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The Gospel of John, The Period of Conference, Conference With the Disciples, Part XLI, John 15:16,17 - Lesson 149
Read Verses John 15:14,15 for review: Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
This is specific to the disciples but the same principal applies to all believers.
Believers do not chose Christ.
Christ chooses believers.
If you are a believer you did not choose Christ, Christ chose!
Christ chose the disciples to be his apostles.
He chose their place as ministers in his Church.
He ordained them to be fruitful in fruit that will remain.
Their fruit has eternal value and will not decay.
If you are a believer Christ chose you and has ordained you to a particular purpose.
That purpose if followed will result in vine supplied fruit which will remain in eternal life.
You can take it with you when you pass from this life if it is the fruit of the vine for the fruit of the vine will remain.
The fire will test it and it will be as gold, silver, and precious stone.
Notice again the order here, fruit and then asking.
go and bring forth fruit, and whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
Get the fruit of the Spirit in which to serve and then ask for those things necessary to serving.
That is the order of things.
Serve with the fruit of the Spirit!
How much so called serving is done apart from the fruit of the Spirit?
What kind of serving is this?
It is serving in the flesh.
We are to draw upon the bank of God in the Spirit with the fruit of the Spirit.
We are to ask what we will in order to serve but we are to serve in love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.
Is not this how Jesus Christ served the Father?
Are we not to be conformed to the image of the Son?
Service apart from the fruit of the Spirit is not acceptable service to the Father.
Because it does not emulate Christ!
It is simply service in the flesh and the flesh lusteth against the Spirit.
John 15:17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.
How do we love one another?
By obeying the commands of Jesus Christ.
Did he not say in verse 10 I abide in the Father's love if I keep his commandments?
And if I abide in his love do not I then have love, the fruit of the Spirit?
With the Christian all starts and all ends with Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is all sufficient in all things.
He and he alone is the source of any love we are to have for the brethren.
God does not command us unless he endows us with the ability to obey his command.
Christian's have all they need to love one another because all they need is Christ!
If you find yourself not loving your brother in Christ all you need to do is move closer to Christ!
The problem is in your abiding. |