Joy Full (John 16:16-24)

For our second study in the promises of God, I wanted us to look at God’s promise of everlasting joy. Isn't the pursuit of joy what life is all about? I remember when I was younger waiting for my wedding day. Jenna and I dated for 5 years before we got married. I knew that after I got married life would be rainbows and unicorns and lollipops from heaven. Neither of us had a solid job, but we would make it work. We set up a small rental house that did not have central heating and air conditioning. I was almost done with school and I had some job opportunities that seemed promising with about 3,000 in the bank so we got married and moved into a house. That summer I went to school and found two part time jobs in engineering, but I just knew that everything was going to get better. It did. I got a job with the government. We could move into our own home and we bought our very first car. It was a 2004 Honda CRV. We had it all, everything the world told us we wanted. I just knew that I was about to experience the everlasting joy that life was all about. But it was empty. I did not like the paper pushing engineering job I had, I had buyer’s remorse on the CRV, and my wife (who was and still is amazing) made a terrible god. Everything was empty. So, I sought joy in hobbies. I played video games. I bought a hunting dog. I bought a Jeep Wrangler. Then I lifted it and put big tires on it. Then I sold it and bought a new Jeep Wrangler. Do you know what I found? I found more buyer’s remorse and emptiness. So I bought a hunting dog and went duck hunting. Then, I got a bass boat and fixed it up to go fishing. That didn’t fix it either. But, at this point, I also found a text that explained exactly what I was doing.

Ecclesiastes 7:27--29 (ESV) --- 27 Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, while adding one thing to another to find the scheme of things--- 28 which my soul has sought repeatedly, but I have not found. One man among a thousand I found, but a woman among all these I have not found. 29 See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.

He says man seeks out many schemes. Does your experience resemble mine? We seek joy in our jobs, joy in our possessions, joy in our spouses, joy in our children, joy in our vacations, joy in our hobbies, and joy in sinful living. We seek joy through many different schemes, but do we find it? We find it, but it doesn't last. Solomon tries everything under the sun to give him lasting joy, but they all fail him. Eventually, he comes to the same conclusion over and over again in the text.

Ecclesiastes 8:15 (ESV) --- 15 And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun.

He says that joy is a commendable thing. We should seek it and take it where we can get it because we will hold on to those joyful times throughout our lives. The good memories have some lasting effect. We should find joy in our work and the fruit of our labor. But how many of us are satisfied with this? Here is another text from Solomon.

Ecclesiastes 9:9 (ESV) --- 9 Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun.

He also says to enjoy the wife whom you love. She is a blessing to you. But is she going to give you the satisfaction that you are seeking? As I said before, let me make this clear on Valentine’s day, my wife is an amazing, one in a million find. She is a precious jewel in my life. But she is a terrible god. She will never fill the black hole inside of me. None of these things provide you with total joy and fulfillment. Honestly, nothing out there can do that. Nothing under the sun will fill you. I don’t care if you have power over the whole world and all its riches. That black hole will eat it all up and leave you wanting. If we try to make them provide that, we will destroy the joy we hope to create.

So what are we going to do?

The Promise

Did you know that God wants us to have joy that is deep and everlasting?

Isaiah 35:8--10 (ESV) --- 8 And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. 9 No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. 10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Here God promises that he will provide a way for mankind to find everlasting joy and gladness. That way is called "The Way of Holiness." The redeemed shall walk in that way they are ransomed and protected by God. Never again will they struggle with fear, sorrow, and sighing. Those things are removed from them, and they do not go astray from that way. Can you imagine a life with everlasting joy and gladness? That's what God wants to give to you. He wants to bless you with that. He promises that to everyone who enters the way that is coming in the future. This "way" is a highway that he creates in the desert. In the first part of this chapter, he describes it as water that breaks forth and transforms the burning sand into a grassy field along with reeds and rushes. The blind see, the deaf hear, and the lame leap like deer. This is a way of joy and rejoicing. The picture is beautiful and joyful. What is dead comes to life, and what is lost is found. This is God's promise for his people.

Is It Fulfilled?

When does this ever happen? In the New Testament, we don't see too much of this. Jesus comes onto the scene, and he does not provide a literal river in the desert, but he offers it. He offers it to the woman at the well. He tells her that he can provide living water that will satisfy her thirst. He tells all of the Jews in John 7 that those who believe in him can drink from his stream, and out of them will flow living water. But Jesus does not appear to be living a joyful life. He is not protected from his enemies when they hang him on the cross. His disciples aren't full of joy and gladness. They do not seem free from sorrow or sighing. Their lives are full of suffering and pain. Jesus commands his disciples to take up their cross and follow him. That does not sound like a joyful thing for us to do. Where is the everlasting joy that God promised? Let's look at John 16 and understand this concept a little better.

Explanation

The disciples are with Jesus right before he is about to be betrayed. We are coming in near the end of a conversation, so let me catch you up. After Jesus washes the disciples' feet, he tells his disciples that he knows one of them will betray him. They are upset, but Jesus reassures them. He tells them that he is the way. He is about to leave, but they can follow him to his Father's house. He promises to send the Holy Spirit to help guide them and teach them all things. They don't like this idea of him leaving, but he tries to reassure them.

John 16:16--18 (ESV) --- 16 “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” 17 So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” 18 So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.”

Notice that this fits in well with the whole conversation. Jesus tells them he is about to leave for a little while, but he will come back and visit them. The disciples don't understand. They are frustrated because they don't want to lose Jesus. They love him.

John 16:19--20 (ESV) --- 19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.

So Jesus, knowing what they are thinking, explains what they are about to go through. He says that they will weep and lament. They will be sorrowful, but their sorrow will turn into joy. He tells them that their pain and suffering will be short-lived. Everything will appear backward for a little while, but on the other side of the sorrow will be a great joy. Then, he likens it to a woman giving birth.

John 16:21--22 (ESV) --- 21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.

This has happened twice in my life. I didn't feel the pain and suffering of giving birth, but I witnessed it. On the other side of it, there was an immense joy like I've never experienced. There is a new human in the room, and she or he is ours. There is so much excitement that it's easy to forget all the suffering and sorrow that just took place! Our minds are filled with thoughts of the future. Jesus said that experience resembles what his disciples were about to go through. The next four days were going to be excruciating for them. They will witness some of the worst atrocities they had probably never imagined would take place. But on the other side of the four days, they will have hearts that rejoice. He says, "No one will take your joy from you."

I want us to consider the truth of that statement. When Jesus rises from the dead, there will be no more losing him. He will be with them forever. Even if they don't physically see him, they will know that he lives and that he abides with them. No one will ever be able to take him away. They have made Jesus the source of their joy.

John 16:23--28 (ESV) --- 23 In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. 25 “I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”

The last part of this shows that Jesus is bringing the relationship they have with him to the Father. They will now have a relationship with the Father through this sacrifice. They can ask the Father, and he will hear their prayers. He says, "The Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God." That relationship will make their joy complete or full (24).

What About Us?

All of this is fascinating, but this is a message for Jesus' apostles. We didn't go through the loss of Jesus like that. Do Jesus' words to them mean anything to us? We have received the same hope as those disciples. While Jesus is gone, we feel suffering. When he returns, we will have joy. That’s something that Jesus has revealed to us in our study of Matthew (6:20, 13:43). It is also told us in Revelation. God will turn our suffering into everlasting joy.

But if you are a Christian, you have probably struggled to feel joy now through "The Way of Holiness." One thing we commonly believe is that it's impossible to be joyful while suffering. If we look at the rest of the story, we will see the disciples suffering repeatedly. They pick up where Jesus left off, teaching stubborn, rebellious people who don't want to listen. They have great success but also tremendous suffering. In Acts, we see them thrown in prison, stolen from, beaten, and murdered. Their life was full of suffering, but somehow it was also full of joy.

James very clearly points out that trials are supposed to be counted as joy.

James 1:2 (ESV) --- 2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,

Why would James say this, and what does he mean?

What About Now?

When we enter into the blessings of Christ, our perspective is supposed to change. We don’t become sick and twisted. It’s not that we learn to love pain and suffering. But we love what the pain and suffering produces. We love the fruit and reward that we are promised. Joy in “The Way of Holiness” is only found through faith in God’s faithfulness. Peter even says that we follow Jesus' footsteps in suffering to share the good news with others. Listen to how he talks about this suffering we are supposed to endure.

1 Peter 2:18--21 (ESV) --- 18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

He says that it is a gracious thing that we receive credit for doing. When we are gracious and loving toward others, we are following in Christ's footsteps and showing God our love for him. We are also leading people to God. As Jesus suffered for us, and found joy in our salvation so we should consider it a joy to suffer for others.

Hebrews 10:32--34 (ESV) --- 32 But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, 33 sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. 34 For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.

In Hebrews, the writer tells his readers that, at one point, they joyfully accepted the plundering of their goods. Who in their right mind would joyfully accept the plundering of their goods? You have to be crazy to be joyful about that. But the rest of the text says, "You knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one." They could care less about their gold, silver, houses, horses, clothes, chariots, or money. That stuff was just bonus gifts. The real treasure is in heaven, and no one will ever take it away. I love the words about Jesus in Chapter 12.

Hebrews 12:1--2 (ESV) --- 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

He endured the cross because he knew that there was an everlasting joy before him. He was focused on that joy. He could endure tremendous suffering because, on the other side of the suffering, there would be a relationship with you that is eternal. We need that level of focus to experience that level of joy.

The New Perspective

2 Corinthians 4:16--5:10 (ESV) --- 16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 1 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened---not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

This text shows us Paul's view of life. He sees the suffering in this life as light and momentary. There is a much greater joy ahead of us. We have a new perspective on life. We don't live to enjoy the things we see. We live for the unseen things that are coming. Those things are much greater than the things that are seen. Paul lists his suffering in Chapter 6. Listen to what he says.

2 Corinthians 6:3--10 (ESV) --- 3 We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; 7 by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

Paul is struggling through life. But he has focused his life on the hope of what is promised after this life. He says what Habakkuk says.

Habakkuk 3:17--19 (ESV) --- 17 Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. 19 God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.

That is his perspective on life, and that must be ours as well. It's okay if we go through trials and turmoil in life because we still have the Lord. We must choose to find joy in God's love for us. This world is full of evil, and it will rejoice in our suffering, but God has prepared a place beyond our wildest imagination where we can live forever with him.

Psalm 30:4--5 (ESV) --- 4 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name. 5 For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

Application

Let's be sure that we never give away the joy we have in Christ. Jesus said to his disciples that after they endure the trial set before them, they will have a joy in their hearts that no one will ever be able to take away. We have that same joy inside of us. We have the joy of a relationship with the Godhead. We can approach the throne of our Father through Jesus Christ, and he promises to be with us and work in our lives to provide what we need. If we are in Christ, we have everlasting joy available to us.

Don't let your circumstances in life deprive you of the joy God has in store for you. Suffering is a part of this life, but we can use it for God's glory. Paul found that out while in prison. When Nehemiah was trying to rebuild Jerusalem, he had critics named Sanballat and Tobias yelling at him and trying to say that he couldn't do it. They did everything they could think of to stop him from doing what God had called him to do, but he rebelled against them. He chose to believe that God was joyful over his work and dedication. In Nehemiah 8:10, he said, "The joy of the Lord is my strength." That's all that mattered to Nehemiah. That was his life's focus.

Conclusion

So many of us look for joy in many empty things. Our jobs, spouses, hobbies, children, and money cannot provide us with the joy our Lord provides. If we rely on them to do that, we will feel empty. Will we let our everlasting joy go to hold on to temporary joys that will never satisfy.