Psalm 16:11 Joy

Joy is the Result not the Object of our Desire

What is the object of our desire?

We all have those objects that we hold dear to us, that we keep because the have sentimental value to us. In fact alot of the things we keep have no monetary value, they are not fancy diamonds or heirloom pieces. At christmas time we pull out the tree and we break out the boxes of decorations and are transported back to childhood by cheap plastic ornaments that others might even be tempted to throw away. They remind us of perhaps a loved one who has long since passed or of a time of great joy in celebrating a child’s first Christmas.

Example of the progressive commercial “it will never be today again.”

We are a sentimental people, we love the feelings that things bring to us. But those trinkets and cheap synthetic molded ornaments are not the object of our desire, they are the things that reminds us of it.

If you are going to grandma’s house through the forest and I come across a sign post that says grandmas house this way. You may be joyful and grateful for the sign but the sign is not grandmas house.

Its not the actual thing its self we desire to go back and talk and to hug our loves ones and just be in their presence. It is in the loss of something that one is joyful for having found it again. Joy is the antithesis of sorrow. That’s why joy usually come out of or after sorrow.

Matthew 13:45–46 ESV

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

Matthew 18:12–13 ESV

What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.

We are reminded this morning of the Shepherds candle. It reminds us that we are the ones who like sheep have gone astray. It is enshrined in the words of that the angels spoke to the that holy night.

Luke 2:10–11 ESV

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

FEAR NOT I BRING GOOD NEWS OF GREAT JOY

This Psalm is called the “miktam” which means golden or treasure. That David sees his confidence and joy in the Lord Himself, not in some artificial, plastic ornament not in gold or silver, or horses or armies but in the Lord Himself.

Song of Solomon 3:1–4 (ESV)

I sought him whom my soul loves;

I sought him, but found him not.

I will rise now and go about the city,

in the streets and in the squares;

I will seek him whom my soul loves.

I sought him, but found him not.

The watchmen found me

as they went about in the city.

“Have you seen him whom my soul loves?”

Scarcely had I passed them

when I found him whom my soul loves.

I held him, and would not let him go

True joy is to find satisfaction in God.

“God is most glorified in our people when our people are most satisfied in Him.” John Piper

Joy is the fulfillment of all of our hopes and desires. If a man is lost at sea, he clings to hope for as long as he can days, perhaps weeks, that He will be found. But the moment he sees that search light, or hears that voice, or sees that ship passing, his hope turns to joy.

If hope is the confidence in things that are yet to be seen,then joy is the experience of those things in the present. Both now an in the future-present. Can we have joy now? YES, have we been given access to God at this moment, YES. So joy need not be delayed until the future, it can be experienced NOW.

We must keep in mind that the immediate context of this Psalm is David, we can certainly apply these to every saint, but we must also know that Luke in Acts applies this Psalm to Jesus. We must remember that Jesus from eternity past knew the joy of the Lord. It is Jesus who secured this joy, these pleasures forevermore

In many ways we find joy in suffering and pain.

It is this time of year that we can remind ourselves that we though we go through many trials yet our joy is yet to be made full.

Philippians 3:10 ESV

that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

Hebrews 12:2 ESV

looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Often times we find greater joy in seeing others happy and so it is with the Lord Jesus who endured and suffered what He did for His brothers. He found delight and joy that he could “bring many sons to glory” He himself became the first fruits of the resurrection and is seated at the right hand of the Father of blessings. Joy in the doing.

The best work that can be is done by the happy, joyful workman, and so it is with Christ. He does not save souls out of necessity—as though he would rather do something else if he might. But his very heart is in it, he rejoices to do it, and therefore he does it thoroughly, and he communicates his joy to us in the doing of it. Spurgeon

Does a bride not find joy in preparing for her wedding day? Does she keep herself pure and prepare all of the necessary arrangements begrudgingly? The man lost at sea, who sees his rescuer, will he not find strength that he did not have before and swim towards the ship because of joy?

BOTHERS AND SISTERS HEAR ME: Do you want to know why your joy is gone? We have looked to everything else in this world to do for us what they cannot do, what only God can do. Everything in this life is partial joy, artificial, temporal fleeing joy.

Eating brings joy and comfort to us in many ways, it satisfies our desire of hunger. But this desire for food if pursued non stop leads to stomach aches and sluggishness, and all sorts of problems. I remember when I was a kid I used to love those air head candies, its like this soft taffy like stuff, but I ate too much of it one time, and I got sick, and now I can stand the stuff. Makes me sick to my stomach just thinking about it.

These things in and of themselves are never meant to fully satisfy. They lack the capacity to do so. You have heard the saying too much of a good thing is a bad thing. Well that is true of everything but God. He alone is meant to bring lasting joy and full satisfaction.

“Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.” Augustine of Hippo “Confessions”

vs 4 most men make the world as their portion and pursue the pleasures that this world has to offer, but David claims the Lord as his portion.

“You can have all this world but give me Jesus” says the Afro-american spiritual. I the morning when I rise.. give me Jesus, and when I am alone, and when I come to die… give me Jesus.

We live in a world that madly pursues all sorts of pleasure, we too can get caught up in the self-satisfying euphoria that come from pursuing the pleasures of this life.

Hebrews 11:24–26 ESV

By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.

Christ Himself is the inheritance of the saints. If there was nothing more than to be in the presence of Christ, then that would be pure joy.

Revelation 22:17 ESV

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

Verse 8 and 9 says I will set the Lord before me always, therefore my heart is glad and my whole being rejoices.

In this life our senses may be delighted by various things, but in the presence of the Lord every sense and every need that we have will find it fill and satisfaction in the Lord, there will be no more want no desire but the Lord Himself. Many people ask the questions will this be in heaven or we ask if the things that we enjoy now will be there, well I don’t know but I do know that we shall be concerned with worship and the very presence of God. Those concerns and cares and even loves that we have here on earth will pale in comparison to the joy and satisfaction of Christ.

“Joy is distinct not only from pleasure in general but even from aesthetic pleasure. It must have the stab, the pang, the inconsolable longing.” Lewis

If we find our joy in anything other than Christ we will be sorely dissapointed.

I am not talking about learning about God but about being with God