Welcome to Redemption Church in Plano Tx. My name is Chris Fluitt and I am blessed to serve as lead pastor at this mighty Church.

We are in the 3rd week of our sermon series – Vibe Check

What is a Vibe?
Vibro Ax from Star wars? 

Vibe – A person’s emotional state, felt by others; The tangible atmosphere created by the disposition of our being.

Also..

A practical revelation of a spiritual reality.

Vibe – the cologne or perfume of your life. (2 Cor 2:14-15)

Vibe Check

The best vibes come from the Spirit.
The worst vibes come from the flesh.

The greatest vibe the Spirit produces is Love.

 

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Joy Follows Love

Where there is love there will be joy.

 John 15:9-12 (NIV) 9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

Love turns into Joy.

Joy- A Holy gladness that stems only from Jesus.

 

The opposite of Joy is not sorrow

Joy can be present in sorrow.

The opposite of Joy is negativity and emptiness

I want you to consider this for a moment.

Negative?

Critical
Destructive
Dismissive
Pessimistic

Your account runs negative when you make more withdraws than deposits

Make a deposit of love.

When you love God, He loves you back.
When you bless God, He blesses you back.
When you give unto God, He gives back.

Luke 6:38 (NIV) 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Malachi 3:10 (NIV) 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.

*Acts 20:35 (NIV) … ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’

Negative?

What you give to the Lord comes back to you in a greater amount.

If you are negative, you need to send out love, praise, and celebration.  You will see positive deposits in your soul.

Empty?

When your stomach is empty and you feel weak, what do you do?  You will your stomach with nutrient.

If you are empty you need to be RE-filled.

Matthew 5:6 (NIV) Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

1 Peter 1:8-9 (NIV) 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

John 15:11 (NIV) 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

Psalm 51:12 (NIV) 12Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

The opposite of Joy is negativity and emptiness

Are you negative and empty?  Or are you full of Joy?

When you walk into a room are you bring negativity and emptiness?

 

Joy is gladness within your soul that causes you to walk through life in strength.

When you walk in the room…
-gladness should walk in the room.
-strength should walk in the room.

People should be happy to see you walk in the room.

“How can I be happy like you?”
“How can I have strength like you?”
“How can I have that kind of energy?”
 

And we should let them know the answer is Jesus!

 

Beware: False Joy

Just like there are works of the flesh that are misunderstood as love… there are also works of the flesh that are mis-identified as joy.

Robin Williams

Robin Williams is known as a comedic genius. He was an award winner.  He won Academy awards, Emmy awards, and even Grammy awards. We could go around the room and probably list our favorite Robin Williams movies.  He was worth 50 million dollars in 2014 when he committed suicide… beware false joy.

Naomi Judd

Naomi Judd is known for successful country music career. She performed with her daughter Wynonna throughout the world and won 5 Grammys and 9 country music awards. She was worth an estimated 25 million dollars when she committed suicide this year… beware false joy.

Kate Spade

In 2018 Kate Spade was worth 200 million dollars. She was known for her high fashion purses and hand bags.  In 2018 she committed suicide… beware false joy.

Landon Clifford

Landon Clifford had a successful growing youtube page. He had over 1 million subscribers and was the envy of many youtubers who would like their hobby to be their career. He was newly married with a new born baby when he committed suicide in 2020… beware false joy.

Anthony Bourdain

Anthony Bourdain had possibly the most desirable job in the world.  He was paid to travel the world, interview famous people, eat great food, and stay in luxury hotels. He was worth 16 million dollars in 2018 when he committed suicide… beware false joy.

Beware: False Joy

Can you spot false joy?

• Gossip – a spark of excitement that leaves you negative and empty.
• Sinful entertainment – temporary amusement that leaves you negative and empty.
• Fleshly desires – temporary pleasure that leaves you negative and empty.

 

Jesus said “remain in my love… so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.”

Complete Joy

• Comes from the love of Jesus
  • Joy belongs to the Lord “The Joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10)
• Is positive not negative.
• Fills you and won’t leave you empty.
• Is not temporary
  • The vibe of heaven is Joy
  • *Matthew 25:21 (NKJV) ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

 

Vibe Check

A complete joy is available you today. We will invite you to pray, and I want you to get your heart ready… but first…

I tied to think of the best character in your Bible to teach us about Joy… I kept looking for a well known character like David who danced and sang praise to God joyfully… but I felt checked in my spirit and knew who God intended me to use.

Matthew 13:44 (NIV) “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

In this short parable Jesus talks of a man who just stumbles upon a treasure.

1-      Treasure Found…

2-      Treasure hid…

3-      “THEN IN HIS JOY went and sold all he had”

4-      Bought the field and obtained the treasure.

Joy did NOT come when he found the treasure.

Joy did NOT come after he obtained the treasure.

Joy came as he purposed his heart toward the treasure.

You can go through hardship IN JOY – if you will purpose your heart.

He sold all he had… some would view that as losing all he had… but joy focuses on what is to be gained.

In joy he sales all, to lay claim to the treasure.

 

Jesus is that treasure in the field.  Jesus is that treasure that I was not looking for, yet I stumbled upon.

Joy does not come when you hear the message of Jesus…

Joy comes when you decide to let go of that old life, to obtain the new life. The joy comes when you decide…

Are you that un-named character in the parable?  Will you make a decision today?

Will you make a decision for Jesus?
Jesus made a decision for you.

 

Hebrews 12:2 (NIV) fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. FOR THE JOY set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Jesus is our example in all things.

For the Joy set before us… will we endure?

 

If you will spend some time loving Jesus, that love will turn into a complete joy.