Joy in Christ

ME

A wedding is a joyous occasion. This text makes me think of mine and Naomi's wedding. We did most of our premarital counseling with the Pastor of the church we attended, who wasn't the one performing the ceremony. Aaron wanted to do one session with us after talking with Pastor Lee (Explain Aaron). Asked if there was a text we wanted preached. We said no he asked about John 15, and we went with it. It worked out very well. Joyous day.

This was a joyous day, but

WE

Many here have stories of joyous times, a wedding, the birth of a child, a time with a friend. But we must ask, what do we find joy in or in other words what do we find joy in?

When we abide in Christ our joy is complete.

When it comes to joy we are blessed to have faith in the one true God, who is the source of joy.

God:

Before digging into the passage let us go to the Lord in prayer - Now may the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing in your sight, o Lord our Rock and Redeemer.

Let us read the passage this morning.

John 15:1–11 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.

Joy in the Vine

Affections

Last week I mentioned the passions vs affections

Reminder recap

When we read this today we may miss some of the importance of what this would have meant to those listening.

Israel was an agricultural society so this would have communicated important information to the disciples

More importantly, they would have recognize the illustration.

In the OT, which we remember would have been the only Scripture at this point, Israel is referred to as a vine several times.

They would have heard this, but it is expanded. It is no longer Israel that is the vine, but instead all are branches. Those that are faithful will be pruned. Those who deny Christ will be cut off and burned.

Similar, it is Christ that is the vine. We draw from Christ. We are nourished in Christ. If a branch is separated from the vine it cannot grow on its own. We only live through God’s sustaining, and our work is through the empowerment of Christ.

Our ministry is not our own, but instead it is a gift of God enabled through this relationship.

Ask what you want and it will be done for you

What this actually means

Internet signal

When we abide in Christ our joy is complete.

Joy in Obedience

This is a theme we see elsewhere in John.

John 14:15 ESV

15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

This is an important thing we see here. It is similar to what we see in James. It is not the obedience that saves us, but rather from our salvation/ from our faith will come works and obedience.

When we abide in Christ we will seek to follow his command because we should seek to glorify him in our action

Through this obedience we point to our perfect God

We must not hold ourselves higher, but echo the confession of Paul that he was the chief of sinners.

We do not need to keep each and every law we read in the OT, in fact many have been completed in Christ

Act out the 2 he gives us.

We recognize this in our church’s mission statement

Matthew 22:36–40 ESV

36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

We see these in the 10 commandments, but it becomes a joy to keep these when we abide in the love of Christ.

Find here. Disappointing is worse.

When we abide in Christ our joy is complete.

Joy is complete

In Christ our joy is complete

John 15:11 ESV

11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

As we see in this passage our joy is full when we abide in Christ. But it is more than that.

As Christ has completed the law, so he has completed our joy.

1 John 1:4 ESV

4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

Knowing these truths of Christ and having a genuine abiding relationship our joy will be complete. There is a level it is like love, in that sometimes it is a choice. We seek out this abiding faith when we feel separated.

When we abide in Christ our joy is complete.

Seek to Abide in Christ

Seek to Obey Christ

If Ye Love Me

Seek Completed Joy in Christ

In the completed

Abiding as the Trinity

Marriage as the example

Child and Mother

When we abide in Christ our joy is complete.