What am I Missing Here?
Steps to Recovering Your Joy
June 13, 2010
Calvary Baptist Church
Ephesians 5:14
NOTE: This sermon is based in part on a sermon by F.B. Meyer entitled, “Where am I Wrong?” This sermon appears as chapter 2 in two of his books, Some Secrets of Christian Living and The Secret of Guidance.
What am I missing here? What is wrong with me? Why am I not finding joy in the Lord?
• First, may I say to you, that it is good that you have noticed this.
• It is only by the Holy Spirit’s work in your life that you even care.
• Furthermore, it is a good sign of genuine conversion.
• For the lost man or woman, there is no thought of this.
• To them, they are just fine and see no need of the question.
• But to you, whose spirits resonate with this preacher’s question, you know that something is missing.
• You see in the faces, in the lives of others, a light, a joy, a power.
• And as you honestly evaluate yourself, you must admit that you do not have this light, this joy, this power!
• Here the words of the Apostle:
Ephesians 5:14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
SOME PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS
1) Dispositions differ.
• Some by their nature are cheery, resilient, happy go lucky persons.
• To them they think that anyone not like them must be doing something wrong.
• Well, perhaps, but perhaps not!
• It may be that you, my cheery friend, have been born on third base and go through life thinking YOU hit a triple!
• Be careful in your judgment of others lest God must bring you low so that you might understand!
• Some seem to be born in the dark.
• Life plays in a minor key for them.
• In a bright blue sky they will find the one little cloud.
• The glass is half empty to them.
• Please remember that things that we preach to you will not change your fundamental nature!
• To a certain extent, that is your nature, the way God has made you.
• It is not sin to have such a nature, but it is sin to let that nature make you a defeated believer.
• It is a sin to let it hinder the magnetism that can draw others to Christ.
• And it just may be that we can help you.
• It may be that some of it is not your nature, but is an adquired talent.
• I would recommend that you bury that talent!
• Even with such a disposition, you can still find rest for your soul, victory in your Christian walk and serenity and peace in your heart!
2) Emotions are not the test of our spiritual state!
• While it is true that sin will rob you of your joy …
• It does not automatically follow that when the ebb and tide of joy finds itself at a low that you have sin in your life.
• Sometimes, we have run the horse hard, stalled it while wet, and run it hard again the next day.
• Sometimes we burn the candle at both ends.
• The never ending demands of life and family and work and ministry deplete on quickly!
• Mental work can tire our bodies as quickly as physical.
• The book can tire the brain as quickly as the hammer the hand.
• After Elijah’s victory at Mt. Carmel and his flight from Jezebel, he is depleted and in despair.
a) Elijah (1 Kings 19:4)
1 Kings 19:4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
• God does not answer his request according to his prayer.
• God answers by giving food and rest!
• Sometimes our problem is not spiritual, but physical.
b) Jesus (Matthew 26:37–39)
(Matthew 26:37–39) 37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. 38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
Luke 22:44 44 And being in aan agony bhe prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
• Sometimes the “bitter cup” of life comes our way.
• There is an overwhelming spiritual or emotional burden.
• Certainly Jesus had no sin!
• We could not accuse Him of wrong thought processes.
• Yet He is “sorrowful” and “very heavy.”
• His body displays the results of deep emotional stress.
c) John the Baptist (Luke 7:19-20)
Luke 7:19–20 19 And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? 20 When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?
• John has been cast into prison.
• This does not seem to John as part of the job description for an officer of a king.
• Doubts arise in his heart. He questions now whether Jesus is really the Messiah.
• It is an honest doubt and he does the noble thing.
• He goes to God with his doubt, and Jesus gives the answer that he needs.
• And so it may be that some of these things war against our joy.
• Or it may be something else altogether.
• Sometimes God may withdraw His blessings to discover if we love Him or just love His provision!
• When in such times, we must display the graces of Patience, courage and faith!
• Now, with all of that said, it could be that the loss of joy is our own fault!
• We may be the blame for missing the blessing.
• We may be responsible for the loss of joy.
• Something in our own character may take from us the radiant light of the indwelling Christ.
• May we, in these sermons, examine ourselves, discover the fault, remedy the matter and allow our joy to return!
Could it be that …
I. You May not Have Distinguished between Your Standing and Your Circumstances (or Experiences)
A. Circumstances Change (Job 7:6; 14:1,2; Ps. 39:5; 102:3; James 1:10; 4:14; 1 Pet. 1:24)
• The experiences of life are like our South Carolina Summers.
• A beautiful day can become a storm in no time.
• Sunny skies are followed by clouds, light is followed by shadow, a clear day becomes filled with torrents of rain.
Job 7:6 My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope. 7 O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good.
Job 14:1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. 2 He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
Psalm 39:5 Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.
Psalm 102:3 For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth.
James 1:9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: 10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. 11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
1 Peter 1:24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
• One would go completely mad if he were to allow his mood to fluctuate with the weather!
ILLUS: The offering board and attendance board at our church.
B. Our Standing in Christ Never Changes (Heb. 13:8)
• Yes, our circumstances can and do change, but our standing in Jesus does not change!
• We are already, as to our position, seated in Heaven! [More later]
• Our standing before God is as unchanging as the Savior who placed us there!
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
• Note several comforting truths about our standing in Christ:
1. It did not originate in us! (Rom. 5:8)
Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
• Our standing did not originate in us, but in His everlasting love.
• Even while foreseeing all that we would be, He loved us anyway!
2. It was not purchased by us! (1 Peter 1:18)
1 Peter 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
• I am just as much His when the sight of my sin would cause me to lower my head …
• As when I am on the spiritual mountaintop!
• Not because of who I am, but because of WHAT He paid for me!
3. It is not maintained by us! (1 Cor. 1:8; Philip. 1:6; 2:13; 1 Thess. 5:24; Heb. 12:2; 13:20-21)
It is not maintained by us, but by God!
1 Corinthians 1:8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
1 Thessalonians 5:24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
4. We are, and always will be, one with Him! (Col. 2:12; Eph. 2:4-6)
Colossians 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
Ephesians 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
• When we came to Christ in faith, we were place “in Him.”
• We are one with Him in his death, burial and resurrection from the grave.
• We are one with Him in the “heavenly places” as He intercedes for us before the Father!
5. Nothing can separate us! (John 5:24; Rom. 8:31)
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Romans 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
• There is no circumstance, no doubt or depression, no fear, that can for a single moment affect or alter our acceptance with God through the blood of Jesus, which is an eternal fact.
CONCLUDING APPLICATION FOR SECTION
ILLUS: Imagine George Vanderbilt has forgotten to pick up enough spending money on a given day. Imagine him sitting down and despairing! No! Is it a minor, temporary inconvenience? Yes! But he knows that he has far more resources that what will fit in his pocket!
QUOTE: You have not realized this, perhaps, but have thought that your standing in Jesus was affected by your changeful moods. Cease to consider how you feel, and build on the immovable rock of what Jesus is, and has done, and is doing, and will do for you, world without end. (Meyer)
