John 17:13 “But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves.”
This verse parallels something Jesus told His disciples in John 15:11-12. “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.” Did you notice the difference? In 15:11, Jesus spoke the things He spoke to them so that Jesus’ joy would be in them and their joy be made full. In this verse, He spoke them so that His joy would be made full in them. When we put them together, both being true, we learn that the words the Father gave to Jesus to give to them were spoken so both Jesus’ and His followers’ joy would be made full in them.
Here’s the reasoning we can be encouraged by. We were created to enjoy God forever. When we enjoy God, He enjoys us. He has told us what He enjoys to the fullest, namely, Jesus, the Son, loving through those who are His own. So let us be encouraged by this: we contribute to and participate in God’s joy and glory as we let Him enjoy us as we enjoy Him by living to love with Jesus. Here’s the idea in an equation. Jesus loving +/with you loving = Jesus’ joy = your joy = the Father’s joy. Here’s another equation. You trying to love in your own strength -/without Jesus’ power to love = 0.
Let’s remind ourselves of the things Jesus spoke in the world so we may have His joy made full in ourselves. He said: Serve one another as I have served you. Love one another as I have loved you. If you believe in God, believe also in Me. My words and works are the words and work of the Father. I go to the Father to send the Holy Spirit to manifest My presence in the lives of all who are His and mine. The Father is the vinedresser, I am the one true vine, and you are the branches. Apart from Me you can do nothing. You are My friends. You can ask for anything you need to believe and love in My name directly from the Father, and I will do it. In this world, you’ll have tribulation, but I have made a place for you in Myself where you have peace.
We could not experience Jesus’ joy nor could His joy be made full if Jesus hadn’t come into this world, accomplished what He was sent to do, which was manifest the name of His Father, the name of love, and then return to His Father with the sacrifice of His life—all for the glory and joy of His Father. Let us rejoice as we live to love with Jesus!
Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com
