Joy: A Community Event

Acts 8:4-8

But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went. Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah. Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did. Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was great joy in that city.


Alright, this is where our discussion of joy (Greek: chara) begins to turn a corner. In the past two passages, we've seen that joy should cause us to worship, that joy should cause us to sacrifice. In this passage, however, joy displays itself in a new way. Take a look. What I think this passage can teach us about joy is that it is not just about us.

What we see, in this passage, is demons being cast out of many of the lame and paralyzed people of the city and then the whole city experiencing joy. There is a command in Romans 12 that we should rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn; to me, that is exactly what we see here. The ideal situation seems to be that we would not just experience joy in our personal, local church, or denominational bubbles, but that the whole body of Christ would experience joy together.

Does that strike a chord with you? Do you see how this is probably the most important aspect of joy that we've touched on so far?

Joy: What Will It Cost

Hebrews 12:1-4

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.


Who in this scripture, is receiving joy and what action does it motivate? The answer is Christ and sacrifice.

It was because of joy (or chara), the type of joy that Galatians 5 says will be evident in all Christians, that Christ suffered the cross.

The type of joy that we, as Christians, should possess is a joy so extreme, a joy so selfless, that until we have given our lives for the cause of Christ, we still have plenty to give.

Joy: A Call to Worship

Matthew 2:9-11

After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

As we look at the first of four passages emphasizing the characteristics of "joy" that should be evident in Christ-followers, there is one question that I want to ask about it: "How does joy display itself here, or how is joy embodied?"

It appears to me that the by-product of joy (Greek: 'chara') that the wise men experience is worship. But, it is not just worship that the wise men experience, it is a specific type of worship, a worship that costs us something.

I can say, that as a church staff member, I get to witness many of my coworkers worship in this way. For many staff members, it is clear that their vocation is an extension of their worship and it is evident how God blesses the time and comforts that they give up to serve Him in their jobs.

Is that a type of worship that you experience or witness regularly?

Joy: An Introduction

Galation 5:22-23

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

This passage has been one of my favorites for a number of years. I'm not necessarily sure why I like this passage so much, but I think it probably has to do with:

A. My enjoyment of lists,
B. My love for Paul and his writings and
C. The fact that I used to lead a kids' worship service where we regularly sang a song based on this scripture

But, no matter why I enjoy this scripture, it is a list of traits and characteristics that we, as Christians, should exhibit if we have Christ's spirit in us. The part that I want to focus on for the next few posts is "Joy"; not so much joy as we know it in English, but the Greek word chara that is used for "joy" in this passage and many others. There are probably about six words used in the New Testament that are translated "joy", but I want to focus on chara because it is the type of joy that we are told should be evident in all believers.

So, over the next four posts, we will discuss specific instances of chara and what we can learn about joy from each instance.

Your Theology: Part 2

In my last post, I introduced the word 'theology' and the fact that there are two major ways that it is used. In this post, we will take a look at the first, more general, meaning: theology as the study of religious faith, practice, and experience, especially the study of God and His relation to the world.

The question: What, if anything, can we do with theology?

My answer: As with any sort of studying, the more you study something, the more comfortable and familiar you are with it. By studying the religious beliefs, practices, and experiences of Christianity and other religions, we become more familiar with them.

By being more familiar with our own religion, we are more capable of having a genuine faith. How could you call yourself a Christian, a Jew, or a Muslim without having any clue what you were claiming to believe?

By being more familiar with other religions, we are more capable of relating to one another and sharing ideas and beliefs. This aspect of theology is similar (at least in my mind) to a personality test: if want you take a simplistic, online personality test to kill some time, you'll learn that you are proactive, enjoy the color green, and have all the necessary traits to become a NASCAR driver. Whoo hoo! But, if you want to take a really effective personality test, you'll not only learn everything the simplistic test told you, but you'll also learn how to communicate with people who are passive, enjoy the color blue, and are on track to become neurosurgeons.

To me, that is the difference between studying Christian theology and studying that of many religions: the difference between a teen magazine quiz and a witnessing tool.

If you, as a Christian, have any intention of following Christ's commands to spread his Truth, I suggest you get a grasp on what exactly that truth is and how your listeners will be viewing it.

What do you think? Is a general knowledge of God and what different people believe beneficial or is it a waste of time?

Next post: specific 'theologies', why you should have one, and how I know you already do.

Your Theology

Anyone who has spent any time within a church has probably heard the term 'theology' thrown around. In my experience, the word's usage can be varied and sometimes confusing. For the church fathers, theology was their bread and water; for thoughtful Christians, theology is an ongoing process that evolves as their relationship with God does; and for Christians today who have grown tired of tradition, theology is another old, dirty word that simply draws attention to the fact that Christians are different.

So what is 'theology'?

'Theology' has two basic meanings: The first, most basic is the study of religious faith, practice, and experience, especially the study of God and His relation to the world. The second is dependent on the first and is used to refer to a specific system of theology or a body of theological opinion. (Merriam-Webster)

In the next couple of posts, we will look at theology, these two meanings, and how it all relates to us.

What do you think? Have you heard 'theology' used? In what context? Do you think it affects you or is even worth your time?

Refuge

What is refuge?

Often, during times of military and political conflict, you will hear news anchors use the term 'refugees' for people who flee their homeland to seek safety somewhere else.

Perhaps the only other place that I hear the word refuge used much is the Bible, mostly Psalms.

Merriam-Webster defines refuge as "shelter or protection from danger or distress; a place that provides shelter or protection; something to which one has recourse in difficulty".

For Christians, especially those experiencing "difficulty", our refuge is God and his character. Psalm 119:114 says "You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word." In fact, we have so much refuge in God that Psalm 59:16 says that "I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble."

So, as Christians, we don't just have a little refuge in God. We have so much that not only will we be able to trust him with our burdens, but we should be able to sing of his strength and love. Imagine the faith it must take to find that much refuge from your troubles, and ask God for that faith now.