Inspired Sunday Christian sermons based upon the Gospel of Jesus Christ
and the Holy Bible. These uplifting sermons are presented here for your edification.
Inspired Christian Sermons
Sunday Sermon #4
DIVINE JOY
By
Dr. Joseph Hazan
Dr. Joseph Hazan is a Pastor at New Creation In Christ Church in Chesterfield,
Missouri, USA. Click the Affiliated Church Directory link below to visit their web site.
"The joy of the Lord is your strength"
(Neh.8.10)
Since we all need greater strength, we can certainly benefit from the joy of the Lord.
How do we receive his joy, then?
By coming to his presence!
Because, Psalm 16.11 tells us:
"You will show me the path of life: in your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."
Jesus says:
"I am the way, the truth and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me"
(John 14.6). So, when we acknowledge Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, accept his sacrifice as full payment for our sins, repent and are baptized, Jesus lives in us through the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, we are born again. We become a new creation born in Christ Jesus, abide in him and continue to bear fruit.
" If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done to you."
"Herein is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; so shall you be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you? Continue in my love. If you keep my commandments you shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things have I spoken to you, that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full." (John 15.7-11)
So, the above statement by Jesus contains the secret of his joy. As we continue to keep his commandment we abide, continue to live in his love. And his commandment is love:
"This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you." (John 15.12).
THE SECRET OF HAPPINESS
Let's summarize then:
When we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, upon repentance, baptism and being filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ lives in us and we live his life, we abide in him, in his love. This is how his joy remains in us, and we have fullness of joy. We continue to bear his fruit, which is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and self-control (temperance). (Gal.5.22). We keep his Great Commandment (Mark 12.29-31) by believing in the One true God who because of his amazing love sent his only begotten Son to save those who believe in him, we love him with all our being and also love our neighbor (everyone) as ourselves. (John 3.16), (Luke 10.25-37).
Jesus Christ told his disciples that if we ask in his name, we would receive our request, so that our joy would be full. (John 16.24).
He also told them that after his resurrection, their sorrow would turn to great joy. This joy is like the joy of a mother after having a newborn baby. (John 16.21). The pain of labor and delivery is soon forgotten, once a baby is born. Yes, they were very sad when Jesus Christ was beaten, insulted, tortured and crucified. They thought their best friend, teacher, guide, Savior, King of Kings; the Son of God was gone. But, when they saw him resurrected and glorified, their joy was very great.
HIS JOY IN US
Jesus has a tremendous joy in our delivery from sin and our being born again of the water and of the Spirit into God's Kingdom (John 3.5) and in our bearing much fruit by using our gifts he has given us (Matt. 25.21).
This joy, his joy is so great that, "for the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Heb.12.2).
Jesus Christ endured the shame, agony, terrible pain and suffering of the cross by keeping in mind the joy of our eternal salvation, the joy of us being united with the Father as he is, one in perfect love with the Father. (John 17.11& 12). His focus was the joy of us seeing his glory in his kingdom face to face and being with him forever. He also focused on the joy we will experience forever in his glorious presence. Asking the Father to unite all Christians in one, as he is one with the Father, he concluded (John 17.13), "And now I come to you and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves."
We see this joy, his joy, both now and forever. "For when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." (I. John 3.2) This joy helps us evangelize, share the Great News, fulfill the Great Commission (Mark.16. 15-18), endure adversity by anticipating his glory, so we can be glad with exceeding joy (I. Pet.4.13) and rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory (I. Pet. 1.8).
So, we join the apostle Paul (Phil. 4.4) and exclaim:
"Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, rejoice!"
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