Joy Unspeakable

JOY UNSPEAKABLE & FULL OF GLORY

Reading: 1 Peter Chapter 1 (NIV)

Text: v8 (AV) ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

Background

The apostle Peter, wrote to the Jewish Christians who had been scattered due to persecution around the time of the stoning of Stephen, during the period prior to Saul's conversion (Acts 8v1-4).

It’s a letter of encouragement to these Christians going through much trouble and trial, especially concerning their present sufferings and their future glory.

The text in v8 is familiar but "What is that Joy Unspeakable and Full of Glory?" and "How can this be a real experience in our own daily Christian lives?"

Introduction

The phrase is written literally in Greek as "you exult with joy unspeakable and glorified" The Amplified Bible is a little more explicit: "and exult and thrill with inexpressible and glorious (triumphant, heavenly) joy."

The immediate context of this verse is "Though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him..."

The wider context is that these Christians were experiencing with serious difficulties and troubles.

They had been scattered by persecution with all the deprivations and trials disrupting their lives;

they were living literally in exile from their homes and families; they were suffering big problems where they were presently living yet their faith and their trust in God were unshakeable.

No wonder they had the joy that comes down from heaven; that glorious joy that’s too great to be expressed in words; a joy that others can know nothing of.

Three points:

1. What is this Heavenly Joy?

2. Why you can experience this Special Joy

3. How you can receive this Unspeakable and Glorious Joy.

These believers were already experiencing this supernatural joy. It was already theirs. Peter here was making it plain so that they could see and understand amidst their earthly problems and trials.

As Christians in this world, we’re standing against falling standards and general acceptance of many things contrary to the Christian and the Bible way. It's hard work to stand uo for Christian values and not be influenced by the continual peer pressure of what is now generally accepted as “normal”.

But for these Christians of Peter’s time and for us today, we are encouraged to stand firm in our love FOR Christ; in the power of faith and trust IN Christ; and sustained by the Unspeakable Joy OF Christ.

We need to stop, be still, and look up from our difficulties or oppositions. We can renew our love for Christ, hold fast tour faith and trust in Christ, Than we will begin to experience that special spiritual peace and joy of Christ in our hearts. The peace that passes all understanding and the joy and power of being children of the Living God. This peace and joy comes wrapped in the glory of heaven.

1. WHAT IS THIS HEAVENLY JOY?

It is firstly a sense of belonging.

R A Torrey of Moody Institute fame; Reuben Archer Torrey (28 January 1856 – 26 October 1928) was an American evangelist, Congregational pastor, educator, and writer.

I quote from one of his illustrations:–

of a young woman who wore a locket that she would never allow anyone else to open and look into. Everyone thought it was a romantic thing and her loved one was pictured inside. Eventually this young woman died. When her locket was opened it contained no picture of a young man, no sweetheart. What it contained was a small slip of paper with these words:- "Though I have not seen Him, I love Him."

The Lord Jesus Christ was her only object of love and heart's devotion. She had gone to be with the one she loved most, her unseen but beloved Saviour. Can we proclaim that today? Having not seen Him we love HIM?

We belong to Jesus; we can have a sense of belonging. A deep inner experience of belonging to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

It's a belonging that was established by God long before you were born; even "BEFORE the foundation of the world!" You can't have a belonging more certain and secure and eternal than that.

The hymn writer Norman Clayton put it like this (and we sang it earlier in this service):-

Jesus my Lord will love me forever,

From Him no power of evil can sever;

He gave His life to ransom my soul.

Now I belong to Him!

Now I belong to Jesus

Jesus belongs to me,

Not for the years of time alone,

But for eternity.

Joy floods my soul, for Jesus has saved me,

Freed me from sin that long had enslaved me;

His precious blood He gave to redeem.

Now I belong to Him!

Now I belong to Jesus