Small Group Questions:

1. Where do you think those who do not know Jesus would look for joy?
2. Why or why not would these things bring true joy?
3. Where have you looked for joy in the past that has not fulfilled you?
4. Placing our trust in God allows us to be “care-free”, living a life of true joy and practicing celebration. When have you found it hard to trust in Him, “not worrying about anything”?
5. What in your life can we celebrate today? What in Beulah Youth can we celebrate?

THE MAIN POINT

The Disciplines bring about a transforming work in our lives, which leads to genuine joy. We are to celebrate this transforming work together, dwelling on the goodness of God.

THE BIBLE

Philippians 4:4-8 (CSB), Philippians 4:6 (KJV), Luke 2:10 (CSB), John 15:7 (CSB)

THE CONTEXT

As we close this series on the Spiritual Disciplines, let us review what we have already learned:

We have split the Disciplines into three separate groupings:

The first is “inward” which includes meditation, prayer, fasting, and studying the Word. We label these Disciplines as being “inward” as they are all actions we practice independently from others in order to deepen our relationship with God, personally.

The second is “outward” which includes simplicity, solitude, submission, and service. We label these Disciplines as being “outward” as they are all actions we practice openly to others to reflect a life devoted to God and His church.

The final grouping is “corporate (together)” which includes confession, worship, guidance, and celebration. This grouping is called “corporate” as these Disciplines are to be practiced corporately, meaning within the church body.

Confession is expressing our sins and failure to God and others in the process of forgiveness. This is because the heart of God is the desire to give and to forgive. To worship is to open our hearts to the love of God and to devote our will to the purpose of God. Guidance can be described as being led by God through the Holy Spirit, Scripture, reason, and circumstances to His purposes and plans. This, along with worship is done together as a church.

Celebration, the discipline we will be focusing on today, is at the heart of the way of Christ. Christ’s arrival to this world was announced with jubilee: “I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” (Luke 2:10 CSB) Christ’s gift to His disciples in His time on earth was this same joy: “I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.” (John 15:11 CSB)

The carefree spirit of joyous festivity is lacking in today’s society. An indifferent and at times a pessimistic attitude plagues many. Sometimes, we turn to avenues other than obedience through the Disciplines to find joy, but this is not the TRUE joy that comes from Jesus. In the spiritual life, only one thing will produce true joy, and that is obedience to God.

Joy is the end result of the Spiritual Disciplines’ work in our lives. God brings about the transformation of our lives through the Disciplines, and we will not know true joy until there is a transforming work within us.

The apostle Paul called the church in Philippi to: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Phil. 4:4 CSB)

How do we compose ourselves for this rejoicing? Paul says: “don’t worry about anything” (Phil. 4:6 CSB) or as the King James Version puts it, “be careful for nothing.” Jesus also said: “Do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on” (Matt. 6:25). When we trust God, we are free to rely entirely on Him to provide what we need. When we develop a relationship with Him through the Disciplines, we can trust in Him to provide us with what we need. We can “care for nothing” and rejoice in all He has done and will do.

“In everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, [we] present [our] requests to God.” (Phil. 4:6 CSB) Our relationship with God leads us to trust in Him as our provider and, as a result, the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will [guards our] hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:6 CSB)

Placing our trust in God allows us to be “care-free”, living a life of joy and practicing celebration. How, then, is celebration practiced? We find this answer in Paul’s summary: “Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things.” (Phil. 4:8 CSB)

When we choose to dwell on the goodness of God and this life He has given us, we will find ourselves no longer being so plagued by the troubles of today. The decision to set the mind on the higher things of life is an act of will. That is why celebration is a Discipline.

THE CORE

As you prepare the core of the message using personal story and questions keep in mind these points:

• Some may look to other avenues but only one thing will produce true joy is obedience to Jesus.
• Joy is the end result of the Spiritual Disciplines’ functioning in our lives. Practicing these disciplines will bring about a great transformation in the life of a believer.
• Placing our trust in God allows us to be “care-free”, living a life of true joy and practicing celebration. However, this trust is not always easy to give and is developed through the disciplines.
• The discipline of celebration is setting the mind on the higher things of life as an act of will. This requires practice as well as determination.

THE APPLICATION

As you prepare the application, challenge and/or encouragement, keep in mind these points:

• Consider leading a time of “laying down” one’s troubles, trusting in God for His faithfulness.
• Reflect on what the Lord has done. Share and Celebrate it! (e.g. your life, the church, school, at work, sports team, family, youth ministry)
• Encourage students to begin to record their prayers and where the Lord has answered them to develop an even greater trust in Him, becoming more “care-free.”