John Chapter 15
The setting for this chapter is somewhere along the way to the Garden of Gethsemane.
Perhaps Jesus stopped at a vineyard terraced along the hillside at one of the wealthy homes along the way, and compared His relationship to His followers to that of a vine and its branches, to assure them of a productive and gratifying life.
Read Verses 1-2
A thing can be true if it is against any error or falsehood.
Something that is true is genuine, not counterfeit.
Jesus is genuine, not counterfeit.
The disciples had Jewish concepts, and their thoughts were governed by the laws of the Old Testament.
Jesus is telling His disciples that the nation of Israel is not the genuine vine, He is!
The branches must be joined to the Vine for the purpose of fruit bearing.
Fruit is mentioned 6 times in the first 10 verses of John Chapter 15.
Remember that the number 6 is the number for man.
Man must be the fruit bearer.
Read verses 3-4
We are cleansed through the Word!
This purging is accomplished by the Word of God and is the only true washday miracle.
I Peter 1:22 “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth…”
We were born again by the Word, we were washed from our sins by the Word, then after we’re born again we get dirty, and we need the Word of God to cleanse us daily, because God uses the Word to reveal to us when we’re not walking according to His will.
“No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain (abide) in the vine” (verse 4).
To abide in Christ is to be in constant communion with Christ.
Read verses 5-11
Because we have been given free will by God Himself, we can break fellowship with God by allowing sin in our life.
God wants us to abide (remain in Him), so we can bring forth much fruit.
Abiding is a continuing communion.
If you have an apple tree you don’t have to say to the branches that they should abide in the tree, the branches automatically abide and they bear fruit.
Many Christians think they can live like the Devil all week and serve the Lord on Sunday.
At our church, I like to say that every member we have is an active member: some are active for the Lord and some are active for the devil!
What Jesus is saying to us is that kind of living won’t work; when you wake up in the morning, are driving your car, at the grocery store, or at church, you are to be in constant communion.
Read verses 12-17
The Christian life is not a hit-and-miss proposition!
The Christian life is following the instructions of God, and His instructions are clear.
If you follow His instructions you will bear much fruit.
Notice verse 16: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.”
That’s the Doctrine of Election.
Remember God searched out Abraham to reveal His plan to Abraham.
God chose you and me to become Christians, therefore we are His responsibility.
Folks, that’s trust!
A preacher who had been guilty of stealing before he got saved and called by God to preach the Gospel passed a hen house on his way home from church one night.
It was a great temptation for him, but he stopped and prayed this prayer: “Lord, your property is in danger, and I don’t mean the chickens.”
He called upon the Lord to help him in the taking away of the temptation to steal again.
Read verses 18-27
Notice what will happen to you if you are a child of God.
The world will hate you!
In most cases a Christian is not the most popular person in the world.
The world will love you only if you are a part of the world.
Unfortunately, there are folks in the church today who are not honestly born again, and they will also hate you if you’re a child of God.
Verse 23 is an important verse.
The world does not hate the idea of God, because most of the world agrees that God is the great being of creation.
The cult religions for the most part recognize that God is the God of creation.
What the world hates is Christ, and Jesus says when a person hates Him, he or she hates God the Father also.
You can say that you believe in God and you will be popular, but the real test is your personal relationship and your heart attitude toward Jesus Christ.
If the Lord Jesus is real in you, that’s the work of the Holy Spirit.
I think that the best way to tell whether the Spirit of God is working in you is whether or not Christ is being glorified in your day-by-day activities and circumstances.
If the Lord Jesus is not as real in your life as you would like for Him to be, then ask the Spirit of God to do a miracle work in your heart.
Jesus told His disciples that they would bear witness to Him, and they certainly did that.
For Christianity to have its beginnings, only the disciples could bear witness because they were the ones who were with Christ from the beginning.
By our virtue of our connection with Jesus, we can expect the best out of life, for fruitful living is peaceful living, joyful living and lovingly living.
Do you have that constant connection with Christ which allows you to live in such a way?
You can by living dependently upon Him and living obediently to Him!
May the Lord Jesus richly bless you as you continue reading this Bible study series.
Rev. Jimmy Davis
Bayview Baptist Church
5300 Two Notch Road
Columbia, SC 29204
Telephone: 803-754-8690
Email: BayviewBaptist@aol.com
