John 15: 9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. 12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Commercials just beat everything. The way they do it is crazy. One thing though, the people in them seem happy. They want our money. Those actors act happy, but it is a put-on. People look for happiness in bars or try to find it by being in tune with nature. They still wake up unhappy. Jesus said his people have joy. He said these things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
The reason he taught about the vine and branches was to show the joy. Being properly connected to Jesus bears fruit. Jesus was teaching that we can’t survive without him. We grow, bear leaves, and fruit when we are connected as we should be. It brings joy. So many act like being a Christian is the most terrible thing there is. Scripture teaches us to fear. It commands obedience. There are many warnings. But he tells us if we stay in the vine we’ll have what the world doesn’t: real joy. Paul said it is joy unspeakable and full of glory.
We rejoice in truth. Rejoice is an action verb. When we think of how good God is we might laugh or cry with happiness. Joy is a noun. It’s something we have within. We can experience abiding joy. What brings it?—the connection with Jesus. The old kid’s song says “I have the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.” When the devil tries to bore into our heart we have joy that strengthens and helps us.
Whatever we fail to achieve or obtain in this world doesn’t matter. We can still have joy. Jesus spoke these things so that we might have it and it would remain. Even in our worst of times joy remains. We can enjoy being a Christian no matter the circumstance. Happiness and joy and a sense of wellbeing are ours and they can’t come from any other source but God. The Shunamite woman said “it is well” even though her son had just died. It was bad before the flood. It was bad before Jesus was born, but his birth brought joy. That joy brings abundant life, everlasting life.
Jesus saved us to rejoice. He’s our happiness, joy and contentment. We get down but don’t have to stay there. Look into your heart and what you have in Jesus. He said that my joy might remain in you. HIS joy is there. It is unequalled to anything else. It is beyond words—unspeakable and full of glory. Have you seen the natural peanut butters? The oil is on top and has to be stirred in. Reduced fat peanut butter tastes like mortar. I like peanut butter every day. We have Jesus every day. We need to let the joy come to the surface. Don’t just say you love Jesus. Love him! Jesus wants us to abide in him so our joy will be full. We don’t have to wait until we get to heaven to be full of joy. We have it now. As bad as times are, it’s time to rejoice. Lift up your head. Redemption draweth nigh.
Open your heart to the joy.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 