We all need the ‘joy of the Lord’ to be our strength, but why was Jesus called ‘a man of sorrows’? The joy Jesus wants us to have has nothing to do with the things the world promotes: “Eat this; buy that; experience this; look like that…” Jesus’ joy came from his Father and He wants us to possess it fully. “As the Father loves me so I have loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed 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.” (John 15:9-11)
The world promotes the shallow, the external, the temporal… God cares about who we really are, what is truly important, and what will last forever. Jesus learned obedience through the things He suffered and his life on earth was full of deep joy because He obeyed God and remained firmly in his Father’s love. And what did God know would make his Son’s joy complete? The Cross! Jesus would not tell us the road to Jerusalem was care-free. He would not sugar-coat his agony in Gethsemane. The sadistic cruelty of the Roman scourging and crucifixion can never be associated with anything pleasant, yet joy was a part of Christ’s passion. For the ‘joy set before him’ Jesus endured the Cross, scorned its shame, and sat down at the right hand of God.
For a couple of hours this past Saturday, I raked and bagged leaves with seven-year-old John and his four-year-old sister Leesa. John wanted to know if they were going to get some money for their hard work in the yard. I said, “Yes, John, I’ll give you guys a little reward if we do a good job and finish.” For the rest of the time a little boy called out to his sister and co-worker, “Keep your eyes on the prize, Leesa, keep your eyes on the prize!” Raking leaves is hardly suffering, but Jesus says anyone who really wants to follow him must carry his cross. When the road is hard and the pain is overwhelming, we are not to lose hope. There is joy set before us, so “keep your eyes on the prize!”
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:2-3