We'll
learn: In this SOAR Trio, we'll see some glimpses of God's blessings
for teens (and us), that defy our vocabulary to fully explain.
John
15:11 and 1Peter 1:8 usher us into the SOAR Trio of our Teen Bridge
trios. We might call this our 'Over-The-Top' trio. Our vocabulary and
minds are stretched to their very limits in trying to describe each
part of this 'Over-The-Top' trio. What other things, come to your
mind that are almost indescribable? How can we then learn what they
tell us?
This
'Over-The-Top' SOAR Trio is sorely needed to be passed on to our
teenage generation with their appetites for challenge and
achievement. But even deeper, is for teens to see God's provision and
ability toward them, we'll see in a moment. Sadly, most every
faith-based youth training group teaches almost nothing about these
'Over-The-Top' principles and promises. Fancy technology presents
infographics and demographics about youth and their needs. But
scriptural bedrock foundational principles are skipped over, leaving
the young listener hungry and alienated.
Full
Joy is that level of character and living that makes us most
Christian; most 'Christ-like'. Jesus tells us, in John 15:11, that
we're given the same joy that Jesus has and it comes through
scripture, and its proper use. Excitedly, we see this joy will remain
in us and ends the verse with the expected result. This stated
result - 'joy might be FULL' adds an almost mysterious dimension to
this joy. 1Peter 1:8 labels this full joy as 'joy unspeakable'. Jude
24 gives another aspect of this joy that could only come from God and
His deep abiding 'parent-passion' for each of us.
Our
Full Joy definition touches on just one of the many facets of
'unspeakable' Full Joy.
Full Joy is to savor our expanding joy as we consistently
give sacrificially in service and substance in God's will.
Our meager definition tells us that Full Joy is best known through experiencing God's bountiful blessing as we give sacrificially.
- The boy must have experienced full joy as he gave his 5 loaves and 2 fish to Jesus to feed the hungry 5000+ multitude, and then see 12 baskets-full left over.
- The widow must have experienced full joy as she filled barrels with God's abundance from her having sacrificially given the remaining food to Elijah that she was preparing for she and her son before they starve.
- How about the Jews giving sacrificially to build the tabernacle and the city of Jerusalem?
- Though wracked with unspeakable pain, Our Lord must have felt full joy as He completed His mission, for His heavenly Father, in shedding His blood on Calvary.
It should be understood giving sacrificially is not some kind of painful investment program where I give a little expecting to get back a whole lot more. It's our willingly cheerfully giving sacrificially, because that's what Jesus did. Full Joy is also experienced, in the knowledge of the other two 'Over-The-Top' principles of God's great grace to us as we trust and serve Him.
