Finding True Joy Through Faith in Jesus

Devotional

Day 1: Faith Breaks Barriers**

Description:
Faith has the power to transcend social and cultural barriers, as demonstrated by the woman from Tyre whose daughter was possessed by an impure spirit. Despite being from a despised region and facing numerous social obstacles, her unwavering faith in Jesus led to her daughter's healing. This story teaches us that true faith is not confined by societal norms or prejudices. It shows that Jesus' love and power are available to everyone, regardless of their background or circumstances. This woman's faith was so strong that it overcame the significant barriers that stood in her way, illustrating that faith in Jesus can break down any walls that society may erect. [49:33]

Bible Passage:
"And he said to her, 'For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.' And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone." (Mark 7:29-30, ESV)

Reflection:
Think of a social or cultural barrier you face in your life. How can you exercise faith in Jesus to overcome this barrier today?

**

Day 2: Faith Brings Fulfillment**

Description:
The friends of the deaf and mute man in Decapolis believed in Jesus' power to heal, and their faith was rewarded when the man was healed. This story illustrates that true faith in Jesus never leaves us unsatisfied. When we place our trust in Him, we find true joy and fulfillment. Jesus' compassionate and personal approach to healing this man shows that He deeply cares for individuals and meets them where they are. This encounter reminds us that faith in Jesus brings satisfaction and joy, even in the smallest blessings. [01:20:58]

Bible Passage:
"And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. And Jesus charged them to tell no one, but the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it." (Mark 7:35-36, ESV)

Reflection:
Identify an area in your life where you feel unfulfilled. How can you trust Jesus to bring satisfaction and joy to this area today?

**

Day 3: Humility in God's Plan**

Description:
The woman from Tyre accepted her place in God's redemptive plan, acknowledging that even the crumbs of Jesus' mercy were enough for her. This humility and acceptance are key to experiencing true joy and satisfaction in our faith journey. Her story teaches us that our credentials or social status do not matter; what matters is our faith in Jesus and our willingness to accept our place in His plan. This humility allows us to experience the fullness of God's blessings, even in the smallest measures. [01:04:14]

Bible Passage:
"But she answered him, 'Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs.' And he said to her, 'For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.'" (Mark 7:28-29, ESV)

Reflection:
Reflect on a time when you felt overlooked or undervalued. How can you embrace humility and accept your place in God's plan today?

**

Day 4: Compassionate Healing**

Description:
Jesus' personal and compassionate approach to healing the deaf and mute man shows His deep care for individuals. He meets us where we are and communicates His love in ways we can understand. This story reminds us of the importance of showing compassion and understanding to others. Jesus' actions demonstrate that true faith is not just about believing in His power but also about embodying His love and compassion in our interactions with others. By following Jesus' example, we can bring healing and comfort to those around us. [01:16:34]

Bible Passage:
"And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, 'Ephphatha,' that is, 'Be opened.'" (Mark 7:33-34, ESV)

Reflection:
Think of someone in your life who needs compassion and understanding. How can you show them the love of Jesus in a tangible way today?

**

Day 5: Joy in Surrender**

Description:
Psalm 86:4 says, "Give me happiness, O Lord, for I give myself to you." True happiness comes from fully giving ourselves to the Lord and accepting His will for our lives. When we do this, we find joy and fulfillment that surpasses all understanding. This surrender allows us to experience the fullness of God's blessings and the joy that comes from being in His presence. By giving ourselves to the Lord, we open ourselves up to His guidance and the true happiness that only He can provide. [01:22:29]

Bible Passage:
"Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you." (Psalm 86:4-5, ESV)

Reflection:
What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to Jesus? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Welcome to Grace Bible Church! It's a joy to gather together, whether in person or online, to worship and experience the joy of Jesus Christ. Our mission is to bring joy to others by loving, following, and sharing Jesus. This joy is something we first experience ourselves and then share with others. We have several opportunities to engage in this mission, including small group registrations, our upcoming missions and financial report meeting, and supporting the International Welcome Center.

Today's focus is on happiness. Everyone desires happiness, but true happiness is not the ultimate goal. Science tells us that social time, financial stability, gratitude, and staying active contribute to happiness. However, we have a deeper source of joy in Jesus Christ. We explored Mark 7, where Jesus encounters two unhappy individuals and transforms their lives.

First, we looked at a woman from Tyre whose daughter was possessed by an impure spirit. Despite being from a despised region and facing numerous social barriers, her faith in Jesus led to her daughter's healing. This story teaches us that faith transcends social and cultural boundaries.

Next, we examined the story of a deaf and mute man in Decapolis. His friends brought him to Jesus, believing in His power to heal. Jesus' compassionate and personal approach to healing this man shows that true faith in Jesus never leaves us unsatisfied.

Both stories highlight that Jesus' love and power are available to everyone, regardless of their background or circumstances. True faith in Jesus brings satisfaction and joy, even in the smallest blessings. We are reminded that our credentials don't matter; what matters is our faith in Jesus and our willingness to accept our place in God's redemptive plan.

###

Key Takeaways

1. Faith Transcends Social Barriers: The woman from Tyre faced significant social and cultural barriers, yet her faith in Jesus led to her daughter's healing. This teaches us that true faith transcends all boundaries and that Jesus' love is available to everyone, regardless of their background. [49:33]
2. True Faith Brings Satisfaction: The friends of the deaf and mute man in Decapolis believed in Jesus' power to heal. Their faith was rewarded, and the man was healed. This story shows that true faith in Jesus never leaves us unsatisfied. When we trust in Him, we find true joy and fulfillment. [80:58]
3. Accepting Our Place in God's Plan: The woman from Tyre accepted her place in God's redemptive plan, acknowledging that even the crumbs of Jesus' mercy were enough for her. This humility and acceptance are key to experiencing true joy and satisfaction in our faith journey. [64:14]
4. Jesus' Compassionate Approach: Jesus' personal and compassionate approach to healing the deaf and mute man shows His deep care for individuals. He meets us where we are and communicates His love in ways we can understand. This reminds us of the importance of showing compassion and understanding to others. [76:34]
5. Joy in Giving Ourselves to the Lord: Psalm 86:4 says, "Give me happiness, O Lord, for I give myself to you." True happiness comes from fully giving ourselves to the Lord and accepting His will for our lives. When we do this, we find joy and fulfillment that surpasses all understanding. [01:22:29]
### [82:29]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[15:36] - Small Group Registration
[17:02] - International Welcome Center
[34:27] - The Pursuit of Happiness
[35:40] - Science on Happiness
[39:07] - Encounter with Jesus
[41:09] - Jesus in Tyre
[45:40] - Self-Righteousness and Humility
[49:16] - The Faith of the Syrophoenician Woman
[51:04] - Overcoming Social Barriers
[54:41] - Jesus' Parable and Compassion
[58:33] - The Woman's Great Faith
[60:32] - Healing and Happiness
[68:09] - Jesus in Decapolis
[72:07] - The Deaf and Mute Man
[80:58] - True Faith and Satisfaction
[82:29] - Joy in Giving Ourselves to the Lord
[85:15] - Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What social and cultural barriers did the Syrophoenician woman face when approaching Jesus? ([49:16])
How did Jesus heal the deaf and mute man in Decapolis, and what was unique about His approach? ([01:15:23])
What does Psalm 86:4 suggest about the relationship between giving oneself to the Lord and experiencing happiness? ([01:22:29])

Interpretation Questions

How does the story of the Syrophoenician woman illustrate that faith transcends social and cultural boundaries? ([49:16])
In what ways does Jesus' compassionate approach to healing the deaf and mute man reflect His care for individuals? ([01:16:34])
What does it mean to accept our place in God's redemptive plan, as demonstrated by the Syrophoenician woman? ([01:04:14])

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when you felt like an outsider. How did you respond, and what can you learn from the Syrophoenician woman's faith in approaching Jesus despite social barriers? ([49:16])
Jesus showed deep compassion and understanding in His healing of the deaf and mute man. How can you show similar compassion and understanding to someone in your life this week? ([01:16:34])
The Syrophoenician woman accepted her place in God's plan and found joy in the crumbs of Jesus' mercy. How can you practice humility and find contentment in the small blessings in your life? ([01:04:14])
Psalm 86:4 speaks of finding happiness by giving oneself to the Lord. What specific steps can you take this week to fully give yourself to the Lord and trust in His will for your life? ([01:22:29])
The friends of the deaf and mute man believed in Jesus' power to heal and brought their friend to Him. Is there someone in your life who needs Jesus' healing touch? How can you actively bring them to Jesus this week? ([01:12:07])
Reflect on the idea that true faith in Jesus never leaves us unsatisfied. How can you deepen your faith to experience more joy and fulfillment in your daily life? ([01:20:58])
Consider the importance of social time in experiencing happiness. How can you prioritize spending quality time with loved ones to enhance your joy and theirs? ([36:20])

Sermon Clips

1. "Listen, I think there's no better place to be than with God's people in his house to worship him on a Sunday morning. You have made a good choice and I'm glad very glad that you're here and that you're watching online with us today. My name is Carrie Duckett I have the privilege of being one of the pastors here at Grace and the opportunity to greet you this morning and tell you a little bit about our church." [00:20] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "When you bring joy to other people the only way that you and I can do that is if we first experience joy ourselves and once we experience it then we can turn around and begin to share it with others. And so here at Grace Bible Church we're doing all kinds of things to experience joy ourselves and be able to bring joy to others." [15:36] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "Everybody wants to be happy. Does anybody know anyone who wants to be unhappy? Yeah, none of us really know anybody that wants to be unhappy. Most everybody we know, and I would dare say everyone sitting here and watching online this morning, what we really want in life is to be happy. Nobody wakes up in the morning and says to themselves, what can I do today to make myself unhappy?" [34:27] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Happiness is not the highest goal. But we do want to experience happiness, and there's nothing wrong with that. And it's really interesting. This past week, I was looking at some things about happiness. There's an entire field of science that is dedicated to studying happiness and what makes people happy." [35:02] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "People who have grateful attitudes experience happiness. And it's people who are more thankful for what they have than they are sorry for what they don't have. Those people experience more happiness in their life. The last thing that floated to the top is staying active, being active. It's not necessarily just exercise, but being active, engaging with others, keep moving, those kinds of things. It all relates to our happiness." [38:21] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "Science, you know, you could take that for what it is. It's the best man has to offer. I just told you the best man has to offer for you and I to find happiness. But we have another source. We have another source that can tell us how to be happy too. And that's where I want us to spend the rest of our time. Because we're gonna look in a passage this morning of two people who are unhappy. But after they had an encounter with Jesus, they began to experience happiness." [39:07] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "If our faith is true, our credentials don't matter. This woman had no credentials whatsoever. There was nothing in her life that would lead anyone to believe that she could have great faith. But she did. She had the greatest faith of anyone in this story. And there's nothing that points to her past or her present that would lead us to believe that she should have great faith. You see, there are no unclean people." [01:02:25] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "Can we accept our place in God's redemptive plan or God's redemptive work on earth? Can we accept our place? You see, to have great faith, we must accept our place in God's redemption story. When dogs eat crumbs from the table, they do not rob the children of nutrition. They simply eat from the surplus. Are the mercies of God, do you believe the mercies of God are so great and so wonderful that even if he gave you crumbs, it would be enough?" [01:04:14] (56 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "True faith in Jesus never leaves us unsatisfied. These people, who shouldn't have faith at all, are now completely satisfied. How do we know they're satisfied? Because they looked at him and said, man, this guy does everything well. This guy does everything well. It kind of refers back to Genesis at creation. Creation, where God created the world. And he looked at it, he stepped back, and he said, man, this is good." [01:20:58] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "Give me happiness, O Lord, for I give myself to you. And you know what? People who give themselves to the Lord, they're happy. If you're sitting here saying, well, I'm saved and I'm not happy. Difference between being saved and giving yourself to the Lord. Let me tell you something. You and I can be saved and unhappy. Happens to all of us. And we're going to have hard times in life. We're going to have disappointments in life." [01:23:26] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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Transcript

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