The Source of Our Joy is the One who is the exact representation of God and the perfect embodiment of love, is the person of Jesus Christ and His costly work of buying us back from sin, has been called the gospel (or good news) of Jesus Christ, and has caused us to be transformed from God’s enemies who expect judgment from Him into His friends who expect eternal life and blessing.
The History of the Curse
God created all of us to worship Him and live in perfect submission to His loving rule. Instead of bringing glory to God by serving Him as their king, our first parents, Adam and Eve, rebelled against God desiring to rule themselves. As a result, God cursed them and their descendants (which include all people born afterward). This curse was that they would eventually die and thereafter experience the terrible punishment from God for all eternity, a punishment that they justly deserved. Instead of joy, all men thereafter lived under judgment.
A Demonstration of Love
God the Father desires to mercifully save people who don’t deserve it. Because of His love, He sent Jesus Christ into the world as the only One to save them from His judgment. Even though Jesus is the eternal and divine Son of God, He willingly left the glories of heaven and humbled Himself by coming into the world that He made. He came in the flesh, as a man. Jesus did this in order to save sinners from the terrible and eternal punishment from God that their sin demanded, knowing that it would cost Him everything.
The Saving Work of Jesus
The perfect, sinless Jesus did what no sin-cursed person could do. He lived a blameless and righteous life, fully submissive and pleasing to the Father. This perfect living is what God’s Law requires of all men, but their sin makes it impossible for them to do. Instead of being worshipped as their God and promised Savior, men rejected Him and treated Him as the worst of criminals, just as Jesus predicted they would. They betrayed Him, arrested Him, mocked Him, tortured Him, humiliated Him, and eventually crucified Him. And as Jesus hung on the cross perishing, He not only was dying the death we would have died (had we been on that cross), but He also endured the full measure of the Father’s wrath for the sins of His people. Following this unthinkable suffering, Jesus died. This was His act of being the Substitute for sinners, the Wrath-Bearer for those who will turn to Him by faith.
The Victorious Resurrection
Evidencing the Father’s satisfaction with Jesus’ perfect sacrifice of Himself in the place of sinners, Jesus powerfully took His own life up again. Death could not hold Him. Jesus rose from the dead victorious, conquering the curse, defeating sin, death and Satan forever. Those that believe in Jesus now live in the hope of their own resurrection unto eternal life.
The Response that Will Give You Eternal Joy
For those who would trust in His death as their death and His life as their life, their sins will be forgiven as God will adopt them into His family with all of the privileges, protection, and blessings of being united with Christ. Men need only believe that Jesus’ death was in their place and that Jesus’ righteousness is given to them as a gift and they will escape God’s wrath and be granted eternal life with their Savior forever. This good news – the best of all possible news – is the source of our joy.
This Good News as the Source of Your Joy
Won’t you take this free gift of salvation and eternal blessing from God? Won’t you trust Christ’s life, death and resurrection? He is your only rescue, your only hope, and the only true source of joy for those who believe.