Good News and Great Joy

Main Idea: Gratitude is an important way we can stay anchored to the joy we have in Jesus.

New Series

• Main Theme: Being thankful for the blessings we have in Christ, particularly the ones that are emphasized in the stories of Jesus’ birth (Matthew 1-2; Luke 1-2).
• Title comes from Luke 2:8-12, when the angel announced good news that will cause great joy after the birth of Jesus.
• What’s the Good News? We can be forgiven and receive eternal life through Christ.

Theme Verse: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3)

Negativity Bias

Sometimes it’s hard to be thankful or hopeful. One extra challenge is negativity bias, that our minds are predisposed to focus more on the negative than the positive. 

Negativity Bias: We pay more attention to negative things than positive ones; negative experiences have a larger and longer effect on us; there are far more negative messages in our world than positive ones. 

Biblical Example: Israel wandering in the wilderness. They were surrounded by God’s glory and blessings, but still tended to dwell on the negatives instead of the positives.

The 3-to-1 Ratio: You will likely need about three times more positive things happening in your life to overcome all the negatives. 

• We need to seek out enough positive people, experiences, and thoughts to overcome the negative influences.
• One way to do this is by dwelling on God’s blessings and practicing gratitude. The positives are already there — we just need to intentionally focus on them.

Paul’s Example of Gratitude and Joy (Philippians 4:4-9)

Through Paul’s life and teaching, we see that gratitude is an important way we can stay anchored to the joy we have in Jesus.

Paul’s life is a clear contrast to the people of Israel in the wilderness.

• Instead of dwelling on the negatives, Paul chose to meditate on God’s blessings.

The Call to Action in Philippians 4:4-9:

• Always be joyful.
• Demonstrate gentleness.
• Worry less by praying more.
• Cultivate gratitude.
• Meditate on the positives. 
• Practice what we preach.

Notice the connection between gratitude (v. 6) and joy (v. 4). Paul reinforces this connection in Philippians 1:3-5 and Colossians 1:12. 

Joy in the Hard Times

Gratitude helps us stay rooted in the joy of the Lord, even in the hard times.

Paul wasn’t writing these words when life was going well; he was writing from prison.

• There was nothing in Paul’s circumstances that would cause the average person to be happy, but there was something beneath the surface of the circumstances that caused him great joy. 
• Paul’s joy came from his awareness of the blessings he has in Christ.

Three Blessings Paul Knew He Had (v. 7-9):

• God’s Peace
• God’s Protection
• God’s Presence 

Paul is taking every thought captive, disciplining his mind to focus on what he has (rather than what he doesn’t), and he’s staying rooted in joy by being thankful for God’s blessings.

Experiencing Real Joy

The Gospel message of Jesus Christ is good news, and God always intended for this message to bring great joy to everyone who hears it, accepts it, and responds to it with faith.

• God has done his part to bring us joy (sending Jesus to the cross).
• We must do our part to receive it. 

If we aren’t experiencing real joy, it might be a sign that we need to grow in our gratitude.

Call to Action

1. Discipline your mind to dwell on God’s blessings (Philippians 4:8).
   • Take control of your thoughts before they take control of you.
2. Cultivate a thankful heart (Philippians 4:6).
   • Start your prayers with thanks.
   • Create a gratitude list of 10, 50, 100, or 1,000 things you are thankful for.
3. Guard your heart and mind (Proverbs 4:23; Philippians 4:7).
   • Be discerning about the messages you choose to receive from movies, social media, news, etc. 

Study and Reflection:

“Our lives are always moving in the direction of our strongest thoughts. What we think shapes who we are.” -Craig Groeschel.

Read: Ephesians 1:3-14

1. Paul begins this letter by praising God for the many blessings we have in Christ. Which of these blessings resonates with you the most? Are there 2-3 that stand out to you?
2. What does it mean to you that the blessings we have from God are found “in Christ”? What is Jesus’ role in allowing us to receive these blessings?
3. Paul uses the word “lavished” in verse 8 to describe the generosity of God’s blessings. What does it mean to you that we have been lavished with the grace and love of God?
4. Ephesians has an interesting format. Chapters 1-3 are essentially a long list of everything God has done for us. It’s not until chapters 4-6 that Paul tells us what we are supposed to do for God. Why do you think Paul began with such an extended time of thanksgiving and praise?
5. How does gratitude for what God has done for us connect with our obedience as disciples?
6. What are some of the big, medium, and little things that you are thankful for today? What is one way you can thank God for his goodness and mercy?
7. As you think back to Paul’s words in Philippians 4:4-9 (from the sermon), how are gratitude and joy related? 
8. Have you seen any examples of negativity bias in your life? Why do you think people are so prone to dwelling on the negatives? What do you plan on doing to overcome this tendency?

Faith Challenge: Based on the sermon and these Bible passages, I will (fill in the blank)…