???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????JOHN 15:1-17 ???????????????????????????????????Lesson # 31

???????????????????????????????????????????????ABIDING IN HIM ???

I.? Introduction:

???????????Q? What defines good friendship in your opinion?

????????????? An = Have someone write down the qualities that the group comes up with.

Note:? Tonight we are going to look at one of the more famous passages in John to learn about friends, loyalty and the benefits of friendship.

II.? The True Vine:? John 15:1-8.

>>>> Have someone read John 15:1

???????????Q? What does it mean Jesus is the true vine?

????????????? An = Jesus is the true source of nourishment, of vitality, of the possibility of a fruitful life.?

???????????Q What does it mean the Father is the vinedresser or gardener?

????????????? An = God is the care taker of the vineyard.? Watch how He takes care of us in the following 2 verses….

>>>> Have someone read John 15:2

???????????Q? What does the vinedresser or gardener do?

????????????? An = He prunes two types of vines:? those that do not bear fruit, He takes away, those that do bear fruit are also pruned.

???????????Q? What does it mean “if we bear fruit” we will be pruned by God?

????????????? An = It is an agricultural fact that without pruning there is not a crop in the next year of any value.? Pruning is necessary for a healthy productive vine.? If you are living a fruitful Christian life God will prune you.

???????????Q? How have some of you experienced the pruning of God?

>>>> Have someone read John 15:3

???????????Q? What does this mean?

????????????? An = This is how the pruning is done, by God’s Word.? Here, I cannot encourage you enough to be involved with daily reading of the Scriptures (explain your personal method, maybe let others share others).? Especially read the teaching sections of Matthew and Luke, but all of Scripture can do this for you.? It will cut stuff out of our lives that prevents us from bearing even more fruit.

>>>> Have someone read John 15:4-5.

???????????Q? What is the source of our life and fruit bearing?

????????????? An = Abiding or remaining in Him.

???????????Q? What does it mean to abide or remain in Christ?

????????????? An = Let them give their answers but do not comment, no matter how hard they press.? If they ask why you will not answer, just let them know that John will tell us more as we read on.

Note:? John knows no middle ground (Brown, p. 675).? There are those Christians that bear fruit and those that do not.? Whatever abiding or remaining in Christ means ??it is not optional.? That is very clear.

???????????RQ? Does it disturb you that there is no middle ground??

???????????Q? How does one “not-remain” or “not-abide”?

>>>> Have someone read John 15:6

???????????Q? What are the results of not remaining or abiding in Christ?

????????????? An = Thrown away, dries up, gathered, cast into the fire, burned.? Five verbs none of which are very comforting.?

>>>> Have someone read John 15:7

???????????Q? What is the promise here?

????????????? An = If we abide in Him and His words abide in us, then we will have power in prayer.

???????????Q? Does this verse help us define what abiding means?? What does it mean here?

????????????? An = His words abiding in us.? His words become a part of us.? We truly believe them.? The promise is when we pray we receive.

???????????Q? What if our prayer life is not affective, what does that mean?

????????????? An = We are not abiding in Him (and remember, there is no neutral ground).

>>>> Have someone read John 15:8

???????????Q? What are the results of our abiding or having an affective prayer life?

????????????? An = The Father is glorified and we prove just who we are.

III.? Defining Abiding:? Staying in Love, in Obedience to His Commandments.? John 15:9-11

>>>> Have someone read John 15:9-10.

???????????Q? What two concepts has John added to help define “abiding” or “remaining”?

????????????? An = Love and keeping His commandments.? Remember John equates love and obedience and he thinks doing the will of the Lord is “remaining” in Him.?

Note:? Some have equated “remaining in Him” with being loyal to Him despite persecution, some with obeying particular commands that the Spirit lays on our hearts, some with not giving into temptation.? One is very clear, it has positive results if we do it….

>>>> Have someone read John 15:11.

???????????Q? Why did Jesus give this teaching?

????????????? An = For the sake of joy:? His joy in us so that it over flows.? Christ delights in our joy.?

Note:? We might wonder though what particular commandment or set of commandments Christ is most concerned with?? This is a good question, lets see what the Lord follows up with next.

III.? Dealing With the Brothers:? John 15:12-17.

>>>> Have someone read John 15:12.

???????????Q? What commandment does Jesus stress?

????????????? An = Not going to church, not the reading the Bible, but loving other human beings.

???????????Q? Can we be in fellowship with God if we hate another Christian?

????????????? An = Not really.? If you doubt that, go home tonight and read privately I John 2:9-11.? Perhaps, have this written on the chalk or white board or on a large piece of paper that you hang in the room.

>>>> Have someone read John 15:13-14.

???????????Q? What is the highest definition of love?

????????????? An = Giving up our lives for our friends.? Of course, Jesus did this for us.? He has the highest form of love.? However there is a catch…

>>>> Have someone re-read John 15:14.

???????????Q? What is the proof that we are Jesus’ friends?

????????????? An = We do what He commands us.? The logic implies that if we do not do what He tells us then we are not friends, and not covered by His atoning death.? For John obedience is not optional!

>>>> Have someone read John 15:15.

???????????Q? What is the privilege of being a friend of Jesus’?

????????????? An = We are not slaves and we know what His will, His heart, His mind, His desires are.? Good friends let you into their hearts.? God lets us into His.

>>>> Have someone read John 15:16-17.

???????????Q? What is the source of our friendship with God?

????????????? An = His choice of us, His anointing of us.

???????????Q? Does this truth allow spiritual pride?

????????????? An = No, it fosters humility.

???????????Q? Why has the Lord chosen us as His friends?

????????????? An = Certainly, not so we can look down our noses’ spiritually at others, but for the sake of bearing “lasting fruit” (loving others consistently and for the long haul), and so that we can have power in prayer.? The key is loving others.

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