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Return to Joy

 The scripture says, “…in the presence of the Lord is fullness of joy…” Ps. 16:11. Can you imagine the kind of joy Adam and Eve had in the Garden of Eden in the beginning?

 This sermon is about how we can return to the joy of the beginning. First, we must discover what caused the loss of the first joy. Second we will look at Jesus’ statements about joy. Finally we will look at the experience of the early believers regarding joy.

 In the garden, Satan brought a temptation that brought about the loss of joy. The basic thrust of Satan’s argument was that Adam and Eve could do better by departing from God’s plan and going it on their own. After listening to the devil, Eve “saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.”

 The result of “going it on their own” was the loss of joy and the entrance of sorrow. They were cast out of God’s presence where they had experienced nothing but peace, joy, and prosperity. They entered a world that was cursed and began to endure the hardships of intense labor and painful childbirth.

 When Jesus came, He spoke to His disciples about a relationship with God that would bring fullness of joy. This joy would be a joy that would remain with them and a joy that would fill their lives.

John 15: ⁹“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. ¹⁰If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. ¹¹“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. ¹²This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

 Jesus went on to tell his disciples the joy would come into their hearts when they saw him resurrected.

John 16: ¹⁹Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, “Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’? ²⁰Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy…. ²²Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.

 Jesus then told them about a new relationship they would have with God. They would be able to make petitions to the Father in Jesus’ name and expect to receive whatever they asked. This new relationship would be a key factor in remaining full of joy.

²³“And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. ²⁴Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

 Let us see what happened to those who saw Jesus resurrected. We will begin with the women at the tomb and then look at the appearance in the upper room. Finally we will see what happened after Jesus’ ascension and what happened in the early church.

 The women at the tomb

Matt. 28: ⁵But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. ⁶He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. ⁷And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”

⁸So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word ⁹And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.

Those in the upper room

Luke 24 ³⁶Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” ³⁷But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. ³⁸And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? ³⁹Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”

⁴⁰When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. ⁴¹But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, “Have you any food here?” ⁴²So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. ⁴³And He took it and ate in their presence.

 The joy continues after Jesus ascension

Luke 24:⁵⁰And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. ⁵¹Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. ⁵²And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, ⁵³and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.

 The joy follows the Gospel to new people

Acts 8: ⁵Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. ⁶And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. ⁷For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. ⁸And there was great joy in that city.

 We see from these scriptures that Jesus returned to man through His death and resurrection. We see that joy continued in the church after Jesus’ ascension and came to all who accepted the Gospel. Joy comes to everyone who accepts the resurrected Christ and who love and obey Him.

 Remember our beginning scripture “…in the presence of the Lord is fullness of joy…” Ps. 16:11. Now we can understand why joy comes to the believer. Jesus said He would manifest Himself to those who love Him. He said that He and the Father would come and make their home in that person. This is an even better relationship with God than Adam and Eve had in the garden.

John 14: 21 …And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”…²³Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

 Now let’s bring this message to a conclusion. Jesus gave us joy when we first acknowledged His resurrection and Lordship. This joy comes when the risen Savior manifests Himself to us. No person or entity has the power to take that joy from us. Jesus said even during persecution we were to “…leap for joy…” (Luke 6:23). The only way we can “loose” the joy is to give up the joy ourselves. When we give up the joy, we have traded it for running our own life, just as Adam and Eve did. We then fall into sorrow, depression, and despair. Let us return to the joy that became ours when we first trusted Christ. Let us continue in that joy and let our joy become full as He manifests Himself to us.