Last Sunday, I watched a documentary video in You Tube. I was looking for a relevant introduction for the message on November 25. It is about high school life here in South Korea. I could not precisely identify if the one who made the video is an American or a European girl. All I know is the white girl has a Korean friend and she was so burdened about the latter’s stressful life. She could not believe what her friend was telling her that most high school students in the country study more than 15 hours a day. The documentary even reported suicide incidents for those students who fail in the national examination for entry into the university.
Another source of stress identified in the video is related to the concept of beauty. Based on the interviews, the concept of beautiful for high school girls are associated with big eyes, tall nose, white complexion, and slim body.
Ending one’s life and dissatisfaction with your situation are indications that the person is unhappy. With the busyness that characterizes present-day society, most of the time we do not notice this “12 o ‘clock people” even in our midst.
Are you happy with your life? Are you satisfied with how your life turns out? Is there joy in your heart while studying, working for your company, earning to support your family, raising your kids, and serving the Lord? Or are you full of regrets and grievances, blaming your situation and people around you?
Only the gospel of Jesus can give us joy. This joy is so powerful that no circumstances in life can frustrate it. Notice how this gospel joy worked in the life of the apostle Paul that even imprisoned and waiting for his approaching death, he could still encourage the believers at Philippi to “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4a).
In this article, I would like to share three qualities of people who joyfully obey God. Let us take a look at Luke 15.
There are several ways to look at the parable in Luke 15. The most popular is to look at it focusing on the younger son; others would see it from the point of view of the Father’s heart; and still others would interpret it from the perspective of the older brother. This afternoon, I would like to invite you to take another look at this parable from the perspective of gospel joy.
Notice that the theme of “joy” has been repeatedly mentioned throughout the chapter. Speaking of finding the lost sheep, Jesus said that a true shepherd “when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep’ ” (vv. 5-6). Then the Lord Jesus further said, “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven…” (v.7).
Also about the lost coin, the Lord said that the woman who found it, called her friends and neighbors and told them to rejoice with her. Jesus repeated once again the expression, “there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God…” (vs.9-10).
And for the third time, about the parable of the “lost son”, the word “celebrate” has been repeated three times. Other words that imply the joy of the father for the return of his younger son are “music and dancing” and “be glad”. So you see, to properly interpret Luke 15 and realize its relevance to our present day, we need to see joy as its important theme. And I would like you to reflect on your present condition wherever you are, whether in your home, in the office, in your school, and in the church; ask yourself whether you still have that joy that comes from experiencing the power of the gospel of Jesus. If you still have that joy, obeying God in your school, in the office, in your marriage, in your home and even in the ministry will never be burdensome to you. It will be a great delight.
What are the three qualities of people who joyfully obey God?
- People who joyfully obey God rightly know Him and His character, vs. 1-2
Absence of joy in life is an indication of a lost condition whether you are living a wild life like the younger brother or you are “obedient” and living a religious life like the older brother. The lostness of the older brother is far more deceitful than the lostness of the younger brother. The lostness of the younger brother is obvious. He defies his father and he squandered his wealth in wild living.
The lostness of the older is not obvious. He remained “obedient”, but his heart was so far away from his father. He was not happy when his younger brother returned. He was ignorant about the misery of his father for losing his younger brother. He didn’t know what would make his father happy. This is real lostness.
Lost people do not know the heart of God for lost souls. Lost people are satisfied with their religious performance. Lost people do not see themselves in need of God’s grace. They thought other people need God’s grace, but not them for they see themselves as righteous before God (vv. 1-2). They see themselves as holy and clean and see others as sinners and dirty.
It is because they are ignorant of God and his character. Their knowledge of God and his character rests simply in their intellect, and no longer touches their heart. The joy that comes from the gospel’s power is strange to them.
Like the older brother, religious people are unhappy. They get angry when they see adulterers and murderers returning to God and receiving the abundant grace of God.
However, people who joyfully obey God rightly know Him and His character. They know that God is perfect and holy and none among men can meet His standard. They know that it is only by His grace demonstrated in the death of His Son at the cross that they are now pleasing before Him. Without the blood of the Lamb of God, they know that nothing can purify them from their sins.
And since they themselves have experienced the abundant grace of God, they long to share the same grace to those people who do not know God. They could not afford to be judgmental or be proud, for they know deep within their hearts their own sins and they simply depend from the same source for forgiveness and cleansing. Amen!
- People who joyfully obey God see themselves as His sons and daughters, v. 29
The older brother did not see himself as his father’s son. He saw himself as a slave. He ranked himself among his father’s servants.
As we read in verses 1 and 2, we understand that this parable was originally intended by Jesus to rebuke the Pharisees and teachers of the law for their pride and self-righteousness. These religious people did not see their need for Jesus, their need for God’s grace, simply because they were too righteous and “honorable” in their own eyes. Jesus gave this parable to indicate that the attitude of these Pharisees and teachers of the law was similar to the attitude of the older brother. In this sense, it was the older brother who was really lost here.
And religious lost people are an unhappy. They are angry with the graciousness of God upon “wretched sinners”. They see themselves as slaves. Though they think they are obedient to God, in reality, their hearts are far from God. Their kind of obedience enslaves them. Their obedience is merely external. It does not come from a heart that is completely devoted to God. It does not come from a heart that loves God with their all. It does not come from a heart that is filled with joy.
But people who joyfully obey God have a different perspective in life. Regardless of their relational and economic situation, they are happy. They obey God out of a joyful heart. They obey God out of love. They delight in all they do: studying, teaching children, doing office work, raising up their children, and even picking up garbage and mopping the floor. That is their principle in life, to do everything with delight for they know that everything they do are expression of their service to God. This is easily said than done.
People who joyfully obey God delight in all they do simply because they see themselves no longer as slaves, but as sons and daughters of the kingdom of God. Their obedience comes from the wealth of their being. They are whole inside and that is why they are also whole outside. Their wholeness includes their mind, emotion, spirit, and their action. They owe their wholeness to the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!
People who joyfully obey God have seen Him as their true and greatest wealth, v.31
The father said, “You are always with me, and everything I have is yours.” This is our true wealth and greatness treasure in life – our relationship with God.
Today is my 51st day here in South Korea. If God willing, I have 279 days more to stay with you. It is my prayer that my 330 days here will be spent in communion with our God. I actually arrived last October 5 where for a long time I missed that kind of prayer meeting that we have here at Yaksu every Friday evening. Last Friday was the 8th prayer meeting that I attended here at Yaksu. For me, Friday prayer meeting is the highest point in my entire week for during those two hours, I could completely pour out my heart to God. I could commune with God as a Father, as my King, as my Friend, and as my Ultimate Comforter and joy simply because I learned from experience that indeed He is my true and greatest wealth. Amen!
If indeed you have seen God as your greatest wealth, everything that you will do, you will for Him with delight. You will stop complaining. You will stop blaming people and your situation. If with your mouth, you confess that He is your real wealth, and yet you still complain, you are lying and you deceive yourself.
There are times in life that we have to learn the basic truth that God is our real wealth in a painful way. Blessed is the man who still sees God as his wealth despite of losing his family, his job, his business, and anything that most people hold dear in life. Do not wait to lose your all before you see that indeed, God is your greatest wealth. Is God your greatest treasure?
Conclusion:
People who joyfully obey God rightly know Him and His character, see themselves as His sons and daughters, and have seen Him as their true and greatest wealth.
The other documentary I watched is about university life here in South Korea. What caught my attention was the way students use their spare time now that they already entered the university. They spend their free time either playing computer games, partying and singing in “noraebang”.
The first video I shared shows a very stressful life; the second video, a playful life. Two documentaries picture two different types of life.
Man in rejecting the grace of God fall to two separate extremes – too strict or too loose, a legalistic life or a licentious life, a life full of rules and regulations or a life without discipline and restraint, a stressful life and a licentious life.
God redeems us from both kinds of life. He wants us to live a free and joyful life; but, he also wants us to live a life of obedience to His commands. We find real freedom and joy only by living a Spirit-empowered and obedient life. Envy, insecurity, lust, dissatisfaction, inferiority, anger, and boredom are foreign to such kind of life. If you have this Spirit-empowered and obedient life, the freedom and joy that come from the gospel of Jesus Christ are also yours. Amen!
Only By Grace 