Unbridled Joy
The Search for Happiness • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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HOW TO HAVE UNBRIDLED JOY
I try to make it a point to take about 10 min at the end of each evening to help my daughter straighten up her room.
After a particularly rough day, I sat down on the floor of her room to help her sort thru her dolls and I had muttered “I really don’t have the juice for this tonight…”
Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 2837 Epigram on Joy
2837 Epigram On Joy
• It takes 72 muscles to frown—only 14 to smile!
• He deserves paradise who makes his companions laugh.
My daughter left the room and returned a few minutes later with a cup of apple juice for me.
“We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.”
Frederick Keonig
Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 2824 Joy Is the Flag
Principal Rainy, of whom a child once remarked that she believed he went to Heaven every night because he was so happy every day, once used a fine metaphor about a Christian’s joy. “Joy,” he said, “is the flag which is flown from the castle of the heart when the King is in residence there.”
These words have been made into a popular chorus.
Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 2814 Joy: Beneficial in Every Way
Scientists have been studying the effect of laughter on human beings and have found, among other things, that laughter has a profound and instantaneous effect on virtually every important organ in the human body. Laughter reduces health-sapping tensions and relaxes the tissues as well as exercising the most vital organs. It is said that laughter, even when forced, results in beneficial effect on us, both mentally and physically. Next time you feel nervous and jittery, indulge in a good laugh.
“These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.
He is talking with His apostles. He loves them. Having loved His own.
I. YOU MUST KNOW THE SOURCE OF JOY, JESUS! (My joy)
Deep sense of reconciliation to God; Acceptance with God; The adoption and close relationship with God. That is what Jesus offers here to the apostles and now to you and me.
II. YOU CAN RELY UPON A STRENGTH THAT REMAINS UNDIMINISHED BY CIRCUMSTANCE. (in you)
A. It Is Steadfast in Sorrow
Now for example, we are going to have sorrow. Don’t think that when I’m talking about being a joyful Christian, you aren’t going to have sorrow. Jesus, who was the Jesus of joy, was also the man of sorrow. There is no contradiction there. I have some sorrow in my heart right now over somebody that I love very much, who is going against the things of God, but I have joy. There’s no contradiction. The Bible says in that God gives us “the oil of joy for mourning” (). That means in the time of mourning, in the time of broken-heartedness, that God just pours in the oil of His joy. And Jesus said here in —turn to and look at it: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice:”—now watch it—“and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy” (). Isn’t that wonderful?
B. It Is Triumphant in Tribulation
What I’m trying to say is that this joy—this joy—that Jesus gives is steadfast in sorrow. But not only is it steadfast in sorrow; it is triumphant in tribulation. Not only are you going to have sorrow; you are going to have tribulation. I mean it’s tough. But Jesus said, “In this world, you shall have tribulation” (). But let me tell you what the Apostle Paul said in . He said, “I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulations”—“I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.” So you are having tribulations. You say, “How do you expect me to be joyful, going through what I’m going through?”
You are like that little old lady who said, “If God gave me tribulations, then I think He expects me to tribulate.” And so you just tribulate.
Well, Paul said, “I am joyful.” He said, “I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.” This is the same Paul that sang praises to God at midnight in the Philippian jail with rats and vermin and sewage on the floor. At midnight he is singing praises unto God. Be joyful in tribulation.
C. It Is Abundant in Affliction
So this joy—I’m talking about this steadfastness of this joy, the stability of this joy. I’m saying it’s steadfast in sorrow. I’m saying that it is triumphant in tribulation. I’m saying that it is abundant in affliction. Let me give you another verse——and this is what Paul said: “And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word”—now watch it—“in much affliction, with joy of the Holy [Spirit].” You have some affliction, okay. But there is also the joy. It is steadfast in sorrow. It is triumphant in tribulation. It is, ladies and gentlemen, abundant in affliction.
Listen to it again: “Having received the word in much affliction, with joy.” The afflictions may come, the afflictions may go; but Jesus is still there. And if you get your joy from Jesus, then your afflictions are not going to take away your joy. I’m not saying that the afflictions are good. I’m not trying to minimize the afflictions. I’m not trying to minimize your bereavement. I’m not trying to minimize the things that people have done to you.
Joe Scriven came from Ireland, Joe Scriven, to be a missionary to the Iroquois Indians over 100 years ago, and he loved God with a full heart, loved God, I suppose, as much as anybody in this room loved the Lord. He left his fiancée in Ireland; she was a beautiful lass. He loved her so much; they were going to get married. Finally, she sailed across the ocean and met this young missionary. They were planning their wedding, but shortly before the wedding she was killed in a tragic accident. And here was a man that loved God. He had to bury his fiancée with his own hands.
Later on, he wrote a letter home to his mother; a year later, he wrote these words—we love to sing them:
What a Friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer. (Joseph M. Scriven)
That’s exactly what Paul had learned to do.
D. It Is Lasting in Losses
Not only, dear friend, was it triumphant in tribulation; but I want to tell you that it was lasting in losses. This joy—let me give you another verse: Hebrews chapter 10, verse 34: “For ye … took joyfully the spoiling of your goods” (). How many of you right now are in a business that’s failing? Some of our contractors are having businesses that are folding up because of the high interest rates. Some of you right now are out of work, some of you have been laid off, and the joy is gone out of your life. Do you know why? Because you were getting your joy from your job. I’m not saying it’s easy to be laid off. I’m not saying it’s easy to see a business fold up in front of you. I’m not saying it’s easy to see your goods go. But listen to what the Bible says here in Hebrews chapter 10, verse 34: “Ye … took joyfully the spoiling of your goods.”
Why? Because we have treasure laid up in heaven; we have a treasure that this world cannot spoil. And I want to tell you, ladies and gentlemen, that if you get your joy in anything else other than the Lord Jesus Christ, when something happens to that thing, your joy is going to go. But nothing is going to happen to Jesus, and the joy that you have is to be received from Christ—that His joy might be in you, and therefore, that your joy might remain.
III. The Sufficiency of This Joy
Now I want you to notice something else. Not only the source of that joy, and not only the stability of that joy, but let’s read it again: “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” I want you to think about the sufficiency of that joy. Full joy, all that you need, is in the Lord Jesus.
, verse 11, is a good one. Listen to this: “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore” (). Isn’t that a wonderful verse? Listen to it again: “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore.” Or speaks of those of us who “rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.” Jesus said, “that your joy might be full.”
Now you see, these other things can give you joy in one area of your life, but unless you have joy in Jesus, your joy is not full. You get joy in money—your joy is not full. You get joy in friends—your joy is not full. You get joy in family—your joy is not full. You get joy in fame—your joy is not full. Only fullness of joy is found in Christ. You see, let me tell you about Jesus. Not only is Jesus necessary; Jesus is enough—Jesus is enough.
People are always searching; they don’t know what they’re looking for. I heard about a man who used to who played the cello, and rather than moving his fingers up and down, he just put it in one spot, and kept sawing like this, and never moved his fingers. Somebody said to him, “Why don’t you move your fingers like everybody else does?” He said, “They are looking for it. I’ve found it.”
Well, I want to tell you something, friend. People are looking for something that I have found, and that you have found, and anybody has found who has found the Lord Jesus Christ. Fullness of joy is only in Christ—in Christ. “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore.” St. Augustine put it well when he said, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in thee.” And so there is, dear friend, the sufficiency of this joy. It is not just mere joy; it is fullness of joy.
Adrian Rogers, “A Recipe for Joy,” in Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive (Signal Hill, CA: Rogers Family Trust, 2017), .Persecuted, not abandoned. Rejoice in all things. Because it ALL about Jesus. Whether He be made known or not.
Be careful when your cup of happiness is full, you or someone else doesn’t jog your elbow?
III. YOU CAN HAVE JOY SAPPED IF YOU DON’T SURRENDER. (may be in… may be made)
The most miserable person on earth will not be the sinner partying or separated from family or friends. It will be the Christian who has tasted the joy of the Lord and has walked out of sweet fellowship with the Lord.
F B Meyer story about his key ring.
Have you ever noticed that someone else has a joy, cheerfulness, a real power and humility that you do not have? Have you noticed that others seem to handle situations in life better than you do?
Today let us consider what F.B. Meyer (pastor and author [early 1900s]) said about himself in his book, The Christ-Life for The Self-Life.
“Sixteen years ago I was a minister in a Midland town in England, not at all happy, doing my work for the pay I got, but holding a good position amongst my fellows. Hudson Taylor (famous missionary to China) and two young students came into my life. I watched them. They had something I had not. Those young men stood there in all their strength and joy.
I said to Charles Studd (another well-known missionary):
“What is the difference between you and me? You seem so happy, and I somehow am in the trough of the wave.”
He replied:
“There is nothing that I have got which you may not have, Mr. Meyer.”
But I asked:
“How am I to get it?”
“Well,” he said, “have you given yourself right up to God?”
He looked at me with those eyes which are as a flame of fire, and said, 'Are all the keys there?' I said, 'All but this, and I cannot give it; but I am willing for Thee to take it' and He took it at that. Then they were all His."
I winced. I knew that if it came to that, there was a point where I had been fighting my deepest convictions for months. I had lived away from it, but when I came to the Lord’s table and handed out the bread and wine, then it met me; or when I came to a convention or meeting of holy people, something stopped me as I remembered this. It was the one point where my will was entrenched. I thought I would do something with Christ that night which would settle it one way or the other, and I met Christ.
I knelt in my room and gave Christ the ring of my will with the keys on it, but kept one little key back, the key of a closet in my heart, in one back story in my heart.
He said to me:
“Are they all here?”
And I said:
“All but one.”
“What is that?” said He.
“It is the key of a little cupboard,” said I, “in which I have got something which Thou needest not interfere with, but it is mine.”
Then, as He put the keys back into my hand, and seemed to be gliding away to the door, He said:
Jesus must have all the keys of our heart - nothing held back. He must be at the center of our purpose and desire in life.
(Turning Point Daily Devotional, 11/6/03)
“My child, if you cannot trust Me with all, you do not trust Me at all.”
I cried:
“Stop!”
…and He seemed to come back; and holding the little key in my hand, in thought I said:
“I cannot give it, but if Thou wilt take it Thou shalt have it.”
He took it, and within a month from that time He had cleared out that little cupboard of things which had been there for months. I knew He would. May I add one word more? Three years ago I met the thing I gave up that night, and as I met it I could not imagine myself being such a fool as nearly to have sold my birthright for that mess of pottage.
I looked up into the face of Christ and said:
“Now I am thine.”
For if we desire to have that which we know we do not have, we can have it, but we must ask and we must surrender all. And if we will surrender all, then we too will have the peace, love, and joy of Christ. Just think how many people could be affected by the outcome.
IV. WHEN YOU ABIDE, YOU WILL BE SUPPLIED. (made full)
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.
john 15:4
Fruit of the Spirit… Love, joy. Notice that Love comes first, and then joy. You can’t have joy without loving Jesus.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Fruit of the Spirit… Love, joy. Notice that Love comes first, and then joy. You can’t have joy without loving Jesus.
A fascinating study on the principle of the Golden Rule was conducted by Bernard Rimland, director of the Institute for Child Behavior Research. Rimland found that "The happiest people are those who help others." Each person involved in the study was asked to list ten people he knew best and to label them as happy or not happy. Then they were to go through the list again and label each one as selfish or unselfish, using the following definition of selfishness: a stable tendency to devote one's time and resources to one's own interests and welfare--an unwillingness to inconvenience one's self for others." (Rimland, 'The Altruism Paradox,' Psychological Reports 51 [1982]: 521) In categorizing the results, Rimland found that all of the people labeled happy were also labeled unselfish. He wrote that those "whose activities are devoted to bringing themselves happiness...are far less likely to be happy than those whose efforts are devoted to making others happy" Rimland concluded: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." (Ibid, p. 522).
Martin & Diedre Bobgan, How To Counsel From Scripture, Moody Press, 1985, p. 123.
JOY can only be expressed as Jesus first, Others blessing them, relating to them in Christ’s character, and then you will find yourself in joy.
“My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.
John 15:8-9