In Our Joy

I am in the middle of a small booklet written by John Piper called In Our Joy. The book is based on the parable Jesus told about the treasure hidden in a field (Matthew 13:44) and it deals with the magnificence of the treasure, the great cost it took to gain that treasure, and also the great joy of its reward. The chapter I read today dealt with how the world, and even Christians at times, are so easily pleased in petty, meaningless things while the Savior of the World holds out eternal life and with it, eternal joy. It also spoke of how self-denial adds greatly to the joy of the Christian by refusing the transient joys of the world, and instead looking to Christ as the ultimate source of joy. Here are some quotes that I found to be a real encouragement along those lines.

"Before the new birth happens and repentance occurs, a hundred other things seem more important and more attractive: health, family, job, friends, sports, music, food, sex, hobbies, retirement. But when God gives the radical change of new brith and repentance, Jesus himself becomes our supreme treasure."
~John Piper

"If we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased." ~C.S. Lewis

"The New Testament has lots to say about self-denial, but not about self-denial as an end in itself. We are told to deny ourselves and to take up our crosses in order that we may follow Christ; and nearly every description of what we shall ultimately find if we do so contains an appeal to desire." ~C.S Lewis

"Self-denial will also be reckoned amongst the troubles of the godly...But whoever has tried self-denial can give in his testimony that they never experience greater pleasure and joys than after great acts of self-denial. Self-denial destroys the very root and foundation of sorrow, and is nothing else but that lancing of a grievous and pailful sore that effects a cure and brings abundance of health as a recompense for the pain of the operation." ~Jonathan Edwards