Unconditional Joy

Introduction

Good Evening, if you have your Bibles you can turn with me to the book of 1 Peter.

I think everyone of us in this room have certain things that we love to do. These are the things that we use our vacation days on or we look forward to the weekend so we can enjoy this specific hobby. We just each have certain things that make us happy.

For me, I love the outdoors. I specifically enjoy hiking and backpacking. Early this Spring, my dad and I took a trip over to Mt. Rodgers to do a two night backpacking trip. Mt. Rogers is the highest peak in Virginia, and it had some amazing scenery.

It is amazing to get out and see God’s creation. And most of the time it is enjoyable. However, when you are out backpacking, things can also get a little tough. This trip went pretty smooth overall, but we did have some moments where we got a little worried. On the second night, it started to rain. Rain and camping are not the best combinations. Thankfully we were prepared, and the rain didn’t bother us too much. But a bad storm could have certainly changed our attitude very quickly.

We can be walking through life and face things that were not expected. That cause us to not enjoy life’s walk as much. We all face trials. Really the affects of sin affecting us in hurtful and uncomfortable ways. This may be a sickness, a death, a lost job… the list could go on. We all face things that are hard, things that seem to make our lives less enjoyable to say the least.

Often we can get seem to get stuck in these trials. They just don’t seem to go away. We can become miserable, anxious or stressed. We find ourself begging God why can’t this trial just be taken away.

I believe in all of life’s ups and downs, a Christian can maintain joy. Some of my favorite characteristics of God is is Love and faithfulness. God is always faithful, He has never let us down. God is also love, and He is faithful to show us that Love. We often describe God’s love as unconditional. No matter what we do or is done to us, He will always love us. He never stops loving us unconditionally. Its amazing. Just as God’s love us is constant in every condition, the Christian can have...

Unconditional Joy

Often our Joy is based on our circumstances. However, biblical joy is a Joy that is not based on our circumstances, but on a God who loves us faithfully. God wants each of us to live with this type of joy. So, Look with me at

1 Peter 1:6 KJV 1900

Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

Pray

This evening I would like to look at how the believer can have unconditional Joy in the midst of trial. The Bible commands us to “rejoice evermore.” So how do we do that?

Transition: In verse 6, Peter says “wherein” ye greatly rejoice. That means their is something we take joy in. So lets first look at...

I. Our Source of Joy

Look back at vs. 3

A Reminder of Salvation (v. 3)

1 Peter 1:3 KJV 1900

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Peter brings us back to the foundation of our joy - hope. Hope that is not centered on anything that we are or what we have done, but what Christ has done for us.

Notice, that the father “hath begotten us again unto a lively hope” We are born again! Through the work of Jesus Christ, we have salvation.

This hope is a confidence in the finished work of Christ in His death and resurrection.

This should bring us to joy, to happiness, to praising God for what He has done for us.

What greater thing do we have to rejoice in? What more is there to ask of God than the salvation of our souls.

But we also rejoice in a future...

Inheritance (v. 4)

1 Peter 1:4 KJV 1900

To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

We rejoice that this present world is not our home. It is not our permanent residence. We have an inheritance in heaven reserved for us. This gives us reason to rejoice at all times and in every circumstance. Even if we are taken out of this world, we are better off. We often use the phrase “a brother or sister was promoted to heaven.” Its true. They recieved a promotion.

Philippians 1:23 KJV 1900

For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

Paul understood that to be with Christ is much better than this world. This should give us boldness to live for Christ. To live not focused on earthly reward, but on heavenly.

And we each have that inheritance waiting for us, and it is incorruptible, undefiled, fades not away. It will always be their. This flesh is dying, it is corruptible, defiled. We should not take joy in this fleshly body. This truth gives us further reason to rejoice every day.

But, in vs. 5 we are also promised

Our protection (v. 5)

1 Peter 1:5 KJV 1900

Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

We (believers) are kept by the power of God each and every day. We know that these promises and blessings promised to us can never be taken away. God

Romans 8:38–39 KJV 1900

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Nothing can separate us! We are kept, protected, sealed as God’s children. God looks after His children so that we have nothing to fear.

We have so many reasons to rejoice! God has blessed us with so many incredible gifts. He continues to dwell with us every day. He is our Heavenly Father.

All of these reminders are constant. Salvation is permanent, our inheritance can’t be taken away. God’s love and protection for us is always constant.

Transition: But, this does not take away from the fact that we will still face trials in our life. We will all face hard times at some point. So can we still rejoice and have joy even during these difficult times? Well, lets look at...

II. The Setting for Joy

Where does joy (or where can) joy take place.

1 Peter 1:6 KJV 1900

Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

We take Joy (rejoice)

To Rejoice or be glad

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Joy

Closely related to gladness and happiness, although joy is more a state of being than an emotion; a result of choice. One of the fruits of the spirit (Gal 5:22–23). Having joy is part of the experience of being a Christian.

Joy is knowing who God is and how his grace applies to us in every situation.

“in heaviness” -

They are in grief; In distress. They are a hurting people

This doesn’t sound like a “happy attitude.” It doesn’t sound like rejoicing.

Why is this the case?

They are in

Temptation (trial)

Peter is writing to a hurting people, a people that have not had it easy.

1 Peter 1:1 KJV 1900

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

These people were often underneath persecution for their faith. Many of them no doubt had lost possessions, homes… loved ones taken from them. This was not a friendly time for believers.

But, God saw these believers, and God sees you now.

This passage was written primarily to believers suffering persecution, but it apples to all trials you may face. At the end of vs 6 Peter explains that they are going through manifold or “various” tirals.

We each go through various trials. Trials that are hard. We face storms that seem to be unending. We can often feel overwhelmed by the circumstances that face us. We can feel helpless. But when we think back to who are God is and what he has done for us, we can have joy.

Philippians 4:11–13 KJV 1900

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

To have joy doesn’t mean that we don’t have hard times, or hard circumstances it means we know where our joy comes from even in those circumstances.

Peter even notes to these believers, that it will only last for a season. Trials will not last forever. Most trials we go through are only for a short period of time. God is often quick to comfort our hearts and draw us close to us. Even in death, God delivers his child to receive that inheritance.

I’m reminded of the rainbow. The rainbow that symbolizes God’s mercy and grace. A token that God is merciful, and that the storm will end. God will see us through.

Transition: But, I believe it helps to understand some of God’s perspective of trials. We must note the

III. The purpose of Trial

We find this purpose in vs. 7

1 Peter 1:7 KJV 1900

That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

When we face a trial, God is testing our faith

The purpose is that

Our faith would be found as genuine for the praise of His Glory. God is shaping us. I get the picture that God is seeking to work all the infirmities out of our life, just as gold is purified under fire. God uses trials to mold us into the believer he wants us to be.

Trials purify us. They cause us to run to God!

One of my favorite Hymns is

Lord I need You - Ron hamilton

Sometimes when life seems gentle and blessings flood my way,

I turn my gaze away from You and soon forget to pray.

But when the sky grows darker and courage turns to fear,

My anxious voice cries upward with words you long to hear.

Lord I Need You!

God wants to hear that from us. He wants us to draw closer to Him! He wants to purify us, to shape up us into the image of His Son. This is done in uncomfortable situations.

Just think back on your life… When have you grown the most. Has it been when everything is going smoothly? I bet it was in the harder times of life.

It can be hard to really understand why God chooses to mold us in this way. It hurts. but we must always go back who God is, what He has done for us, and what He is doing for us right now. These truths will always give us joy.

Transition: We are commanded throughout Scripture to rejoice. It is often one of the key characteristics of a Christian. Its a fruit of the Spirit. However, Joy is always centered and focused on something in the NT. That “Something” is Christ and His finished work of Salvation.

IV. Our Focus During Trial

1 Peter 1:8 KJV 1900

Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

Our Focus is Christ.

He is our Hope, our life, our protection.

We have not seen Him, but we love him, and still have faith in who He is and what He has done for us. We Believe that He is salvation, and that He is with us!

This brings joy! Not matter what storm we face, what trial comes our way, we Believe! We rejoice with joy unspeakable. The world cannot understand this joy. They can’t understand that in the middle of great heaviness we can have joy. This joy surpasses our circumstances. It is a Joy that is unconditional because it is focused on our saviour who has loved us with unconditional love. Our focus must be on Christ.

I think of the person who is writing this, Peter. Peter has been here before! He has walked on the water, and taken his eyes off Jesus. He let his fear take over his trust in Jesus. He focused more on the trial around him than the God right in front of him.

When we have Joy, it Reflects Jesus Christ. when the world sees us, and they should see Jesus.

I find so much encouragement in...

2 Corinthians 4:8–10 KJV 1900

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

Conclusion

I hope everyone in this room knows Jesus Christ as their savior. His salvation is our source of joy, so that in any circumstance we can have joy. We know that God uses trial and testing to mold us for His glory, and this is when we place our focus on Jesus Christ.

I feel that their are many good hymns written on this subject. I heard a song last week that really caught my attention. You may have heard it, it is called

Calm in the Storm - Mac Lynch

When your life seems like a tempest, when the waves beat on your breast, When the wind is hurling ‘round you and there is no place to rest, Then you look out thro’ the shadows and you see Him looking too, Saying, “Hush,” not to the storm, but saying, “Hush” now to you.

Chorus: Trust the One who’s walking on the water. Trust the One who’s leading thro’ the storm. When you cannot see the shore-line, When there is no goal in sight, Would you focus on the certainty that all will be alright?

If you are in this room today and hurting, turn your gaze to Christ. Trust Him, and be reminded of What Christ has done for you.

We each can have unconditional joy, when we focus on who God is and what He has done for us.