www.scatteredchristians.org
Another Sermon for the Starving Bible Believing Christians All Over the World Wide Web
2006 - Touchet Baptist Church, Touchet, Washington - Pastor Mike Paulson - 2006
Expounding the way of God more perfectly - Acts 18:26 - with the Scriptures Rightly Divided - II Timothy 2:15
Adult Sunday School Class

Introduction

And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
by whom we have now received the atonement.
Romans 5:11
We are not lifting Paul!
Each of Paul's Epistles begins with Paul.  Yes, God authored the King James Bible.  But Paul IS to be our apostle.
Listen today as to how Paul constantly sends us to Jesus Christ.
It is not about Paul - but it is to us by Paul!
Yes, I will continue to say, "Paul says..."

It is always the joy of, from and by our Lord that we mean as we talk about joy!
John 17:13 - And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

Not some fake joy / happiness / flesh satisfaction from another Jesus!

There is peace from doing right - See Philippians 4:9
There is also joy from 'being made right'
as we will see in our series on grace!

It is a spiritual joy in a spiritual kingdom, not a physical one.
Romans 14:17,18 - For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.  For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
Romans 15:13 - Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Galatians 5:22,23 -  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

The physical kingdom seeks a 'happiness' by trying to accomplish physical things - taking dominion by building churches, increasing numbers, visible success, being rich and increased with goods, and having need of nothing, etc.

Let's finish our course with JOY as told to us by Paul!
Acts 20:24 - But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
Acts 28:31 - Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.
Confidence will come from the Holy Spirit through that KJB, etc. not from a fake spirit or from our own flesh in doing what WE think is right!

Paul brings Christ to us as he comes unto us
through Romans - Philemon!

His Epistles
Romans 15:29,32 - And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.  32: That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.

Joy of faith
Philippians 1:24-26 - : Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.  And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;  That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.

A good time reading 'with' Paul
Philippians 2:17,18 - Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.  For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.
Colossians 2:4-8 - And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.  For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.  As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:  Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

A good building program (remember Jeremiah 1:10)
I Corinthians 3:9-11 - For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Nice to be wanted, eh!  From each other, your pastor, the Lord - even the Book!
II Timothy 1:4 -  Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;

He is our pattern through tough times!
I Timothy 1:16 - Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

Paul is bold to us - exceeding joyful!
II Corinthians 7:2-4 - Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.  I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.  Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.
Colossians 1:9-11 - For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;  That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;  Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

Who to follow...
I Thessalonians 1:6 - And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

Let's finish with some Proverbial wisdom about Joy

Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil:
but to the counsellers of peace is joy.
Proverbs 12:20
Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom:
but a man of understanding walketh uprightly.
Proverbs 15:21
A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth:
and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!
Proverbs 15:23
 It is joy to the just to do judgment:
but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.
Proverbs 21:15
He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow:
and the father of a fool hath no joy.
(are really fools, or just not grown up yet)
Proverbs 17:21
The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice:
and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.
(wise in what?  the world?)
Proverbs 23:24

Think on this final statement as we head into the morning sermon time:
True deep joy comes from having a clean conscience! and only Christ can give us that clean conscience!
I Timothy 3:9 - Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
I Timothy 1:19,20 - This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;  Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:  Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

And if they continue on in their 'mess' or 'bad works'...
    a)  reap what they sow!
    b)  quench and grieve the Holy Spirit!
    c)  but still, the judgment seat will take care of all their bad works!  IF they are truly saved and not 'snookered' by doctrines of devils today.

Listen to the sermon series on grace to hear more details!