Joy Through The Fire

Introduction

We are in the middle of a series called “The Search for Happiness” where we are looking to God’s word to show us how we can find true happiness in this new year. Tonight, we are going to talk about the word “joy.”

Often when we hear about joy today, it is not what the Bible speaks about. Rather it is seen as a shallow happiness that changes with each new situation.

People look to many things to find this joy that we are speaking about. [Use props here] They may look to things like sports [hold up a football], but I think that we can all see where this may be a poor source of joy at times. Others may look to their jobs [hold up a name tag] to find joy. They think that if they had the right job, then they would be truly happy. It doesn’t take long for any job to become a chore though. Still others may look to relationships [hold up a Valentine’s Day card] for joy.

While these may be good, the only true source of the joy that the Bible speaks about does not come from what is found around us. It only comes from Who is inside of us. True joy can only be found and experienced through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Tonight, I would like for us to look at and see some of the truths about what real joy looks like.

God gives us joy

1 Peter 1:3–5 CSB

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

In these verses, Peter shows us that God has shown us great mercy by giving us some wonderful things.

He has given us a new birth.

He has given us a living hope.

He has given us an eternal inheritance.

He has given us an eternal security.

The Call to Joy

Because of these great gifts, Peter issues a call to joy.

1 Peter 1:6–7 CSB

You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials so that the proven character of your faith—more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1:

Joy can be hard to express at times, especially when one is going through trials. The original readers that Peter wrote to were ones that had to flee from their homelands in Jerusalem to modern-day Turkey. They were experiencing persecution in their new homes as well.

Peter encourages readers to rejoice in spite of what you may be going through because present circumstances cannot change the reality of the promises and gifts of God.

While trials and hard times are never fun, for a Christian, they are never pointless. Peter reminds us that the trials that we go through as Christians are serving to actually strengthen our faith. He reminds us that just as gold is refined and made purer through the fires, so our faith and the joy that comes from it is made purer from the fires that we go through.

Another reason that God may allow trying times to come our way is to give the desperate world around us a clear picture of the true source of joy. Peter reminds us that all of it will result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus returns. This means that when Jesus returns, He will take every trial that we’ve gone through and the faith and joy that it has produced and use it to show the world that we had the truth.

Every person goes through hard times in life. When you see a follower of Jesus do it and still remain full of joy, you witness the power and capability of God firsthand. Our lives are supposed to be a living testimony to His goodness and glory.

Conclusion

While many are searching for true happiness, those who have trusted Christ know where it is found. It is found in the ever-flowing fountain of His grace. May we not chase after cheap imitations this year looking for something to take the edge off. May we hold to the wonderful gifts of grace and mercy that God has given us and allow them to produce the joy that we and those around us are looking for.