João 15
G. Campbell Morgan · Citado em PreceptAustin
João 15
Morgan - BORROW From this Verse - The Exchanged Life Hudson Taylor opened the interior of China to the gospel as no missionary had done before, but the effort brought him to the brink of collapse. A letter from fellow missionary John McCarthy turned the tide. The secret to inner victory, said McCarthy, is “… abiding, not striving nor struggling; looking off to Him, trusting Him for present power.” Taylor read those words in a little mission station at Chin-kiang on an autumn Saturday in 1869, and … as I read, I saw it all. I looked to Jesus; and when I saw, oh how the joy flowed. John 15 took center stage in his life as he realized the joy of abiding in Christ. He later wrote: As to work, mine was never so plentiful or so difficult; but the weight and strain are now gone. The last month has been perhaps the happiest in my life; and I long to tell you a little of what the Lord has done for my soul. As I read [McCarthy’s letter], I looked to Jesus and saw that He had said, “I will never leave you.” Ah, there is rest. For has He not promised to abide with me? As I thought of the Vine and the branches, what light the blessed Spirit poured into my soul! Later Hudson found a little booklet by Harriet Beecher Stowe that so articulated his experience that he sent it to all his missionaries. Mrs. Stowe wrote: How does the branch bear fruit? Not by incessant effort for sunshine or air; not by vain struggles. It simply abides in the vine in undisturbed union, and blossoms and fruit appear as of spontaneous growth. How, then, shall a Christian bear fruit? By efforts and struggles? No. There must be a full concentration of the thoughts and affections on Christ; a complete surrender to Him; a constant looking to Him for grace. (ED: ONE CAVEAT WHILE CLEARLY ABIDING IN NOT STRUGGLING, IT IS NOT "LET GO, LET GOD," BUT MORE LIKE "LET GOD, LET'S GO." IN OTHER WORDS WE ARE TO ABIDE IN JESUS, BUT HE DOES NOT MAKE US PASSIVE. STATED ANOTHER WAY, OUR FOCUS MUST BE ON BEING, THEN DOING, NOT THE CONVERSE!) “Abide in Me,” said Jesus, “and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself … neither can you unless you abide in Me.” Bearing Grapes As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. — John 15:4 Today's Scripture : John 15:1-8 As I read a modern paraphrase of John 15:1-8, I began to reconsider my concept of what it means to be a fruitful Christian. Jesus said, “I am the Real Vine and my Father is the Farmer. He cuts off every branch of Me that doesn’t bear grapes. And every branch that is grape-bearing He prunes back so it will bear even more” (The Message by Eugene Peterson). Fruitfulness is not primarily a matter of what I accomplish. It’s the result of my being in close fellowship with Him. Grapes—they’re the result of the life of the vine flowing through the branches. So often I have viewed fruitfulness in the Christian life as activities such as teaching Sunday school or leading a Bible study. These acts of service are good and worthwhile, but Jesus said that being fruitful is allowing His life to flow through me: “As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me” (v.4). No one can bear “grapes” without being connected to Christ, the Vine. Fruitfulness is not primarily a matter of what I accomplish. It’s the result of my being in close fellowship with Him. Closer let me cling, my Savior— You're the all-sufficient Vine; You alone can make me fruitful, Blessed source of strength divine. —Bosch Fruitfulness for Christ depends on fellowship with Christ. In the Vine No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. John 15:4 Today's Scripture & Insight : John 15:1–8 One spring after a particularly dreary winter during which she helped a family member through a long illness, Emma found encouragement each time she walked past a cherry tree near her home in Cambridge, England. Bursting out at the top of the pink blossoms grew blossoms of white. A clever gardener had grafted into the tree a branch of white flowers. When Emma passed the unusual tree, she thought of Jesus’s words about being the Vine and His followers the branches (John 15:1–8). By calling Himself the Vine, Jesus was speaking of an image familiar to the Israelites in the Old Testament, for there the vine symbolized God’s people (Psalm 80:8–9; Hosea 10:1). Jesus extended this symbolism to Himself, saying He was the Vine and that His followers were grafted into Him as branches. And as they remained in Him, receiving His nourishment and strength, they would bear fruit (John 15:5). As Emma supported her family member, she needed the reminder that she was connected to Jesus. Seeing the white flowers among the pink ones gave her a visual prompt of the truth that as she remained in the Vine, she gained nourishment through Him. How are you receiving spiritual nourishment from Jesus? What will help you remain in the Vine? Jesus, thank You for helping me to remain in You. May I find the peace, hope, and strength I need today. Honoring God [Jesus said,] “If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit. John 15:5 Today's Scripture & Insight : John 15:1-5 The church service was still in progress, and we had some visitors there that morning. The speaker was only halfway through his sermon when I noticed one of our visitors walking out. I was curious and concerned, so I walked out to talk with her. “You’re leaving so soon,” I said, approaching her. “Is there a problem I can help with?” She was frank and forthright. “Yes,” she said, “my problem is that sermon! I don’t accept what the preacher is saying.” He had said that no matter what we accomplish in life, the credit and praise belong to God. “At least,” the woman moaned, “I deserve some credit for my achievements!” I explained to her what the pastor meant. People do deserve recognition and appreciation for what they do. Yet even our gifts and talents are from God, so He gets the glory. Even Jesus, the Son of God, said, “The Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing” (John 5:19). He told His followers, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (15:5). Lord, let me not forget to acknowledge You for all that You do for me and enable me to do. God’s children do His will for His glory. Cut-Flower Christians Without Me you can do nothing. — John 15:5 Today's Scripture : John 15:1-8 Almost every woman likes to receive a bouquet of cut flowers. After admiring and smelling them, she wastes no time getting them into water. Even though fresh and beautiful when she gets them, their days are numbered. Because they’ve been severed from their life-source, they will soon wither and die. One day she will have to throw them away. Author Lloyd Ogilvie sees in this a picture of the Christian whose spiritual vitality has faded and shriveled. Such a person has become a “cut-flower Christian.” This is similar to the illustration Jesus used in describing the vine and the branches. Just as a branch can’t bear fruit by itself, He explained, we can’t bear spiritual fruit unless we abide in Him, the true vine (Jn. 15:4). If a branch could speak, it wouldn’t apologize for its need to depend on the vine for bearing fruit. It would say instead, “For this I was made!” Jesus likewise knew we were made for dependence on Him, our life-source—no apology needed! In fact, such dependence is the only way to avoid becoming a “cut-flower Christian.” Lord, break me, then cleanse me and fill me, And keep me abiding in Thee That fellowship may be unbroken And Thy name be hallowed in me. —Anon. Fellowship with Christ is the secret of fruitfulness. C H
João 15
Morgan - BORROW FROM THIS VERSE PAGE 278 Christ’s Badge Hugh Latimer (WATCH THIS SHORT VIDEO - POWERFUL!, THEN WATCH BLOODY MARY'S BURNING OF LATIMER - SEE John 16:2) a founder of English Protestantism, was burned at the stake in 1555, but his voice still rings through his surviving sermons and influence. Here are excerpts from one of his sermons still popular today: Seeing time is far spent, we will take no more in hand at this time than this one sentence, John 15:12—“This is My commandment, that you love one another … ,” for it will be enough to consider well and to bear away with us. Our Savior Himself spake these words at His last supper. He makes love His badge and would have His servants known by their badge—love alone. Moses, the great prophet of God, gave many laws, but he gave not the Spirit to fulfill the same laws; but Christ gave this law, and promised unto us, that when we call upon Him, He will give us His Holy Ghost, who shall make us able to fulfill His laws. Then, using Paul’s description of love in 1 Corinthians 13, Latimer went on to describe point by point the qualities of love produced by the Holy Ghost in God’s people. Then ending his sermon, he said: Now let us enter into ourselves, and examine our own hearts. And when we find ourselves to be out of His livery, let us repent and amend our lives, so that we may come again to the favor of God and spend our time in this world to His honor and glory, forgiving our neighbors all such things as they have done against us. Now to make an end: Mark here who gave this precept of love—Christ our Savior Himself. When and at what time? At His departing, when He should suffer death. Therefore these words ought to be more regarded, seeing He himself spake them at His last departing from us. May God give us grace so to walk here in this world, charitably and friendly one with another, that we may attain the joy which God hath prepared for those that love Him. Amen. David Jeremiah - DECIDE TO LOVE JOHN 15:12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Agape love is God’s special kind of self-giving. Agape describes a love that comes from and is rooted in God. It is totally selfless love. It delights in giving, even though the loved one may be unkind, unlovely, and unworthy. Agape love continues to give. Agape determines to do whatever is best for the loved one. It willingly sacrifices itself for another’s good. Agape gives when it gets nothing in return. It does not even think of getting something back. Do you think love is just a feeling? It is not a feeling. Love is a decision. The Bible says God is love. God is not a feeling. The Bible says we are commanded to love. We don’t have any option. Maybe you don’t feel like loving. Do it anyway. God commands you to love. Maybe you think you can’t love. Then find out whatever it is you are supposed to do when you love somebody and do all those things. Depend upon God to do His part. When we do what we’re commanded in obedience to God, we discover that grace begins to develop in our lives. (BORROW Sanctuary PAGE 240) Andrew
João 15
Morgan - BORROW FROM THIS VERSE PAGE 280 “Mother, It Is Too Late” Few missionaries have enjoyed such success as Jonathan and Rosalind Goforth of China. Their ministry swept multitudes into the kingdom and left an army of Christian workers in its wake. Rosalind, however, almost didn’t make it to China because of her mother’s protests. I replied quietly, but firmly, “Mother, it is too late; I promised Jonathan Goforth last night to be his wife and go to China!” Poor Mother! She almost fainted. For six weeks, I stayed with a brother, then came a letter from my sister pleading with me to return, as Mother was sobbing day and night and failing fast. Reaching home, I was shocked at the change in Mother. She would not speak to me but seemed broken-hearted. My distress was very great. Could it be God’s will for me to break my mother’s heart? At last one day as I listened to her pacing her bedroom floor, weeping, I could bear the strain no longer and determined to find out God’s will. Going down to the parlor where the large family Bible rested on a desk, I stood for a moment crying to the Lord for some word of light. Then I opened the Bible at random, and the first words my eyes lit on were: “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit.” I knew at once God was speaking His will to me through these words, and in an instant the crushing burden was gone. Running to Mother’s room, I begged her to hear what I had to say. Unwillingly she unlocked the door and stood while I told her of my prayer and answer. For a moment she hesitated, then she threw her arms about me, saying, “O my child, I can fight against you, but I dare not fight against God.” From that moment till her death, Mother’s heart was entirely with me in the life I had chosen. Jon Courson - BORROW A Day's Journey PAGE 91- …That whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. John 15:16 If you walked into Costco, made $100,000 worth of purchases, and then pulled out a check upon which was written at the top ‘Jon Courson,’ you would be laughed out of the store. But if you walked into that same store with an authorized check from Donald Trump, there would be no problem because the issue isn’t how rich you are, but how rich the person is upon whose account you’ve drawn. And that’s the beautiful thing about prayer. My request isn’t based upon how many devotions I’ve had this week, how many folks I’ve witnessed to this month, how many hours I’ve spent in prayer today. No, that’s all irrelevant. I draw from the bank of heaven based solely upon the riches of Jesus Christ, who gave me His name to use. How free your prayer life will be when you understand what it means to use Jesus’ name with the Father. Go to my parents’ house on Steeplechase Drive in Moreno Valley, knock on the door and say, ‘I’m here. Where’s the pool? When’s dinner?’ ‘Pardon me?’ they’d say. Then say you’re a close friend of their son Jon, and their response will be, ‘Come in! There’s the pool; dinner’s at 6; and here’s a hot fudge sundae while you’re waiting’—all on the basis of your linkage to me. Approach the Father solely on the basis of your relationship with His Son, and watch prayer become a pleasure and a joy. Chosen - Henry Blackaby “You did not choose me, but I chose you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.” John 15:16 Have you ever been specifically chosen for a special honor or award? Do you remember the thrill of knowing that out of all who could have been selected, you were the one preferred to receive the honor? Often, we hear adopted children tell of the joy they find in knowing they were specially sought out by their adoptive parents. You may feel that you’ve not been chosen for anything significant in your life. Well, if you are a Christian, you’ve been selected to receive the highest honor and blessing possible, you’re a child of the King. You are God’s child for one reason alone; God chose you. Of all the millions of people who populated the earth—past, present, and future—God noticed you and determined that you should be his. The time came when you realized that God was reaching out to you and you reached back. Now you are his, bought with a price and profoundly valuable to him. As God’s chosen child, you have a new purpose—to make a difference in God’s kingdom. Jesus referred to this as “bearing fruit that will last.” God did not choose you to grant you eternal life and then forget about you. He wants your life to become like Christ’s life. He wants you to live forever in an intimate relationship with him, bringing him glory in all that you say and do. Take time to reflect on the incredible honor that is yours as an adopted child of God. Reflect on whether your life is producing lasting fruit for the glory of the one who has chosen you. (BORROW The Experience) A Work In Progress Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. — 2 Peter 3:18 Today's Scripture & Insight : John 15:9-17 Pablo Casals was considered to be the preeminent cellist of the first half of the 20th century. When he was still playing his cello in the middle of his tenth decade of life, a young reporter asked, “Mr. Casals, you are 95 years old and the greatest cellist that ever lived. Why do you still practice 6 hours a day?” Mr. Casals answered, “Because I think I’m making progress.” What a great attitude! As believers in Christ, we should never be satisfied to think we have reached some self-proclaimed pinnacle of spiritual success, but rather continue to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). Jesus reminds us in John 15:16 that He chose us to “go and bear fruit.” The result of healthy growth is continuing to bear spiritual fruit throughout our lives. Our Lord promises: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit” (v.5). Closer yet I’d cling, my Savior, You’re the all-sufficient Vine; You alone can make me fruitful, Blessed source of strength divine. —Bosch God’s unseen work in our hearts produces fruit in our lives. Overflowing Fruit I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. John 15:16 Today's Scripture & Insight : Galatians 5:16–25 During the spring and summer, I admire the fruit growing in our neighbor’s yard. Their cultivated vines climb a shared fence to produce large bunches of grapes. Branches dotted with purple plums and plump oranges dangle just within our reach. Although we don’t till the soil, plant the seeds, or water and weed the garden, the couple next door shares their bounty with us. They take responsibility for nurturing their crops and allow us to delight in a portion of their harvest. The produce from the trees and vines on the other side of our fence reminds me of another harvest that benefits me and the people God places in my life. That harvest is the fruit of the Spirit. Christ-followers are commissioned to claim the benefits of living by the power of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:16–21). As God’s seeds of truth flourish in our hearts, the Spirit produces an increase in our ability to express “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Gal 5:22–23). Lord, please cultivate the fruit of the Spirit in our hearts and minds so our neighbors can enjoy Your sweet fragrance in and through our lives. The fruit of the Spirit changes us so we can impact the lives of those around us. John 15:17 This I command you, that you love one another. John 15:12 1Pe 2:17 1Jn 3:14-17 John 15 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries THE SAVIOR COMMANDS SELFLESS LOVE This I command (entellomai) you, that you love (present tense - continually) one another - Why would it be so important that the disciples love one another? In order to answer this question, we must read the next verse, which warns the disciples that they will be hated. Their mutual love for one another would strengthen them against the coming hatred from the world. Note that loving one another with a sacrificial, unselfish, God-like love is be the disciple's continual practice. Just try to do this in your own strength beloved! You will fall flat on your face. The only way to live and love like this is by jettisoning self-reliance and learning to rely wholly on the Holy Spirit for His supernatural enabling power! Our Lord repeated the command, for he knew how prone even his disciples would be to disobey it. -- C H Spurgeon Notice the context. Why would Jesus command us to love one another at this point in His discourse? Verse 18 explains why -- because the world will hate us! Brotherly love is encouraging, protecting, assuring. We need each other and especially as we see the world becoming darker and darker (I write in 2024 and America is becoming very, very dark spiritually!) THOUGHT - This call to brotherly love reminds me of the HBO movie "The Band of Brothers," describing the exploits of soldiers in WWII who needed to rely on each other to survive the incredibly difficult Battle of the Bulge. Beloved, we are in an even greater battle for as Paul says "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Eph 6:12+) With such an array of invisible demonic hordes coming against us, we need to be a unified spiritual "Band of Brothers" instead of what happens so often in churches - shooting our own wounded! It Pays Better These things I command you, that you love one another. —John 15:17 Today's Scripture : Romans 13:8-10 What kind of lifestyle do you believe in and live? Is it one of focused selfishness, or one of lovingly seeking to meet the needs of others? (Romans 13:8). One popular and influential novelist of our day espouses a godless philosophy that is totally self-centered. The hero of one of her early novels says, “The word we must never be spoken . . . . I see the face of a god, and I raise this god over the earth, . . . who will grant them joy and peace and pride. This god, this one word: I.” What are the results of living entirely for ourselves and not loving our neighbors? Such a lifestyle may bring pride, and according to the author of the quote above, pride is the sum of all the virtues. Yet ruthless self-concern doesn’t bring joy, nor does a self-centered lifestyle bring peace. One discerning reviewer made this statement about the selfish novelist: “She seems to be one of the unhappiest persons who ever lived.” Love is giving for the world's needs, Love is sharing as the Spirit leads, Love is caring when the world cries, Love is compassion with Christlike eyes. —Brandt Love is the door through which we pass from selfishness to service. John 15:18 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. John 15:23-25 Jn 3:20 Jn 7:7 1Ki 22:8 Isa 49:7 53:3 Zec 11:8 Mt 5:10-12 Mt 10:22 Mt 24:9 Mk 13:13 Lu 6:22 Heb 12:2 Jas 4:4 1Jn 3:1,3,13 John 15 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Matthew 5:10-12+ “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (WHAT'S HE SAYING HERE? PERSECUTION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS PROVES ONE IS A DISCIPLE HEADED FOR HEAVEN). 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you (NOTE THE QUALIFYING PHRASE) because of Me. 12 “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Luke 6:22+ “Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. John 17:14+ “I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 1 John 3:13+ Do not be surprised (present imperative with a negative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey), brethren, if the world hates you. Romans 8:17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. 2 Corinthians 1:5; 7 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. (1:7) and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort. Philippians 3:10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 1 Peter 4:13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. 14 If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. WARNING TO DISCIPLES OF THE WORLD'S HATRED If (SINCE) the world (kosmos) (present tense - continually) hates (miseo) you - If introduces a first class conditional statement that is true. There are no "if's" regarding the hatred of the world for Jesus followers! It is a fixed hostility. No one wants to be hated and yet here Jesus promises His men that they will be hated (present tense) with continual, unabated hatred. The world hates them in a sense this is a prophetic warning that the world will hate them. Pause for a moment and put yourself in the sandals of the disciples. Imagine what must have gone through their minds when they heard these words! One cannot help but believe that some might have thought "Perhaps I better go back to fishing before this discipleship thing goes too far! I didn't sign up to be hated! That will damage my self-esteem!" Jesus is warning the disciples, because the old saying is true "Forewarned is forearmed." THOUGHT Can you see a principle that evolves from Jesus' warning? Suffering caused by our allegiance to Christ proves we belong to Him rather than to the world. The corollary and critical principle is that if you call yourself a genuine follower of Christ and NEVER experience any of the persecution or hatred your Master received (Jn 15:20), then you need to do a personal inventory to be absolutely certain you abide in Christ and Christ abides in you! Otherwise you might be one of the MANY who will get the shock of their life (actually of their death!) when they cry "Lord, Lord," and Jesus commands them to depart from Him (Mt 7:21,23+) into the eternal darkness and torment of gehenna! Do not be deceived! I was interviewing prospective candidates for membership at my evangelical church and the wife was clearly a genuine believer. But when I asked the husband if he had ever been persecuted for the sake of the Name of Christ, he straightened up and proudly and forcefully stated "Absolutely not!" I am not his judge beloved, but that response and other answers he gave led me to strongly believe he was (at that time) one of the number who would one day in the future cry "Lord, Lord!" I pray he came to see the Light. Amen. (As an aside, soon after this I was removed from the group that interviewed prospective church members!) You know (ginosko - present tense - continually know by your experience) that it has hated (miseo) Me before it hated you - Know is ginosko which speaks of an experiential knowledge. Some writers take know as Jesus giving a command (present imperative). Disciples will be in good company when (not if) the world hates them. Note that has hated is in the perfect tense which speaks of enduring, persistent, unabated hatred of Jesus (and His followers). Indeed, this hatred will persist throughout eternity for those who reject His offer of salvation. Imagine this hatred festering and smoldering for all eternity. That alone would be enough to make hell a horrible place! Why did the world hate such a kind, loving, gentle Man? The world hated (and still hates) Christ because He "testified of it that the works thereof are evil" (Jn 7:7+), and also because "the whole world lies in the power of the evil one" (1Jn 5:19+, 2Co 4:4+) and the devil hates Jesus. All you have to do is be in a conversation that is a bit "off color" and you are likely to hear our Lord's glorious Name thrown out as a curse word, for the world hates Jesus and the exclusivism that His beautiful Name stands for (cf Acts 4:12+). Or watch the response when you mention the Name "Jesus Christ" positively in a conversation! The world will make it blatantly clear that they hate that Name and they hate those who revere that Name. This will be the experience of every follower of Christ. Bob