Transformative Joy: Assurance and Rest in Christ

 

Summary

In the Gospel of John, chapter 3, Jesus speaks to Nicodemus about the necessity of being born again, emphasizing that salvation is not achieved through human effort but through the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. This new birth is a spiritual transformation, a divine act that reconciles us with God and grants us eternal life. Jesus' sacrifice on the cross was not only for our forgiveness but also to impart new life, a life characterized by communion with the Holy Trinity. This communion is a profound, personal relationship with God, marked by the Holy Spirit's presence within us.

The Spirit's work in us is transformative, freeing us from the bondage of the law and instilling a spirit of adoption, allowing us to cry out to God as our Father. This assurance of salvation is not a mere intellectual assent but a deep, experiential knowledge that we are God's children. The Spirit bears witness with our spirit, confirming our identity in Christ and filling us with the love of God. This love is not our love for God but His love for us, a love that is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

This assurance leads to a life of joy, even amidst trials and tribulations. The Christian joy is not dependent on circumstances but is rooted in the knowledge of God's love and the hope of glory. It is a joy that persists through suffering, a joy that is unspeakable and full of glory. This joy naturally leads to praise and thanksgiving, a hallmark of the true Christian life. Our gratitude is not just for the blessings we receive but for the grace of God that has saved us and made us His own.

Finally, this assurance and joy result in a profound rest in God. Even when we do not understand His ways, we trust in His goodness and sovereignty. This rest is a deep-seated peace that surpasses understanding, a peace that guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. It is a peace that allows us to be content in all circumstances, knowing that God is working all things together for our good.

Key Takeaways:

- The Necessity of New Birth: Salvation is not achieved through human effort but through the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. This new birth is a spiritual transformation, a divine act that reconciles us with God and grants us eternal life. [01:24]

- Assurance of Salvation: The Spirit bears witness with our spirit, confirming our identity in Christ and filling us with the love of God. This assurance is not a mere intellectual assent but a deep, experiential knowledge that we are God's children. [09:46]

- Joy in Tribulation: Christian joy is not dependent on circumstances but is rooted in the knowledge of God's love and the hope of glory. It is a joy that persists through suffering, a joy that is unspeakable and full of glory. [27:57]

- Praise and Thanksgiving: Our gratitude is not just for the blessings we receive but for the grace of God that has saved us and made us His own. This praise and thanksgiving are hallmarks of the true Christian life. [36:21]

- Resting in God: Even when we do not understand His ways, we trust in His goodness and sovereignty. This rest is a deep-seated peace that surpasses understanding, a peace that guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. [39:49]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:10] - The Wind of the Spirit
- [00:31] - Nicodemus' Misunderstanding
- [01:06] - The Necessity of the Cross
- [02:00] - Reconciliation and New Life
- [03:10] - Born Again by the Spirit
- [04:50] - Communion with the Holy Trinity
- [06:30] - Spirit of Adoption
- [07:38] - Assurance of Salvation
- [09:10] - Witness of the Spirit
- [11:30] - Love of God in Our Hearts
- [13:01] - Direct Witness of the Spirit
- [15:07] - Beyond Happiness
- [19:01] - Results of Assurance
- [20:09] - Rejoicing in the Spirit
- [22:56] - Fullness of Joy
- [27:23] - Joy in Tribulations
- [32:26] - Praise and Thanksgiving
- [38:53] - Resting in God

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. John 3:1-16
2. Romans 8:15-16
3. 1 Peter 1:8

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Observation Questions:

1. What does Jesus mean when He tells Nicodemus that one must be "born again" to see the kingdom of God? How does this relate to the necessity of the crucifixion and resurrection? [01:06]

2. According to the sermon, what is the role of the Holy Spirit in confirming our identity as children of God? [09:10]

3. How does the sermon describe the joy that Christians experience, even in the midst of trials and tribulations? [27:57]

4. What is the significance of praise and thanksgiving in the life of a believer, as discussed in the sermon? [36:21]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the concept of being "born again" challenge the idea that salvation can be achieved through human effort or religious practices? [03:10]

2. In what ways does the assurance of salvation, as described in the sermon, differ from a mere intellectual belief in God? [09:46]

3. How can the joy that is "unspeakable and full of glory" be a testimony to others about the reality of God's love in a believer's life? [21:33]

4. What does it mean to rest in God, and how does this rest provide peace that surpasses understanding? [39:49]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your own spiritual journey. Have you experienced the "new birth" that Jesus speaks of? If so, how has it transformed your relationship with God? [01:24]

2. The sermon emphasizes the Spirit's role in confirming our identity in Christ. How can you become more aware of the Holy Spirit's presence and work in your life? [09:10]

3. Think of a recent trial or challenge you faced. How did your understanding of God's love and the hope of glory influence your response to that situation? [27:57]

4. In what ways can you cultivate a heart of praise and thanksgiving, not just for blessings, but for the grace of God in your life? [36:21]

5. Consider a situation where you struggled to understand God's ways. How can you practice resting in His goodness and sovereignty, even when circumstances are unclear? [39:49]

6. Identify one area of your life where you need to experience the peace of God. What steps can you take to invite His peace into that situation? [39:49]

7. How can you share the joy and assurance you have in Christ with someone who may be struggling with doubt or fear? [09:46]

Devotional

Day 1: Spiritual Rebirth Through Christ's Sacrifice
Salvation is not a result of human effort but a divine transformation through the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. This new birth is a spiritual transformation that reconciles us with God and grants us eternal life. It is a divine act, not something we can achieve on our own. Jesus' sacrifice on the cross was not only for our forgiveness but also to impart new life, a life characterized by communion with the Holy Trinity. This communion is a profound, personal relationship with God, marked by the Holy Spirit's presence within us. [01:24]

Ephesians 2:4-5 (ESV): "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved."

Reflection: In what ways can you open your heart to experience this spiritual rebirth today, acknowledging that it is not by your efforts but by God's grace?


Day 2: The Spirit's Assurance of Our Identity in Christ
The Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit, confirming our identity in Christ and filling us with the love of God. This assurance is not a mere intellectual assent but a deep, experiential knowledge that we are God's children. The Spirit's work in us is transformative, freeing us from the bondage of the law and instilling a spirit of adoption, allowing us to cry out to God as our Father. This assurance of salvation is a profound experience that confirms our identity in Christ and fills us with the love of God. [09:46]

Galatians 4:6-7 (ESV): "And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!' So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God."

Reflection: How can you cultivate a deeper awareness of the Holy Spirit's presence in your life, affirming your identity as a child of God?


Day 3: Joy Rooted in God's Love and Hope of Glory
Christian joy is not dependent on circumstances but is rooted in the knowledge of God's love and the hope of glory. It is a joy that persists through suffering, a joy that is unspeakable and full of glory. This joy naturally leads to praise and thanksgiving, a hallmark of the true Christian life. Our gratitude is not just for the blessings we receive but for the grace of God that has saved us and made us His own. [27:57]

1 Peter 1:8-9 (ESV): "Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

Reflection: What is one way you can express joy and gratitude today, even if you are facing difficult circumstances?


Day 4: Gratitude for God's Grace and Salvation
Our gratitude is not just for the blessings we receive but for the grace of God that has saved us and made us His own. This praise and thanksgiving are hallmarks of the true Christian life. The assurance of salvation leads to a life of joy, even amidst trials and tribulations. The Christian joy is not dependent on circumstances but is rooted in the knowledge of God's love and the hope of glory. [36:21]

Colossians 3:16-17 (ESV): "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Reflection: How can you intentionally practice gratitude today, focusing on the grace and salvation you have received from God?


Day 5: Resting in God's Sovereignty and Peace
Even when we do not understand His ways, we trust in His goodness and sovereignty. This rest is a deep-seated peace that surpasses understanding, a peace that guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. It is a peace that allows us to be content in all circumstances, knowing that God is working all things together for our good. [39:49]

Isaiah 26:3-4 (ESV): "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to surrender control to God, trusting in His peace and sovereignty?

Quotes

"The first thing we all need is to be reconciled with God and that was the primary work of our Lord. He came to keep the law for us to satisfy the demands of God's holy law, but that was not merely a matter of active positive obedience. It necessitated also his bearing on our behalf the punishment of the law, and there we see his passive obedience on the cross, how he was led as a lamb to the slaughter and nailed to the tree. His body was broken, his blood was shed. He had to be lifted up, must be. There is no salvation apart from Jesus Christ and him crucified. It is the only way of salvation." [00:41:47]

"Beyond that, he gives us life, and that's the thing we are considering. That's the thing he's telling Nicodemus here: except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Natural ability, human understanding in this realm is valorous, completely. Indeed, it can be a great hindrance because we all tend to trust to it. Religion is of no value, morality is of no value, nothing is of any value. Ye must be born again, born of the spirit." [00:49:56]

"The Christian doesn't merely believe things about God. He is one who, because of new life and because he's been adopted into God's family, is a child of God and has a knowledge of God, a personal knowledge of God. And we are dealing in particular with, at the moment, with our communion with the Holy Spirit. Communion of the Holy Spirit, here's a test. If we know anything about this, we are children of God." [00:57:12]

"The Christian is delivered from a spirit of bondage. If we are still under the law, we're in bondage. If we are still trying to make ourselves Christians, we're under bondage. If we're trying to work up our own righteousness, that is the spirit of heaviness and of bondage. You'll never find peace, never find satisfaction along that line. But the Christian is one who, as we are reminded in Romans 8:2, can say this: the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." [01:00:48]

"Assurance of Salvation is, of course, assurance of the fact that you're born again. You know, you're not just hoping, you know. And that is the position in which all Christian people should be. John writes, this same man writes his letter when he was an old man, the first epistle, and he says, 'These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye might know that ye have eternal life.' My friends, we are meant to know it, we are meant to enjoy it while we are still in this world." [01:15:56]

"The spirit bearing witness with our spirits means that quite apart from all we feel and all that we can deduce from the scriptures, there is an immediate and a direct witness given to us by the Holy Ghost. Now, another way, if you like, of looking at that selfsame thing is the way the Apostle puts it in the fifth chapter of the epistle to the Romans and in verse five, where he puts it like this: 'Hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us.'" [01:25:20]

"This assurance that we are the children of God, but I say he may do it through the word. He may take a word of scripture one day and bring it right out, and you've never seen it before, you feel, and it's speaking to you: 'Thy sins are forgiven thee, Thou art my child.' Well, I've given you great evidence from time to time from the writings of saints and martyrs and confessors throughout the centuries testifying to this. Thank God it is something that God's people are still privileged to know." [01:31:47]

"Rejoicing, the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace. Now, this is something that runs right through the whole of the New Testament. You remember how Peter puts it: 'Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with a joy unspeakable and full of glory.' Now, that's Peter writing in his first epistle in the first chapter in the 8th verse to most ordinary Christian people." [01:40:26]

"Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice. Here it is, you see, it is the great note of the New Testament scriptures. John writes his last letter, as I've reminded you, as an old man, and he tells us why he writes it. You see, he knows he's going to die, and he's leaving these people. This is why he writes: 'These things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.'" [01:52:39]

"Religion can never give this. This is the very essence of this new life which is in Christ Jesus, is being born of the spirit. But let me put this to you in its fullness. I've already quoted Peter to you in his first epistle, and I must complete my quotation because it's important that we should understand fully what he says. I quoted the 8th verse to you, but this is how Peter puts it: 'Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again.'" [01:56:40]

"Resting in God and in his promises and in the great salvation. It's the other side, if you like, of the rejoicing in tribulations that I mentioned just now. But it is a very important one because there are times when we are so hard-pressed that our joy is apparently, for the time being, blunted somewhat. But you know, there is a depth in joy which shows itself in resting, just resting quietly." [02:03:38]

"You'd sooner be in the hands of God in the dark than anywhere else in the midst of blazing light. This is, I say, something that only the child of God knows. It is this ultimate final trust. Let me put it again to you in the words of the Apostle Paul. Here it is in Philippians 4:6 and 7: 'Be careful for nothing; don't be over-anxious,' he says, 'for anything. Doesn't matter what your circumstances, this is an all-inclusive term: be careful for nothing, nothing at all.'" [02:08:00]

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Transcript
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