The book of Proverbs has been called a 'Manual for Living.' The wise words contained within this book discuss the human condition as practically today as they did 2700 years ago. Humankind has always seen itself clearer through the lens of narrative storytelling, and no group of creative storytellers accomplishes this today better than the team at Disney/Pixar. We are going to spend 7 weeks examining God's 'Manual for Living' and discovering how those truths are illustrated in some of the most beloved animated films of this generation.
INSIDE OUT: FIGHTING FOR JOY
Joy has the power to heal wounds in a world full of hurt and pain.
3 Wise Ways to Fight for Joy
1. Avoid being SNARED by SIN.
Sin is at the ROOT of all joylessness.
“Evildoers are snared by their own sin, but the righteous shout for joy and are glad.” Proverbs 29:6
“Be killing sin or it will be killing you.” - John Owen
2. DISCIPLINE your children while they are YOUNG.
“A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.” Proverbs 10:1
“Discipline your children, and they will give you peace [and I think we could include “joy” here as well]; they will bring you the delights you desire.” Proverbs 29:17
3. Surround yourself with JOY-GIVING people.
“Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up." Proverbs 12:25
Joy ultimately comes from GOD.
“The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.” Proverbs 10:28
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
Proverbs in Pixar
Message #2 - “Inside Out: Fighting for Joy”
Proverbs 17:22
This past Wednesday our Associate Minister, Tom Ledford, turned 65.
As Bob Hope once said, “You know you’re getting old when the candles cost more than the cake!”
Do you know what the young chicken said to the old?
“You’re no spring chicken!”
Now, since I’m not young anymore either, I asked someone who is to say it…
Video clip: “Tom, you’re no spring chicken!”
But what I find amazing about Tom is, he still looks the way he did 40 years ago when he first came to OCC.
Take a look at this picture...
I asked Tom again this week, “You use NO hair coloring product, right?”
And he assured me, “No.”
Pretty amazing - AND he still has his hair!
It’s just not fair.
Anyway, in all seriousness, Happy Birthday, Tom!
We appreciate you and your ministry here.
Have you ever heard the phrase, “Laughter is the best medicine”?
Well, it’s ACTUALLY kind of biblical.
It’s similar to a proverb in the Bible; here’s what it says: “A cheerful heart is good medicine…” (Proverbs 17:22)
That word “cheerful” could be translated, “joy” or “glad”.
When you have joy in your heart, there’s a medicinal quality to it.
That is…
Joy has the power to heal wounds in a world full of hurt and pain.
Or, we might say: Joy is suffering’s kryptonite.
“A joyful heart is good medicine” in a sin-sick world.
And so, it’s pretty important that we have joy in our heart and that we fight to keep it in our lives.
I asked our staff this week to share with me their thoughts on: what steals or robs us of joy?
They said things like:
What would you say steals your joy?
Over the past year, I think all of us would say Covid sapped our joy, right?
I never got Covid, as far as I know, but I did have to quarantine a couple times, and that got old REAL quick!
But let’s turn the question around - what is it that gives you joy?
If you’re joining us online, please leave us a comment.
For starters, how about Governor DeWine’s announcement this week?
Starting June 2nd, OCC will be removing the health protocols we’ve had in place - specifically our request that you wear a mask.
And all God’s children said?
AMEN!
Now, if you desire in-person interaction AND good coffee on Sunday morning, but would still prefer a smaller crowd, we are going to make our Live Stream available in the Banquet Room as a place for you to worship.
This will start Sunday, June 6th during the 8:30 and 11 o’clock services.
But we are so THRILLED to be able to take our next steps to being together without restrictions.
A couple weeks ago Beth and I celebrated 19 years of wedded bliss.
My wife brings me JOY!
On our Anniversary, she wanted to go out to dinner with me and our 3 kids, and not just to any restaurant, but to a Japanese Steakhouse.
Hibachi Grill and Yum Yum Sauce; it doesn’t get any better than that, right?
Our girls got a little nervous when the chef dude started flinging rice at them and lighting fires on the grill.
But we had a lot of fun!
Here’s a picture from our night out.
Times like that with family are priceless and bring me JOY.
Many other things bring JOY as well.
Maybe for you it’s a pet or a favorite vacation destination.
Or, perhaps it’s a friend or some kind of hobby or TV show.
But even though there’s lots of JOY to be had, it’s a constant fight to keep the JOY, isn’t it?
This starts at a very early age as illustrated in the first few minutes of the Pixar movie, Inside Out.
Take a look.
Movie clip: Inside Out (2:38)
Airplanes LIKE THAT [series image] bring JOY, right?
EVEN WHEN there’s broccoli involved.
But did you notice?
Not necessarily bad emotions, but they can so easily overtake JOY, right?
And for the remainder of the movie, it’s a fight for JOY, the main character, to rise above all the other emotions that are competing for the heart and mind of this precious, young girl, Riley.
It’s a story that rings true in our lives as well.
How do we hang on to JOY in a world with so many competing forces?
EXPLANATION
Well, fortunately for us, the Bible has some answers.
So, let’s turn to the book of Proverbs as we continue our Proverbs in Pixar series today.
Proverbs provides the wisdom we need to fight for JOY.
If you do not own a Bible, we have FREE copies at the Next Step counter in the back of this room; or, if you’re joining us online, leave us a comment and we’ll mail you a Bible this week if you don’t have one.
You can also download a digital version of the Bible by using the YouVersion Bible App on your phone or tablet.
Last Sunday, we looked at a few proverbs in chapter 17 as we talked about mending the bond in our relationships.
Today, I want to begin with another proverb in chapter 17, but then look at some other proverbs as well.
Proverbs 17:22 - I already read part of it - “A cheerful [or joyful, glad] heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”
That word translated “cheerful” appears 20 times in Proverbs.
And so, this week, l looked at ALL of the occurrences of that word in Proverbs and asked myself, “What wisdom does God want to teach us when it comes to having JOY in our lives?”
And what a treasure of wisdom I found!
I hope you’re participating in the Summer Bible Reading Plan we’ve provided, because if you are, you’re going to read through Proverbs.
There’s so much “wisdom for living” here [hold up Bible]; I’d encourage you to take time every day to reach a chapter or section and apply it to your life.
Now, unfortunately, I can’t share ALL the wisdom related to joy in Proverbs today, but I do want to share: 3 Wise Ways you and I can Fight for JOY.
Are you ready?
Write these down.
Number one…
1. Avoid being SNARED by SIN.
You see, Sin is at the ROOT of all joylessness.
Think back to the very beginning.
Adam and Eve, the first human beings created by God, were enjoying life in the Garden of Eden.
I mean, the Bible says they “were both naked, and they felt no shame.” (Genesis 2:25)
That is JOY right there, Amen?
Adam was with his wife in a garden, naked.
Enough said.
But then, what happened?
They disobeyed God; sin and shame entered the world.
The JOY they once had was gone.
And we’re still suffering the consequences of that today.
Sin will sap JOY right out of you.
Here’s the proverb: Proverbs 29:6 says, “Evildoers are snared by their own sin, but the righteous shout for [what?] JOY and are glad.”
That word “snared” literally means “a noose” or trap where wild animals are caught.
Think of a mouse trap [pic].
Most of us have probably set those in our house, right?
What do you use to bait the trap?
I typically use peanut butter.
But we’re trying to lure the mouse into the trap, and if the mouse touches or takes the bait, what happens?
It gets caught or snared by the trap and usually dies.
That’s a picture of what temptation and sin can do to us.
Satan baits us, and if we’re not careful, we can become snared by sin.
What is it that baits YOU?
How does Satan bait the trap to snare you with sin?
The Bible says “the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23)
And it kills our JOY because it separates us from God.
Now, the book of Proverbs was originally written to the young men of Israel.
And one of the big temptations and sins that can snare men is LUST.
In Proverbs 5, there’s a strong warning against ADULTERY.
Verse 15 says:
“Drink water from your own cistern,
running water from your own well.
Should your springs overflow in the streets,
your streams of water in the public squares?
Let them be yours alone,
never to be shared with strangers.”
Then it says in verse 18 - speaking to young married men:
“May your fountain be blessed,
and may you [what?] rejoice [find JOY] in the wife of your youth.”
Because sins like adultery will destroy your joy, not to mention your marriage!
Men, the statistics are pretty alarming when it comes to our struggle with lust and things like pornography.
A Barna survey done a few years ago revealed that 39% of CHRISTIAN men say their use of pornography is “excessive.”
13% of Christian WOMEN said the same thing.
Another Barna survey found that 41% of Christian BOYS, ages 13 to 24, use pornography at least once a month.
And from what I’ve read, Christian GIRLS in that same age range struggle just as much.
47% of families in the United States reported that pornography is a problem in their home.
Friends, this is a MAJOR snare in our homes AND in the church!
What promises to give us JOY and pleasure, at the end of the day, delivers despair and emptiness; that’s what ONGOING sin does.
“Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.”
John Owen once wrote: “Be killing sin or it will be killing you.”
Including your JOY.
So, be righteous; follow God’s way and his wisdom.
Avoid being SNARED by SIN.
Here’s a second way to fight for JOY:
2. DISCIPLINE your children while they are YOUNG.
Believe it or not, as I read and studied Proverbs, this is the most repeated principle in regard to JOY in the entire book.
Here are a couple examples:
Proverbs 10:1 - “A wise son brings [what?] JOY to his father, but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.”
Or, how about this one?
Proverbs 17:21 - “To have a fool for a child brings grief; there is no JOY for the parent of a godless fool.”
Whoa!
And so, as parents, we need to do what we can while our children are young to teach and model for them the way of wisdom.
Hopefully, that will spare THEM and YOU some grief down the road, although there are NO guarantees.
Your kids are going to make some DUMB choices and decisions - it’s going to happen - but do all you can NOW to influence them toward godliness and wise living.
I think of the parents that participated in our Parent Promise last Sunday.
They committed themselves to raising their children, to the best of their ability, to follow in the ways of God.
And that starts NOW - while there’s still time.
Parents, a KEY MOTIVATOR is the HOPE OF JOY that your kids and grandkids will bring to you and future generations.
John, the apostle, wrote this in the Bible: “I have no greater JOY than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”
That should be our number one prayer for our kids; that they would walk in the truth all the day of their lives.
Proverbs 29:17 says, “Discipline your children, and they will give you peace [and I think we could include “JOY” here as well]; they will bring you the delights you desire.”
Parents, remember you are the parent, and grandparents, you’re in on this too.
Your job is to love your kids and grandkids through disciplining them, teaching them right from wrong, showing them godly character, and setting for them appropriate boundaries.
They need you.
The goal is not to be POPULAR with them, but to PARENT them.
And one day, by God’s grace, they’ll thank you for that and your JOY will overflow with thanksgiving and praise to God.
Well, finally, here’s a third way to fight for JOY:
3. Surround yourself with JOY-GIVING people.
Who in your life would you describe as joyful?
Do you have anyone?
How about YOU?
Are you JOY-giving to others?
Proverbs 12:25 says, “Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word [does what?] cheers it up [it brings the heart JOY].”
We need people in our lives who speak KIND words.
Words of complaint, anger, and negativity ALL pretty much lead to a draining of JOY, don’t they?
BUT kind, encouraging, and positive words produce JOY.
And this is not just about OTHERS, it’s about the words we speak as well.
The power of unkind, negative speech is not only felt from someone else, but maybe even more powerfully when we, ourselves speak negatively.
Are we people who bring LIFE and JOY with our words?
Proverbs 10:11 says, “The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life…”
When we are people who bring life with our words, we will inevitably be people of more JOY.
You know, maybe at your workplace or even in your home there’s not a lot of kind words spoken.
It’s easy to lose your JOY in those environments.
And so, you may have to work extra hard to get around people who have kind things to say to you.
Hopefully, you find people like that here at OCC.
May we be a church that’s kind and that speaks kind words to one another.
The Bible says, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (Colossians 3:12)
This is so needed, especially now as we come out of this pandemic.
Let’s be kind, even when we disagree with each other because kindness cultivates JOY.
A young lady in our church shared with me that when clients come into her workplace and ask her how she’s doing, her response is usually, “I’m having the best day of my whole life!”
She says, “Some day has to be the best day of my life, so I approach each day like it’s going to be today.”
A goal of hers is to get grumpy people to laugh before they leave her office.
But what is she doing?
She is CHOOSING JOY.
It just doesn’t happen; it’s something we have to practice.
We have to choose to let things go; we have to choose to look to God, and we have to choose to be around JOY-GIVING people.
APPLICATION
Now, with all that said, I’d be remiss if I didn’t close this message by saying this: JOY ultimately comes from GOD.
(Susie Mankins comes out here - keyboard)
Those things help, no doubt.
But ultimately, JOY comes from God; it’s his gift.
It’s his work in us through the Holy Spirit.
If you’re a follower of Jesus, you received the gift of the Holy Spirit when you obeyed the gospel.
And one of his desired outcomes in your life is JOY.
The Bible says in Galatians 5:22 - “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, JOY, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
JOY is the result of God’s Spirit working in us … from the INSIDE OUT.
AND … JOY is grounded in HOPE.
The hope that one day we will be with him forever.
As Nathan read earlier - Psalm 126:3 says, “The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with [what?] JOY.”
I mean, God sent his one and only Son to do for us what we couldn’t do for ourselves and we are filled with JOY because of it.
One last proverb today - Proverbs 10:28 says, “The prospect of the righteous is JOY, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.”
Because of Jesus and the righteousness we have in him, we know what’s coming - HEAVEN - and that brings us JOY.
C.S. Lewis once wrote: “JOY is the serious business of heaven.”
You see, our fight for JOY will come to an end one day when we’re in the presence of God himself, but until then, let’s keep fighting for it with the wisdom and strength God provides.
I want to close with a prayer for you from Romans 15:13:
“May the God of hope fill you with all JOY and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Continue to pray with me... [blank slide]