|
|
|
|
The Gospel of John, The Period of Conference, Conference With the Disciples, Part XXXVIII, John 15:9-11 - Lesson 146
Read Verses John 15:7,8 for review: If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
John 15:9, As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
To continue in Christ's love is to abide in Christ's love.
To abide in Christ's love is to be occupied with Christ.
To abide in Christ's love is to count on his love, to know that nothing can separate you from Christ's love.
To abide in Christ's love is to stay put in Christ's love.
To be unmovable from Christ is to abide in Christ.
Christ's love is eternal and unchanging.
Our responsibility is to take full advantage of his love.
To enjoy it fully.
To rest in his love.
This is how you may bear much fruit for the husbandman.
John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
Jesus tells us that the way to abide in his love is through obedience to his commandments.
He kept his Father's commandments and always abode in his love.
He was occupied with his Father.
"I must be about my Father's business."
He could do no less.
He knew that nothing could separate him from his Father's love.
And he tells his disciples that obedience to his word will keep them abiding in him.
Jesus Christ expects submission of the will if abiding is to take place.
Fellowship with Christ, abiding in Christ is achieved only on the path of obedience to the Word of God.
John 15:11, These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
Here is the formula for joy.
Jesus Christ has spoken of the necessity of abiding in him.
Your joy might be full only by abiding in the one who produces the fruit of joy.
Joy is the fruit of the Spirit and it is only procured through abiding in the one who has joy to impart to his children.
You cannot manufacture joy.
It is not a human product.
Whatever the natural man calls joy is not the joy of which Jesus Christ speaks.
It is not in our nature to have the joy of which Christ speaks.
Joy is a spiritual product only given by abiding in Christ who has all joy.
Christ, who abode in his Father's love, had all joy.
His joy was in pleasing the Father, in doing his will and glorifying his name.
Heb 12:2, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
It was a joy to do the Father's will and therefore Jesus Christ endured the cross for the joy that was set before him.
He knew that obedience to the Father's will would bring joy.
He looked past the cross and saw the joy that was set before him.
He looked past the cross and heard the Father's word that he was his beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
He knew that joy was set before him because he pleased the Father by obeying the Father.
And our joy is full only when we abide in Christ and we abide in Christ by obeying his word.
John encouraged this joy in 1 John 1:3,4: That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. |