Finding Joy
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
When I was growing up, my favorite Christian songs were about joy, mostly I think because they were fun to sing. It doesn’t sound good singing about joy in a minor key or with a slow melody. Let’s see if you know any of these.
I’ve got the joy joy joy joy down in my heart. Where? Down in my heart. Where? Down in my heart. I’ve got the joy joy joy joy down in my heart. Where? Down in my heart to stay.
And if the devil doesn’t like it, he can sit on a tack. Ouch! Sit on a tack. Ouch! Sit on a tack. And if the devil doesn’t like it he can sit on a tack. Ouch! Sit on a tack to stay.
How about this one:
I’ve got joy down in my heart, deep deep down in my heart. Spell it! J-O-Y down in my heart deep deep down in my heart. Jesus put it there and nothing can destroy stroy stroy huah. I’ve got joy down in my heart, deep deep down in my heart.
Last one:
I’ve got joy like a fountain. I’ve got joy like a fountain. I’ve got joy like a fountain in my soul. I’ve got joy like a fountain. I’ve got joy like a fountain. I’ve got joy like a fountain in my soul.
Lots of good songs about joy! Guess what the sermon is on. If you can’t tell by the songs, then perhaps by the title of the sermon: finding joy!
And for all the songs we sing about joy, many find joy to be illusory. At best its unstable; at worst it really doesn’t exist. And some would say that is because too many people equate happiness with joy. Happiness is fleeting; joy is sustaining. That might be part of it, but let’s face it. Many Christians are not able to sustain happiness or joy.
Most likely, during this sermon, I am not going to make any brand new revelations to you. But what I hope to do is give you old reminders, reminders that are hidden in the wisdom of Jesus and the gospel message. And I will give you those reminders upfront, but I would encourage you to listen to the explanations as we go along in the text. So, I will give you two truths about finding joy this morning.
First, if we want to find joy, we cannot find it in our accomplishments but rather in our adoption. Secondly, if we want to find joy, we cannot find it in our wisdom but in our weakness.
Joy Must Not Be Found in Our Accomplishments But in Our Adoption
Joy Must Not Be Found in Our Wisdom But in Our Weakness
The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”
And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.
Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see!
For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”
Joy Must Not Be Found in Our Accomplishments But Our Adoption
Joy Must Not Be Found in Our Accomplishments But Our Adoption
So the first truth that I want us to remember this morning is that our joy must not be found in our accomplishments but we must find it in our adoption.
What we’ve read this morning shows us that the seventy-two disciples have come back from the journey they were on. It was a dangerous journey, but they came back with joy. Something unexpected happened. If you look in the text we read last week, you see that Jesus sent them out to preach and to heal. But he didn’t say anything about casting out demons. So this was a fun little surprise to the disciples.
The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”
That’s certainly something to be excited about. When God is working in our ministry by the power of the Holy Spirit and in the name of Jesus Christ, we ought to be excited. And here is the thing, God is always at work in the power of the Spirit and the name of Jesus Christ. Sometimes is just more observable than at other times. There are things that God is doing in the spiritual realm that we have no idea about. And we see that in this text.
And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
That is not an observable fact from our standpoint. We don’t have the eyes to see Satan falling from heaven. Jesus knew it, but we would never have known if Jesus had not revealed it. So, even though we can be excited about what we see God doing, we can also be excited about what we can’t see.
While the demons were being cast out of bodies by man, Satan was being cast out of heaven by God. In other words, what happened on earth—what the disciples were able to do in their ministry and through the name of Jesus—was in conjunction with God’s work in heaven.
I don’t want to go into a lot of detail about this, but there is something we need to know here. The word Satan or more accurately “The Satan” means “The accuser.” It was Satan who stood before God and accused God of sheltering Job and accused Job of insincere faith in God. It is Satan who brings to our minds accusatory thoughts about our past sinful actions. But here is the reality: Satan has been cast out of heaven. The accuser has no standing with God. This truth is found all through the New Testament. But I just want to give you two.
Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.
And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
Satan is cast out, people are drawn in.
Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back,
but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.
That being said, Jesus then tells his disciples that they are going to be able to trample on snakes and scorpions and all the power of the enemy and no one shall hurt them. Snakes and scorpions are just euphemisms for demons. Remember when speaking about John the Baptist they said he was demon-possessed partly because he lived in the wilderness—the desert. It was common belief that this was the dwelling place of demons—lifeless and hot. So in speaking of snakes and scorpions—we typically find those in the same type of places.
All the power of our enemy—Satan—will be defeated by his disciples. That’s amazing stuff! That’s something to be excited about! Knowing that God’s church will prevail over the demonic forces is thrilling to the soul of God’s people.
Katie was reading through some parts of Exodus on Friday and was telling me about how God told Moses that he was going to use him to deliver the people out of Egypt by his power—God’s power. And he told him how he was going to do it, indicating that it wasn’t going to be easy, humanly speaking, and it would be difficult for Moses and the people. But to know that the deliverance was sure and that Egypt would not and could not prevail would be a blessing and encouragement in those difficult moments of deliverance.
To know that the all the forces of hell cannot win is thrilling to the soul of God’s people. To know that as much as Satan can accuse us in our own minds and hearts (but not in heaven), that he cannot harm us is relief to our weary souls. He’s all bark and no bite.
But what we find in all of this: the demons are subject to us, God is at work in the spiritual world which allows us to be used in similar ways in this physical world, and that the forces of hell cannot overcome nor can they harm, is all quite thrilling, but what does Jesus say about these things?
Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
As thrilling and exciting and stimulating as all that may be, they are not to rejoice in it; they are not to find their joy in it all. All this stuff that they did and will accomplish is not to bring them joy. Excitement? Sure. Joy? No.
Instead where does our joy lie? In the fact that our names are written in heaven. We don’t have this concept today, but in the first century, when a child was born or adopted, their names would be written in the house of the parent. Today, in Missouri, we have a certificate of live birth that gets registered with the Department of Health and Senior Services. Other states have other departments that get record of it. But what they all have in common is that a record has been drawn up that the person born or adopted is officially a member of such and such a family.
Now, let’s be honest, families on earth are full of sin. Parents sin, siblings sin, we sin. And that can make for some pretty miserable family dynamics. However, with our names written in heaven, in other words, we are a child of heaven, a child of God, we find God as the perfect Father and Jesus our perfect brother. And we, as a child will one day be like them.
Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.
We will be like him when he returns and at the same time we are in this world as he is no in heaven at this moment. We are truly God’s children. And that is something worth finding our joy in.
Accomplishments fade. They are forgotten. They may even change. The twelve were sent out to heal and preach and cast out demons. And then suddenly they couldn’t cast out the demon from the one boy. They lost the ability for that moment. God grants to us special gifts as his children. But those spiritual gifts have a way of transitioning from one to another. One gift fades and one that we may not wish we had arises. Some of us have talents and something happens and that talent is stripped from us. No longer can we sing like we used to. No longer can we play an instrument like we once could. No longer can we solve puzzles and riddles or run or cook like we once could. And if our joy is found in those things we can accomplish—those things that change and fade—we will find that our joy also changes and fades.
But what will never change—never fade—is our position in God’s family.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,
even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love
he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,
to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight
making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ
as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
Christ died to make us a part of his family. He rose so that we would be justified from our sins and have peace with God our Father. There is nothing that can uncrucify Christ and reverse the work he has done. There is nothing that can unresurrect our Lord and change our standing in heaven. Let us find joy in our adoption.
Joy Must Not be Found in Our Wisdom But in Our Weakness
Joy Must Not be Found in Our Wisdom But in Our Weakness
So, we must not find our joy in our accomplishments but in our adoption. But the second truth is that we must not find joy in our wisdom but rather in our weakness.
Now, here is the connection between the two passages: Jesus is said to be rejoicing here. If we’re not careful we miss that Jesus was talking about joy with the disciples and then moments later is exemplifying what joy looks like and how it responds to the Father.
In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.
That word “rejoiced” is an interesting word. It really means more than just rejoice. It’s not the same word that he used with the disciples even. It means to have abundant joy. It is to have exceeding joy. Thus, Jesus didn’t just have joy in the Spirit. He had joy in the Spirit! And it led him to give praise to God. A synonym for “I thank you” would be “I praise you.” There is all this joy welling up in Jesus to the point of praise. Now just a few days before, we saw that Jesus was saddened. Perhaps vexed is a better word because cities like Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum were rejecting him. But here before him are disciples who went out and came back rejoicing about what they could do in his name. But again, it wasn’t their accomplishments that brought him joy.
What reason does Jesus give for praising God? It is because he had hidden these things from the wise and understanding. And don’t look to hard for which are wise and which have understanding. It’s called a hendiadys. Which is three Greek words put together “hen” one thing, “dia” by/through, “duo” two things. In other words its one meaning by two words. We use them all the time. “That was far and away the best movie I’ve seen.” We really have one meaning: it was great, but we use two words: far and away.
Jesus finds joy in the fact that God hid “these things” (and we’ll get to “these things” soon) from those who believe themselves to have arrived. But that’s only part of it; his joy is also in the fact that God revealed them to little children. If that is what brought Jesus exceeding joy, don’t you think it should bring us exceeding joy too?
We tend to have this backwards. We want to be those who have wisdom and understanding. We want to be those who have “arrived.” We want to be the ones who win Bible Trivia and have all the answers. We get embarrassed when we don’t know. But here’s the thing. Jesus was praising God for hiding the realities from those who knew it all. He was praising God that he was revealing them to little children.
Little children, and by that we mean infants and toddlers. Luke used a special word that means young and weak and naive children. In other words: infants and toddlers. These little children are vulnerable in their weaknesses. They don’t even know how vulnerable they really are, but they also don’t know the shame in not knowing. They are like sponges. They’re looking at everything and everyone and asking tons of questions and wanting to find out what this is and why that is and how is this like that and how this is not like that. And they aren’t worried about saying things perfectly; they just say what makes sense.
Now, this isn’t Jesus saying that we are to never grow up in maturity or our thinking. What he was saying was that we must be little children in our readiness to learn and grow. Paul would make this clear.
Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.
That word infants is the same word Jesus used in Luke 10:21 translated as little children. Thus, in our innocence and weakness we are to be like children, but not in our thinking. We are to ever grow in maturity, but knowing we never arrive and always willing to grow further.
No one likes a Know-it-All. Know-it-Alls don’t listen. Know-It_Alls aren’t mature in their thinking. They’re immature, in part because they stop growing because they think they’re grown. And so, they don’t get revealed “these things” from God.
But what are these things?
All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see!
Certainly they pertain to the ability to cast out demons. They also refer to Satan being cast out and the powerlessness of evil powers. But here in verses 22-23, we see they pertain to who God the Father is and who God the Son is. Only those whose names have been written in heaven—adopted into God’s family—are the little children to whom these things are revealed. They know the Father and the reason is because they know the Son.
Jesus said that even the prophets of old and the kings of Israel didn’t get to see or hear what they are getting to see and hear.
Peter wrote,
It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
The prophets got pre-information, but they didn’t get revealed what was revealed to these disciples and to us as a result. They never saw what these disciples had seen. They never heard what these disciples have heard. The angels themselves cannot understand it either.
But we who are God’s children have such a privilege and we ought to find our joy in the revelation given to us by God’s grace. What a joy it is to know that God has chosen to reveal himself as Father and his Son as our Brother. What a joy it is to know that our names are securely written in heaven as we are God’s children adopted in love.
Our joy is not found in how much wisdom we have. It’s not found in whether or not we’ve arrived. It is found in God’s grace that he is even revealing himself to us, the weak and innocent. Because not just anyone gets to have that. It’s not in us. It is in him!
For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.
But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;
God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,
so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
To we who are little children, God has revealed such things. Hence, Jesus said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see!” A deep, abiding joy to those eyes that see what they see—what we see!
Conclusion
Conclusion
Do you want to know Jesus like this? Do you want to God as Father and Jesus as Brother? If so, then believe what this book is telling you about him. Luke wrote this book to give an orderly account of Jesus’s life so that its reader would know the truth about Jesus. I’m not asking you to believe something without evidence. But I am also telling you not to discount the evidence just because it is in an ancient document called the Bible. Jesus lived, died, and rose again. The evidence for all three is overwhelming. It sounds ludicrous, but so did germ theory when it first came out. The evidence was overwhelming and yet many doctors rejected it because they couldn’t conceive of something they could not see being real. Many died because they refused to believe the evidence before them.
The same goes for you. You will die in your sins and be judged and separated from God’s love and grace for all time if you do not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Don’t let your current understanding get in the way of God’s revelation. As St. Augustine once said, “I believe in order to understand.”
Brother and sisters, if you’re seeking joy in your accomplishments (past, present, or future) your joy will wain. But if you go back to the truth that your name is securely in heaven, adopted in love into God’s family, there is joy for as long as your name is there—and that is for all eternity. Don’t allow what you don’t know to burden you. At the same time, don’t let what you do know be the source of your joy. Let God’s gracious revelation of himself be the source of your joy.
Prayer
Our heavenly Father,
It is is easy for us to find joy in what we have been able to accomplish in our lives—whether it is in ministry work or at home or in school. It’s exciting to be given authority and to know that your church cannot fail. But we confess that most of the time, our names being written in heaven is lost to us. We forget about it with all the things we must do and all the things we think we must do and all the things we want to do. The truth of being in your family, of being your children, gets overshadowed. May it no longer be. May our joy be found, not in our accomplishments, but in our adoption.
May it not be found in how much we know, but in the revelation you graciously give. May we approach you as little children: inquisitive and innocent. May we delight in knowing that we have been given something that most people never receive and know that it is not in us or because of us that this happens, but because of your grace.
I pray this in Jesus’s name. Amen.