SOAKED IN JOY: part 6

JOY COMES THROUGH RELIANCE ON JESUS
April 27, 2008
with Adam Waters

During my first internship, the teens at the church introduced me to a game called buck-buck. In this game, one team of 10-20 creates a wall by locking arms around each other's waists. The other team takes a run, leap frogs onto the other team's back trying to break the wall down. Here's a link with some official rules. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buck_buck Here's a wonderful video of it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1-ItWX6hAg&feature=related You have to rely on each other to create a wall. Together you are much stronger than you are apart from one another.

Where have we been with joy?
· JOY COMES THROUGH THE STORY OF JESUS à Philippians 1:1-11
· JOY COMES THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS à 1:12-26
· JOY COMES THROUGH SERVICE TO JESUS à 1:27-2:18
· JOY COMES THROUGH SUFFERING FOR JESUS à 2:19-3:11
· JOY COMES THROUGH AUTHENTICITY WITH JESUS à3:12-4:1

As a swimmer, I will…
n SATISFY the Spirit’s leading.
n WIN the battles of the flesh.
n INHERIT the Kingdom.
n MANIFEST the character of God.

SWIMMING LESSON: JOY comes through reliance on Jesus
n Philippians 4:4 “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!”
n Joyful reliance looks forward. 4:5
n Joyful reliance removes worry. 4:6-7
n Joyful reliance changes thought and actions. 4:8-9
n Joyful reliance brings contentment and thankfulness. 4:10-20

CLOSE
Are you ready to rely on him? The places where we are taking you next hinge on your surrender to Jesus being the Lord of your life.
In the game of "buck-buck," you must be hinged to your partners when the opponenets come crashing down on your backs. In life, our joy must be hinged to our Lord Jesus (we must rely on him) or life will come crashing down on your back and you WILL collapse.