Message Recap: Inside OUt ~Ron Klabunde

Inside Out is the story of a happy, go lucky girl from Minnesota whose life gets turned on its head when her dad’s job moves them to San Francisco.
 
What we see throughout the movie is the interaction of her emotions.
 
Specifically the emotions of…

• Joy
• Sadness
• Anger
• Disgust
• Fear

 
God is a God of Joy. Joy is the central emotion of God. God is consumed with Joy.  God wants us to experience joy. He wants our joy to be complete.
 
A child’s emotions are based on extremes. They are either happy, or angry, or sad, or afraid. A child’s emotions tend to be on or off. When emotions are good, behavior is good. When emotions are bad, behavior is bad. And this is not limited to children. We do this as adults too.
 
At the end of the movie, Joy gives a voice to her other emotions. Her emotions integrate and collaborate. Her emotions work together. Her joy is no longer driven by her circumstances. She is no longer driven by pleasure. She grows in emotional intelligence.
 
As our emotions integrate, we come into complete joy. The complete joy that Jesus talks about.
 
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 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. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 
John 15:9-11

• God wants your JOY to be complete!!!
• He wants your JOY to be abundant!!!
• He wants you to experience the fullness of JOY!!!

 
So how does our joy become complete?
 
1. For joy to be complete, you must first understand that you are a beloved son / a beloved daughter.  
Unfortunately, this is not the reality for many people.

• It is the father who was present, but not engaged in your life.
• It is the child who seldom hears the words, “I love you.”
• It’s the child whose parents’ divorce and they blame it on themselves.
• It’s the child who has known abuse and didn’t get their parent’s protection.

 
Parents: If you want your children’s joy to be complete, you must create a safe and secure environment for them by helping them understand they are a beloved son/ daughter.
 
If we want to experience the fullness of Joy, we must realize we are beloved sons / daughters of God. We must realize that all good and perfect gifts come from God because we are his beloved sons / daughters.
 
This unconditional love sets the stage for integration of our emotions.
 
God wants you to have JOY.
God also wants you to have PLEASURE.
 
In that order.
 
When we find our joy in God. When we rest in the joy that comes by living as beloved sons and daughters we are able to enjoy the good gifts that God gives us and enjoy his pleasure.
 
However, we often destroy our own joy with we reverse the priority of Joy and Pleasure.
 
When we pursue our own pleasure over the joy that comes by living as the beloved sons / daughters of God, we sin.
 
2. To understand this and have our joy be complete, we need to see that sin always separates. 

• Sin separates us from others.
• Sin separates us from God.
• Sin separates our emotions.

 
We have all heard others say, “I can’t live with myself.” Perhaps you have said this yourself. Where does this come from? It comes from the regret of sin. Sin separates us within. It separates our emotions.
 
3. To have our joy be complete, we have to live in the values of Jesus. 
When we live in obedience to what Jesus teaches us, life works. When we live according to the values of heaven. Our joy will be complete. Jesus doesn’t invite us to obey him to abuse us or constrain us. Jesus teaches us how to live to set us free. Jesus teaches the values of heaven so that our JOY can be complete!
 
You are a beloved child.
 
Sin separates.

Life in the values of the gospel that Jesus teaches, brings fullness of joy.
 
Ask Yourself These Questions:

• What childhood, teen, or adult life experience prevents you from seeing yourself at a beloved child?
• What pleasure are you pursuing that is sabotaging your joy?
• What action step must you take to experience complete joy?