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John 15:1-11
I am the true vine and my father is the vine dresser. Every branch in
me that does not bear fruit he takes away, (That doesn't sound good.)
and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more
fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to
you. Abide in me and I in you. As the branch can not 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 braches. Whoever abides in me an I in
him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do
nothing.(This sounds better. But why do I need to bear fruit?) 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. (Again, this is not good. I can not think of anything pleasant
about being burned.) If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask
whatever you wish and it will be done for you. (See Luke 11:9-13. God
loves to give himself to us. He loves that we delight in him.) By this
my father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my
disciples. (So that's why fruit's important. The more we bear the more
our great God is glorified, which is what our purpose is anyway. How
amazing.) As the father has loved me, so have I loved you.(Whoa! Think
about this. Jesus was God's perfect son. He never failed. Jesus gave up
his life completely for the purposes of God. Jesus left his glorified
state in heaven to come down to earth as a man who could bleed, who got
tired, and who could die, and he did it all for the glory of God. If
anyone deserves to be loved by God it is Jesus. Now who are we? We are
whores. We have a great God that loves us but we run away and chase
after lovers who are far less wild than God. We are disgusting,
terrible people. We hate God. But look Jesus says that he loves us just
as God loves him. And in chapter 17 of John Jesus says that God the
Father loves us, the rebellious child, as much as he loves Jesus, the
perfect son.) Abide in my love. (STOP RUNNING AWAY! STOP PLAYING THE
WHORE! Where are you going to find anything better than that? Remain in
his 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. (We
remain by being obedient. We place all our hope and delight in God. We
stop living for ourselves and start living for his glory, to make him
known. 1 Peter 2:9 says "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood,
a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim
the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his
marvelous light." We were saved to proclaim the glory of God and to
eternally delight in that glory. It's our purpose. You want a purpose
driven life? Live for the glory of God. But where is he going with
this?) These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you,
and that your joy may be full. (AWESOME! Our joy is found is fulfilling
our purpose. We are filled with the joy of Christ when we are obedient
and abide in him and bear much fruit. God is not some crazy dictator
who demands that his subjects live lives of misery while he sits happy
on his throne. God is good. He is about his glory and our happiness,
but the only place our happiness is found, is in his glory. Abide in
him and you will find your joy.) | |
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