Uncontainable Joy!

“So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.” (John 16:22, ESV)

Chapters 15 and 16 of John’s account of the Gospel is packed with so much goodness! Not only is it heavily filled with Jesus’ own dialogue, but it also contains very explicit directives, fulfillments of promise, and modern-day (i.e. post-resurrection/ascension) reassurances that serve to keep His true followers grounded — “And when [the Holy Spirit] comes, He will CONVICT the world concerning *sin* and *righteousness* and **judgment**… concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see Me no longer; [and] concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged” (John 16:8-11, ESV). Arguably of most importance in these chapters is Jesus’ pointedness in referring to Himself as the vine. In which we, as branches, must abide in…, lest we weaken and wither away, ultimately being “gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned” (John 15:6b) due to uselessness in bearing fruit (John 15:2-4). We who abide in Jesus, however — His love, Spirit, and leading of our lives — not only produce much fruit but are pruned by God to bear even more fruit, inevitably glorifying the Lord and “[proving us to be His] disciples” (John 15:8). What’s better is that the fruit we bear and the works we perform transpire not for performance’s sake, but rather, as a result of an abundance of love and joy, at some point, it becomes literally, physically impossible to contain and not share with others as touched on in John 16:22 (also, Isaiah 55:12-13!). What’s even better than this is the fact that His commandments (think “Law”) switched entirely from a ‘tool of condemnation’ to, instead, a ‘privilege of service’! That is to say, just as Jesus came not to abolish the law but to fulfill it — making us WHOLE through Him — we, having been raised to completely new life thanks to Christ’s work — find it just as fulfilling for us to abide in Him and to honor His commandments!

As followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, we may experience grief, sorrow, challenges, difficulties, and persecutions along the way. But remember His promise — the Lord Jesus gives us joy that no one can take away!

   – Contributed by Bro. James Agtuca