Joy!
John 15:9-11
Joy is defined as a lively emotion of happiness; gladness; that which causes delight.
It is to be glad.
It is to rejoice.
The main point in the preceding verses is the production of fruit.
Essential to the production of fruit is remaining in Jesus.
This has been repeated from the beginning of this passage.
Just what Jesus meant by remaining in Him is fully cleared up.
"Just as the Father did love Me, I, too, did love you. Remain in my love."
Here are two past facts and they are bound together: the one love is exactly like the other.
“ Remain in my love” - in this love of mine, so like that of the Father to me.
Jesus explains that to remain in Him means that we remain in His love.
He and His love are one.
So “remain” (aorist imperative) “once and for all.”
We see this in verse nine.
The bidding to remain in Jesus' love opens the question as to how the disciples are to do this.
In His answer Jesus points to Himself and shows how He Himself remains in His Father’s love.
This is in verse ten.
The love of Jesus for the disciples is for them not merely to have but to enjoy.
“ These things have I spoken to you in order that my own joy may be in you,
and that your joy may be made full.”
“These things” is best taken to embrace all that Jesus said in verses 1-10
about bringing much fruit in accord with Jesus’ precepts and the love of the Father and of Jesus.
The reason for these things, Jesus is saying, is for the joy of the disciples.
For “these things” - abiding,etc. - are not grievous like the burdens of the
Scribes and Pharisees.
See 1 John 5:3 and Matthew 23:4. “ These things” arouse nothing but pure joy.
He identifies His own joy with that of the disciples for it is one and the same.
This identification precludes the explanation that Jesus’ joy lies in obeying the Father’s precepts
and that of the disciples lies in obeying His precepts.
For these two classes of precepts differ, and thus the joy would likewise differ.
While no object is mentioned as producing the joy, we at once see that ,
if the joy of Jesus is to be found
also in the disciples, the object of this joy must be one and the same.
The disciples are to drink of the same cup of joy from which Jesus drank.
What rejoices Him is to rejoice them.
So why the joy?
Why do the disciples have a blessed state?
It is because of their union with Jesus.
They in Him, and He in them .
So, in this union lies the joy of Jesus and of His disciples.
In Jesus this joy is already made full.
This is not as yet the case with the disciples in fact, they are now troubled (John 14:1,27),
and sorrow has filled their hearts. (John 16:6)
But their joy will eventually be made full.
The verb tense shows the joy now continuing in the disciples; then pointing to the
final complete fullness of joy.
It will be last filled to the brim and running over - more joy.
Jesus is the One who will fill their joy to the full.
Compare John 17:13: “But now I come to thee; and these things I speak in the world,
that they may have my joy made full in themselves.”
Examples of this great joy are seen in:
Philippians 2:17,18: “ But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon
the sacrifice of your faith,
I rejoice and share my joy with you all. And you too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way
and share your joy with me.”
Philippians 4:4: “ Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”
Galatians 5:22: “ But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
Our Joy Will Remain If His Joy Is Ours!
Then our joy will be up to the measure of its capacity, ennobled and filled,
and progressive, advancing ever towards a fuller possession of His joy,
and a deeper calm of that pure and perennial rapture.
This describes those who have entered into the joy of the Lord.
This message has been prepared by Dr. Harold L. White.
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