Choosing Joy Through Love and Obedience

Devotional

Day 1: Joy as a Deliberate Choice

Joy is not merely an emotion but a conscious decision rooted in the eternal assurance of salvation. In the face of life's trials, it is easy to become overwhelmed by temporary troubles. However, the true essence of joy lies in the understanding that our names are written in the Book of Life, a reality that transcends any earthly challenge. This perspective invites believers to shift their focus from fleeting difficulties to the eternal joy promised through faith. By choosing joy, we align ourselves with a divine perspective that offers peace and contentment beyond our circumstances. [02:17]

"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, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation." (Habakkuk 3:17-18, ESV)

Reflection: What is one specific trial you are facing today, and how can you choose to focus on the eternal joy of your salvation instead of the temporary trouble?

Day 2: The Law and Our Need for a Savior

The law serves as a mirror, reflecting our inability to achieve righteousness on our own. It reveals our shortcomings and points us to our need for a Savior. Jesus Christ fulfilled the law, offering grace and eternal life through faith in Him. This understanding should lead us to embrace the grace offered by Jesus, recognizing that our efforts alone are insufficient for salvation. The law's purpose is not to condemn but to guide us toward the Savior who has already accomplished what we cannot. [09:10]

"For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin." (Romans 3:20, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways have you relied on your own efforts for righteousness, and how can you shift your focus to embracing the grace offered through Jesus today?

Day 3: The Call to Selfless Love

The parable of the Good Samaritan challenges believers to love their neighbors selflessly, moving beyond mere obligation to a lifestyle of sacrificial love. This love is not just a command but a pathway to true life and fulfillment. By embodying the Samaritan's actions, we demonstrate that true life and fulfillment come from serving others without expecting anything in return. This sacrificial love reflects the heart of Jesus and invites us to live abundantly by prioritizing the needs of others. [19:34]

"Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Philippians 2:4, ESV)

Reflection: Who is someone in your life that you can serve selflessly today, and what specific action can you take to demonstrate sacrificial love to them?

Day 4: Obedience as a Pathway to Abundant Life

Obedience to God's commands is not a means of earning salvation but a guide to living abundantly. True joy and contentment are found in giving and serving others, reflecting the life Jesus invites us to lead. By embracing God's commands, such as loving our neighbors and living selflessly, we align ourselves with a life of joy and fulfillment. This obedience is a reflection of Jesus' own life and an invitation to follow in His footsteps, experiencing the fullness of life He offers. [28:06]

"If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love." (John 15:10, ESV)

Reflection: What is one command of God that you find challenging to obey, and how can you take a step towards obedience today to experience the abundant life He promises?

Day 5: Embracing a Life of Joy and Fulfillment

Embracing God's commands leads to a life of joy and fulfillment, reflecting the life Jesus lived. This obedience is not burdensome but a pathway to true contentment and joy. By living selflessly and loving our neighbors, we mirror the heart of Jesus and invite others to experience His love through our actions. This life of obedience, sacrifice, and love is the essence of the Christian journey, offering a profound sense of purpose and fulfillment. [30:55]

"And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it." (2 John 1:6, ESV)

Reflection: How can you intentionally reflect the love of Jesus in your daily interactions, and what specific step can you take today to live a life of joy and fulfillment through obedience?

Sermon Summary

Taking a deep breath, I reflect on the journey of joy and obedience that we explored together. This week, we delved into the challenge of maintaining joy amidst life's trials and the profound truth that joy is a choice rooted in the eternal assurance of our salvation. We often find ourselves tested in the very areas we seek to grow, as I experienced firsthand with personal setbacks and illness. Yet, the choice remains: to focus on the fleeting troubles or the eternal joy of our names being written in the Book of Life.

We also examined the story of the expert in the law who questioned Jesus about inheriting eternal life. Jesus' response, highlighting the commandments to love God and neighbor, underscores the impossibility of achieving righteousness through our own efforts. The law serves to reveal our shortcomings and our need for a Savior. This realization should drive us to embrace the grace offered through Jesus Christ, who fulfilled the law on our behalf.

The parable of the Good Samaritan further illustrates the call to love our neighbors selflessly. The Samaritan's actions challenge us to move beyond mere obligation and embrace a lifestyle of sacrificial love. This love is not just a command but a pathway to true life and fulfillment. The law, when obeyed, brings life, not as a means of salvation, but as a guide to living abundantly.

In our busy lives, it's easy to overlook those in need, just as the priest and Levite did. Yet, Jesus calls us to open our eyes and hearts, to see and respond to the needs around us. True contentment and joy are found not in accumulating more for ourselves but in giving and serving others. This is the life Jesus invites us to—a life of obedience, sacrifice, and love that reflects His own.

Key Takeaways

1. Joy is a choice rooted in the eternal assurance of our salvation. Despite life's challenges, we can choose to focus on the joy of our names being written in the Book of Life, which transcends temporary troubles. [02:17]
2. The law reveals our inability to achieve righteousness on our own, pointing us to our need for a Savior. Jesus fulfilled the law, offering us grace and eternal life through faith in Him. [09:10]
3. The parable of the Good Samaritan challenges us to love our neighbors selflessly, demonstrating that true life and fulfillment come from sacrificial love and service. [19:34]
4. Obedience to God's commands brings life and contentment, not as a means of salvation, but as a guide to living abundantly. True joy is found in giving and serving others. [28:06]
5. Embracing God's commands, such as loving our neighbors and living selflessly, leads to a life of joy and fulfillment. This obedience reflects the life Jesus lived and invites us to follow. [30:55]
** [30:55]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:10] - Reflecting on Joy
[00:37] - Personal Trials and Joy
[01:23] - Choosing Joy Amidst Suffering
[02:32] - Eternal Perspective
[03:26] - The Expert in the Law
[04:27] - The Great Commandments
[05:37] - Summing Up the Law
[07:08] - The Challenge of Perfect Love
[08:58] - The Purpose of the Law
[10:10] - The Curse of Relying on the Law
[12:17] - The Law Reveals Sin
[13:19] - The Need for a Savior
[15:12] - The Good Samaritan
[19:34] - Sacrificial Love
[23:41] - Seeing and Responding to Need
[27:33] - Commands That Bring Life
[30:55] - Living by God's Commands

Sermon Clips

The truth is is even through the difficult times it was a choice all along even my mind I thought you know what I could totally get myself out of this right now I could totally choose to focus on the fact that my name is written that book of life am I gonna do it or not [00:01:53]

The point is you got to understand something the point of the law is to show that you can't justify yourself understand that so you see people get confused about the law they think well in the Old Testament there was the law the law of Moses the Ten Commandments and the Old Testament you were saved by obeying those commands [00:08:46]

The law is a wonderful thing because without it we could just cover it kind of covered and not think we're doing anything wrong but the whole point of the law is that we realized ooh that's what God's standard is I've broken that so what do I do the law drives us to a need for a savior [00:13:01]

Jesus was being punished for all the times we've broken the law he was being punished for in the Bible says if we have faith in Him if we believe that he took the penalty for us then we can have eternal life I understand that but for those of you who say well I don't need that sacrifice [00:13:41]

The Samaritan the people that you loathe this guy stops what does he do he bandages him out pours oil on him he goes he takes him to an inn he saddles him on his own donkey take him to this place cares for him overnight then gives the innkeeper money and says here here here take care of this guy [00:19:10]

You would find contentment if you gave away more Jesus says it's more blessed to give than to receive and you would be amazed how much life you would receive by giving to others by really loving others as yourself sometimes people get depressed they get down they think well I know what I'll do I'll go buy something [00:28:00]

Life comes when we obey these commands are not a pain if we obey them we will live by them I tell you you'd be blown away how much life it gives you when you sacrifice for someone else you take your mind off of yourself and you love your neighbor as yourself how much life it gives you [00:28:48]

Contentment is not about how much you have it's about how much you give and blessing comes not from receiving more and more for yourself see and and don't leave here feeling guilty you know for example if if you like last week we talked about joy and we talked about man rejoicing that the fact that our names are written [00:29:15]

You start loving God with all your heart soul mind and strength you'll have life do you know people who love their neighbors as themselves you know people like that I mean to some degree anyways you know the people that just it seems like they're selfless they just love to give don't you see a life in them [00:30:09]

What I want us to do as a church is to recognize this is what brings joy this is what brings life these commands are not a pain you do this and you will live by them Jesus says you know even though even this whole issue of baptism you know people I feel guilty I haven't been baptized [00:30:46]

I used to think I knew the way to happiness I used to think I could get to heaven on my own I think all these things I'm dying to that old way I'm come and I'm gonna start following Jesus I'm gonna start living the way this book teaches because I believe this book brings life life here on earth [00:31:19]

I'm not saying it's easy to obey God's Word all the time it's difficult it is so difficult but nothing will bring you life like obedience [00:33:23]

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