Sermon nuggets Thurs Sept 25
Theme- The Vine and the Branches
Verse- John 15:11-17 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
15 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.
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-- fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
17 This is my command: Love each other.
Jesus Desires to Produce Joy
In the minds of many, the Christian life is not perceived as being particularly joyful. Instead it is thought to be grim. Do people see joyful Christians? Do you know that the purpose God has for you is to be joyful even in the midst of difficulty and hardships that surround us.
Do you focus on the deeds or on the relationship? Jesus defines the greatest kind of love that one has. It is when one lays down his life for another. Indeed, this is what Jesus did for us. He died on the cross to redeem us from our sin and bondage. How do we know if we are friends of God? If we have accepted him and if we do what he commands.
When King David sinned, he no longer sensed the presence of God. He cries out in Psalm 51:12 “Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation” He had allowed sin to hinder the pure abiding relationship he had previously enjoyed with the Lord. He did not lose his salvation, but he lost the joy of his salvation. That joy returned when he confessed his sin and accepted the consequences of it. Jesus desire is that you have joy.
Then he makes a distinction between servants, and friends. He wants us to obey him. But a servant obeys out of obligation. A servant does what he does not because he wants too, but because he is compelled to. A friend does what he does because of the relationship.
There might be a job that you do not like, but if you do it for someone that you like it takes the drudgery out of the job. I think of clean up days at the church. When there are only a few who show up it seems like work. Yet that might have more morning than cleaning out our own garage. But when a lot of people show up it seems like a party working together with one another in relationships. The whole attitude changes because of friendship.
Jesus continues his explanation. A servant has no relationship and no knowledge as to why his master tells him to do certain things. Nor does he need to know. However, Jesus explains to his disciples what he is doing and going to do. Everything that he has received from his Father, he passes on to them. They are friends because he prepares them for all that is to occur. Then he instructs them “Love one another.”
Jesus desire to produce joy in us, through love.
Pastor Dale
