Children to be dismissed for children's church. So, we'll give them a second to follow miss Katie out. Amen. Alright. Yeah.

We're going that way this this morning, Ryan. Alright. Amen. Ephesians two, eight and nine again. Ephesians two, eight and nine.

We jump back into our series on what good works. What good works. Ephesians two, eight, nine, and ten, for by grace are ye saved through faith and yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Let's go to the Lord in prayer once more. Dear heavenly Father, thank you, Lord, for your wonderful grace. Uh-huh. Thank you, Lord, for your love for us and your mercy that has given us this opportunity to know you, to have eternal life and the forgiveness of our sins, and Lord, to praise your name together here in this place for the grace of God that has been bestowed upon us. Lord, thank you.

And we pray indeed that you would be honored, that if there be one today who is yet to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as savior, that today would indeed be their day of salvation. In Jesus' name we do pray. Amen. So good works, which God hath before ordained or prepared that we should walk in them according to them. What good works are we talking about?

Well, first of all, we're not talking about good works that save you because good works cannot save you. We can only be saved by grace through what? Through faith. We're not saved by works. We are saved by faith.

However, God saved us by grace through faith that we might do what? Good works that bring glory to him as his children in this world. If the only reason God saved you was to take you to heaven, where would you be? You'd be in heaven. But you're not there, right, at the moment, are you?

You're not in heaven. We're still here on earth. Why? That we might bring glory to God. Let your light so shine before men that they might see your, what?

Good works and glorify your father which is in heaven. So what kind of good works are we talking about? Well, in the last few weeks, we've looked at a few different descriptions of these works, good works that are obedient works. Jesus said, if you love me, keep my commandments. So good works are obedient works that demonstrate our obedience to our Lord and savior.

Good works are honest works. They are honest and true works. They good works are kind and caring works. We looked at that last week. The good works that God desires to to demonstrate in our lives are kind and caring works.

And good works are joy filled, hopeful works also. Joy filled or joyful works. And that's what we're gonna look at this morning. What kind of works? Joyful works.

Up on your screen, you see Psalm one eighteen, verse 24. It says, this is the day that the Lord or which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it. So does anybody remember that little song from when you were a kid? Any of you sing, this is the day that the Lord has made. This is the day.

This is the day that the Lord has made. That the Lord has made. We will rejoice. We will rejoice and be glad in it and be glad in it. This is the day that the Lord has made.

We will rejoice and be glad in it. This is the day. This is the day that the Lord has made. And so we sing that with the kids to remind them that they can have joy, that they should have joy in Jesus Christ every day because every day is a day that the Lord has given us by his grace to serve him, to know him. And we should what?

What's the emphasis on that verse? We should rejoice and be glad in it. I oftentimes have to remind them, now don't scowl at me when you're singing, you know, be glad in it. So be glad in it. What kind of good works are we talking about that bring glory to our father in heaven that give testimony to our salvation in Christ?

They are not works done in discontent. They're not works done in frustration. They are not works done in drudgery, but with what? But with rejoicing and great joy. It's just not just the work itself, but the attitude behind the work that also brings glory to God, that also demonstrates and testifies to the work of God in our life.

In second Corinthians nine seven, it says this, every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give not grudgingly or of necessity for God loveth a what? A cheerful giver. So it's not just the giving that's important. It is the willingness of heart. It is the joy with which that gift is given in gratitude to the Lord who gave us his only begotten son.

God loveth a cheerful giver. In Habakkuk three eighteen, it says, yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my salvation. If you help out in joy club, then you should have that verse memorized by now because we have been saying it every Wednesday for four years. Okay?

That is our theme verse for joy cup joy club. Yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my salvation. Thus, we are given the main reason that we should have joy because it is demanded that you have joy. No.

Doesn't work that way, does it? No. Because of our what? What's the verse say? Our salvation.

Now, we above all other people on this earth have a very good reason to be overflowing with what? With joy. Because I have a home in heaven. Because I have a savior that's walking with me day by day. I've been forgiven of all my sins.

That that weight that I was carrying, Jesus Christ bore that for me on the cross of Calvary, and it has been lifted from my shoulders. I can put my head up on my pillow at night and not have to worry should I not wake up on this earth, what's going to happen to me? Because God says he'll never leave me nor forsake me, and he has prepared a place for for me that believe, all those who believe in him, who are kept by his grace and power. God is my deliverer from sin and death and hell. God is the giver of eternal life and forgiveness, and he is my constant stay.

When everything is going great, he's there and he's in control. When everything is going wrong, he's there and he's in control. And he's not going to abandon me even when my faithfulness falters. I have and you as Christians, we have a great reason and great many reasons to be filled with joy, which testifies to the world around us that there is something special in knowing Jesus. There really is.

They they they need to see that as well as hear it. Good works are done with joy and cheer and gratitude. Works like praising the Lord in song. At church together or at home or while you work or wherever it may be, praising the Lord in song. Is that a good work?

Yeah, it is. It's a good work. It is a work that brings glory to God. And again, if you're doing it out of a heart filled with joy, which you should be, it doesn't feel like a work. Okay?

Because it just it just bubbles up and it flows, which it should. Sometimes we focus on other big works. You know, we do this thing, do that thing, go to the mission field or teach or a Sunday school class. Those are good works that God has called some of us to do. God has called us all to be witnesses, but God has called us to make a joyful what?

Noise unto the Lord. And most all of us can make a joyful noise. For some, the noise may be a bit more pleasant than others to those behind us or in front of us, it's all pleasant to the ears of who? It's all pleasant to the ears of God. Few verses.

You think this is important to God? I think it is. Let's look at we could go on just a few verses here. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness.

Come before his presence with singing. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, into his courts with praise. Be thankful unto him and bless his name. Psalm 40 verse three, he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God. Many shall see it and fear and shall trust in the Lord.

Ephesians four eighteen and nineteen. And be not drunk with wine where is in excess, but be filled with the spirit. What is one of the the evidences of being filled with the spirit? Well, it tells us. Here we go.

Same verse. Speaking to yourselves in what? Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. You want to know what being filled with the spirit looks like? It looks like a congregation of people with a smile on their face, lifting up their voices in song and praise, genuine joy and praise of the Lord.

Hebrews thirteen fifteen, by him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name. Philippians four four, rejoice in the Lord always. And again, I say, rejoice. I've been leading singing for longer than I've been preaching. I guess about the same amount of time, though I was youth pastor and music director for twelve years in Georgia before I came here.

And I've had good days and bad days. I've had good weeks and bad weeks, but I don't remember ever once standing on the platform and leading people in song and feeling miserable because God gives us a joy in Jesus Christ. And it is a beautiful testimony of his grace to sing together his praises. It is a wonderful opportunity we have been given to praise his name. And it's hard to do that if you're miserable, bitter, and ungrateful.

And hopefully, that's not you today. Because God desires good works, And one that all of us can do is lifting up our voices in praise. Christians lifting their voices in praise of their God and thanksgiving and hope is a good work which need not be overlooked or minimized. God obviously wants us to sing and make merry in our hearts the right reasons, among which is the abundance of God's grace, which we, his children, are so blessed to enjoy every day. Number two, another way we can demonstrate the joy of the Lord is in prayers of thanksgiving.

Philippians four, six, and seven. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Be anxious or careful for nothing. In other words, don't worry.

Don't be overwhelmed. Don't carry around that huge worry on your shoulders. Instead, take it to who? Take it to the Lord Jesus with a heart of what? Gratitude and thanksgiving and joy.

Joy and thanksgiving, they go what? They go hand in hand. If your heart is full of gratitude towards the Lord, it's going to be full of what? Joy. And one of the ways that we can demonstrate that joy is in prayer.

Is in prayer. And not just just asking God to do this and this and this, but but but talking to God and thanking him. And then the request that we make, making them with joy knowing that the God who answered prayers last week is the God that'll answer prayers next week in gratitude for all that he has already done. God does not owe us. We owe him.

And every answered prayer and every new day and every new mercy and grace that he bestows upon us is a gift from God for which we should be grateful and full of joy. That should lead us to get on our knees in our prayer closet at home before the Lord and praise his name. Our father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Should cause us to lift up our voice publicly in prayer for all that he has done for us. Prayer is an important work and one which can be done and should be in a heart full of gratitude and joy.

Paul said, I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, all way in every prayer of mine, for you all making request with what? With joy. Paul says, I pray for you all the time. And as I pray, I am filled with what? Filled with joy.

Joy, what God is doing in the believers in the Macedonian city of Philippi. Paul couldn't be with them, but he could pray for them. And when he did, he remembered what God did, and and he recalled what God was doing, and he was filled with joy in his prayers. And we can do the same. Good works like testifying before others of God goodness and grace can also be done with joy.

What an opportunity you have been given. What an opportunity I have been given to testify of the grace of God that we have received. What a reason for rejoicing that we have and an opportunity we have been given to tell the world about who? About Jesus. First Peter three fifteen, Peter writes, but sanctify the Lord in your hearts and be ready always, always to give an answer.

To every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. Be ready. Prepare yourself always when the opportunity arises to tell others the reason for the what? For the smile that's on that's on your face. Why why are you filled with hope when others are not?

Back a few years ago, we had something called COVID that invaded our country and our lives and and people were quarantined and and so many people, you could see the fear and misery on their face. But that shouldn't have been the face of the child of God because COVID is no match for my savior. It isn't. And my joy is not determined by what contagion is being passed around or whether I have to wear a mask for a while or not, which I intend not to ever do again if at all possible. I don't know if you had glasses.

Every time I breathed out, it fogged up my glasses. Boy, this is terrible. I just oh, this is the most miserable thing having to wear that silly mask. But you know something? If you're a child of God, you shouldn't have been living in fear for a year because you have Jesus.

You have Jesus. You have a home in heaven. He will never leave you nor forsake you. And now, as then, you have the opportunity to tell others why, why you're not so afraid, why you're not so miserable, why why you're not in the depths of despair. Used to be a few years back, we had a a fellow named Steve.

Came nearly every Sunday morning. It it was a two hour or better chore for him just to get ready to come to church because he came in a wheelchair. He had been partially paralyzed due to a stroke. And for several years, he would motor in on his wheelchair. He rode from, about a quarter mile down the road on his wheelchair, to get here, motor in, and he would sit about six rows back on this side of the aisle over here.

And you know something? Steve never showed up at church without a smile on his face. How was that? The joy of the Lord that was where? In his heart.

And because of that, God gave Steve opportunities and he did not pass them up to tell others why. When he didn't ride his his wheelchair here, he would get on the bus and ride the bus here. And all the time, he would tell me about people he talked to on the bus as he was traveling church or he was traveling other places of the joy of the Lord that was his strength. And what a privilege we have been given to be the ambassadors of Jesus Christ and to share with others the joy of the Lord. I think of Paul and Silas in Acts chapter 16.

They went to a city. They preached the gospel, and some of the people got mad at them. A matter of fact, they got so mad at him, they took him before the judge and they threw him where? They threw him in prison. And they beat him and put him in chains.

And at midnight, what were Paul and Silas doing? They were testifying of the grace and joy of Jesus Christ in word and song in the prison. And somebody heard that. Somebody's heard that. The one in particular, the jailer, when the when the cell doors flew open and he was afraid everyone had ran out on him, he came before Paul and Silas and he said, sirs, what must I do to be what?

To be saved. Where where had he heard that? Well, he'd been hearing that for two hours from Paul and Silas while they were chained in the prison talking about the joy of the Lord. What a powerful testimony and an opportunity we have been given. Good works like giving.

We read second Corinthians nine seven earlier. Every man according as he purposed in his heart, so let him give not grudgingly or of necessity for God loveth a cheer ful giver. We have the opportunity to give a little back to the Lord of all that he has given to us. For the work of the ministry, for the to support our missionaries, I think 11 of them right now that are in different parts of the world. They're, you can see on the map back there where they are, and where they're serving the Lord.

And as we preach the word here, they're preaching the word there, and they're part of our ministry, and we're part of their ministry. And it is a joy to partner with them in reaching the world for Jesus. And it's the giving of our people. This little clock thing back here keeps track of how we're doing and making our goal, for missions next year. And it is a joy to give to the Lord and see how God is using that.

God loves a cheerful giver, and it is a wonderful opportunity we have just to give back a little to the Lord of what the Lord has done for us. I wanna read from Acts chapter two and verse 44. Acts chapter two beginning in verse 44. Concerning the first church there in Jerusalem. And the and and all that believed were together and had all things common and sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men as every man had need.

And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart. Notice that word gladness. Praising God and having favor with all the people, and the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. That early church, what what was one of the ways they found to express their joy in helping one another rather than seeing the blessings that God had given to them as things to be tightly grasped and held onto because they just couldn't be happy without that thing, they, in many cases, were willing to part with those things because they saw them as tools to help each other. And in the early church in Jerusalem there, when they converted to Christ, they got cast out of the synagogue.

And those that were poor and those that were widowed, they had needs. And so out of joy and gratitude, what did they do? Well, they helped each other. They helped each other. What a testimony of the grace of our God they demonstrated.

And what a testimony we have. If you noticed, we don't pass the plates anymore. Nothing against passing plates to take up an offering. I think that's good. But when COVID hit, we quit passing the plates and people just started putting their offering up here after we started back.

And our offerings have increased. Just letting you come up and drop your your offering in is before the service, after the service, when we're shaking hands or or when Riot and Ryker head off to children's church, whatever the case may be. And, know, our offerings have increased. Our offerings have increased. And what a joy it is to be able to share in the ministry and to give a little back to the Lord of what he has given to us with a cheerful heart.

Then lastly, we can show the joy of the Lord going through our daily chores with a song in our heart, a smile on our face because each day is a gift from God, every task another opportunity to praise him. You can turn every little task that you do as you go through your day into a good work if you do it with joy in your heart and service to your Lord. To bring glory to who? Bring glory to God. The camp that we used to take teenagers to when I was a youth pastor, before every meal, we would quote first Corinthians ten thirty one.

Whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do, do all to the what? Do all to the glory of God. Do it to the glory of God. Eating becomes a good work. Vacuuming becomes a good that's one that's a hard one for me.

I just don't love vacuuming. I don't know what it is. But, man, especially if I can I can put some some gospel music in my what do you call those things? Earbuds or whatever? It's not a chore anymore.

Do it to the glory of God, and it becomes praiseworthy to the Lord. Psalm one eighteen twenty four again, this is the day which the Lord hath made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Child of God, what is robbing you of your joy in Christ? We should be overflowing with joy in our heart.

But sometimes I don't see it on everybody's face. At times, it might not seem real obvious on mine, especially when I'm frustrated when I'm vacuuming. But what is it that's robbing you of your joy? Is it unrepentant sin? Could be.

It'll rob you of your joy. It'll steal it right away. Is it past failures? You know, we all have those. We all have those.

Past hurts. We all have those. Some more than others. Most definitely. What does Paul say?

Forgetting those things which are what? Behind. I press forward to those things which are before, to the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Maybe pain is robbing you of your joy. Turn it over to the Lord.

He can give you a smile on your face even in the midst of your pain, whether it be physical or emotional. Don't let it rob you of your joy in Christ. Turn them over to Christ. Take your burden to the Lord. There's a song that goes that way.

Take your burden to the Lord and what? Leave it there. And then walk away with a smile on your face and a song in your heart. Now, that's hard to do if you don't know the Lord. That's hard to do if you're carrying around all that weight of guilt and sin trying to earn your way to heaven.

That's hard to do if if you're still under eternal judgment, but there's a way to get out from under all those things. Jesus Christ. Come unto me, all ye that labor and heavy laden, and I will give you rest, peace, joy if you'll come to Jesus. He will take that that guilt, that burden that you bear for he took it upon himself on Calvary. And he will give you in its place eternal life, forgiveness, joy, hope in him.

Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, we thank you, for this day. We thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to come together to sing praises to your name. We thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to preach your word and to be reminded of a good work is a joyful work. And, Lord, that we should most definitely, as your children, have reason to be filled with joy in our heart and praise unto our God, to testify of the grace of Jesus Christ, to look at every chore as an opportunity to bring glory to your name, to come before you in prayer with thanksgiving and joy in our hearts, and to give of ourselves and what you've given to us with a cheerful heart.

Lord, thank you for that opportunity, and thank you for what you've done for us. And, I pray that it would be seen on our faces, in our actions, and in our lives. And, Lord, I pray if there's one here today that is struggling with that joy because they're letting something rob them of it, Lord, I pray that they'd be able to take that to you today and leave it there. I pray that they would take a moment as we sing this hymn of invitation, Lord, to have a talk with Jesus, that you might restore the joy of their salvation. And Lord, if there's one here that is yet to receive Christ that is doesn't have a lot of joy because they're carrying around that burden, Lord, I pray that they would come as we sing this hymn this morning.

We can talk to them and share them by God's grace how they can be saved and shed that burden and receive the joy of the Lord in their life. In Jesus' precious name we do pray. Amen.