A Fisherman's Story

A Study in the Gospel of John John 15:1-27   by Samuel E. Ward   April 1, 2012   Introduction:  Review   Part One:  "The Beginning of the Fisherman's Story",  John 1:1-18 Part Two:  "The Telling of the Fisherman's Story", John 1:18-12:50 Part Three:  "The Climactic Events of the Fisherman's Story", John 13:1-20:31   I. The Final Meal John, 13:1-17:26   A. The Lesson of Servanthood, 13:1-20 B. The Prediction of the Betrayal, 13:21-30 C. The Farewell Address to the Disciples (Upper Room), 13:31-14:31   Having completed the meal, Jesus takes His disciples on a walk where He continues to address His disciples.   D. The Farewell Address to the Disciples (The Path to Gethsemane), John 15:1-17:26   1. The relationships between the Vine, the Gardener, and the branches are defined for the disciples, John 15:1-8.   (John 15:1-8 NIV)  "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. {2} He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.  {3} You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. {4} Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. {5} "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. {6} If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.  {7} If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. {8} This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.   a. Jesus is the Father's Vine b. The Father is the Vine's Caretaker c. The branches that are retained are those which are fruitful, d. The branches that are removed are those which are unfruitful. e. The fruit is the result of receiving nourishment from the Vine, f. The joy is the result of reciprocal love between the fruitful branches and the vine.   2. The importance of love is explained to the disciples, John 15:9   a. Jesus sets the standard of love by loving us the way the Father loves Him, John 15:9a.   (John 15:9a NIV)  "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you."   b. Jesus commands disciples to abide on the positive, rather than remedial, side of His love through obedience to Him even as He is obedient to the Father, John 15:9b-10.   (John 15:9b-10 NIV)  "Now remain in my love. {10} If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love."   c. Jesus reveals loving through obedience by His disciples brings mutual joy in each other, John 15:11.   (John 15:11 NIV)  "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."   d. Jesus commands disciples to love to the same degree He loves them, (willing to lay down His life for them as His friends), John 15:12-13.   (John 15:12-13 NIV)  My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. {13} Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.   e. Jesus explains the nature of His relationship that causes Him to include His disciples in the continuation of His mission, John 15:14-17   1) The disciples are Jesus' friends—not merely servants, John 15:14-15.   (John 15:14-15 NIV)  You are my friends if you do what I command. {15} I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.   2) The disciples have been specifically chosen and appointed by Jesus to bear lasting fruit—not merely volunteers, John 15:16a.   (John 15:16a NIV)  You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last.   3) The disciples have the promise to be given whatever they ask for in Jesus' name for the purpose of bearing fruit, John 15:16b.   (John 15:16b NIV)  Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.   4) The disciples must love each in order to have the support they each will need to minister in Christ's name, John 15:17.   (John 15:17 NIV)  This is my command: Love each other.   3. The expectation of hatred and persecution from the world is disclosed, John 15:18-25.   a. The disciples will be hated because of their relationship to Christ, John 15:18-19.   (John 15:18-19 NIV)  "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. {19} If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.   b. The disciples as servants should expect no better treatment than their Master, John  15:20-21.   (John 15:20-21 NIV)  Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. {21} They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me.   c. The reason for the hatred of the world is that their sin has been exposed and their guilt declared, John 15:22.   (John 15:22 NIV)  If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin.   d. The extent of their hatred is seen in that they in spite of the clear revelation of the Father through the Son of their sin, they hated both, John 15:23-24.   (John 15:23-24 NIV)  He who hates me hates my Father as well. {24} If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father.   e. The undue hatred toward Christ is considered a fulfillment of Psalm 69:4, John 15:25.     (John 15:25 NIV)  But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: 'They hated me without reason.'   (Psa 69:4 NIV)  Those who hate me without reason outnumber the hairs of my head; many are my enemies without cause, those who seek to destroy me. I am forced to restore what I did not steal.   4. The cooperative ministry of testifying of Jesus Christ between the Holy Spirit and the disciples is announced, John 15:26-27.   a. The Spirit will we sent from the Father to testify to the truth concerning Christ, John 15:26.   (John 15:26 NIV)  "When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.   b. The disciples will be sent from Christ to testify as eye-witnesses to the teachings, miracles and ministry of Christ, John 15:27.   (John 15:27 NIV)  And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.   Conclusion   1. We are not volunteers, we have been drafted, John 15:16a. 2. True disciples will bear fruit from their relationship with Christ, pretenders will not, John 15:6. 3. The difference between love and affection is our willingness to sacrifice for the ones we love.  Jesus is the supreme example of this fact, John 15:12-13. 4. Don not take the persecution you may endure personally.  It is Christ that is the true target of the world's hatred.  The strategy of those who would seek to hurt Christ is to hurt the ones He loves. 5. We are to continue of the ministry of the disciples to witness to the Person and works of Jesus Christ.  Though we are not eye-witnesses of His earthly ministry, we should be able to defend the record of that testimony and provide additional testimony to Jesus' faithfulness to us in saving us from the penalty of our sin, forgiving us of our sin, and giving us the hope of eternal life.  We also testify of His faithfulness to give us the peace He promised when we go through the toughest trials of our lives.