Title: Grace is Joy (Philemon 1:4-7)
Contents
Under the premise of properly establishing the faith in grace and making grace graceful, we had the 6th time of the grace series to think about the main theme of 'grace over grace'. At this time, let's think together under the title, "Grace is joy."
The word grace is the most used among Christians and has the most important meaning in the life of faith. Nevertheless, the word that is most distorted and misused is probably the word grace. Without grace, you cannot be a Christian. Without grace, you cannot be a good Christian. Grace is a gift given by God and received free of charge. It means that you do not pay any price for the way you receive grace, that is, you receive it freely. Whether we know the meaning of it or not, we often use the word grace. This word “grace” is “charis” in the Greek language, the language of the Bible.
However, one of the dictionary meanings of charis is the word “joy” that we are going to share with you today. So, another word for grace is joy. I received the gift, and when I received the gift, I saw the contents of the gift and found joy in it. When we receive grace, we are filled with joy. I left the church with anxiety and worry, but after worshiping for an hour, I feel happy and feel joy. If so, you have been blessed. That is what grace is. When we call grace as joy, when we receive grace, we become full of joy. This joy refers to the content of grace.
In verse 7 of today's text, "I have found much joy and comfort through your love," the word for joy is charis. To have received grace from God means to have received joy from God. Joy is grace, and when you receive grace, you are full of joy. When you receive grace, your grudges, complaints, and envy will disappear without you realizing it, and you will be filled with joy. It is natural for those who live by faith to have joy, and the absence of joy in God is clearly a sign that something is wrong. God rejoices, and those who receive His grace rejoice. Joy is the content of grace and at the same time the evidence of grace.
The famous theologian Paul Tillich described human anxiety in three ways. The first anxiety is the anxiety of existence. All human beings are living their lives in the midst of anxiety by constantly asking 'Who am I?' Where do I come from, why do I live, and where do I go? Who the hell am I? I can't help but ask this question. All humans do. The anxiety of this existence will disappear when we receive God's grace. God wants Himself and all spiritual beings, including humans, to enjoy joy. Joy is the joy of God, the joy of Jesus, and the joy of the Holy Spirit. When we make Jesus Lord in God and receive the filling of the Holy Spirit, we can enjoy a state of life full of joy.
Second, it is the anxiety of conscience. Even if you commit a perfect crime without anyone knowing, you always have a feeling of condemnation of your conscience in your heart. Even though no one in this world knows that they have sinned, God knows that they have sinned, so they feel remorse and guilt before God. A few days ago, the criminals in the Jeonju taxi housekeeper murder case were caught by the police with 11 months remaining on the statute of limitations. However, the perpetrators caught by the police said that they were grateful for catching the perpetrators. It was caught and said to be cool.
Then there is the fear of death. All human beings have anxiety and fear in the face of death and do not enjoy freedom and rest. This anxiety adds to the anxiety and destroys the joy. However, when we receive grace, the anxiety of these beings, the anxiety of our conscience, and the anxiety about death will disappear, and we will be filled with joy. Therefore, people must live by receiving the grace of God. We believe that the way to overcome anxiety and live with joy is the way to receive grace.
Ecclesiastes 5:18-19 says, 'It is a blessing to enjoy pleasure, and this pleasure is a gift from God.' The pleasures of worldly goods, knowledge, or power are only fleeting pleasures. Therefore, even if you have everything in the world, you will not be satisfied and will only increase your thirst. Ecclesiastes 6:3 also said that even if many children say that they can enjoy all the glory and wealth and live a long and healthy life, it is better to have an abortion if they do not enjoy the pleasures.
The saints who receive God's approval have no choice but to have joy through the grace that God has bestowed upon them. When we speak of grace, it is natural to think of the law as the opposite concept.
What is the main difference between law and grace? It is 'spontaneity'. The law compels us to work without joy. But grace brings joy and willingness to work.
David confessed the pain he suffered after his crime with Bathsheba. “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, grant me a willing spirit to sustain me” (Psalm 51:12). Because David sinned, the joy of salvation was gone. It is a confession that as grace disappeared, so did the willing spirit. So instead of working happily, he worked like a slave, which made him intolerable. When grace is restored, joy is restored and the willing spirit is also restored.
If you believe in Jesus and believe religiously, in other words, legally, the life of faith itself is very difficult. Jesus did not come to give us religion, ceremonies, formalities, or laws, but to give us life. Forgiveness and righteousness to sinners, holiness and the fullness of the Holy Spirit to the sinners, healing and health to the sick, the blessings and prosperity of Abraham to those who are cursed and poor, naked and hungry, and salvation to those who die and go to hell. He did this to give us eternal life and heaven in our place.
Therefore, the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 4, “We always carry in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body” (verse 10).
So, when a person receives "grace", he is sure to change.
If you receive grace, your face will be lit up with anger and you will be overflowing with joy. After we believe in Jesus, the greatest change will be peace and joy in our hearts. No matter how much money you have, there is no peace. The more position, honor, and authority you have, the more worries and worries that come with it. If you rely on the cross of Jesus Christ and surrender to the Lord, you will find peace wherever you are. That peace is joy and happiness. If you are not at peace, you will not be happy. This is because if you have peace, you will have peace in business, in government that governs the country, in the frontlines and in war. You do not live alone. You live your life with the Lord. When we receive grace, we are filled with joy.
The kingdom of God is also a kingdom of joy.
“The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). Again, peace and joy are the satisfaction of the heart given in the Holy Spirit. I recalled when the Thessalonians first accepted the gospel. “And ye became imitators of us and of the Lord, receiving the word in much affliction with joy of the Holy Spirit…” (1 Thessalonians 1:6) I am happy to be in Christ. The Holy Spirit works to keep believers happy.
That is why Christians rejoice even in the midst of suffering. For a true believer, suffering cannot take away his joy. Paul himself did. “I have much boldness toward you, and much boasting about you; I am full of comfort and overflowing with joy in all our tribulation” (2 Corinthians 7:4). Said.
Grace is joy. A life of grace is a life of joy. I hope that the life of grace that always lives in the Lord with joy will become our life.