Today's Scripture Reading (July 5, 2024): 1 John 1
It was the night that Jesus was
arrested. They shared a meal, and Jesus taught his disciples a lesson on
servanthood. And then Jesus started to teach on a range of subjects. But
central to his thoughts were love and joy.
"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.
Now remain in my love. If you keep my
commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's
commands and remain in his love. I have told you
this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's
friends. You are my friends if you do what I
command. (John 15:9-14).
On this night, Jesus instructs his friends to remain in his
Father's love so their joy might be complete. He speaks of some other things
but then returns to this theme.
Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you
will receive, and your joy will be complete.
"Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is
coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you
plainly about my Father. In that day you will ask in my
name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and
have believed that I came from God (John 16:24-27).
It used to be that I would ask
things of the Father on your behalf. But now you can ask of the Father. The
Father loves you because you loved me. So now, you can ask and your joy will be
complete. Then, in the Garden Prayer or the High Priestly Prayer of John 17,
Jesus returns again to the idea of joy.
I am coming to you [God] now, but I say these things
while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my
joy within them (John 17:13).
As John opens his letter, he wants his readers to
understand that joy is possible but not inevitable. Love and joy must be
cultivated and pursued. It is a garden that needs the attention of the
gardener. Our natural disposition is to devolve into hate and stress,
especially in our contemporary world. But the Christian has another
destination. We are to love the world, and our joy will be complete.
Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 1 John
2
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