That Your Joy May Be Full
3rd Sunday of Advent, 2003
Scripture Ref: John 16:24, 15:10-11, 17:13, 14:13-14
Acts 2:25-36
Romans 15:13
2 Timothy 1:4
1 John 1:3-4
2 John 1:12
Additional References: The Bible Knowledge Commentary
New Bible Dictionary
New Topical Textbook
1. 3rd Sunday of Advent Candle Lighting
a. Last Sunday we lit the candle of peace. We light it and the candle of hope again as we remember that Christ will come again and bring to the world everlasting peace.
b. The third candle of Advent is the Candle of Joy. It reminds of the joy that Mary felt when the angel Gabriel told her that a special child would be born to her - a child who would save and deliver his people.
c. God wants us all to have joy. The angel who announced to the shepherds that Jesus had been born told them: "Do not be afraid. I am bringing you good news of a great joy for all people - for to you is born this day, in the City of David, a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord."
d. We light this candle to remember that Christ brings the promise of a new life - a life in which the blind receive sight, the lame walk, and the prisoners are set free. We light it to remember that He is the bringer of true and everlasting joy. (Light the 3rd candle.)
2. Introduction
a. Lighting the 3rd Advent candle sets the theme for today’s message—joy.
b. The Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) record the note of joy associated with the proclamation of the good news of the kingdom in its many different forms: for example, at the Savior’s birth in Luke, at the triumphal entry in Mark and Luke, and after the resurrection in Matthew.
c. In the Fourth Gospel Jesus, Himself, communicates this joy, and it now becomes the result of a deep fellowship between the church and Himself, as told in John.
d. In Acts joy marks the life of the early church. It accompanies the gift of the Holy Spirit to the disciples, the miracles performed in the name of Christ, and the fact and report of the conversion of the Gentiles; it also characterizes the Lord’s Supper.
e. But what is this thing called “joy?”
(1) Webster’s 1990 Collegiate Dictionary: (1) the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires—delight, (2) a state of happiness or bliss.
(2) Webster’s 1828 Dictionary: The passion or emotion excited by the acquisition or expectation of good; that excitement of pleasurable feelings which is caused by success, good fortune, the gratification of desire or some good possessed, or by a rational prospect of possessing what we love or desire; gladness; exultation; exhilaration of spirits. To rejoice; to be glad; to exult.
(3) New Bible Dictionary: The Hebrew and Greek words translated joy imply its outward expression, and less usually, intense joy. In both the Old and New Testament, joy is consistently the mark both individually of the believer and corporately of the church. It is a quality, and not simply an emotion, grounded upon God himself and indeed derived from him, which characterizes the Christian’s life on earth, and also anticipates eschatologically the joy of being with Christ for ever in the kingdom of heaven.
3. That Your Joy May Be Full
a. Today’s society tells us we should be happy and full of joy, and then proceeds to tell us of all the wonderful products and experiences available to us to reach that end.
b. Christ had a completely different point of view on this subject.
c. Read John 16:24—Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
(1) In the verses surrounding this passage, Christ has been telling the disciples of future events and how they will change the disciples’ relations with Him.
(2) Since Jesus would not be with them physically (in that day means after His Ascension), they would not be able to ask Him questions, but the Holy Spirit would help them.
(3) The words in My name are not a magical formula that allow the user to automatically get what he asks for; instead those words tied the requests to the work of the Son in doing the Father’s will.
(4) Prior to this, the disciples had not prayed in the name of Jesus. Now they are to do this since Jesus’ death and the Spirit’s coming would enable them to enter into God’s new program of the Church Age.
(5) Answered prayer brings complete joy because God is at work in them.
4. How Is Our Joy Made Full?
a. Through the Favor of God
(1) Our joy is made full through the favor of God in that He sent His Son, and His Son was resurrected and ascended back into heaven as all the prophecies and He had foretold. Therefore, He is able to do all the other things He told us He would—namely that physical death would be the end of our existence.
(2) Read Acts 2:25-36
(3) These verses include four proofs of Christ’s resurrection and ascension.
(a) The prophecy of Psalm 16:8-11, as recounted in vv. 25-28 of this passage.
(b) The witnesses of the resurrection.
(c) The supernatural events of Pentecost.
(d) The ascension of David’s greater son.
(4) Peter’s point is that since David, the patriarch and prophet was dead and buried, he could not have been referring to himself in Psalm 16:8-11; so he must have been writing about the Christ and His resurrection.
b. Through Faith in Christ
(1) It is through our faith in Christ, empowered by God to be our Savior, that we obtain salvation and life eternal.
(2) Read Romans 15:13—May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
(3) Paul wanted God to fill his readers with all joy and peace.
(4) Joy is equated to the pleasure of anticipation in seeing our hopes fulfilled. Peace comes from the promise that God will fulfill our hopes. Both of these, joy and peace, are experienced as believers trust in Him.
(5) As a result, we, as believers, overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
c. Through Abiding in Christ
(1) Think back to when you were young adults and in love for the first time. What made you the happiest? The answer is obvious, being near the one who had captured your heart.
(2) The same is true when it comes to our relationship with Christ. Being near Him, next to Him, part of Him, brings us joy.
(3) However, it goes deeper than this. What brings the greatest joy is not just being in His presence or near Him. It is doing what He has commanded us to do that brings the greatest joy.
(4) Read John 15:10-11—If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed 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.
(5) As a believer, we should be motivated by the miracle of Jesus’ love, which is patterned after the Father’s love in its quality and quantity.
(6) “Remain in my love” may sound mystical, but Jesus makes it very concrete. Obedience to the Father’s commands is the same for a disciple as it was for the Son.
(7) Active dependence and loving obedience are appropriate and necessary for us as God’s children if we are to follow the model Christ set for us.
(8) Jesus’ great joy came from pleasing His Father by living a fruitful life.
(9) The purpose of His teaching is to give us an abundant life, not a joyless existence. His commands for us to obey are for our joy.
d. Through the Word of Christ
(1) What has the greatest impact on you, the profound words of a great speaker heard second or third hand, or directly from the “horses mouth?” The answer is obvious.
(2) Such is the case with Christ. The words of Christ were recorded, under the inspiration of the Holy Sprit, by those who were close by Him and had experienced Him. Because these recordings were Spirit-inspired, it is as though Christ were speaking directly to us.
(3) Read John 17:13—I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.
(4) The words of comfort spoken by Jesus are of great benefit to us. We can now recall His words and experience the full measure of His joy.
(5) Joy comes to us because we know from His words that He has conquered the evil one and brought eternal life to us.
e. Through Answers to Prayer
(1) Look again at John 16:24—Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
(2) Now look at John 14:13-14—And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
(3) Wow! Let me say that again, “Wow!!!” What a statement, what a promise, what a gift. Whatever we ask in His name he will grant so that he may bring glory to His Father.
(a) This is not a magical wishbook where we get all of our desires fulfilled.
(b) These “boons” have a specific focus, they are, rather, those things we ask that enable us to carry on His work here on earth.
(4) Think back to a time when you agonized in prayer over something very near and dear to your heart. Now add to that memory the joy you felt when that prayer was answered.
(5) Finally, a pop quiz, describe for me, in 20 words or less, exactly how you felt when that prayer was answered.
(6) Our joy is full through and because of prayer.
f. Through the Communion of Saints
(1) First let me ask, what is a saint? Now I will give you the answer. Look around the sanctuary at all the people here. You have just looked at a saint. Scripturally, as born-again believers, we are the saints of God.
(2) Second, communion, in this case, is not referring to the Lord’s Supper, but rather communicating, visiting, and worshipping with fellow believers.
(3) Let me give you some examples.
(a) Read 2 Timothy 1:4—Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy.
(b) Read 1 John 1:3-4—We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.
(c) Read 2 John 1:12—I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.
(4) Much as John the Baptist leaped for joy in his mother’s womb at the entrance of Mary, who was pregnant with Jesus, we too are joyful when we meet with fellow believers.
(5) The spirit in us is joyful in the presence of the spirit in fellow believers.
5. Summary
a. It is amazing and astounding when we look at all the means Christ has placed at our disposal to remain full of joy.
b. We can continuously reflect on God’s favor that has been draped on our shoulders.
c. If that is not enough, we can reflect on what our faith has gained us through Christ’s substitutionary death on our behalf. We didn’t have to pay the price, yet we get to reap the benefits.
d. If that is not enough, we can seek His face and His presence, and He will meet us right where we are—no questions asked, no strings attached.
e. If that is not enough, we can talk directly to Him and ask things of Him with the assurance that He will listen and will answer (His time, not ours).
f. And, finally, if you’re a really hard customer and all of that is not enough, you can pick up the phone or hop in your car and go visit with a fellow believer. You can share what you are feeling and know that that believer can offer so much more than just empathy; he or she can offer God’s love.
g. Given all this, how can you not be full of joy? We should all have as our theme song “Joy to the world, the Lord has come!”
6. Invitation
