Fullness of Joy | Sunday, December 10, 2023

I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; my heart also instructs me in the night seasons. I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:7-11)

Why the arrival of Christ means even those facing death can have a joy that is full.

Drowning in Information, Skimming the Word

Those who know me have noticed I'm something of an information junkie. I listen to too many podcasts, watch lectures and sermons, and read constantly—this last year I read something like 55 books. The problem with consuming that much is you no longer know where any of it came from; there's simply too much.

We all live in this information age. We carry little devices that send us notifications constantly—not always news or global events, but the gossip happening in a neighbor's life. Don't get on that next-door app; it's just the gossip app, and gossip is forbidden in Scripture.

Because so much comes at us, we fall into a pattern of triaging information—quickly skimming to decide whether it's useful, and most of it isn't. The danger is that we do the same thing with the living Word of God. We come to a familiar passage and think, "I've read this before," and skim right past it. But this book is God's revealed truth, living and powerful, given to show us His nature, His will, and our purpose. So this morning, don't skim. Consider these words carefully.

David's Joy in the Face of Death

This is our third week in Advent. Advent means "the arrival," and we are celebrating the arrival of Jesus—not just the coming of Christ, but the coming of God With Us. When Jesus comes, He brings with Him all the things associated with His nature. We've already considered the hope He brings—a sure and steadfast hope, an anchor for the soul, not blind optimism. We've considered the peace that surpasses understanding, what Spurgeon called a peace that "breaks the backs of words." This week we turn to joy.

In Psalm 16, written 3,000 years ago by King David, notice verse 9: "Therefore my heart is glad, my glory rejoices, my flesh also rests in hope." There is joy and gladness, rest and hope. And why? Verse 10: "You will not leave my soul in Sheol"—the grave—"nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption." David says he has hope, rest, and joy when he thinks about death.

That doesn't seem to go together. We don't like to think about death; in modern Western culture we do everything to distance ourselves from it—nursing facilities, hospitals, keeping it far away—until it confronts us through the news from Israel or Ukraine, or until it comes close through a friend or loved one's illness.

The Statistics on Death Are Discouraging

I've done dozens and dozens of memorial services over the years, and dozens of weddings, and I've noticed people are happier at weddings than funerals. Weddings are also better attended, because we don't want to be confronted with death. But the longer you live, the more funerals you see. When people are surveyed about their greatest fears, death is normally number one or two—along with public speaking. Jerry Seinfeld observed that means many people would rather be the person in the coffin than the one giving the eulogy.

If you think about it, most of our anxieties trace back to this: "This is going to be my undoing, or the death of someone I love." That fear robs us of peace, hope, and joy. Yet David, 3,000 years ago, had all three when contemplating death, because he could say: "You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." I've shared that passage at memorials for more than twenty years. The statistics on death are discouraging—10 out of 10 people die. (Yes, someone will email me about Elijah and Enoch and the Rapture. Fine. But the odds are still very high.)

Jesus, the Way to the Father

Join David's words to the words of his descendant Jesus, spoken to His followers the night before His crucifixion. He had been preparing them for weeks—they were severely distressed by it. In John 14 He encourages them:

Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you... that where I am, there you may be also.

When Thomas objects that they don't know the way, Jesus answers with one of His most famous sayings:

I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6)

David said, "You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy." Jesus says, "I am the way to life, to the Father." In His presence is fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore. Here again are the themes of Advent: hope, peace, joy.

What Would Fullness of Joy Look Like?

I want to ask two questions. First, what would fullness of joy even look like? The very idea is hard for us, because all the happiness we've ever experienced has been temporary. Something in us doubts it's possible.

Our culture tells us fullness of joy is found in net worth—just add two or three commas. Yet those who have it testify it didn't bring happiness; it brought new troubles. We've seen how lottery wealth so often destroys lives rather than helping them. Solomon tried all of this 3,000 years ago in Ecclesiastes—a research study in existentialism before the word existed—and his conclusion was: "Emptiness, emptiness, all is emptiness."

So what would fullness of joy look like? I think it would mean being connected and united with those we love—but death threatens that. It would mean safety and security, with no worry about provision. It would mean freedom from guilt and shame; I know more than a few people who, the moment they begin to feel joy, are reminded of their failures. It would mean freedom from worry and anxiety. In short: the fullness of connectedness, of rest and provision, of complete salvation and total forgiveness, of peace and hope.

Second question: how many would like to have that kind of joy? You'd have to be a fool not to. The only reason you might not raise your hand is that you think it's impossible—a pipe dream, because relationships end and no one is ever fully provided for. But Scripture says otherwise.

Christ's Arrival Makes Fullness of Joy Accessible

Point number one: Christ's arrival makes fullness of joy accessible. How do I know? Only from the revealed truth of Scripture. David said, "In Your presence is fullness of joy," and he had the hope that God would show him the path into that life. Jesus says, "I am the way." So when we celebrate Christmas—His arrival, His Advent—we are also celebrating that fullness of joy is now accessible in Christ Jesus.

This was the prophetic hope of Isaiah, written during a dark time. Living in Jerusalem 2,800 years ago, Isaiah saw his city about to be besieged by their own brothers—the northern kingdom of Israel had allied with Syria to destroy Judah. The king of Judah, Ahaz, was an imbecilic leader heading the nation the wrong way. Isaiah called him to repent, promising God's protection, but Ahaz wouldn't believe it. The promise came in Isaiah 7:14: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel."

A Great Light Bringing Great Joy

Then comes Isaiah 9, in that very dark period:

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined. You have multiplied the nation and increased its joy; they rejoice before You according to the joy of harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. (Isaiah 9:2-3)

A great light is coming that will bring great joy—the kind of joy you have when you bring in the harvest. Most of us aren't farmers, so put it in modern terms: imagine your boss calls you in tomorrow, says you've had a great year, and hands you a bonus check—not the jelly-of-the-month kind, but a real one, say a quarter million dollars. You'd call your spouse, maybe post a joyful emoji. That's the kind of joy. Or the joy of dividing the spoil—to the victor go the spoils. You thought you'd die in the war, but you survived and now take in the plunder.

Where does this joy come from? Verse 6:

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

The light is not a thing—it is a Person. Seven or eight centuries before Jesus was born, Isaiah looked forward to the coming One who would bring great joy to people in darkness.

The Angels' Announcement

And when Jesus came, the angels announced it to shepherds in their fields:

Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11)

Why can He bring great joy? Because Isaiah 7:14 says He is Immanuel, God with us. And joy is core to God's very nature. Just as 1 John says "God is love," you could say "God is joy," and it would still be true. He is the embodiment of joy.

Point number two: Jesus is fullness of joy embodied, because He has the very nature of God. When you receive Christ into your life—the focus of the gospel—the presence of fullness of joy comes into your life. This is why Jesus, even with His crucifixion hours away, could tell His troubled disciples, "Let not your heart be troubled... I go to prepare a place for you, that where I am, there you may be also." And in His presence is fullness of joy.

The rest of the story confirms it. In Revelation 21, when He brings the fullness of His kingdom, there will be no more sorrow, death, crying, or pain—because in His presence is fullness of joy. That is the Christian's hope, not wishful thinking but absolute certainty, an anchor for the soul.

But What About Now?

The obvious question is: that's wonderful for the future, but what about today? Is joy only something to look forward to in heaven? I don't think so. We can begin to experience this joy now—not fully, perhaps, but truly.

Point number three: by faith in Christ we receive a joy that is increasing unto abundance for eternity. A pastor I came across once said, "One of the greatest transformations I experienced upon becoming a Christian is the realization of genuine peace and joy even when the circumstances around me swirl out of control." Who doesn't want that?

How do we lay hold of it? The answer is again Romans 5:

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. (Romans 5:1-5)

Every theme of Advent is there—hope, love, joy, peace. We first access this joy by receiving God's gracious gift in Christ, which gives us forgiving grace so we no longer stand in guilt and shame. You cannot have fullness of joy while carrying grief, guilt, and shame; Jesus deals with that through His forgiveness and reconciles us to God and to one another.

Abide in Me

But how do we begin to experience it now? Jesus gives the answer in John 15, in the same conversation the night before the cross:

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing... If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you... As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love. (John 15:5-10)

Then the key, verse 11:

These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.

So we abide in Christ, abide in His word, and abide in His love—and the result is that His joy remains in us and our joy is made full.

The Fruit of Joy

Point number four: the fruit of fullness of joy in my life is the result of abiding in Christ. That word "fruit" recalls Galatians 5, where Paul lists the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control. Joy is the evidence God's Spirit produces in a life He indwells.

We abide in His word by learning it, reading it, memorizing it, meditating on it, and sharing it. We abide in His love by doing what His word teaches—sharing with others, praying for them, caring for them, doing unto others as we would have them do unto us. As we begin to do these things, we begin to experience fullness of joy.

This does not mean you'll never have a difficult day. But here's the amazing thing—even in difficulty there is joy. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 7:4 that he was "exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation." In the next chapter he describes the Philippian Christians who, "in a great trial of affliction," experienced "an abundance of joy." Those don't go together in this world—except in Christ. James says, "Count it all joy when you fall into various trials." That's only possible by the joy found in Christ.

A Crisis of Meaning

In our culture we are seeing what many call a crisis of meaning, and as a result, increasing "deaths of despair"—often opioid overdoses where someone, despairing of chronic pain, goes too far. Nearly everyone in this room knows someone who died that way. Why, in one of the most abundant nations on earth? Because we've bought the lie that joy is found in X—fill in the blank—and those things never satisfy. There's only a compounding of meaninglessness. Only in Christ can you have great joy in trial and affliction.

Everyone you know is deeply desiring peace, hope, and joy—the people you work with, your neighbors, the ones you bump into at the grocery store or the gas pump. They're pursuing what they think will make them happy, but like the woman at the well, they find it doesn't satisfy. These things are existentially necessary: you cannot have psychological or physical well-being without hope, peace, and joy. When you lose them, life becomes meaningless.

Pursue It—Only in Christ

So if you deeply want fullness of joy, a hope that is sure and steadfast, and a peace that surpasses understanding, I want to challenge you to give yourself completely to the pursuit of peace, hope, and joy in 2024. You might say that sounds selfish. No—because in pursuing them you will be pursuing the only One in whom they are found: Christ. Pursue them anywhere else and you will end up without them. I've had many conversations with people who chased those things for 20, 30, 40 years, found themselves devastated, and finally found it in Christ—and they always say the same thing: "I wish I had done this sooner."

Either these words are true or they're not. If they're not, there's no point in any of this. But if they are true, then peace, hope, joy, and love are found only in Christ, who is the fullness of God in bodily form (Colossians 1). And as they become part of your life, they overflow until others around you are jealous. Paul spoke of stirring up his Jewish brothers to jealousy. I want that "ministry of jealousy" for you—that people will say, "That person has something I don't have, and I can't put my finger on it. They have peace when everyone else is freaking out."

Set Your Mind on Things Above

Next year will be a freak-out year for many—I'll give two names: Joe Biden and Donald Trump. People will go absolutely nuts. If you're abiding in Fox News or MSNBC, you're sunk—you'll know it by your anxiety and anger. Every anxious, angry person I see, I think: too much news. Test it: if you're filled with anxiety and on edge, you're abiding in social media and the corporate news. Instead, abide in this—the Word of God.

Paul wrote to the Colossians:

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above... Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. (Colossians 3:1-2)

I know there's skepticism in your heart, even if you've been a Christian a long time. You've had a bad year, a bad five years, a bad decade, and you've given up on joy here, hoping only for heaven. But taste and see that the Lord is good. I have bad days; I can be cranky—don't ask my wife. But what I've seen over time is an increasing joy, because I know it's found in Christ and in His word. Every time I'm anxious, I know I've been lacking time with God. When I order my life around prayer and His word, I experience joy, peace, and hope, and I'm kinder to people. God desires that fruit to be abundant in our lives. So, God, prune away whatever is not producing it.

Closing Prayer

Father God, I pray as we stand before You today that You would come and, just as John 15 says, prune away any branch in us that does not bear fruit. If there is any branch in my life not bearing the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control, would You cut it away. That's a frightening prayer to pray, for who knows what we'll look like after You cut it away—but my desire for my life and for my brothers and sisters here is that we would bear much fruit, which is Your desire. So do whatever You need to do to make us a fruitful church—fruitful in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. Make that abound in our lives to Your glory. We ask it in Jesus' name, and all those that agreed said, Amen.