Christ’s Joy in Us
“My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” (John 15:8-11)
This passage should really start at the beginning of the chapter, which is more about abiding in Him, and being fruit bearing branches if we abide in Him, the vine. The passage quoted though is so chocker block full of over-the-top promises that culminates in His joy, that it is highlighted here.
God the Father is glorified by our bearing much fruit, which in turn proves us to be disciples of Jesus. The Father loves Jesus who, in turn, loves us. We are enjoined to abide in, live in, take up our residence in, and make our home in Jesus’ love.
The passage then goes on to tell us how to live in His love, i.e. keeping His commandments. Many would resist obeying commands because it is thought to be demeaning. But Jesus tells the disciples that we are to obey Him and abide in His love just like He has kept the Father’s commandments and abides in His love. If Jesus could obey and it is not demeaning, so can we. And to go back to our living in Jesus’ love, because He is living in His Father’s love, we are therefore abiding in the Father’s love.
Jesus told us about living in the Father’s and the Son’s love for a purpose. First that His joy would be in us and as a natural result our joy would be made full. This joy that is referred to is not our joy, a human concoction of happy feelings. It is Christ’s joy in us! He will put it in us as we are abiding in His and the Father’s love. And this is all connected to our obedience.
Speaking of the same event, Christ’s death on the cross, we see Christ’s obedience and His joy; ‘Being found in appearance as a man He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross.’ (Philippians 2:8 His obedience) And in Hebrews 12:2, His joy in that obedience; ‘Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.’
We want the joy without the obedience, but it doesn’t work that way. Jesus obeyed to the uttermost! We are calculating creatures that weigh up the pros and cons. This one is a no-brainer; obedience results in being made full with His joy.
Heather Jean Wilson Torosyan