4 responses to the call to abide in Christ
I. Rejoice that Jesus Is the True Vine
A. Jesus is the true substance that the Old Testament points to
John 15:1 - I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
Isaiah 5:1-3, 7 - Let me sing now for my well-beloved a song of my beloved concerning His vineyard. My well-beloved had a vineyard on a fertile hill. He dug it all around, removed its stones, and planted it with the choicest vine. And He built a tower in the middle of it and also hewed out a wine vat in it; Then He expected it to produce good grapes, but it produced only worthless ones…For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel and the men of Judah His delightful plant. Thus He looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; For righteousness, but behold, a cry of distress.
Psalm 80:14-19 - O God of hosts, turn again now, we beseech You; Look down from heaven and see, and take care of this vine, even the shoot which Your right hand has planted, and on the son whom You have strengthened for Yourself. It is burned with fire, it is cut down; They perish at the rebuke of Your countenance. Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand, upon the son of man whom You made strong for Yourself. Then we shall not turn back from You; Revive us, and we will call upon Your name. O Lord God of hosts, restore us; Cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved.
“The real people of God are those who are branches in the true vine: this is what chapter 15 tells us. Just as Jesus’ body is the true temple (John 2), and he is the true bread from heaven (John 6), the water that truly quenches thirst (John 4), the good shepherd (John 10), and the life which resurrects men from the dead (John 11), so is he the true vine. All of the shadows of the Old Testament disappear in the light of his substance (compare Col. 2:17).” (Carson, D. A. 1988.The Farewell Discourse and Final Prayer of Jesus: An Exposition of John 14-17, p. 91. Baker Book House)
Colossians 2:17 - …things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.
B. The Father prunes so that the Son would be glorified by our fruit
John 15:2 - Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.
C. Jesus truly is life giving
John 15:3-4 - You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.
II. Understand the Mark of a True Disciple
A. A genuine disciple is in dependent union with Christ
John 15:5-8 - I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.
Psalm 1:1-3 - How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.
B. A genuine disciple bears fruit
John 15:7-8 - If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.
John 8:31 - So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine…”
1 John 2:19 - They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us.
III. Embrace the Fullness of Joy in Jesus
A. Joy from the very love of the Father and Son
John 15:9-11 - Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.
B. Joy of obedience
John 15:10 - 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.
C. The full joy of Christ in us
John 15:11 - These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.
Psalm 16:11 - You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.
IV. Bear Fruit as Friends of Christ
A. Fruit that excels at Christ-centered love
John 15:12-13 - This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.
B. Fruit that is based on intimate friendship with Christ
John 15:14-15 - You are My friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.
C. Fruit that remains based on the sovereign plan of God
John 15:16 - You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.
John 13:34-35 - A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
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