“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” John 15:11)

Jesus is teaching His Disciples as He prepares to go to the cross. He reminds them of the importance of their abiding in Him. “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. 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.” (John 15:4-5 ESV) Abiding in Jesus Christ, also brings with it the joy of Jesus. This is a part of Jesus’ prayer for His disciples, “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.” (John 17:13) An important part of Jesus’ desire for His followers is the joy from God which cannot be taken from them.

In the list of the fruit of the Spirit, the second one listed right after love is joy. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23a) The Holy Spirit comes into our lives, bringing His fruit with Him, and He will be with us forever. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17)

Jesus knows the pain which the Disciples will go through as He goes to the cross. He knows the depth of the grief they will experience. He also knows the magnitude of their joy which will come after the resurrection. He said to them, “Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. . .. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.” (John 16:20,22) While we will also face times of grief because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have hope, and through hope we have joy.

Jesus’ desire for us is that our “joy will be complete.” This understanding goes back to the Festival of Tabernacles or the Feast of Booths. In this celebration the people would live in booths, huts made from palm fronds and leafy tree branches, during the celebration as a reminder of their sojourn before they entered the Promised Land.

Moses described the festival. “Celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles for seven days after you have gathered the produce of your threshing floor and your winepress. Be joyful at your festival—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites, the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns. For seven days celebrate the festival to the LORD your God at the place the LORD will choose. For the LORD your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete.” (Deuteronomy 16:13-15)

How is our joy made complete? We remember from where God has brought us. We were sinners, lost and hopeless without any way out. “There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:22b-23) “For the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23a) An important part of our joy is remembering where we were without God and His gift to us through Jesus Christ.

It is understanding what God’s gift does for us. It gives us a new life and an eternal life in Jesus Christ. Jesus says of those who are His, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me, . . .. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:14, 28-30)

John will also give us a snapshot of God’s promise of eternity with Him. “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” (Revelation 21:3-5)

When we know from where we have come and the promise of what is ahead, then we have joy. A joy that is with us. A joy which comes from Jesus. And a Joy which is complete.

In the Love of Jesus,

Michael Block