Are We Pointing People to the Source of Joy?

We live in a world filled with stress and anxiety. So many people seem to lack joy. As Bible teachers, we have opportunity to reach into the hurts, disappointments, and despair in people and point them to the Source of Joy.

Jesus Prayed for our Joy

Jesus knew we’d have trouble in this world (Jn. 16:33). We read of Him praying for His followers in John 17 with one of His desires being that they have His joy within them (Jn. 17:13). He said He communicated with His disciples “so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them”. Notice the present tense — “so that they may have”. This isn’t something reserved for the future when everything is right but has the potential of being a reality right now, despite the difficult days in front of us.

Notice the amount of joy He wants us to have — “the full measure of my joy”. Jesus came that we might have life to the full (Jn. 10:10), an abundant life. That isn’t just a trickle of joy here and there. Also pay attention to the depth of this joy — “within” them, an internal reality not affected by external circumstances. Most importantly, take note of the source of that joy. Jesus said it would be His joy within them.

Pointing People to the Source of Joy Requires Confronting Their View of Jesus

If helping people experience His joy is one of our objectives in teaching, we need to address our students’ view of Jesus as it will make a difference in breadth and depth of their joy.

First, we must make sure our students understand that Jesus is the Life that brings joy. He is the One with authority to grant eternal life (Jn. 17:2) that affects not only our future, but also the kind of life we live now. He can offer this kind of life …

• because Jesus shares the same glory as the Father.
  And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. (Jn. 17:5)

• because He speaks the words of the Father.
  For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. (Jn. 17:8)

• because He is equal with God.
  All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. (Jn. 17:10)

• because He is with the Father
  I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. (Jn. 17:11)

• because He is one with the Father.
  Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. (Jn. 17:11)

Jesus has the authority and power, as God, to grant us an eternal life filled with His joy. So, when we teach, we must take students beyond “what” to “who”. Knowing about Jesus isn’t what brings joy but actually knowing Jesus. He is the Life we need to possess. He is the Truth we need to know. Make it about more than the commands, more than the stories. Make it about Him.

Second, we must emphasize that not only is Jesus the life that brings joy, but He is also the Way to the Father in whose presence we find fullness of joy (Ps. 16:11). — “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (Jn. 17:3) Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” (Jn. 14:6-7)

This is contradictory to the world’s teaching that all paths lead to God. We mustn’t, however, be concerned about being politically correct but biblically correct if we want our students to know His joy. It’s not about making people happy by saying what we think they want to hear. It’s about them finding joy in Him, which comes by experiencing His presence in our lives.

Yes, our view of Jesus will affect our joy in this life. Joy comes in “who” we know, not what we know or what’s happening around us. — Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. (Jn. 17:3)