What has Jesus just told His followers that imparts to them His joy, a full and complete joy? What kind of joy are we supposed to have as Jesus' followers today?
In the verses immediately preceding our verse of focus, we hear these words:
"Remain in me, and I will remain in you."
"I am the vine and you are the branches. If a man remains in me, and I in him, he will bear much fruit. Apart from me, you can do nothing."
"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you."
"As my Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love."
And John 15:10 states...
"If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love; just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in His love."
Jesus knew joy...real, true, complete joy. He knew the joy of accomplishing everything that God had designed for Him to do and to be. He knew the joy of the full realization of being exactly who He was created to be to bring glory to God. He knew that there was no greater joy....and He wants all who believe in Him to share in that joy, to come to the same point of complete and utter joy.
Jesus knows that kind of joy comes only through obedience and submission to God's will over our lives. Just as Jesus had surrendered Himself to God's plan of salvation for humanity, He let's us know that we will also find true joy when we surrender our wills to Him, allowing Him to be the strong vine that allows the branches to grow and to bear fruit.
Jesus knows that obedience to God brings a greater realization of the abundant love that God has for us...that as we obey, our faith deepens. Our love for God grows greater as we understand the greatness of His love for us, a love that is often demonstrated by the commands that He imparts to us to guide our lives into goodness.
I want the kind of joy that Jesus had...that Jesus has. For truly, Jesus' joy is absolutely complete as He sits at the right hand of God the Father, in His rightful place of honor and glory. The place created for Him and the place that He is so anxious for those who believe in Him to see.
In the verses immediately preceding our verse of focus, we hear these words:
"Remain in me, and I will remain in you."
"I am the vine and you are the branches. If a man remains in me, and I in him, he will bear much fruit. Apart from me, you can do nothing."
"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you."
"As my Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love."
And John 15:10 states...
"If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love; just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in His love."
Jesus knew joy...real, true, complete joy. He knew the joy of accomplishing everything that God had designed for Him to do and to be. He knew the joy of the full realization of being exactly who He was created to be to bring glory to God. He knew that there was no greater joy....and He wants all who believe in Him to share in that joy, to come to the same point of complete and utter joy.
Jesus knows that kind of joy comes only through obedience and submission to God's will over our lives. Just as Jesus had surrendered Himself to God's plan of salvation for humanity, He let's us know that we will also find true joy when we surrender our wills to Him, allowing Him to be the strong vine that allows the branches to grow and to bear fruit.
Jesus knows that obedience to God brings a greater realization of the abundant love that God has for us...that as we obey, our faith deepens. Our love for God grows greater as we understand the greatness of His love for us, a love that is often demonstrated by the commands that He imparts to us to guide our lives into goodness.
I want the kind of joy that Jesus had...that Jesus has. For truly, Jesus' joy is absolutely complete as He sits at the right hand of God the Father, in His rightful place of honor and glory. The place created for Him and the place that He is so anxious for those who believe in Him to see.
1 comment:
God renews my inner being each day. His Spirit is joy.
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