Jesus’s Pursuit of Joy

[ronscarpa]

Jesus’s Pursuit of Joy

WORD for Friday, 9/25/2015 - John Piper

 

 "[Look] to Jesus, the founder (Author) and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2 ) 

 

Love is the way of joy, and one should choose it so as not to be found begrudging obedience to the Almighty, or chafing under the privilege of being a channel of grace, or belittling His promised reward.

Hebrews 12:2 seems to say fairly clearly that Jesus followed the Father's way...!

The greatest labor of love that ever happened was possible because Jesus pursued the greatest imaginable joy, namely, the joy of being exalted to God’s right hand in the assembly of a redeemed people (that's us): “For the joy that was set before Him [He] endured the cross!”

In saying this, the writer means to give Jesus as another example, along with the saints of Hebrews 11, of those who are so eager for, and confident in, the joy God offers - that they reject the “fleeting pleasures of sin” (11:25) and choose ill-treatment in order to be aligned with God’s will.

It is not unbiblical, therefore, to say that what sustained Christ in the dark hours of Gethsemane was the hope of joy beyond the cross. This does not diminish the reality and greatness of His love for us, because the joy in which He hoped was the joy of leading many sons to glory (Hebrews 2:10 ).

His joy is in our redemption, which redounds to God’s glory. To abandon the cross and thus to abandon us and the Father’s will was a prospect so horrible in Christ’s mind that He repulsed it and embraced death.

This has been modified from the original..! Ron   

[VIZIOIRAQI]

Is man able to truly LOVE on his/her own!

The answer is NO!

We were born with inherited sin & a heart of Stone!

How can then we truly love you say?

Romans 10:9

⁹ If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

 

Prayer of Salvation

Ezekiel 36:25-27

 

25Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 26A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

 

We Love Jesus because he Loved us First!

 

(Now your capable of Loving)

 

Question is now what are you going to do about it?

 

Give back go out to all the world teaching his ways and loving one another!

 

it's that easy you ask ?

 

It sure is , but no one said a righteous life was easy now we will be put through trials to grow spiritually .

 

James 1:2

2My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 

 

To be continued ( Trials of Fire and our benefit) Do we have power over our trials ?

We sure do I'll tell you how next week look for the new Post !

[tkeaton]

Very timely, Ron. The theme in the current sermon series in our church is "joy." Thank you so much for this post!

[Nelg]

Thanks Ron.  

It is difficult for many to understand that in death Jesus gives us the Joy of life.

 

On a personal note: this is my second challenge with bypass surgery, the first was 25 years ago.  Physical death  was a very  real possibility  in both situations.  

 

The day of the surgery three of the shepherds came for a quick prayer before being rolled into the theater.  After prayer we were laughing and joking with each other.  They left and every  thing started.  One of the  nursers said, "they didn't take things to seriously!" I overheard and said, "Oh, yes they did, but my death has already been resoled.  I'm either going home or I  am going Home.  Either way it is pure joy!"  

 

What a joy to know that because HE LIVES, so will I.  

 

Again, thanks.   

[ronscarpa]

Romans 10:9  ^"If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

 

Prayer of Salvation

 

Thanks for your excellent post VISIOIRAQI...(+1)..  

 

Very timely, Ron. The theme in the current sermon series in our church is "joy." Thank you so much for this post!

My pleasure to post, I'm glad you enjoyed it...Thank you...(+1)   

 

Thanks Ron.  

It is difficult for many to understand that in death Jesus gives us the Joy of life.

 

On a personal note: this is my second challenge with bypass surgery, the first was 25 years ago.  Physical death  was a very  real possibility  in both situations.  

 

The day of the surgery three of the shepherds came for a quick prayer before being rolled into the theater.  After prayer we were laughing and joking with each other.  They left and every  thing started.  One of the  nursers said, "they didn't take things to seriously!" I overheard and said, "Oh, yes they did, but my death has already been resoled.  I'm either going home or I  am going Home.  Either way it is pure joy!"  

 

What a joy to know that because HE LIVES, so will I.  

 

Again, thanks.   

Thanks for your excellent post Nelg...we're praying for you to have a miraculous recovery that will stun the doctors and give glory to The Almighty God our Creator...! Praise Jesus for His redeeming work - by His stripes we are (and were) healed...(+1)...!