TRUE JOY

 

9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.

 

1.        In the same manner that Father has loved Jesus.  The same unity, purpose, plan, cohesion, character, nature and essence.  Beyond comprehension love.

2.        Jesus has loved us.  With the same patience, kindness, unselfishness, humility, honor, willing to serve, positive view of others, righteousness, peace, joy, graciousness and truthfulness.  His love protects us, trusts us, hopes and believes in us.  His love perseveres and endures with us.  Is love for us will never fail.

3.        Remain in Christ’s love. When Jesus tells us to remain in His love, He is telling us to rest in the knowledge of His love for us. As soon as we have placed faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit indwells us. His indwelling is permanent, and He never leaves us. The Holy Spirit can remind us of Jesus’ love and fill our hearts with the overflowing agape love of God.

 

10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.

 

1.        Keeping his commands shows you re remaining in his love.  Did you know that there are 49 commands of Christ and seven statements he made?  I will highlight only seven briefly.

 

a.        Repent, Follow Me, Rejoice, Let Your Light Shine.

b.        Honor God's Law or Word, Love and Tell Others.

 

2.        Following Christ’s command shows that we have embraced, chosen, decided, and apply his love in our lives to ourselves and others. 

3.        Jesus is our example and role model.  His life and ministry showed and exhibited this.

4.        Jesus remained in the Father’s love. Jesus imitated and reflected Him.  He depended on His Father.  Jesus trusted and confided in the Father.  They worked together in unison, union and unity together.  There was no competition between them.  Jesus lived and did the will of His Father.  Jesus received His validation from the Father.

 

11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

 

1.        He has told us that His joy may be in complete as we do the will of our Father.  To glorify, honor and exhibit the qualities, essence, character and nature of the Father. Jesus’ joy is the joy that Jesus wants to place in you as a Christian. Biblical joy is choosing to respond to external circumstances with inner contentment and satisfaction, because we know that God will use these experiences to accomplish His work in and through our lives.  This knowledge brings peace and joy.

2.        Simply put doing the will of God will complete us. We were designed for God’s purpose and plan.  Nothing satisfies a person until they are doing the will of God in what ever manner for them takes.  It is up to us to find and then do it.