WHAT MAKES OUR JOY FULL?
These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. John 15:11, R.S.V.
Jesus was in the upper room with His eleven remaining disciples. He knew that in a few short hours their lives would be turned upside down. And so He sought to comfort them ahead of time and teach them precious truths that they would consequently take to the whole world.
He began by telling them that He was to be taken from them but that His departure signaled preparation for their being with Him forever afterward. Meanwhile He would send the Comforter to help them remember all that He had said to them. He told them that He was going to the Father, that it was to their advantage that He go. He understood that because of His telling them these things, sorrow had filled their hearts. How much more He wanted to explain to them, but they could not bear it right then. "So you have sorrow now," He said tenderly, "but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you" (John 16:22, R.S.V.).
Then He gave one of the most wonderful promises ever recorded in Scripture: "Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father, he will give it to you in my name....Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full" (verses 23, 24, R.S.V.).
As always, Jesus pointed His friends to the Father. "He who has seen me has seen the Father" (chap. 14:9, R.S.V.). "All that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you" (chap. 15:15, R.S.V.). The place He was going to prepare is in the Father's house. Even the promised Comforter "proceeds from the Father," He reminded them (verse 26, R.S.V.). And the joy that was His--that total oneness with the Father (expressed in His prayer for them)--was to be theirs for the asking! "The Father himself loves you," He emphasized (chap. 16:27, R.S.V.).
Jesus knows that there is only one way for us to have total joy. It is not in living where there is no pain or suffering. It is not in having a mansion or walking on streets of gold. It isn't even in living eternally. It is in being restored fully to fellowship with our Father in heaven, for "in [His] presence is the fullness of joy" (Ps. 16: 11, N.E.B.).
These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. John 15:11, R.S.V.
Jesus was in the upper room with His eleven remaining disciples. He knew that in a few short hours their lives would be turned upside down. And so He sought to comfort them ahead of time and teach them precious truths that they would consequently take to the whole world.
He began by telling them that He was to be taken from them but that His departure signaled preparation for their being with Him forever afterward. Meanwhile He would send the Comforter to help them remember all that He had said to them. He told them that He was going to the Father, that it was to their advantage that He go. He understood that because of His telling them these things, sorrow had filled their hearts. How much more He wanted to explain to them, but they could not bear it right then. "So you have sorrow now," He said tenderly, "but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you" (John 16:22, R.S.V.).
Then He gave one of the most wonderful promises ever recorded in Scripture: "Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father, he will give it to you in my name....Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full" (verses 23, 24, R.S.V.).
As always, Jesus pointed His friends to the Father. "He who has seen me has seen the Father" (chap. 14:9, R.S.V.). "All that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you" (chap. 15:15, R.S.V.). The place He was going to prepare is in the Father's house. Even the promised Comforter "proceeds from the Father," He reminded them (verse 26, R.S.V.). And the joy that was His--that total oneness with the Father (expressed in His prayer for them)--was to be theirs for the asking! "The Father himself loves you," He emphasized (chap. 16:27, R.S.V.).
Jesus knows that there is only one way for us to have total joy. It is not in living where there is no pain or suffering. It is not in having a mansion or walking on streets of gold. It isn't even in living eternally. It is in being restored fully to fellowship with our Father in heaven, for "in [His] presence is the fullness of joy" (Ps. 16: 11, N.E.B.).
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