Finding Joy in God: The Essence of Christian Hedonism

Devotional

Day 1: God's Glory as the Foundation of Love

God's pursuit of His own glory is not an act of self-centeredness but the very foundation of His love for humanity. Unlike human beings, who are often criticized for seeking their own glory, God's pursuit of His glory is inherently loving because it aligns with our ultimate joy and satisfaction. By seeking His glory, God provides us with the deepest satisfaction, which is an act of love. This understanding challenges us to see God's glory not as a distant, abstract concept but as a personal invitation to experience His love in its fullest form. [03:28]

Isaiah 48:11 (ESV): "For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another."

Reflection: Consider a time when you felt distant from God. How might understanding His pursuit of glory as an act of love change your perception of that experience?

Day 2: Joy in God as a Biblical Mandate

Christian Hedonism asserts that we glorify God by enjoying Him, and this pursuit of joy in God is not optional but a biblical mandate. Psalm 37:4 instructs us to "delight yourself in the Lord," emphasizing that our pursuit of joy is essential for fulfilling our purpose. This challenges the notion that seeking pleasure is inherently sinful and instead encourages us to find our deepest satisfaction in God. By aligning our desires with His glory, we fulfill our purpose and experience true joy. [16:20]

Nehemiah 8:10 (ESV): "Then he said to them, 'Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.'"

Reflection: What are some ways you can intentionally seek joy in God today, rather than settling for temporary pleasures?

Day 3: The Problem of Settling for Fleeting Pleasures

The issue within the church is not an excess of pleasure-seeking but a lack of understanding of true joy in God. Many have settled for fleeting pleasures, losing the capacity to experience profound joy in God. This calls for a reevaluation of what we consider fulfilling and satisfying. By recognizing the temporary nature of worldly pleasures, we can redirect our focus toward the eternal joy found in a relationship with God. This shift in perspective can transform our spiritual lives and deepen our connection with Him. [08:19]

Jeremiah 2:13 (ESV): "For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water."

Reflection: Identify one area in your life where you have settled for a fleeting pleasure. How can you begin to seek lasting joy in God instead?

Day 4: Faith and the Expectation of Joy

Faith requires believing that God rewards those who seek Him, implying that we must approach God with the expectation of joy and reward. True worship involves coming to God with a hunger for His presence, not merely fulfilling a duty. This perspective encourages believers to cultivate a relationship with God that is vibrant and life-giving, rather than routine and obligatory. By expecting joy and reward in our pursuit of God, we align our hearts with His desires and experience the fullness of His presence. [19:52]

Hebrews 10:35-36 (ESV): "Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised."

Reflection: How can you approach your time with God today with an expectation of joy and reward, rather than as a mere obligation?

Day 5: Delight in God as a Commandment

Christian Hedonism challenges the notion that virtue decreases with pleasure, emphasizing that delight in God is a commandment. Our pursuit of joy is essential for fulfilling our purpose, as it aligns our desires with God's glory. This understanding reframes the way we view pleasure and virtue, encouraging us to see delight in God as a vital aspect of our spiritual journey. By embracing this commandment, we open ourselves to a deeper, more fulfilling relationship with God that transforms our lives. [17:05]

Psalm 16:11 (ESV): "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Reflection: Reflect on your current spiritual practices. How can you incorporate the command to delight in God into your daily routine?

Sermon Summary

In 1968, I experienced a transformative realization that pursuing joy in God is essential for glorifying Him. This insight, influenced by thinkers like C.S. Lewis and Jonathan Edwards, reshaped my understanding of the Christian life. The core of this understanding is that God's passion for His own glory is intertwined with our delight in Him. God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. This concept, which I term "Christian Hedonism," suggests that our pursuit of happiness in God is not only permissible but necessary for fulfilling our purpose.

The idea that God seeks His own glory might seem self-centered, but it is actually the foundation of His love for us. By seeking His glory, God provides us with the deepest satisfaction, which is an act of love. Unlike humans, who are condemned for seeking their own glory, God's pursuit of His glory is inherently loving because it aligns with our ultimate joy.

Many Christians agree that the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. However, I propose that we glorify God by enjoying Him. The problem in the church is not an excess of pleasure-seeking but rather a lack of understanding of true joy in God. Many have settled for fleeting pleasures, losing the capacity to experience profound joy in God.

Christian Hedonism challenges the notion that virtue decreases with pleasure. Instead, it asserts that delight in God is a commandment, as seen in Psalm 37:4, which instructs us to "delight yourself in the Lord." This pursuit of joy is not optional; it is a biblical mandate. Moreover, Deuteronomy 28:47 warns of consequences for not serving God with joy, emphasizing the seriousness of this pursuit.

Faith, as described in Hebrews 11:6, requires believing that God rewards those who seek Him. This implies that we must approach God with the expectation of joy and reward. True worship involves coming to God with a hunger for His presence, not merely fulfilling a duty. In essence, Christian Hedonism calls us to a life devoted to finding our deepest pleasure in God, aligning our desires with His glory.

Key Takeaways

1. God's pursuit of His own glory is not self-centered but is the foundation of His love for us. By seeking His glory, God provides us with the deepest satisfaction, which is an act of love. [03:28]
2. Christian Hedonism asserts that we glorify God by enjoying Him. This pursuit of joy in God is not optional; it is a biblical mandate, as seen in Psalm 37:4. [16:20]
3. The problem in the church is not an excess of pleasure-seeking but a lack of understanding of true joy in God. Many have settled for fleeting pleasures, losing the capacity to experience profound joy in God. [08:19]
4. Faith requires believing that God rewards those who seek Him, implying that we must approach God with the expectation of joy and reward. True worship involves coming to God with a hunger for His presence. [19:52]
5. Christian Hedonism challenges the notion that virtue decreases with pleasure. Instead, it emphasizes that delight in God is a commandment, and our pursuit of joy is essential for fulfilling our purpose. [17:05]
** [17:05]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:15] - Discovery of Joy in God
[00:51] - Prayer and Introduction
[02:43] - God's Passion for His Glory
[04:38] - The Foundation of God's Love
[05:18] - Christian Hedonism Explained
[06:30] - Pursuing Happiness in God
[07:26] - Glorifying God by Enjoying Him
[08:19] - The Problem of Settling for Less
[09:47] - Misunderstandings of Pleasure and Virtue
[11:41] - Objections to Christian Hedonism
[14:16] - Biblical Basis for Pursuing Joy
[17:05] - Commands to Delight in God
[19:52] - Faith and the Pursuit of Reward
[22:41] - Conclusion and Invitation

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

Psalm 37:4 - "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart."
Deuteronomy 28:47 - "Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart, therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the Lord will send against you, in hunger and thirst, in nakedness, and in want of all things."
Hebrews 11:6 - "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him."

Observation Questions:

According to the sermon, how does the pursuit of joy in God relate to glorifying Him? [00:30]
What does the speaker mean by "Christian Hedonism," and how does it differ from traditional views of pleasure and virtue? [05:18]
How does the sermon describe the problem within the church regarding the pursuit of joy? [08:19]
What biblical evidence does the speaker provide to support the idea that delighting in God is a commandment? [16:20]

Interpretation Questions:

How does the concept of God seeking His own glory as an act of love challenge or affirm your understanding of God's nature? [03:28]
In what ways does the sermon suggest that the pursuit of fleeting pleasures can diminish our capacity for true joy in God? [08:19]
How does the speaker interpret Hebrews 11:6 in relation to the idea of approaching God with the expectation of joy and reward? [19:52]
What implications does the command to "delight yourself in the Lord" have for how Christians should live their daily lives? [16:20]

Application Questions:

Reflect on your current understanding of joy in God. How might you begin to pursue a deeper satisfaction in Him this week? [05:18]
Consider the fleeting pleasures you might be settling for in your life. What steps can you take to seek more lasting joy in God? [08:19]
How can you incorporate the expectation of joy and reward into your faith practice, especially during times of worship? [19:52]
Identify a specific area in your life where you struggle to find joy in serving God. What changes can you make to align your service with joyfulness? [18:32]
Think about a recent decision or action. How did the pursuit of personal pleasure influence it, and how might a focus on delighting in God change your approach? [06:30]
How can you encourage others in your community to understand and pursue true joy in God, rather than settling for lesser pleasures? [08:19]
Reflect on a time when you felt most satisfied in God. What circumstances or practices contributed to that experience, and how can you replicate them? [05:18]

Sermon Clips

In being one who is passionately for himself he Endeavors to preserve and display his glory always but his glory in its preservation and display is that which brings the deepest and longest lasting satisfaction to the human heart and therefore in securing his own praise and seeking his own Glory he is seeking that which will satisfy us and that's loving. [00:03:30]

If God seeks to magnify preserve and display His Glory by bringing us to satisfaction in it I think I said in the chapel this morning over at weaton that uh when we are most satisfied in God he is most glorified in us that's that's one of the most crisp statements I can think of to capture Christian Hedonism. [00:05:01]

Therefore you should make it your lifelong vocation with all your heart soul mind and strength to pursue happiness in God that's why I call it Hedonism I looked up Hedonism 18 years ago in my Webster 6th or whatever it was and it said Hedonism a life devoted to pleasure seeking that's it that's me. [00:05:28]

If we want to be on God's side if we want to have our lives count most for God and glorify God most and reflect back to the world and to God more of his Excellency we must make it our lifelong vocation to pursue happiness in him. [00:07:17]

I don't think our problem in the church is that the church is filled filled with uh Pleasure Seekers who who therefore go off to their cabin on the weekends in Minnesota and don't come to church I don't think the problem with those people is that they are Pleasure Seekers the problem is that they've quit so early. [00:07:57]

The problem is that they have become so accustomed to Second rate shortlived un satisfying Pleasures that their capacity for Joy has shriveled up so far that they can scarcely even conceive what I am talking about it's like a foreign language to them. [00:08:21]

Christian Hedonism was that I was hearing and this all began at weaton College 24 years ago I was hearing messages that said to the degree that you take pleasure in an act to that degree does its virtue decrease and to the degree that you don't get pleasure in an active duty to that degree does your virtue increase. [00:09:40]

There are explicit commands in the Bible that you must be happy Jeremy Taylor said God threatens terrible things if we will not be happy now that's I'm jumping ahead to point number two but which which talks about threats but Point number one is God commands us to be happy Psalm 374 delight yourself in the Lord. [00:16:10]

If you're not delighted in God you can't say all's well because I'm doing Duty and Delight might come along or it might not you are not well you're disobeying God now that's why I said this Insight was devastating you see some people say oh Christian Hedonism is just a way to make life comfortable I tell you it is devastating to be a Christian hedonist. [00:17:06]

The Bible threatens us with terrible judgments if we will not delight in God this is what sobers you up there's no glibness in Christian Hedonism it's a sober matter the text is Deuteronomy 28:47 let me read it for you because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart therefore you shall serve your enemies. [00:18:17]

Without faith it is impossible to please God for he who would draw near to God Must Believe two things number one that he is and number two that he Rewards or that he is a rewarder of those who seek him now think about that for a moment I'll paraphrase it like this and you see if you think I'm being fair to the text. [00:19:42]

You cannot please God unless you come to him for reward you cannot please God if you come to him to give rewards you can only please God if you come to get not to give that sounds just the opposite of what so many pastors complain about in worship doesn't it what's wrong with these people is that they don't come to give they're always coming to get. [00:20:21]

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Finding Joy in God: The Essence of Christian Hedonism

Devotional

Day 1: God's Glory as the Foundation of Love

Day 2: Joy in God as a Biblical Mandate

Day 3: The Problem of Settling for Fleeting Pleasures

Day 4: Faith and the Expectation of Joy

Day 5: Delight in God as a Commandment

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Finding Joy in God: The Essence of Christian Hedonism

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