Easter 2020 - Day 15

Easter 2020 - God is Love Day 15. Jesus’ Final Teaching (Part 1)

5 But now I am going back to the Father who sent me, and none of you asks me where I am going. 6 You are very sad from hearing all of this. 7 But I tell you that I am going to do what is best for you. That is why I am going away. The Holy Spirit cannot come to help you until I leave. But after I am gone, I will send the Spirit to you. (John 16:5-7)

In these last few chapters of John, before He is crucified, Jesus is saying goodbye to His disciples and giving them some final teaching before He departs. Several times the Gospel writer records that Jesus has told them He is going away (John 13:33; John 14:3-4, 19, 28). Let’s look together at what Jesus teaches his disciples!

Disciples must bear fruit for the kingdom! (John 15:1-16)

1 ‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. (John 15:1-2)

As usual Jesus uses Old Testament language, for in the Old Testament, the nation of Israel is often seen as a vine (Jeremiah 2:21; Psalm 80). However as a vine, Israel had not produced fruit that God had expected as explained in

With Jesus describing Himself as the true Vine, the implication is clear that the nation of Israel was but an imperfect precursor to His perfect self. With Jesus as the vine, all believers are the branches, and all believers draw spiritual nourishment from Him. As part of this nourishment, sometimes pruning is required (John 15:2). Cleansing is also required in order that fruit be borne from the Christian Disciple. This cleansing is through regular confession of sin and partaking of Holy Communion as explained in the foot-washing scene of John 13. To prove to others they are His followers and His disciples, Jesus tells them they are to continue loving Him and also to sacrificially love others joyfully (John 15:12-14).

By doing these things, which is now their mission statement, they will bear much good fruit for God’s greater glory (John 15:8). The same is true of us today, if we are Christian Disciples.

Click or Tap here to listen to or save this as an audio mp3 file

Click or tap on the appropriate link below to subscribe, share or download our iPhone App!