will ever give you joy.