The Coming Kingdom of Joy

Christmas is drawing close. In fact, we are only 8 days away from the much anticipated day. Children are anxious, filled with the excitement and mystery of the gift-giving season. Parents are squeezing their budgets, and preparing for family and friends. In fact it seems the jolly atmosphere of the holidays is forever balanced with the stress and nervousness that accompanies our busy, sometimes frantic, preparations. We can't manage to escape the anxiety which accompanies our joy in this time of celebration. In fact, the holidays manage to remind us that there are always two perspectives to every situation. With great Joy comes great trouble and the potential for disappointment. In order to achieve a joy-filled holiday, there is always the potential, the risk, that all might come tumbling down on us. It appears that joy is generated from the very risk and difficulty that we somehow overcome.

This notion of joy accompanied by difficulty and potential sorrow is at the heart of our scripture passage this morning. As we have discussed the different aspects of the coming Kingdom, we have seen anticipation, expectation, preparation, and longing expressed in different ways. Today, we will look at a scripture which points us to the joy we have in actively awaiting the coming Kingdom of God. But this scripture, like our own experience with the holidays, demonstrates that there is a subtle paradox alongside our joy; the presence of sorrow.

Turn with me in your bibles to John, chapter 16. As you flip through your bibles, let me give you some context to our passage. Jesus, in chapters 13-16 of the gospel of John, has been providing his disciples with a reassurance that concludes with abounding Joy. Jesus, in preparing for his passion, is offering the disciples a hope. This hope produces a joy that will overcome any conflict. You see, in all of Jesus' reassurance, he never promises that the disciples will be without troubles. . Rather, we get this image of “sorrowful joy.”

Text: John 16: 19-22

In reflecting this week about “Joy” my mind was mysteriously drawn to the joystick of all things. For some reason, I kept thinking about all the different ways that the word “joy” was used in our lives, and I couldn't help but think about the term “joystick.” What is a joystick? Well, it it the mechanism that young children use to control animated people, air-crafts, and futuristic vehicles. But the joystick did not originate as a tool for playing video and computer games. Actually the joystick got its name in the first two decades of the 20th century when fighter planes were developed and used. Pilots found that their air-craft brought them great joy in flying, offering incredible rushes of adreniline and excitement. The danger of battle and the thrill of victory complimented the freedom of flying over the earth. In that, pilots were brought great joy. But ultimately the source of that joy could be identified in their control mechanism: the “joy-stick”. This “stick” gave the pilot control of the plane. And once in control of the plane, then the “joy” could happen.

Imagine swooping and diving, twisting and turning, feeling the wind in your hair and the freedom in each motion. Such joy was captured in the very instrument that controlled the plane: the “joystick.” But mind you this joy did not come without a cost. For in every flight was conflict. In every flight was an ensuing battle, waiting to be fought. Not only did the fighter pilots of WWI and beyond experience the freedom of flying, but also the danger of immanent death. Yet in each flight, there was great joy... joy despite danger, joy in light of trouble. This is sorrowful joy in that each flight signaled possible demise, yet guaranteed excitement and thrill.

In a sense, this captures what Jesus is trying to explain to his disciples in our passage from John. Jesus begins by explaining to his disciples that they will not see him in a little while, and then they will see him again. This puzzles the disciples who ask him what he means, and Jesus responds by describing the coming sorrow of the disciples. They will weep and lament. This moment for John signals the death of Jesus. This moment signals the sorrow of the disciples, for their savior will be taken from them. Yet, this necessary sorrow will result in great joy. The saddened hearts of the disciples will become joy-filled.

To make this all the more clear, Jesus gives us the example of a mother in labor. Faced with the physical pain of birth, the mother experiences initial sorrow. The birth of her child is not easy, it is not happy or joyous in the physical sense. Rather, there is quite a sacrifice that is involved. Yet, when the new-born babe arrives, the mother's joy overcomes her sorrow. In fact, she “forgets” her sorrow; it's as if the sorrow were never there. This is the beauty of joy, for it overcomes the greatest sorrows.

Much like the laboring mother, the disciples would be faced with trouble and difficulty, sorrow and pain. Yet this would subside once they discovered their joy, a joy so wonderful and infinite that it would erase every memory of sorrow. But what is this Joy? What is this moment when the disciples' will “see me again”?

There are a range of interpretations which offer us an explanation of Jesus' intentions toward his disciples. Was Jesus simply predicting his death and resurrection, or was Jesus offering the disciples a hope in the second coming of Christ? Regardless, the words captured here seem to point us to a Joy that transcends sorrow, a Joy that is rooted in the Grace of Christ. Whether that is the fulfillment of the Kingdom, or the enjoyment of personal Redemption, Jesus offers us an ever-lasting hope which produces great Joy.

However, the important element in this message is the presence of sorrow. Joy is not promised by itself. Jesus' words in our passage point toward the presence of sorrow, the reality of pain. There is no escaping the danger of difficulty. Trouble and toil will always be before us, yet there is a Joy that exists which overcomes such conflict. This Joy is so wonderful, so amazing, so infinite, that it causes every sorrow to subside, and every tear to be dried. There is a Hope which produces Joy, a Redeemer who conquers our insufficiency.

I read an interesting quote from George Bernard Shaw: “This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one: the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap, and being a force of nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.” I think Shaw highlights the message of Jesus this morning by drawing our attention to the true joy in life. We can participate in a purpose mightier than ourselves. We can be thoroughly worn out and thrown on the scrap heap with exhaustion, yet find hope and comfort in the up-building of God's Kingdom, in the hope of Christ's redemption. We can find Joy in the allegiance to Christ's Righteous cause, instead of becoming selfish clods of grievance which complain about our own happiness.

Paul himself comments on the nature of God's Kingdom in Romans 14. In verse 17 of that chapter Paul explains: “For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” The trivial happiness of food and drink, frivolous passing pleasures, do not capture the message or essence of God's Kingdom. This is the Kingdom of Joy and Righteousness where God's children take pleasure in the beauty of God's Grace and the abundance of God's Redeeming power. Conflict, which did and still does exist, dissolves in the cleansing flood of God's Love. And what more could we rejoice in? What mightier cause is there? Where could you find greater Love than this?

I love Mother Teresa quotes. She says that “Joy is a net for catching souls.” In our world of suffering and sorrow, of hatred and anger, what more could our world need than the infinite Love of God? Our world cries out for a joy that will cause every sorrow to evaporate and every conflict to be resolved. In this world of desperation and need are God's children, abounding in Joy and Hope, offering their service and humble hearts. Are you one of these? Are you a member of that fighter squadron which soars through the dim and dangerous skies toward the bright horizon of Hope? Are you navigating your way through this world with the purpose of up-building God's Kingdom, embracing the Joy and Happiness that accompanies such action?

May we cast our nets of Joy this morning. May we step onto into our planes and grab hold of that which steers our course. May we grasp firmly the source of joy in our endeavors: the Gracious Love of God through Christ our Redeemer. May we walk boldly into a world where suffering and torment not only exist, but often prevail. May we be courageous in facing potential disappointment in order that we might bring the light and reality of God's Love to all the world, for all to enjoy. May we help erase the sorrow of our world by devoting ourselves to the greater and mightier cause of God's Kingdom. A Kingdom of Joy which does not turn from sorrow, but which overcomes it.

Benediction:

May You, our Gracious God, be with us this morning. May your Love fall around us, on us, in us, and may it flow abundantly through us. May our veins pulse with your love to the beat of Joy. Let us rejoice in our Redeemer, who in this moment we celebrate and remember, treasure and hold dear. Keep our eyes fixed on your Grace, our hands attached to the needs of this world, and our hearts glad with a Hope that comes from our Redemption. May we usher in the Kingdom of Joy with all the Mercy we have been afforded and all the Compassion we have been given. For it is in Christ that we are transformed, and in Christ that we transform our world. Let us rejoice, O God, fill our mouths with praise! In You our Spirits are lifted this morning. Amen.