Joy In Sorrow Series

There’s an old and ancient Chinese proverb which says, if you wish to be happy for one hour, get intoxicated. If you wish to be happy for three days, get married. If you wish to be happy for eight days, kill your pig and eat it. If you wish to be happy forever, learn to fish. (Chinese proverb, James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited, p. 277)

Evidently that Chinaman got more pleasure out of his pig than his wife.

Be that as it may, it brings up an age-old question: Where do we find a lasting happiness? Where do we find real joy, not just for the moment, but a joy that lasts forever even through the hard times?

Martin Rinkert was a pastor in 1636 during the Thirty Years War. It was probably one of the worst wars in the history of the world in terms of the sheer number of deaths, epidemics, and economic results. In a single year, this pastor buried 5,000 people in his parish – about fifteen a day. It was a terrible time.

And yet, during that time, Martin Rinkert wrote a table grace for his children, that is in our hymnbooks today. It goes like this: “Now thank we all our God With hearts and hands and voices, Who wondrous things has done, In whom his world rejoices.”

I don’t know about you, but if I'd spent the year conducting 5,000 funerals, I’d find it very hard to write a song of thanksgiving for my children. Why is it that those who have the least to thank God about thank him the most? (Joel Gregory, "The Unlikely Thanker," Preaching Today, Tape No. 110)

Tell me. Where do they get their joy? Where do they find gladness in the midst of such pain? Where do they find true happiness in the midst of such great sorrow? Well, Jesus told us where to find joy in sorrow in John 16. So if you have your Bibles, I invite you to turn with me to John 16,

John 16:1-6 All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you about them. I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you, but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. (ESV)

The future doesn’t look too bright for these followers of Jesus. He tells them He’s going away, and He warns them of persecution. Sorrow has filled their heart – lit., pain has filled their heart. Even so, they can find joy in the midst of sorrow; they can find gladness in pain.

John 16:7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. (ESV)

This “Helper,” this “Comforter” is none other than the Holy Spirit Himself. So…

FIND JOY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT.

Find gladness in the Spirit of God himself. Find true and lasting happiness in your Holy Helper, especially in troubling times. He’s the One who comes along side you to encourage you, to comfort you, and to defend you before your accusers. Specifically, the Holy Spirit has a two-fold ministry.

First, He convicts the unbelieving world. He shows them the truth of God for what it is. He exposes their sin and convinces them of their need for a Savior.

John 16:8-11 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. (ESV)

Do you know what that means? You don’t have to argue. You don’t have to prove yourself. That’s the Spirit’s job! All you need to do is present the truth and let the Holy Spirit do His work. He is your Helper in terms of your witness to the world.

Bible scholar and pastor N.T. Wright talks about an archbishop, who told the story of three hardened teenagers, who one day for a laugh, went into the confessional booth at a local Catholic church. They confessed to a long list of ridiculous and grievous sins that they had not committed.