Neglected Virtues: Joy, 7/13/14

Sermon 7-13-14   neglected virtues- Joy  eccl  9:7-11

 ⁷Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do. ⁸ Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil. ⁹ Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun—all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. ¹⁰ Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom. ¹¹ I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift   or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.

Where we are in this series – neglected virtues – flexibility, devotion, today = joy

I love the book of Ecclesiastes

The author has tried it all……work, wisdom, pleasure, folly, wealth, advancement

Its all meaningless- a chasing after the wind

I have tried it all- they are not the goal- the goal is god

Love god, enjoy life, its great!

Do we know how t o do this?

Today the topic is joy. Happiness vs joy

Joy for the common things.  The unseen miracles

The things we take for granted that we maybe don’t even feel are spiritual

1.why don’t we find Joy?  Most of us do not find joy because

We think happiness means euphoria, pleasure or fun

when we look for this, we end up depressed.

Change the idea in your head that happiness depends on how you feel

2.second problem is thinking that you can chase and find happiness

I chased the girls in 2^nd grade – sue Ellen butler

its just over the rainbow….if I keep working on it…it will appear

joy – its here if you open your eyes

3.why don’t we find joy? We think happiness is found in things.

A career, spouse, family….

if I just get this new car, if I just get this new job, new wife

¹⁵ Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” Luke 12:15

Village in Nicaragua – no cars, little food.  But they have their faith and each other.  People without things can be happy

TRANSITION- Sherri and wendy are preaching today

What they are dealing with

Wendy s illness yet she has written about gratitude for over a year.  every single day

My problems are insignificant compared to them

So my problems don’t matter

No they matter

In fact, we have a way of making our problems seem giant

When the kids were in preschool they drove me crazy. Someone said just wait til they are teens

How to find joy

1.Get rid of selfish attitudes

            I want what I want when I want it

            If you don’t play w me, I am going home

            If it is not my way, then I am going to quit

We are imposing conditions on our happiness

If you find this attitude within yourself, get rid of it

some things we manage, some things are out of our control

we would like to be the boss of the world

2. Make Everyday a Party

Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil. Eccl 9:8

Emeril wrote a cookbook called Make Everyday A Party but really the author of Ecclesiastes had the idea first.

to be  clothed in white is to wear the festive dress…Back then wearing white clothes and having oil on the head were signs of joy, happiness and celebration.

Put on your white clothes- your party hat- get some oil on your head

Make life an adventure; rediscover wonder, enjoy life

When you embrace this philosophy, we will not only enjoy life to the fullest, we will become a people  of depth.

Shallow vs depth

Choosing to be a victim or a victor

relax – even difficult times can be enjoyed

dear god I wish this wasn’t happening but I am glad that you are with me with us in this. I thank you that I can be here to support my friend

3.  trust God

The man w three wishes

            I want my wife to diE -  I want my wife back

            I don’t know what to ask for-God says, ask to have joy no matter what

4.Choose to be grateful…..you cant be grateful and not be happy

                        The man and the big family and the goat

                       

5.Live with heart- Do What You Do With Enthusiasm
¹⁰ Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, Eccl 9:10

Put your heart into responsibilities….walk the extra mile…

the future is uncertain - life is not about tomorrow

today is a miracle in and of itself

Erma Bombeck has done a good job elaborating on this theme:

Someone asked me the other day if I had my life to live over would I change anything.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy and complaining about the shadow over my feet, I'd have cherished every minute of it and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was to be my only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.
I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded.
I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.
I would have burnt the pink candle that was sculptured like a rose before it melted while being stored.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television ... and more while watching real life.
I would have eaten less cottage cheese and more ice cream.

I would have gone to bed when I was sick, instead of pretending the Earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for a day.

When my child kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now, go get washed up for dinner."

There would have been more I love yous ... more I'm sorrys ... more I'm listenings ...

but mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute of it ... look at it and really see it ... try it on ... live it ... exhaust it ... and never give that minute back until there was nothing left of it.

Conclusion

Remember the treasure in the field mt 13

Joy is like a treasure in the field………waiting for you to find it

The piper in the park   PICTURE

                                                                                     

Alfred Souza. said, “for a long time it seemed to me that life was about to begin- real life.   But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served and a debt to be paid. Then live would begin.  At last it dawned on me that those obstacles were my life.”

May it never be said of you or me we existed,  but never really lived

Speaking on this topic I cant help but think of the story that I tell in november every year

Martin Rinkart was a Lutheran minister – eilenburg Germany.  In 1637 due to the plague and the 30 years war, Only pastor in the town.  he burried thousands of people. An average of 8 per day.

Now thank we all our god

The benediction at a funeral………

Go live!

eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do- enjoy your life - Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might