Rejoice Always, Part 1

In this part of the sermon: Martin begins to define joy, first negatively, stating it is not giddiness, levity, or superficial happiness. He then poses the question of what biblical joy truly is.

Martin recounts a song leader's attempt to induce joy by having people pull up the corners of their mouths, illustrating that biblical joy is not giddiness or forced physical expression.

What is it? Well, let me start with the negative. It is not an exhortation to giddiness or to levity. The idea that the Christian must always go around with a 32-toother.

10:21 - 10:35 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Joy is an affection of the soul. Which springs. From the anticipation or possession of some suitable good.

He uses the example of a dog wagging its tail in anticipation or possession of a bone to illustrate the general definition of joy as an affection for a suitable good.

You find this both in the natural realm and in the spiritual realm. Think of it in the natural realm. This is common of men and animals. There's your little dog.

12:11 - 12:19 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Joy is an affection of the soul. Which springs. From the anticipation or possession of some suitable good.

The joy of parents anticipating and then seeing their son return from Vietnam illustrates natural joy from the anticipation and possession of a blessing.

This is true of human beings. A family has a son in Vietnam. And they receive the letter. I'll be putting my feet on the pavement of the hometown on such and such a date.

12:50 - 13:04 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He defines joy generally as an affection of the soul springing from the anticipation or possession of some suitable good, illustrating this with examples from animals (a dog and a…

The 'yippee' of children hearing school is closed due to snow illustrates natural joy from a suitable good.

And the parents experience joy in the anticipation of this blessing. Then when they actually see their son, their tears flow down with joy. They have the possession of that blessing. Or it may be a snowy morning and you kids wake up and the snow looks heavy enough and you turn on the radio.

13:04 - 13:23 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He elaborates on spiritual joy, showing it arises from present possessions like the assurance of life (being in good company with prophets) and answered prayer, as well as…

A man struggling with assurance finds joy when persecution proves he possesses the same life as the prophets, illustrating joy in the possession of spiritual life.

Well, why should that make me rejoice? I get kicked around like the prophets. Well, it proves I'm in good company. Here's a man who's had trouble with assurance and salvation.

16:46 - 16:56 Read in full sermon

Driving home: It has no relationship whatsoever to favorable circumstances. It has nothing to do with circumstances.

The dog sulking when its bone is taken away illustrates how natural joy is dependent on circumstances, contrasting it with spiritual joy.

Natural joy is dependent upon circumstance. Take the bone away from the dog and he sulks.

22:45 - 22:53 Read in full sermon

Driving home: It has no relationship whatsoever to favorable circumstances. It has nothing to do with circumstances.

A child pouting when the snow isn't deep enough illustrates how natural joy is dependent on circumstances.

Let the sun break through the snow after it's only dropped an inch and the kid will pout.

22:56 - 23:01 Read in full sermon

Driving home: It has no relationship whatsoever to favorable circumstances. It has nothing to do with circumstances.

The mother's world coming to pieces when her son is killed on his last day of duty illustrates the fragility of natural joys based on circumstances.

Let the mother hear that the boy was killed the last day of his duty before he came home from Vietnam and her world comes to pieces.

23:04 - 23:13 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin summarizes that biblical joy is a reaction of the soul to Christ's redemption, a fruit of the Spirit, and a mark of God's kingdom. Crucially, it is independent of favorable…

Christians dancing for joy while their material possessions are plundered illustrates that spiritual joy is not rooted in material possessions, but in unplunderable spiritual goods.

Now it's one thing to stand by and take stoically the spoiling of your possessions. Here's a Christian who sees all the fruits of his life's labors taken away from him. He's left absolutely destitute and what does he do? He dances a jig for joy.

24:59 - 25:16 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He addresses the 'problematic text' of Christ's joy, reconciling it with His being a 'man of sorrows.' Martin argues Christ's joy was rooted in present and anticipated spiritual…

The fox having a hole and the sparrow a nest, while Jesus had no place to lay His head, illustrates Christ's lack of material possessions yet His possession of joy.

A man of sorrows acquainted with grief. No place to lay his head. Nothing to do with material possessions. The son of man hath not where to lay his head.

28:14 - 28:23 Read in full sermon

The point: Use the Lord's Day to fill your minds afresh with all the possessions that are yours in Christ Jesus, allowing contemplation to produce joy.

God's current blessings to Christians are compared to the visible tip of an iceberg, representing only a fraction of the greater blessings yet to come.

God's blessings to the Christian now are like the part of the iceberg that shows above water. It's only one tenth of it. And scripture says all you've gotten now is a little pittance, a little down payment. All that I have now, God is my God, Christ is my advocate, the Holy Spirit as my indwelling, present, sanctifying companion.

35:59 - 36:25 Read in full sermon