Pastor Pat Edwards 5/21/2006
Grace Baptist Church in Bountiful, Utah

Today I chose to have part of the description of creation read because it tells us God did good, not according to human standards but according to his own perfect standard. I never thought much about God’s happiness or joy or pleasure, what it meant or means when God looks at what he’s done and says, "This is good." Since I’m made in the image of God I also finish projects and then evaluate them. I stand around and look at what I’ve done and it almost always gives my pleasure. Of course I see the little imperfections that somehow always accompany my work and take away from perfect delight. That isn’t true of God. When he finished each day of creating and looked and said it was good that meant it was perfect and there were no little flaws to rob him of his joy. But I never thought about what that meant emotionally.

Remember this short sermon series is on second thoughts and how I’ve changed and hopefully grown in my Christian faith and understanding. Today let’s look at joy.

As I shared in the most recent GraceVine, I’ve felt sorry for God over the years because of the suffering and pain he observes and experiences. After all you can’t love someone and not feel their pain and suffering. The six billion people presently on earth - not to mention creation itself groaning under the curse of sin - amounts to a lot of misery. Furthermore the Bible specifically tells us God grieves over our sin and rebellion and its consequences.

Generally I’m not what anyone who knows me would call a perfectionist. But there are a few little pockets of perfectionism located here and there in my personality. One area is the standard of behavior I hold myself to. I don’t find it easy to ignore or make light of my sin. So I go around feeling bad about the things I do wrong. And I assume the Lord looks at me and shakes his head wondering if I’ll ever get it right. Growing out of my own failures is a focus on mankind’s failings and sins, how far we miss the blessing God intends and his disappointment with us.

So all the verses that refer to joy just kind of went in one ear and out the other. I think I assumed God goes through each day like I do, aware of good and bad, sorrow and delight, pain and pleasure. When I would lay my head on the pillow at night and think of the slaughter of innocents in Iraq, the victims of Darfur, the horror of pedophilia and various other crimes against children, the natural disasters that end tens of thousands of lives I would feel sorry for God as the omniscient witness to all this sin and suffering. I thought his heart must be constantly broken over the unending tragedies of our dark and fallen world.

Obviously any joy he felt must be minimal and limited and he must long for the day of final judgment as much as I do. But I had never applied a controlling principle of scripture, a command given to us by the Lord that is as true in God’s life as it is to be in our’s. 1 Corinthians 12.26 Paul shares a truth about life in the family of God, If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Then in Roman’s 12.15 that truth becomes a command, Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. I had never thought through the implications of those verses until recently when my thinking was spurred by Dallas Willard’s comments in his book, The Divine Conspiracy. He got me thinking about all that God possesses that brings him joy.

To begin with there is the glory of his creation that we read about in Genesis 1. Those beautiful things that we frequently praise the Lord for during our sharing times are not limited for him like they are for us. That once-in-a-lifetime vacation to the Grand Tetons or Paris or the seacoast or wherever your favorite place is, are an everyday, every moment experience for him. In a few weeks when I’m sitting in a boat on the dark blue waters of Lake Powell two feet away from a red sandstone cliff that rises straight up nine-hundred feet over my head I’ll be in awe of creation’s beauty and the Lord will be right beside me enjoying it as well. But he’ll also enjoy it everyday all summer with tens of thousands of other boaters and campers. And he’ll enjoy it in the Fall and on solitary winter days. And his enjoyment of his creation isn’t limited to just this earth but spans the universe. His pleasure in his creation is almost unlimited by human standards.

An ongoing theological question asks if the effects of the curse are limited to humanity’s sphere of influence. In other words does the curse only affect the arena where mankind dwells? Several Christian authors including C. S. Lewis speculate that once we’re away from mankind and planet earth we leave the effects of the curse behind - that the rest of the universe exists in its original perfection. But even if all of creation is affected the Bible still tells us, The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.Ps 19.1 So we know that God continuously finds joy in his creation.

Another source of joy I often overlooked was the perfection of the Trinity as Father, Son and Spirit relate to one another. When you think of the best relationship you’ve ever had with another person, the greatest joys you’ve experienced together they pale in comparison to the fellowship that exists in the Trinity - a fellowship marked by perfect love, perfect agreement, perfect knowledge and understanding, perfect behavior. Think of the joy God experiences in that eternally intimate relationship.

Finally I failed to focus on all the goodness that occurs in the life of believers. While I tend to focus on my sin or my shortcomings those things are not really the preponderant attitudes and behaviors in my life. Christ’s activity in my life over the decades is bringing to completion the work he has begun in me as Paul declares in Philippians 1.6, ...being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Because of the Holy Spirit I make many good choices every day and I assume the same is true of most of you.

Now you’re going to have to listen to me carefully because I don’t want to be misunderstood. I believe God has more reasons to delight in the choices of his children than he does to sorrow. I’m not minimizing sin but I’ve also decided to stop exaggerating it as well. God grins, pumps his arm and shouts "yes!" every time we make the right choice - obedience delights him. He doesn’t overlook our disobedience but it doesn’t dominate his thoughts. In fact we’re told when we confess our sin he remembers them no more. It would be nice if the same could be said for us. So despite the fact that believers occasionally choose to sin I am convinced he takes much more joy in us than he does sorrow. He takes pleasure when we delight over our children and grandchildren, when we stand in awe of a sunset like last night’s or hum a beautiful melody or toss a handful of warm, buttery, salty popcorn into our mouths. I am more convinced than ever that he walks with us taking joy in all the things that "appropriately" bring us delight.

The Lord also rejoices over the results of his common grace - the expression of his goodness that affects everything he creates. Paul told the pagan crowd in Lystra, He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy."Acts 14.17 Note that in his kindness God fills even the hearts of nonbelievers with joy because of his physical provision. This last Tuesday the pianist at the Rescue Mission asked me if I thought God rejoiced in the actions of non-believers and I replied, "Yes, when they spring from the image of himself he stamped on all of us." Certainly God delights at a mother’s love for a newborn child, a love he gave her the motivation and capacity to experience. He must rejoice in the artistic and creative efforts that are wonderfully expressed by so many because in those things he still sees a reflection of himself.

One evening recently I actually found myself happy for God, delighted that there are so many things that bring him continual and complete joy. I’ve experienced that same feeling when people around me find success and happiness but it’s the first time I ever remember being happy for God and all the wonderful things that are part of his life. But it doesn’t end there.

In Romans 14.17 we are told, "...the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." As members of the kingdom we are to experience joy; it’s part of our citizenship. In 1 Thessalonians 5.16-18 we are commanded, Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. In his last talk to the disciples Jesus told them he shared truth with them so that "your joy may be complete" and "they may have the full measure of my joy within them." Finally the first fruit of the Spirit listed after love is joy - it’s right at the top of the list.

If you or I have a defective understanding of joy and of the joy God possesses then the emphasis on joy doesn’t mean much. Its offer falls into the "take it or leave it" category meaning we can live with it or without it. And we can but it’s to our great loss. It’s only when we understand the richness and wonder of the Lord’s joy that it becomes a possession of immense value, a fruit we eagerly desire for ourselves.

So is your joy complete? Does it even matter to you? Do you assume the Christian life really is kind of emotionally hum-drum? Or are you discovering this fruit in your life? And what about our witness to the world? Do they see joy that comes from Jesus and attracts them to Jesus? As I thought of the testimony of joy I realized that the men and women who most attract me are those who have the joy of the Lord. They include Dr. Grounds from Denver Seminary, Rufus Jones, the former director of our mission agency and Bob Frederich, the pastor you brought to help celebrate my 25th anniversary last year. Do you remember Pastor Frederich’s enthusiasm and joy? It comes from the Lord. What most of you wouldn’t know is that he had recently been diagnosed with diabetes, a disease that his wife has had all her life. She has been in a wheelchair for years because of it’s toll on her body and she has Alzheimer’s. She requires care 24/7. But none of those sorrows have robbed Pastor Frederich of his joy - a joy that comes from the Lord - and a joy that draws others to want to know about this Jesus who brings him such great delight in life.

So let me conclude by saying that I believe many of the Lord’s disciples have missed out on one of the great benefits and testimonies of the Christian life, the joy of the Lord. I encourage you to sharpen your focus so you don’t overlook all the goodness that exists in this fallen world and to emphasize rejoicing with those who rejoice even as you sorrow over the suffering of our world. May God help us to find the balance and the blessing!