Great Joy in that City
A Sermon on Acts 8:8
Originally preached Nov. 26, 1967
Scripture
8And there was great joy in that city.
Sermon Description
Is it wrong to seek after joy and pleasure? Those pursuits are nothing new to humanity as it chases after lasting happiness in art, music, and drama. This pursuit of pleasure and joy has become even more prominent in modern times. But as Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains in the sermon “Great Joy in that City” on Acts 8:8, humanity’s pursuit of pleasure is often driven by sinful desires and passions. This is seen in rampant drug usage where people seek to escape the ills of the world by numbing their minds. This is in complete antithesis to Christian joy that is brought by the Holy Spirit and the redemptive work of God in their lives. This is the only true joy and it comes from the gospel of Jesus Christ that alone can transform this world, not as an escape from the world’s problems. It comes from believing the truth about the world, oneself, and God. It is real joy that comes from being at peace with God and having eternal life in Christ Jesus. This is the joyful message that the church is to bring to the whole world: though all are sinners in rebellion to their God, God has sent his only begotten Son into the world to pay the wages of sin and provide the only way of salvation.
Sermon Breakdown
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The sermon text is Acts 8:8 which states "And there was great joy in that city". This verse describes the result of the people of Samaria believing the gospel preached by Philip.
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The sermon reminds us of the true nature and character of the Christian faith, message and church which is one of joy.
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The spread of Christianity from Jerusalem as prophesied by Jesus is shown through Philip preaching in Samaria. Christianity has now spread to every country.
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The gospel is essential for joy and happiness. Most people reject it because they do not truly understand it.
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The world cannot give us lasting joy. Its pleasures do not last and cannot address life's sorrows like illness, loss and death.
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Philosophy also cannot give us joy. The great philosophers were often unhappy and had a "tragic sense of life". They could only teach endurance.
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Other religions like Hinduism and Buddhism are profoundly pessimistic. They do not offer joy.
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Psychology and cults claim to offer joy but only through self-deception and temporary means. They do not address the root causes of unhappiness.
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Christianity alone offers true joy through changing us internally, not just our circumstances. It gives joy as a byproduct of believing the truth.
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The gospel addresses the past through forgiveness of sins, the present through new life and power, and the future through God's sovereignty and heaven.
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The Christian can rejoice always because he knows God is in control of all things for his good. He can face any circumstance with joy in the Lord.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Joy in Christianity: Questions and Answers
What was the main text that Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones focused on in this sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones focused on Acts 8:8, "And there was great joy in that city." This verse describes the result of Philip the evangelist preaching the gospel in Samaria and people believing his message. Lloyd-Jones uses this text to explore the true nature of Christian joy compared to worldly happiness.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones contrast the world's understanding of Christianity with its true nature?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that many people reject Christianity because they mistakenly think it makes people miserable. The popular notion is that Christianity is "a mess of vetoes and prohibitions" that restricts life's pleasures. However, the true nature of Christianity, as evidenced in Acts 8:8, is that it brings genuine joy. Lloyd-Jones states that Christianity, far from being restrictive, is actually the only source of authentic and lasting joy.
According to the sermon, why does the world fail to provide lasting joy?
According to Lloyd-Jones, the world's attempts at joy always fail because they either: 1. Try to manipulate external circumstances 2. Numb people through escapism (drugs, alcohol, entertainment) 3. Offer only temporary relief from problems 4. Cannot address the deeper issues of guilt, conscience, and fear of death 5. Provide pleasures that don't last and always have "a fly in the ointment"
He points out that even philosophy at its best can only offer stoic resignation, not true joy.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain the difference between Christian joy and worldly happiness?
Lloyd-Jones explains that: 1. Christian joy is internal rather than external 2. It changes the person from within rather than trying to change circumstances 3. It is a byproduct of seeking righteousness rather than seeking happiness directly 4. It comes from "rejoicing in the Lord" not just "rejoicing" 5. It is independent of circumstances and can exist even in suffering 6. It is lasting rather than temporary
What example does Dr. Lloyd-Jones give of Christian joy persisting in difficult circumstances?
Lloyd-Jones references Paul and Silas in Acts 16, who sang praises to God at midnight while in prison with their feet in stocks and their bodies in pain from severe beating. This demonstrates how Christian joy is fundamentally different from worldly happiness because it persists even in the most difficult circumstances. Unlike the other prisoners who were miserable, Paul and Silas could rejoice because their joy was grounded in something beyond their circumstances.
How does the gospel address the past, present, and future to bring joy?
According to Lloyd-Jones: - For the past: The gospel deals with guilt and sin through Christ's forgiveness, removing the burden of our past mistakes - For the present: It gives new life, new desires, new understanding, and new power to live differently - For the future: It removes fear by placing our future in God's hands, assuring us that "all things work together for good" and removing the fear of death
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the fatal fallacy in the world's approach to finding joy?
The fatal fallacy is seeking joy directly. Lloyd-Jones states: "If you set out just to find joy and happiness, you'll never succeed in finding it, never." He explains that true joy is always a byproduct that comes indirectly through believing the truth and seeking righteousness first. The world fails because it makes happiness the primary goal rather than understanding it as a result of something deeper.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones challenge the view that Christianity is intellectually limiting?
Lloyd-Jones challenges the view that Christianity is intellectually limiting by pointing out the richness of scripture. He says: "If you really want enjoyment, here it is. I know something about that other life. But if I may give my witness and my testimony. There is no joy that I've ever known that is comparable to the joy of delving into the treasures of this book." He describes the Christian intellectual life as "the most thrilling life that is conceivable."
What final invitation does Dr. Lloyd-Jones give to his listeners?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones concludes with an invitation to "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." He promises that through this faith, even in our darkest moments ("in your midnight, with your feet fast in some stocks"), we will be able to "pray and to sing praises unto God and rejoice in him in life, in death, and to all eternity."
The Book of Acts
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.