Category Archives: John’s Gospel – Study Notes

John 14:12-14 – Pastor Rick’s Study Notes:

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(PRT) John 14:12-14

v. 14:12 In all certainty, I say this to you: those who put their trust in me will do the works that I do, and even greater works than what you see me do, because I am going to the Father. v. 13 Then, whatever you might need and ask in my name this I will do so that the Father might be glorified in the Son. v. 14 If you ask me anything you need in my name, I will do it.

v. 14:12 In all certainty, I say this to you: those who put their trust in me will do the works that I do, and even greater works than what you see me do, because I am going to the Father.

Truly, truly – amen, amen. It’s the way Jesus said something firmly and with resolve. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, doubtlessly. He is speaking to his disciples and extended followers. He is looking beyond those in the room to whomever.

“The works” is those deeds or activities that occupy Jesus that reflect His Kingdom. He is continuing the conversation that began with Philip’s question: “Show us the Father.” He and the Father are one. If you haven’t gotten that yet, believe the works that demonstrate the Father’s love, that show the Father to the world.

The works we do are done like He did them, with the compassionate heart of the Father.

Works is what occupies Jesus in showing the Father to those who will believe: compassion, feeding the poor, caring for the grieving, opening your life to hospitality, giving your gifts and self, going out of the way for someone else’s good, and yes, inviting the Kingdom to come in power and glory for Signs and Wonders.

Greater is the word “megas:” A general word for greater or bigger.

When? Time – related to Kairos, for the moment as in greater works as in the miraculous at points that call for a greater evidence of God’s kingdom.

Where? Spatial or where. Instead of on the paths of Judea and Galilee, greater and around the globe.

Who? Not just Jesus, not just the twelve, not just the surrounding followers listening. Whomever.

What? The very works that show the Father in ways that point to Jesus and demonstrate the Kingdom. John 16:7 – “If I don’t go away, the Father can’t send His promised Spirit.”

Going to the Father indicates a leaving and a going, it’s a journey.

v. 13 Then, whatever you might need and ask in my name this I will do so that the Father might be glorified in the Son.

Whatever we need and ask is a continuation of “The works he does” in the previous verse. Whatever works you need.

The word here for ask is directly related to a need or required desire. The defining work here is not “whatever” or “anything” – it is you might ask because  you need or require.

Again, remember the context: what will show the Father to the world. You are asking on behalf of a required answer that will show the Father, demonstrate the Kingdom and point to Jesus.

In my name means that what you need and ask for is rightly fit to who Jesus is. It’s not a formula to get whatever you require; it is a promise that God will meet you at the point of need that will glorify the Father. We ask out of our need or required desire for what will show the Father to the world, demonstrate the Kingdom values, and point to Jesus.

This is the first “in my Name” command and promise. Defining what this means is crucial. It isn’t a magical formula. It doesn’t invoke God’s blessings on what won’t point to the Father’s love. It is what is needed and requested that shows the Father to the world, brings the values of the Kingdom, and points to Jesus.

v. 14 If you ask me anything you need in my name, I will do it.

This is Jesus making it clear by saying it again in another form. The “if” is the conditional. The condition is anything you or I need that will demonstrate the Kingdom, show the Father to the world and point to Jesus.

I will do it. Because the Father is in Jesus and He is in us by the Holy Spirit, He will do it. He will make it happen or manage it.

Pastor Rick’s Study Notes:

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Genesis 2:7, John 20:19-23, 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Pastor Rick’s Study Notes:

(PRT) Genesis 2:7, John 20:19-23, 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Gen. 2:7 And the Lord God molded and created the first human out of the dust and dirt of the earth, and He breathed into his nostrils the spirit and breath of life; and the man became alive, a living being.

  • That the Father created you and me is unavoidable for the Christian.
  • That the Father created you and me uniquely with soul, consciousness, and a desire to know Him lays the foundation for our relationship with Him.
  • That we are created from the dry and dusty dirt of earth connects us to our purposes here.
  • That we have the very breath of the Father in our souls connects us to the purposes of the Kingdom.

John 20:19 Then, the evening came on that same first day of the week, and the doors where Jesus’ followers were staying were shut and locked out of fear of the Jews; and Jesus entered and stood among them and said to them: “Peace to you.” v. 20 And after saying this, he showed them his two hands and his side. The disciples were overjoyed because they had clearly seen the Lord. v. 21 Then Jesus quieted them and said again: “Peace to you. Just like the Father sent me on the mission, I also commission you and send you out on mission.” v. 22 And after he said this, he breathed on them, and said: “Receive the Holy Spirit. v. 23 What sins you forgive, they are forgiven; what you hold onto, they stay.

  • Jesus doesn’t stop for locked doors or chained gates; he shows up where his Kingdom belongs.
  • Jesus says to you and me when we are fearful, “peace. Focus on me and my nearness.
  • Jesus says to you and me when we experience the fulness and joy of His life in us, “peace.” Focus on me and my mission.
  • Jesus gives us His Spirit to empower us, to guide us, and to accomplish the Kingdom through us.
  • Jesus’ Spirit inside us gives us discernment on how to show others how to be forgiven.

2 Timothy 3: 16 All the Scripture is God-breathed and effective for instruction in doctrine, for persuasive conviction, for straightening our lives again, and for training us in God’s standard of what is right. v. 17 That way, the person devoted to God can be complete, fully equipped, and ready to face every good work.

  • The Spirit of God has given us His Word.
  • This God-breathed Scripture is given with a purpose and outcome.
  • He has breathed His Word so we can be full of His truth, grow up in His purposes, and do the good works He puts before us.
  • This Scripture teaches us, convicts us, straightens us out, and trains us to know right from wrong.
  • His Truth is meant to move from the page, to the mind, into our hearts, and out from our lives through words and actions.

Pastor Rick’s Study Notes:

Gen. 2:7 And the Lord God molded and created the first human out of the dust and dirt of the earth, and He breathed into his nostrils the spirit and breath of life; and the man became alive, a living being.

The image is God the Father taking the dust and dirt, mixing it like clay with water, crafting a human, then coming face-to-face with his creation to give life through the Spirit. Add this to John 1 and how all things are created through Jesus the Son and the Trinity is deeply invested in this creative act of humanity.

When we read this verse and those around it, the “order” seems out of place in the events or actions. But the verbs do not indicate this is a chronological check list. This verse says God did it.

The dust and dirt are the finest of earth’s particles. He didn’t shovel up a load of clay but took the pure, dry dirt from the ground to form us. The earth doesn’t produce man’s body; God creates it. However, the dirt of earth is elevated as a gift from which people gain their sustenance and explore their creativity.

Then, the life-breath is given. The stuff of earth; the breath from heaven. Though the words themselves are mainly the breath of our lungs that maintains our lives, that He came to humans face-to-face to deliver this breath makes this unique. The human becomes animate and individual We don’t see the Father breathing into the nostrils of the armadillo, even though by His creative force, the armadillo breathes and is animated.

John 20:19 Then, the evening came on that same Sunday, and the doors where Jesus’ followers were staying were shut and locked out of fear of the Jews; and Jesus entered and stood among them and said to them: “Peace to you.”

The gates outside were locked and chained; the entryway to the room was shut and locked. He opens them miraculously. He goes through them. Jesus didn’t obey locks and chains. Where he belongs, he enters.

The disciples were hunkered down waiting for the intensity of the manhunt to blow over. They, at this point, had no answers for the Jewish authorities’ suspicions.  This is the point of hope. And hope based on faith in the truth of the Good News of God’s love for people through Jesus became their answer.

“that day” is something that each follower would look back on. And the evening of that day, Jesus shows up.

Peace to you is a common expression of greeting made more important when Jesus promises his supernatural peace to be ours. Here, it likely is also because of the fear prevalent in the room and the possible fear his sudden appearance made.

v. 20 And after saying this, he showed them his two hands and his side. The disciples were overjoyed because they had clearly seen the Lord.

Jesus knew their eyes needed a new image. Their last image was a brutal death and the finality of his dead body slumped over those removing Jesus from his instrument of execution. He held out his hands so they could see he really did hang on the cross and he survived. He uncovered his ribcage so they could see he really did get pierced by a Roman spear and lived. They knew he could not live through both cross and spear to the heart; he rose from the dead. He wasn’t resuscitated. He wasn’t in a swoon. He died. And he now lives and stands in the middle of their gathering. And they had clearly seen Him in His physical, recognizable body.

v. 21 Then Jesus quieted them and said again: “Peace to you. Just like the Father sent me on the mission, I also commission you and send you out on mission.”

Jesus says “peace” twice. The first time, because they were afraid; the second time because they were overjoyed.

Jesus uses two different words for “send” here. The Father sent Jesus to the mission of redemption. He came as a child, grew up and lived sinless, proclaimed and demonstrated the Kingdom of Heaven is near, was betrayed, tried, convicted, beaten, crucified, killed, buried, and rose again. He accomplished His mission. It was a specified mission to accomplish. Done. And now the hand off. Jesus now commissions his followers to the mission of taking the Good News of the Kingdom to those near and far. And the word John uses here is a more general term. We are sent to live our lives, to pursue good, to obey God, to raise our families, to worship in church, to be filled with the Spirit – so that, as we do these things, we will take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. We take His accomplished mission, the message of the Good News of the Kingdom, as our mission.

v. 22 And after he said this, he breathed on them, and said: “Receive the Holy Spirit.

This word for breathed is the same Greek that translates Gen 2:7. He breathed onto their lives a measure of the Holy Spirit; this prepared them for the full infilling and washing over by the Spirit on Pentecost. The image here is the Son gathering his followers near and, face-to-face breathing over them (one at a time, or all at once is not so important and not defined here.) And in this breathing, he imparts the Spirit to illumine them and strengthen them for the next 40 days. This was such a critical time. They could possibly scatter in fear and miss Pentecost (Peter has already renewed his occupation of fishing, it seems. Thomas was missing in action in this first visit Jesus makes.)

He breathed. It was not symbolic of the Spirit of God rising up inside the disciples; it was an impartation of the holy breath of God infilling his followers.

Some scholars say this was the “down payment” on Pentecost, and this makes sense. Jesus imparted all of the Spirit they would need to accomplish their mission for the next 40 days as they awaited the full “promise of the Father.”

Ezekiel 37:9 the prophet appeals to the winds to breathe on those dead, the bones in the valley, that they might come back to life.

v. 23 What sins you forgive, they are forgiven; what you hold onto, they stay.

This passage can be confusing. It can be who’s ever sins you forgive them, they are forgiven; but if you hold onto them or retain them, they will stay retained. In the context, it doesn’t seem to fit, and I can only wonder if this is one of those passages that John remembered in the middle of his account and inserted. I’m used to reading chronologically; that’s not always the way the accounts are written. My first choice is to read it in context with v. 22. That means their willingness to forgive is vitally connected with the work of the Holy Spirit inside His followers. This is confirmed by the example of Jesus’ proclamation, “Father forgive them.” And then Stephen saying the same thing. It’s an extension of grace and forgiveness in the face of harmful designs.

This is the formula for the Catholic practice of the confessional that developed through the early centuries of the church’s spread. Protestant and evangelicals take this passage and run as far away from this as possible. After all, only God can forgive sins. But we: 1) must forgive the sins others commit that harm us, and 2) we “pronounce” forgiveness when someone else extends forgiveness toward us. We don’t forgive on behalf of God, but our affirmation of someone’s announced change can strengthen the action as “done” and “under God’s grace.”

2 Timothy 3: 16 All the Scripture is God-breathed and effective for instruction in doctrine, for persuasive conviction, for straightening our lives again, and for training us in God’s standard of what is right.

The four areas God’s Word here is fruitful for: teaching truth, convicting us of the truth, correcting our lives to the truth, and training us to live measured by the plumbline of God’s view of righteousness. They are all different but help us align with a life that benefits from God’s blessing and keep us from the lies of the enemy.

The teaching is related to the doctrinal truth of theology as it relates to life.

The convicting of truth is a making plain what might be hidden, proving what is unclear.

The correcting is a putting down so it can be a standard in our lives.

The training has a meaning of discipline.

v. 17 That way, the person devoted to God can be complete, fully equipped, and ready to face every good work.

Literally, the man of God, hence the person devoted or belonging to God. Two different words having to do with complete. The first is the status of being fitted out completely; the second fully equipped in the face of what life might bring their way, so they can do good works.

Small Group Study Questions:

  1. What family member were you closest to when you were a child? What is you favorite memory with this person?
  2. How does God’s characteristics in Genesis 2:7 bring Him close to humanity? Which of God’s characteristics – creativity, compassion, or communications – shows up in your own life?
  3. Where does God need to breath His Spirit’s provision and power in your life today?
  4. What is God’s mission for Jesus’ followers in John 20:19-23? How does your understanding of God’s mission change how you live?
  5. How can we pray for you as you pursue His mission this week?

Pastor Rick’s Study Notes & Small Group Questions: John 3:16-21

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Pastor Rick’s Study Notes:

(PRT) John 3:16-21

v. 16 For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son so that everyone who puts their faith in Him should not perish but instead have eternal life.

v. 17 After all, God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but for the express purpose that the world could be saved through Him.

v. 18 Whoever puts their faith in Him is no longer under judgment; but whoever has not put their faith in Him already lives under judgment for this very reason: they have not put their faith in the one and only Son of God.

v. 19 This, then, is the judgment: The Light has come into the world, but people more willingly loved the darkness instead of the light for they were occupied with wickedness.

v. 20 For each person continually practicing evil despises the light and does not step into the light; otherwise, what they are occupied with is uncovered.

v. 21 But, everyone who keeps doing what is true steps into the light; that way, the deeds they are occupied with might be revealed for what they are, by the hand of  God.

v. 16 For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son so that everyone who puts their faith in Him should not perish but instead have eternal life.

Some commentators feel that, beginning with this sentence, Jesus quits talking and John begins his comments on the meeting. There is no indication that Jesus has left off; he knows who he is and what he came to accomplish. Jesus is giving us the “establishing shot” of the Good News of the Kingdom. It does read easier as a Johannine aside.

John’s use of agape is his trademark word for what God the Father is doing through Jesus. He loves. That he loves the world, that is all the people of the earth, is news to the religious leaders who assume they are the only lovable ones. Do you ever think of yourself as “loveable?” God. Loves. You. Romans 8:32.

This passage captures the intimacy of the Triune God, the essence of God’s plan, the depth of his love, the reach of his provision, the power of His redemption and the severity of the enemy’s hold on man.

For God – 1 Thess 5:23, So loved – Romans 5:8, The world – 2 Cor 5:19, He gave – dozens of times in John’s Gospel, “the father sent me,” His one and only Son – Hebrews 1:2, whoever – Romans 5:6, believes in Him – 1 John 5:13, not perish – 2 Peter 3:9, have life – John 10:10, John 1:12.

v. 17 After all, God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but for the express purpose that the world could be saved through Him.

Every nation; not just the Jewish people. He came to revolutionize the world, one nation, one tribe, one tongue at a time.

While Jesus’ coming lays out a clear choice for salvation and restoration to all people, and those who refuse or ignore will be separated and judged, it is not for this judgment that Jesus came; it is for salvation, for love, for relationship for a lifetime.

Condemn may be better as judge, in order to fit the rest of Jesus’ argument. He didn’t come to bring judgment; he came to save.

God sent, as it God, the one who enters at the demand of another a new place of people. Apostello – God the Father sends (apostello) Jesus on mission.

v. 18 Whoever puts their faith in Him is not under judgment; but whoever has not put their faith in Him already lives under judgment for this very reason: they have not put their faith in the one and only Son of God.

An interesting aside: the dark isn’t bad when it conceals good deeds from the eyes of evil people who might pursue for harm. Keeping actions in the dark when those very actions might, if seen, bring harm; that is a time when we ask God to make them obscure.

This verse is a dividing line. Those who have light poured in, who have life; or those who keep their pursuits in the darn,

v. 19 This, then, is the judgment: The Light has come into the world, but people more willingly loved the darkness instead of the light for they were occupied with wickedness.

Occupied is the same word for works. Occupied might fit better since this verse is discussing what we keep on working on. If my works are the continual focus of darkness without ever seeking the light, then judgment is certain.

They are enamored with the light and the values it brings; but they hate the Light, the personality of God’s own Son. Could it be that those in darkness want what the light brings but only if they can manufacture it themselves? John 5:35 They loved, that is, they were enamored with, the light for a time, but rejected it in the end.

v. 20 For each person continually practicing evil despises the light and does not step into the light; otherwise, what they are occupied with is uncovered.

Evil in verse 19 is a harsher word than here in verse 20. Here, evil means fruitless or meaningless. If we occupy our lives with things worthless and that have no substance, we are despising light and hope to keep our practices under cover.

“practicing evil” as in the works of the individual that ignore God’s ways and truth.

v. 21 But, everyone who keeps doing what is true steps into the light; that way, the deeds they are occupied with might be revealed for what they are, by the hand of  God.

The word for doing in the context of evil and good is different. One means to keep practicing evil; the other could mean pursuing good.  “Do truth” means that our pursuits are based on the truth of God’s Word morally and of value to the Kingdom.

The deeds are what aligns with God’s ways and are empowered by his hand. When we do good in His name, He empowers it beyond our own capacities.

In the film industry, the establishing shot is the context builder. It establishes the person in context to location and tone as well as the time period and feel of the coming shots. They give sweeping, wide focus to what the main character will face.

Your life and mine is God’s writing his story into us and through us. Our testimony. Our relationship is in context with the Gospel of the Kingdom, the ultimate story.

Small Group Discussion:

  1. Do you have a favorite movie character that, if you could, you would become? Why?
  2. John 3:16 is the possibly the most famous verse in the Bible. When did you first see it? When did you first discover what it means to you? Or are you still trying to find out about it?
  3. Jesus gives everyone the same starting point in life according to v. 18. What does this say?
  4. What is God’s solution in these verses for us to know Him?
  5. Do you ever think of yourself as “loveable?” In light of John 3:16, how does God see you?
  6. What is going on in your life that you need God’s touch or provision for?

Pastor Rick’s Notes on John 7:37-43

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Pastor Rick’s Notes and Translation:

v. 37 Now during the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood up and, in a loud voice said, “If anyone is thirsty, let them come to me and drink.”

This is the last day as in the day after a seven-day Feast of Booths – representing the temporary housing in the desert as they moved toward the Land of Promise. It’s the Sabbath following the week-long feast of harvest and worship and this is significant. This celebration is noted for joy, abundance, relationship, future. And it was a reminder of God’s plan: He has a mission for His people.

Illustration: Have you gotten so caught up in the moment that you missed the mission? “One Job – that’s all I had to do.”

In the midst of the celebrations, and keeping of the laws and the feast, and checking off the boxes, the mission had somehow gotten lost. And here was the last day of the Feast.

  • First of all, everyone hung out for the eighth day since traveling distances was not permitted on the Sabbath. This made for a day to both recover and refresh on the eight day.
  • Second, there were special sacrifices and celebrations on this “afterglow” day. This was “celebration” without all the pomp. No trumpets accompanying the special promenades. No pouring out of the waters.
  • Third, this is the day that the prophecies of the “ingathering” culminate and are read when the Father will raise a banner over those who are lost and displaced and call them home. The redemptive time has come. The unveiling of God’s characteristics of joy and hope are unveiled. The Kingdom will be visible to the world. That’s the day Jesus stood in front of this throng and said – Come and drink! And our response is seen in the meal of the day: the plainness of matzah and the blended beauty of the wine. We respond with humility and joy. Redemption is here and God’s fulness is being spilled out on the world through His people.

The eight day, because it was a Sabbath, became the “mega-day of the Feast.” Literally. It was the feast of pouring out redemption, the second rain.

Jesus cried out in a loud voice. He was speaking to each person, to the nation, and down through the centuries, his cry is relevant. God’s Spirit is poured out as living water to the thirsty.

What does it mean to be thirsty for the Lord?

  • John 4:14 Life here. Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
  • Revelation 21:6 Life eternal. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

5He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

6He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.

  • Revelation 22:17 Life Offered. 17The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes, take the free gift of the water of life.

v. 38 “Whoever puts their faith in me, streams of living water will flow from deep within them, just like the Scriptures have said.”

All week long, for seven days, the crowd has watched as the water flowed to wash away the blood and grime of the offerings. But more importantly, the high part of the celebration happened when water was brought up from the Pool of Siloam to pour to the blast of trumpets and shouts the water over the altar.. But on the seventh day, this wasn’t the practice. The week of Booths, the offering is complete. Jesus stood in the place of the abundant water and offer clear, pure, living water, not to wash, not to pour, but to fill.

Joel writes in chapter two that “in those days, the father will pour out his Spirit on all flesh.”

It is more plenteous than we can hold, more powerful than we can stand against. Refreshing to all who get wet and drink.

Rivers plural.

The follower of Jesus can’t help but spill over onto others. The river doesn’t strain to spill water over the river rocks. It flows. Jesus does the same through His Spirit. We can choose to impede it or release it.

Ezekiel 47 Water ankle deep, knee deep, waist deep, flowed like a river. But where it came from and where it went is important. It flowed from the place of worship and it flowed toward the desert and the dead sea.

v. 39 Now, he said this about the Spirit whom those who placed their faith in him were soon to be given. But the Spirit had not been given to them yet because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

This aside is John’s perspective from the moment he heard the Savior cry out in these verses to the point where the Holy Spirit was poured out. In the Temple, the promise; in the Pentecost, the outpouring. Remember that he is writing His Gospel account later than the Synoptics, near the end of the century, and He has the most accurate perspective. He remembers what not being filled with the Spirit was; and he remembers Pentecost.

The Spirit comes in power when Jesus ascends to heaven. That’s the time line. Could he have done it differently? Sure. But while the Son is with the disciples, the Spirit awaited the time when he could be fully in them. Jesus to glory; the Spirit to fill, lead, and empower.

The order is essential, though. Jesus had to be rejected, arrested, tried, sentenced, and killed at the lowest point of any man; then the Father pointed toward His Son who has suffered such demeaning actions, and said “He is worthy, he is glory, and he is who will send the Holy Spirit.”

The Spirit is the source of living water; our willingness to drink is the source of water for thirsty people. Both sustenance and salvation included and intertwined.

v. 40 Out of all the crowd who heard him say these words, some said, “Surely this is the Prophet.”

Some were repeating what they’d heard before, “it’s the Prophet who will be forerunner to the Messiah.” Or perhaps the “prophet like Moses that was promised to come

v. 41 Others declared, “This is the Messiah, the Savior!”  Still other, however, claimed, “There is no way for the Messiah to come from Galilee.”

And others were opening their eyes to this incontrovertible evidence that Jesus brought when he demonstrated the kingdom. He is the Savior.

And others repeated the misunderstanding that Jesus was from Galilee. Not so; he was Bethlehem of Judah by birth. This was ignorance on the part of the Pharisees and the throng; but not on John’s part. He knew the story.

v. 42 “Hasn’t Scripture said the Messiah comes from the descendants of David and from David’s village of Bethlehem?”

This apparently is from the “narrative” the Pharisees are putting before the people according to the verses just after our passage. They were stuck with a Galilean messiah which, according to scripture, was not possible. And they were right. Again, Bethlehem.

v. 43 And a division, therefore, occurred within the crowd because of Him.

The word schism comes from this Greek work. They were passionately divided over who Jesus was.

PRT (Pastor Rick’s Translation)

v. 37 Now during the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood up and, in a loud voice said, “If anyone is thirsty, let them come to me and drink.”

v. 38 “Whoever puts their faith in me, streams of living water will flow from deep within them, just like the Scriptures have said.”

v. 39 Now, he said this about the Spirit whom those who placed their faith in him were soon to be given. But the Spirit had not been given to them yet because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

v. 40 Out of all the crowd who heard him say these words, some said, “Surely this is the Prophet.”

v. 41 Others declared, “This is the Messiah, the Savior!”  Still other, however, claimed, “There is no way for the Messiah to come from Galilee.”

v. 42 “Hasn’t Scripture said the Messiah comes from the descendants of David and from David’s village of Bethlehem?”

v. 43 And a division, therefore, occurred within the crowd because of Him.

Study Notes for John 15:1-17

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Teaching Notes on John 15:1-17

Jesus talked a lot about gardens and farming and plants. Vineyards, olive vines, trees growing from tiny seeds, fig trees all are a part of his Kingdom teaching.

v. 1 Jewish hearers would recognize this visual from the OT. God took Israel like a vine and planted it in the promised land, and it filled up the land. But because God’s gracious protection was removed through their disobedience, this vine lost its vitality and invaders had destroyed. Jesus is the true and perfect vine that we can become a part of. Jesus may have just instituted the first Wine and Loaf supper; the vine would be appropriate to follow this.

The tender or farmer is also the owner. This is really important. The gardener is not a paid worker but the one who owns the land and planted the vine. It’s his full interest that the vine bears much fruit.

Answered Prayer is connected to fruitfulness

v. 2 The branches of the vine grafted into the True Vine will be pruned and cut off. He snaps off what will not produce fruit – could be referring to Judas?

v. 3 Cleansing by the logos, the message, the Gospel of the Kingdom. But the pruning and trimming will be painful.

v. 4 Remain in Christ, remain in relationship with Jesus and it follows that Christ will remain in us. The assumed is that we can reject or remove ourselves from that vital relationship. We can choose a “by ourselves” lifestyle, or we can choose to remain in Him.  Fruitfulness requires connection to the Real Vine.

v.5 We are the branches. We don’t bear fruit if we aren’t remaining connected. In fact, our spiritual lives depend on the connection to Jesus. Eph. 2:12 reminds us what we were when we were separated from his life. We were dead in sin.

v. 6 Jesus is speaking during the early Spring. This is the time of pruning, much leaves, no fruit, and the farmer is preparing the vines for a great harvest.

Illustration: Italy and the vines.

Choice is ours to remain in Christ, believe He is Lord, submit to Him as leader; or unplug and be destroyed.

v. 7 Ask whatsoever (you will is understood but not in the original). It should glorify God. It should have Jesus stamped over it. It flows from remaining in the Vine. And it leads to much more fruitfulness. 14:13, 16:23 Jesus repeats this promise. It is a promise that is conditional to our choices. We might choose to ask for something, but if we have not chosen to remain in Him in an intimate life-giving connection, if we aren’t asking that God be glorified, etc., then we might ask amiss.

v. 8 The much fruit here is tied into the ask, the granted answers, God getting glory, and becoming more and more His followers.

v. 9 The Father has loved the Son (aorist, completely, perfectly), the Son has loved me the same way (completely, perfectly) – it goes without saying I will continue, abide, steadily walk in the Son. Our love is grounded in Jesus’ practical act of love for us, but also deeply rooted in the bottom of the father’s heart of love for the world.

v. 10-11 Connects joy as a fruit in our lives to the consistency of our humility and obedience. When we love unconditionally, we are living the value of the Kingdom and the verb is future, we will continue to live in these values (imagine what life would be like without light, love, mercy, truth, peace, etc. – all these are removed when the Kingdom is ignored.) His joy in us; not the joy we can muster up or activate by “feeling good.” It is his joy inside – Spiritual fruit – and it is both full and eternal.

v. 12 When we love we lived like Jesus. The verb here is “keep on loving one another” – endure in love, persist in love. When we humbly trust and follow God, we are showing Him love. Just the day before, Mt. 22 Love God. Love people.

Illustration: Serve your wife to love her. Listen to your wife to love her. Respect your husband to love him. Stand in his corner and cheer for him to love him.

v. 13 -17 Expands on and defines “Love others as I have loved you.” This is obedience. This is real love. And this is the process of bearing much more fruit – that lasts. 10:11 the shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. If you keep on obeying what Jesus says…

v. 15 When Jesus says the word friends, he thinks of you and me – His friends. Friend and servant aren’t mutually exclusive. He is unveiling truth and Himself more and more. As Jesus unveils who he is experientially to us as we “keep on remaining”, we discover that the two are entwined. I am Jesus’ friend and servant.

v. 16-17 He chose me, you. He chose me to be one of the Redeemed, the Restored. He appointed me, you. He gave me a purpose, a calling, an adventure, something to accomplish – and that leads to going, moving, stepping into that purpose and bearing fruit that lasts. That’s the fruit that springs out of our relationships into other’s lives to God’s glory. And it flows out of living a life of love and purpose.

It’s “keep on going” “keep on bearing fruit” along with “keep on remaining.