Also, I have learned during my ministry that people sometimes remember what I preach better than I do myself. Some people write in the margin of their Bible, the date and speaker of each message that they hear. Others simply have very good memories and can recall statements or outlines about various scriptures. So I am assuming that some of you will remember – 5 or 6 weeks ago I preached a message from verse 13 which dealt with both of my subjects for today. That message was entitled: “Divine Joy and Peace,” and it dealt primarily with the theme of salvation. This morning I come back to the subject of “joy,” but we’ll look at it just a little differently.
The Greek word which is translated “joy” is “chara,” and it is quite common. It is related to “charis” which means “grace.” Both of these words are used in a number of different contexts. And what is the context of Paul’s use of the word here? He asks for the prayers of the Christians in Rome as he begins a journey back to Jerusalem. He asks for several specifics, but his ultimate request, as far as they are concerned, is that he might be blessed of the Lord to travel to Rome as well. He wants to be able to arrive with joy.
In my preparation for this message, I read through all 57 references to the word “chara.” Despite coming from various contexts, I think that some of them shed some insight on Paul’s thinking. I’d like to divide my message into two sections: Paul wanted to ENJOY joy, and he wanted to ENDUE joy.
Perhaps we should start with that word “hope.” I don’t think that Paul would be angry with us if we said that he was “hoping” to visit Rome. Without dictating to the Lord what the divine itinerary should be, Paul was hoping to visit Rome. He was praying that such a journey was in the will of the Lord, but “hope” was still not inappropriate. And isn’t this one of the sources of joy in anyone’s life – hope fulfilled? We hope, as we pray, that our uncle fully recovers from his stroke or his heart attack. And when he does, we are filled with joy. We hope that grandma can come for a visit, and when she arrives we are really happy. We put something up for sale on eBay or Craig’s List, hoping that it goes for a good price, and we are overjoyed when it sells for twice what we expected. Paul’s joy was related to his hope to visit Rome. If his hope is fulfilled – when his hope is realized – he knows that it will make him very, very joyful. I think that we can all understand this, and this was certainly a part of what he was saying. But there was more.
Something that only the spiritual man can understand is the joy that comes with seeing God’s will displayed. Rearranging the words of our text, Paul is asking the Romans to pray that it is God’s will that he visit them. Assuming that he does make that trip into Italy, then it must have been the will of the Lord. But let it be clearly understood that God is always going to have His way – He is absolutely sovereign.. Man may think that he is at perfect liberty to do whatever he chooses, and God may appear to give that horse his head, but the reigns are always in the hands of the Lord. Besides this, there is another way that man’s hopes and will intersects the Lord’s will – It was Paul’s hope to visit Rome, but he wasn’t absolutely sure that it was a part of the Divine will. Only in the day that his ship arrived in the port city for the Roman metropolis, Paul would then know for sure that it was the will of the Lord. And that would be a very happy day – a day of great joy.
Now, here is one of the lessons for us to learn – If it is not the Lord’s will that we arrive in Rome, we still need to rejoice in the Lord. Assuming that God always knows what is best…. Assuming that He is always going to be glorified by accomplishing what is best…. And knowing that what we THINK is best for us, is not always what is actually best and most glorifying to the Lord…. Then we need to learn to rejoice in the Lord’s will anyway.
Look at Paul and Silas singing their praises to God from the dungeon of the Philippian jail house. Do you think that it was the intention of their intention to end up beaten and bloody laying in a common jail? If they had asked the Romans to pray about their ministry in Philippi, do you think that it would have included this? Certainly not. But their hearts were spiritual enough to be able to look at their circumstances and to say, “this must be the will of the Lord, we will rejoice and be exceedingly glad.” I’m getting a little ahead of myself, but when Paul finally reached Rome, do you think that he was rejoicing? Reading between the lines of Acts 28, I would say that he WAS filled with joy. But as you’ll remember it was not the will of the Lord for Paul’s prayer requests be fulfilled according to his desires. We aren’t told that the church in Jerusalem welcomed him with open arms and palms outstretched. He wasn’t exactly delivered from the unbelieving Jews – at least as he perceived that deliverance. He wasn’t planning on being arrested and spending months in various jails. He wasn’t counting on the storm which nearly killed him and the rest of the people on their way to Rome. I don’t think that he would have chosen to be bitten by a deadly serpent while huddling from the rain in Melita. And I doubt that he envisioned himself coming into Rome drenched in chains. Nevertheless, I am reasonably confident that he did arrive with joy, because despite all the problems and difficulties, it was the will of the Lord that he be in Rome. No matter what else came into the equation, Paul rejoiced in the ongoing will of the sovereign God. If the Lord brought him to Rome, there was still the possibility that it was the will of God that Paul minister not only to the Romans but also to those in Spain. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
In this same regard, sometime after writing to the Romans, Paul started moving toward Jerusalem. In Acts 20, after his tearful departure from Troas, he met with the pastor/elders from Ephesus. It was another emotional meeting, during which he told them that he didn’t know what would happen once he reached Jerusalem. “Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with JOY, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” One of the things which gave Paul joy, and which certainly played a role in his coming to Rome, was the finishing of his course.
There is a time when children are small that they are taught certain responsibilities and chores. I know that kids grow out of it – sad to say – but there is a period of time when they actually rejoice in carrying out those tiny responsibilities. The children of God should be like those children. There are few joys greater than knowing what our role in life should be and in the ability of getting it done. I have known people who it appeared were called of God into ministries much like Paul’s. They were eminently qualified, having been given gifts and talents which made them able communicators, wonderful teachers, and satisfactory ministers. But those same people disqualified themselves from the work to which they were fitted by God. Maybe it was a divorce and remarriage, which I think disqualifies a man from the ministry. Maybe in was a single act of immorality, a fit of rage, a denial of doctrine, or some other kind of sin. But that one thing made it impossible to finish the course which appeared to be before them. They may have wealth, health, and fulfilment in some other ways – even as Christians. But the joy that they could have had properly finishing their course is forever gone. If Paul had been able to visit Rome he would have considered it a part of his course and his joy.
There is something else related to this, and which is also very often tied to “chara.” It is the opportunity of repeating and reporting what the Lord is doing through us. In Luke 10, the Lord Jesus sent out His 35 teams of young preachers. In verse 17 they returned overflowing with joy to report what great things the Holy Spirit had been doing through them. As Paul and Barnabas returned from their first missionary journey they passed through coastal communities each with a church of the Lord. “And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.” There ought to be joy – there ought to be great joy among the children of God, when they hear of others coming to the same faith in Christ that they have. The wicked are repenting of their sins and leaving their wretched sins. The unbelieving are putting faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Adults are coming like children to be blessed of the Lord. Children are doing the very grown-up thing of bowing before the Saviour. These are things which should fill every Christian heart with joy. In fact the word “chara” is found in Luke 15:7 – “I say unto you, that likewise JOY shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth.” If there is joy around the throne of God at the salvation of souls, we should be ecstatic, especially if those repenting and trusting souls are loved ones of ours.
When the Apostle Paul was talking about coming to Rome with joy, I think that some of these things were in his mind – hope fulfilled, will of God revealed, and great report about the Lord’s blessings in saving the lost.
Now, at this point I want to step slightly beyond what I think that Paul intended with these words. He was talking about coming to Rome with his own heart full of joy. But for the sake of a lesson or two, let’s pretend that he was actually talking about coming with joy to share with the saints in Rome.
And on the day that Paul arrived in Rome there would have began an opportunity for church fellowship. They could have met together to hear the preaching of the gospel and the teaching of Bible doctrine. To those who have that opportunity all the time, the joy may not be very great. But when that privilege is taken from them, or for one reason or other, it just doesn’t take place very often, when it does come along, it is a fabulous day. In this regard, when Paul was writing to the church in Thessalonica he touched on this thought. “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with JOY of the Holy Ghost: So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.”
When the Word of the Lord is heard, received, believed and put into practice by the saints of God, it not only fills the hearts of the hearers with joy, but also the teacher. Even John speaks of that sort of thing in his first letter. “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your JOY may be full.” In our Lord’s parable of the seed and the soils, He spoke about the seed falling on tender hearts where it was received with joy – “chara.” Paul was looking forward to that kind of ministry in Rome both among the saints and among the sinners.
And he was also looking forward to the joy that there is in seeing others sincerely serving God. Borrowing the Apostle John’s words : Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. I have NO GREATER JOY than to hear that my children walk in truth.”
There ought to be a joy in the pure and simple worship of the Lord. After the Lord’s death, many of the more shallow and distant disciples became despondent. I don’t know the exact spiritual condition of the two who lived in Emaus, but the Lord went after them, as they returned dejectedly to their home or homes. At first they didn’t recognize Him, but some of the things that He did convinced them that their Lord was alive and still among them. When they became fully convinced that Christianity was only beginning, “they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem WITH GREAT JOY: and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God.” Paul was looking forward to spending time with the Saints in Rome, worshiping the Saviour with them. As he told us in Romans 14:17 – the Kingdom of God is one of joy and peace.
Then in Philippians 1, Paul speaking of this “chara” in much the same way that he does here in Romans. But it comes with a little twist. “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and JOY OF FAITH; That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.”
As I have said there are 57 places where the word “chara” is used in the New Testament. They come in a variety of contexts. Many of them could be applied to that day when Paul finally completed his first trip to Rome. It is safe to say that he will never come to the Calvary Independent Baptist Church of Post Falls. But that doesn’t have anything to do with our joy or lack of joy. Our spiritual and emotional condition is dependent upon ourselves and our relationship to Christ. These scriptures still apply, but the application must be made by us, not the apostle.