2. Joy In Our Religion
“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4).

3. Joy In Our Religion
Kingdom Is Joy

4. The Kingdom Is Joy 1) Notice Paul’s observation about the kingdom.
“Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:16-17).
Righteousness – “On its practical, ethical side, as shown in moral rectitude toward men” (Vincent).
Peace – “…mutual concord among Christians” (Vincent).
Joy – “Common joy, arising out of the prevalence of rectitude and concord in the Church” (Vincent).

5. The Kingdom Is Joy 2) Joy is a fruit we are to bear.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).
“does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth” (1 Corinthians 13:6).

6. The Kingdom Is Joy 3) The cause of our joy and rejoicing.
“But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You. For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield” (Romans 5:11-12).

7. Joy In Our Religion
Kingdom Is Joy
Joy In Fellowship

8. Joy In Fellowship Of Christians
1) Paul and the Christians at Philippi.
“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:3-8).

9. Joy In Fellowship Of Christians
2) Notice this remark by the apostle.
“Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved” (Philippians 4:1).
Joy – “Metonymically the cause, ground, occasion of joy” (CWSD – NT).
Crown – “that which is an ornament and honor to one: so of persons” (Thayer).

10. Joy In Fellowship Of Christians
3) The church is the greatest fraternal order.
“that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it” (1 Corinthians 12:25-26).
“Let brotherly love continue” (Hebrews 13:1).

11. Joy In Our Religion
Kingdom Is Joy
Joy In Fellowship
Joy In Worship

12. Joy In Worshiping Together
1) Such should rejoice the heart.
“I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the LORD” (Psalm 122:1).
“So the whole assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and sat under the booths; for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun until that day the children of Israel had not done so. And there was very great gladness” (Nehemiah 8:17).

13. Joy In Worshiping Together
2) Worship together is the tie that binds our hearts.
“Blest be the tie that binds Our hearts in Christian love; the fellowship of kindred minds Is like to that above. Before our Father’s throne We pour our ardent prayers; Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one, Our comforts and our cares. We share our mutual woes, Our mutual burdens bear; And often for each other flows The sympathizing tear. When we asunder part, It gives us inward pain; But we shall still be joined in heart, And hope to meet again” (Blest Be The Tie, # 302 – by John Fawcett 1782).

14. Joy In Worshiping Together
3) Worship is offered to God yet encourages us.
“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25).

15. Joy In Our Religion Kingdom Is Joy Joy In Fellowship Joy In Worship
Joy In Forgiveness

16. Joy In Knowing We Are Forgiven
1) Rejoicing in the city of Samaria.
“Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. And there was great joy in that city” (Acts 8:5- 8).
“Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing” (Acts 8:39).

17. Joy In Knowing We Are Forgiven
2) Enemies – reconciled – rejoicing.
“For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation” (Romans 5:10-11).

18. Joy In Knowing We Are Forgiven
3) Joy of knowing that victory is assured.
“O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:55-57).

19. Joy In Our Religion Kingdom Is Joy Joy In Fellowship Joy In Worship
Joy In Forgiveness
Joy In Others Obeying

20. Joy In Seeing Others Obey
1) Paul & Barnabas on their way to Jerusalem.
“So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren” (Acts 15:3).

21. Joy In Seeing Others Obey
2) Joy in heaven.
“I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance…Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents…It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found” (Luke 15:7, 10, 32).

22. Joy In Seeing Others Obey
3) Joy in seeing one’s faithfulness.
“I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father” (2 John 4).
“For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth” (3 John 3 – Gaius).

23. Joy In Our Religion Kingdom Is Joy Joy In Fellowship Joy In Worship
Joy In Forgiveness
Joy In Others Obeying
Joy In Persecution

24. Joy In Persecution For The Lord
1) The apostles.
“So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name” (Acts 5:41).

25. Joy In Persecution For The Lord
2) The encouragement given by the Lord.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12).

26. Joy In Persecution For The Lord
3) God will strengthen us.
“But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you” (1 Peter 5:10).

27. Joy In Our Religion Kingdom Is Joy Joy In Fellowship Joy In Worship
Joy In Forgiveness
Joy In Others Obeying
Joy In Persecution
Joy In Hope

28. Joy In Our Hope 1) Comfort & joy of knowing our eternal destiny.
“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

29. Joy In Our Hope 2) Trials now? Yet our inheritance reserved!
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials” (1 Peter 1:3-6).

30. Joy In Our Religion Kingdom Is Joy Joy In Fellowship Joy In Worship
Joy In Forgiveness
Joy In Others Obeying
Joy In Persecution
Joy In Hope