0170. REJOICE IN THE LORD
REJOICE IN THE LORD
Why should Christians, need to be exhorted to rejoice in the Lord? Does the lack of joy in Christ not betray a lack of faith. We shall observe the-
I. Object of the Believer’s Joy. We are to rejoice-
1. IN THE LORD (Psa_35:9). Not only must we be in Christ to rejoice in Him, but He Himself must be to us our all.
2. In the Lord AS OUR GOD (Joe_2:23). Jesus said, "I ascend unto My God, and your God." Do we know what is meant when we say, "My God, my Father?" A God for a Father.
3. In the Lord AS OUR KING (Psa_149:2). We may well be joyful in our King, for there is no king like Him.
4. In the Lord AS THE HOLY ONE (Isa_41:16). Only those who love holiness can taste of this joy. The pure in heart shall see God, and glory in Him, as the Holy One.
5. In the Lord AS THE SAVING ONE (Php_3:3). When Christ is received by faith it is then that the Simeon song is sung: "I have seen Thy salvation."
6. In the Lord AS THE ALL-SUFFICIENT ONE (Hab_3:17). If our joy is in the blessing instead of in the Blesser it will soon wither.
II. Ground of this Joy. Every good gift is from above. "That My joy might remain in you." We rejoice in the Lord-
1. BECAUSE OF HIS SALVATION (Psa_35:9). Oh, the grace, which brought salvation, and delivered us from the fearful pit of guilt, and cleansed us from the miry clay of sin.
2. BECAUSE OF HIS COVERING (Isa_61:10). He clothed the first sinners with coats of skin-implying sacrifice. So we are covered (Rom_3:22).
3. BECAUSE OF HIS WORD (Psa_119:14). His faithful word, when believed, or eaten, becomes the joy and rejoicing of the heart.
4. BECAUSE OF HIS FAITHFULNESS (Psa_5:11). Those who put their trust in Him may rejoice, because they shall never be put to shame.
5. BECAUSE OF HIS PROTECTION (Psa_28:7). He is not only our Shield to defend, but our Strength to sustain. This sense of safety ought to increase our joy. Fear is the flight of happiness.
6. BECAUSE OF HIS ASSISTANCE (Psa_63:7). How often, as a loving Father, has He stretched forth His helping hand in our time of need.
7. BECAUSE OF HIS REVIVING. If our spiritual life droops, so does our joy. Every revival of life is a revival of Joy.
8. BECAUSE OF HIS PRESENCE (Psa_16:11). There is fullness of joy in His presence now as well as hereafter. This joy might be ours always for has He not said, "Lo, I am with you alway?"
9. BECAUSE OF HIS JOY (Zep_3:17). You may well rejoice in the Lord when He rejoices over thee with singing.
III. Character of this Joy. It is-
1. HOLY JOY (Lev_23:40). It is a rejoicing before the Lord; the joy the high-priest had in entering into the holiest of all; the joy that Jesus had.
2. A GREAT JOY (Isa_61:10). Great in the sense of being divine, God-like, and signal.
3. A THANKFUL JOY (Joe_2:23). The heart that is glad in the Lord delights to pour out its gratitude to the Lord.
4. A HOPEFUL JOY (Zec_9:9.) This Heaven-born joy anticipates the coming King, in whom, though now we see Him not, yet believing, we rejoice.
5. A CONTINUAL JOY (Php_4:4). If we rejoice in His Name, and know that His Name shall endure for ever, then we may rejoice in the Lord alway.
6. A GOD-GLORIFYING JOY (Psa_89:16). Glorying, not in pur own name, but in His. Oh, for more of this pure gladness which magnifies His precious Name!
7. A TRIUMPHANT JOY (Hab_3:18). It is not bound up with the things of this world, but in the eternal God Himself.
8. UNSPEAKABLE JOY (1Pe_1:8). We call it joy, but the fullness of the delight, the ecstasy, the bliss, no language can tell. "God, my exceeding joy."
IV. Consequences of this Joy. Rejoicing in the Lord is the happy mood that makes our lives most fruitful. This joy-
1. GIVES FITNESS TO SACRIFICE (2Ch_23:18). Our offerings must be made with rejoicing (Rom_12:1). The Lord loveth a cheerful giver.
2. GIVES POWER FOR TESTIMONY (Psa_107:22). His works are to be declared with rejoicing; If the joy of the Lord is not in our own hearts our declarations will be of little avail.
3. GIVES DELIVERANCE FROM SELF (Php_3:3). If our joy is only in Christ Jesus our confidence will be also in Him.
4. GIVES STRENGTH FOR SERVICE (Neh_8:10), The joy of having God’s promise ought to strengthen us in our work, as it did Nehemiah.
5. GIVES COURAGE FOR WITNESS-BEARING (Psa_20:5). If our joy in the Lord were measured by the height of our banners, how would it stand with us? Rejoice, again, I say, rejoice; rejoice in the Lord.
Autor: James Smith