Joy for the Journey

Main Thought

Explorers of old used the North Star, “Polaris,” to navigate their journeys. It was a stabilizing force that could be trusted because it never moved. What is the stabilizing force of your life? God wants His joy and peace to be guiding, stabilizing forces in our lives! We must strive to be joyful at all times. The joy of God helps us to be peacemakers in a divisive world. The Bible teaches us to take anxiety captive by turning to prayer, and taking our requests to God. Then, we allow God to make us whole while we surrender everything outside our control to Him. If we’re willing to apply these steps, then we’ll learn to walk in God’s joy and peace perpetually.

Main Passages

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

- Philippians 4:4-7

Discussion Questions

1. Joy and peace in God go hand-in-hand. Do you have God’s peace in your life?

2. Think about the actions put forth by the Main Passages and Main Thought. Which one of those things are you good at doing?

3. Which one of the aforementioned steps can you improve at doing?

Family Questions

1. Prayer helps us find peace when we’re upset, worried, or even scared. Let’s pray about something that upsets you.

Adjusting for Joy

Main Thought

God wants us to have joy! God’s joy exceeds expectations, and God’s joy endures. How do we begin to experience this kind of joy for ourselves? We need more than religious routines to experience God’s joy! Important activities - like reading the Bible, prayer, service, or Life Group - lose their power when our faith is absent from them. God wants more than our actions; He wants our attitudes, too! We find joy when we “practice the presence of God.” This happens when our actions and attitudes are led by faith, believing that God will reward us for seeking Him regardless of how we feel. Joy also comes from living with God’s value system. We should treasure Christ, because the love and joy we find in Him are unlimited and unconditional.

Main Passages

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ…

- Philippians 3:1-8

15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

- John 14:15-17

“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

- John 15:11

Discussion Questions

1. God wants to give us a joy that exceeds expectations in any given situation, and a joy that endures. Have you ever experienced this “joy of Jesus”? Do you have this joy in your life now?

2. Does God have your:

   • Actions (the things you do);

   • Attitude (your reason for doing them);

   • Both, or;

   • Neither?

3. Are there any adjustments you can make to experience the joy of Jesus? Perhaps you can start practicing God’s presence (by living a life that welcomes God’s Spirit), or adjusting to God’s value system. 

Family Questions

1. What do you think it means to be “joyful”? Do you have joy in your life?

Joy in Unity

Main Thought

Things happen that can rob our joy. Sometimes, people rob our joy! God calls us to walk in unity with others - especially with others in His Body, the Church. Is that truly possible? According to the Apostle Paul, unity is possible because of our shared experiences in Christ. We need to focus on our internal similarities with each other: Christ has encouraged us, comforted us in love, fellowshipped with us and given us compassion. But unity still requires humility! Jesus Christ stands as the ultimate example of humility. Jesus emptied Himself of His divine nature and privileges when He became flesh. He served people, without a need for applause. These things are seen in His death on the Cross. God exalted Jesus after He humbled himself; we can also find joy if we’re willing to humble ourselves before God too.

Main Passages

1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 

- Philippians 2:1-4

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place…

- Philippians 2:6-9

Discussion Questions

1. What are some “opponents” you face that seek to steal your joy from you?

2. What keeps us from humbling ourselves before God and others?

3. Paul encourages us to have the same mind or attitude of Jesus. The goal is not merely to do the actions of Jesus, but to possess his mind and attitude in us. How does having the mind of Christ and putting the needs of others first impact our daily lives?

Family Questions

1. How can you put others first and help them this week?

Unexpected Joy

Main Thought

Have you ever been in a situation that didn’t meet your expectations? How do you react when things don’t go your way? Paul found himself in this type of situation. Yet he responded with joy! Paul learned that true joy isn’t centered on us; it’s centered around God. Paul’s joy came from the fact that God used difficult circumstances to work in Paul, and through him to advance the gospel. This kind of joy is a witness to unbelievers. It empowers other believers. It also inspires others who are also facing difficulty.

Main Passages

6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

- Philippians 1:6

12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually advanced the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard, and to everyone else, that my imprisonment is because I am in Christ. 14 Most of the brothers have gained confidence in the Lord from my imprisonment and dare even more to speak the word fearlessly. 15 To be sure, some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of good will. 16 These preach out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; 17 the others proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, thinking that they will cause me trouble in my imprisonment. 18 What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice.

- Philippians 1:12-18

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. 

- Galatians 5:22

Discussion Questions

1. How does Paul’s statement in Philippians 1:6 bring hope to you for your life and others? What is a particular area of your life right now that this truth about God can bring hope and joy to?

2. Despite challenging circumstances and his prison chains, Paul rejoices that God has used evil things for the good of the gospel. When we encounter the troubles of everyday life, how can we choose joy?

3. How can you encourage, inspire, or be a witness to those around you as you choose joy?

Family Questions

1. How do you react when things don’t go your way? What do you think it means to be joyful?