Exceeding Joy

Temple Baptist Church - 8-17-2016

Jude 24

 

Introduction:

 

A.  Once again, we want to interpret this verse within its Scriptural context!  Verses 24-25 are called a Doxology: a public display of praise given to God.

 

B.  These verses are normally preached as “stand alone’ verses about the joys of heaven and, thanks to Cavalry, heaven will be everlasting joy.  Heaven will be a place of “exceeding joy!”

1.  The Exceeding Joy of the Lord’s Presence - John 14:3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

 

Revelation 21:3  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

 

2.  The Exceeding Joy of a Glad Reunion - 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17  (16)  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  (17)  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

 

3.  The Exceeding Joy of an Eternal Body - Romans 8:22-23  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.  (23)  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

 

4.  The Exceeding Joy of a Perfect Peace - Matthew 5:11-12  Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.  (12)  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

 

5.  The Exceeding Joy of Heaven’s Place – Revelation 21:1-2  And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.  (2)  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

 

Revelation 22:1-3  And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.  (2)  In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.  (3)  And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:

 

C.  The list could go on because heaven will be “out of this world,” and I do say that with any intent towards irreverence.  Heaven is beyond the comprehension of our finite minds.

 

D.  Now, back to the context of earnestly contending for the faith once delivered.

 

1.  We found that the Lord is able to keep us from falling.  To give up the battle for Truth.  To forsake the Old Paths.  To become apathetic.  It is not in our strength nor is it something for us to glory in, it is “Now unto Him!”

 

2.  We found that the Lord is able to present us faultless.  If we earnestly contend for the faith, we will have done what we can and not be at fault for our generation.  Once again, it is “Now unto Him!”

 

E.  In light of this, I want to re-examine the phrase “exceeding joy.”  What is that exceeding joy in this verse?

 

1.  The Exceeding Joy of this verse is that we stood fast!  It would be soooooo easy to just back off a little; let down a little; or to quit as so many others have.  It will be worth it all when we see Christ!

 

1 Corinthians 16:13  Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

 

Ephesians 6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

 

2.  The Exceeding Joy of this verse is that suffered for Christ sake!  Though we are rapidly becoming the “enemy” in America, we have suffered so little for the Lord’s sake.  Looking back through the history of the church, we see the horrific price paid for their confession of Christ Jesus as Lord!

 

Matthew 5:11-12  Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.  (12)  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

 

3.  The Exceeding Joy of this verse is that left a good path to follow!  I have too often see families with children out of God’s will and when the children try to come home spiritually, they find out that dad and mom have “sold the farm” spiritually.

 

Jeremiah 6:16  Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

 

4.  The Exceeding Joy of this verse is that we finished our race!  Each of us has a race to run.  The Lord knows what course it is that we will run.  He knows every pitfall, our uprisings, and our down sittings.  He understandeth our thoughts afar off. He knows the end from the beginning.  He is with us and for us.  Stay the course and finish right.

 

2 Timothy 4:7  I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

 

1 Peter 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

 

5.  The Exceeding Joy of this verse is that we will get a well done!  We have heard much about the Olympics this past couple of weeks and have seen our Gold Medal winners cry with pride as they placed the medal around their necks and played our national anthem.  Can you just imagine what it will be like when we see Christ and He says “Well done, thou good and faithful servant … enter thou into the joy of the Lored.”

 

Matthew 25:21  His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

 

6.  The Exceeding Joy of this verse is that we will have a crown to cast!  We are not worthy to wear them because, if we have done anything or been anything, it is all because of Christ.  Just to take those crowns that we have won and lay them at the feet of our beloved Lord who alone is worthy to wear them.

 

Revelation 4:10-11  The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,  (11)  Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.