THE JOY OF “A MAN OF SORROWS”
INTRODUCTION
A. The story if told of a bigoted Chinese man who had refused to hear a missionary preach. Finally, he surprised the missionary by telling him, “I have decided to hear the words of your religion – I want to hear about Jesus.” When asked why the sudden change, the man said, “I have heard the laughter in your house, and in the houses of my countryman who have accepted what you preach and I want to hear it too.”
B. When people see the joy we possess as a Christian, they will want to know more about Christianity
1. But is we look like we have been weaned on a sour pickle, they world will probably not be interested in what we have to say.
2. Sure there are struggles in Christianity, but to those with the proper perspective, the joys far outweigh the heartaches
C. Notice what Jesus said about the joy He had:
1. John 16:33
a. It is our Lord’s desire that we have peace or joy
b. Even though we are often confronted with difficulties – we can have joy
c. How?! Through the words of Jesus.
2. John 17:13
a. Jesus says He possesses joy
b. This joy is possessed by Jesus even though He suffered greatly
c. Jesus wants us to possess this same joy
d. How can this be accomplished? Through God’s word!
DISCUSSION
A. THE CLAIM OF JESUS TO POSSESS JOY
1. When Jesus talks about the joy He has, He is not referring to that which He had with the Father before He came in to the world
a. Jesus speaks of the joy He had here on earth
b. The joy He had in the shadow of the cross
2. And yet, Jesus suffered much sorrow
a. Isaiah 53:4-7
b. Jesus suffered all this, but still had great joy
c. Paul speaking concerning his own joy says, “As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing…” (2 Cor. 6:10)
d. Romans 9:1-3
1) Though Paul felt this great heaviness of sorrow, we also see that he was a man of great joy
2) We cannot have the same joy of Jesus unless we suffer the same sorrow that Jesus and Paul did
B. JESUS LONGED FOR HIS FOLLOWERS TO HAVE HIS JOY AND THAT THEIR JOY BE FULL
1. This is so because Jesus loves us
a. Why do we crave to make our spouses and children joyful? Because we love them!
b. We want them to be happy
2. Jesus wants us to have His joy because joy is a great safeguard against temptation
a. When one is sitting in a well-light room at night, the darkness cannot penetrate the light – light overcomes darkness
b. Temptation is pushed back by joy
1) When there is joy between husband and wife – no unfaithfulness
2) When there is joy in Christianity – no unfaithfulness
3. Jesus wants us to have joy because joy is a strength in winning others to Jesus
a. Souls gather around joyful people like bees gather around flowers full of nectar!
b. If we are not joyous about Christianity, then we will have little or no success as a personal worker
C. HOW DO WE COME INTO THE POSSESSION OF THE JOY OF JESUS?
1. By having profound confidence in God
a. Even while Jesus hung on the cross He had confidence in the Father
b. Confidence led Jesus to say, “not my will, but thine, be done” (Lk. 22:42)
c. We need to have the same confidence:
1) Paul said we should always be confident … 2 Corinthians 5:6
2) Proverbs 3:26
3) Psalm 118:8
d. When we truly trust in the Lord then passages like Romans 8:28 bring us great joy
2. By thinking about Jesus
a. 1 Peter 1:8-9
1) Though we cannot see Jesus in the flesh we can see Him through the eye of faith
2) We see Jesus in our minds as we think on Him as revealed in the Bible
b. Thinking about Jesus should bring us great joy
1) He suffered – but had joy
2) He suffered to bring us salvation
3. In Christian fellowship
a. The N. T. is full of the simple joy of what can be called “togetherness”
1) It should fill us with joy to be around other Christians
2) Philemon 7
a) Paul had great joy in Philemon’s love
b) Paul was refreshed in Philemon’s care for the saints
b. It must never be forgotten that one of the greatest evangelizing influences in the world is the sight of true Christian fellowship, and one of the greatest barriers to evangelism is the sight of a church in which fellowship has been lost and destroyed
1) Philippians 4:10 – Paul rejoices in his Philippians friends
2) To see Christian fellowship is great, to be wrapped up in it is even greater
3) This should be a major motivating factor be being at all worship assemblies
c. It is a joy to see Christian fellowship reunited
1) 2 Corinthians 7:6-7, 13
2) 2 John 12
4. By soul winning
a. Psalm 126:5-6
b. Bringing the lost to Christ will bring joy to our lives, it will turn tears into joy
c. Luke 15:3-7
1) There is great joy in heaven over a soul won
2) We should have great joy in the same
5. Hearing of the salvation of those whom we don’t even know
a. Acts 15:3
b. Paul and Barnabas caused great joy in the hearts of the brethren in this way
c. We should rejoice every time we hear that a soul has
been won to Christ
6. By practicing the principles in the Beatitudes of Jesus
a. “Blessed” means happy or joyful
b. Matthew 5:3-12
c. There is joy in:
1) Desiring the things God has for us (v. 3)
2) Those that can be touched with feelings (v. 4)
3) Knowing one’s place before God (v. 5)
4) Having a spiritual appetite (v. 6)
5) Being merciful (v. 7)
6) Having an obedient heart (v. 8)
7) Being a peacemaker (v. 9)
8) Persecution (vs. 10-12) ©
CONCLUSION
A. Psalm 68:3
B. Jude 24
C. There is joy to be had for the alien sinner
1) Plan of salvation
2) The eunuch went on his way rejoicing (Acts 8:39)
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