Joy

Well, here we are. It’s been over two years since I started this word study about joy. I’ve learned a lot along the way about what joy is, what it’s not, what fuels it, what quenches it, and more. I’ve had my perspectives broadened to realize that it’s not just my joy that I should […]

I enjoy writing and teaching. I mean, there are obviously times when writing or teaching is a real killjoy. For instance, when I was in college and Dr. Weeter had us writing a term paper in each of four classes, all due the same day. And when I’m teaching a room full of brats that […]

In my last post on this whole joy study, I discussed 1 Peter 1. There, the apostle Peter was writing to believers in northern Asia Minor – believers who were filled with everyday disciples dealing with everyday problems and everyday persecution – and exhorting them to do the right thing no matter what. There, he […]

The book of 1 Peter is a new favorite of mine. For years, I had virtually overlooked the thing in favor of the gospels, Acts, and the Pauline epistles. But two months ago, I started into a sermon series on 1 Peter, and as we’ve worked through it over the course of the last 10 […]

Hebrews 13:17 is one of those verses that I’m uncomfortable addressing. As a leader myself, I don’t like telling people that they need to shape up so I can have joy; it seems inappropriately self-serving. And as a person who has leaders over me, I don’t like hearing that I’m supposed to enable them to […]

Hebrews 12:2 is one of those passages that we in the holiness world love to talk about. I mean, together with its immediate predecessor, you have the phenomenal exhortation to “lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares [and] run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on […]

Hebrews 10:34 haunts me. Writing to Jewish believers scattered throughout the Roman empire, the anonymous writer of this enigmatic letter calls on believers to avoid sin and thus fall into the judgment of God, but to “remember the earlier days” when they suffered greatly for their faith. Among the injustices which they endured was “the […]

As Paul raced toward the conclusion of his first letter to the believers of Thessalonica, he wanted to give a final list of bullet-point exhortations. He says in verse 12, “give recognition to those who labor among you and lead you in the Lord and admonish you.” In verse 14: “warn those who are irresponsible, […]

Continuing on the theme of joy in the midst of – in spite of – hardship and persecution, I’ve come to 1 Thessalonians 1, where in verses 5-7, we see a very interesting thing: the disciples in Thessalonica believed even as they saw Paul and co. suffering severe persecution. And they did so with joy […]

St. Paul’s letter to the church at Colossae starts like most of his others. In the opening salutation, he identifies himself and Timothy as the senders, the Colossians as the recipients, and proceeds to express his gratitude to God for his readers’ persistent faith. Then he shares with them what he’s been praying and wanting […]