John's Gospel has a theme of the Christian's joy in Christ throughout. John the Baptist's message was "I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before Him" (John 3:28). He referred to Jesus as the Bridegroom who has the bride, and John the Baptist himself is the friend of the Bridegroom who has great joy just hearing the Bridegroom's voice; a complete joy (John 3:29).
The day of Jesus, the I AM in flesh, was the joy of Abraham (John 8:56). Jesus had joy that He was not present at the death of Lazarus so witnesses would see the glory of God in the dead man's resurrection (John 11:15, 40).
There was joy in the disciples as harvest reapers shared with Christ the Sower (John 4:36). Jesus' leaving and being with the great Father who exalts the Son is a fountain of joy for those who love Jesus (John 14:28).
In His lesson on abiding in Him and He abides in us like the relationship of vine and branches, Jesus said He teaches the disciples that His joy may be in them, and their joy complete (John 15:11).
Jesus promised that the world will find joy in the Christian's sorrow, but the church will have their grief turned into joy like a mother giving birth in anguish only to have joy at the sight of her newborn (John 16:20-21). In the meantime during our time of sorrow now, we can ask anything of the Father in Jesus' name and receive that our joy may be complete (John 16:22-24).
In Jesus' high priestly prayer, He asks His Father to keep the church united, abiding and sanctifying the church by the truth of His Word that Jesus would be glorified in the church. As Jesus comes to the Father that the church may have Jesus' joy fulfilled within them (John 17:13).
Finally, there was joy in the disciples as they saw the resurrected Jesus who blessed them with peace and showed them His wounds (John 20:19-20).
There is joy in knowing Jesus. There is joy in hearing and knowing His teaching and abiding in His Word. There is joy in soul-winning, a shared joy with Christ the Sower. There is joy in knowing and being known by Jesus while we must suffer sorrow in this world. There is joy in asking and receiving mercy from the Father. There is joy, complete joy, when we see Jesus in the finished kingdom.
This is good news of great joy! To quote John Piper,
The gospel is the good news that the everlasting and ever-increasing joy of the never-boring, ever-satisfying Christ is ours freely and eternally by faith in the sin-forgiving death and hope-giving resurrection of Jesus Christ.
May this truth of Christ's joy in you, dear Christian, encourage and strengthen you for the journey homeward with the Lord.
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