Jesus must have radiated joy during His public ministry. This may be one reason why, when trying to comfort his disciples, in the upper room, He made such pointed references to his joy remaining with them, and their joy being full. We read in John’s Gospel, “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full” (15:11); again, “your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you” (16:22); and later, when praying to the Father on their behalf: He said, “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name· … And now come I to thee; and these I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves” (17:12-13).
To His disciples, His presence meant joy and His absence meant sadness. After His resurrection, when Jesus appeared to His disciples again, their joy knew no bounds. On the occasion of one of these appearances, we are told, ” … they yet believed not for joy … ” (Luke 24:41). From Pentecost onward, throughout the early history of the church, it is evident that the joy of the Lord was one of its most prominent and attractive characteristics, and probably contributed greatly to her rapid increase in influence and growth.
In those early days, the church had to pass through times of trial and persecution, and yet the glad note of joy was ever present with them. The secret of this experience of joy was not dependent on circumstances, but on a life lived in fellowship with our Lord and Master Jesus Christ. This holy fellowship and joy is the birthright of every truly born again child of God, it is not only for the select few.
The radiant joy of many Christians is frequently used by the Holy Spirit to reveal the poverty and miserable plight of one living the self-centered life, and to bring conviction of sin. Often has the admission been made that the first seeds of discontent and conviction of sin have been sown at the sight of the manifest joy in the lives of others.
Unhappily, the church which Christ commissioned to be His witness and to proclaim His Gospel has lost, to a large extent, its winsome and attractive note of joy. A Christian worker without the joy of the Lord in his heart makes a poor appeal to the sinner he is seeking to win, equally so will the church of Christ, without the joy of her Lord radiating through her members, fail to make an attractive appeal to this generation.
The condition of the church of Christ surely is a challenge to examine our hearts to find whether there is any evil way in us. We may seek the cleansing of the blood of Jesus Christ and our restoration to His fellowship and His joy, that our witness may be more attractive and our influence more effective in all our contacts with men and women, if perchance the Lord will graciously use us as channels of His joy and blessing to sad and troubled hearts in these days; which may, in the mercy of God, be heralding the Lord’s glorious return.