February 25, 2002
LifeWay Family Bible Series for March 10
Jesus taught, encouraged disciples to the end
___John 15:1-17
___By Barbara Kent
___University Baptist Church, Fort Worth
___What do you say to the people you love if you know you are going to leave them? In the last hours before his death, Jesus spoke to his disciples with words of warning, encouragement and command. Perhaps in no other way could Jesus have shown his concern for those closest to him than by giving them detailed instruction on what it was going to mean to be his follower after his death.
___Words to leave by
___Jesus reminded them of who he was, of his true nature. "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener" (v. 1). He reaffirmed his relationship with the Father. He also affirmed his relationship to the disciples.
___Disciples who bore no fruit were in danger of being cut off. Disciples who did bear fruit would be cultivated, cared for, nurtured so they would be able to bear even more fruit (v. 2).
___Jesus affirmed those with him by saying that by accepting him and his teachings, they had already been pruned (cleansed) (v. 3).
___Remember, Judas apparently still was with the group at this time. These words may have been a warning to him. Jesus had told them earlier (14:20) he was going away. Those who had accepted the teaching of Jesus did not need pruning, so perhaps Jesus was offering Judas one last opportunity accept him. Regardless, it stands as a warning that failure to accept Jesus and his teaching is serious.
___Along with these ominous-sounding words, Jesus spoke words of profound encouragement. He encouraged his followers to remain in him, thus assuring them he would remain in them, enabling them to be and do all they should. Once again, he emphasized his relationship to them and theirs to him (v. 4-7). By bearing fruit, by doing the things he did, they would demonstrate they were his disciples and bring glory to the Father (v. 8).
___Words to live by
___"I love you! In the same way the Father has loved me, so I love you! Stay in my love, don't leave it" (v. 9). "Obeying all that I have taught you will keep our relationship secure" (v. 10). Was Jesus just speaking as a hard taskmaster? No, he was trying to ensure that they would be able to experience the joy of knowing his love to the fullest. What greater message of hope and encouragement could anyone have?
___But there was more. Jesus gave them one more commandment to keep in addition to those he had given them before. This one may have been the most demanding. It was simple: Love one another. In fact, they were to love each other in the same way he had loved them.
___Can't you hear their minds working: "What does he mean? Of course, we love each other." The disciples could not grasp what was ahead for Jesus and for themselves. However, they would have opportunity in the coming days to understand what loving Jesus and loving each other would mean.
___Jesus was about to lay down his life for them and, incidentally, for us, and they would be called on to do the same for him and perhaps for each other. Loving Jesus had been easy until now. That love was about to be challenged to move to a different level.
___A different level of relationship
___Jesus was giving his disciples a crash course on what was coming. He quietly but definitely moved them to a new level of relationship when he said to them, "I no longer call you servants ... I have called you friends" (v. 15). Friends were privy to the deepest secrets of their master's business. Jesus had taught them everything he had learned from his Father (v. 15). He was passing to them the responsibility for continuing the work he had begun. They were chosen by him. They were appointed by him to do so. They were to bear fruit, to be and do all he had taught them.
___Could they do it? Yes, because they would have help. Jesus said the Father would give them whatever they asked in his name. And to underscore the nature of the relationship, he said again, "Love each other" (v. 17).
___What does it mean?
___Abiding in Christ is a phrase most of us seldom use and rarely, if ever, think about. We glibly profess to abide in him, but what does that mean? This passage deftly moves our understanding to a level where we are not comfortable.
___We sometimes sing, "What a Friend We Have in Jesus." We forget he calls us to be his friends and to love each other. Being his friend is more than just smiling and giving lip service to being his disciple. It means we must stand ready to lay down our lives for him and for those who know him as we do. This is the difference between being a slave and being a friend. Slaves give obedience. Friends are called on to do far more.
___Imagine, if you will, being in that room with Jesus on that occasion. Imagine hearing him speak these words to you, for in fact that is what he is doing. How will you respond to his tender and poignant words of love?
___Question for discussion
___
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