John 15: Benefits from Jesus

The disciple whom Jesus loved relates an analogy that none of the other gospels record in Chapter 15 of the book that bears his name. This portion of John’s testimony about the life of Jesus begins with the famous statement by the Lord:

I AM the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser. Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing] He cuts away (trims off, takes away); and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit. (John 15:1-2 AMPC)

This parable is spoken in a time and place that was very familiar with grape vines, which produced fruit. Every winter, a grapevine is trimmed to ensure that the fruit will be abundant the next year. God prunes or removes things from our lives so that He can move more strongly through us.

And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18 AMPC)

Many people desire more of God’s glory in their life, for we hear that we go from “glory to glory” or one level of glory to the next with God. To see that in our lives, we must seek and learn from the Word of God, which will help us prune things that are not bearing fruit. A vine with too many fruitless branches will produce tiny fruit.

When a branch is not firmly attached to a vine, it will not receive enough nutrients from the root to produce fruit. The vine will grow thinner and dryer instead of getting plump from the flow of water. God is the one who governs the world; He is the one who examines our lives every year. If we are not firmly attached to Jesus, the Vine, after some time when we are completely dry, God removes us from receiving benefits from Jesus. It is here that life becomes very difficult.

This is what I call “being out in the weeds.” We have left the narrow path and gone off wandering on our own without Jesus. Sometimes, this is due to wrong teachings leading us astray. Sometimes, it is because we refuse to remove sin. As Jesus continues the metaphor, He reveals how we can determine our state of attachment to Him.

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. 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. (John 15:4-5 ESV Strong’s)

The definition of abiding is to continue to be present without fading. Going to church once a week doesn’t necessarily mean we are abiding in Jesus. We must know that Jesus is with us every moment of every day and welcome Him into every aspect of our lives.

Fruit are the staples of life. There are fruits of the Spirit that grow internally. Then there is provisional fruit: we can provide financial provision for God’s kingdom or we can be helping to grow God’s kingdom through volunteering. We know when we are not abiding in Him because everything we do comes to nothing or produces very little if any, fruit. Examples of no fruit would be that we continue to barely make ends meet, no matter what we do or we don’t hear from God so we don’t talk about Him or try to do what He says. Lack of spiritual fruit, well, that is a whole topic by itself. Please see classes at the Online Christian Church about that!

The commandment to abide in Jesus is like one God gave to His people when they came out of Egypt:

And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words, which I command you this day, shall be in your heart: And you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. And you shall bind them for a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall write them on the posts of your house, and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:5-9 AKJV)

To love God, is to obey Him. We must be willing to keep and treasure His Word so that we know about Him to do this. If we value His word, we will teach it to our children, and we will have it in our hearts and minds when we go to bed each night and when we rise in the morning.

John started off his testimony by showing us that Jesus is the Word, so by giving the commandment to abide in Him, He is saying to abide in God’s Word, to value it above all else. There are benefits and consequences attached to these instructions:

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. (John 15:6 ESV Strong’s)

But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4:14 AKJV)

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:13 AKJV)

When we abide in Jesus, the Holy Spirit who is Living Water, will continually flow through us. When we are not attached to Jesus, the Spirit stops flowing, and we become withered, dry, and shriveled. Withering is a process. We may not miss the Holy Spirit at first, but as time passes, we will begin to feel His absence in our lives. Jesus told John about a segment of the Body of Christ that had this issue, and He told them how to fix it:

And to the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things said He that has the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; “I know your works, that you have a Name that you live, and are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard, and hold fast, and repent.” (Revelation 3:1-3 AKJV)

When a branch is fully withered, it is dead. However, in the process of withering, it can be renewed if we take action. Jesus says to “strengthen the things that remain that are ready to die.” How do we reinvigorate our connection? It seems this group appears to have “no perfect works before God.”

Science has proven that when you get sleepy, exercise will help keep you awake. Working for God would include learning His ways and applying them to your life to reattach and so the Holy Spirit will be revived in your life. What will happen if you don’t begin correcting where you have gone wrong?

Jesus says that the dead branches “are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.” Fire is symbolic of correction from God. Burning is consequences released into our lives from that correction. If you are experiencing attacks upon your finances, health, emotions, or even your children, this may be the fire of God’s correction burning through your life. Let’s keep reading to see what we need to do to put out those flames!

The Joy of the Lord

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in My love. 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. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:9-12 ESV Strong’s)

To abide in God’s love, we must be willing to obey Him by keeping His commandments. Jesus is God and He made it clear that He was not doing away with God’s Ten Commandments, but rather adding one to them: that we love one another as He loves us.

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, Till heaven and earth pass, one stroke or one pronunciation mark shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven: but whoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matthew 5:17-19 AKJV)

Jesus fulfilled the commandments by becoming the payment for breaking them. This does not mean that we can ignore them; it just means we don’t have to sacrifice a lamb every year to get into Heaven. Not only must we do our best to keep the commandments, but we must also love other disciples of Jesus as He loves us. There is a great benefit for following the instructions of our Lord:

If you abide in Me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples. (John 15:7-8 ESV Strong’s)

When we remain firmly attached to the Vine, who is Jesus, we remain close to Him. The Holy Spirit will flow through our lives and produce works or fruit for God. At this point we can make requests in the Name of Jesus, and they will be done! This is when we receive all that Jesus has for us.

Using His name to do His work it proves that we are His disciples and when we will be full of joy! Joy is what we receive from the Lord when we remain close to Him. Are you missing joy in your life? This may be a sign that you are withering instead of flourishing in Jesus. Why is it so important to love other Christians?

You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed you [I have planted you], that you might go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit may be lasting [that it may remain, abide], so that whatever you ask the Father in My Name [as presenting all that I Am], He may give it to you. This is what I command you: that you love one another. (John 15:16-17 AMPC)

The Amplified Classic version of this verse shows us what we must do to receive what we ask for in Jesus’ name. We must ask and present all of who Jesus is with the request. If you are not abiding in Jesus, you will not know Him, nor will you know what He wants you to do. Jesus concludes the explanation about bearing fruit by instructing His followers once again to love one another. This is the second time He has made this statement with this parable. When God says something twice, it means it is truly important!

Who Hates God

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of My name, because they do not know Him who sent Me.” (John 15:18-21 ESV Strong’s)

We abide in Jesus, we get to use His name, but others will hate us for having His name. If we are hated by those who are not Christians, then that is a good indication we are truly abiding in Jesus. We should not be “hating” others.

 The word “hate” is the Greek word μισέω (mis-eh'-o), which means not only to detest or dislike, but it also means to express nothing more than interest in, or disregard and indifference. Is this how you feel about God and learning His ways? Is your interest in Him light? Do you feel indifferent or apathetic toward Him? This is also a sign that you may be dying on the vine or already dead!

Do you find anger and resentment building up in your heart against other Christians or Christian leaders? That is a sign that you may have become detached from the Vine and are in the world instead of abiding in Jesus. If leaders have gone in a wrong direction, we should be grieved for them and those following them. Hating them is not from God:

“Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets. But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you…” (Luke 6:26-27 ESV)

We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. (1 John 5:19 ESV)

Because Satan is the “ruler of this world,” people under his influence will hate those who are close to God. Jesus urges us not only to love one another but to love our enemies, not to hate them. If your heart is filled with hate for anyone else, this may also be an indication that you are not abiding in Jesus.

In this chapter, John has shown us how to recognize if we are abiding in Jesus:

Abiding Loving as He loved us. Doing as He commands Being hated by the world Producing “fruit” for God’s Kingdom Having joy to the fullness Using the Name of Jesus and receiving results

Not Abiding Receiving correction from God Hating others Disregarding God and His ways having mild interest in them Holy Spirit drying up Being loved by the world

How many can you check off on each of these? Paul encouraged people in Corinth to examine their lives each time they received communion, which usually happened every week!

For anyone who eats and drinks without discriminating and recognizing with due appreciation that [it is Christ’s] body, eats and drinks a sentence (a verdict of judgment) upon himself.

That [careless and unworthy participation] is the reason many of you are weak and sickly, and quite enough of you have fallen into the sleep of death. For if we searchingly examined ourselves [detecting our shortcomings and recognizing our own condition], we should not be judged and penalty decreed [by the divine judgment].

But when we [fall short and] are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined and chastened, so that we may not [finally] be condemned [to eternal punishment along] with the world. (1 Corinthians 11:29-32 AMPC)

We all fall short of perfection and are “chastised” by God. Being reprimanded by God usually starts with a light affliction, but if we continue in the wrong direction, the affliction becomes more severe. It may even result in death.

Abiding in Jesus brings great benefits into our lives. There is nothing like the joy of the Lord. Receiving power from Him and having the authority to use His name is the ultimate benefit from Jesus, but we must be willing to abide in Him. Are you ready to turn back to God? He is waiting for you!

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John 15: Benefits From JesusOnline Christian Church

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