John 15:8–14 (WEL) “My Father is glorified by this: that you bear much fruit, and you will become my disciples. 9 “Just as the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Continue in my love. 10 “If you obey my commandments, you will continue in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commandments and continue in his love. 11 “I have told you these things so that my joy might remain in you and your joy may be full. 12 “This is my commandment: love one another, like I have loved you. 13 “No greater love has anyone than this: that one lays down his life for his friends. 14 “You are my friends, if you do whatever I tell you to do.
V8 “My Father is glorified by this: that you bear much fruit, and you will become my disciples.
How can I glorify God? Bear much fruit. There is the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22–23. Also see Ephesians 5:9, 2 Peter 1:5, Philippians 1:10–11, and Colossians 1:10.
We can bear fruit because we grow (by reading and studying the Bible), we grow wise because we have fellowship with God in prayer, thankfulness, and praise.
The Greek word for disciple is G3101 μαθητής mathētēs, which means someone who learns. The path to wisdom is to acquire knowledge (facts) plus understanding (the how’s and why’s of facts) equals wisdom. How do we acquire this? We acquire this by 1) reading and studying the Scriptures in their plain, normal sense, 2) spending time with the teacher (prayer), and 3) practice (using what we have learned in our everyday situations). Not interpreting the Bible in its plain, normal sense will result in having the wrong sense and lead into error. Any theological framework or different hermeneutics is very wrong and slights (insults and even slanders) the Holy Spirit’s message.
V9 “Just as the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Continue in my love.
The love the Father has for His Son is the same type and character of love that Jesus has for His disciples.
Continue in my love refers to abiding in the vine, Jesus Christ, doing His will, obeying the Law of Christ that we can with the assisting grace of the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 12:9). See John 14:15, Psalm 119:4, Proverbs 19:16, and Matthew 7:24–27.
V10 “If you obey my commandments, you will continue in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commandments and continue in his love.”
Jesus emphasizes that our obedience to His will shows, reveals, our love for Him in our thoughts, desires, words, and deeds. No human other than Jesus Christ is sinless. Christians are required to be blameless (1 Thessalonians 3:12–13, Philippians 2:15, and Jude 1:24–25) as judged by the Law of Christ (Galatians 6:2). To be blameless, we recognize our sins and sinful attitudes, then ask for forgiveness, for the sacrifice has been offered (Hebrews 7:27 and Hebrews 9:28).
V11 “I have told you these things so that my joy might remain in you and your joy may be full.
God’s joy is not like the world’s joy. It is a joy that is pure, clean, and holy. This is the joy of the Holy Spirit. This joy is not in tongues or some spiritual manifestation. This joy is in the soul and spirit (Psalm 16:11, Isaiah 61:7, Isaiah 51:1, and Mary rejoiced (Luke 1:46–47).
Jesus wants His joy remaining in us, yet He knows the trials of this present life can be difficult. In these cases, He never leaves us (Hebrews 13:5) and gives us His assisting grace (2 Corinthians 12:9).
V12 “This is my commandment: love one another, like I have loved you.
Jesus again emphasizes the need of love. This is not the love of friends; it is the love of loyalty, faithfulness, kindness, assisting one another, etc. It is like the love that Jesus has shown to His disciples.
V13 “No greater love has anyone than this: that one lays down his life for his friends.
Now, Jesus prophesies His death. The Cross was not a punishment from earthly people, nor hate from God; the Cross’s full ministry was motivated by God’s love for sinners that they may believe the Gospel of Jesus and place their faith and trust in Him for salvation.
V14 “You are my friends, if you do whatever I tell you to do.
Are we His friends? Are we thinking, desiring, speaking, and all we do as Jesus wants us to? The importance of keeping (obeying) the Law of Christ (Galatians 6:2) is very important to God.
We learn:
- About God’s joy that we can have.
- Love for God is seen in obeying His commands (Galatians 6:2).
- Love for others is basically to consider others better than ourselves and helping them if we are able.
Questions:
- Do you have God’s joy?
- Do you obey God’s laws?
- Do you love other believers?