John 15:9-17

"I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."  John 15:11

"You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in My name."  John 15:16


Jesus tells us in John chapter fifteen that the only way we can expect to live spiritually fruitful lives is by remaining in Him.  Jesus is like the vine.  We are like the branches.  A branch can only survive when it is attached to the vine.  We can only live our lives in a manner that is pleasing to the Lord when we are doing it in the Lord's strength.  Our strength alone will fail ever time.  God's strength in our lives is all-sufficient.

One way we show that we are remaining in Jesus Christ's love is by obeying His commands. We can not just have a lukewarm affection for the Lord.  Our love for the Lord must be a passionate love. Our love for Him must be demonstrated in a love for His Holy Word and in a desire to obey the Lord in all areas of our lives.  Christ demonstrated this kind of obedient love for the Father. Christ was willing to endure the horrors of hell on the cross, so He could be obedient to the Father's will.

Another way we can show that we are remaining in the Lord's love is by loving our fellow Christians. We need to love each other, as the Lord has loved us.  Jesus Christ was willing to go to the cross because of His love for us!  This was sacrificial love beyond our comprehension!  We need to show sacrificial love for each other.  John 15:13 says, "Greater love has no one than this, that He lay down His life for His friends."  In verse fourteen of John chapter fifteen Jesus says to us, "You are My friends if you do what I command."  Proof that we are remaining in the Lord's love is obeying His commands, and one of the Lord's commands is to love each other.

When we abide in the Lord it brings joy to His heart.  When we show spiritual fruit in our lives and a passion and love for the Lord it also brings joy and delight to the Lord's heart.  If we are abiding and remaining in the Lord it further brings joy to our own lives.  Jesus says in John 15:11, "I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."

Joy in the Lord is much deeper than the joy and happiness found in pleasant and peaceful circumstances.  The Lord's joy is found in our lives, because we delight in the Lord.  The Lord's joy is found in our lives because of our love for Him, and this joy is present even in the midst of very difficult trials in our lives.  The Lord's joy is constant and enduring in spite of outward circumstances. The Lord's joy in our lives is abundant and overflowing.  We must draw daily from the Lord for our joy and strength.  That joy will then overflow to others.  The Lord's joy is found in obedience to Him and in our love of others.

Finally, the Lord's joy is found in fulfilling the purpose for which we were put on this earth and that purpose is to bring glory and honor to God.  Jesus says in John 15:16, "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last.  Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in My name."  God chose you and me to bring glory to Him and to bear spiritual fruit.  We must be willing to serve Him in this world in the place where He has placed us. We must bear spiritual fruit for Him and continue to grow in our love and obedience of Him.  May this be our passion and desire.