Son of Thunder
John’s Account of Jesus
Purpose and Plan
John 15:1-17
Review
Jesus washes disciples’ feet
Judas leaves to betray Christ
Review
Christ will leave, Holy Spirit will come
Obedience comes from love, not the
other way around
Christ’s peace vs. World’s peace
“I want more than anything to
be closer to God”
Walking to Gethsemane
“I am the true vine, and my Father is
the gardener”- vs. 1
Counselor
Great Golden Vine= national emblem
of Israel
“I’m the real vine…”
Counselor
BTotF: No fruit can be better than
the vine that produces it.
Therefore…
The quality of the fruit of my life is
contingent upon the quality of the
vine I’m connected to
Counselor
Fruit?
…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness
and self-control- Galatians 5:22-23
Counselor
“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. You
are already clean because of the
word I have spoken to you”- vs. 2-3
Counselor
“He cuts off every branch in me that
bears no fruit…”
Cuts off= airo- take up, lift up, take
away, remove
23 Times. 13= cut off. 8= lift up. (2=
not clear)
Counselor
“You are clean, though not every one
of you”- John 13:10
Judas
“…bear much fruit, showing (proving)
yourselves to be my disciples”- John
15:8
Counselor
“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. You
are already clean because of the
word I have spoken to you”- vs. 3
Prunes= kathairo- clean, prune,
expiate
Counselor
God’s Pruning Is:
• Painful
Counselor
God’s Pruning Is:
• Has Purpose- so that it will be even
more fruitful
Counselor
God’s Pruning Is:
• Involves his Word- you are already
clean because of the word I have
spoken to you
Counselor
God’s Pruning Is:
• Engages his Glory- “This is to my
Father’s glory, that you bear much
fruit”- vs. 8
Counselor
Pruning vs. Circumstances
Counselor
“Remain in me, and I will remain in
you. No branch can bear fruit by
itself; it must remain in the vine.
Neither can you bear fruit unless you
remain in me”
Counselor
"I am the vine; you are the branches.
If a man remains in me and I in him,
he will bear much fruit; apart from
me you can do nothing”- vs. 4-5
The evidence of abiding in Christ is
seen in the fruit of my character
Counselor
“God grant me patience”
Counselor
“No fruit can be better than the vine
that produces it…”
Counselor
Polite sins…
Counselor
The way to greater character and
relational success (better fruit) is
not to work on the fruit, but the
relationship to the vine
Counselor
“If anyone does not remain in me, he
is like a [the] branch that is thrown
away and withers; such branches
are picked up, thrown into the fire
and burned”- vs. 6
Judas
Counselor
A branch is made for producing fruit.
We are made for fruitfulness
“Be fruitful and multiply and fill the
earth”= extend my purposes and
my plans in the world
Counselor
“If you remain in me and my words
remain in you, ask whatever you
wish, and it will be given you”- vs. 7
Promise # 1- My prayers will be
effective
Counselor
“This is to my Father's glory, that you
bear much fruit, showing yourselves
to be my disciples”- vs. 8
Promises # 2 & 3- I will glorify God
and show that I’m a real disciple
(John 8:31)
Counselor
The proof of discipleship is:
church membership
memorized verses
good theology
really hip church clothes
not working on Sundays
a changed heart causing a new way
of living
Counselor
“As the Father has loved me, so have I
loved you. Now remain in my love. If
you obey my commands, you will
remain in my love, just as I have
obeyed my Father's commands and
remain in his love”- vs. 9-10
Counselor
“I have told you this so that my joy
may be in you and that your joy may
be complete”- vs. 11
Promise # 4- Complete, full joy
Counselor
Pruning
“I have it all, but no joy…”
Counselor
“My command is this: Love each other
as I have loved you. Greater love has
no one than this, that he lay down
his life for his friends. You are my
friends if you do what I command”vs. 12-14
Counselor
“I no longer call you servants, because
a servant does not know his master's
business. Instead, I have called you
friends, for everything that I learned
from my Father I have made known
to you”
Counselor
“You did not choose me, but I chose
you and appointed you to go and
bear fruit—fruit that will last”- vs.
15-16a
Last= remain/abide
Counselor
“Then the Father will give you
whatever you ask in my name”- vs.
16b
(Repeated) Promise #1- My prayers
will be effective
Counselor
This is my command: Love each othervs. 17
Counselor
God’s purpose- Dwell in Christ,
produce fruit, love people as he has
loved us
God’s promises- Answered prayers,
glorify God, demonstrate true
discipleship, great joy
Counselor
What’s my plan?
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