Well, including this today, we only have 7 chapters left of the gospel of John. All of which will be increasingly harder and harder to get through. Jesus’ life is now only days away from being over. Similar to last week, because of the timeline that we are encountering in the life of Jesus we are also encountering another side of Jesus that is unlike any other portion of the gospels.
In the past few chapters, 13 and 14, Jesus had the opportunity to have one final meal with the disciples. It was the “last supper.” Jesus washed the feet of the disciples, dismissed Judas to betray him, informed Peter that he would betray him. Jesus tells the disciples that heaven is for real, he lets them know that he will come back for them and tries to comfort them with only the peace that comes from knowing Jesus.
Then look at the last line of the last verse of chapter 14.
"Come now; let us leave."
Jesus knows where they are headed, the disciples do not. Jesus is not leading them down a walking trail so that they can see the sights and enjoy a nice brisk walk with their buddy. Jesus is not taking them for a stroll to the temple to point out a teaching moment. Jesus isn’t going to perform another miracle and use it to count the amount of disciples he has. When Jesus ask the disciples to follow him, he knows where he is leading them.
He is leading them :
- Out of the comfortability of the upper room.
- To the Garden of Gethsemane where he will be arrested.
- Jesus is leading the disciples to be a part of the final days of his life.
Jesus is leading them, not only to where they are going but he is leading them by example.
Notice what I mean.
John 15:1-4
Both chapters 15 and 16 happen along the road, as Jesus is walking with the disciples on their way to the garden.
Can you see the disciples looking at each other. They know that something is up. Why is Jesus talking like this? He only did this when other people were around to see if they’d really follow him or not.
I’d imagine that after the meal that they’d just had, and the way Jesus is talking now, something is going to happen soon.
As they are walking, Jesus is using the scenery around them to make his analogy.
Jesus=Vine
God=Gardner
So far from Jesus’ monologue here, we know that God does some sort of pruning to the branches that bear fruit. Every branch that does not bear fruit, the gardner cuts off. He does not allow it to be a part of the vine.
In verse four, the analogy begins to make sense to the disciples.
If you remain in Jesus then he will remain in you. If you do not remain in Jesus you are like a branch that that is alone and can’t bear fruit. You can only bear fruit if you remain in Jesus.
First of all, who is Jesus talking to? He’s talking to his disciples. These words are meant for those of us who are striving to be closer to Jesus. For those of us who are wanting to devote our life to being a follower of Christ. If someone is claiming to be a disciple of Jesus and but does not want to remain in Him, he is like a branch that is not connected to the vine.
Someone cannot say, “I am a Christian,” then have a home life, where Christ is absent.
Someone cannot say, “I am a Christian,” then the life they live is contrary to the life of Jesus.
Someone cannot say, “I am a Christian,” then expect everything to be alright in their life and expect God to do everything for them, when in reality that person is doing nothing for Christ.
A Christian is someone who is in absolute need of Christ. Do you need Him? Or could you get by without Him? Is the life of Christ, his ministry, his miracles, his words, are they a necessity for you?
Thats what it is to need Jesus.
The question we have to stop and ask is “Are we connected with Jesus?”
Trying to solve the problems of life on our own, only leads to disappointment.
Trying to find emotional contentment apart from Jesus only leads to abandonment and disillusion.
Trying to be pretend our way through life as if everything is alright, only leads toward depression.
Are you connected with Jesus?
So, to state the obvious, the disciple of Jesus wants to remain in Jesus.
John 15:9-17
There is a certain process that happens as we read through this section.
Working from the assumption that those who want to be disciples of Jesus want to remain in him, look back at the passage with me.
v.9 Jesus asks the disciple to remain in his love. —> How?
v.10. Obey my commands —> What is your command?
vv.12-14 My command is to love one another.
v.17 Jesus summarizes it again. To love one another.
How do we know if we remain in Jesus? If we care for one another. A part of being a Christian is to love other. When asked what the two most important commands were, he boiled the whole law down to two. Love God, and love others.
Don't stop reading John here, keep reading the rest of John 15 as it turns into John 16.
See you tomorrow...
Today's Contributing Author: Roger Burns
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