Lesson Study — Curch of God 7th Day (CMC)

Saints' Duty of Rejoicing

Scripture Reading: Psalms 97

Psalms 97:1  The LORD reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.
Psalms 97:2  Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.
Psalms 97:3  A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.
Psalms 97:4  His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled.
Psalms 97:5  The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
Psalms 97:6  The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.
Psalms 97:7  Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.
Psalms 97:8  Zion heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of thy judgments, O LORD.
Psalms 97:9  For thou, LORD, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods.
Psalms 97:10  Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.
Psalms 97:11  Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.
Psalms 97:12  Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

Memory Verse:

Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

Introduction:

According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, to rejoice is “to give joy” or “to feel joy or great delight,” The Apostle Paul encouraged the Philippians to rejoice in the Lord. The Scripture then conveys that to rejoice in the Lord is to have joy or delight in the Lord; to feel joy when one thinks of Him and His great mercy and kindness. One can only rejoice if he possesses joy which comes from inside; it has to do with stability and a state of mind and is not dependent on circumstances. That state of mind will enable the saints to endure hardship with rejoicing and to display a positive attitude in all circumstances. The saints must choose to rejoice in order to experience the joy God promises. Knowing that this life itself is a test and trial that one must overcome in order to inherit eternal life; the saints will face life circumstances with rejoicing and in full assurance that if they remain faithful, God’s promises for eternity will come to pass. In addition, the word of God gives assurance that the saints can bear all things for He will make a way of escape. As such, we rejoice in good times and bad times with the same gusto and fervour. The saints must keep rejoicing because suffering as a Christian gives evidence of their union with Christ. When the saints continually rejoice in the midst of suffering, it shows that God, and nothing else, is the great source of their joy.

Question 1. What admonition does the Psalmist give the righteous? Psa. 5:11; 32:11; 68:3.

Psalms 5:11 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.

Psalms 32:11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

Psalms 68:3 But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.

Question 2. Are there reasons and benefits for the believers to rejoice even when persecuted? Explain. Luke 6:23, Acts 5:41, 1 Peter 1:5-9.

Luke 6:23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

Acts 5:41 ¶ And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

1 Peter 1:5  Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 Peter 1:6  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
1 Peter 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
1 Peter 1:8  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
1 Peter 1:9  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Question 3. Evaluate the persona of a joyful Christian? Romans 12:10-15.

Romans 12:10  Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
Romans 12:11  Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
Romans 12:12  Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
Romans 12:13  Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
Romans 12:14  Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
Romans 12:15  Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

Question 4. What is Solomon’s perception of “the gift of God”? Eccl. 3:12,13,22, Eccl. 5:19.

Ecclesiastes 3:12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

Ecclesiastes 3:13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

Ecclesiastes 3:22 Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

Ecclesiastes 5:19 Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.

Question 5. How does the scripture regard murmurings and complaining among the children of God? What are we encouraged to do? Phil. 2:14-16

Philippians 2:14  Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
Philippians 2:15  That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
Philippians 2:16  Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

Question 6. In what ways should God’s people express their gratitude for blessings received? Joel 2:23; Deut. 12:10-12; 16:11; 1 Chron. 16:10.

Joel 2:23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.

Deuteronomy 12:10  But when ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land which the LORD your God giveth you to inherit, and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety;
Deuteronomy 12:11  Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD:
Deuteronomy 12:12  And ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God, ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and your menservants, and your maidservants, and the Levite that is within your gates; forasmuch as he hath no part nor inheritance with you.

Deuteronomy 16:11 And thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are among you, in the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to place his name there.

1 Chronicles 16:10 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.

Conclusion:

Godly happiness is called joy. In the Bible, the word joy is a celebration term. Real joy is not getting what we want to be happy but in realizing that by God’s grace and mercy we receive salvation while we deserve judgment. For such, we ascribe glory to God. When we glorify God, it shows by our actions and attitudes that He is glorious to us, that He is valuable, precious, desirable and satisfying. The greatest and most appropriate way to show that someone satisfies our heart is to rejoice in them. If we find it a pleasure to keep rejoicing, the joy will strengthen our assurance that when Christ comes in glory, we will be with Him and rejoice with Him forever.

Questions