Easter 6b John 15:9-17 5/13/12 Sermon: “My Joy is Your Joy”
Grace Mercy and Peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
As parents, we all know how special today is. Happy Mother’ day to all of you who have celebrated all those years of sweat and tears as you have sacrificed out of love so much of your time, energy, mind, body and soul, and even at times your sanity , all for love and complete devotion for your kids. I know my wife, who is always knee deep in diapers, or trying to keep the kids in line, It is definitely the hardest yet the most gratifying job in the world. Nurturing caring guiding, exhorting, disciplining, all this out of love and the hope that all your guidance will have them ready and equipped for the world.
On the other hand, the children can’t wait to grow up and be under their own independent umbrella without mom telling them to brush their teeth, do their homework, or even take a shower.
In today’s Gospel text, Jesus is doing the same. He teaches his disciples to remain in his love. To remain in his word. Because with all the things to come, like his betrayal, death and resurrection, our Good Shepherd and our Vine, Jesus, urges us to abide or, be at home with him because he knew the detriment of sin and on top of that he knew all things that were to come, all the threats, pressures, and fear for being a follower of the Messiah.
So he says Remain in my love, to remain in his God’s word where we receive the strength to overcome the stumbling blocks of sin, and to live in the gift of eternal peace and forgiveness. But in sin, our branches try to grow apart from the vines. We clamor always for our independence.
Just as our children who want to be independent as they get ready for college, marriage and adulthood. We too, as children of God rebel and desire independence from his word. Since we are all born into sin, it is so easy to become our own gods. We think we know what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. We seem to believe that we have all the answers for everything. And this is the reality that we live in. The true depravity of sin is apparent in every moment. We would rather Abide in ourselves rather than Abide and remain in the vine.
And this is sin. We disregard what is really happening in our fallen flesh. We forget about it, downplay it, and become apathetic to the fact that sin really is that destructive. As we get further away from the word, we wander like sheep, we are like branches that are no longer pruned and we slowly flee from the Father.
Others simply try to cover their sins by keeping the commandments. Maybe if I am good enough, my sin will be forgiven and God will be pleased with me again. We negotiate with God but without believing in faith that Jesus is the Christ, Keeping the commandments to the T is impossible. And the Christian life becomes exhausting, discouraging and burdensome.
Remaining in Christ isn’t an easy feat. With all the sufferings we encounter on a daily basis, we are so vulnerable to disbelief as we wonder why all these things are happening. Our faith is always under attack as we desperately seek for true joy.
Remain in me. There may be many thoughts of anxiety and worries on your mind this morning. But Jesus is saying, remain at the foot of the cross, as he shed his body and blood for you, remain at his empty tomb as we celebrate his resurrection, remain hearing his word in faith and hope which brings forth the strength and the wisdom to see our crisis and our conflicts in faith rather than disbelief. But although this sounds ideal, we fall as we try to remain, but take heart…
For in Jesus we have received the ultimate joy. In Christ, we see God’s love being given to us by his grace alone. And this Joy, Jesus imparts to you today, not as an enemy, or a servant but as a chosen friend.
Jesus Chose you! I have called you friends! We have inherited a life in Christ not by our works but through Christ’ work alone. He made the sacrifice, he became the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the World. FOR YOU! And through his Love, he has given you a life filled with joy. A life where Jesus is saying MY JOY is YOUR JOY. This is not a worldy Joy or feeling but Our Joy is receiving in his sacrifice the forgiveness of sins. Our Joy is receiving the hope of eternal life in our savior. And this is Christ declaring in v. 11 “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” He is pouring out the gifts of life forgiveness and salvation as he conveys this statement: My Joy is Your Joy. Christ work on the Cross has become your liberation from sin, darkness, death and the devil. This is our true freedom, not bound in sin, this our true joy believing that our salvation has overcome sin for us all.
And through this joy, may your joy be full, complete and perfect. No longer, as we have seen in our Epistle reading v. 3, is our Christian life burdensome, but St John reminds all of us today that , although the battle of the flesh continues, the battle has already been decided, it has been won at the Cross. By faith, We, as Christians participate in this victory daily, in our rebirth in baptism and in turn, are placed in the position to overcome the world through faith, believing that Jesus is the Christ.
Sometimes, life seems to be an uphill battle, just when we breath a sigh of relief, another battle seems to be looming in the horizon, waiting to attack. All the anxiety, fear, and trouble no longer hinder us, these shackles of sin no longer bind us in the fallen world but in this struggle, we, in faith cling to the Cross.
It is in his word today, in our daily prayers and weekly devotions that we find eternal solace in the promise that Christ has given us. In those pivotal crisis, we have the victory. The victory of Salvation, the victory of Eternal life and the victory of the forgiveness of sins. This is where grace abounds, In Christ as he gives us these gifts. As we Confess our sins and receive Absolution, our faith is strengthened. As we are convicted of the law, and receive the comfort in the Gospel, we are renewed, and as our thirst is quenched and our hunger is fed by the Lord Supper given for you in the forgiveness of sins , we truly have overcome the world, devil and the flesh. This is a fact, a promise given to you. So Now What?… while we have heard and now understand the clear picture of Joy, v. 16 of our Gospel reading, Jesus says Go and bear fruit.
It’s always hard to preach sanctification, to preach holy Christian living because when preaching about good works, and bearing fruit, often times overshadows the gospel. But remember, our good works do not make us righteous, rather through Christ, and the righteousness we receive through his Work on the Cross, this creates faith and works.
In other words, to bear fruit, it begins, continues and ends in the joy we have received in the forgiveness of sins. It begins in being fed, and being led by the Spirit to come and receive the gifts at the Divine Service. Just like a plant that needs to watered, we too, need continually sustenance. And this sustenance is found in the word and sacrament where our faith is strengthened to love as the Spirit keeps us near the cross in everything we do. And in this sustenance of faith we receive the perfect joy of salvation.
Jesus says today to love one another. To love one another just as Christ has shown his love for you that while we were still sinners, Christ died for you. This joy we have been given in Christ alone, will bear fruit. Yes, there may be times where we stumble. There are times when we would rather not deal with fractured relationships in our lives, where it is easy to judge others rather than have compassion for them but in faith when remembering and believing in Jesus and his sacrificial work for you, this faithful joy will bear fruit and act in love.
We see it today in the book of Acts as the power of the Holy Spirit grants Peter the strength to speak and proclaim boldy the Good News. Since we know the storied past of Peter, We must conclude that bearing fruit was a faithful act built upon the faith in Christ Jesus. As a living example of a sinner receiving the joy of restoration through the forgiveness of sins, Peter proclaimed this unique joy to the nations.You, as children of God have received this exact same joy . As Christ overcame sin for you. We received this Joy
As Christ became the burden for you. We received this perfect joy
As Christ had victory over sin death and the devil. We received this fullness of joy
And as we receive today his body and blood for the forgiveness of sins
Jesus is saying to you, My Joy is your joy.
Amen
May the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus
Amen.
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