Joy Remains!

Introduction

One of our favorite Christmas ornaments is Linus from ‘Peanuts’ when he explains to Charlie Brown about what Christmas is all about. Straight from Luke 2

The Shepherds and the Angels

Luke 2:8–9 (ESV)

Luke 2:8–9 ESV

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.

10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

The Advent Journey

It seems to me like the advent themes seem to be progressive states that a believer goes through.

Being a lost person they find HOPE in Jesus that there is something better than this life/ this world has to offer. Which brings PEACE to the troubled soul that can now calm its worries about their sins and eternity. That produces JOY which sustains us while we linger in this world because of the security we find in suffering for Jesus’ sake. Which we gladly do now because we LOVE our neighbor as we love ourselves. All of this displayed perfectly in CHRIST, who is our HOPE, PEACE, JOY, and LOVE forever and ever!

But in what way was the Angel referring??

What ‘joy’ is available to all people?

Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament) (5915 χαρά)

gladness, state of rejoicing, happiness (Mt 28:8; 2Co 1:15 v.r.); 2. LN 25.124 reason for gladness (1Th 2:19)

This is the same word used in our text today. John 15:1-17

John 15:1–17 ESV

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 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. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 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, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

What’s great about using these verses today is that the section before Chapter 15 is Jesus’ promise of peace, and our text ends in love. Joy is right in the middle.

I. Joy Illustrated-15:1-8

Jesus used parables and object lessons all the time in His teaching. And vineyards were very common knowledge in Israel. And moreover how to tend a vineyard. So Jesus relates this concept to our relationship with the Father, with Him, and with others. And out of that we find Joy.

A. Pruning Process- v. 1-3

Jesus is the true vine- He is the whole idea, He is what brings nutrients, water, strength to the whole plant. Yes, this idea is about the Kingdom of God. But the Kingdom of God is not complete without Jesus. Just listen to how Jesus is described in Hebrews. Hebrews 1:1-4

Hebrews 1:1–4 ESV

1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

2. The Father is the vinedresser/ or Gardener.- He is the beginning of a garden. (Not by coincidence that He did start it all in a garden) He is the one who provides life, maintains the whole garden not just the vine. He sees the whole picture. Knows how to bring life from death. Just as gardeners do. (no coincidence either that Jesus is described sometimes as ‘planted’ in the ground), and who is the one who raised Him, who glorified Him. THE FATHER!

1 Corinthians 3:9 ESV

9 For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.

3. Which leads to us ‘The branches’- And because the Gardener knows how to make the Vine grow, by watering, feeding, and PRUNING to inspire growth. By removal or trimming. The branches that do not produce fruit are simply removed, taken out of the equation. But the branches that are producing fruit might take some trimming to produce more fruit or better fruit. To trim may be to take a little damage to the branch but in time it is healed and produces more fruit.

Speaking to His disciples He tells them that they are already “clean”. Meaning the pruning process had already begun. By the Truth of His word.

i. In saying you are already clean, Jesus repeated an idea from earlier in the evening: that there is an initial cleansing, and then a continuing cleansing (John 13:10). (David Guzik)

John 13:10 ESV

10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.”

B. Branches Bearing Fruit- v.4-5

Abide! (or REMAIN)- Don’t become like a branch cut off and thrown away. JESUS WANTS YOU TO REMAIN IN HIM- ABIDE IN HIM! Stay connected.

‘Abide’- here means ‘to stay, remain, or reside’. It is given in the ‘imperative’ tense, which means it is a command. Or even better- ‘Vital or crucial’

We must remain with Jesus because that is the only way to produce fruit in our life. Without Him our lives bare nothing at all. “All our righteousness is as filthy rags”

C. Branches NOT Bearing Fruit- v. 6

But even more emphasis on the “crucial or vital aspect” is this: He is imploring us to remain with Him because without Him we are cutoff. The Father will not permit the death and decay that comes from non producing fruit to remain on the vine. Jesus loves you to much to want that to happen. So, He is warning all of us. Telling us! please stay with ME!

D. The Condition of the Fruit- v. 7-8

When we have a solid connection with our Lord. The fruit comes. We grow in our knowledge of the Lord, the Kingdom, we make disciples, and teach them to abide and remain in Him. The Vine grows! And by following Jesus, the Father is glorified. Nothing is held back; when Jesus is our focus, our everything, we can ask anything and it will be done. But such a focus is wrapped up in the Will of God. Such closeness with Jesus produces a selfless and fruitful life birthed out of sacrifice. When your life produces Godly fruit, you “prove” yourself to be Jesus’ disciple.

So, self examination time.....How’s the fruit in your life looking?? Can you point to anything in your life that looks like Godly fruit.

Just a hint here....Just because you come inside this building once or twice a week does not mean you are producing fruit. You can sit in this building for years and rot on the vine. And we know what happens then.

You need Jesus. You need His salvation. You need Him to take control of your life. Its the only way you stand a chance with the Gardener who stands ready to watch His garden grow.

II. Joy is Simplified- 15:9-10

The next couple of verses are really simple. Jesus spends time telling His disciples this object lesson but as per usual takes time to explain what He means. The Father loves Jesus and as such Jesus loves us in the same way. And because He loves us, He simplifies how to REMAIN in Him.

The equation is simple: Keep His commands and you will REMAIN in His Love.

Over the last 11 verses the word ‘Abide/remain’ is used 10 times. When you go to Bible college one of the first things you are taught in Bible study methods is that when things are repeated, they are important.

Jesus is our example to follow and that is exactly what He did. He REMAINED faithful to His Father’s commands. He did what we could not.

1 Peter 2:22 ESV

22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.

1 John 3:5 ESV

5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.

He fulfilled the Law. He was obedient, even to the point of death.

III. Joy made Complete- 15:11

Here is where we find the purpose of this section. Why Jesus even bothered to tell us about the vine and branches and pruning and fruit. Here is where we find ‘JOY’

His Joy- was to make His Father happy. To do that He had to be obedient. Whatever the Will of the Father was Jesus followed.

To be our Joy- What would make us have complete joy? the very same thing. If we would but follow God, His Son, The Holy Spirit, His Word without question; in obedience. Then Joy would flood our lives and give Honor and Glory to God because of the wonderful fruit that it would produce! We see that in other examples in the New Testament.-

2 Corinthians 2:3 ESV

3 And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all.

IV. Joy through Obedience- 15:12-17

A. The Command- v. 12 & 17

So, here Jesus comes. We have seen this trickle down method shown to us. The Father loves Jesus, Jesus loves us, Now we are to love each other. It’s not a suggestion, or an after thought of His. It’s the whole idea. ‘Love one another’ He begins and ends (repeats) this explanation section with the ‘Command’. and is not the first time He has mentioned it.

John 13:34–35 ESV

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

B. The Command exemplified- v. 13-15

Why should we believe in this new command. Because Jesus gives His life up to prove He loves us.

We see the Gospel in full display in verse 13.

HE LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR ME!

He is my friend. He loves me. In spite of all my failures, bad choices, attitude problems, laziness, and destructive tendencies. HE DIED FOR ME!

AND HE LOVES YOU TOO! Even if you have spurned Him all your life, He loves you. Even if you will never turn to Him. He loves you, that gift of sacrifice on the Cross for your sins is still held out for you.

There. That is ‘JOY’. It’s in the obedient, suffering servant of a savior on the cross. He counted it all Joy even death on a cross for YOU.

And when you accept that. Let Him redeem you. You don’t call yourself a servant, you’re His friend and you will know everything He is doing.

Charles Spurgeon put it this way:

The servant works in a building, and it is enough for him that he is laying a part of a line of brick or stone. Perhaps he has never seen the design of the structure or had a wish to do so. But you and I have the great architect constantly coming to us to tell us what the building is to be and to explain to us his plans, and so we work with greater pleasure and joy than a mere laborer might.

C. The Plan- v.16

He chooses us-Talking to His disciples: He chose them. From along the seashore to a tax collector’s booth. He found them.

“It was not they who chose Him, as was normally the case when disciples attached themselves to a particular Rabbi. Students the world over delight to seek out the teacher of their choice and attach themselves to him. But Jesus’ disciples did not hold the initiative. On the contrary it was He who chose them.” (Leon Morris)

Just as He found you and me. Right where we were when the Spirit convicted us of our sin. The fact is we didn’t and weren’t looking for Him at all. There was no way back to God for us to find. He came to find us. How all this works out is a mystery of God, my brain can’t fathom it. Somehow we have this will and make our decisions, but God’s sovereignty stays in tact. Right now, it’s where I can only stand in faith. But just think about it, the Lord of all creation in all His Glory, in all His splendor and power, chose me. Chose You! He could have left us without hope…but He didn’t.

So, He chose us. And chose us for a purpose. A plan. For you to love one another and bear fruit with your life for the glory of God the Father. And the Fruit that is born from your life does not expire it REMAINS, as an everlasting testimony of your Love for the Savior giving Glory to God.

Things were about to change for Jesus and His disciples. He was leaving and the nature of how they would ask Him things would change. Questions, direction, and understanding. But that didn’t mean those things wouldn’t come.

Again, Jesus connected fruit bearing with answered prayer. When He departed from them their experience of asking and receiving would not end but would change, and Jesus prepared His disciples for this. (David Guzik)

Make the Connection

Do you want ‘joy’ to remain in your life?

How are you doing at following Jesus’ words?

What kind of branch are you? Are you producing fruit?

If you want ‘joy’ in your life, you need to REMAIN in Him!