{"id":5133,"date":"2019-04-23T15:05:25","date_gmt":"2019-04-23T19:05:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ecityemc.org\/resources\/?p=5133"},"modified":"2025-10-29T11:39:10","modified_gmt":"2025-10-29T15:39:10","slug":"joy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ecityemc.org\/resources\/sermon-series\/04\/23\/joy\/","title":{"rendered":"Joy"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again\u2014rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4)<\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re skeptical to Christianity or practice it you very likely may believe that real Christianity is about saying no to the things that make you happy\u2014a bunch of rules to ruin your fun. Some Christians may even believe that through their denial, sadness, or detachment that God is more pleased and it\u2019s how we show Him we actually love Him. <\/p>\n

While there are kernels of truth, the Scriptures command joy, not despair. Joy is an expected part of the Christian experience. Rather than a mark of immaturity, it is a sign of maturity. Paul writes, \u201cRejoice in the Lord always; and again I will say, rejoice!\u201d (Phil 4:4). He expects joy to be central to the Christian witness as it sustains us (as it does him) through sacrifice, setbacks, and suffering. <\/p>\n

You\u2019re invited to a three week series through Philippians unpacking how the Christian has joy in all of life\u2019s circumstances.<\/p>\n

Series Playlist<\/strong>
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\n\t\t\t\t\"Elizabeth\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tElizabeth City EMC Podcast\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
Joy in Sacrifice<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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