Come Experience the Joy of Jesus

THOMAS FRANCIS | Broadcasting, Insurance, and Law Enforcement

Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full” (John 15:11). Jesus said, “No one will take your joy away from you” (John 16:22).

These statements are outstanding, but when you understand to whom He was speaking, they are unbelievable! Jesus was talking to His chosen ones, His closest ones, His best friends, His students—the disciples who would be the founders and Apostles of His church. These men would all, with one exception, die of horrible painful causes. They would be murdered—executed for His sake. Some would be hacked in two with the sword. Others would be burned, beheaded, crucified, even skinned alive. The one who would not die by murder would be sentenced, for a time, to solitary exile on a remote rock of an island in the middle of the sea, and history tells us would be nearly blind and unable to walk unassisted by the time of his death. How could Jesus possibly promise them that their “joy would be full”and that “NO ONE would take it away from them”?

Can you remember the first time you stood at the foot of the cross and looked at that mangled, bloody Man? Can you remember when you looked at that face and saw that He was looking at YOU—and you looked down and saw the bloody hammer in YOUR hand, and realized that YOU had put Him there and that He had done all of this for YOU? Can you remember how you fell at the foot of that horrible, beautiful cross and wept and begged Him to forgive you? Can you remember? 

Can you remember the first time you understood what Easter meant, when you saw the empty tomb and knew that He was ALIVE? When you heard Him call your name for the first time and knew that He had done this for you, too? Remember the feeling? That is Joy!

Can you remember the first time you discovered the Gospel, the Good News about Jesus? How all at once it hit you just how simple and free His Grace really is? Remember how that load just seemed to roll from your back and you felt really, completely FREE, for the first time in your life? That is Joy!

Can you remember the first time you realized that you ARE saved? Now? FOREVER? Can you remember how you wanted to laugh and dance and cry—all at the same time? How you couldn’t wait to tell all of your loved ones the good news of how Jesus had set you free? Can you remember that feeling? That is Joy! And Jesus really did mean it when He said that No one can ever take your Joy away!

I also believe, based on my experience, that there is no more afraid or insecure believer in all the world than a sincere Seventh-day Adventist. 

Remember the first time you really DID tell the ones closest to your heart what you had found? Remember the look of fear, distrust, suspicion, almost anger, in their eyes? Remember how you felt like a dumb school kid standing before the teacher while she tapped the ruler in her hand and glared at you with that chilly look that said, “THOMAS, you KNOW it isn’t that easy!” Remember?

Please, I don’t want to say anything bad about sincere Seventh-day Adventists. I was raised in that faith and spent most of my life in it. My father and mother were converts a few years before I was born, and they died in that faith. They believed in the doctrines of that church. They believed with all their hearts in the uniqueness of the movement, in its “remnant” status, its diet, its prophet. Most of my family are still members of that church. I will state here and now that I do not believe that there is a more sincere or a harder-working believer in all the world than a sincere Seventh-day Adventist. I also believe, based on my experience, that there is no more afraid or insecure believer in all the world than a sincere Seventh-day Adventist. 

I grew up believing that you open the Bible with your pre-learned beliefs, then you read with the Smorgasbord method using Ellen White’s instructions: “Line on line, line on line. Here a little. There a little.” No wonder the reformers insisted on the Bible ONLY, as the ONLY written, revealed, Word of God. When I think back to the way I learned the Bible in Church schools, academy, and early college years, the one emotion that stands out the most is fear. 

I can remember being taught that in the “last days” we would be hunted, arrested, persecuted, and maybe killed. I remember learning that Catholic churches have torture chambers in their basements in secret places that are all ready for the Time of Trouble when we would have to flee for our lives because we kept the Sabbath. “Sunday keepers”, I learned, will be the ones who will spy on us and report us and turn us in for persecution. I remember the hushed sounds of church members talking in worried tones downstairs in our living room the night that John Kennedy was elected president. I looked out of my upstairs window down the country road, expecting to see neighbors coming to the house bearing “torches” to carry us away. (I know it’s silly, but it was REAL, and I remember.) Yet, Jesus said, “Blessed are you when you are persecuted for My sake, for great is your reward in heaven.”

One of my passions in the last several years has been the studying of church history. The stories of the martyrs have always amazed me. I also marvel that in the last 2000 years, tens of millions of my brothers and sisters have been killed, raped, tortured, enslaved, and imprisoned for their faith. Story after story tells of women, men, even children, going to their deaths, singing praises to Jesus!  They were not afraid! Even today, the carnage continues. Persecution is not a future event; it has always been the life-blood of the Christian church. I am also amazed that during all the time I was so afraid of a “Time of Trouble”, my brothers and sisters were dying not for the day on which they worshiped but for WHOM they worshiped and because they were known as His.  Further, the reports state that they have had their JOY to the end. Jesus still keeps His word!

I can remember the look of fear in my mother’s eyes when she would recite one of the most serious quotations that she knew. “Every word, every thought, every action, will come into judgment.” Even one unconfessed sin would keep her out of heaven. Hours before she died she was wringing her hands and softly repeating to herself, “I hope I’ve remembered them all.” But Jesus has better news, remember? “He who believes in Him (meaning Himself) is NOT JUDGED” (John 3:18), and “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word, and believes Him who sent me, HAS eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life” (John 5:24). Ah man, I wish my mom could have believed that. That is Joy!

My heavenly Father has granted me the gift of lots of time to sit and read. With a disability, sometimes all I CAN do is read. A personal discipline of mine is to read the Bible through twice each year. I have now read ten translations, complete, in context, front to back. One of the greatest pleasures I have is when I turn the page from Malachi to Matthew. I always compare that experience to a breath of fresh spring air after the stuffy indoor air of winter. (OK, here in Florida that isn’t such a good analogy, but I remember the harsh winters in the midwest.) Growing up we spent much time reading, studying, and dwelling in the Old Testament. I really believe that it is in the NEW that we find the words of life. Here is where we meet Jesus. He told the Pharisees, “You search the scriptures (that’s the Old Testament) for in them you think you have eternal life. But they testify of ME. Yet you will not come to me” (John 5:39-40). Do you want Joy? Come to Jesus. You want to lose your fears? You want rest? Come to Jesus. You want to have complete assurance and safety in your salvation? Come to Jesus.

So, how do you tell those you love about the Gospel? Jesus said if He is lifted up, He will draw all to Himself. How do you lift Him up? I have found that the best and only sure way is in prayer. It’s hard not being able to share the depth of my faith with my loved ones because it makes them angry. Fear causes that anger. It’s hard to see them look to the cross, then say, “But I still have to …” (you fill in the law, doctrine, rule). I want to weep! Jesus is complete! His work is finished. He is at rest, and He offers that perfect rest to you. You only have to accept it. When He said, “It is finished”, He did not mean finished for that day. He meant forever. So keep praying for them. Forever, if need be!

Jesus gave us a new law. He told us to love as He loved us. Have you ever thought of what that meant? He loved us enough to die for us. Yet, at the time of His deepest trouble, ALL deserted Him! Do you know what I would have done? I would have said, “Hey guys, you wanna run? I’m out of here! You all handle your problems on your own!” But not Jesus. He forgave them! He went through with the whole thing, just like He KNEW how it would turn out. He saw the cursing Peter, the running, terrified friends, the murderous Paul, and even the worthless ME! And He did it all anyway!

I’m not so quick to “proclaim the gospel” any more. I will introduce my friend Jesus to anyone. I will talk about Him and help them to find Him; I will help them get to know Him and feel the joy of their salvation in Him. But I will not argue “religion” or “doctrine” with anyone. I really believe in Paul’s advice to Titus. He told the young preacher to avoid foolish controversies and disputes about the Law, for they are “unprofitable and worthless.” When people come to the cross to argue, they go away empty except for their own hot air. But when they come on their knees wanting to know the one who died there for them, they will go away filled with His JOY!

There is an old saying, “I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day.” I hope to be that sermon. I hope that in the trials of life, I will be able to wear Jesus’ smile. When confronted with legalism, I hope to show the love and spirit of Jesus. I pray that in my life, I will be so transparent that when people look at me, they will see only Him. It is the desire of my life that I may know Him—not just to know about Him, but really to know Him. To know Him is to become like Him. And when His own see Him, they will be drawn to Him. 

Right now, as you read this, YOU are my family, and I am praying for you.  Do you really know the good news about Jesus?  If you don’t, listen…God loves you. He sent His son Jesus to die for your sin. He was buried, then rose from the grave. He’s alive and ready to give you life that will never end if you repent of your sin, place your complete faith and trust in Him, and allow Him to be Lord of your life, forever. Today, right this moment, won’t you give your life to Jesus Christ as your Lord and your Savior? It’s really that simple. Just ask Him in your own words, and from this moment on, you will KNOW that He died for even you! 

Now go tell a brother or sister what you have done! Even call or write the good people of this publication. I know they will be so happy to help you get to know Him. †

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Thomas Francis lived most of his life in the Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana areas. After careers in radio broadcasting, insurance, and law enforcement, he was forced to take disability retirement because of the complications of diabetes. Raised a second generation Adventist, he is currently a member of College Road Baptist Church in Ocala, Florida, where he serves as an adult Sunday School class teacher. He has two grown children, three grandchildren, and a great-granddaughter. He and his wife Carol live in Ocala.

FROM PRINTED PROCLAMATION!, NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2005.