Title: Enjoy the Joy (Romans 5:1-4)
Contents
◈ Introduction
Everyone wants to be happy. So, sometimes they pursue their own happiness, and sometimes they decorate it as if they were happy. In fact, many people live in the guise of happiness rather than living in reality. How many people are truly happy?
The final scene of the book "The Life and Death of Ivan Illich", one of Tolstoy's masterpieces, is the final scene in which the main character, Ivan, "is miserable!" murmur and die in anger. ‘Ivan Illich’ is an honest husband and an honest father, living an honest life and a busy life. However, when I think of the life that has passed as death approaches, I have not felt the real happiness of happiness, nor did I seem to have had any worthwhile times. So he died angry at the last moment of his life.
People are still busy with their pursuit of something. However, they are unable to enjoy true satisfaction, joy, or happiness. God gives many secrets to people living happily. Not only that, but he wants you to live a life of joy and joy at all times.
Matthew 5:3-10, which we call the Beatitudes, all presupposes that “- one is happy. The word ‘blessing’ used here is μακ ριοι, which is translated as ‘happy’ in the English Bible and means ‘happiness’. But rather than simple happiness, it means ‘infinitely good and noble,’ that is, ‘the highest happiness.
God wants His people to live with the greatest happiness, and He has provided the way. Among the nine fruits of the Spirit, the second is 'joy', and Philippians 4:4 says, “Rejoice in the Lord. Again I say, rejoice.”
Deuteronomy 26:11, “You shall rejoice with the Levite and with the stranger who sojourns with you, because of all the blessings the Lord your God has given you and to your house.” Isaiah 61:10, “I will rejoice greatly in the Lord.” My soul will rejoice in my God, for he puts on me the robe of salvation, and adds to me the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom wears yearnings and a bride adorns with her treasures.” Hab 3:18, “I I will rejoice in the LORD; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.”
God wants Christians to live happily and joyfully. However, the meaning of happiness and joy is a little different. Happiness is being governed by your environment. In other words, just because I make up my mind to be happy doesn't make me happy. It is to feel happiness by the environment created. But joy is inward, not influenced by circumstances. Joy is what I choose to enjoy. You can choose to rejoice, no matter your circumstances.
Joy is what makes life enjoyable. To enjoy life is to be a positive person. Let's see why we can enjoy the joy he has given us through Paul.
1. We rejoice because we have hope.
In the text, Paul says, as a result of experiencing God's grace, "rejoice in hope of the glory of God." For a Christian, we can rejoice because no circumstances are hopeless.
The world has hope. But their hopes do not have a solid foundation. It is an artificial, self-cultivating hope. The basis of their hope is also temporary. A good job, a good salary, a good family, good looks and so on. All of this is temporary. When these things disappear, so does hope.
Do you know the story of winning the lottery that was reported in the newspaper a while ago? A person who runs a Chinese restaurant has won the lottery. They said they were lucky and decided to find the money and share it with each other, and put it in the refrigerator, but one person secretly took it and ran away. The rest became discouraged and said that they did not work and only drank.
Some people put their hopes in their children, and others put their hopes in wealth and glory. This is just a short stay.
We have an eternal hope that never changes. In Romans 12:12, it says, “Rejoice in hope.” That hope is the hope we have in Christ. We hope for God's promise in Christ. This is the first reason to rejoice.
2. We rejoice because we have a purpose.
God has a purpose for everything. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “For everything under the heavens there is a season and a time for a purpose to be fulfilled.” Matthew 24:34-35 says, “Truly I tell you, all these things will be accomplished before this generation passes by. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”
Verse 3 says that the reason we can rejoice is “in tribulation”. How can a life of pain and trial become joy and joy? To understand the reason, we need to look at the meaning in the Word.
It is for the purpose of tribulation. Rejoicing in tribulation does not mean trying to forget reality or pretending to be happy. That doesn't mean you have a martyr complex. The martyr complex is to think that the more you suffer, the more spiritual you become.
Rejoice in tribulation because we know that there is a purpose in tribulation. In the word “during tribulation,” the word “during” means it. Being a Christian does not mean rejoicing in tribulation. Because there is a purpose hidden by God in tribulation, we rejoice in that purpose. The reason God allows tribulation for believers is not because of the purpose of tribulation, but because of the purpose given after the tribulation.
In the text, what is given after tribulation is “endurance,” “refinement,” and “hope.” “Perseverance” means “ability to deal with difficult tasks” and “discipline” means “proven to be reliable.” And “hope” doesn’t mean “want” or “want” in the general sense. It means ‘I am confident in the power of Christ.’ That is, we are convinced that Jesus Christ is able to fulfill God's promises.
3. We rejoice because God is with us.
It is about the source of Christian joy. Joy in Christ is rejoicing in spite of problems and suffering. Because the source of Christian joy lies in the presence of God. This is because God is with us in any situation and environment.
Isaiah 43:2, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. When you cross the river, the water will not sink you, and when you walk through the fire, it will not burn you, and the flame will not consume you.”
Conclusion. Joy is like a muscle. The more you train, the stronger you become. To enjoy and enjoy God in Christ is God's command for man's happiness. I pray that you will enjoy the joy and joy of the Lord to the fullest by always rejoicing.