1. “A Good Time Was Had by All!”
Nehemiah 12:27-47

2. Have you ever heard this phrase used to describe a worship time
Have you ever heard this phrase used to describe a worship time? What I really want to ask, is it all right to have a good time during a worship assembly?

3. Erma Bombeck writes about the time she was sitting in a worship assembly a number of years ago. Three or four pews ahead of her was a little boy (4 or 5 yrs. old). This little guy was “enjoying himself in church.”…

4. All through the Bible God gives joy; so, why do so many churches, why do so many of God’s children have no joy?

5. Purpose:
to learn God intends for us to have joy especially when worshipping Him together

6. I The Biblical Concepts of Joy
A. God Intends a Joy Filled Life

7. Jesus taught more about happiness than He did about heaven…

8. “I came that they might have life more abundantly…”
John 10:10
“I came that they might have life more abundantly…”

9. “…the kingdom of God is joy…”
Romans 14:17
“…the kingdom of God is joy…”

10. I The Biblical Concepts of Joy
A. God Intends a Joy Filled Life
B. The Right Emotion to Approach God

11. If you were to identify the most frequent emotion used by God’s people to approach Him recorded in His Word, it would be…

12. I The Biblical Concepts of Joy
A. God Intends a Joy Filled Life
B. The Right Emotion to Approach God
C. Joy Characterized the Early Christians

13. Galatians 4:15
“…where’s your joy?!”

14. In other words, a “joyless Christian” is an oxymoron!

15. I The Biblical Concepts of Joy
A. God Intends a Joy Filled Life
B. The Right Emotion to Approach God
C. Joy Characterized the Early Christians
D. God the Author/Source of Joy

16. Those who “hang out” with God it can be said of them…

17. II Reflecting the Joy of the Lord
A. With Consecration of Lives

18. Joy will never be found in a half-hearted commitment…

19. II Reflecting the Joy of the Lord
A. With Consecration of Lives
B. With Celebration in Worship

20. We should regularly assemble to honor and celebrate God AND a good time by all should be had doing it!

21. II Reflecting the Joy of the Lord
A. With Consecration of Lives
B. With Celebration in Worship
C. With Dedication to Giving

22. Ungenerous people will never find joy, because they flat are disobeying God in how to find it!

23. “We sing, ‘make a joyful noise unto the Lord’ while our faces reflect the sadness of one who just buried a rich aunt who left everything to her pregnant hamster.”

24. Conclusion/Summary:
When (note I said when and not if) we see this building filled with people who are truly putting their arms around Jesus, then you best get prepared for an all around good time…