September 24, Jesus' Pursuit of Joy.

Look to Jesus, the founder and perfector of our faith,

who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,

despising the shame and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12, 2.

Does the example of Jesus contradict the principle of Christian hedonism?

Namely, that love is the way of joy and that one should choose it for that very reason,

lest one be found begrudging obedience to the Almighty, or chafing under the privilege of being a channel

of grace, or belittling the promised reward. Hebrews 12 seems to say fairly clearly that Jesus did not contradict this principle.

The greatest labor of love that ever happened was possible because Jesus pursued the greatest imaginable joy,

namely the joy of being exalted to God's right hand in the assembly of a redeemed people.

For the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross. In saying this, the writer means to give Jesus as another

example, along with the saints of Hebrews 11, of those who are so eager for and confident in the joy God offers that they reject the fleeting pleasures of sin,

Hebrews 1125, and choose ill-treatment in order to be aligned with God's will.

It is not unbiblical, therefore, to say that at least part of what sustained Christ

in the dark hours of Githemone was the hope of joy beyond the cross.

This does not diminish the reality and greatness of his love for us because the

joy in which he hoped was the joy of leading many sons to glory. Hebrews 2.10. His joy is in our redemption, which redounds to God's glory. We share the joy with Jesus,

and God gets the glory. You know,