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An Emotional Man (3)
An Emotional Man (3)
Of all the pictorial images man has made of Jesus, the image of His emotions in scripture are what we can identify with most. Many signs of Christ’s sorrow were brought on by sinful and grievous circumstances. Each emotion has a lesson with it, teaching every Christian how best to use the emotions we express each day. Something you will notice is none of Jesus’ emotions are superficial. Each is deeply experienced and righteously illustrated just like the following……
His Joy
In contrast to Jesus’ sorrow is His joy. It is not being or feeling happy. It is joy.
We do not read in scripture Jesus laughed. We do read about His joy. Joy as Luke 15:7 says, “I say unto you, that even so there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth…” You understand this emotion is due to Jesus as the good Shepherd (John 10:11,14). When a shepherd loses his sheep, there is sorrow. When the lost sheep is found and returned, there is great joy. No greater sense of joy can be experienced than seeing a doomed soul reclaimed from the eternal curse of sin.
Seventy disciples returned from a preaching mission and reported their success over Satan’s forces to which the Lord rejoiced (Luke 10:21). We are also reminded how Christ “for the joy that was set before him endured the cross...” (Hebrews 12:2). Such joy in the midst of pain and agony was from actions which pleased His Father and exalted the name of God. Jesus’ emotion of joy reached a plane far higher than what is characteristic of those who know the delights and pleasures and fun of the world. Our Saviour’s joy was founded upon the love of truth and righteousness.
From His emotion of joy comes the Lord’s exhortation in Matthew 5:10-12 to “rejoice, and be exceeding glad” when a disciple experiences persecution. Suffering unjustly may make living in the world an unpleasant experience. There is great rejoicing in this -- “the suffering of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward” (Romans 8:17). The JOY of winning over Satan by not yielding to temptation, people being saved from sin, filling the church with obedient souls, and conquering the pain of trials with joy (James 1:2-4) is an emotion Jesus had we need to replicate in our lives…
