Recipe for Joy - John 15:9-17

Copyright August 15, 2021 by Rev. Bruce Goettsche

Everyone wants to live a joy-filled life. No one wakes up in the morning hoping the day will be filled with discouragement and depression. No one wakes up intending to be grumpy. Yet, even though we desire joy, we often find it elusive. Our problem? Most of the time we are looking in the wrong place for this joy.

As you read through the New Testament you will see joy mentioned continually. In fact, we see it here in John 15, we will see it in 16, and we will see it as part of the prayer of Jesus for us in John 17. Paul’s entire letter to the Philippians seems to have “the joy that is ours in Christ” as it’s central focus.

Welch preacher, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones wrote,

one of the particular blessings which the Christian is meant to enjoy in the present life is this experience of joy. . .The Christian is meant to be a joyful person, one who is meant to experience the joy of salvation. There is no question about that; it is something which is taught everywhere in the New Testament, . . . and so it is our duty as Christians to have this joy, and to be filled with it. And we must give ourselves neither rest nor peace until we have it. (The Assurance of Our Salvation, chapter 9)

In this pursuit of joy, we are going to get some guidance from our text John 15:9-17. In verse 11 Jesus says,

v.11 He says these things so joy may be in us and our joy may be full

I believe the things Jesus tells us in this passage serve as a recipe for joy. The first ingredient, according to Jesus is in verses 9-10

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.

Abide in Him

The word “abide” is used three times in these two verses so let’s start by defining the word “abide”:

To abide in Christ means to keep up a habit of constant close communion with Him, to be always leaning on Him, resting on Him, pouring out our hearts to Him, and using Him as our Fountain of life and strength, as our chief Companion and best Friend. To have His words abiding in us, is to keep His sayings and precepts continually before our memories and minds, and to make them the guide of our actions, and the rule of our daily conduct and behavior.[1]

The first thing to notice is joy is tied to our relationship to Christ, not to our circumstances. Biblical joy is something deeper, it is brought about by our relationship with Him. It is this relationship that allows us to rejoice in every situation . . . even the tough times.

Jesus said we are to abide in His love. This is a difficult command for many people because they are convinced God does not love them. They know they don’t deserve His love. But none of us do. However, some people seem to think they are too far removed to ever be loved by God. However, Christ came to the earth to bring near those who were once far away.

It is sadly possible that you have never felt truly loved by anyone. You never seemed to measure up. You may be one who feels you were never even loved by your own parents. You have spent your life longing to be seen and loved. Maybe you are even here today on the off-chance what is said about God could possibly be true.

If that is the case, I have good news for you. God loves you . . . and he likes you! He sees potential in you. The primary Biblical metaphor for how Christ loves us is that of a groom for his bride. The groom waits with anticipation for his bride. He does not marry his bride because he feels sorry for her! He marries her because he sees something in her that she may not even see in herself! And that is the way God loves you! We should open ourselves up to His love . . . bask in it, enjoy it, and savor it.

Jesus says one of the ways to abide in His love is to keep His commandments. Can I point out something to you? Jesus did not obey all the rules! He did not maintain the status quo. However, he only broke the manmade rules . . . not God’s. The religious leaders made up hundreds of rules the people should follow if they wanted to be sure they were being obedient to God.

There are still hundreds of manmade rules even in churches. These will only distract us. Our task is to obeys His commands and His only.

Ironically, doing what God says is the key to success in finding joy. In many adventure movies the hero (such as Indiana Jones) must navigate a booby-trapped room to get to the coveted goal. If they make the wrong move, they are cast into a pit of snakes, or knives come out to cut them to pieces or a big boulder rolls after them to crush them! The thing that saves the hero is a map or clue that guides them each step through the maze.

Life is like this. It is filled with dangers that can certainly crush us. God gives us the code to navigate these dangers successfully. It is found in His Word. As we follow His instructions (instead of the rules of the religious people around us) we find we can handle most things life brings our way.

Bear Fruit

Let me jump to the end of the passage for a second ingredient in the recipe for joy. It is a familiar command preceded by an extraordinary statement. We find it in verse 16,

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.

Stop and hear what Jesus says! “You did not choose me, but I chose you.” Do you remember those horrible times when you and your friends would pick sides for teams for a game? You would line up and the two captains would choose their teams. If you were like me, you were usually hoping someone would choose you before the very end. If you happened to be chosen first, it was a very good day.

Think about this . . . the Lord chose you! Yes, in the immediate context he was talking to the disciples. He wanted them to know that He picked each one of them not because they were the most desirable in the eyes of the world. (In fact, this was a ragtag group of apparent misfits). Jesus chose them because of what He knew He could make of them and what He could do through them. As you go through the Bible, however, we are told God also chose everyone who believes.

We do not belong to Him because we are smarter, better, or more talented than others. We are His because, for some unknown reason, He chose us! It doesn’t matter anymore if the world “picks you” as worthy of praise, honor, or anything else. The LORD chose you!

This reality, when pondered deeply will bring joy into our lives. We will know a peace, a security, a sense of blessing that will transcend the trials of life. We can siphon joy by reflecting on how unworthy we are, or we can allow joy to well up inside of us by the reality that He chose us.

Jesus said He chose us to bear fruit. We are to reflect Christ in the world. We are to serve as His ambassadors showing Christlike character in all we do. This character is not something occasional, it is something that “abides.” This fruit is not something we can produce in ourselves, it is something the Holy Spirit produces. It lasts. It is consistent. As His fruit-bearers we are given the right to ask Him anything according to His will and He will give it to us. As we ask God to make us fruitful . . . He will answer gladly.

We mentioned last week that this fruit is described in Galatians 5. But the fruit also is seen in changed lives and hearts. The disciples were to share the message with others. Jesus gave us the same command: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel, making disciples of all men.” Our job is to bring people to Jesus! Our job is not to build our attendance in church, it is not to be a voting block that will help our country get back on to solid moral ground, or to “save” people. Our job is to bring people to Jesus! He alone can save people!

Jesus told Peter He would make Him a “fisher of men.” And that is what He wants to do in and through all of us. There is one more ingredient in this recipe: we are to Love One Another

Love One Another

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. x 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

There are lots of people who sing songs about love. We are told it is the ingredient in the world that there is “just too little of.” For the most part the world around us has no real idea what love is. It is thought of as an emotion that responds to someone that triggers “something” inside of us. And sometimes, in our thinking, love comes and goes. Perhaps you have heard someone say they have “fallen out of love with you.” This is not the kind of love Jesus is talking about.

We are to love one another in the way He has loved us. His love was sacrificial, it was shown by the way He gave His life for us. Love has a cost. It is about giving not receiving.

His love was a decision made in the counsels of Heaven. Biblical love is not about feelings as much as it is about choices. The Son of God chose to set aside His divine attributes and become a humble baby for the express purpose of making a way for you and me to be made right with God.

The love of Jesus was not a response to something we had done. Romans 5:8 says, “God showed His love for us in this that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” In other words, while we were His antagonists, He gave His life for us.

This is the kind of love He wants us to show to each other. We are to believe the best about each other, to cheer for each other, to invest ourselves in each other. We are to support each other in both the highs and the lows of life. When we love each other, we pick each other up after a fall rather than kick each other until we force the one who failed to withdraw and disappear.

Paul wrote,

“Love is patient, love is kind, Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (1 Cor 13:4-7)

Someone has suggested that you evaluate how you are doing in the love arena by replacing the words “love” and “it” with your name. Try that and see how far you get before turning to God in repentance.

We make love sound like a mystical, and yes, romantic emotion. But it is very practical. It involves letting go of hurts, giving people the benefit of the doubt, daring to build a bridge where others refuse to do so.

We are told to love even our enemies in the name of Jesus. Because, when we love because we have known the love of Christ, His love shines through us, and people are changed . . . sometimes forever. You may not be able to break through to people with arguments, but consistent love, despite how many times you are rebuffed, is hard to keep resisting.

When we choose to see people and love them through the eyes of Christ. Things change,

Forgotten people are seen

Rejected people are loved

Broken people find healing

Mistreated People find a defender

Angry People are helped to understand each other

People who disagree with each other are shown respect

Grieving people find hope

Questioning People find Answers

Lost people are introduced to Jesus

It is both our responsibility, and our privilege to love each other.

Conclusions

If you were to ask some people how to find joy, they might tell you it is about getting drunk with your friends, or maybe dancing wildly at a concert, or even falling asleep in the arms of the one you love. The problem with that kind of joy is it is temporary. Only the joy God gives can last.

This joy is not found where the world around us is even looking. It starts with our relationship with Jesus. It begins with the new life and new heart that only He can give us. It is not earned by something we do; it is not something we earn or can produce by our own frantic activity. It is a gift that is given to all who open their heart to Him. This gift is not given because one has reformed their life. It is not given to those who can recite certain academic facts. It is given, freely, to anyone who looks to Him for forgiveness and new life and is willing to follow Him.

Once we have entered this relationship with Christ through God’s grace, the recipe for joy is pretty simple:

1. Stay close to Him. Abide with Him. Do what He says, go where He leads. Meditate on the privilege and blessing that is our in Christ. Ponder the wonder that God has chosen us.

2. Bear the fruit of obedience. Live out your faith in Him. Bear the fruit of godly character and of faithful witness to all who will listen.

3. Love others. Strive to love everyone. Give yourself to build up and enrich anyone around you . . . friend or foe in the hope the love of Christ will shine through you.

I know, it seems counterintuitive. How in the world are we going to find joy by following Jesus, doing what He says, and loving others? It seems like all we are doing is giving ourselves away. BINGO! That is the secret to where joy will be found. It is giving that brings joy! It is following the pattern of Christ who gave His life for us.

Selfishly pursuing joy is a dead end. Selfishness and Joy oppose each other. They are like magnets turned the wrong way. Instead of attaching to each other, they repel each other. You will never find joy until you stop making life all about you. Joy is anchored to our ability to see others and see the world as God does. This cannot happen if all we see is ourselves.

To that end, let me give you a homework assignment.

1. Set aside some time every day (go ahead, put it in your calendar!) Start at the beginning of a New Testament book and read every day (a section, a chapter) until you are through the book. Pay attention to things God promises or tells us to do. Write those things down. Ponder the wonder of His love and the richness of His blessing to us.

2. Look for positives in people and affirm them. Set a goal (e.g., one positive affirmation every day). Write down who you affirmed. Don’t do this to get something from these people . . . do it simply because you see them as people of worth in and of themselves.

3. Be intentional about finding ways to talk to people about the Lord. Share a Bible verse, be prepared to tell the story of how Jesus changed your life, invite someone to worship with you, guide them to our website, tell them about our radio broadcasts . . . plant a seed in the lives of those around you.

4. Inspect the fruit in your own life. Are you looking more (or less) like Jesus? If you see growth, thank God for the work He is doing in you. If you see problems, ask Him to help you address those problems.

We all want to know joy. The source of joy is the Lord. Stop looking at circumstances for joy! Look to Him! His arms are open to any who seek Him. The question now is not whether joy is available, the question is: How badly do you want it?

[1] Richard D. Phillips, John, ed. Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani, 1st ed., vol. 2, Reformed Expository Commentary (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2014), 292.