Abide (Part 1)
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Pray
Lord, in your mercy would you teach us what it means to abide in you. As we seek to follow you through each day of our lives moment by moment. Guide us towards you. Welcome us in the intimacy of your loving embrace. Transform us in the renewal of our minds and draw us ever closer to you in utter dependence and reliance. We need you, forgive our self-reliance. Amen.
Introduction
While at Moody Bible Institute I took a class on spiritual formation. In this class we were instructed for an assignment to write letters to men and women who had been instrumental in our faith journey thanking them for their investment in us. As I thought about it, at first I was at a loss for who might possibly have impacted me positively in discipleship. But as I considered and prayed about it, I thought of a couple men who fit the bill and wrote letters to them. As I wrote down their names, one by one, and thanked them the softer my heart became as I realized the number of people who had faithfully followed God and taught me how to follow Jesus through some of the hardest times of my life up to that point.
As God worked through the endeavor, more and more could I see his hand in placing these people in my life and it shouted his faithfulness in my life. Behind every faithful man and woman of God was a faithful God orchestrating the course of my life in his sovereignty.
These were wonderful men and women, but it was God acting through them. This faithfulness of God has been one of the most impactful attributes of God in my life and it is one that I struggled with often. It compels me and convicts me to live for him, but there are times that I doubt it. Even still, he is faithful.
In the face of life’s challenges, who do we look to for life? What is it that we return to time and time again in amid the hardship of life?
Transition: I believe the greatest answer we could ever find, is Jesus himself, and he gives us words of truth and hope in John 15:1-17.
Passage
1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 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. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
Context
This begins what might be considered the latter half of Jesus’ farewell discourse in John’s Gospel. Jesus is preparing his disciples for his betrayal, death, resurrection, and ascension.
Farewell Discourse
Pt 1 Jn 13:31-4:31
Pt 2 Jn 15:1-16:33
Also, this is the last of the seven “I Am” Statements in John’s Gospel.
1) I am the Bread of Life (John 6:35)
2) I am the light of the world (Jn 8:12)
3) Before Abraham was I am (John 8:58)
4) I am the good shepherd (Jn 10:11,14) I am the door of the sheep (Jn 10:7,9)
5) I am the resurrection and the life (Jn 11:25)
6) I am the way, and the truth, and the life (Jn 14:6)
7) I am the true vine (John 15:1,5)
Purpose: John 20:31
31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Transition: Now let us turn to the very words of Jesus who illumines who he is and who we are to be in light of this.
vv. 1-11 The Masal/Parable of the Vine
1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 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. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
v. 1
I am the true vine
This true vine needs to be observed in light of Israel being referred as a vine in the OT. Yet whenever it was referred to as a vine it was in the context of punishment, sometimes for their express lack of bearing fruit.
Yet in this context, Jesus is the “true” vine and the true and better Israel. Where Israel wavered and was faithless, Jesus steadily fulfilled his purpose on earth obediently to the death.
Furthermore, Jesus was the true life to the original context and to ours. Any other philosophical ideology or methodology that does not place Christ as the center is “false”. For there is only one true vine.
There is no end to redefining truth in our age. We find that culture is content to reject reality and thereby substitute their own that does not conform to the true vine.
my father is the vinedresser
This is the only I am statement that is followed up with information about God the father’s role. Yet it will become clear as we continue that as Jesus responds to the father, we are to respond to Jesus.
vineyards
To the original readers culturally and geographically, vineyards were common and well understood. Further, they were regularly used in the OT and in contemporary literature to refer to vitality and fruitfulness.
It would be like someone mentioning “truman” here in Kirksville. It does not need a lot of explanation its generally understood what is meant.
vinedresser
What does a vinedresser do? the answer is found in v. 2
v. 2 What the vinedresser does
The cuts away every branch that does not bear fruit
This appears to be apostate Christians, to the original readers it would likely have been challenging not to think of Judas and his betrayal of Jesus. Although he appeared to be a disciple, it became clear that he was not.
“But the latter view, that these dead branches are apostate Christians, must confront the strong evidence within John that true disciples are preserved to the end (e.g. notes on 6:37–40; 10:28).”[1]
37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
prunes every branch that it may bear more fruit
the second thing the vinedresser does is to prune that the branch bear more fruit
“Fruitfulness is an infallible mark of true Christianity; the alternative is dead wood…”[2] D.A. Carson
To be clear here, the fruit is not held to the standard of how pretty it is or anything else of the like. Rather, any fruit means any. It does not matter how misshapen the fruit is or imperfect, the evidence of fruit from Jesus can only be produced by the true vine, who is Jesus.
Illustration: I knew someone who grew some grapes and he maximized the space and grew as many as he could, but they were small and puny. But he learned that you have to make space for the grapes to grow large and plump by pruning some of them.
So what in your life needs to be pruned by the heavenly gardener? Is there something in your life that is not finding life in Jesus but you are still holding on to? Are you clinging to something that does find its life in the true vine? God the father will be faithful to prune, will you be a faithful branch this week?
v. 3
v. 4 Here we are introduced to a cascade of “abide”s
First, abide in me (Jesus) as I abide in you
It is impossible to bear fruit without the life of the vine pulsating through it
Your life will not bear fruit except by you being in the presence of Jesus
Have you been in his presence lately? Are you expected fruit without abiding in the true vine?
v. 5 is a reiteration of vv. 1
but this time, Jesus is the vine and we are the branches
No life comes to the branches that does not come first from the life of the vine
v. 6 a dire contrast is presented
for the branches that do not abide, they wither die and are thrown into the fire because they are useless
Their death seems to be a chosen one as they choose not to abide in the life of the vine
This could be referring to Judas, the final judgment of fire, or apostate Christians who go out from church communities and lead others away from Christ.
v. 7 ask and it will be done
when we abide we will be transformed by our nearness to Jesus and our will begins to submit and conform to his own
God the father cares for our needs and wants to meet them
Do you want God to answer your prayer favorably? First ask the question, “am I abiding in him?” this question will inform the second.
v. 8 God is glorified by our fruit
We bring glory to God when we abide and thereby bear fruit
this fruit is proof of being a disciple of Jesus
v. 9 As the Father has loved Jesus, He loves us you
What love does the father have for God the son? It is total, complete, eternal, unending, and immutable. This same love Jesus has for us. That gets me excited, that gets me out of bed in the morning. That energized during my study this week.
Jesus never calls us to follow where he himself has not first led. As he loves, so are we to love.
1 John 4:19 “19 We love because he first loved us.”
In this love we are to abide.
v. 10 by obeying we abide
obedience is the mark of remaining in his love
Those who are loved obey
and we does this just as Jesus has perfectly obeyed the will of God the father to drink the dregs of the cross.
Again, there is no place Jesus calls his disciples too that he has not already gone.
v. 11
the joy of Christ is found when we are found in him and when we are in him we obey and relish his joy in us
I don’t know who among us needs to hear these words this morning but hear now, “Jesus delights in you.”
Transition: we will now look at the what obeying and abiding in Christ looks like.
vv. 12-17 Love one another
v. 12 and v. 17 form an inclusio, thus being bookends communicating the same thing
Love one another as I have loved you!
As God loves us, so too are we to love each other
v. 13
1 John 3:16 “16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.”
The Jungle Book
Have you ever seen the original Jungle Book? It is a story of a boy named Mowgli who was raised by wolves and has a rather peaceful existence until his life threatened by the evil tiger Shere Khan. His wolf family implores him to return to the Man village gets to know a number of animals, King Louie the orangutan, Bagheera the panther, and Balloo the bear. As the story goes on the conflict finally reaches its height as Shere Khan has Mowgli, the bridge between humanity and animals in his clutches, but his friend Balloo swoops in to save him. In time and a comical conflict Shere Khan the tiger is defeated and it seems they have won. That is until Mowgli and Bagheera realize that Balloo died in the fight. As they mourn over their loss Bagheera laments these words, “Greater love hath no one than he who lays down his life for his friend."
The words of John 15:3 found there way into this disney movie. They shortly thereafter realized that Balloo was not dead after all and they rejoice mightily.
But wait a second, where could they have gotten this concept from that one dies for his friends, thus showing the greatest love. Well the story of Jesus, being the bridge between heaven and earth, God the son died one the cross for our sin although he never deserved showing this greatest love. And for those that have their faith in Him, we have this same command, to love one another as he has loved us, because there is no greater love than his.
Plato stated “Only those who love wish to die for others” (Symposium, 179B).[3]
v. 14
The evidence of being a friend of God is obedience to his commands. And what are his commands? that we love one another. Does he ask us to do this with this cold calculating distance theorizing what might be best for humanity? NO! He does this being our life as the vine is to the branches pouring forth his love to us thereby compelling us to move forth in this love. If we are to love others it is no less than Jesus himself offers us. He demands what he also offers, he fills our lives and our souls with his love and he says, “give this love away.”
v. 15
no longer are we called servants but friends of God. He has revealed to us what God the father has shared to him
Friends of Jesus are the objects of his love and obey him
Jesus is interested in his disciples knowing his heart. He does not just say “because” when he gives us a command but informs and shares privileged information.
v. 16
Hear me now, if you are in Christ, it is because Christ chose you. Some followers of Jesus listening to him at that time and today believe it is because of some merit on our own. But Jesus swiftly dispels this notion. It is God who acts and we who respond.
The “so that” point to the fruit bringing confidence that what we ask of the Father he will give to us
And the fruit that has been historically understood here is new converts. Those who have not believed and now do.
“Such praying receives the anticipated results not because of the petitioner’s worthiness but because of the intimate relationship of the petitioner to Jesus.”[4]
v. 17 lastly we are told we given the 2nd bookend end of the inclusio offered in v. 12, this is all commanded to us that we love one another.
He knew how it is to fall into embittered disputes with others let alone our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Transition: Let us now consider some ways in which we might apply this to our lives.
Application
Abide in Christ like your very life depends on it. I don’t know where you are right now, but hear Christ’s call on your life and abide in him! Perhaps you are contemplating giving up your faith. Maybe you’re disenchanted with the hardship of following Christ. Or maybe you have never put your faith in Jesus and been united to him. But I implore you, there are no other options. There are no other alternatives to the life he offers. He is the way, the truth, and the life. He is the true vine.
Apply 2
Apply 3
Conclusion
Recap
Who here has a smartphone?
Pray
Benediction
5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Small Group Questions
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[1] D. A. Carson, The Gospel according to John, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans, 1991), 515.
[2] D. A. Carson, The Gospel according to John, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans, 1991), 515.
[3]George R. Beasley-Murray, John, vol. 36, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1999), 274.
[4]Gerald L. Borchert, John 12–21, vol. 25B, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2002), 151.