NOTES: Fresh off the Vine, Part 4
Sermon: Fresh off the Vine- Joy
Date: June 9, 2024
Text: Psalm 4:1–8,
“Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer! 2 O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah 3 But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him. 4 Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah 5 Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord. 6 There are many who say, “Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!” 7 You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. 8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
Let’s Connect:
Today: The controversy of joy
We (the Church) need a big, fresh vision for joy.
The joy of God is not dependent, influenced, limited or able to be stolen by any circumstance of this world.
- because joy is not a fruit of the earth, it’s a fruit of the Spirit! (Perhaps the air we breath in Heaven - angels always rejoicing)
If you find yourself longing for a joy nothing on earth can satisfy, maybe you weren’t build just for earth. Maybe you were built for something far bigger than this life— Tim Keller
The gift joy brings is both prosperity and protection for our soul.
Text Explained:
King David flees Jerusalem (from Absalom)- 2 Samuel 15
Writes (likely second night) a Psalm of invitation to trust the Lord:
David’s joy is in the confidence of the coming salvation found in God’s presence now, and greater than their present earthly joy without God’s favor.
Let’s Relate:
How to deal with the ‘pigeon’ problem:
Expressed Joy is our deterrent to despair and dismisses dispiritedness.
Though joy is primarily a state of being, it still needs to be expressed— Rejoice.
Habakkuk 3:17–18 (ESV)
17 Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
Jesus is the joy of our salvation. In Him do we rejoice!
The joy of God has gone through the poverty of the manger and the agony of the cross; that is why it is invincible..” —Dietrich Bonhoeffer
John 15:11 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
Our Challenge:
It’s OK to be controversial — Rejoice anyways (always):
Closing:
Communion:
Hebrews 12:1–2 (ESV)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Numbers 6:24–26, “24 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.