I. INTRODUCTION

A. In the previous lesson, we began our study of joy by considering David's praise for God in Psalm 16:11 – "You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”

B. In this lesson, we will consider the enduring value of this fullness of joy. Truly, it is worth everything we may have to give to obtain it, and it is worth having to wait.

II. JOY WORTH GIVING ALL

A. The Lord Jesus is our example of giving all in exchange for lasting joy.

1. Notice the text of Hebrews 12:1-3:

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

a. This passage tells us that Jesus endured the cross "for the joy set before Him,” which He realized after His suffering when He sat down "at the right hand of the throne of God.”

b. The purpose of this passage is to set forth Jesus as an example for us. We are to be "fixing our eyes on Jesus” and to "consider Him” so that we "will not grow weary and lose heart.”

c. Like Jesus, we must also endure all the hardships of faith in order to obtain the joy set before us, which will be fully realized when we come into the presence of God (Ps. 16:11).

 

2. The joy of our Lord was fulfilled at an awful cost to Him. He gave up the glory of heaven, came to earth as a man, and died unjustly on the cross in obedience to His Father to atone for our sins. It was only after this that the Father highly exalted Him. See Isaiah 53; Philippians 2:5-11.

B. The Lord's teachings often demonstrate that the joy He offers is worth all that one has to give for it.

1. Jesus illustrated such joy in the parable of the hidden treasure.

a. In Matthew 13:44, Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

b. In the parable, joy for the prospect of obtaining the treasure prompts the man to sell all his possessions. Likewise, joy for the prospect of entering the kingdom of heaven should prompt us to do whatever is necessary. Thankfully, God has placed this joy within our reach through faithful obedience to the gospel of Christ.

2. Jesus often proved that the joy of salvation is worth any price.

a. Consider Matthew 16:24-26:

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

i. Nothing – that is what a man will profit if he gains the world and loses his soul.

ii. Everything – that is what a man will give in exchange for his soul.

b. Those who will not give what is necessary to obtain eternal life will never know the joy of salvation. A good example of such a person is the rich young ruler, who went away from Jesus grieved because he owned much property (Matt. 19:16-22). He chose to be sorrowful rather than to sell his property, give to the poor, follow Jesus, and have joy.

C. The attitude of the apostle Paul typifies the early Christians' willingness to exchange the things of this life for the joy found in Christ Jesus.

1. The Lord gave us Paul as an example of sacrifice for the joy of Christ. Notice Philippians 3:8-11:

More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

a. Paul gave up all that had been "gain” to him for the sake of Christ (see vv. 1-7).

b. We must be willing to do the same, for Paul wrote, "Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us” (v. 17).

2. Like Paul, the first Christians were willing to give up their possessions, their liberty, and even their lives for the joy of being in Christ (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-37; 5:40-42; 8:1-4; 12:1-2; Heb. 10:32-34).

3. Many others followed this pattern through the ages, trading the things of this world for the joy of Christ. Consider the words of Jim Elliot, who was a martyred in 1956 while on a mission trip to Ecuador – "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

III. JOY WORTH WAITING FOR

A. Paul knew that the joy of knowing Jesus in eternity was worth his working and waiting in the present.

1. In Philippians 3:13-14, Paul said, "Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

2. Despite the wait and the trials that went with it, Paul declared in Philippians 4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” His joy was not diminished because of his wait.

3. Paul was able to endure his trials on earth because he kept his eyes fixed on Jesus and the joy set before him. See 2Corinthians 4:16-18. He could endure anything while waiting for future glory.

B. It is the anticipation of the fullness of joy that motivates us to wait patiently for the Lord.

1. Every Christian who has ever walked the earth has needed this joyful patience, for the Lord has not yet come. This waiting is simply a part of the life of a Christian. Consider 1Thessalonians 1:9-10 – "For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.”

2. James spoke of the need for patience, showing that the joyful end will certainly be worth the wait. See James 5:7-8 – "Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.”

C. While we wait patiently for the Lord and endure the hardships of this world, we should continually overflow with joy for what we are about to receive.

1. Consider two passages from the book of Habakkuk that teach us a lesson in patience.

a. Habakkuk 2:2-3 – Then the LORD answered me and said, "Record the vision and inscribe it on tablets, that the one who reads it may run. For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay.”

b. Habakkuk 3:17-18 – Though the fig tree should not blossom and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive should fail and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold and there be no cattle in the stalls, yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.

2. Although Habakkuk wrote for a different people in a different time, the lesson of patience is still valid for us. The fullness of joy in the presence of God through Jesus is worth the waiting. Moreover, there is joy in anticipation, so that every Christian should say, "I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.”

IV. CONCLUSION

A. The prospect of giving up things that are dear to us does not naturally bring us joy. Likewise, the prospect of waiting does not naturally bring joy in this world of instant gratification. However, it is the knowledge of our reward that gives us joy in the present and promises even greater joy for eternity.

B. Surely, the joy of being with Jesus for eternity will be worth anything that we may have to give up for it. It will also be worth any wait. Truly, the Lord asks very little by comparison, and He offers so much.