The joy of making disciples

3 John 4 I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth. We might draw from this verse that the apostle John was a spiritual father to Gaius. In the previous verse he expressed how glad he was to hear that Gaius was walking in the truth. To walk in the truth is to live to love with Jesus. The truth is that Jesus is God who came in the flesh, died for the forgiveness of sins, and was raised to life, ascended into heaven, and now abides in the souls of all who believe in Him. The evidence that He lives in His children is that they love as He loves. Only those who walk in the truth love like Jesus loves. There is a relationship to joy and living to love with Jesus. Not only does loving with Jesus fill us with joy, but it fills Jesus with joy. John had experienced this joy with Jesus, so he could write about it. Jesus had basically said the same thing, recorded by John in John 15:8-11. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. Jesus has joy when His children walk in love with Him, and His joy makes them joyful. John had joy when his children walk in love with Jesus, and surely he wanted Gaius to be joyful that he was glad, so he told him so. But John would not have had this joy if he hadn’t discipled Gaius. We cannot know this joy of which John wrote if we don’t make disciples who live to love with Jesus. Who are you investing in? Are you making disciples who walk in the truth of the life of Jesus and love with Him? I encourage you to take advantage of the free resources at livetolovewithjesus.com if you wish to enter into this joy of hearing of your children walking in the truth. You can go through Live to Love with a brother or sister in Christ. Or you can journey with them using the Live to Love Adventure Series available in streaming video. Jesus promised to be with us as we make disciples. I hope you are walking in the truth and will believe that Jesus can use you to call His disciples to live to love with Him.