John 15
http://frescohealth.com/cbd-concentrated-oil/ Bonnie’s Notes on Dr. Dave’s Comments — John 15
The place is the Garden of Gethsemane near the Mount of Olives just before the crucifixion. The seventh “I AM” of John’s Gospel is proclaimed.
Morris says, this is the last one, asserting His deity and His ability to save and reign. The others are as follows: (1) “the bread of life” — 6:36; (2) “the light of the world” — 8:12; (3) “the door” — 10:9; (4) “the good shepherd” — 10:11; (5) “the resurrection and the life” — 11:25; (6) “the way, the truth, and the life” — 14:6; (7) “the true vine” — 15:1. As the seven “I AM” statements affirm His deity, the seven “signs” (see 20:30-31) confirm it.
Is. 5:1-7. The vine is in the vineyard. The vineyard is God’s people, the Israelites. The wild grapes that came up were not the right fruit. Other fruits corrupted the vineyard such as false religions and rebellion against the Lord. Check out Matt. 21:33-44 , the story of the wicked husbandman. The vines were Israel at first, but the Gentiles will be grafted in as well. Also look at Ps. 80:14-19, a Messianic prophecy. Difficult times will come to the people in the future. They must look to God for deliverance.
v. 1, 2 — There are two kinds of fruit from the Christian. There is the fruit of the Spirit which is internal growth and then reproduction.
This portion of Scripture is mostly concerned with the reproduction of ourselves, thereby teaching others to repent and get saved. The Father is the husbandman. He owns and cares for the vineyard. Never was any landowner so wise, watchful and caring about his vineyard than God. He’s involved through Christ. Every branch is a “lost person.” The unfruitful branches are purged (cut out). This can enable the fruitful branches to bear more fruit. Pruning is done on trees to open up the branches so there is not too much foliage. Then the air and light can get to the fruit to make it good. After pruning, the branch will produce more fruit. A branch with no fruit production may be indicative of some kind of problem such as disease or death. It is removed to allow those that do produce to have even more fruit. The “religious lost” person who thinks he is a Christian will not bear fruit and will be purged (separated out at judgment). An unfruitful branch is useless to the husbandman and will be destroyed.
v. 3 — The Word of God cleanses. We can also see the primacy of God’s Word in Eph. 5:26 and Ps. 119:9.
v. 4 — What does this command, “to abide in Him,” mean? It is accomplished through Bible reading, prayer, communion with the Lord even in our daily business and dealings with people. Ps. 1:2 — “But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night.” There is a form of meditation that is Biblical. In Eastern religions, meditation is to empty oneself and be open to spiritual habitation. That is very dangerous! Demons are just waiting for opportunities to influence people. Things like Yoga, journaling, mystic practices, using drugs or alcohol, visions, fortunetelling, Ouija boards etc. are common ways demons can get a hold on an individual. In Christian practice, meditating is thinking on God’s Word and being filled with His presence. Thinking about what the Word teaches and understanding how to use it in a practical sense is important to our spiritual growth. Think! Don’t empty your mind, but fill it with knowledge and wisdom!
Clearly, a branch separated from the vine will die and no longer produce fruit. It’s important to hold fast to the truth the Lord gives us. Keep studying the Word, praying, learning, and witnessing.
v. 5 — Depending on the Lord and getting away from self is very important. His help is the only way to have real spiritual fruit. We want to do things ourselves. We get little or no credit for that anyway. To share in the Lord’s work and watch Him do things in our lives is so much more edifying. This is a powerful and difficult teaching because we SLIP every day! Abiding will bring much more fruit and much more glory to the Lord.
Sometimes abiding is waiting. We humans are impatient creatures, too. Answers don’t always come right when we expect them. The Lord has His own timetable and we certainly want to be in sync with Him.
v. 6 — There is more at stake than just losing rewards when the Lord is rejected. It results in everlasting punishment and fire. John the Baptist preached like this. See Matt. 3:7-10 (also Luke 3) and the Sermon on the Mount, Matt. 7:15-20. Corrupt trees produce evil fruit and good trees produce good fruit. The same language is employed in each case. Therefore this passage is talking about lost people being cast into the fire – it is NOT about a loss of rewards for weak Christians, as many preachers would claim. There are only two types of people in Scripture: saved and serving the Lord, bearing fruit AND lost, living for the world, and headed for hell. See Gal 5:19-25 and Rom 8:1-10 for a clear exposition of the two types. Many preachers whose ministries produce false converts would claim a third type: saved, but living for the devil. Scripture does not know of this type.
A Christian that speaks to one who is willing to hear the Gospel and repent can produce another Christian. Some produce more than others, but we should all try.
1. Prov. 11:30 — He that “winneth souls is wise.” Spiritual children can produce fruit of their own. Fruit has a potential for producing another tree (bearing seed) which in turn produces more fruit.
2. Ps. 126:5,6 — Here is a promise. If we care enough for souls, we can reap a harvest.
3. Jn. 4:35,36 — Sowing and reaping and rejoicing together is a real picture of team work. There may be multiple sowers and thus many surprises along the road or when we get to heaven.
4. Matt. 13:23 — Having the Word and understanding it yields fruit. Some bring forth more than others. The amount may be up to us, depending upon how much we abide in Him.
5. Gal. 5:22,23 — These well known verses list the fruit of the believer. Each Christian can grow in his attributes and thereby produce good fruit. We are to cultivate these qualities with persistence.
v. 7 — Check out John 14:13 also. Think of the story of the unjust judge. The way to get prayers answered is to keep working and keep asking. As the believer is conformed more to the Master, the prayer life is more conformed to His will. Abiding and keeping close to the Lord is the way to have a productive prayer life.
v. 8 — How do we glorify God? Bear fruit! Disciples show evidence of belonging to Christ by following His example and being involved in the Great Commission. Giving to missions is good, but every believer should be involved in the Great Commission in his own neighborhood. Bearing fruit is discipleship fulfilled. It creates more believers and glorifies God.
v. 9,10 — He established the pattern to be followed. This continuing in His love is the same as abiding in Him. We live in His love, continue in it, allow it to flow through us to others, and bear fruit. They abide in Christ, too, and let it flow onward and more fruit is produced.
v. 11 — Who isn’t looking for joy? Happiness is more dependent on circumstances. Can a Chinese Christian in prison experience joy? Yes. God is not constrained by physical conditions. They can still pray and be involved in His work where they are. Some of the pastors we have read about, that were in prison, got the worst jobs, but they did their best and worked at helping others as much as they were able. Some of the greatest revivals have started in Communist prisons. So how do we obtain joy? By abiding in His love and keeping His commandments. Do things His way for them to be successful.
Being fruitful produces joy. See 2 John 4; 3 John 4; Phil 4:1; 1 Thess. 2:19-20. The best kind of joy is in leading someone to Christ and watching them grow.
v. 12 — He’s already stated the first commandment — to love God. Here is another one — to love others as He did (in like manner). There is no limit to loving Him and working for Him.
v. 13 — This is an heroic illustration that even the world recognizes as the ultimate gift. Jesus is now within hours of the cross to lay down His life for others.
v. 14 — This is more than masses of people agreeing on a few fundamentals that they all embrace while having disagreements about other areas. Here Jesus says do “whatsoever” He did. Look at Ps. 119:128. The Psalmist says to esteem all of the Lord’s precepts. We are not allowed to pick and choose!
Servants do not have many rights and privileges, but to be elevated to friend status means to be on the same social plane as the Lord. To be a joint heir means equal sharing. We still serve the Lord but our future is secure and wondrous. We have no idea what great things await us in heaven!
v. 15 — Christianity is knowledge based on a friendship level. Servants obey without necessarily knowing why they are doing what they are told. Friends and coworkers laboring together, know why and what the big picture is. Scripture is given to instruct us in every important aspect of life, especially in the Lord’s service.
v. 16 — The phrase “ordained you” means commissioned, sent forth, established, a pronouncement made upon what to do. He’s talking to the 11 disciples. Since they reproduce others (also disciples), it applies to us, too. Matthew 28:18-20 is “recursive” – each generation teaches the next “all things”, a pattern that has gone on for 2000 years now. All of those who are chosen for a particular work continue in the commission through time. In Romans 8, the thought starts in verse 16 and on to the end of the chapter. The connecting words like “for,” “and,” “because,” and “moreover,” beg the reader to look back for context and to continue until the entire thought is fully revealed. (Paul often writes in long complex sentences. Perhaps it was because he wanted people to get the full context. It’s dangerous to take a small portion of Scripture out of context without checking all around it to get the entire meaning.) In verse 29 and on, the word “predestinate” means believers will be conformed to the image of Christ. It is connected to the words that follow it which explain the meaning.
Check out Eph. 2:8-10. “Ordained” has an object after it telling us what to do — walk in the good works that show we have been regenerated by God.
Ephesians 1:4 is a favorite passage for the Calvinists. The phraseology is important. He hath chosen us . . . “that we should be” and then tells us what we are chosen for: to be holy and blameless in love. There is no period after chosen. Every individual on earth can become chosen of God and all in the same way — repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. For those that do repent, God has chosen for them all sorts of privileges, blessings, and responsibilities. Never in Scripture do we find that God has chosen or predestinated particular souls for heaven and others for hell. He desires ALL to come to repentance and chooses those that do to be part of His family and enjoy a great inheritance.
Ephesians 1:11,13 tells us again that the predestinating is to conform the believer into the image of Christ.
Take 1 Peter 1:2 for another example. We are “elected” unto obedience to Christ and the book is written to Christians. God’s foreknowledge is that when someone becomes a believer, he/she will undergo the processes that will conform them (elected) to become a disciple that follows Christ’s commandments. Take the simplest interpretation and remember that Scripture defines itself.
v. 17 — Repetition of a thought or command means it is important. The believer should take careful note of what is repeated.
v. 18 — This is a good test. Does the world hate you? Have you experienced it in your Christian walk? (Granted, overt hatred in America is not what it is in other countries, but if you continue to give the Biblical Gospel and preach/teach the exclusivity of Christ, you will get resistance). Don’t abuse this prediction or boast of it or feel proud about it. It’s simply a fact of life.
v. 19 — This is primarily directed at the 11 who Jesus chose to train while He was here. The underlying principle stands and that is that the world hated Christ and they will hate any who belong to Him also.
v. 20 — Jesus promises a blessing (Matt. 5) on those persecuted. Every Christian shall have some persecution. If you aren’t having any, you had better examine yourself. Maybe you aren’t out doing what you should.
v. 21 — The differences between unbelievers and true believers have been evidenced all through history. Persecutors do not know Him, therefore, persecutors cannot be Christians. Both Calvin and Luther were persecutors. When Paul changed, did he switch and persecute Jews and unbelievers? No, of course not. He preached to them and tried to persuade them. Forcing religion is not God’s way. Even our own colonies persecuted others and tried to force church attendance.
v. 22 — Accountability increases with knowledge. This doesn’t mean they weren’t sinners, but now they know more and all are without excuse. The Messiah showed Himself to them. Perhaps God hardened the Jews’ attitude toward Rome (like Pharaoh was hardened – namely, God gave him additional courage to continue on the path that Pharaoh wanted anyway) so that they would be judged and destroyed by Rome later.
v. 25 — Ps. 69:4, a Messianic Psalm, was referred to by Jesus when He went to the temple the first time (4,7-9) and turned the tables. Looking at Psalm 109:3-6,8; we see a reference to enemies in verse 3, prayer in the garden in verse 4, Judas’ betrayal in verse 5, and Satan using Judas in verse 6. There is a prediction of Judas’ replacement in verse 8. Peter decided to take that task on himself rather than waiting for Paul. Scripture is pretty clear that the Lord’s choice was Paul and that He had a very specific ministry in mind for him to take the Gospel to the Gentiles.
v. 26,27 — The Holy Spirit’s function is also cited in John 14:26. How does the Spirit testify of Him? The work of the Holy Spirit is clearly shown in Acts as the Great Commission is carried out. When a believer “preaches” (gives the Gospel), the Holy Spirit testifies to the hearer that he is hearing the truth. God does His part, but depends on us doing our part. Do we care enough to do our part?
In Luke 24, the Lord is with His disciples eating and drinking after the resurrection. He travels with the two on the road to Emmaus. In verse 44, He tells about how all things must be fulfilled concerning Him. That would include the future second coming and the end times. He is with us through the presence of the Holy Spirit. His disciples had been with Him personally and offer first hand testimony. Hundreds of witnesses saw the resurrected Lord.
The Word testifies of Him. Think about it — a book written by over 50 authors over a period of 4,000 years that explains the past, tells the future, gives the way of salvation to any that wants it. This book was written by men with the inspiration and help of the Holy Spirit. Even though Paul was not one of the original twelve, he saw the Lord on the road to Damascus. He was personally instructed by Him for three years in the desert before starting his ministry. There is more than enough proof of the truth of the Scriptural record to anyone who is open to hear it.
~~~Bonnie