1) First, notice He says something about (His joy) “My JOY”
2) Secondly, notice He says something about “Our joy.”
What I want you to see HIS JOY and OUR joy is suppose to be the same.
God wants us to have the same kind of joy that He has. He wants that joy to REMAIN in us seven days a week.
The Lord gives us His JOY each day, but the devil tries to rob us of it each day. He generally use two things to rob us of OUR JOY.
(1)Sometimes he will use circumstances or things in our life to rob us of OUR JOY.
Illus: Makes me think of "Granny" Parker wshowas in her mid 70’s. She had trouble with her rooster!
She was a godly woman who could "pray heaven down." Like anyone, Granny has had her share of sorrows and pain. She had a rooster that she described by saying, “He was as mean as Satan himself.”
She said, “That bird had decided that I didn’t belong in the yard with all "his" hens.” Whenever she ventured too close to the hen house, he’d come flying at her with spurs thrashing and slashing. He got her a few times.
Sometimes she went to church with her legs bleeding from this rooster attacking her. When folks asked her what happened, she would say, "That blame rooster done it again!"
But granny was getting tired of that rooster. One day she ventured out the back door toward the hen house, calling, "Here chick-chick. Here, chick." The hens knew what that meant, and they all came on the dead run for chow. That old rooster came too. He was bent on protecting his territory, but he made a slight miscalculation.
You see, over seventy years of handling problems, weather, crop failures, depression and stubborn barnyard animals, made Granny a formidable foe with a hoe. She watched out of the corner of her eye as that rooster came squawking and flapping his wings she was ready for him. At the last second, Granny said "Make-My-Day" Parker sidestepped the leaping rooster and swung the hoe, and next Sunday he was Sunday dinner!!!
We all have our roosters. We all have those irritating circumstances of life that rob us of the joy of the Lord if we allow it.
But sometimes satan will use…
(2)People to rob us of our joy.
That is, he will use people to enter our life that takes great delight in stripping every ounce of joy that they can extract from our life.
They spare no effort:
• They will drive across town if there is something they can do to make our life miserable.
• They will walk in the rain and snow for miles, if there is something they can do to make our life
miserable.
• They will spend the last dollar they have, if they can do something to make our life miserable.
While circumstances and people might be doing everything they can to make our life miserable, each day the Lord Jesus does everything He can do to make our life JOYFUL.
Illus: A Hindu trader in India once asked a missionary, "What do you put on your face to make it shine?"
• With surprise, the man of God answered, "I don't put anything on it!”
• His questioner began to lose patience and said emphatically, "Yes, you do! All of you who believe in Jesus seem to have it. I've seen it in the towns of Agra and Surat, and even in the city of Bombay."
• Suddenly the Christian understood, and his face glowed even more as he said; "Now I know what you mean, and I will tell you the secret. It's not something we put on from the outside but something that comes from within. It's the reflection of the light of God in our hearts.”
Look again at John 15:11, we read, “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”
Even he Lord is telling the truth or He is lying to His disciples. I believe He is telling the truth.
The joy we Christians have within us is the JOY OF THE LORD that He has provided for us.
NOTICE, it does not say He gives us HIS HAPPINESS!
Some folks think that JOY and HAPPINESS are the same, but they are not.
Happiness come from happenings.
Illus: Some day we can get up.
• The sun is shining
• There is not a pain in our body
• Even the dog that normally takes one look at us and growls, is wagging his tail like he is glad to see us
Everything HAPPENS to fall in place, and we find ourselves HAPPY!
• Happiness comes from without, but
• JOY comes from within
• Our HAPPINESS depends on HAPPENINGS
• Our JOY DEPENDS ON JESUS
I might not be happy about what's happening in my life, and I might even shed some well-deserved tears, but on the inside, I can be joyful because of my relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Lord wants to give us HIS JOY because He LOVES US, and He knows it is critical to our SUCCESS AS A CHRISTIAN.
• WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE HAPPENINGS IN OUR LIVES!
• But WE DO HAVE CONTROL OVER OUR JOY!
Illus: Remember when Nehemiah was rebuilding the walls in Jerusalem? He had a great deal of opposition in this endeavor. He literally had people making fun of his ability to do such a job. The men that helped him had to face this ridicule on a daily basis.
But notice what Nehemiah said to them. In Nehemiah 8:10, we read, “Then he said unto them…FOR THE JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH.”
DID YOU GET THAT? The JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH!
• One reason we have so many weak Christians today is because they have allowed the devil to rob them of their joy
• One reason today we have so many Christians who cannot influence people to come to know Christ, is because as they look at the misery in their life, they are afraid if they accept the Lord they will be the same way
You and I can only be effective for Christ if we have the JOY OF THE LORD. Based on the Word of God, we know that it is the will of God for His joy to remain in us.
WHAT KIND OF JOY IS IT?
I. IT IS A PRESCRIBED JOY
He said, “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you…”
Before we can appreciate a verse of scripture, we have to put it into the context in which it was written. Such is the case in this verse of Scripture where He speaks about His joy that He wants to remain in us.
For example, He spoke these words after they had left the upper room. The disciples were very sad for a number of reasons. Why? He had just told them some very alarming things in the upper room.
He dropped three devastating bombs into their lap:
(1) HE DEALT WITH A DISPUTE
In Luke 22:24, the disciples had been arguing among themselves as to who was the greatest.
After their ridiculous debate, they had a chance to:
• Get away from the hustle and bustle of Passover week
• Take off their dirty sandals
• And sit down
Any one of these bragging disciples could have decided to take the first step and wash the feet of their fellow disciples. But it is not one of the disciples, but the Master who decides to do the washing of the feet.
Foot washing was such a menial task, that not even Jewish slaves were expected to do this lowly job. Only the Gentile slaves were forced to do such things.
But while these big shot disciples were fussing over who is the greatest among them, what a shock it must have been that the Lord felt obligated to wash their dirty feet. The lesson here for us as Christians, is not foot washing, but humility.
What a shock it must have been that the Son of God knelt at their feet ,and washed their dirty feet. SUCH HUMILITY!
THIS WAS A SHOCKER! But also look at another shocker -
(2) HE DEALT WITH HIS BETRAYAL
In the second part of the Upper Room discourse, as the disciples are settling in now, still a bit surprised no doubt about the foot-washing, Jesus drops another bomb into their laps.
He says in verse 21, "But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table."
Even impetuous Peter wouldn’t just blurt something out this time. The disciples were all so shocked, the only thing they wanted to know was, "Lord, who is it?"
But already in shock with the things they are facing this day -
(3) HE DEALT WITH HIS ASCENSION
He was preparing to depart and go back to the Father and leave them behind.
Needless to say, THIS WAS NOT A GOOD DAY:
• These disciples were sad
• These disciples were worried
• These disciples were afraid
What does He say to them in this condition?
Look at John 15:11again, we read, “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”
Jesus who walked among them Who was full of joy said IAM GOING BACK TO HEAVEN BUT I AM NOT TAKING MY JOY BACK TO HEAVEN WITH ME. I WANT IT TO REMAIN IN YOU THAT YOUR JOY MIGHT BE FULL.
Many have the idea that when Jesus walked on earth he always HAD A STRAIGHT FACE, BUT THE WORD OF GOD DOES NOT TEACH THAT.
Illus: Every Hollywood movie that is made of Christ you never see him smiling or laughing.
But we know that He was a JOYFUL PERSON because no one is going to follow someone if they are FULL OF SADNESS…NO ONE!!!
Illus: This is why some christians can never lead anyone to the Lords because NO ONE WANTS WHAT THEY HAVE!!!
Jesus is the great physician, and it is as if Jesus was writing a prescription for these sad, depressed disciples.
He was saying to them, even though you are sad, "If you do what I tell you, you will be able to experience the JOY OF THE LORD even during difficult times."
WHAT DID HE PRESCRIBE FOR THEM?
(1) HIS PRESCRIPTION FOR JOY INCLUDED LOVING OTHERS
Look at John 13:34-35, we read, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
You cannot have JOY IN THE LORD unless you love others. A person that is full of hate is a miserable person.
(2) HIS PRESCRIPTION FOR JOY INCLUDED LEARNING TO REST IN THE LORD
Look at John 14:1, we read, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.”
A person that is not trusting in God is a miserable person.
(3) HIS PRESCRIPTION FOR JOY INCLUDED OBEDIENCE
In John 14:15, we read, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
A person that is not keeping the commandments of God is a miserable person.
God tells us we have to…
• Love others
• Learn to rest in the Lord
• Obey His commandments
If we want to experience the JOY OF THE LORD in our life…
It is A PRESCRIBED JOY.
Also…
II. IT IS A PERMANENT JOY
He said, “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might REMAIN IN YOU….”
Notice the words “remain in you”. God wants you to have His joy every day of your life.
The word “remain”, meno, (pronounced as men'-o) means abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain.
Notice the word PERMANENT MEANS SEVEN DAYS A WEEK GOD WANTS US TO HAVE THE JOY OF THE LORD.
Remember happiness come from HAPPENINGS but JOY COMES FROM WITHIN.
Illus: The reason that many churches have no joy in their church services is because joy is suppose to be permanent seven days a week.
And many christians believe they can serve God six days a week singing, O SAY BUT IAM SAD and when they come to church God is going to drop JOY IN THEIR LIFE.
Joy of the lord is suppose to be permanent and when you come to church you are suppose to bring your joy with you.
Psalms 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
GOD WANTS HIS JOY TO REMAIN IN US AT ALL TIMES!
• This is why in James 1:2-4, we read, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
• This is why in Romans 8:28, we read, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
God wants us to manifest this joy.
• Every one of us knows someone who needs the Lord Jesus as his Savior. Stop and think. What kind of a billboard are you for Christ? Can they see the joy of the Lord in the midst of adversity?
• Does your joy in Christ shine through in spite of difficult circumstances?
• If you're just as miserable as anyone else when things don't go you're way, why should anyone want your Joy?
These verses remind me that not only is His joy permanent, but it will get better when we see Jesus face to face.
It is great in the NOW AND NOW, but it will be even better in the SWEET BY AND BY!
• His joy is a PRESCRIBED JOY, a
• PERMANENT JOY, but also-
III. IT IS A PREEMINENT JOY
“These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”
Look at the words, “…joy might be full”.
Psalms 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
The Lord not only wants us to have joy, He wants us to be so FULL OF JOY, that there's not room for any sorrow. It was never Jesus' intent that He’d have a bunch of grumpy disciples.
Illus: Song – Joy unspeakle
• When the disciples first saw the risen Lord, they were joyful. John 20:20
• When the early church gathered there was an attitude of joy. Acts 2:46-47
• These early believers were even joyful when they were persecuted for the sake of Christ. Acts 5:40-41
And may I remind you again, that you cannot have fullness of joy in your life without the fullness of the Holy Spirit in your life. (Romans 14:17 Romans 15:13)
His joy is a:
• PRESCRIBED JOY,
• PERMANENT JOY,
• PREEMINENT JOY.
But also-
IV. IT IS A PERSONAL JOY
Look at Psalm 16:11, “…in thy presence is fulness of joy.”
WHERE CAN YOU FIND JOY?
The Bible says, “IN THY PRESENCE IS FULNESS OF JOY”.
The Lord Jesus has the franchise, and if you ever hope to have joy in this life you will need to come to Him.
This explains why:
• When we spend time at the feet of Jesus, we leave with joy
• When we come to church where the Lord has promised to be in the midst of two or three who have gathered in His name, we leave with joy
On the inside, each of us should have a sense of joy. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? We must learn to live in the PRESENCE OF GOD.
Illus: Do you know why happily married couples have happy marriages? They stay close.
Do you know how to remain joyful as a Christian? Stay close! Abide! Talk to Him, and let Him talk to you without ceasing.
The reason that many Christians are so sad today is because they do not spend enough time in His presence.
We have looked at some JOY BUSTERS. Before closing this important sermon about the joy of the Lord let me take a few minutes and show you some…
II. JOY BUILDERS
When the lost world attends the house of God, they should be able to see something that the world cannot provide.
Illus: William Treadwell said, “If we can convince people that we are onto something that's full of joy, they'll stampede one another to follow us.” (William Treadwell, Leadership, Vol. 1, no. 3.)
WHY DON’T CHRISTIANS REFLECT THE JOY OF THE LORD?
Several reason:
(1)Fake Joy
Now some folks have a fake joy!!!
Illus: Years ago when the PTL club came into existenc I watched it sometime. I was always captured by the audience when they first came on he air. People were smiling, clapping their hands greatly rejoicing.
And Jim Bakker would talk about they had something that the Baptist folks did not have and I thought maybe they do because I have never been in a Baptist church that seem so excited about the Lord.
My wife and I was out of town one week end and we were coming by the PTL club and I asked her did she want to stop by and check these folks out.
When we we arrived their were thousands of people there. But before the service they acted just like we Baptist act talking and fellowshippng with each other. NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY!!!
I set in the back and to be honest with you I did not want anyone to see me there.
But they announced the service would soon be starting and everyone found them a seat. These people who looked just like us Baptist people just sitting there and they had a count down signs went up in the front for everyone to stand up rejoicing in the Lord.
And sure enough these ordinary christians all of a sudden started smiling, rejoicing with their hand up in the air!
So I thought that is how they do it! It was a big put on like they do in Hollywood telling everyone to stand, clap and be happy!
God is not talking about a PUT ON JOY!
He is talking about a PERMANENT JOY FROM WITHIN THAT WE ARE SUPPOSE TO HAVE IN THE GOOD TIMES AND BAD TIMES.
God wants people to have HIS JOY ALL WEEK LONG! And when they come to church they bring that joy with them.
The Bible tells us we are to enter into his court with THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE. This tells us that we are to bring our joy into the house of God.
Another reason many churches do not have HIS JOY is…
(2)Because they are convinced that God never intended for the church to be full of joy. No church will ever be effective in reaching the lost until they have the JOY OF THEIR SALVATION.
Illus: C.H. Spurgeon said to a young group of preachers, “There are more flies caught with honey than with vinegar, and there will be more souls led to heaven by a man who wears heaven in his face than by one who bears death in his looks."
Listen, the joy I am talking about is not generated by …
• Coming together and giving each other the high-five
• Cutting cartwheels down the aisles IT IS SIMPLY AN INNER JOY that comes from within and is reflected in the faces of God’s People, whether they are in church or out of church.
Illus: A Christian was praying aloud at the altar and he was praying, “God when I got saved I had such wonderful joy, restore unto me the joy of the Lord.”
Another man heard him praying this prayer and he prayed, “God don’t answer that prayer, because he will just let it leak out again!”
Many Christians seem to have a hole in their bucket of joy -- it keeps leaking out before they enter the worship service!
Illus: King David understood God intented us to have joy seven days a week when he sinned he lost his joy. He prayed for God to RESTORE UNTO HIM THE JOY OF HIS SALVATION. Notice, he did not pray for God to restore his salvation, but restore his JOY!
The reason he did not pray for God to restore his salvation after he sinned because salvation is everlasting, but joy is not!!! Satan can rob you of your joy but not your salvation.
God’s Word gives us ways to experience this JOY FROM WITHIN. How? We need to
A. RECOGNIZE GOD AS A JOYFUL GOD.
Many have unscriptural views of God. That is, they think of God as sitting on His throne with a frown on his face and ready to destroy anyone that crosses Him.
Illus: That reminds me of a man who says that one particular event cured him of being obnoxious in a restaurant. He had ordered a steak well done. When they brought it to him and he cut into it, it was rare. It was still bleeding. So he waved at the waitress and said, “Come here, come here.” She came and he said, “This steak is too rare.” So she took it to be cooked some more. When she brought it back, he cut into it again, but they had overcooked it.
Again he waved for the waitress, “Come here. Look, it’s almost burned to a crisp.” So she took the steak, and brought him another one! He started cutting it, and then waving once again for the waitress, he complained, “It’s too tough. I can’t eat it.
Take it back. So she took it back and brought him yet another one. With the waitress standing there, he cut into that steak and it was just right.
She walked away. Then he cut into his baked potato, and it had a black spot in it. Turning to the waitress, he said, “Look at this potato. It’s a bad potato.”
Then she picked the potato up (Spanking it as she said) “Bad potato! Bad potato!” and placed it back on his plate and said “If you have any more trouble with that potato, just let me know,” and she walked off.
He said that was the last time he ever complained in a restaurant.
Some folks are hard to please and they always have a frown on their face.
Many think God is like that. They think He always has a frown on His face and He never smiles.
Listen I have never seen God and neither have you. So how do we know what God is like?
We can only get a true description of God as we turn to the Word of God, and His Word tells us about Him.
• Look at Zephaniah 3:17, we read, “The LORD thy 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.”
• Psalm 104:31 says, “The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall REJOICE in his works.”
• Isaiah 65:18-19, “But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and JOY IN MY PEOPLE…”
God is a God of Joy!
Illus: Garrison Keillor said, “Some people think its difficult to be a Christian and to laugh, but I think its the other way around. God writes a lot of comedy, it's just that he has so many bad actors.” (Garrison Keillor, presentation at Goshen College, quoted in Reflections, Christianity Today.)
Listen, do not tell me God sits around and frowns all the time. God has a sense of humor.
• When God gave these children all this energy and we old timers don’t have much energy to take care of them, do not tell me God does not have a sense of humor.
• When God made the giraffe with that long neck, do not tell me He does not have a sense of humor.
• When God painted all those funny looking stripes on a Zebra, do not tell me God does not have a sense of humor.
• When God made a bullfrog, do not tell me God does not have a sense of humor.
If we have little or no joy in our lives, it could very well be because we don’t know the God of the Bible well enough, because joy is one of His character qualities.
As we view God this way, we will discover that He takes great pleasure in us.
One of the Joy builders in life is to RECOGNIZE THAT GOD IS A GOD OF JOY.
Also, another joy builder is:
B. REAFFIRM YOUR COMMITMENT TO OTHERS
Illus: You may have heard the acrostic for JOY: • J - Jesus First • O - Others Second • Y- You Last
When a person lives a life like that, they are going to begin to bear the fruit of the spirit. There will be JOY in their life.
• The first joy builder is vertical, and has to do with how we view God.
• The second joy builder is horizontal, and has to do with how we view each other.
Many folks could have more joy in their lives if they could learn to treat others the way the Bible teaches we should treat others.
Ephesians 4:32 teaches; “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”
Notice, this verse of scripture says we are to treat each other with kindness.
There are so many ways we can be kind.
Illus: In 1994, Thurman Thomas, head bowed, with his hands covering his face, sat on the Buffalo bench following his team's fourth straight Super Bowl loss. His three fumbles had helped seal the awful fate of his Buffalo Bills. Suddenly, standing before him was the Dallas Cowboys' star running back, Emmitt Smith. Just named MVP for Super Bowl XXVIII, Smith was carrying his small daughter. Smith looked down at her and said, "I want you to meet the greatest running back in the NFL, Mr. Thurman Thomas." (Allen Mann, Remington, Virginia. Leadership, Vol. 15, no. 4
One of the greatest ways to spread joy is learning what to say and not to say.
Illus: It was his first day on the job. He was a new clerk in the green goods department of a super market. A lady came up to him and said she wanted to buy half of a head of lettuce. He tried to dissuade her from that goal, but she persisted.
• Finally he said, "I'll have to go back and talk to the manager."
• He went to the rear of the store to talk to the manager, not noticing that the woman was walking right behind him. When he got into the back of the store, he said to the manager, "There's some stupid old woman out there that wants to buy half a head of lettuce. What should I tell her?"
• Seeing the horrified look on the face of the manager, he turned about and, seeing the woman, added, "And this nice lady wants to buy the other half of the head of lettuce. Will it be all right?"
• Considerably relieved, the manager said, "That would be fine."
• Later in the day, he congratulated the boy on his quick thinking. He then asked, "Where are you from, son?"
• The boy said, "I'm from Toronto, Canada, the home of beautiful hockey players and ugly women."
• The manager looked at him and said, "My wife is from Toronto."
The boy said, "Oh, what team did she play for?" (Bruce Thielemann, "Because," Preaching Today, Tape No. 105. )
If we are going to have JOY in our life, we are going to have to learn how say nice things to others. Notice the Bible said, “And be ye…tenderhearted.”
The opposite of being tenderhearted is to be HARD HEARTED.
Also we are told, “…be ye…forgiving one another.” People are going to do you wrong, and if you do not learn how to forgive, you will soon live in a world of few people that you speak to or have anything to do with. If we’re serious about drinking deeply out of the rivers of joy, we must learn how to be KIND, TENDERHEARTED AND FORGIVING to others. We can’t do it alone.
Romans 12:15 challenges us to, “Rejoice with those who rejoice…” Happiness only comes when good times come, but joy can come even in the bad times.
Illus: This reminds me of what Matthew Henry, a Bible scholar from the 1700’s, wrote in his diary after some thieves robbed him and took his wallet: “Let me be thankful:
• First, because I was never robbed before.
• Second, because, although they took my wallet, they did not take my life.
• Third, because, although they took my all, it was not much.
• Fourth, because, it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed.” God wants to give us JOY during all times of our life.
Conclusion:
Guard yourself against those joy busters that crash into your life like a tidal wave.
Identify one joy builder that you need to work on and attack it viciously.
We have seen that there are . . .
I. SOME JOY BUSTERS
II. SOME JOY BUILDER
