WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.000 Good morning, everybody. 00:00:04.219 --> 00:00:13.759 It is so good to be with you today and to be able to present a message with my favorite topic during the Advent season. 00:00:13.759 --> 00:00:18.640 In joy and finding joy in Christ, because I like joy. 00:00:19.320 --> 00:00:23.920 And I'm just so excited to be able to come before you today. 00:00:24.179 --> 00:00:27.000 And last week we kicked off the Advent season. 00:00:27.179 --> 00:00:31.740 And during this time, during the course of this year, when we speak of Advent, 00:00:31.899 --> 00:00:40.460 we focus in on some specific characteristics that we see that Jesus brought into the world of hope, joy, peace and love. 00:00:40.460 --> 00:00:45.160 And last week we talked about the hope that Christ brings to us. 00:00:45.219 --> 00:00:50.320 And this week we are going to be talking about the joy that Christ brings to us. 00:00:50.939 --> 00:00:55.960 And when I think about the topic of joy, you know, I grew up in the church. 00:00:55.960 --> 00:00:58.400 I've been going to church basically all of my life. 00:00:58.780 --> 00:01:04.620 And if you would have asked like 12-year-old me, you know, is Christianity joyful? 00:01:05.060 --> 00:01:07.040 I don't think I would have said yes to that. 00:01:07.040 --> 00:01:13.660 Like for me growing up, joy was not synonymous with Christianity. 00:01:14.180 --> 00:01:16.560 You know, I went to church because my parents made me. 00:01:17.420 --> 00:01:22.440 And all my friends were at church, you know, so I enjoyed that aspect of it. 00:01:22.580 --> 00:01:29.600 But for me, my knowledge of God, it seemed like, you know, God kind of prevented people from having joy. 00:01:29.680 --> 00:01:34.520 Like if you were following after God, you know, you probably weren't experiencing a lot of joys in life. 00:01:34.519 --> 00:01:37.599 And if you weren't following after God, you know, then you were. 00:01:37.719 --> 00:01:40.619 That was at least my perception as a kid. 00:01:41.239 --> 00:01:48.140 And I remember, you know, just like going to church and not really experiencing joy in God. 00:01:48.780 --> 00:01:51.379 And maybe that was some of you too. 00:01:51.500 --> 00:01:57.979 But I think for the majority of us, you know, we understand the fact that there is joy in serving God. 00:01:57.980 --> 00:02:03.620 But it's not something that I necessarily feel or experience all the time. 00:02:04.219 --> 00:02:10.020 You know, there's certain like the way that I like to put it is almost like there's waves in your life of joy. 00:02:10.259 --> 00:02:10.400 Right? 00:02:10.480 --> 00:02:15.300 Like where there are times in your life where you really feel and experience joy. 00:02:15.939 --> 00:02:22.199 But then there's other times in your life where joy seems completely absent and completely not there. 00:02:22.199 --> 00:02:28.039 And when I look at the scriptures, joy is mentioned so many times in the Bible. 00:02:28.219 --> 00:02:29.719 And I didn't even realize this growing up. 00:02:29.839 --> 00:02:33.519 Like joy is mentioned over 100 times in scripture. 00:02:33.679 --> 00:02:35.259 So this is something that is important. 00:02:35.399 --> 00:02:42.039 This is something that God wants us to understand and to be able to experience in our lives on a continual basis. 00:02:42.639 --> 00:02:46.299 And so we're going to be looking at one specific text today in John 15. 00:02:46.299 --> 00:02:48.539 If you want to turn there, if you have your Bibles. 00:02:48.539 --> 00:02:51.439 First, John chapter 15. 00:02:53.639 --> 00:03:00.759 And in this, Jesus is teaching us how to have joy in our life. 00:03:03.680 --> 00:03:09.899 When you find yourself there, we're going to be in John 15, starting in verse number 11. 00:03:11.340 --> 00:03:12.560 And Jesus says, 00:03:12.560 --> 00:03:38.060 Jesus here is talking to his disciples and he's telling them that he wants them to experience his joy. 00:03:38.060 --> 00:03:40.460 And he wants this joy to be full. 00:03:40.460 --> 00:04:00.600 And when I think about, you know, the joy that we have in life, kind of what I was talking about, these ways and flows, you know, it seems like in my life, there's so often when I experience joy is often because, you know, I'm doing something for someone or I'm serving them or something good happens in my life. 00:04:00.599 --> 00:04:08.280 You know, we all experience those common joys in life when you give to someone or when you serve one another. 00:04:08.780 --> 00:04:15.759 And even when people serve you, you know, we have all sorts of different joys that we experience and go through in life. 00:04:15.879 --> 00:04:17.639 Some big, some small. 00:04:17.759 --> 00:04:20.300 I find joy when I eat a chocolate chip cookie. 00:04:20.699 --> 00:04:23.600 You know, I find joy when I serve my neighbors. 00:04:23.600 --> 00:04:27.220 I feel joy when I when I give myself to people. 00:04:28.020 --> 00:04:35.760 But like I said, this aspect of joy kind of ebbs and flows to where I experience it for a little while and then it goes away. 00:04:36.420 --> 00:04:46.920 And even, you know, in my own life, too, there's there's an attitude, you know, that we seem to have with joy where it's like, OK, I want to experience joy in my life. 00:04:46.920 --> 00:04:57.800 I think that's something that unifies all of us in here today, whether we're followers of Jesus or not, that we want to experience joy in life in some way, shape or form. 00:04:58.379 --> 00:05:04.300 And one way that we try to do that is by determining in my life, hey, I want to experience joy. 00:05:04.420 --> 00:05:07.540 I want to experience the satisfaction in life. 00:05:07.620 --> 00:05:13.259 And so you may be like me where, you know, either maybe the night before you're like, this day really wasn't that good. 00:05:13.319 --> 00:05:14.960 You know, I want tomorrow to be better. 00:05:14.959 --> 00:05:20.339 And so I'm determined that I'm going to have a good attitude and I'm going to experience joy in my day. 00:05:20.399 --> 00:05:24.859 Or maybe you wake up like super motivated and determined in that way. 00:05:25.060 --> 00:05:30.079 And for me, like that almost ends immediately when my alarm clock goes off, you know. 00:05:30.120 --> 00:05:42.259 But if you're fortunate enough to make it through that, you know, maybe your joy ends on your way to work, you know, and you have experiences on the road with people, you know, that puts an end to the joy for that day. 00:05:42.259 --> 00:05:46.939 Or most certainly, you know, when you get to work, man, I work in retail. 00:05:46.939 --> 00:05:52.759 And there's so often, you know, where I'll go into work with a good and positive and joyful attitude. 00:05:53.240 --> 00:05:56.120 And then somebody will just do something or say something. 00:05:56.219 --> 00:05:58.379 And you're just like, man, like what are you doing, you know. 00:05:58.719 --> 00:06:03.240 And then I find myself, I have to put on, you know, what I call my Chick-fil-A voice. 00:06:03.620 --> 00:06:08.159 You know, to where it's like you're really feeling angry on the inside, but you're just happy on the outside. 00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:12.160 Like, oh yeah, you know, like it's my pleasure to be able to serve you in this way. 00:06:12.260 --> 00:06:18.680 When in reality, you know, like the Chick-fil-A worker is not finding a lot of pleasure in giving you another Chick-fil-A sauce, you know. 00:06:18.900 --> 00:06:23.640 But it's like this outward projection of joy that we put on. 00:06:24.240 --> 00:06:26.960 But on the inside, it's not really there. 00:06:27.020 --> 00:06:27.980 It's not really present. 00:06:28.760 --> 00:06:32.200 And when I read this text of scripture, when I read what Jesus has to say, 00:06:32.700 --> 00:06:36.100 I don't think that's the joy that he's talking about. 00:06:36.100 --> 00:06:42.040 I don't think this is what he's saying that my joy being in you and that your joy may be full is. 00:06:42.180 --> 00:06:44.040 Because it's not really full. 00:06:44.260 --> 00:06:45.280 It's kind of empty. 00:06:45.500 --> 00:06:48.280 It's kind of just manufactured joy. 00:06:48.980 --> 00:06:56.200 So how do we experience, how do we have this fullness of joy that Jesus is commanding of us here? 00:06:57.100 --> 00:07:04.180 And one analogy that I want to draw to, that John draws to earlier in his book in John chapter 4, 00:07:04.180 --> 00:07:11.100 not necessarily talking about joy, but I think that we can put it into context here and it will make a lot of sense. 00:07:11.699 --> 00:07:18.939 And John chapter 4, he records Jesus having an encounter with this woman at a well. 00:07:19.400 --> 00:07:21.180 And he goes to this well. 00:07:21.259 --> 00:07:25.319 This woman comes to the well and she is coming to draw water. 00:07:25.319 --> 00:07:29.420 And Jesus begins an interaction with her and begins talking to her. 00:07:29.779 --> 00:07:35.259 And he says, I have water that will cause you to never thirst again. 00:07:35.839 --> 00:07:41.920 And this woman, you know, of course, is intrigued and interested, you know, because it's like, man, I have to go to the well every single day. 00:07:41.980 --> 00:07:45.899 It would be amazing to have something that I would never have to thirst again. 00:07:45.899 --> 00:07:54.519 And we all know, if you know the story, that Jesus is talking about a spiritual nature that he offers to us an eternal satisfaction, 00:07:55.279 --> 00:08:04.039 an eternal joy, an eternal fulfillment that things in the temporal can't really offer and can't really give us. 00:08:04.519 --> 00:08:10.060 And just as Jesus was talking about water and spiritual water in that circumstance, 00:08:10.060 --> 00:08:13.300 I think we could fill in of spiritual joy. 00:08:13.860 --> 00:08:18.160 And I think this is what Jesus is calling us to here in this passage, 00:08:18.160 --> 00:08:23.259 that we try to manufacture daily joys and it's a struggle and it's hard. 00:08:23.340 --> 00:08:26.259 And sometimes we get there and sometimes we don't. 00:08:26.980 --> 00:08:32.519 But Jesus is offering us eternal joy and fullness of joy. 00:08:33.039 --> 00:08:34.899 And when we look at this text, he says, 00:08:34.899 --> 00:08:41.600 These things I have spoken to you that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be full. 00:08:42.220 --> 00:08:46.399 And if you're thinking through this text, you should be asking like one really big question. 00:08:46.600 --> 00:08:49.100 At the beginning, it says these things I have spoken to you. 00:08:49.199 --> 00:08:51.419 And then this is how the joy comes. 00:08:51.559 --> 00:08:55.159 So what were the things that Jesus just spoke to them? 00:08:55.279 --> 00:08:55.919 Great question. 00:08:56.059 --> 00:08:58.539 Let's let's turn to John 15. 00:08:58.620 --> 00:08:59.059 We're already there. 00:08:59.059 --> 00:09:00.019 Verse number one. 00:09:00.019 --> 00:09:01.460 He says, 00:09:01.460 --> 00:09:06.580 I am the true vine and my father is the vine dresser. 00:09:07.320 --> 00:09:10.860 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, he takes away. 00:09:11.360 --> 00:09:16.600 And every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes that it may bear more fruit. 00:09:17.259 --> 00:09:21.000 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 00:09:21.440 --> 00:09:23.340 Abide in me and I in you. 00:09:23.840 --> 00:09:28.360 As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, 00:09:28.660 --> 00:09:31.420 neither can you unless you abide in me. 00:09:31.960 --> 00:09:34.400 I am the vine, you are the branches. 00:09:35.000 --> 00:09:39.639 Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit. 00:09:39.860 --> 00:09:42.519 For apart from me, you can do nothing. 00:09:43.100 --> 00:09:47.560 If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers. 00:09:47.980 --> 00:09:50.920 And the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. 00:09:51.240 --> 00:09:57.340 If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. 00:09:58.040 --> 00:10:04.440 By this, my father is glorified that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 00:10:05.019 --> 00:10:07.820 As the father has loved me, so have I loved you. 00:10:08.379 --> 00:10:10.060 Abide in my love. 00:10:10.460 --> 00:10:17.220 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. 00:10:17.220 --> 00:10:18.120 And then he says, 00:10:18.440 --> 00:10:24.340 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. 00:10:25.080 --> 00:10:26.660 You might think, wow, that's a lot, Ross. 00:10:27.160 --> 00:10:31.360 What exactly is Jesus saying here in this text? 00:10:31.360 --> 00:10:48.340 And I love the way that Jesus goes about teaching and preaching because so often he uses analogies and stories and illustrations to be able to drive the truth principle that he is trying to teach and he's trying to show his disciples and whoever's in his audience. 00:10:48.340 --> 00:11:09.600 And a lot of times he does this in a way, you know, to be able to present the truth, but his hearers don't necessarily understand what he's talking about because their idea of who God is and what he is trying to do and accomplish is so miscued and so wrong, you know, that his stories become really complicated and hard to understand. 00:11:09.600 --> 00:11:17.340 And you see this all throughout the gospels that Jesus really has to explain what he's talking about because their view of God was so off. 00:11:17.779 --> 00:11:23.879 But here in this story, Jesus is giving us an example of a vine and its branches. 00:11:24.759 --> 00:11:25.600 And I don't know about you. 00:11:25.700 --> 00:11:28.560 I'm not very, like, agriculturally inclined. 00:11:28.840 --> 00:11:32.139 You know, I, my, my parents had a garden growing up. 00:11:32.220 --> 00:11:33.480 I wasn't into that. 00:11:33.540 --> 00:11:39.560 You know, if it came down to me where if I lived in the 1800s and still had to provide for my own food, you know, 00:11:39.600 --> 00:11:44.620 when it comes to farming and not target Aldi and Kroger, probably wouldn't be standing here today. 00:11:45.180 --> 00:11:48.840 And, um, but, but Jesus here doesn't go too in depth. 00:11:48.920 --> 00:11:55.879 You know, he gives us something that I think that we can all understand just from seeing science and just from seeing how life works. 00:11:55.879 --> 00:11:58.920 So talking about this vine and this branch. 00:11:59.560 --> 00:12:02.460 So Jesus here is saying that he is the vine. 00:12:02.700 --> 00:12:07.220 He is the source of life that this branch gets its life from. 00:12:07.220 --> 00:12:18.399 You know, I remember as a kid, um, I would go outside a lot and, you know, uh, we would have like flowers or, or most often weeds in our yard. 00:12:18.399 --> 00:12:22.480 And I would remember like cutting them, you know, and giving them to my mom because I was a pretty good kid. 00:12:22.779 --> 00:12:26.080 And, um, and so she would take them and they were flowers. 00:12:26.220 --> 00:12:27.379 She would usually keep them. 00:12:27.500 --> 00:12:29.240 If they were weeds, she probably wouldn't. 00:12:29.240 --> 00:12:38.580 And, um, and so, and so, you know, I would have like these things that I would cut and, you know, I wasn't like a typical boy and just like to watch things die. 00:12:38.740 --> 00:12:40.759 You know, like I cared a lot about life. 00:12:40.759 --> 00:12:54.759 And so, and so I would sometimes take like these cut up weeds, you know, that I would have, and I would try to place them back into the ground and, you know, put dirt around them and, you know, expect them to just grow like they were before. 00:12:55.259 --> 00:13:00.100 But if you know science decently, well, you know, it doesn't really work that way, right? 00:13:00.139 --> 00:13:09.919 Like the weeds or the flowers or whatever it is last as long as the nutrients are still in there, but it's not getting any more nutrients just from being in the dirt. 00:13:09.919 --> 00:13:12.519 And they're just going to wither up and they're going to die. 00:13:13.459 --> 00:13:21.099 And the same thing that Jesus is trying to show here is the fact that we aren't self-sustaining for this. 00:13:21.659 --> 00:13:32.019 We have to be plugged into, we have to have a source of life in order to be able to experience this joy that Jesus is talking about here. 00:13:32.120 --> 00:13:35.679 This, this fulfilling of what God has called us to do. 00:13:35.679 --> 00:13:38.120 So he says that Jesus is divine. 00:13:38.120 --> 00:13:43.620 The Father is the vine dresser and every branch that does not bear fruit, he takes away. 00:13:43.860 --> 00:13:46.539 And every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes. 00:13:46.659 --> 00:13:50.000 And so what is our goal in the Christian life? 00:13:50.080 --> 00:13:54.120 Like as followers of Jesus, we don't want to just be static, right? 00:13:54.139 --> 00:13:58.000 We don't want to just live life, you know, the same every single day. 00:13:58.100 --> 00:14:00.600 We want to be following after Christ. 00:14:00.720 --> 00:14:05.060 We want to grow and we want to do things like Christ has called us to do. 00:14:05.059 --> 00:14:08.759 And Jesus uses this illustration of fruit a lot. 00:14:09.199 --> 00:14:14.739 Paul also picks up on this illustration of fruit and something that you've probably heard of the fruit of the spirit. 00:14:14.899 --> 00:14:20.099 Of things that as followers of Jesus, we are to emulate, we are to try to do. 00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:29.359 You know, some of those things is love, joy, peace and patience, kindness and goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. 00:14:29.360 --> 00:14:32.100 Like these are the fruits of the spirit. 00:14:32.240 --> 00:14:40.500 This is what he is talking about here, that when we are plugged into the vine, that Jesus is producing these attributes in our life. 00:14:40.519 --> 00:14:45.879 And he's working our lives in a way to be able to produce these better. 00:14:46.399 --> 00:14:50.180 You know, he says here that the Father is the vine dresser. 00:14:50.259 --> 00:14:57.960 He's the one who's constantly pruning us and making us more like Jesus and producing more and more fruit. 00:14:57.960 --> 00:15:01.980 And I'm sure all of us have experienced this in our life. 00:15:02.120 --> 00:15:05.820 You know, where we are desiring to follow after Jesus. 00:15:06.500 --> 00:15:11.900 And so many times it seems like, yeah, there are some circumstances that are really good. 00:15:12.080 --> 00:15:16.600 And we're just seeing, man, like, like I love where I'm at right now in life. 00:15:16.620 --> 00:15:19.320 And I'm just seeing God work a ton in my life. 00:15:19.720 --> 00:15:23.800 And then there's also times where it's like, man, my life right now was really uncomfortable. 00:15:23.799 --> 00:15:26.819 And I don't necessarily like my circumstances. 00:15:27.179 --> 00:15:33.419 But yet, if I have my focus on Christ and my focus on God, I'm seeing how he's working this out. 00:15:33.579 --> 00:15:36.699 You know, to be able to produce more fruit in my life. 00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:43.199 And this is the analogy that Jesus is giving here of what the Father does, that God is completely sovereign. 00:15:43.579 --> 00:15:46.500 It means he's completely in control over everything in life. 00:15:46.500 --> 00:15:57.840 And every situation that he brings into your life and everything that we experience and go through is his divine plan to point us back to Jesus. 00:15:58.039 --> 00:16:02.960 To point us back to our understanding that we are just like this branch. 00:16:03.460 --> 00:16:08.200 Like we can't produce the things that we need for our life on our own. 00:16:08.360 --> 00:16:10.159 We have to depend on a source. 00:16:10.159 --> 00:16:19.699 We have to depend on Jesus and on his strength and on his life in order to be able to live the life that God has called us to. 00:16:20.279 --> 00:16:26.339 And so we see here that Jesus is really showing the fact that we are not self-sustaining. 00:16:26.980 --> 00:16:28.019 And here's the thing. 00:16:28.079 --> 00:16:29.500 We still try to do that, right? 00:16:29.559 --> 00:16:32.799 Like we still try to be like that flower that's been cut off. 00:16:32.939 --> 00:16:35.139 And it sometimes works for a little while. 00:16:35.139 --> 00:16:39.299 Just like the flower doesn't necessarily die as soon as I cut the stem. 00:16:40.159 --> 00:16:42.259 It still looks very much like a flower. 00:16:42.699 --> 00:16:44.879 And we might think, hey, we're still doing all right. 00:16:45.000 --> 00:16:47.139 You know, I've really stopped reading my Bible. 00:16:47.439 --> 00:16:48.699 I've really stopped praying. 00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:50.879 I've really stopped kind of engaging in church. 00:16:51.299 --> 00:16:53.079 But I'm still fine, right? 00:16:53.120 --> 00:16:57.139 Like I haven't done anything incredibly awful in my life. 00:16:57.319 --> 00:16:59.419 You know, things seem to be going pretty well. 00:16:59.939 --> 00:17:01.059 But what begins to happen? 00:17:01.240 --> 00:17:06.099 Just like the flower slowly but surely starts to die and wither away, 00:17:06.099 --> 00:17:12.480 our spiritual lives and most likely our joy begins to do the exact same thing. 00:17:12.839 --> 00:17:14.099 To where we begin to wither. 00:17:14.199 --> 00:17:15.459 We begin to fall away. 00:17:15.559 --> 00:17:22.000 Like our spiritual lives become less and less impactful in our own lives and in the lives of others. 00:17:22.759 --> 00:17:26.279 And so Jesus here is showing that, man, you are not self-sustaining. 00:17:26.500 --> 00:17:27.539 You need me. 00:17:27.939 --> 00:17:34.139 You need the vine in order to be able to live how God has called you to live. 00:17:34.140 --> 00:17:39.759 And he says here that this is how we find joy. 00:17:40.180 --> 00:17:46.380 We find joy in having Jesus as the source and foundation for our life. 00:17:46.460 --> 00:17:52.100 Being our satisfaction in life that we go to and we don't look to ourselves. 00:17:52.540 --> 00:17:57.259 Like I don't know about you, but there's sometimes we all experience a little bit of a joy looking to myself, 00:17:57.400 --> 00:17:58.560 but it's never sustaining. 00:17:58.559 --> 00:18:04.259 Like I begin to see and understand how much I fail and how much I need something higher, 00:18:04.419 --> 00:18:08.440 something bigger in my life in order to find that joy and satisfaction. 00:18:08.859 --> 00:18:13.220 And maybe you have experienced and seen that in your own life too. 00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:20.079 And we begin to search and we begin to try to find all these things that try to bring about joy and satisfaction. 00:18:20.819 --> 00:18:24.879 Like I said earlier, this is something that I believe that unites us all. 00:18:24.880 --> 00:18:31.420 We all desire to have this joy in our life, to feel a purpose, to have an identity, 00:18:31.920 --> 00:18:36.880 to be someone, you know, who we are trying to be and to experience that joy. 00:18:37.480 --> 00:18:44.900 But if it's found in anything other than Christ, it always leaves just an empty part in our life 00:18:44.900 --> 00:18:48.480 that we understand that there's something more, that there's something bigger. 00:18:48.480 --> 00:18:52.120 And it has to be found in Christ as our source. 00:18:53.059 --> 00:19:00.720 And we see here that in following after Jesus, Jesus has some parameters in what it looks like. 00:19:00.920 --> 00:19:03.720 You know, Christianity is pretty big. 00:19:03.799 --> 00:19:07.700 Over I think 2 billion people claim to be Christians. 00:19:08.200 --> 00:19:14.900 And in all of that massive big group, there's a lot of diversity in what people think and believe it means 00:19:14.900 --> 00:19:18.000 to be a Christian, to be a follower of Jesus. 00:19:18.160 --> 00:19:19.940 But Jesus is very specific here. 00:19:20.600 --> 00:19:23.540 He says in verse 7, 00:19:23.940 --> 00:19:27.680 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you. 00:19:28.040 --> 00:19:28.960 I think this is huge. 00:19:29.060 --> 00:19:32.780 Because a lot of times, even growing up in church, you know, 00:19:32.860 --> 00:19:37.800 I had my own version and my own understanding of who I thought Jesus was. 00:19:37.980 --> 00:19:41.240 Just because I was depending, A, on what other people have said, 00:19:41.680 --> 00:19:43.740 and then B, what I thought about it. 00:19:43.740 --> 00:19:49.019 But I didn't really spend any time in my early days reading the Bible for myself. 00:19:49.380 --> 00:19:51.960 Of studying what Jesus actually said. 00:19:52.299 --> 00:19:53.579 And what Jesus actually did. 00:19:53.660 --> 00:19:55.980 And he places an emphasis on this and says, 00:19:56.059 --> 00:20:00.539 Hey, you can't just create, you know, who I am in your own vision and your own mindset. 00:20:01.000 --> 00:20:02.259 It has to be true. 00:20:02.599 --> 00:20:03.559 It has to be right. 00:20:04.019 --> 00:20:04.799 And Jesus says, 00:20:04.880 --> 00:20:07.720 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you. 00:20:07.839 --> 00:20:13.059 So that means that you're studying, that you're knowing who Jesus really is. 00:20:13.059 --> 00:20:15.079 Your understanding from the Gospels. 00:20:15.179 --> 00:20:18.639 Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are the writings of the words of Jesus. 00:20:18.799 --> 00:20:21.720 Of what he has said, what he has done in life. 00:20:22.099 --> 00:20:24.799 And as we study these things, and as we know these things, 00:20:25.519 --> 00:20:28.419 it's going to lead us to being more like Jesus. 00:20:28.679 --> 00:20:32.440 Or at least an understanding of who Jesus is. 00:20:32.440 --> 00:20:34.620 And he says this amazing thing afterwards. 00:20:34.759 --> 00:20:35.039 He says, 00:20:35.720 --> 00:20:38.680 Ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 00:20:39.400 --> 00:20:46.100 By this, my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples. 00:20:46.099 --> 00:20:54.419 So if we understand the words of Jesus, and what Jesus tried to accomplish, or what Jesus did accomplish in his life, 00:20:54.719 --> 00:20:59.000 and is calling us to follow after, it's going to lead to exactly that. 00:20:59.079 --> 00:21:02.980 It's going to lead to us emulating the fruit of the Spirit. 00:21:03.079 --> 00:21:06.839 It's going to lead us to emulating who Jesus was. 00:21:06.939 --> 00:21:08.099 And so that's why he says that, 00:21:08.099 --> 00:21:19.699 If you understand the words of Jesus, and what he has done, and what he has called you to do, 00:21:20.139 --> 00:21:28.039 it is going to be your desire to pray and ask God to work in you the works, and the ways, and the words of Jesus. 00:21:28.639 --> 00:21:34.439 And he says that God is glorified in this work, and that he does do this work in us. 00:21:34.980 --> 00:21:37.059 And I find that to be an amazing principle. 00:21:37.059 --> 00:21:43.519 I think so often in my life, I have this tendency to think almost like God is working against me in this way. 00:21:43.940 --> 00:21:47.839 Of wanting to do right, wanting to serve Christ. 00:21:48.299 --> 00:21:50.779 But so often, I don't go to God for that. 00:21:50.859 --> 00:21:52.859 I think, man, I have to do this on my own. 00:21:53.139 --> 00:21:58.259 I have to work this out on my own self-discipline, in my own, you know, goals in life. 00:21:58.599 --> 00:22:03.899 When Jesus is saying here, hey, if you ask of the Father, he's going to give it to you. 00:22:04.240 --> 00:22:05.440 Like, this is his goal. 00:22:05.440 --> 00:22:07.440 This is what he wants you to do. 00:22:07.740 --> 00:22:13.580 But he wants you to come to him because he wants you to understand that he is your source. 00:22:14.000 --> 00:22:15.920 That your source is not in yourself. 00:22:16.259 --> 00:22:20.640 You will never experience joy if you try to find the source of your life in yourself. 00:22:21.120 --> 00:22:23.680 It only comes through Jesus. 00:22:23.680 --> 00:22:28.340 And so we're beginning to understand this foundational level, right? 00:22:28.420 --> 00:22:31.039 Like, Jesus is the source of our life. 00:22:31.160 --> 00:22:34.880 Like, Jesus is the source of our satisfaction and joy. 00:22:34.980 --> 00:22:41.180 And understanding who he is, studying, reading the Bible, learning the words and works of Jesus. 00:22:41.180 --> 00:22:48.880 But just having a knowledge and just having an understanding of it doesn't always lead to joy, right? 00:22:48.960 --> 00:22:51.320 Like, joy requires an action. 00:22:51.519 --> 00:22:55.539 Joy requires doing something about it in order to be able to experience it. 00:22:55.539 --> 00:22:58.039 And that's why he says in verse 9, 00:22:57.839 --> 00:23:02.220 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. 00:23:02.500 --> 00:23:04.159 Abide in my love. 00:23:04.399 --> 00:23:04.819 Then he says, 00:23:04.819 --> 00:23:16.139 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. 00:23:16.519 --> 00:23:20.779 These things I have spoken to you that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be full. 00:23:21.279 --> 00:23:32.419 So it's not only just taking an understanding of who Jesus is, but it's also working that out in our lives and following after Jesus' commands. 00:23:32.420 --> 00:23:35.900 And so you might ask then, okay, what are Jesus' commands? 00:23:36.360 --> 00:23:39.580 And this is what I love about this text because he's tracking right with us here. 00:23:39.880 --> 00:23:41.120 He says in verse number 12, 00:23:41.580 --> 00:23:47.560 This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 00:23:48.200 --> 00:23:53.640 Greater love has no one than this that someone laid down his life for his friends. 00:23:54.180 --> 00:23:56.779 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 00:23:56.779 --> 00:24:02.839 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing. 00:24:03.259 --> 00:24:08.359 But I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 00:24:08.879 --> 00:24:15.639 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide, 00:24:16.099 --> 00:24:19.859 so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 00:24:20.160 --> 00:24:24.899 These things I command you, so that you will love one another. 00:24:24.900 --> 00:24:29.820 So I don't want to steal too much because we are going to be talking about love here in a couple of weeks. 00:24:30.000 --> 00:24:35.620 And so I'm just going to give you a little bit of a prequel because I think this is vital to the text. 00:24:35.940 --> 00:24:42.019 Of understanding the baseline that abiding in Christ, finding my satisfaction, 00:24:42.259 --> 00:24:47.080 and finding my foundation in who Christ is, as being my sustainer, 00:24:47.440 --> 00:24:50.980 and understanding his words and his works, 00:24:50.980 --> 00:24:53.099 you know, that's the baseline knowledge. 00:24:53.200 --> 00:24:54.799 Now, how do I work that out? 00:24:54.920 --> 00:24:56.779 He says, by following his command. 00:24:56.920 --> 00:24:58.039 And what is his command here? 00:24:58.120 --> 00:25:03.539 It says his command is that you love one another as I have loved you. 00:25:04.420 --> 00:25:08.620 And in a society today where we talk about love a lot, 00:25:08.759 --> 00:25:11.400 just as I said before, there's a million different definitions, 00:25:11.660 --> 00:25:13.940 perhaps, of what it means to follow after Jesus, 00:25:13.940 --> 00:25:16.740 if we're just going with how we think through things. 00:25:16.740 --> 00:25:19.440 The same is kind of true of love, right? 00:25:19.519 --> 00:25:23.460 Like, there's so many different ideas and views and concepts 00:25:23.460 --> 00:25:26.039 of what it means to truly love someone, 00:25:26.319 --> 00:25:29.660 of what love truly means and working it out. 00:25:30.500 --> 00:25:36.660 But Jesus doesn't give it as this open-ended command of just love. 00:25:36.880 --> 00:25:38.759 And you define what love is. 00:25:39.079 --> 00:25:40.380 That would be super dangerous, right? 00:25:40.839 --> 00:25:42.200 Jesus doesn't do that. 00:25:42.279 --> 00:25:44.299 Instead, he points to something. 00:25:44.400 --> 00:25:45.339 He points to himself. 00:25:45.339 --> 00:25:52.039 It says, go out and love people as I have loved you. 00:25:52.740 --> 00:25:56.899 And then he gives this great example as a prequel 00:25:56.899 --> 00:26:00.720 to what he's about to do for his disciples in a few chapters. 00:26:01.240 --> 00:26:03.359 It says, greater love has no one than this, 00:26:03.759 --> 00:26:07.259 that someone laid down his life for his friends. 00:26:08.059 --> 00:26:11.480 And he shows here that his love for his disciples, 00:26:11.679 --> 00:26:14.539 his love for us was sacrificial. 00:26:14.539 --> 00:26:16.819 That he gave of himself. 00:26:16.819 --> 00:26:19.539 That he gave of himself in his earthly ministry. 00:26:20.019 --> 00:26:23.539 We see all the time of Jesus in his interactions with people, 00:26:23.680 --> 00:26:25.460 giving of himself constantly. 00:26:25.700 --> 00:26:29.279 Whether it was healing people or spending time with people. 00:26:29.799 --> 00:26:32.740 Or going to people who, you know, 00:26:32.899 --> 00:26:35.279 these religious leaders would have never touched, 00:26:35.460 --> 00:26:37.799 you know, because they viewed them as unclean 00:26:37.799 --> 00:26:39.519 and people who you don't hang out with. 00:26:39.519 --> 00:26:43.000 Jesus constantly gave of himself. 00:26:43.579 --> 00:26:48.400 And he gave of himself in the most ultimate way of giving his life 00:26:48.400 --> 00:26:51.660 in order that we might have salvation. 00:26:52.420 --> 00:26:54.440 Now, how do we go about doing that? 00:26:54.519 --> 00:26:57.519 How do we go about loving one another in this way? 00:26:58.059 --> 00:27:00.220 We go about it by serving one another, 00:27:00.559 --> 00:27:01.460 by loving each other. 00:27:01.460 --> 00:27:05.819 You know, Jesus then goes on to give great physical examples 00:27:05.819 --> 00:27:07.259 of what that looked like, right? 00:27:07.319 --> 00:27:10.200 Of washing his disciples' feet. 00:27:10.299 --> 00:27:14.559 Of showing them this kind of love that it takes work. 00:27:14.740 --> 00:27:18.319 You know, we oftentimes think like leaders are up here at the top 00:27:18.319 --> 00:27:20.620 and the people under them serve them. 00:27:20.660 --> 00:27:25.360 But Jesus showed us that to be a leader means that you are serving one another. 00:27:25.460 --> 00:27:27.960 That you are loving and caring for one another. 00:27:27.960 --> 00:27:32.000 And we see so many great examples of that in the early church, right? 00:27:32.059 --> 00:27:36.259 Like when these early Christians gathered together, 00:27:36.420 --> 00:27:38.299 showed how they met each other's needs, 00:27:38.380 --> 00:27:41.779 they were all about serving one another and loving one another. 00:27:42.400 --> 00:27:47.980 And how often in our lives, in my life, do I lack that part of it? 00:27:48.420 --> 00:27:52.140 Where I understand more the knowledge aspect, right? 00:27:52.160 --> 00:27:54.880 Like I'm in seminary, so I'm studying the Bible a lot. 00:27:54.880 --> 00:27:58.200 You know, and I don't understand completely, 00:27:58.400 --> 00:28:01.260 but I'm studying and learning the words and works of Jesus. 00:28:01.440 --> 00:28:03.780 I have this baseline knowledge, you know, 00:28:03.840 --> 00:28:06.200 of what it means to follow after Jesus 00:28:06.200 --> 00:28:08.940 and understanding true theological principles. 00:28:09.640 --> 00:28:13.420 But then I leave off the second part that Jesus here shows 00:28:13.420 --> 00:28:14.760 that this is really important. 00:28:14.920 --> 00:28:18.760 Following after these commands of loving one another 00:28:18.760 --> 00:28:20.220 and serving one another. 00:28:20.220 --> 00:28:24.420 And one without the other doesn't bring joy in life. 00:28:24.920 --> 00:28:28.440 One without the other doesn't bring satisfaction in life 00:28:28.440 --> 00:28:30.839 because we just have a knowledge 00:28:30.839 --> 00:28:33.360 and we're not actually working it out. 00:28:34.220 --> 00:28:38.420 And when we understand how both of these work together so well, 00:28:38.680 --> 00:28:41.440 we then begin to understand how we have 00:28:41.440 --> 00:28:44.319 this fullness of joy that Jesus talks about. 00:28:44.799 --> 00:28:47.460 You know, when we have our joy and satisfaction in Christ 00:28:47.460 --> 00:28:49.920 and we work it out in service to others. 00:28:50.279 --> 00:28:51.860 You know, one of the greatest examples 00:28:51.860 --> 00:28:55.039 that I see in scripture of doing this is Paul, right? 00:28:55.100 --> 00:28:57.079 Like Paul was once a persecutor. 00:28:57.160 --> 00:28:58.440 Christians hated Christianity, 00:28:58.940 --> 00:29:01.079 thought he was serving God, realized he was wrong. 00:29:01.700 --> 00:29:03.900 Jesus converts him and now he goes out 00:29:03.900 --> 00:29:06.640 and he's a vibrant missionary for Christ. 00:29:07.120 --> 00:29:07.819 But you know what? 00:29:07.880 --> 00:29:11.319 Like he has to suffer a lot for doing that, right? 00:29:11.340 --> 00:29:12.620 Like if you know the story of Paul, 00:29:12.620 --> 00:29:14.640 you know that he was constantly thrown in prison, 00:29:14.640 --> 00:29:17.780 constantly persecuted, even beaten for his faith. 00:29:18.240 --> 00:29:21.800 And it shows here that he was rejoicing even in that. 00:29:22.120 --> 00:29:23.840 One of the craziest stories in the Bible 00:29:23.840 --> 00:29:26.040 is Paul and Silas in jail, you know? 00:29:26.140 --> 00:29:29.580 And they're found in this awful situation. 00:29:30.080 --> 00:29:31.800 But what does the scripture say? 00:29:31.960 --> 00:29:35.780 It says that they were singing in that jail. 00:29:36.380 --> 00:29:38.620 And you know, like I was actually overhearing a conversation 00:29:38.620 --> 00:29:41.160 the other day at coffee and they were talking about this. 00:29:41.160 --> 00:29:45.380 Like, man, when was the last time these prisoners perhaps even heard a song? 00:29:45.779 --> 00:29:47.680 You know, like in this circumstance, 00:29:47.680 --> 00:29:51.240 there wasn't anybody experiencing joy in that jail. 00:29:51.820 --> 00:29:55.259 How in the world were Paul and Silas able to experience that? 00:29:55.600 --> 00:29:58.100 It wasn't because of their outside circumstances 00:29:58.100 --> 00:30:01.460 that we so often depend on for our joy in life 00:30:01.460 --> 00:30:02.759 because we're depending on ourselves. 00:30:03.259 --> 00:30:05.820 Rather, it was Paul and Silas understanding 00:30:05.820 --> 00:30:07.800 that their joy came from Christ 00:30:07.799 --> 00:30:11.139 and living it out, finding their joy and satisfaction in him 00:30:11.139 --> 00:30:13.359 and serving him with their whole life 00:30:13.359 --> 00:30:16.180 to where it didn't matter what the circumstances were. 00:30:16.440 --> 00:30:18.579 It didn't matter where they found themselves in. 00:30:19.039 --> 00:30:22.180 They had joy in who Christ was. 00:30:22.899 --> 00:30:25.759 And as we look here at this text in verse 11, 00:30:25.879 --> 00:30:27.659 these things I have spoken to you 00:30:27.659 --> 00:30:29.599 that my joy may be in you 00:30:29.599 --> 00:30:30.899 and that your joy may be full. 00:30:31.440 --> 00:30:34.099 This is how we experience fullness of joy in our life. 00:30:34.460 --> 00:30:36.500 It can't come from anything in ourself. 00:30:36.500 --> 00:30:39.000 It cannot come from any circumstance 00:30:39.000 --> 00:30:41.799 or outside environment that manufactures that. 00:30:42.259 --> 00:30:46.259 It can only come through having my source of my life 00:30:46.259 --> 00:30:49.279 found in Christ and in serving out his commands 00:30:49.279 --> 00:30:51.900 and living a life like Jesus. 00:30:53.140 --> 00:30:56.599 And in conclusion, I want to point us to, 00:30:56.839 --> 00:30:59.980 I think maybe one of the greatest passages in joy. 00:31:00.380 --> 00:31:02.880 And it's found in Hebrews 12 too. 00:31:02.880 --> 00:31:07.060 And we see here how Jesus demonstrates this joy to us. 00:31:07.480 --> 00:31:08.920 And if you want, if you have your Bibles, 00:31:09.060 --> 00:31:10.700 let's just turn there because this is really good. 00:31:11.320 --> 00:31:11.780 Hebrews 2. 00:31:13.480 --> 00:31:14.960 Or Hebrews 12 too, I'm sorry. 00:31:15.600 --> 00:31:16.180 Hebrews 12 too. 00:31:20.400 --> 00:31:22.640 Jesus, the greatest example of joy 00:31:22.640 --> 00:31:23.880 and demonstrator of joy. 00:31:24.760 --> 00:31:27.120 And the author of Hebrews all throughout the book 00:31:27.120 --> 00:31:28.840 is pointing to how Jesus is better 00:31:28.840 --> 00:31:30.740 and just focusing on who Christ is. 00:31:30.740 --> 00:31:33.920 And here he says in this climatic text, 00:31:34.240 --> 00:31:35.759 looking to Jesus, 00:31:36.240 --> 00:31:38.599 the founder and perfecter of our faith, 00:31:38.980 --> 00:31:41.519 who for the joy that was set before him 00:31:41.519 --> 00:31:42.480 endured the cross, 00:31:42.880 --> 00:31:44.039 despising the shame, 00:31:44.180 --> 00:31:46.519 and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 00:31:47.200 --> 00:31:49.299 Jesus, going through the most horrific 00:31:49.299 --> 00:31:50.660 and horrible death, 00:31:50.720 --> 00:31:53.240 was able to do so with joy 00:31:53.240 --> 00:31:55.859 because of what he was accomplishing. 00:31:55.859 --> 00:31:58.779 Because he loved you so much. 00:31:58.779 --> 00:32:01.000 That he went through so much. 00:32:01.099 --> 00:32:04.039 That you might have a relationship with him. 00:32:04.599 --> 00:32:05.799 And if you are here today, 00:32:06.319 --> 00:32:07.779 and you might agree with me, 00:32:07.819 --> 00:32:08.979 you might say that, 00:32:09.079 --> 00:32:11.059 yeah, I have experienced joys in life. 00:32:11.099 --> 00:32:12.559 I think all of us have experienced 00:32:12.559 --> 00:32:14.219 at different levels joy in life. 00:32:14.919 --> 00:32:16.359 But joy is not something 00:32:16.359 --> 00:32:18.819 that I experience on a regular basis. 00:32:18.819 --> 00:32:23.839 Like I don't find myself having a joy in my life. 00:32:24.220 --> 00:32:27.139 It ebbs and flows and mainly ebbs. 00:32:28.039 --> 00:32:31.220 And I want to call you today to turn to Jesus, 00:32:31.419 --> 00:32:33.559 who for the joy that was set before him 00:32:33.559 --> 00:32:34.639 endured the cross, 00:32:35.099 --> 00:32:35.759 scoring the shame, 00:32:35.879 --> 00:32:37.839 and sitting at the right hand of the throne of God. 00:32:37.899 --> 00:32:41.119 That Jesus provided for you fullness of joy 00:32:41.119 --> 00:32:42.960 that can only be found in him. 00:32:43.339 --> 00:32:44.599 And I encourage you today 00:32:44.599 --> 00:32:46.359 to give your life over to Christ. 00:32:46.359 --> 00:32:49.019 There's nothing better that you can do. 00:32:49.399 --> 00:32:50.379 There's nothing better 00:32:50.379 --> 00:32:53.039 that will provide this joy in your life 00:32:53.039 --> 00:32:55.379 and to have a satisfaction 00:32:55.379 --> 00:32:58.319 in who Jesus is and following after him. 00:32:59.179 --> 00:33:00.519 And for those of us today 00:33:00.519 --> 00:33:02.500 who are followers of Jesus, 00:33:03.119 --> 00:33:06.000 you know, we can still find ourselves 00:33:06.000 --> 00:33:08.579 not experiencing this fullness of joy, right? 00:33:08.619 --> 00:33:11.240 Like we oftentimes tend to just depend 00:33:11.240 --> 00:33:13.839 on our own satisfaction and who we are, 00:33:14.179 --> 00:33:15.159 you know, in order to be able 00:33:15.160 --> 00:33:16.519 to experience joy in our lives 00:33:16.519 --> 00:33:18.820 and we see how unfruitful that is. 00:33:19.300 --> 00:33:20.820 And I want to encourage us today 00:33:20.820 --> 00:33:22.320 to look to this text, 00:33:22.680 --> 00:33:25.519 look to what Jesus has shown us 00:33:25.519 --> 00:33:26.500 and taught us, 00:33:26.500 --> 00:33:28.420 that in order to experience his joy 00:33:28.420 --> 00:33:29.360 and fullness of joy, 00:33:29.420 --> 00:33:31.220 we have to abide in him 00:33:31.220 --> 00:33:33.120 and we have to follow his commands. 00:33:33.240 --> 00:33:34.360 We need to love one another 00:33:34.360 --> 00:33:36.300 as Christ has loved us. 00:33:36.680 --> 00:33:38.100 And it is only then 00:33:38.100 --> 00:33:40.240 that we will be able to experience 00:33:40.240 --> 00:33:41.920 the fullness of joy 00:33:41.920 --> 00:33:44.099 that is ours in Christ. 00:33:44.640 --> 00:33:45.299 Let's pray. 00:33:47.099 --> 00:33:48.019 Dear Heavenly Father, 00:33:48.660 --> 00:33:49.900 thank you so much 00:33:49.900 --> 00:33:51.339 that you have loved us. 00:33:52.000 --> 00:33:54.019 Thank you that you have given us your word 00:33:54.019 --> 00:33:55.839 that we might be able to know you 00:33:55.839 --> 00:33:58.220 and to know how to live our lives 00:33:58.220 --> 00:34:00.859 and to be able to experience this joy 00:34:00.859 --> 00:34:01.920 that you have called us to. 00:34:02.700 --> 00:34:05.039 And Father, I pray for me 00:34:05.039 --> 00:34:06.460 and I pray for everybody here 00:34:06.460 --> 00:34:08.740 that our desire would be 00:34:08.740 --> 00:34:09.820 to follow after you. 00:34:10.340 --> 00:34:11.559 That if there are those here 00:34:11.559 --> 00:34:14.320 who have never followed after you, 00:34:14.440 --> 00:34:16.260 that you would work that in their hearts 00:34:16.260 --> 00:34:17.820 and that you would convict them 00:34:17.820 --> 00:34:18.920 of their need of a savior. 00:34:19.400 --> 00:34:20.460 And for those of us 00:34:20.460 --> 00:34:22.420 who are following after you, 00:34:22.519 --> 00:34:23.400 that you would allow us 00:34:23.400 --> 00:34:24.139 to understand that, 00:34:24.240 --> 00:34:25.559 man, we can't do this 00:34:25.559 --> 00:34:26.240 in our own strength. 00:34:26.280 --> 00:34:27.679 I can't do this in my own strength. 00:34:27.800 --> 00:34:29.119 I need you. 00:34:29.619 --> 00:34:30.519 And Father, I just pray 00:34:30.519 --> 00:34:32.079 that you would work that in our hearts, 00:34:32.179 --> 00:34:33.159 that you would allow us 00:34:33.159 --> 00:34:35.179 to be able to abide in you 00:34:35.179 --> 00:34:36.719 and to be able to work out 00:34:36.719 --> 00:34:37.859 what you have called us to do 00:34:37.859 --> 00:34:38.980 in order to experience 00:34:38.980 --> 00:34:40.559 this fullness of joy. 00:34:41.139 --> 00:34:42.239 I pray all this in Jesus' name. 00:34:42.440 --> 00:34:42.679 Amen. 00:34:44.000 --> 00:34:45.500 As our band comes, 00:34:45.599 --> 00:34:46.759 we will have a couple of moments 00:34:46.759 --> 00:34:47.639 of quiet reflection.