No Mind Has Imagined
The sermon emphasizes the contrast between the mixed joys of earthly life and the pure, abundant joy found in heaven with God.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes the contrast between earthly joy, which is often interrupted by sin, Satan, and afflictions, and the perfect joy that awaits believers in heaven. He describes how, in this life, joy is mixed with sorrow and challenges, but in heaven, believers will experience pure and everlasting joy without any disturbances. Brooks highlights that the joys of heaven are beyond human comprehension, filled with fullness and eternal pleasures at God's right hand. He encourages believers to look forward to the ultimate joy that will encompass every aspect of their being in the presence of God.
Text
Surely there is no believer but who finds that sometimes
sin interrupts his joy, and sometimes Satan disturbs his
joy, and sometimes afflictions eclipse his joy. Sometimes
the cares of the world, and sometimes the snares of the
world, and sometimes the fears of the world--mar his joy.
Here on earth, our joy is mixed with sorrow; our
rejoicing with trembling. The most godly have . . .
sorrow mixed with their joy,
water mixed with their wine,
vinegar mixed with their oil,
pain mixed with their ease,
winter mixed with their summer, etc.
But in heaven, they shall have . . .
joy without sorrow,
light without darkness,
sweetness without bitterness,
summer without winter,
health without sickness,
honor without disgrace,
glory without shame, and
life without death.
"In His presence is fullness of joy, and at His right
hand are pleasures forevermore." Psalm 16:11
Mark--
for quality--there are pleasures;
for quantity--fullness;
for dignity--at God's right hand;
for duration--forevermore.
And millions of years multiplied by millions, do
not make up one minute of this eternity of joy
which the saints shall have in heaven! In heaven
there shall be no sin to take away your joy, nor
any devil to take away your joy, nor any man
to take away your joy!
As they shall have in heaven pure joy, so they shall
have in heaven fullness of joy. Here on earth all joy
is at an ebb--but in heaven is the flood of joy! Here
shall be joy above joy, joy surmounting all joy. Here
shall be such great joys--as no geometrician can
measure; so many joys--as no arithmetician can
number; and such wonderful joys--as no rhetorician
can utter, had he the tongue of men and angels!
Sometimes great crosses, sometimes hard losses, and
sometimes unexpected changes--turn a Christian's
harping into mourning.
Here shall be joy within you, and joy without you,
and joy above you, and joy beneath you, and joy
about you. Joy shall spread itself over all the members
of your bodies, and over all the faculties of your souls.
In heaven,
your knowledge shall be full,
your love full,
your visions of God full,
your communion with God full,
your enjoyment of God full,
and your conformity to God full;
and from thence will arise fullness of joy.
If all the earth were paper, and all the plants of the
earth were pens, and all the sea were ink, and if every
man, woman, and child, had the pen of a ready writer;
yet they would not able to express the thousandth part
of those joys which saints shall have in heaven!
All the joy which we have here in this world is but
pensiveness--compared to that joy which we shall
have in heaven. All the pleasure which we have
here in this world is but heaviness--compared to that
joy which we shall have in heaven. All sweetness
which we have here in this world is but bitterness--
compared to that joy which we shall have in heaven.
"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind
has imagined what God has prepared for those
who love Him." 1 Corinthians 2:9
Sermon Outline
- I points: - The interruptions of joy by sin - The disturbances of joy by Satan - The eclipsing of joy by afflictions
- II points: - The mixed nature of earthly joy - The contrast of heavenly joy - The absence of sorrow in heaven
- III points: - The qualities of joy in God's presence - The fullness and duration of heavenly joy - The eternal nature of joy in heaven
- IV points: - The overwhelming abundance of joy in heaven - The completeness of knowledge and love - The inability to fully express heavenly joy
Key Quotes
“In His presence is fullness of joy, and at His right hand are pleasures forevermore.” — Thomas Brooks
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- Reflect on the sources of joy and sorrow in your life and seek God's presence for true joy.
- Remember that the joys of this world are temporary and often mixed with pain.
- Look forward to the eternal joy that awaits in heaven, which surpasses all earthly experiences.