No Love No Excuse

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Recap of 1/27/13 (John 15:12-17):

1. Jesus’ command to “love each other” bookends this passage.  Out of this command come all the others.  As Oswald Chambers said: “Love is the beginning and the middle and the end—the first sign, stamp, and seal—of the saint.”  We are commanded to love not just those who love us but those who are seen as unlovable, ornery, the “porcupines” (Jesus in Matthew 5:43-48).

2.  James calls the command to “love our neighbor as ourselves” the “royal law.”  It was the law articulated by Jesus in Mark 12:28-31 and Matthew 22:34-40 thus it is the law decreed by the King…Jesus.

3.  Jesus was the standard and measure of that love, “as I have loved you.”  This love, based on the pattern of Jesus must be humble and sacrificial, as demonstrated by the cross (1 John 3:16).

4.  Jesus’ disciples (us included) are chosen by Him, not to retreat from the world, but “to go” (vs. 16) and reveal to those around us His character, His life, and His grace.

5.  William  Barclay cautions Christians: “We are sent out into the world to love one another.  Sometimes we live as if we were sent into the world to compete with one-another, or to dispute with one another, or even to quarrel with one another.  But the Christian is to live in such a way that h shows what is meant by loving his fellow men.”

The Christian Benchmark

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Recap of 1/20/13 (John 15:7-17):

1.  Concerning the Judgment Seat of Christ (also called the Bema Seat), Dr. Charles Ryrie writes: “The nature of the believer’s works will be examined in this judgment to distinguish worthy works from worthless ones.  These works are deeds done by the believer during his Christian life.  All will be reviewed and examined.  Some will pass the test because they were good; others will fail because they were worthless.  Both good and bad motives will be exposed; then every believer will receive his due praise from God.  What grace!  The outcome will be either reward or deprivation of reward.  Salvation is not in question…”

2.  To the one who abides in Jesus, He promises answered prayer but as Dr. Merrill C. Tenney warns:  “He was not promising to gratify every chance whim.  But as long as the believer was seeking the Lord’s will in his life, Jesus would grant every request that would help accomplish this end.”

3.  Another result of abiding is joy.  “The joy of the Lord is not the natural exuberance of youth.  It is not ordinary human enthusiasm.  It is not the exhilaration caused by favorable happenings and circumstances.  It is not the emotion whipped up by high-pressure hilarity.  All these may have their place, but the joy Jesus gives is different.  It outlasts youth.  It is more than human, it is Divine.  It is present, no matter what happens.  It is not worked up, it comes down.  It last, it remains.  And it is full, not partial.” (Vance Havner)

The Effective Christian

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Recap of 1/13/13 (John 15:5-6):

1.  In John 15 Jesus urges His disciples to be fruitful, productive by abiding in Him.  The words fruit (or fruitful) and abiding (or remaining) are key words in this passage.  Fruitfulness is the normal Christian life. To abide in Jesus is to have a close intimate relationship with Him.  As Oswald Chambers has said: “The dominant trait of a true saint is a personal, passionate, and overwhelming devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Devotions for a Deeper Life)

2.  Several scholars point out that three vital relationships can be discerned in this passage:  a relationship with Jesus (vv. 1-11); a relationship with others in Christ (vv. 12-17); and a relationship with the world (15:17-16:4).

3.  Fruitfulness or fruit-bearing will be seen in the Christian life in practical holiness (the “beauty and character of God displayed on our daily lives”) and Christian character (Galatians 5:22.23; 2 Peter 1:5-8).  The outworking of that fruit will be seen in sharing our material blessings with other, in doing good works as a response to salvation (not to earn salvation), praising and thankfulness to God, and witnessing to others.

4.  “The closer you walk with Him and stay near Him, the more evident will be the luscious fruits.  …You won’t be looking at yourself and saying, ‘I wonder if I have any fruit?’ You won’t even be thinking about the fruit.  You won’t be thinking about anything else but Him.  If your life is controlled by Him, you will automatically bear fruit on the job, in the factory, in the office, in the shop, washing your dishes at home, taking care of the children.” (Dr. John Mitchell)

The Abundant Life

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Recap of 1/6/13 (John 15:1-4):

1.  The secret to the productive (ie.fruitful) Christian life is a close, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ (abiding or remaining in Him).  Productivity is seen in terms of character and relationship.  Galatians 5:22-24 see fruitfulness in terms of love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  In 2 Peter 1:5-8 Peter see productivity in terms of increasing goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love built upon the foundation of faith.

2.  Jesus calls Himself the “true vine,” the seventh of the “I am” statements in the Book of John.  The vine was a familiar symbol for the nation of Israel, but they became a corrupt vine which produced only rotten fruit (Psalm 80:8,9 & Isaiah 5:1-7).  God the Father is the gardener who cares for the vine, those who are in Jesus. 

3.  The branches of the vine are lifted-up off the ground and cleaned (pruned) to make them productive.  It is the Word of God which cleanses the believer.

4.  “7 Ways the Bible Can Make Your Life Better” from Psalm 119 (from the Daily Walk Bible).  The Bible will:

-keep us from sin, vs. 11

-lift our burdens, vs. 28

-guide our steps, vs. 105

-bring us joy, vs. 111

-lead us to wisdom, vs. 130

-give us peace, vs. 165

-bring us back to God, vs. 176

 

An Offer Of Peace

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Recap of 12/30/12 (John 14:18-31):

1.  Jesus offers peace to His disciples.  Something which the world cannot give.  The world can give fame, status, wealth, and pleasure.  It can offer the diversions of great cause or great sin but it cannot offer peace. 

2.  “the peace which the world offers us is the peace of escape, the peace which comes from the avoidance of trouble and from refusing to face things.  The peace which Jesus offers us is the peace of conquest.  No experience of life can ever take it from us and no sorrow, no danger, no suffering, can ever make it less.  It is independent of outward circumstances.”  (William Barclay)  This peace is not based upon “exemption from conflict and trial,” but on confidence in God’s love and care.

3.  “This peace was the quietness that would come to their hearts from trusting God and from knowing that He was in control of all events that touched their lives.” (J. Dwight Pentecost)

4.  Satan’s hold on men is established through sin and death (Hebrews 2:14-15).  Since Jesus was sinless, Satan had no hold over Him.

5.  We will have peace if we are…

-yielded to the Holy Spirit’s control

-being obedient to Christ’s Word

-living by faith and not by our wits

-resisting sin, confessing sin