Lesson #26

JOHN 15
Lesson #26
THE NATURE OF AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST

• Memory verse: Joh 15:8

• After the last Passover with His disciples, Jesus continues His final teaching of the 11 disciples in chapter 15. As they walk from Jerusalem to the Garden of Gethsemane, they pass through the beautiful gates of Herod’s temple.
• These gates were made in Greece of bronze and on the surface was a golden vine in relief. This vine symbolically represented the nation of Israel. (Psa 80:8-9)
• As they walked toward the Mount of Olives they passed a vineyard in the Kidron Valley. The harvest would have just been completed. It is probably this vineyard that prompted Jesus teaching at the beginning of chapter 15.
• Background on grapes and vineyards:
• Because grapes are the most commonly grown fruit throughout the world, they provide a universal example of the believer’s relationship with Christ.
• Some relevant truths about grape vines:
• The quality of the vine is only as good as the root stock from which it grows.
• A good root stock is able to produce grapes for 100 years.
• Individual branches are grafted into a healthy root stock.
• Grapevines require much care and pruning to produce well.
• New vines are pruned from 3 to 5 years to train them before they are allowed to produce.

• Read Joh 15:1-8 The vine and the branches
• Through a metaphor, Jesus demonstrates his relationship between Himself and his believers and how this relationship is supposed to work to glorify God.
• Identification of symbols and the Old Testament sources for their interpretation:
• The vine = Israel
• Read Psa 80:8-9
• Read Isa 5:1-7 (Eze 15 Eze 17:5-10 Eze 19:10-14 Hos 14:7)
• Isaiah’s symbolism:

• “…gathered out the stones…”

(Isa 5:2)

• God helped Israel defeat their enemies and remove them from the promised land.
• “…planted it with the choicest vine…”

(Isa 5:2)

• God placed the bloodline of Christ in Israel.
• “…built a tower in the midst of it…”

(Isa 5:2)

• Israel was to be a guardian of the Word of God so as to be a light to the Gentiles.
• “…made a winepress therein…”

(Isa 5:2)

• God placed the cross of Calvary in Israel where sin was judged.
• “…it brought forth wild grapes.”

(Isa 5:2)

• These are small berries that are hard and sour. This is the fruit of Judaism.
• “…I will take away the hedge…”

(Isa 5:5)

• God removed His hand of protection from Israel.
• “…it shall be trodden down:”

(Isa 5:5)

• Israel would be overrun by enemies.
• “…there shall come up briers and thorns:…”

(Isa 5:6)

• Israel’s religion would be burdensome and empty.
• “…no rain upon it.”

(Isa 5:6)

• Judaism and Israel would have no outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
• Jesus identifies Himself as the true vine by using the seventh major “I am” statement.(1)
• The word, “true”, is used as opposed to something counterfeit.
• Jesus identifies the husbandman as God, the Father. (1)
• The husbandman was one who took care of vines in a vineyard like a farmer.
• God took care of Jesus, the true vine, during his earthly ministry.
• Read Isa 53:2
• The branches = followers of God.
• The fruit = the results of a life truly committed to God.
• “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away…”

(2)

• The little phrase “in me” represents the close, intimate relationship between the believer and the Lord Jesus Christ.
• The Holy Spirit places the believer into the kingdom of God when that person becomes born again. This is the baptism of repentance about which John the Baptist spoke.
• The fruit of a life truly committed to God:
• Fruit is the outward manifestation of the inner spiritual life.
• The Bible speaks of two basic types of fruit:
• #1 = other souls brought into the kingdom of God through the believer’s testimony.
• #2 = character development that occurs in the believer through the process of sanctification, which is a process of maturing as a believer in Christ.
• Read Gal 5:22-24 and 2Pet 1:5-8
• #3 = the good works produced by believers (Rom 6:21-22 Phi 1:11)
• Jesus indicates that Israel and Judaism did not bear fruit and are cut off. They are the unproductive branches.
• Read Jer 2:21 (Jer 2:2, 6-9)
• Read Hos 10:1
• Therefore, the disciples are not to follow the laws and traditions of Judaism, but they are to follow the true vine, Jesus Christ.
• “…and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.”

(2)

• The Greek text makes a distinction between the pruning of the fruitless branches and the pruning of the fruitful branches.
• Pruning unfruitful branches:
• They are cut off at the root stock.
• These are called “suckers” for they sap the nutrition and must be removed each year. They are too spongy for use in furniture and too smoky for use as firewood.
• For the follower of God, the branches, this does not mean loss of salvation as some think.
• As with Israel and Judaism, which is the context of Jesus’ words to the disciples, the religious leaders professed to be followers of God, but in fact were never true believers as a nation of people. Therefore, like the prophecies we read in the Old Testament, God warned them that they would be cut off.
• There are many people who claim to be Christians when in reality they have never truly been born again by the Spirit of God. Because they have no connection with the true vine of Jesus Christ, they cannot possibly produce fruit for the kingdom of God. In the end, they will not be saved, but will be cut off from eternal life.
• Pruning the fruitful branches:
• Grape vines grow long tendrils very rapidly. (12 to 20 feet long)
• If these tendrils are not pruned, they drain the resources from the root and a better fruit is sacrificed for the longer branches.
• Pruning is not the same as cutting off from the root, but lightly pruning the ends of the branches so as to focus the nutrients from the root toward the development of better fruit.
• God prunes or chastises true believers in Jesus Christ because of His love for them so as to focus attention on the fruit of the Christian life.
• Read Heb 12:5-7
• “Now ye are clean through the word…”

(3)

• Clusters of grapes that fall to the ground while growing on the vine are lifted up and braced off the ground and washed.
• This is exactly what the Word of God does for the believer in Christ.
• The word, “clean”, comes from the same word as “prune”.
• Therefore, it is the Word of God that prunes or cleanses the believer after he is born again.
• It is the Holy Spirit inside the believer that teaches the believer the truth from the Word of God and convicts the heart of sin. (Eph 5:26)
• “Abide in me, and I in you….”

(4)

• What does the word, “abide” mean?
• The word, “abide”, is written as a command.
• The word also has a continual aspect to it. In other words, it is not just a one-time event, but it is a constant and continual relationship with vital communication with the Lord.
• Contrary to popular belief, this word is not passive, but a word of action.
• These are the aspects of “abiding” according the author, John:
• Believing that Jesus is the Son of God (1Joh 4:15)
• Receiving Jesus as the Savior (Joh 1:12)
• Continuing belief in the gospel of Jesus Christ (1Joh 2:24)
• Obeying what Jesus said. (1Joh 3:24)
• Relating to brothers and sisters in Christ in love (Joh 15:12
• “…As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine…”

(4)

• A branch severed from the root of the grape vine can survive and maintain green leaves for a long time, but it cannot produce fruit.
• Jesus had a living, dependant relationship with God, the Father.
• The believer has a living, dependant relationship with Jesus Christ.
• “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit…”

(5)

• This is the seventh and last of the “I am ” statements in the gospel of John.
• We see Jesus refer to the reciprocal aspect of abiding, “…He that abideth in me, and I in him…” (5)
• There are 4 degrees of fruit in this chapter:
• No fruit.
• Fruit
• Much fruit.
• More fruit.
• Notice that the believer is to produce “much fruit” and not just fruit.
• Jesus gave a parable about bearing fruit in the parable of the sower and the seed.(Mat 13:3-23) He spoke about bearing fruit, much fruit, and more fruit. He wants us to bear much fruit.
• This does not not mean that the believer is to compare the quantity of his fruit with that of another believer. He is to compare his own life with the potential of what God wants to do and could possibly do in his life if he were more dedicated to Christ.
• The abundance of fruit means that the believer’s life is to obviously testify of the fact that he is a believer.
• This is not a person that can be mistaken for a non-believer, who lives barely on the edge as close to the world as he can get.
• What is required to produce fruit?
• Cleansing or purging.
• Abiding in a continual relationship.
• Obedience to His commands.(10, 12)
• “If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire…”

(6)

• The discarded branches:
• There are 3 common interpretations for this verse:
• #1= these are believers who have lost their salvation.
• This interpretation contradicts other scriptures in John, such as Joh 3:16, 36 Joh 5:24 Joh 10:28-29.
• #2= these are carnal believers that lose rewards at the judgment seat of Christ. (1Cor 3:15). However, these branches are “withered” to the point of death, and believers are never considered spiritually “dead” in Christ.
• #3= these are those who claim to follow God but have no true born-again experience. They may look like they are attached to the vine, but in reality, they are not. Therefore, they are really non-believers and spend eternity in the lake of fire. The examples are Judas, the Pharisees, and the Sadducees.
• Because this interpretation is consistent with the context of Judaism and all the Old Testament scriptures, it is the one the author prefers.
• “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you…”

(7)

• How do Jesus’ words abide in the believer?
• Remember that the word, “abide” is a continual process. It is, therefore, more than just mentally believing the words.
• As the believer puts Christ’s commands into practice in his life, they cleanse and change his character by becoming a part of his new life in Christ. In other words he is living the words of Jesus Christ.
• This is why we memorize verses in the Word of God.
• “…ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you”

(7)

• This is another of those statements that people take out of context and think it is a blank check for their prayers.
• Notice that this promise is for those who are connected to the root, Jesus Christ, and for those who are bearing fruit.
• The believer who abides in Christ has Christ’s thoughts and desires in mind when he prays.
• The believer who abides in Christ is concerned with glorifying God. (8)
• The believer who abides in Christ seeks fruit for the kingdom of God.
• Summary:
• The believer in Jesus Christ should have a close, intimate relationship with the Lord.
• The believer should produce fruit for the kingdom of God. This is not an option but a command.
• The believer should be open to permit the Lord to prune his life so as to produce more fruit.
• Continuing the metaphor of the vine and the branches, there are conditions that cause unfruitfulness:

• Read Joh 15:9-17
• In the first section of this chapter, we discussed the word, “abide”. There are three distinct commands that Jesus makes using this word:
• First, the follower of God must abide in Jesus to be a true believer. (4)
• Second, the believer must abide in Jesus’ words. (7)
• Third, the believer must abide in Christ’s love. (9)
• How does the believer abide in His love? (9-10)
• Jesus life gives us the example of a continual reciprocal cycle:
• God first loved and gave His son to this world (3:16) putting all things into Christ’s hand. (3:35)
• Jesus responded to God’s love with dedication to complete the task. (5:19, 36; 6:39)
• Jesus responded to God’s love with commitment to God’s will. (5:30)
• Jesus responded to God’s love with obedience. (15:10)
• God responded to His Son with love and acceptance. (8:28-29; 10:17)
• The believer is to respond to Jesus’ love with dedication of his life to Christ.
• The believer is to respond to Jesus’ love with a commitment of time, talent, and money to do Christ’s work on earth.
• The believer is to respond to Jesus’ love with obedience to Christ’s commands. (14:15)
• Jesus responds to the believer with greater love, acceptance, and answers to prayer.
• The results of the three commands to abide in Him, in His words, and in His love:
• The believer will have answered prayer. (7)
• God will be glorified. (8)
• The believer will live in an atmosphere of love. (10)
• The believer will have a fullness of joy. (11)
• The Christian life is not something stagnant, dull, or monotonous. It is supposed to be an abundant life filled with joy promised to those who are “abiding”.
• The believer will be a friend of Christ’s. (14)
• “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”

(12)

• Humans think they know how to express love, but human love is a self-centered love. Only as Christ lives inside the believer can he really express the unconditional love that the Bible describes.
• The indwelling Christ sets us free from the tyranny of selfish love and selfish desires.
• The indwelling Christ helps us to focus our love on others.
• The indwelling Christ challenges us to follow His example of unconditional love and ultimate patience.
• The indwelling Christ in other believers provides for us a loving support.
• The indwelling Christ models for us a sacrificial love beyond human comprehension. (13)
• Notice that Jesus commands love.
• This kind of unconditional love is not governed by feelings.
• If we obey because it is commanded even when we do not feel like it, the feelings will soon follow.
• The Holy Spirit in us helps us to obey this command and express unconditional love.
• “Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends…”

(15)

• Jesus makes a distinction between servants and friends.
• Previously He gave us the example of a servant in regards to discipleship when He washed the disciple’s feet.
• In Judaism, a rabbi had disciples who acted more like servants. Jesus wants to change that relationship to one of friendship.
• What is the big difference?
• One does not tell a servant the intimate details of your heart. Jesus shared His feelings with His disciples and the spiritual truths of the kingdom so they would pass these things on to others.
• Does this new aspect negate what we learned about the love servant relationship? No.
• The love servant relationship is a model for ministry to others.
• The friend relationship is a model for the believer in his relationship with Christ.
• “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you…”

(16)

• Most Christians believe they chose Christ when in fact He chooses us. If God did not use the Holy Spirit to illuminate the truth of our sinful nature and show us our need of a Savior, no one would ever come to Christ for salvation. (Rom 3:11)
• Instead, by the grace and mercy of God, He has chosen those whose hearts are receptive.
• Jesus speaks specifically to the 11 disciples that he personally chose to carry the Word of God to the world, so that they would bear an eternal fruit of thousands of souls saved in the name of Jesus Christ.
• “…that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain…”

(16)

• The kind of fruit that the Lord desires is permanent fruit. Permanent fruit comes from the depths of the soul and spirit of man. It is not superficial.
• It is not church growth schemes that add numbers to the seats.
• Jesus again links fruit bearing and love with answered prayer. (16)
• Summary:
• What commands does the Lord give the disciples?
• Love one another (12,17)
• A command to obedience (14)
• What promises does the Lord give the disciples?
• Fullness of joy (11)
• Answered prayer (16)

• Read Joh 15:18-25

• “If the world hate you…”

(18)

• Jesus promised hatred and persecution for Christians. Because the believer is identified with Christ, whom the world hates, that hatred of Christ would be transferred to the believer.
• Why does the world hate Christ?
• The values Christ taught are opposed to the values of the world system.
• Christ taught absolute moral standards in a world opposed to any standards.
• Christ desires a will submitted to God in a world where Satan is the god.
• What do you learn about persecution and hatred?
• “…but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”

(19)

• The believer in Jesus Christ is set apart from the world. He is called to come out of his reliance upon, and participation in the values of the world system.
• The believer who does not experience rejection or persecution should ask himself how hidden is his relationship with Christ, and how close to the world system he lives.(Jam 4:4)
• “If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.”

(22)

• The Jews would not have been guilty of rejecting Jesus Christ if He had not come to this world. Now that He came, their rejection means they have not taken advantage of the forgiveness of sin when Jesus died on the cross. Therefore, they remain in their sins.
• “…this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.”

(23)

• This statement is a quote from Psa 69:4 and Psa 35:19.

• Read Joh 15:26-27

• “…he shall testify of me:”

(26)

• From the beginning of chapter 14, Jesus has sprinkled truths about the role of the Holy Spirit. For example:
• We have learned about the role of the Holy Spirit in chapter 14: that:
• =1= The Holy Spirit will abide in the believer. (14:16)
• =2= The Holy Spirit of truth will teach the believer and bring truth to the mind. (14:17, 26)
• Now in chapter 15, we learn another aspect of the role of the Holy Spirit:
• =3= The Holy Spirit will testify about Jesus Christ. (26)
• The Holy Spirit illumines the heart of the non-believer who hears the message about Christ.. He convicts the heart of sin and prepares the heart to receive Christ.
• And because the Spirit dwells inside the believer, He will prompt the believer to testify about Jesus Christ to others.(27)
• Summary:
• The two names given for the Holy Spirit in Joh 14-15 tell us how He ministers to believers:

HOMEWORK
JOHN 16
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework work answers to the teacher forcorrection.

• Application of Joh 15
• How close is your relationship with Jesus Christ?
• In which of the following areas could your relationship be improved?
• Allowing the purging and cleansing through the Word of God.

• Maintaining that abiding relationship through prayer and communication.
• Producing fruit through character development and being that witness to others.
• In what way can you improve your relationship?

• Preparation for Joh 16
• Read Joh 16:1-33
• What do you learn about peace?
• What names do you find for the Holy Spirit?
• What do you learn abut the role of the Holy Spirit?
• According to this chapter, how can the believer have peace in a world where there will be trials and persecution?

• Memory verse: Joh 16:33