1 00:00:00,805 --> 00:00:06,658 I think everyone in here wants joy. 2 00:00:06,658 --> 00:00:08,387 I think the answer is 3 00:00:08,387 --> 00:00:11,073 because in our practical street-level 4 00:00:11,073 --> 00:00:14,486 Christian living of our everyday lives 5 00:00:14,486 --> 00:00:17,739 where we experience suffering and pain, 6 00:00:17,739 --> 00:00:20,687 we really struggle to see how joy 7 00:00:20,687 --> 00:00:23,025 can be truly experienced 8 00:00:23,025 --> 00:00:29,435 in the midst of sorrow, pain, and anguish. 9 00:00:29,435 --> 00:00:33,375 And we have begun at times to believe 10 00:00:33,375 --> 00:00:36,502 that if we're really going to experience true joy, 11 00:00:36,502 --> 00:00:40,176 it must be at the removal of sorrow, 12 00:00:40,176 --> 00:00:44,707 pain, and anguish. 13 00:00:44,707 --> 00:00:49,001 In v. 23 and 24, Jesus is going to teach the disciples 14 00:00:49,001 --> 00:00:52,054 a really important theological shift 15 00:00:52,054 --> 00:00:55,436 that's going to take place in light of the resurrection. 16 00:00:55,436 --> 00:00:59,406 It will help us see how we can approach the Father 17 00:00:59,406 --> 00:01:01,393 regarding these things. 18 00:01:01,393 --> 00:01:04,295 And we need to understand that. 19 00:01:04,295 --> 00:01:06,864 But because the aim of v. 24 20 00:01:06,864 --> 00:01:09,435 is that our joy would be full, 21 00:01:09,435 --> 00:01:11,664 but it's also going to teach us another thing, 22 00:01:11,664 --> 00:01:15,512 and that is this: what's the source of joy. 23 00:01:15,512 --> 00:01:17,795 What's the source of joy? 24 00:01:17,795 --> 00:01:20,249 We need to know how we need to approach the Father 25 00:01:20,249 --> 00:01:22,804 if we're going to have this joy that's set before us. 26 00:01:22,804 --> 00:01:24,867 But we need to understand importantly too 27 00:01:24,867 --> 00:01:26,525 what's the source of joy. 28 00:01:26,525 --> 00:01:28,100 And to help us think about that, 29 00:01:28,100 --> 00:01:30,345 I'm going to go back to the illustration again 30 00:01:30,345 --> 00:01:31,765 and just drive the point home 31 00:01:31,765 --> 00:01:34,646 one more time for you. 32 00:01:34,646 --> 00:01:37,185 In the illustration Jesus gave, 33 00:01:37,185 --> 00:01:39,166 the woman was in the midst of sorrow - 34 00:01:39,166 --> 00:01:41,137 true physical pain - 35 00:01:41,137 --> 00:01:44,895 and then her sorrow turned into joy. 36 00:01:44,895 --> 00:01:52,245 And it wasn't because the sorrow was removed. 37 00:01:52,245 --> 00:01:53,875 It was swallowed up 38 00:01:53,875 --> 00:01:55,836 in the joy of the baby. 39 00:01:55,836 --> 00:01:59,546 In Jesus teaching us how to come to the Father 40 00:01:59,546 --> 00:02:01,994 after the resurrection, 41 00:02:01,994 --> 00:02:04,765 He's going to be teaching us the source of joy, 42 00:02:04,765 --> 00:02:06,253 and let me tell you this, 43 00:02:06,253 --> 00:02:09,628 the source of joy is not the removal 44 00:02:09,628 --> 00:02:15,357 of pain, sorrow, and anguish. 45 00:02:15,357 --> 00:02:17,734 In this life, you're guaranteed 46 00:02:17,734 --> 00:02:20,998 constant pain, sorrow, and anguish, 47 00:02:20,998 --> 00:02:24,264 yet here Jesus holds out before us 48 00:02:24,264 --> 00:02:30,835 eternal joy and fullness thereof. 49 00:02:30,835 --> 00:02:34,093 I think most of us are getting this wrong 50 00:02:34,093 --> 00:02:38,394 and I'll help you to diagnose if you're like me often. 51 00:02:38,394 --> 00:02:42,044 Regarding your pain, sorrow, and anguish, 52 00:02:42,044 --> 00:02:46,184 how do you pray about that? 53 00:02:46,184 --> 00:02:48,745 If you're like me, 54 00:02:48,745 --> 00:02:54,365 most of my prayers regarding my pain, sorrow, and anguish 55 00:02:54,365 --> 00:02:58,916 are: God, I want to have joy, 56 00:02:58,916 --> 00:03:01,975 so I need You to remove 57 00:03:01,975 --> 00:03:05,117 the pain, the sorrow, the anguish 58 00:03:05,117 --> 00:03:07,556 or the source of it. 59 00:03:07,556 --> 00:03:11,234 And I spend a lot of my prayer time there. 60 00:03:11,234 --> 00:03:12,935 I want to be careful here. 61 00:03:12,935 --> 00:03:15,384 I'm not implying it's wrong 62 00:03:15,384 --> 00:03:17,524 to pray for healing 63 00:03:17,524 --> 00:03:19,835 or for God to remove those things. 64 00:03:19,835 --> 00:03:23,245 I'm not implying that at all. 65 00:03:23,245 --> 00:03:25,785 But I think it's really important 66 00:03:25,785 --> 00:03:29,886 that we see as we look through the lens of Scripture 67 00:03:29,886 --> 00:03:33,108 the normative means through which 68 00:03:33,108 --> 00:03:36,016 God brings joy to us 69 00:03:36,016 --> 00:03:40,616 is not the removal of pain, sorrow, and anguish, 70 00:03:40,616 --> 00:03:43,355 it's by giving us joy in the midst 71 00:03:43,355 --> 00:03:46,035 of pain, sorrow, and anguish 72 00:03:46,035 --> 00:03:51,885 by giving us Jesus. 73 00:03:51,885 --> 00:03:56,868 Saints, there's something more - better - 74 00:03:56,868 --> 00:03:59,326 than the removal of pain. 75 00:03:59,326 --> 00:04:03,507 It's Jesus in the midst of pain. 76 00:04:03,507 --> 00:04:05,735 And we really struggle to see that, 77 00:04:05,735 --> 00:04:07,973 to believe that because the pain is real, 78 00:04:07,973 --> 00:04:09,353 but I want you to know this: 79 00:04:09,353 --> 00:04:14,726 Jesus is more real. 80 00:04:14,726 --> 00:04:18,975 God gets glory by removing pain and sorrow. 81 00:04:18,975 --> 00:04:21,716 He gets glory by healing, but I want you to know this, 82 00:04:21,716 --> 00:04:24,473 God gets even more glory 83 00:04:24,473 --> 00:04:28,896 when He swallows up pain with joy. 84 00:04:28,896 --> 00:04:30,720 I mean, tell me what looks better 85 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:32,816 from a world's perspective. 86 00:04:32,816 --> 00:04:35,490 To see someone who circumstantially 87 00:04:35,490 --> 00:04:37,616 has no basis for joy 88 00:04:37,616 --> 00:04:39,394 and is in full pain? 89 00:04:39,394 --> 00:04:45,236 Yet, they're unexplainably rejoicing? 90 00:04:45,236 --> 00:04:47,184 That gives God glory! 91 00:04:47,184 --> 00:04:49,512 You know what else it forces the world to do? 92 00:04:49,512 --> 00:04:51,836 It forces the world to come to you and say: 93 00:04:51,836 --> 00:04:54,315 Hey, what is the source of the hope 94 00:04:54,315 --> 00:04:55,994 that is within you? 95 00:04:55,994 --> 00:04:58,035 Because they can't see the circumstance. 96 00:04:58,035 --> 00:04:59,935 In fact, they see a circumstance 97 00:04:59,935 --> 00:05:01,506 that should lead to grumbling 98 00:05:01,506 --> 00:05:03,584 and complaining and whining, 99 00:05:03,584 --> 00:05:06,586 yet they're seeing joy. 100 00:05:06,586 --> 00:05:09,132 And when they ask you that, you get to stand up 101 00:05:09,132 --> 00:05:11,280 and you get to say this: 102 00:05:11,280 --> 00:05:15,754 Jesus Christ is the source of my joy 103 00:05:15,754 --> 00:05:20,496 in the midst of my sorrow and pain. 104 00:05:20,496 --> 00:05:25,850 Saints, God looks good in that scenario. 105 00:05:25,850 --> 00:05:28,665 This excerpt was taken from the full sermon: 106 00:05:28,665 --> 00:05:31,324 Sorrow Turned Into Joy