I have told you these things so that you
will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! John 15:11
JOY! Joy is happiness, delight, pleasure,
elation, thrill, gladness, delight, and wonder.
There it is. Jesus felt JOY! He says my joy. He wanted the disciples and us
to have His joy. Not only just basic full of joy…but joy overflowing! That is a
human emotion that everyone feels at some time in their lives. Jesus did, too.
Look at this passage a little more in the
context of where, when, and to whom He was speaking. He and His disciples were
in the Upper Room and they had just finished the Passover Meal. Jesus was
giving those disciples His last pep talk…His last lecture…His last teachings.
What He said during the first three years of His ministry was so important…and
He was reminding them of His love for them and the importance of obedience. Be loving,
obedient and overflowing with joy.
 |
| Grapes growing in my yard.. The Fruits of the Spirit...love, joy, peace... |
Yes, I am the vine; you are the
branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For
apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown
away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile
to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask
for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you
are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. I have loved you
even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my
commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father's commandments
and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be
filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment:
Love each other in the same way I have loved you. John 15:5-12
In Isaiah 5 there is a parable of a
vineyard where Israel is depicted as the vineyard and it produces evil fruit. Here
Jesus is telling the disciples that those who live the way He has taught them
will produce fruit…good fruit. Consider the Fruits of the Spirit…
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of
fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these
things! Galatians 5:22-23.
Those were the “fruits” for which Jesus was
looking. He was trying to encourage those in His disciples and in us. Note that
“joy” is in that list. He wants all His followers to have that overflowing joy.
Paul encourages the Romans with this same joy…as well as hope and peace.
I pray that God, the source of hope, will
fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will
overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans
15:13.
David wrote about joy that comes from
obedience to the Lord. That is the joy that Jesus wants us to have. Because of
obedient, loving actions as the result of pure, undefiled hearts seeking
holiness, we will be filled with His joy.
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The commandments of the LORD are
right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are clear, giving
insight for living. Psalm 19:8
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So rejoice in the LORD and be glad, all you who obey him! Shout for
joy, all you whose hearts are pure! Psalm 32:11
How is your heart today? Filled with joy? Overflowing?
Have you found joy in your life? Has your life brought joy to others?
Prayer
~ Jesus, You told us to…seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness, and all
these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33 NASB. What I eat, drink and
wear are not as important to me as knowing Your love and being obedient to You.
Open my eyes, mind and heart to ways that I can change and live to please You
more—and be overflowing with Your joy.
Bible
Reading: Jeremiah 41-45
© 2018 Text and
photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
All
scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.
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