The Road to Joy
by Rev. Kirby Williams
Finding the secret to Christian joy in the allegory of the Vine and the branches.
Text: John 15:9-11
Date: 08/11/2019, the Traditional service.
Series: "John: Encountering Love" Part 144
Description:
One of the most puzzling and elusive of all Christian traits is "joy". It seems that many Christians and churches are either sorely lacking in joy or attempting to manufacture it by some external means. But in this passage, Jesus reveals that true joy is the natural bi-product of a life spent abiding in His love and obeying His commandments. We will analyze the progression mapped out for us in the allegory of the Vine and the branches, and discover that the road to God's glory, (as we discussed in the last lesson) is also the road to true Christian joy.
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I. Introduction
II. Exposition of the text, John 15:9-11.
A. Context
B. From obedience to love to joy.
1. The greatest love, vs. 9.
a. The love of the Father.
i. An eternal love, John 17:24.
ii. An unquantifiable love.
b. The love of the Son.
c. Abiding in the love of the Son.
i. A matter of the heart.
ii. Reasons to obey.
2. The greatest obedience, vs. 10.
a. A renewed focus on obedience.
i. Making a point, John 8:29, 14:15,21,23,24,31.
ii. A glorious "if-then" statement.
iii. A golden spiral of love and obedience, 1John 4:19.
b. Our model of obedience.
i. A perfect obedience.
ii. An eternal obedience.
iii. The ultimate example, John 10:17.
iv. A greater relationship.
3. The greatest joy, vs. 11.
a. The "things" Jesus has spoken.
b. Abiding joy.
i. Joy that flows from the Vine, John 14:27.
ii. Defining "joy".
• What "joy" is not.
• What "joy" is, John 15:5.
c. Joy and the sense of completion.
i. John's use of the word "joy".
• The joy of John the Baptist, John 3:28-30.
• The joy of a woman in labor, John 16:21.
ii. Jesus' joy of completion.
iii. Qualification.
d. Shared joy.
III. Application, 2Tim. 4:6-8.
IV. Conclusion
