Our Joy Is Made Complete

OUR JOY IS MADE COMPLETE (Outline)

April 27, 2008 –

EASTER 6 -

John 15:9-17

INTRO: Joy – one can truly have it here and now! Yes, today Jesus’ words speak to each of us to make our joy complete! Joy might seem improbable as we look around at our world today. Constantly we are bombarded with reports of doom and gloom and disaster. We hear about global warming with catastrophic consequences for the future. Prices are sharply on the rise. Everything costs more. There are even food shortages. Today’s headlines try to rob us of the joy Jesus wants us to possess. "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (ROMANS 14:17). How often don’t we frequently discuss food and drink and weather and prices? Our Lord wants us to have “righteousness, peace and joy”. Today we will see how the words of the world do not compare with the words of the Lord. The world’s words offer unhappiness. The Lord’s words give us joy.

OUR JOY IS MADE COMPLETE.

I. As we live in love.

II. Then we love to obey.

I. WE LIVE IN LOVE

A. Today’s verses are part of a very personal, lengthy encouragement Jesus is having with his disciples.

1. Chapter 14 reveals Jesus is the way, truth, and life. Jesus promises the Holy Spirit.

2. Chapter 15 opens with Jesus as the true Vine and believers as branches.

B. Verse 9. Jesus connects all of this to show his love and the Father’s love. Stand firm in this love.

1. The Father’s love and Jesus’ love binds the disciples together, verse 15 as friends!

2. Servants were only doers not knowers of the master’s will. The disciples knew God’s will.

3. Jesus told them all things (his suffering, death, resurrection). Now the disciples knew.

C. The disciples would soon see the depth of Jesus’ love for them. V. 13, Jesus’ love would give his life.

1. The disciples would need to stand firm in Jesus’ love during his sacrifice, verse 14.

2. Verses 12, 17 emphasize Jesus’ command. The disciples were to love each other.

a. Here is the name for Maundy Thursday. b. Command from “mandate” yields Maundy.

D. Command is a strong word. We do well to define it as law. The Law shows us our sins. The Gospel shows us our Savior. The Law tells us what to do and not do. The Gospel tells us Jesus has done it all. Here we have what is known as a Gospel command. What sounds like law is really gospel. Another example is when Jesus said: “Go, make disciples of all nations…” We are reminded that love is the fulfillment of the law. By God’s love for us we live in love. "For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again"(2 CORIN. 5:14,15).

E. It is a miracle that Jesus gave up his life, out of love, for the sins of the whole world. Miracle of miracles you and I and every believer know, believe and confess that Christ has died for me. Jesus is my / our personal Savior. This is God’s grace to us and for us. God’s grace is undeserved love. We no longer live in fear of the law but in the love of God’s grace revealed to us through the gospel. By grace our lives are changed. We live in love. "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me"(GALATIANS 2:20). Note that Christ is alive and well – and – now lives in us, by faith, by grace.

F. It is good to remind ourselves what really is love. Our society has overused and misused the word love so much that has almost become irrelevant. Ad people have used love to sell cars, beer, and other various worldly products. The real meaning of love has been taken prisoner only to be used as a marketing gimmick. This is not true for the Christian. "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers"(1 JN 3:16). God first loved us.

OUR JOY IS MADE COMPLETE because we live in love, the love of God seen in Jesus our Savior.

II. WE LOVE TO OBEY.

A. It is the night on which Jesus is betrayed (Maundy Thursday). Soon all things would change.