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SIX CERTAINTIES REGARDING THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

INTRODUCTION:

In dealing with the certainty of Christ, John gives us six great certainties about the Gospel Message or “the Word of Life”.

Thus far we have looked at five of these great certainties of the Gospel message, and that is:

1.         THE GOSPEL MESSAGE IS STABLE!

             A.        The Gospel Message Has Never Changed. (Vs 1)

            B.        The Gospel Message Doesn’t Need Changing.

                        1.         The Gospel Message Meets Man’s Greatest Need!

                        2.         The Gospel Message Is The Only Thing That Can Meet Man’s Need!

            C.        The Gospel Message Will Never Change! 

2.         THE GOSPEL MESSAGE IS SENSIBLE!

            It makes sense to believe the Gospel, because the Gospel is credible!

            John experienced the Gospel with his senses.  

            A.       John said, “We Have Heard.”

            B.        John said, “We Have Seen With Our Eyes.”

            C.        John said, “We Have Looked Upon.”

            D.        John said, “Our Hands Have Handled.”

3.         THE GOSPEL MESSAGE IS SPIRITUALLY ENLIGHTENING!

            A.        Before A Person Comes To Christ, They Are Dead In Their Trespasses And Sins!

            B.        Faith In The Gospel Of The Lord Jesus Christ Brings The One Who Believes The Same Life That Christ Has–Eternal Life. 

4.         THE GOSPEL MESSAGE IS TO BE SHARED!

            The Great Commission was not only given to the disciples, but it was given to us!

5.         THE GOSPEL MESSAGE IS THE SOURCE OF OUR FELLOWSHIP!

            A.        To Be In Fellowship (i.e. Full Partnership) We Must Hear The Gospel.

            B.        Then We Must Believe The Gospel.

            C.        Then We Must Share The Gospel.

We want to deal with the sixth certainty of the Gospel message today and that is this –

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE IS THE SUPPLIER OF JOY. (Vs 4)           

What can bring real and lasting joy into someone’s life?– Only the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

There are two serious mistakes made pertaining to joy in the Christian life:

Some make the mistake of thinking God wants the Christian to be continually solemn and stern; never smiling or laughing. These type of individuals condemn merriment in general.

The other mistake is to identify Christian joy and rejoicing solely with the emotional happiness so sought after by the world, but this is not an accurate definition of biblical joy either.

I..       THE CALL TO JOY. (Vs 4)

            The words rejoice and rejoicing appear about seventy times in the New Testament.

            The word “joy” here means cheerfulness, i.e. calm delight.

This same word is used to speak of the joy of the wise men when they saw the star in Matthew 2:10.

It is also used to speak of the joy of the Elisabeth and Zacharias at the birth of John the Baptist in Luke 1:14.

            Again, it is used to speak of the joy of the Millennial kingdom in Matthew 25:21.

It is also used to speak of the joy of the women who came to the empty tomb after the resurrection of Christ in Matthew 28:8.

And once again it is used to speak of the joy of those who witnessed the 1^st century miracles by Philip the evangelist in Acts 8:6-8.

There is great happiness in the Christian life, but it is an error to think that this is solely what the Bible means by rejoicing.

2 Corinthians 6:4, 10–“But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses. . .As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing”

1 Peter 1:6–“Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:”

Jesus Christ, who was anointed with the oil of gladness according to Hebrews 1:9, was also “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” according to Isaiah 53:3.

From these Scriptures it is evident that one can be joyful even when emotionally sorrowful, even when the spirit is heavy, even when one is acquainted with grief.

Christian joy and rejoicing is, above all else, steadfast confidence in God regardless of one’s circumstances. It is a boasting or glorying in Christ and the promises of God!

There is a great danger in identifying Christian joy solely with emotional pleasure or with a spiritual gaiety.

Because of the fallen condition of this evil world and of our own corrupted nature, it is impossible but that we will experience a great deal of grief and heaviness in the present life.

The great Apostle Paul said in Romans 8:23, “. . . even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to with, the redemption of our body.”

God does not promise to deliver the Christian from the pains of a fallen creation. There are those who would force the Christian to try to maintain an emotional exuberance, but this flies in the face of the Word of God.

James 5:13–“Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.”

Here the Word of God recognizes that there will be different emotional experiences among the members of a Church at any given time, and it doesn’t demand that all conform to a single euphoric standard.

            The afflicted one is not told to be merry; he is told to pray.

In fact, to the worldly Christian, the one who has become a friend to the world, who is rejoicing in fleshly merriment, the Apostle James says in James 4:9, “Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.”

            This present generation would be wise to heed this admonition!

The fullness and perfection of emotional happiness is something that belongs to the future when we who are believers will bask in the eternal glory of Christ in Heaven!

We must not make it our chief aim in this present world to seek such joy, or we will be severely disappointed.

Like Jesus who the Bible says in Hebrews 12:2, “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross” , the child of God must set his face like a flint to endure the manifold sufferings of this present life with his eyes focused on the unspeakable joy which is to come; he must refuse to be sidetracked by a vain search for emotional euphoria in the here and now!

            The joy John is speaking about is full satisfaction in the provision of Christ.

If you are a Christian, you should be absolutely satisfied with what Christ has done and is doing for you!

            It is possible to be a Christian and not have full joy. John was writing this letter

            to Christians so that they might enjoy the fullness of all they had in Christ.

            Jesus wants us to have joy. Full joy. Joy in Him, not in our circumstances of life.

II.       THE CAUSE OF JOY.

            How can we have this joy that the Bible speaks of? Well, let’s see what the Bible says:

            A.        A Life That Of Abiding In Christ Leads To Joy! (John 15:1-11)

            B.        A Life Of Praying To Christ Leads To Joy! (John 16:23-24)

            C.        A Life That Clings To The Word Of Christ Leads To Joy! (John 17:13)

The words of comfort spoken by Jesus to His disciples were of great benefit to them. Following His Passion, they would recall His words and experience the full measure of His joy. Joy came to them because they knew from His words that He had conquered the evil one and brought eternal life to them.

            D.        A Life That Is Wrapped Up In The Lord Jesus Himself Leads To Joy!

                        Philippians 4:4–"Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice."

                        Christians ought to be people who are full of cheer and satisified.

            E.        A Life That Is In Fellowship Leads To Joy!

2 John 1:4–"I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father."

                        3 John 1:4–"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."

                        Remember what we said about fellowship? It means partnership or participation.

                        This joy that John had was because he was participating in the Great Commission!

Conclusion

Do you have this full joy in your life that John speaks of?

There is no joy apart from Christ! The first step is to invite Jesus into your life! Have you done that? Until you do that there is no possibility of having full joy!

How about those of us who call ourselves Christians? Do you have full joy or have you lost your joy? David said in Psalms 51:12–“Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation. . .”

Are you abiding in Christ like you should?

Are you praying to Christ like you should?

Are you clinging to the Word of God like you should?

Is your life wrapped up in the Lord Jesus Christ or is it wrapped up in the things of this world?

When was the last time you had the joy of leading someone to Christ and then take time to disciple them and see them walk in truth?

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NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!