Joy in the Storm – Part 2

 

Dr. Willie Nolte asks, What is it that these scattered and battered follower of Jesus Christ possess? Christians possess and exhibit inexpressible and glorious joy. Glorious because it is far beyond us and our ability; it is the things of God. It is, literally, the Divine coming to our experience. Inexpressible because, how do you adequately articulate words to talk about how awesome it is? The joy that you feel is too hard to actually communicate as it wells up inside. The Apostle says that this inexpressible joy is grounded in our love for and belief in Jesus.

John 20:29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

It’s not about seeing with your physical eyes, it’s about seeing with the eyes of faith. Dr, Nolte states that as we thinks about this, we have a great appreciation for Jesus, our Lord, who wonderfully prayed for us in John 17:20, “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message.” This is us! The Apostle is connecting our response and commitment to love and belief in Jesus with the eyes of faith, in inexpressible joy.

Now, this joy is not circumstantial. The circumstances of the first century Christians at the time this letter was written were not good. But that was not the determining factor in their possession of their inexpressible joy. Joy is listed in Galatians 5:22-23 as one of the “Fruit of the Spirit”. In other words, it is something that naturally grows out of us when we are in relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

It would be easy for you and I to look at our current circumstances and say, “There is no joy because this or that is happening and it is not good”. Previously, Pastor Kyle states that when the Apostle Peter said, “grace and peace be yours”, we get to choose what is prominent in our minds. If our joy was based on circumstances, it would be a lousy existence. The profound, distinct and amazing truth is that it is not about circumstances, but the fruitful result of being in relationship with Jesus Christ. The Apostle Peter makes this observation about Christians: They have joy inexpressible and glorious, and this joy is the result of something. There is a underlying reason that Christians have this Spirit-given fruit of joy. v.9 “Receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls” starts with a causal, present participle meaning that “receiving” here is present (we have it now), active and ongoing. Something happened that is causing and resulting in this inexpressible joy that is glorious.

1 Peter 1:7-9 “That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.”

Well, what is it? We have this joy because we are receiving the salvation of our souls. Salvation by grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the Cross for our sins is current, is present (not someday, it is what we have now), and it is ongoing. It is causing and resulting in us to literally possess , exhibit and display inexpressible joy. Too often, we sell “salvation” so short when we make it only about forgiveness of sin.

Let's continue Dr. Nolte's message on "Joy in the Storm" on the next post.

In Christ, Brian