
Pastor Christopher Brock
October 7, 2023
John 15:10-11, NIV
“If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”
We as Christians have most likely read a variety of scripture and heard different teachings about the joy of the Lord. We often hear how (through Christ) we can have joy that surpasses all understanding, and while that is a great promise and reality, I believe that many Christians do not truly understand how it is possible. Many people still go through their day to day lives carrying the weight of this world on their shoulders. So how then can we truly experience the joy of the Lord, and have it present in our lives each and every day? Let us take a look at the scripture for today to see if we can get an insight into how we can experience the joy of the Lord.
This scripture starts out with a pretty clear condition statement, “If you keep my commands…” So many people seek to have the Lord in their lives and be saved, but I believe that far fewer seek to truly keep His commands. And yet, that is exactly how this promise starts out. So, if we keep His commands what will happen? We will remain in the love of Christ. We will be filled with His love and, not only that, but His love will also flow out of us, and we will find that we will love other people as well. Do you remember what the two greatest commands are? We are to love God and to love people. How is it that we are to carry out those two commands? Well, as simple as it may sound, we are to actually obey them! We are to truly love God and to show that through in the way that we care for and love those that He has placed around us.
From this point we see an interesting statement made, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.” So, let us put this message completely together. If we truly desire to experience joy in our lives, and experience that true joy that surpasses all understanding, then the key is that we need to remain in love. We need to stay in love with God and also with the people around us. How can we ensure that we stay in His love? By obeying His commands! When we are in obedience to God and submit to His commandments and authority, we will experience joy that surpasses anything that this world has to offer to us.
So, I come to you today with a question, do you obey the Lord commandments? I want to tell you that if you are seeking to experience true joy in your life, and you wonder why each day seems to get harder and harder then hear this: Learn what God has commanded you to do and then do it. You will experience the love and joy that you have been searching for.