Edna Ferber makes a character in one of her novels say, "I like
people with a splash of splendor in their makeup." Many people
would be surprised to know that this is what should characterize
every believer in Jesus. The world often gets a perverted concept of
Christ just because Christians themselves are victims of false
concepts. So many Christians are brought up to believe that
godliness is such a serious matter that it is incompatible with a life
of laughter and happy delight. Nothing, however, could be further
from the truth.
John Wesley knew what he was saying when he stated, "sour
godliness is the devil's religion." The facts of life will back that
statement up, as well as the judgment of Henry Van Dyke who
wrote, "The lack of vital joy in the church is the chief cause of
indifference in the world. The feeble energy, the faltering and
reluctant spirit, the weariness in well-doing with which too many
believers impoverish and sadden their own hearts, make other men
question their reality and value of religion, and turn away from it in
cool neglect." Joy is the missing ingredient.
The Biblical ideal of godliness is, in both the Old and New
Testament, a life of joy. I counted 187 references to words like joy,
joyful, and joyous. Haufman Kolher in the Jewish Encyclopedia
says there is no language that has as many words for joy and
rejoicing as does the Hebrew. In the Old Testament there are 13
Hebrew roots found in 27 different words for some aspect of joy.
The book of Psalms alone is a treasury of joy and rejoicing, often
even in the midst of great trial and sorrow. There is not the
slightest hint that God has any pleasure in the a gloomy soul. God
is light and in Him there is no darkness at all, and the more we
become partakers of the divine nature the more we will be
completely free from persistent sadness and depression. Jesus told
His disciples to keep their faces bright and alert even when they
were fasting, and not sad and stern like the Pharisees.
The New Testament has even more words for joy. There are 326
terms for joy in the Greek N.T. Paul who suffered great sorrows
and hardships uses 132 of them. He practiced what he preached and
rejoiced in the Lord always, even when he was miserable. Joy does
not depend upon circumstances like happiness, for it goes deeper
and is based on what circumstances can never change. Aldous
Huxley said, "If he were a millionaire, he would finance research
for the ideal intoxicant that would abolish inferiority, fill us with
love for our fellow men, make life seem divinely beautiful, and
enable us to wake up the morning after without any hangover or
damaged constitution." The N. T. says there is not a need for such
research for it is available if we just see it. Paul urged, "Be not
drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit."
The fruit of the Spirit is joy, and this joy which comes from the
Spirit of Christ will enable us to be joyfilled as was our Lord.
Christians seldom recognize that pessimism and sadness can be
sinful. Robert Louis Stevenson was an incurable optimist in spite
of his constant suffering, but sometimes even he could not escape
the snare of depression. But listen to the way he referred to this
state when in 1884 he wrote to his father: "I fear I have been a
little in the dumps which, as you know, Sir, is a very great sin.
There is no more abominable sin then this gloomy, this plaguey
peevishness."
There have been many famous Christians who have been
plagued with a nature easily depressed, but they never accepted it
as anything but an obstacle to be overcome. Charles Spurgeon, the
most famous Baptist preacher, for example, was preaching to his
people on the need for Christian joy, and he made this confession:
"I am the subject of depression of spirit so fearful that I hope none
of you ever get to such extremes of wretchedness as I go to, but I
always get back again by this--I know I trust Christ."
I know that safe with Him remains
Protected by His power,
What I've committed to His hands
Till the decisive hour.
In spite of their depression, men of God have known the joy and
peace of believing. They have never accepted their infirmity, but
fought it with joy.
Pessimism is never an option for the believer. It is of the
kingdom of darkness, and must be recognized as such. Spurgeon
could say after his confession, "There is an obligation upon a
Christian to be happy. Let me say it again: There is a
responsibility laid upon a Christian to be cheerful. It is not merely
an invitation but it is a command. "Be glad in the Lord and rejoice,
ye righteous." "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say
rejoice." In spite of the one thousand and one things that drag us
down and seek to crush our cheer and silence our song, we owe to
God and this sad world a radiant life.
Kierkegaard, the great Danish theologian said to the dead state
church of his day, "Everybody is too serious for me, at heart the
religious man is humorous." The New Testament supports his
conviction, for it is the most joy filled book in the world. Someone
wrote, "It opens with joy over the birth of Jesus, and it ends with a
superb picture of a multitude which no man could number, singing
Hallelujah Choruses. No matter where you open it, amid fortunate
or discouraging circumstances, you always hear the note of joy.
Even when a company of friends gather at a farewell supper, before
their Leader is crucified, he says to them, "These things have I
spoken unto you that my joy might be in you, and that your joy may
be made full." Even when their best friend had gone, the mourners
'take their food with gladness, and with singleness of heart, praising
God.' If they are flogged for their faith, the disciples depart from
the council, 'rejoicing that they are counted worthy to suffer
dishonor for the Name.' When an apostle is put in jail overnight he
passes the time singing, and if you listen to him in his Roman
prison, you will hear him dictating, 'rejoice in the Lord always; and
again I will say, rejoice.' There is enough tragedy in the New
Testament to make it the saddest book in the world, and instead it is
the joyfulest. The religion which expresses itself in this book and
which issues from it, is the most joyful religion on earth."
If you don't enjoy your faith there is something wrong with your
faith or with you. It is hard to sell anything by exhibiting a poor
example. It would be hard for a dirty bum to sell soap, or for a
bald man to sell hair tonic, and it is hard for a joyless Christian to
sell people on the joy of salvation. Paul Tournier, the famous
Christian psychologist says many Christian people have come to a
life of sterility because of false concepts. He writes, "All joy has
been replaced by the pursuit of duty. They have come to the point
of doing nothing that gives them pleasure, as if God, who loves us
never required any but disagreeable things of us! They make
incredible efforts, but win no victories. They are always comparing
themselves with those they look upon as their betters."
But some may be objecting in their minds, you can't be joyful all
the time, for even Jesus was a man of sorrows and acquainted with
grief. This only leads to further confirmation of the truth that the
believer must always be joyful. Jesus said that when we are reviled
and persecuted we are to rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is
our reward in heaven. The Christian is to look always beyond the
sorrow of the present to the glorious reward of the future, and,
thereby, be joyful even in sorrow. Jesus was no less joyful as a man
of sorrows, for we read in Heb. 12:2, "Who for the joy that was set
before him endured the cross." Jesus was the most joyful man that
ever lived, for He was joyful even as He went to the cross.
One of the most laughable perversions in the history of the
church is that which gives us an image of Christ as one who never
laughed or told funny stories. The way some artists picture Jesus
you would think He was a sour and solemn Phariees rather than a
radiant redeemer who walked among men sharing His abundant
life. He was a center of many a banquet; the common people heard
Him gladly; the children flocked around Him and sat on His lap.
Wherever He went He saved and healed and left people with hearts
overflowing with joy. From His birth to His death the good news of
great joy was the major theme of His life. One of the fruits of the
Spirit is joy, and Jesus was filled with the Spirit, and, therefore, was
filled with joy unspeakable and full of glory. Jesus wept with those
who wept. Can we imagine that He did not rejoice with those who
rejoiced? There was no mere splash of splendor in Jesus for He
was splendor incarnate. To be more like Christ is to be more joyful.
Henry Van Dyke wrote, "Every great revival of Christian
power-like those which came in the times of St. Francis of Assi, and
John Wesley-has been marked and heralded by a revival of Christian joy."
John tells us in verse 4 that the second basic reason
for his writing this book was that believers might have fullness of
joy. In other words, joy is a very important quality in a believer,
and this part of the Bible exists for the purpose of increasing this
essential quality. If the truths John writes of in this book do not
add a splash of splendor to our makeup, then we are failing to listen
to the voice of God speaking through this book. The first thing we
want to look at about Christian joy is that-
I. CHRISTIAN JOY CAN BE COMMUNICATED.
Christian joy is not a matter of mere feeling, but is a matter of
fact. It has its basis in knowledge that can be communicated from
one person to another. It all begins with Jesus Himself on the night
of His betrayal. In the upper room that night Jesus taught His
disciples much valuable and eternal truth, and He said in John
15:11, "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might
remain in you, and that your joy might be full." That is a source of
all Christian joy. Jesus said that by His communicating these
truths to the disciples they would share in His joy, and their joy
would be complete. Now John is saying that I am now relating to
you what we heard that these some truths that gave us fullness of
joy might be yours also, and that you too might have fullness of joy.
John is being a channel by which the truths of Christ can be
communicated to us.
The important thing for us to see here is that this process of
communication must go on. No link in the chain must be broken.
Jesus shared His joy with the Apostles; the Apostles shared them
with the believers of their day, and believers of every age through
their writings. Now, believers of every age must continue to share
with those of their generation. Witnessing is not trying to persuade
people to join a society for the promotion of solemnity, and the
prevention of hilarity. On the contrary, we are opening up the very
road they are searching for-the road to joy and happiness and
abundant life. The catch, of course, is we must have fullness of joy
ourselves if we are going to communicate this message to others.
Thy soul must overflow if thou another soul woulds't reach,
It takes the overflowing heart to give the lips full speech.
We sing, "If you want joy, real joy, wonderful joy-let Jesus come
into your heart." But before the unbeliever will respond, he wants
to see this wonderful joy in us who have let Jesus into our hearts. If
you exhibit the joy of the Lord in your life you will need little else to
convince the lost you possess what they want. G Cambell Morgan
told of a Yorkshire girl who gave her life to Christ and became
radiant with His joy. As she was waiting for a train, she walked
back and forth on the platform and several times passed the
window of a wealthy and cultured lady. The lady called the girl
and asked her what made her so happy? The girl told her simple
story of her faith in Christ, and the lady who would have likely
resisted other approaches was melted by the reality of joy and
received Christ as her Savior. You cannot argue with joy.
"Man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." Joy
is the fulfillment of both of these goals at the same time. Christian
joy can be communicated, for its basis is in the reality of the
historical Christ, and it is our highest obligation to the world to
share this joy by communicating it in our lives and with our lips.
The second thing John tells us is-
II. CHRISTIAN JOY CAN BE COMPLETE.
This follows as a natural result from the first point. If Christian
joy is a matter of facts, and a matter of knowing the truth in Jesus,
then once one has all the available knowledge his joy is complete.
In other words, our joy in Christ is only as complete as our
knowledge of Christ. Little knowledge means little joy, and fullness
of knowledge means fullness of joy. John is writing in this book to
give Christians the additional truths they need for completeness of
joy.
We see then that Christian joy is not a matter of feelings, but a
matter of fact. Feelings can change like the wind, but the
foundation on which our joy is based is unchangeable and remains
the same regardless of circumstances. Let the Sun be put out and
the stars cease to shine and it will not effect our joy, for God is still
light and Christ is still Savior, and sin can still be forgiven and we
still have an advocate with the Father. John has recorded for us
truths that cannot help but give fullness of joy for they are eternal
and absolute. Young wrote, "Beware of all joys but joys that never
can expire." The joys that John writes of here are joys in Christ
and they have no expiration date on them.
These truths bring us into fellowship with the eternal and
thereby produce completeness of joy. Joy is the other side of the
coin of fellowship. You have both if you have one. He who has
fellowship with God and His children has fullness of joy. He who
has fullness of joy has fellowship with God and His children. If we
lack joy we can trace the reason to either a lack of knowledge of
what God has revealed to us in His word or to a lack of fellowship.
John wrote this book to fill up both of these lacks that Christian joy
might be full. This ideal is possible to attain in this life. We can be
as joyful as our finite nature is capable of being. The world offers
only fleeting joy that soon burns out and leaves nothing but ashes.
Byron wrote, "There's not a joy the world can give like that it takes
away." Man cannot be satisfied until he has a joy that is complete,
and this can only be found in Jesus Christ.
This completeness of joy does not mean the Christian will never
feel sorrow and depression, and never have bad days. We still live
in a fallen world where we have to endure much that is out of God's
will and is the result of sin and folly and ignorance. I think it is well
for us to consider seriously the thinking of this author:
Leo Rosten in Passions and Prejudices writes, "Once upon a
time(oh blessed time!) sensible men simply knew that life, even at
best, is beset with difficulties, that frustration or disappointment or
defeat is natural and as inevitable as changes in the weather.
There was a time, in short, when we all had the good sense to
realize that discontent, despair, even failure are normal, that
squabbles--between men and women, parents and children-- are
unavoidable; that not everybody was intended by God, or fate, or
biochemistry to be contented all of the time. We even had the good
sense to know that anyone who is happy all the time is nuts. One of
the marks of good sense and good health is precisely the capacity to
be unhappy when reality warrants it--to be unhappy soundly,
without apology or rationalization.
All the people of joy in the Bible also had their sad times and felt
negative emotions. This is legitimate and inevitable. This does not
rob us of joy, when we know in our sadness that weeping last for a
night but joy comes in the morning. In other words bad and
negative feelings are real and we should feel them, but we sin if we
let these feelings become a hindrance to our unchanging joy in the
solid rock that we have in Jesus. The N. T. is filled with Christians
who had terrible times yet always had joy because they had faith
and hope in Jesus, and they believed that in him they would always
come out winners in the end, and often in a short time even.
They believed the promise of Christ to be with them always.
"Yea, I am with thee when there falls no shadow
Across the golden glory of the day,
And I am with thee when the storm-clouds gather,
Dimming the brightness of the onward way;
"In days of loss and loneliness and sorrow,
Of care and weariness and fretting pain,
In days of weakness and deep depression,
Of futile effort when thy life seems vain;
"When Youth has fled and Death has put far from thee
Lover and friend who made the journey sweet;
When age has come with slowly failing powers,
And the dark valley waits thy faltering feet.
"When courage fails thee for the unknown future
And the heart sinks beneath its weight of fears--
Still I am with thee--Strength and Rest and Comfort,
Thy Counsellor through all Earth's changing years.
"Whatever goes, whatever stays,
Lo, I am with thee all the days!"
The goal is not to be joyful because you have no troubles but to
be joyful in the midst of all your troubles. This is what we see in the
N. T. Paul writes in IICor. 7:4, "I am greatly encouraged; in all our
troubles my joy knows no bounds." And it was not just him, but
ordinary Christians did the same, for he wrote of the Macedonian
Christians in IICor. 8:2, "Out of the most severe trial, their
overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich
generosity." They did not have it made at all. They suffered and
were poor, yet were filled with joy and were generous even in their
poverty to help other Christians.
Joy and deep poverty! Truly strange blending.
Fulness and emptiness! Contrasting themes.
Spiritual richness and temporal leanness!
None but the Spirit could wed such extremes.
J. Danson Smith
Completeness of joy does not depend upon life being free of troubles
and trials and a host of things you wish were different, but on your
trust in Jesus.
Oh Christ, in Thee my soul hath found,
And found in Thee alone,
The peace, the joy I sought so long;
The bliss till now unknown.
I sighed for rest and happiness,
I yearned for them, not Thee;
But while I passed my Savior by,
His love laid hold on me.
I tried the broken cisterns, Lord,
But ah! the waters failed.
E'en as I stooped to drink they'd fled,
And mocked me as I wailed.
Now none but Christ can satisfy,
None other name for me;
There's love, and life, and lasting joy,
Lord Jesus, found in Thee!
This is what happened to the once famous athiest C. S Lewis who
found Christ and wrote his autobiography callling it Suprised by
Joy, for in Christ he found the joy he could find nowhere else
though he searched the world over. Only in Him is there
completeness of joy.
This then is to be our goal for the coming year: to aim for
completeness of joy that we might communicate more effectively the
joy of salvation to a lost world. The Westminister Shorter
Catechism has this interesting remark. "There may be orthodoxy,
rectitude, heritage and tithing in the church, but if the note of joy is
not present it is no true church." We want to be a true church and
be authentic Christian witnesses in the coming year and this means
we must grow in our joy. Billy Graham's wife Ruth urges
Christians to enjoy God more and quotes Ps.37 where we are told to
delight ourselves in the Lord.
Ray Ortland, a well-known pastor of our day writes, "We
Christians are abnormal and disobedient if we are anything but
joyous people. We must never think of God as rigid and
emotionless. He has feelings, sorrows, and the Scriptures tell us He
gets angry, has pleasure, and also rejoices. Zephaniah illuminates
the heart of God Almighty to us:
"The Lord they God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save,
he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy
over thee with singing" Zeph. 3:17
Here God is breaking forth as a God of song, our singing Lord,
the God of melody. So few really know Him as this. Do you think of
God this way? Many times our guilty hearts put a stern face on
God. We do Him a disservice, God is not unfriendly and austere. It
takes a glad God to give us glad tidings. Our Father is a God of
joy."
The Bible clearly supports his view, for we read in Ps.16:11,
"Thou dost show me the path of life; in thy presence is fullness of
joy, in they right hand are pleasures for evermore." Ps. 68:3 says,
"Let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God; yea, let
them exceedingly rejoice."
In Rom 14:17 we read, "For the kingdom of God does not mean
food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy
Spirit." There is much more of joy in both testaments, but these are
sufficient to make it clear that it is a Christian duty to be joyful, and
it is a goal we should all aim for to be more joyful until our joy is
complete, making us better witnesses of the Gospel of joy we are to
communicate to the world. May God motivate each of us to make
the coming year, regardless of its troubles and trials, a year of joy
so that in our lives this will not be a missing ingredient.
