1 Peter 1:8 - Joy Like No Other!
1 Peter 1:8: Joy Like No Other!
1 Peter 1:8 (NIV) Though you have not seen him, you love him;
and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are
filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,
WORD STUDY
Unspeakable / Inexpressible: The joy of spiritual union with
Christ is beyond the comprehension of the unconverted and beyond the
ability of the Christian believer to describe. [SDA Bible Commentary]
Full of glory / Glorious joy: Although the fullness of a
glorified experience is possible only after the second advent of Christ,
the Christian now may taste the sweetness of the presence of God as
he allows his life to be directed by the Holy Spirit. [SDA Bible
Commentary]
COMMENTARY PEARL
In Me you can discover Joy inexpressible and full of Glory!
You will not find this kind of pleasure anywhere else; it is
available only in your relationship with Me. So trust Me, beloved, and
walk confidently along your life-path. As we journey together, you
will encounter many obstacles - some of which are quite painful.
Expect these difficulties each day, and don't let them throw you off
course. Refuse to let adversity keep you from enjoying Me. In My
Presence deep sorrow can coexist with even deeper Joy.
Your life with Me is an adventure, and there are always some
dangers involved in adventurous journeys. Ask Me to give you courage so
that you can face your troubles boldly. Keep your hope fully fastened
on Me and on the heavenly reward that awaits you. Your Joy will
expand astronomically - beyond anything you could possibly imagine -
when you reach your eternal home. There you will see Me face to Face,
and your Joy will know no bounds! (1Pe. 1:8; 2Co. 6:10; 1Co. 13:12)
[Jesus Always by Sarah Young]
COMMENTARY OTHER
Peter had known Jesus Christ personally -- talked with him,
walked with him, questioned him, professed faith in him. Yet Peter
understood that most of the believers to whom he wrote had not known Jesus
in the flesh. He commended their faith because they believed and
loved without having seen the object of their faith. Certainly Peter
remembered Jesus' words to another disciple: "Thomas, because you have seen
Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet
have believed" (John 20:29). The Holy Spirit enables believers to
have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The word love is in
the present tense, indicating a regular and continual activity. They
were continually loving Christ, even though they had never seen him
in the flesh. The word believe means "to trust," "to put one's
confidence in," "to depend upon."
Christian faith does not focus on some abstract idea or some
fallible person. It focuses on one person -- Jesus Christ -- who was sent
by God to live in a fallen world and then to die for that world in
order to save it. We, like Peter's audience, do not see him now, but
one day our faith will be rewarded when Christ returns to take us
home. On that day and for eternity, we shall see him face-to-face.
Until then, we live by faith, with hope and joy. Peter says believers
can, in this present life, rejoice with an indescribable and glorious
joy. Rejoicing can be a present reality no matter what occurs in the
world. The realization of the joy we will have in the future permeates
and enlivens the present.
This makes no sense to the unbelieving world. Christians
rejoice despite trials and suffering, have faith in someone they have
never seen, and stake their lives on promises. Why? Because they know
the Lord
The word "indescribable" describes joy so deep and profound
that words cannot express it. Our joy is also described as
"glorious," infused with a heavenly glory. While we await Christ's return,
we are already experiencing a touch of heaven through the joy of
our relationship with God. (Life Application Commentary)
ILLUSTRATION
"Why don't I have joy?" a wife asks her husband. She believes
in God, she believes in Jesus, but is there something more?
It's a common question. All of life's checkpoints add up --
family, job, paycheck, health -- but something's missing.
Peter had it -- a sure, steady, and satisfying focus on
Christ as the source. For Peter, joy was the presence of the living
Christ in his heart and mind.
As you trust Christ each day and live in his company, you're
on the road to inexpressible and glorious joy. Rise today
expectantly; God has something more for you today. (Life Application
Commentary)
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
I am the resurrection and the life; all lasting Life emanates
from Me. People search for life in many wrong ways: chasing after
fleeting pleasures, accumulating possessions and wealth, trying to deny
the inevitable effects of aging. Meanwhile, I freely offer abundant
Life to everyone who turns toward Me. As you come to Me and take My
yoke upon you, I fill you with My very Life. This is how I choose to
live in the world and accomplish My purposes. This is also how I
bless you with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory. The Joy is Mine, and
the Glory is Mine; but I bestow them on you as you live in My
Presence, inviting Me to live fully in you. (John 11:25; Mat. 11:28, 29;
1Pe. 1:8, 9) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
I offer you inexpressible and glorious Joy - straight from
heaven itself! This triumphant, heavenly Joy can be found only in Me.
It is easy to slide, ever so gradually, from delighting in Me to
living for the next spiritual "high." Sometimes I bless you with a
taste of heaven's splendor, but the primary purpose of these
experiences is to whet your appetite for the next life. Do not underestimate
the brokenness of the world you inhabit. Your enjoyment of My
Presence will always intermingle with the sorrows of living in this
fallen world - until I take you into Glory.
Someday you will see Me face to Face, but for now you love Me
without having seen Me. You believe in Me even though you do not see Me.
This love for Me is not irrational or whimsical. It's a response to
My boundless passion for you, dramatically displayed on the cross
and verified by My resurrection. You worship a risen, living Savior!
Blessed are those who have not seen Me and yet have believed. (1Pe. 1:8;
Psa. 73:23, 24; 1Jo. 4:19; Joh. 20:29) [Jesus Always by Sarah Young]
I have done great things for you, so let Me fill you with
Joy. Take ample time to ponder all I have done for you. Rejoice in My
goodness and My greatness as you remember My marvelous deeds. Rest in My
intimate Presence; relax in My everlasting arms. I long to fill you with
Joy, but you must collaborate with Me in this process.
Do not be like a spoiled child on Christmas Day - hastily
tearing open all the presents and then saying, "Is that all?" Every
single day is a precious gift from Me! Search for Me within the
boundaries of this day, and you will surely find Me. I am present not only
in pleasant things but also in unwanted circumstances. My Joy is
sufficient for all situations, and I adjust it according to your need. When
things are going your way, My gladness intensifies your delight. When
you encounter hard things, I give you a deep, bold Joy that clings
to Me for help. Receiving My Joy requires not only time but also
courage. (Psa. 126:3; Deu. 33:27; Jer. 29:13; 1Pe. 1:6-8) [Jesus Today by
Sarah Young]
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Christ personally, realized through faith, is the believers
unspeakable joy. [Wycliffe Bible Commentary]
You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness
of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11
VIDEO CLIP ON FINDING THIS JOY
http://vimeo.com/31489782
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2014/20140513-2116.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2016/20161026-1855.html
LINK WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES AND SEMINARS
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: http://www.bibleresearch.info/
http://www.aBible.com
