His Joy
"These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full"Joy is a feeling in which we are often unwilling to clothe Jesus with. We leap for joy, we shout for joy, we sing for joy. Yet our Lord is rightly labeled "The man of sorrows" because the burden Jesus was carrying was great. The worlds sin was a horror that he would hav
e known about daily.Unchanging sadness is the impression from the Church of Rome. They foster not radiant Joy but statues of Jesus on a cross with the thorn's on His brow, the piercing nails and the agony in his face.
This is only one side of the truth. Yet there must have been times when Jesus was radiant and happy, otherwise how should He have attracted little children as He did? He was such a contrast to John the Baptist, who came neither eating nor drinking. He told his disciples that fasting was not appropriate for them and they were continually feasting.
"Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows"
The joy of Jesus was a far greater joy then any man before him. The self righteous continually criticised Him for His Joy.
"...These things I have spoken unto you that your joy might be full."
The love of anyone we esteem brings great joy how much more would Jesus have joy when he abode in the Fathers love.
"preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of prison to them that are bound"
How can anyone accomplish this without an unspeakable Joy. How could the broken-heart be healed without Joy? His voice resounds...
"All those who are heavy laden come to me and I will give you rest"
Jesus was often interrupted by his disciples and critics where quick to jump in when he spoke of strange things to them yet when he spoke of Joy there were no questions. No one ever asked what does he mean by "That my joy might remain in you?" What Joy? No for this Joy unspeakable they saw in Jesus as a rule rather then an exception.
"..Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame"
Add Your Comment(10)
His JoyPosted by Correy Wednesday, December 28, 2005
After reading many creeds and belief statements
I decided to stick to my own
10 Comments:
What a great post.
Indeed you are right. In Romanism, there is a HUGE emphasis placed on the sufferings of their jesus.
Also, I must confess that I have never experienced, what the apostle Peter speaks of in 1 Peter 1:8 (I'm not even sure if I know what he means!!!):
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."
Later,
Rand
This is good food, but Rand's comments excite me. Rand, you have so much yet of Jesus to discover - this joy is associated with john 14;21 "He who has my commandments and keep them he is is who love Me and he who loves Me will be loved of my father, and I will love him and will manifest Myself to him." Calvin said that not one in ten people who claim to be Christians have had this manifestation of Christ because not one in ten has or does His commandments. Bunyan in his Pilgrims Progress has particular character who me encourages to come to Jesus and to have this revelation given to him from heaven.
To know Jesus Christ in our hearts and lives a the real Person, 'my Lord and my God" is the great reward of the Christian.
Rand commit the first eight verses of 1 Peter 1 to memory and seek the revelation of Jesus Christ from the Lord until you have have it. This is akin to the outpouring at Pentecost and filling of the Holy Spirit available to every believer.
Well Rand your comment sure did stir up a bee hive.
This afternoon we have talked for maybe an hour on Peter 1:8 and what it means. I must say this is what I want "Joy unspeakable and full of Glory"
Modern Puritan said to know Jesus and proclaim "My Lord and My God". You see whoever said this in scripture had a full revelation of Jesus. Are you thinking it was Peter or John? No it was Thomas the one that saw the holes in Jesus hand and the scar on his side.
Thomas saw and I believe when he had this revelation of Jesus he had Joy unspeakable and full of glory.
This verse in 1 Peter: 1:8 is promising this joy and glory to us for the glory is to know Jesus as "My Lord and My God" Like Thomas.
"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"
Great post and comments. Joy is connected to faith. Jesus enduring for the joy set before Him. I also think of Moses in Hebrews 11
By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.
Also of the parable where the man finds the treasure in the field, hides it, and then JOYFULLY sells all that he has to buy the field. The more Jesus is revealed to us the more we see His beauty and realize Him as the most joyful treasure possible.
Brian
Righteous Sinner: Those are great verses. Hebrews 11 really shows the great things the Lord has done through those nurtured in His hands with great faith.
I think that is part of the Christian testimony the parable about the field. The Christian joyfully leaves the darkeness for the treasure is now in Christ.
Okay,
Here's a precision on my last comment, specifically JOY UNSPEAKABLE AND FULL OF GLORY.
I too believe that this "joy" is related to our faith and to our Christian conversation (i.e. way of life). And this is EXACTLY why I'm just not sure I have ever experienced this JOY UNSPEAKABLE AND FULL OF GLORY.
Joy I have experienced. Great Joy, I have experienced. And most of these "joys" were tied together with great workings of my God in my life. But JOY UNSPEAKABLE AND FULL OF GLORY? I just don't know.
Consider these men's way of life:
-Paul in 2 Corinthians 11:24-28
-Jesus in Mark 1:35
-Cornelius in Acts 10:30
-Paul and Silas in Acts 16:25
These men knew without a doubt what JOY UNSPEAKABLE AND FULL OF GLORY was, and I believe that their way of life opened the door to such joy. I have been in court before of the Gospel, and let me tell you, I wasn't like Paul and Silas, singing and praising God. I was gripped with fear. Oh! I prayed, but it wasn't out of joy, it was out of nerves.
So, that's my point. Have I ever really experienced JOY UNSPEAKABLE AND FULL OF GLORY? I don't know, and I would think that if I had, I would know.
Modern Puritan, my friend, I believe you are quite correct in saying that 1 Peter 1:8 is directly connected to the 7 previous verses. Here's the problem: I HAVE SUCH A BIG PROBLEM KEEPING AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE! While I mentally assent to the every word about what was done for me in Christ Jesus, and know that I am heaven bond, when the fiery trials come my friend, what grips me is NOT joy, it's fear.
I covet your prayers gentlemen,
Rand
Rand,
Thanks for your honesty. I know what you're saying. It's one thing to have, or experience, a joy that enables you to persevere or resist sin, but the phrase "joy unspeakable" goes way beyond this. I have experienced assurance and peace in varying levels, and joy is somewhere in there, but along with it is fear. It seems "joy unspeakable" would overwhelm fear.
I am reminded of Corrie Ten Boom's story where she asks her dad when God will give her the grace to endure the suffering, and his response, which compared it to a train ticket, asking,
"When do I give you the ticket Corrie?"
"When I get on the train."
And her dad replied, "This is how it is with God. He will give you the grace, not beforehand, but when you need it."
If I have experienced joy unspeakable it was at the death of my daughter. There was shock, fear, disbelief ... but then there was a moment while holding her dead body in my arms singing praises to God along with my wife and two hospital chaplins. This was unlike anything I have ever experienced. So part of me desires that joy, but another part of me doesn't because it was connected to my worst suffering. I suppose there is faith that God will give the necessary joy to us when we get on the train.
It would be nice to experience this joy apart from suffering.
I'll pray for you right now.
It's good to be in the body of Christ,
Brian
Joy Unspeakable. When did I get it? When Christ first called me I was a Roman Catholic turned atheist. Then I was saved. But I knew little and had loads of errors about everything, new born baby style. Then through reading the Scripture I was gripped by a deep sense of sin until I was overcome by the fear of having committed the unpardonable sin. All my iniquity was paraded before me for many months. He showed me that sin what what I was and therefore that is what I did! After months of great pain the Lord finally released me to see the power of the cross of Christ, the cleansing power of His shed blood and the companionship with Christ available through His resurrection and the gift of His Spirit. Then I was overcome with joy. I then could not sleep for joy, floods of joy to know that my sins were forever forgiven; that God was still just in justifying the sinner, me. The powerful presence of the Lord Jesus was flooding my soul as I walked and ate and slept. It was not unmixed with struggle but it was the real thing. People around me sensed the reality and some unbelievers shook because of the power of the Holy Spirit in my soul. At times my soul was almost overcome by the love of Christ to me and in me. I wanted with pain of anticipation to be with Christ, to see Him, touch Him. I wanted to thank Him to His face for the suffering He endured and the grace He had shown and was showing a worthless sinner.
Is this my case today? Not to the same intensity but from time to time as I see the forgiveness I have received.
Joy unspeakable is the only way to describe how it felt for me to have Christ. The sight of His name thrilled me, everything He said and did pleased me. Nobody loves a man like Jesus. No man knows how to feel like He does and to act as He does. I think the big problems today are that He is so little known and so little desired - but the good news is that this can change any moment He wishes to change it. Pentecost came the day He purposed it to come - why not ask Him for your own personal Pentecost, your own special anointing, your own special encounter with the risen savior, by faith and by His Spirit? You have the firstfruits already. He can give it and He does give it. Will you run away and hide from this or will you pursue it. Faint heart never won the fairest love of all.
This is a wonderful testimony to the great Joy that is found in Jesus.
I love these bits:
...that God was still just in justifying the sinner, me.
... Penticost came the day he purposed it to come why not ask Him for your own personal penticost.
This is great, I will do this
Wow, this post was powerful and dont really know what to say.
but i fully felt there was a strength which came from this....
The joy of the lord is your strength.
Post a Comment
<< Puritan Belief