Jesus, the "joy of man's desiring," the joyful Jesus, wants to share his joy with us. Too often we only think of him as rejected and a man of sorrows, but through all he experienced, he was a joyful Jesus. He had a relationship of love with God that led to joy. The author of the book of Hebrews tells us Jesus "for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God" (12:2). Jesus endured all that he endured, not for the fun of it. It wasn't fun. Not for the glory of it. There was no earthly glory. Not for the power in it. There wasn't any. But for the joy that was set before him, the joy of being in the presence of God himself. Being with God, obeying God, doing the will of God on this earth, produces joy in the hearts of human beings. That's what God promises to his faithful people today. He promises all who would obey him pure joy.
In the cross of Christ I glory,
Towering o'er the wrecks of time;
All the light of sacred story
Gathers round its head sublime.
When the woes of life o'ertake me,
Hopes deceive, and fears annoy,
Never shall the cross forsake me.
Lo! it glows with peace and joy.
When the sun of bliss is beaming
Light and love upon my way,
From the cross the radiance streaming
Adds more luster to the day.
Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure,
By the cross are sanctified;
Peace is there that knows no measure,
Joys that through all time abide.
—John Bowring, 1825
Abiding joy is to be found in God's presence, because joy is at the very heart and nature of God.
Because Jesus is full of joy from being in the presence of God and from being God, he wants us to be full of joy also. If it is a major travesty that every Sunday school and every sanctuary is not adorned with a smiling Jesus, it is a worse travesty that every person in Sunday school and every person in worship is not smiling, for a relationship to a joyful God through the joyful Jesus leads us to be joyful disciples.
Joy is a by-product of a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Our text quotes Jesus as saying, "I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete." Other translators refer to "complete joy," "perfect joy," and "your cup of joy will overflow."
Joy is a by-product of a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. The world does not give this relationship and this joy, and so the events of this world cannot take this relationship and this joy away. Now, that's an important point! Happiness comes and goes. Happiness may disappear with the next telephone call. Your loved one dies. Your X ray shows bad news. Your car needs repairs. Your stocks are worth nothing. Your C.D.'s which were insured by the federal government, are not. Sorry about that mistake. There goes your happiness. But your joy is based on a relationship to God through the joyful Jesus, and he will never be taken away. He is always there. "Jesus never fails, never never fails. I'm glad so glad, Jesus never fails."
I begin and end with Paul Tillich: "Is not the decision to be a Christian, a decision for the joy in God instead of the [happiness] of the world?" (The New Being, p. 144). I think so! I know so!
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