How To Be Filled With Joy

- in John 15, 16, and 17, Jesus talks more about joy than anywhere else in the gospels/we’ll be

looking at these passages over the next few weeks.

- Eric Tissenbaum: prof who told the class that they didn’t have to take notes on everything in his

class/when he was going to say something that was going to be on the test, he’d stomp his foot

twice and they were to write down whatever he said next/that was what would be on the test.

- v. 11 - this has a “Hey-pay-attention-to-this-because-it’s-important” quality to it.

- v. 11 indicates the conclusion, but where does it begin?

THE ROADMAP:

1. God wants us to be fruitful.

- vv. 2, 4, 5, 8.

- this is very important to God.

- it is not enough to be “faithful”/this passage gives the clear indication that God expects fruit

from our lives.

- fruit can be inward (fruit of the Spirit) or outward (touching lives, seeing people saved).

2. How do I bear fruit? Answer: By abiding.

- vv. 4, 5.

3. How do I abide? Answer: By keeping Jesus’ commandments.

- v. 10.

- we want a shortcut, but this is the pathway.

SUMMARY STATEMENT:

“Obey” leads to “Abide” leads to “Abound”

- i.e. keeping Jesus’ commandments leads to abiding leads to bearing much fruit.

WHAT’S THE RESULT OF LIVING LIKE THIS?

1. We live fruitful lives.

- v. 5.

2. We become powerhouses of prayer.

- v. 7.

- also, Luke 16:24.

3. We receive our heart’s desires.

- v. 7.

4. We bring glory to God.

- v. 8.

WHY IS JESUS TELLING US THIS?

***Because this is the pathway to a life of deep joy.

- v. 11.

- the wording indicates this is the summary statement for all that came before.

- note two things about the joy: one is that it is Jesus’ joy (“My joy”) and also that He wants our

joy to be full.