Joy Established

Thank you, Ben, for leading us so excellently to start our D now. I'm incredibly excited for this weekend. He's also one of the guys we'll be at church camp with this summer, so we get to spend more time with him.

He's going to be talking to us about joy tonight from 1 Peter. So, Parker, thanks for being here. All right. Well, if you'll take your Bibles, open up to 1 Peter chapter 1.

We'll be in verses 3 through 9. It is so good to be with you. I genuinely mean that. I'm incredibly humbled to be here. I'm very thankful for this local church and encouraged by it greatly.

I'm thankful for Joey. I've enjoyed our friendship over time. It has been an encouragement to me in ministry and in life. And Joey and I's friendship has been mutually beneficial for one another.

So if you look at us, you can tell, like, it's been helpful to know him because he can win fights for me, pick up heavy things, help me find suits. And I can get things off of tall shelves for him and tell him what roller coasters are like.

So it's super cool. And it's been fun to know one another. But as he said, I'm the family pastor, which means I work with children through youth. I primarily work with our student ministry and then oversee our residency program as well.

I am married. My wife will be sneaking in at some point. And she is wonderful. Her name's Anna Kate. She's Southern, so it has that double name. So if you hear me say AK, it is not a gun enthusiast statement.

I'm just referencing my wife. And that's who that is. And so she'll be here. We have a chubby little corgi. His name's Puddin. And he's wonderful. He's AKC. So we had to register him.

So his mother is Princess Fiona VII. His father is Margrave Oliver Shortshanks. And so we had to register him with the Shortshanks name. So I interrupted their prestigious lineage and added the little way in like L-I-L.

So their son is Lil Puddin Shortshanks. And that's permanently in the records and in my home. But far more important than him is we just had our first child.

So we have a sweet little daughter. She's five months old. She'll be here. Her name is Eden Grace. And so then if you think with our last name, go forth. Her initials are Egg. And so you'll hear us refer to Egg or who that is.

She is here. She's a wonderful and gracious gift from the Lord. We are overjoyed in her. And I am overjoyed to be here. And so here, I love getting to talk about this topic.

So what is joy? Well, it is not. Let's start with that. It's not a temporal feeling of positivity. Some happiness. Something that might make you feel good for a moment.

Something you just really like or enjoy. So for example, I'm a massive soccer fan. Do we have any people who aren't real Americans in here? Good. Yeah? That's how I feel. Like, I love this.

I mean, like, I wear a scarf. I'll wake up at 6 a.m. to watch my team play. I am passionate. I follow Chelsea. And we're terrible this year. And if my joy was based upon Chelsea, I would be miserable.

Or for example, I live in Stillwater, right, where OSU is. The Lord calls you to dark places. And you go. Imagine being an OSU fan. Would that be a stable foundation?

Some of you are nodding. A lot of you are going, hmm. Now, why would these not technically help us find joy? And you can think of many other things. The problem is they are wavy or temporary or changing.

And so think even more than those. More seriously, you look around at the world. And whether we know it or not, we often find ourselves clamoring for something to place or find our hope in, our joy in.

We're longing for something that will sustain us and pick us up. And because of the brokenness of this world, because of the fall, we tragically find and heartbreakingly find these things cannot hold our hope.

They're crumbling. They're fading. They are temporary. And so here the issue isn't the desire for joy, but the object we find ourselves trying to place it in.

The object of our affection, our hope, or peace. So just here, this won't be three sessions of me saying, like, hey, don't worry, be happy.

Like, come on, just be happier. Have more joy. Seriously, come on. There would be a number of problems with that, right? That it just wouldn't be Christian as a whole. Two, it wouldn't be giving you any real way to find joy.

It would be like saying, go out to the well and get water when there is no well. It would be like standing outside in November and December in Oklahoma and just saying, hey, be warmer. Like, you would just go, like, I can't.

So as we spend these next three sessions together, as we talk about joy, I want to be clear on what we're talking about. First here, we'll be talking about Christian joy.

Christian joy. That should be no shock to you based on where we are. But also I would argue that is the only true joy. Father, this would differentiate it from any other message of here's the next thing that will help you.

Here's the next thing that will satisfy you. Like, think about how many iPhones have come out. They have to keep doing it because it's just not sufficient. And there could be something better.

This is not like that. I'm not offering you a feeble, ever-changing foundation. I'm not offering you another option for occasional hope and solution. What we'll be talking about is real and true and is good news for now and eternity.

That should impact the way you live. And this isn't just an idea I want to talk about. I want you to know truth, take in that truth, and then live in light of it.

So what is joy? Here's a definition. I love John Piper's definition of joy. I'll repeat it. I know it's a little longer. Christian joy is a good feeling in the soul produced by the Holy Spirit as he causes us to see the beauty of Christ in the word and in the world.

Like, here, I'm going to break that down so you can hear it again.

It's Christian joy is a good feeling. So recognize we do understand that joy is a positive feeling or emotion. It does have to do with how we feel. I'm not just saying you're all of a sudden going to hit a switch and you'll always be smiling and joyous.

Life happens. Things hit. We react naturally. But we have a chance by the Spirit to produce a joyous response. So it is a good, positive feeling where in the soul, the very core of our being, who we are.

This isn't a physical thing. I'm not going to give a workout plan that will bring about more joy. Although that can be of some value. Paul tells us that. We're talking about your very soul.

It's produced by the Holy Spirit. Like, that's very important through this time as we hear this and recognize it's produced by the Spirit. I'm not asking you to produce it. Primarily because of yourself, you can't.

True Christian joy is God wrought. It's coming from Him. And how? How do we see this by the Spirit? As He causes us to see the beauty of Christ in the Word.

So in Scripture, in His special revelation of Himself, that we would know Him and love Him and worship Him. And in the world, as all of it points us to Him.

Christian joy is a good feeling in the soul produced by the Holy Spirit as He causes us to see the beauty of Christ in the Word and in the world. And before we dive in, does that matter?

Like, does this topic even really matter? For some of you, you really don't need convincing. That the trials you're walking through, the shadows, the valley that you live in, you are longing for any semblance of joy.

This matters deeply to you. And here, I'm so sorry. And I pray that you would hear gloriously good news that is so true even in that circumstance.

Or maybe you're a Christian. And you've walked through similar hurts. Or you're walking through that immense hurt as well. And you're wondering, is there true reason to be joyous?

I pray you would be reminded of joyous truth. Maybe you're not a Christian and things seem fine. They're just all right. I pray you too would hear gloriously good news.

And as you hold it up and look at it rightly, the things of this world would grow strangely dim. That you would see these fleeting pleasures that seem to promise joy but only deliver death.

Or you might be a Christian who is so filled with truth and knowledge, but you've come to realize when you do real self-evaluation, I know all of this truth, but I don't actually live out a joy that matches that.

And I hope you would see that godly truth that doesn't lead to godly joy may not be rightly understood. I pray you would hear Holy Spirit-empowered joy flowing from Christ and his world.

So let's get into 1 Peter chapter 1. And I believe in this text, verse 3 through 9, we see three truths for every pilgrim. Three truths for every pilgrim.

I don't know if that's how you would have described yourself as you came in. But this idea of one who is journeying, journeying typically, they would argue towards like a religious place or towards home or going to find a place to settle.

That's why Bunyan's metaphor is so helpful. That is such a perfect metaphor for life. It's a reminder this applies to all of us. Look at the preceding context right before we dive in.

Look at verse 1 and 2 of 1 Peter. Who is Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, writing to? To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion. So these people who God has graciously set his love on, these Christian individuals who are now dispersed, scattered, exiles, wanderers, sojourners.

They are in the world but do not feel like they belong. They are wondering what joy or hope can they have. He says you elect exiles. Does this not sound like what it's like to be a Christian in our time?

One of the reasons I love 1 Peter is how immensely relatable it is to the Christian today. If you're like me, you may have grown up in Oklahoma where being a Christian held some social capital.

But now you're feeling that fading some and you're starting to go, as I live out my faith, I feel less like I belong here. To those who are elect exiles.

And why are they that? He reminds them that they're that according to God's gracious foreknowledge. How he has sanctified them, set them apart. What does he finish it with?

May grace and peace be multiplied to you. Yes, this is a typical conclusion of a greeting but also holds that weighty truth of his hope for the recipients.

And my prayer for you as well. That as we hear God's word, grace and peace would be multiplied to you. Three truths for every pilgrim.

First, first truth. God has mercifully given us a foundation for joy. God has mercifully given us a foundation for joy.

Why is it important to note that foundation? There has to be one. Right? If I'm telling you to go to a place for refuge. If I'm telling you to build. If I'm telling you where to build your joy.

You must have a foundation. We know that. You can think of the parable of the person who built his house on the rock. First, the sand. Which one stood? That with a sure foundation.

So where are we to build our hope? Where is our joy to flow from? Take a look at verse three. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

What an incredible start, right? Hallowed be your name. Blessed be the Lord. Gloriously, wonderfully, favored be our God. So Peter declares this.

He reminds them of this. In his comfort to these elect exiles, he begins saying, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Why? According to his great mercy. His great mercy. So kindness given to us despite what we deserve.

Why was he so merciful? Look on in that. According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again. Caused us to be born again.

And that phrase can sound odd. And everybody's going, what does that mean? We sound like Nicodemus asking, what does it mean when Jesus says, Truly I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God?

Well, as we currently stand, we cannot. As we stand on our own, we are dead. Paul clearly and rightly says in Ephesians chapter two, verse one, that we are dead in our sins.

That is our state. That is our future. And you may be going like, okay, yeah, but does that apply to me? Yes, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

All of us. Okay. Why is that such a big deal? Massively. The wages of sin, what we earn for our sin, what we deserve for our sin is death.

I mean, that's the case for all of us, for every one of us. And what hope is there for a dead man? The only hope is for him to be born again.

Look back at verse three. According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again.

And not just that. Read on. Born again to a living hope. Right? This is a hope that's not temporary or occasional or founded on something that will fade.

It is alive and well and will last, last for all eternity. That's a living hope. That's different than the hope I described and the things that I love.

And notice he's been the great initiator. He has caused us to be born again. It's a great mercy.

And you may be going, okay, but how? How can that be true of you and me? I know myself. I know my sin. I know how deep it is. Our sins, they are many.

His mercy is more. How can he do that? Read on in the verse. He's caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

What is Peter pointing these elect exiles to to comfort them, to encourage them, to remind them of truth? It's to the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is bringing them to his life, death, and resurrection.

This gospel that we stand before a God who is perfectly holy and just. And we stand sinful and deserving of death. Yet God is great in mercy.

And how do we know that so fully? He sent his son to live the life we fail to live. So without sin and die the death we deserve to die.

It was, as Hebrews clearly states, a once for all sacrifice to atone for our sins. So once again, it wasn't like all these others that have to be offered over and over and over.

Do you see how this is a living hope? It is true and lasting. And the next part of the gospel is very important. He didn't just die. He didn't stay dead. Death did not defeat him.

Jesus rose again. Death has been defeated. He is risen. And not just risen, but ascended.

He is our living hope. Jesus is our living hope. He is not dead. He is alive and is now seated at the right hand of the Father reigning. That is such gloriously good news.

Now notice, all of this assumes they have placed their faith in him. Right? He's not just making this blank statement.

Peter's writing to Christians. This isn't blanket good news for every single person. He's talking to those who have heard of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus and have repented and believed.

Have turned from their sins and placed their faith all they have in him. So as we start, if you aren't a Christian, hear the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

That is real, deep, profound good news. There is real forgiveness and rescue available in Jesus. There is living hope in Jesus himself.

He's calling you to repent and believe. And Christian, like this should be an encouragement to your soul. Don't forget this good news.

He has caused you to be born again. He has washed you with regeneration, as you heard. He has made you new, opening your eyes to see. Have you forgotten his great mercy?

So hear that again. And then hear why it gets even better. Look at verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope. Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. To an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.

Kept in heaven for you. So it's not just this you hear. There is an inheritance. You may be going, okay, isn't that just for family members? Well, recognize, although these are sojourners and strangers, he's reminding them of the truth.

That if you are in Christ, you are a family. Like John tells us this beautifully. Chapter 3, verse 1. He says, see what kind of love, in 1 John, the Father has given to us.

That we should be called children of God. And so we are. Like for some of you, given your weighty family dynamics, just hearing that may be unbelievably good news.

And Paul writes of this wonderful gospel truth in Romans 8, starting in verse 14. He says, for all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received the spirit of adoption as sons. By whom we cry, Abba, Father.

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. And hear this in verse 17. And if children, then heirs. Heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

And we'll get to that last part in this text. But those who are in Christ are adopted children. And heirs of what? You hear that in verse 4. An inheritance.

And not just an inheritance, but one that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. Right? Real inheritances can crumble.

They can fall apart. They may not be there, but they may not be as great as you think they were. But what do we have in Christ? What does the Christian have in Jesus?

An inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. It's one that will not rust, will not be eaten by moths.

It will not fade. Why? Because your inheritance is the Lord of glory. You get to be with him in the new heavens and new earth for all eternity. The value does not diminish.

It does not slip away. It does not fade, but is radiantly glorious for all eternity. It will never cease to be beyond all that is good and majestic.

And the very glorious one that we come to be with is keeping it for you and keeping you for it. Right? Our inheritance, our hope isn't with the bank or a smart friend.

It's definitely not with crypto. It's not hidden well. It's not in a good vault. All of those can fail and can be breached and can crumble. But God cannot and will not.

Jesus said in John 14, 1-3, let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me.

In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am, you may be also.

None can be plucked from his hand. Why do I say that? Because Peter, inspired by the Spirit, tells us that as well.

Look at verse 5. You who by God's power are being guarded through faith. You who by God's power are being guarded through faith.

For a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. You who by God's power are being guarded through faith.

That he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion. Those who are his will persevere to the end. Yes, we press forward, but we remember that we are saved by faith.

Sealed by the Spirit. And we remind our souls that as Jude says, those who are called beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus. He assures them by saying, now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling.

And to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy. To the only God our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority before all time, now and forever.

Amen. He can and will keep those who are his. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So what is the foundation for joy? It is God's mercy in the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

God's great mercy shown in that. Where must our fountain of joy come from? Those glorious gospel truths. That my hope, my faith is in Jesus. I have been made new.

My sin has been forgiven. Through Christ, God loves me. He is my Father. He is my friend. Friend, the one I hope in is not dead or fading or temporary, but alive and king and eternal.

And he will keep me and bring me home to an inheritance that is eternally wonderful. Praise God for that. So hear me as I say, friend, do you want joy?

I mean this. Come to Jesus. Like repent and believe. Place your faith in him. And here I'm not saying that if you do that, all of a sudden everything will be easy and you'll never frown again and there will never be sadness.

No, not in this life. Not in this sin-tarnished world. But I am promising you one who will make it all new. And who will give you living hope that matters in this life and the life to come.

And hear that, Christian. As you strive for joy, you need to start here. Run back to the gospel again and again and again and again and remind yourself of that.

Let it be a constant balm for your soul. A fuel for your engines for this is true. God has mercifully given us a foundation for joy. Second truth for every pilgrim.

You must know that that is true, so the first one, in every circumstance. You must know that that is true in every circumstance.

So God has mercifully laid a foundation for joy and that is true at all times. You'll notice this as you press on. Look at verse 6. After this wonderful, glorious gospel truth, it's all going to be wonderful and easy.

Look at verse 6. In this, right, these glorious gospel truths, you rejoice. So you have joy. You live joyously. But look on.

Though now for a little while, if necessary, you've been grieved by various trials. This may happen.

Weighed down by difficulty. Weighed down by valleys. Difficulties. If necessary, deemed by who? That is by the Lord. Weighed down by difficulty.

Confronted with strain and tragedy. So to kind of put it in context. What is Peter doing? He's saying, remember, you Christians who are feeling out of place and burden in the world, suffering in the world, saying you hold on to joy.

Even though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death for a while, even if the sun dips behind the clouds, even if you find yourself in what appears to be a frowning providence, you rejoice.

Like you rejoice in these truths. You remember the gospel. Why do you rejoice in it? Look at verse 7. So that, with this purpose, the tested genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

That it would reveal and show the genuineness of your faith. It would show your faith to be true. And how worthwhile is that?

It says it is more valuable than gold. That is destroyed by fire. But yours, your faith, stands and is refined in the midst of that. Like, do you hear that, friends?

That a lasting faith in Jesus is more valuable than anything. It holds more valuable than anything. And the refining fires of trials reveal that faith.

It is a precious thing. And what's the final result? You saw that at the end of verse 7. This may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

This is that said of you, to you, to God's glory. But really, this is a great summary of well done, good and faithful servant. It's those wonderful words.

How good will those words be when our days draw to a close? Because they will. That's a weighty reality. But this tested genuineness of your faith results in that well done.

This is just like the weary runner falling into the arms of their father at the end of their race and saying, I've done it. I didn't stop. I made it to the end. I kept running. I didn't just give up and walk off the track. And the father says, well done.

That we too, at the end of our days, will either have nothing to say or can joyously say, I've clung to Jesus and all my faith is in him.

And the father says, well done. But what hope is there that we will do that? What hope is there that we can finish?

Well, remember that he keeps you. Remember the truth that he keeps you. Remember, we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, but we do so knowing it is God who works in us both to will and work for his good pleasure.

When I fear my faith will fail, Christ will hold me fast. So how do we do this? How can we rejoice in trials in good times or in all circumstances?

We remember the gospel. How can we find joy in all circumstances? I'm not saying you make light of those. But I'm saying how can we find this joy to remember the gospel?

Realize verse 6 and 7 don't happen without 3 through 5. God has mercifully laid a foundation for joy and that remains true in the gospel no matter what is going on.

And remembering that, clinging to that, that God-given spirit-empowered faith is more precious than gold. It is eternally good. So finally, the third truth for every pilgrim is that believing in those first two truths is inexpressibly good for your soul.

Believing in those first two truths is inexpressibly good for your soul. God has mercifully laid a foundation for joy. And that is true in every single circumstance.

And knowing that and remembering that is good for your soul. Because remember, once again, this is written to Christians who feel hopeless. They feel out of place in the world. They're saying, where are you, God? In the midst of all of this, I feel lost.

And help, like, where are you? And Peter points them to the gospel, to that truth. It reminds them that it is good if they cling to it in the midst of trials and concludes here. Look at verse 8. Though you have not seen him, you love him.

I pray that would be true of you. Look at the next part of the verse. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him.

I pray that would be true of you as well. And I do want to note, neither of these is Peter just swinging at the breeze and telling you to just have an unreasonable faith. Peter is not saying, I don't know, nobody's ever really seen him.

So, this is Peter who's seen the transfigured Christ. Who knows who this is, telling you to love him and believe in him.

Like, these are responses to the gospel, this love and belief. This is out of the super abundance of God's mercy. That though we do not see him, we love him and believe in him.

And what is the result of that love and belief in the gospel? It's our theme that we get from scripture.

Though you've not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him. And what? And rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory.

What is the result of this? Inexpressible, glorious joy. Right? It's not just joy. It's inexpressible joy. I don't even know how to explain it.

Right? Like, that idea, you felt that. You're going, I need you to know how great this is. It's that wonderful. Like, it is so incredible. It's beyond words. Beyond compare.

Beyond wonder. But not just that. It is glorious. Like, it is filled with glory. Pointing to the one who is immensely glorious. It is wonderful and marvelous.

Founded on one who is wonderful and marvelous. Because here, Christian joy is a good feeling in the soul. Produced by the Holy Spirit as he causes us to see the beauty of Christ in his word and in the world.

Because that belief and joy, that shows that we are in Christ. And there we are. Look at verse 9. Obtaining the outcome of your faith.

The salvation of your souls. Like, that choice shows that we are those who belong to him. Do you hear the application in the text through our definition?

That the Holy Spirit, using the beauty of Christ in the word and in the world, should lead us to joy. Dustin Binge, author, theologian, says, The church has joy.

A joy that streams without any circumstantial obstruction out of a heart that is holy, satisfied in Christ and the promises of Scripture. What's the clear application?

Run to the word. Run to your Bible. Run to Scripture and be thrown to the gospel time and time again from Genesis to Revelation.

Look to the world. Let its beauties throw you to Jesus. And let the pain make you long for him and for eternity. It's that idea of go quickly to the gospel time and time again.

So I hope you see that if we want to talk about joy, we have to start here. We have to start with the gospel. And that remains true in all of life. And it is inexpressibly good for your soul.

Right? This is why children's songs are so fun. Right? That we laugh at them and can kind of think they're silly. You may have heard them. Right? Like, Jesus loves the little children. Or this little light of mine. I'm going to let it shine.

Right? Like, you guys are probably already hearing it in your head. Or Jesus loves me. This I know. Like, it's a wonderful truth. And by the way, if you go look at the history of that song, it's actually really heavy. That was written for sick children to comfort them.

Anyways. Guys. Children's songs are actually wonderful at teaching us deep, glorious truths. And you may think of the one that I've got joy down in my heart. Deep, deep down in my heart.

Some of you I see doing motions. Spell it. J-O-Y. Down in my heart. Deep, deep down in my heart. Right? And we're like, yeah, yeah. But listen to the next line that you would sing and chant and sway to as a kid.

Jesus gave it to me. And nothing can destroy it. I've got joy down in my heart. Deep, deep down in my heart. Friends, I pray that would be true of you.

But note where that has to start at. Do you know Jesus? Are you believing in him? Are you made new? If not, pray for that.

Repent and believe. And I promise you, it is so worthwhile. Christian, have you forgotten that truth? Do you know that's where your joy is founded?

Have you seen the gospel as a firm foundation or just a passing ideal? Have you been trying to sail through the storms of life while leaving your anchor behind? Love him.

Believe him. Stand on this foundation of inexpressibly glorious joy. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let's pray.

Lord, you are glorious beyond compare. You are gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.

And that is so beautifully seen in the gospel. You have caused us to be born again to a living hope. To an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, unfading, and it is kept for us who are being kept by you.

Lord, help us to know that even in the midst of trials. Help us to know that even if we feel as if we don't see you or know you. Lord, may we rejoice with inexpressible joy in that.

Lord, I pray that for these students. If there's some who are not Christian, would they hear the good news of the gospel? The mercy of Jesus calling them to repent and believe. And Lord, I pray for those who are Christian who may be feeling wayward, wandering through valleys.

Lord, would you remind them of the gospel? That wonderful good news. Lord, help us all to see that that is where joy is found. In Jesus' name I pray.

Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.