#1- Jesus sends out 72 of his followers to preach and prepare the way for Him. They come back rejoicing because they had power over the evil spirits. Jesus warns them not to rejoice in miraculous signs and wonders, but to rejoice that their names are written in heaven. This is something only God can do.
#2- Three times during His speech to His disciples and in the garden right before His death, Jesus uses the phrase, fullness of joy. It’s a phrase that indicates a degree of joy which is complete or fulfilled.
John 15:9-11 “Just as the Father has loved me, I have also loved you; remain in my love. 15:10 If you obey my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 15:11 I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete.
So, obeying His commands enables us to rest in His love, which leads to joy fulfilled.
John 17:12-13 Holy Father, keep them safe in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one. 17:12 When I was with them I kept them safe and watched over them in your name that you have given me. Not one of them was lost except the one destined for destruction, so that the scripture could be fulfilled. 17:13 But now I am coming to you, and I am saying these things in the world, so they may experience my joy completed in themselves.
So, He keeps us safe in His name, that we may know fullness of joy.
Perhaps the most noteworthy takeaway from this lesson, is not to scramble to work harder in obeying His commands, or strive with more diligence to remain in His love. (All worthy endeavors, yes!) But what is more striking here, is that Jesus pursues us; pursues our joy to an exceeding degree! Do you believe that?
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