Fullness of Joy

Root Text: John 15:1–11

Title: Joy: Counterfeit, Commanded, and Incarnate

INTRO: Counterfeit Sources of Joy (John 15:1–6)

Big Idea

The human heart instinctively seeks joy — but settles for lesser joys that cannot satisfy.

Illustrative anchors

Calvin: “The human heart is a perpetual idol factory.”

C.S. Lewis(The Weight of Glory): “Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

Counterfeit joys (modern examples)

Success, comfort, entertainment, control, affirmation — all good gifts, but cruel gods.

King Solomon opens the book of Ecclesiastes crying out that “all is vanity.” That, there is “nothing new under the sun.”

Famous people today find the same thing to be true

Psalm 4:7 — God puts more joy in the heart than worldly abundance can.

Jonathan Edwards:

“The enjoyment of God is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied.”

Transition

The world offers partial joy, thin joy, temporary joy.

Jesus offers His own joy — full, durable, indestructible.

POINT 1 — JOY DISTINGUISHED: True Joy vs. Worldly Joy (John 15:7–10)

True joy is rooted in God’s presence and character, not in changing circumstances.

John 15:11 — Christ’s own joy placed in us.

John 16:22 — “No one will take your joy from you.”

Worldly joy:

rooted in circumstances

inconsistent

vulnerable

externally dependent

Christian joy:

rooted in the unchanging God

Spirit-produced

indestructible

internally sustained through Christ

Key line

“Christian joy is not the absence of sorrow; it is the presence of God.”

Bridge to next point

Because joy is rooted in God and not in emotion, Scripture can command us to rejoice.

POINT 2 — JOY COMMANDED: The Obedience of Delight (John 15:10)

Joy is not merely a feeling — it is an act of obedience flowing from abiding in Christ.

Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”

James 1:2–4 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Hebrews 12:1–2 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 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.”

Thomas Watson:

“Joy in God is a duty, and it will be the perfect joy of heaven. The more we enjoy God, the more we glorify Him.”

Theological anchors (WCF/Q1 + Piper)

Westminster Shorter Catechism (Edwards’ reading):

“Man’s chief end is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever.”

John Piper:

“God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”

Transition

Commanded joy is impossible without Christ.

This leads us to the heart of Advent: Joy is not a concept — Joy is a Person.

POINT 3 — JOY INCARNATE: Joy Has Come in Jesus (John 15:11)

Jesus does not just give joy — He is joy.

Luke 2:10–11 “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.”

John 15:11 — Christ shares His joy with us.

John 16:22 — Joy no one can take away.

Hebrews 12:2 — Joy that carried Christ to the cross.

1 Peter 1:8–9 — Joy in loving the unseen Christ.

Richard Sibbes:

“The soul’s joy is in God through Christ. When we lack joy, it is not because God is less full, but because our hearts are too narrow to receive Him.”

Theological crescendo

Joy is the life of Christ in us (John 15).

Joy is the motive of Christ for us (Hebrews 12).

Joy is the message of Advent (Luke 2).

Joy is the future of the saints Revelation 19:7 “Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready;”

Closing line

“The joy of Christ brought Him into the world, carried Him to the cross, raised Him from the dead — and now fills His people until He comes again.”

CONCLUSION / APPLICATION

Invite hearers to:

renounce counterfeit joys

receive Christ’s joy in abiding

obey the command to rejoice

follow the path of Christ’s joy into sacrificial love and endurance

Advent benediction

Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”