Bring the Joy: Heaven's Value System (1 Peter 1:8-9)

Series: Bring the Joy

Sermon: Heaven's Value System

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:8-9

Date: March 3, 2019

 

...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.  (1 Peter 1:8-9)

Let's learn and choose to rejoice in what God rejoices in.

God values character over comfort, faith over fear, mercy over judgment, justice over injustice, people over possessions, truth over falsehood, humility over pride, hope over despair, love over apathy.  In other words, God values the things that will last.

"To embrace God's point of view, however briefly, is to be joyful."  -Mike Mason

1 Peter says the people in that day could rejoice with great joy because they chose to believe some things.

"Joy begins with our convictions about spiritual truths we're willing to bet our lives on, truths that are lodged so deep within us that they produce a settled assurance about God.  The more we know and understand God, the more easily we recognize that the joy of the Lord is our only true strength."  -Kay Warren

Here are 5 unchanging attributes of God to help us rejoice in Him:

1. God's worth is incomparable
   • The majesty, magnificence, and might of God are far beyond description.
   • Praise the Lord, because he alone is great.  He is more wonderful than heaven and earth. (Psalm 148:13, NCV)
2. God's word is reliable
   • The Bible does not get confused.  God is a God of joy, and His word is a Word of joy.
   • Kay Warren writes that in the NIV version of the Bible, there are 545 references to joy, merriment, happiness, laughing, and rejoicing.
   • Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; for I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.  (Jeremiah 15:16)
   • The orders of the Lord are right; they make people happy.  The commands of the Lord are pure; they light up the way.  (Psalm 19:8, NCV)
   • I will follow your rules forever, because they make me happy.  (Psalm 119:111, NCV)
3. God's works are awe-inspiring
   • God's works are so great, worth a lifetime of study - endless enjoyment.  (Psalm 111:2, The Message)
   • Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the Lord.  They will sing because he is coming to judge the world.  (1 Chronicles 16:33, NCV)
   • Lord, you have made me happy by what you have done; I will sing for joy about what your hands have done.  (Psalm 92:4, NCV)
4. God's ways are loving
   • We have to place our circumstances before the cross.
   • Praise God, everybody!  Applaud God, all people!  His love has taken over our lives; God's faithful ways are eternal.  Hallelujah.  (Psalm 117:1-2, The Message)
5. God's will is good
   • What does God value?
     • character over comfort
     • faith over fear
     • mercy over judgment
     • justice over injustice
     • people over possessions
     • truth over falsehood
     • humility over pride
     • hope over despair
     • love over apathy
     • THINGS THAT WILL LAST