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This is a sermon based on Psalm 16:11 and it discusses the source of joy and pleasure God can be for the person who truly has an intimate relationship with Him.
Written Excerpts:
Introduction:
Some young people want life, liberty,
and an automobile for the pursuit of happiness. — The Complete
Book of Zingers
This
verse in Psalms grabbed my attention several weeks ago as I read it during my devotional
time with the Lord. I’ve
read the verse many times and I’ve heard it quoted repeatedly over the years,
but it truly spoke to my heart as I read it recently. As
I read it, the question immediately rose in my mind, “Do I truly find fullness of joy in the presence of God?”
If not, why not?
To
you, dear friends, I ask the same question, “Do you really find full joy in the
presence of God?”
St.
Augustine, a church leader who lived in the 4th century, had lived a
wicked, immoral life before coming to faith in Jesus Christ and experiencing
transforming grace. His
conversion did not happen quickly, but was a process that developed over time
as he gradually became more and more enlightened with the truth. At
one point in his journey to faith and salvation, he penned these words directed
to God, “I was astonished that although I now loved you… I did not persist in
enjoyment of my God. Your beauty drew me to you, but soon I was dragged away
from you by my own weight and in dismay I plunged again into the things of this
world….” (John Piper, The Legacy of Sovereign Joy)
Augustine
was still fighting an inward battle – complete abandonment to God, the source
of genuine joy, vs. continuing indulgence in fleshly lusts, the source of
passing pleasures. Thankfully,
he reached the point in his journey that he did totally abandon the temporary
pleasures of fleshly lusts and found the saving grace of God to be what his
soul truly longed for. Augustine
has introduced us to the concept that true fullness of joy can only be found in
a relationship with God because we were made for Him and without Him genuine
joy cannot be fully realized.
Transition: For the rest of our time today I want to seek the
help of God’s Spirit as we explore together the concepts of joy, happiness and
pleasure as they relate to spiritual life in Christ.
Proposition: I hope to explore this theme today by defining terms
that relate to joy, by discussing some barriers to joy, and by challenging all
of us to seek the joy that only comes from God.
I. Terms that relate to joy
Joy – In the Old Testament: Besides joy in a general
sense, as the response of the mind to any pleasurable event or state (1 Kings
1:40; Esther 8:17, etc.), joy as a religious emotion is very frequently
referred to in the Old Testament. Religion is conceived of as touching the
deepest springs of emotion, including the feeling of exultant gladness which
often finds outward expression in such actions as leaping, shouting, and
singing.
In the New Testament: The element of joy in religion
is [even] more prominent in the New Testament. It is the appropriate response
of the believer to the "good tidings of great joy" which constitute
the gospel (Luke 2:10). In the four Gospels, especially Luke, this element is
conspicuous. It is seen in the [songs of Mary, Zacharias, and Simeon recorded
in] Luke 1 and 2.… (The International
Standard Bible Encyclopedia.)
Theological
Wordbook of the Old Testament. The [Hebrew]
root [word] denotes being glad or joyful with the whole disposition as
indicated by its association with the heart (cf. Psalm 19:8 (NKJV) The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart), the soul (Psalm 86:4 (NKJV) Rejoice
the soul of Your servant, For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.); and
with the lighting up of the eyes (Proverbs 15:30 (NKJV) The
light of the eyes rejoices the heart…).
Taking all these definitions together we conclude that
joy is a deep emotion that entails all elements of personhood; heart, soul,
mind and body.
Happiness – Similar to idea of joy, but usually with the
distinction that happiness at any given time is dependent on present
circumstances, while joy can be present even in unhappy circumstances.
Pleasure – a sense or feeling of elation or even euphoria that
occurs when certain chemicals are released in a specific area of our brain as
we experience specific events.
Contentment – a sense of satisfaction; nothing is lacking.
All of these terms are related and often used
synonymously. When considered as a whole, they seem to express what the Hebrew
word, “shalom” intends to convey: i.e. the overwhelming sense of well-being and
rest; all is as it should be producing harmony and peace.
The Psalmist is essentially saying that our deepest
feelings of joy, happiness, pleasure and contentment are found in a
relationship that brings us into the very presence of God, our Creator and our
heavenly Father.
II. Barriers that hinder our joy
A. Misplaced
expectations
Some people have never truly experienced genuine joy
because they have only sought for it in things that cannot produce it. I read the transcript of an interview that was once given
by Pastor Ravi Zacharias, who is a pastor of a church near Cleveland, Oh.
In answer to one of the questions he gave this reply, There is always the sense that one more
digit in my pay check will make a difference. One added home. One added car.
One added excursion. One other vacation. We think by the simple act of change
we will alter everything on the inside. So it has that lure to it. But at the
same time pleasure, when it has delivered what it can, definitely does leave
you empty. [Nowhere is this] more obvious than in the Hollywood world: the
breakup of relationships, the breakup of homes, and the breakup of commitments.
He later went on to describe the relationship between
happiness and joy. I remember in Bangkok
once walking out of my hotel, and this guy was standing there announcing “Happy
hour, happy hour.” So I stopped and said to him, “Are you only happy for one
hour?”
Do I think [pagans
/ non-Christians] are truly happy? I think they have punctuated moments of
happiness. I do not think true happiness is ultimately found unless you’ve got
a relationship that is the [foundation] from which everything else is
explained. And I don’t think ultimately [any] relationships will stand without
that relationship with God. … So I would say there are moments of happiness. But as G.K. Chesterton said, they can be
happy because the peripheral questions are answered for now, but they
ultimately can’t have joy because the fundamental questions are not answered.
So happiness is possible but it is not [complete].
Peripheral questions = employment/income, food,
housing, entertainment, etc.
Fundamental questions = Who am I? Why am I here? Where
am I going? These are the questions that can rob us of deep joy if we have no
clue about their answers.
So, we learn that one of the barriers to possessing
real joy is the fact that people look to the wrong things to provide it. True joy is only found in the bond of a deep relationship
with God that provides meaning and fulfillment for all the rest of life.
B. Exhausted
by pleasure
(G.K.
Chesterton) Meaninglessness does not come
from being weary of pain. Meaninglessness comes from being weary of pleasure.
Some
people have been unsuccessful in finding true joy because they have diligently
and even feverishly sought for pleasures until they’ve reached the point that
nothing brings any genuine pleasure anymore. Life becomes dull, depressive, and
meaningless when little or nothing produces real pleasure.
In my reading and preparation for this message I came
across an article by a clinical psychologist on the faculty of Fuller
Theological Seminary, Dr. Archibald Hart. In his article he explores the problem of how the
constant pursuit of pleasures, excitement and thrills can actually desensitize
the pleasure center in our brain that biologically gives us the feeling of
pleasure.
We believe
that joy comes from the Lord, but we need the “pleasure center” of the brain to
appreciate the joy. But the pleasure center can be over-stimulated to the point
that we can have difficulty finding real joy in anything.
Dr. Hart named three things that rob us of pleasure:
depression, stimulating drugs, and over-indulgence in stimulating behaviors. He says that depression is often brought on by the
breakneck pace of life that produces too much stress and leaves little or no
time for meaningful rest and simple pleasures.
The use of stimulant drugs short-circuits the brain
and sends an abundance of chemicals to the pleasure center, which produces an
insatiable desire for more.
(Hart) The problem is,
faced with the stress of modern life and the continuous flow of stimulation, we
are "pushing the pleasure button" too frequently. So the pathway
becomes obstructed, as if someone is building a barrier.
It is the same problem we used to talk about in
addiction treatment. When someone takes a drug (alcohol) long enough their body
builds up a tolerance to it and it takes more and more of the substance to
produce the desired effects. Apparently the same principle works with the pursuit
of pleasure. When we constantly seek after entertainment for pleasure, we discover that it takes more and
more stimulating experiences to provide the excitement and happiness we used to
gain by the simple gifts in life.
The author warns parents and youth leaders against
constantly pushing our children to pursue more and more pleasure-seeking
activities. It not only robs them of the time to seek after
God, but it builds up barriers against true pleasure until even the prospect of
knowing God seems too boring and unexciting for them.
So we have learned that there are at least two things
which can block out our joy: seeking joy in the everyday pleasures of life
rather than in a relationship; and overloading our minds with a constant
pursuit of pleasures (both legitimate and illegitimate).
III. Seeking fullness of joy in God Himself
A. Creatures
made for God
We human beings are creatures that were made by God
for fellowship with God. We read in Genesis that Adam and Eve communed with God
and walked with God. This fellowship and joy in knowing God was part of their
“DNA.” When creatures that were created to fellowship and
enjoy communion with their Creator seek to fill that need with all kinds of
other pleasures, there can never be a complete sense of joy.
Chorus: If you want joy, real joy, wonderful joy, Let Jesus
come into your heart. (repeat)Your
sins He’ll wash away, Your
night He’ll turn to day, Your
life, He’ll make it over anew. If
you want joy, real joy, wonderful joy, Let Jesus come into your heart.
B.
Satisfying the spirit
The Bible tells us that joy is a fruit of the Spirit. If joy is a fruit of the Spirit, then it is something
that is experienced in the spiritual realm rather than the realm of the flesh
or material. It should be possible to be completely satisfied and full of joy
in your spirit without relying on outward physical stimulation.
Spiritual truths and experiences can only be fully
realized by the spirit. Material and fleshly stimuli cannot fully communicate
spiritual realities. I think that this relates to a problem we talked about
earlier.
Dr. Hart, whom I quoted earlier,
said, I think the church is actually
contributing to the problem. There has been a subtle shift in the last decade
or so towards more of a stimulant-driven spirituality.
This also seems to be the point
expressed by Dr. Ravi Zacharias.
When he was asked, “Do you think that worship can
also be an escape for some?” He
responded, Yes, I think the way we
worship can be an escape. Sometimes I wonder about the evangelical world where
worship to us has become so much noise. I often wonder how much that really
couches the most important thing: for you to be still.
One of the problems that I think can result from various
styles of worship is the clamor for things that are visible and exciting;
things that stimulate and excite physical or fleshy desires.
Is your spirit sensitive enough to just enjoy the
presence of God without outside stimulations or distractions? Can you find joy in knowing your relationship with
Christ is real and up-to-date?
If joy is something that is truly communicated
spiritually, and if it is a gift of the Spirit, then any experience that is accompanied with the anointing of the Holy
Spirit should produce profound joy in our hearts, whether that is expressed in a
lively and stimulating way through songs, and demonstrations of praise, or in an
overpowering sense of awe and wonder that is expressed by a “holy hush” in
which no one moves or speaks.
2 Chronicles 7:1-3 (NKJV) When Solomon
had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt
offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. 2 And
the priests could not enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the
LORD had filled the LORD'S house. 3 When all the children of
Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD on the temple,
they bowed their faces to the ground on the pavement, and worshiped and praised
the LORD, saying: "For He is good, For His mercy endures forever."
I don’t know about you, but I believe that this
experience filled their hearts with a sense of awe and holy joy. It probably
wasn’t the kind of joy that resulted in jumping and shouting, but a deeper
knowledge that God had accepted their sacrifice and He was in their midst.
God has a level of joy available for each one of us
that we’ve never known before if we can train our minds, our hearts and our
entire being to seek its contentment in Him and Him alone. If we really believe v. 11 in Psalm 16, we understand
that it is only in His presence that we can have fullness of joy.
When we possess an intimate relationship with God and
have the abiding knowledge that His grace has freely forgiven us and His blood
has covered all our sins, then enduring joy is bound to be the result.
Let us close the service by singing the chorus: In the
Presence of Jehovah
