Scripture Reading: John 6:22-40

“On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.’ Then they said to him, ‘What must we do, to be doing the works of God?’ Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’ So they said to him, ‘Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ Jesus then said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ They said to him, ‘Sir, give us this bread always.’ Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.’” (John 6:22–40, ESV)

So far the reading of God’s holy, inspired, inerrant, and authoritative word.

Introduction

So we have moved backwards in our series through John’s gospel, haven’t we? We concluded chapter 17 last Sunday, and now we are in chapter 6!

Here’s the reason for it: the elders of Emmaus have for some time been discussing our current approach to the Lord’s Supper and have, in the process of time, with much prayer and consideration given to the Scriptures, decided that the time has come to make some changes. It is our desire to move Emmaus to the weekly observance of the Lord’s Supper and to the use of bread and wine (though grape juice will still be made available for those who desire it).

This is a rather significant change! We as a leadership are aware of it’s significance, and that is why we have moved slowly in bringing it to you. We understand that for some the transition will be difficult. Questions will likely abound. For that reason I will be teaching on the Supper this Sunday and next, seeking to address those questions and concerns. As usual, we pray that you would come to us with your questions and concerns so that we can shepherd in an understanding way.

It has been our custom to observe the Supper on the first Sunday of the month and to use bread and grape juice. Why was this our practice? Well, the simple answer is that we brought it with us from the congregation out of which we were born!

The truth of the matter is that I have for some time felt the need for reform in this area. It was before we planted Emmaus that I began to ask the question, why do we observe the Supper only once a month? And after that, why is it that we use grape juice, instead of wine? I’ve personally studied the issue and have thought much about it. I began to talk with the leadership of Emmaus about this a couple of years ago, and they too have come to believe that we should observe weekly and with wine.

I would like, first of all, to briefly summarize the rationale behind such a move. After that I will move into the body of this sermon which seeks to answer the question, what is the Lord’s Supper? In the sermon next Sunday I will take time to answer the question, how should the Supper be observed? So first, a brief and general explanation. Second, the question, what is the Lord’s Supper? And third, the question, how should it be observed? (which will be addressed in detail next week). 

First, the rationale:

I should start by saying that a simple reading of the New Testament, and a consideration of the practice of the early church, leaves one with the impression that the Lord’s Supper is to be observed weekly using bread and wine. I’ll work to demonstrate this next week. For now I will simply state the principle. Any deviation from this practice should be called into question and explained. The burden of proof is upon those who deviate from this pattern. I found that I could no longer give an adequate answer to the questions, why once a month, and why grape juice? 

Two, the leadership of Emmaus has grown in their conviction that the Lord’s Supper is of great spiritual benefit to the people of God and should not be withheld from the them. In it we feast upon Christ by faith. In it the people of God are nourished and refreshed, called to repentance, and urged to maintain the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace. In it the gospel is preached, not with words, but through symbol. Many other benefits could be presented, but the point for now is to ask, why would we withhold such a good thing from God’s people, and especially when the scriptures seem to direct us towards regular observance?

The objection that I most commonly hear to the regular observance of the Supper is that it will grow common to the people of God if we observe it week after week.

I’d like to brief respond to that objection by saying, should we not then apply that principle consistently and only preach and pray and sing once a month too? Actually, if we were to follow that line of thinking one could argue that it would be best to gather for worship only once a month! I think all would agree that the Lord’s Supper is not the only element of our worship that has the potential of growing common to the people of God. Are we not also tempted to approach prayer and preaching and singing in a lifeless and routine way?

Brothers and sisters, the solution to the problem of monotony is not to be found in the alteration of the the frequency of an event, but in the transformation and renewal of the heart. God has prescribed a rhythm for our gathering and worship, and that rhythm is one day in seven. And he has prescribed what is to be done in worship, for “they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of [the] bread and the prayers.” (Acts 2:42, ESV) The truth of the matter is that we would struggle to come with hearts prepared for worship no matter if frequency were once a week or once a month or once a year, due to our sinfulness.

The objection that I most commonly hear concerning the use of wine in the Supper is that it tempts the people of God towards alcoholism. We do want to be sensitive to this issue. Alcoholism is a serious thing. Some of have struggled greatly with it. By no means do we want to minimize the significance of that.

I will say more about this next week, but let me address this objection briefly now.

Notice that we still plan to offer grape juice. I think the middle circle in the communion tray will have grape juice, the outer wine. This is for the young people who have been baptized and who – either by their own decision, or the decision of their parents (perhaps because they are not yet 21) – would prefer to partake using the juice. I think it is best for families to decide where they stand on that. The juice is also for those who, being aware of their own weakness and propensities with alcohol decide that it is best not to touch the stuff. We understand and respect that decision too. We do want to be sensitive to not offend your conscience.

Consider this, though. The Corinthian church struggled with drunkenness in the congregation in association with the observance with the Supper. It was not that some tasted a thimble full of wine and then were prompted to go home and drink to the point of drunkenness – they were getting drunk at church! See for yourself in 1Corinthians 11:21. Now that’s a problem! And what was Paul’s solution? He did not say, let’s use grape juice instead. No, he rebuked the church for their sin and urged repentance. He did not alter the words of Christ. He did not put a bandaid on the issue. Instead he got to the heart of it by urging repentance.

Consider this too. If a person struggles with alcohol, what better way to gain victory over the sin of drunkenness than to partake of a little wine week after week, surrounded by brothers and sisters in Christ, confessing the sins of the past, and asking for strength to have victory over the temptations of the future? I would imagine that that process would be healthy for most. For those who’s addiction is more severe, we offer grape juice in an attempt to be sensitive to those challenges.

I suppose some could accuse us of inconsistency here saying, why offer juice at all? I see that. But I would prefer to call it pastoral sensitivity instead. To be clear, I do not fault a pastor who, after assessing his congregation, decides to use juice, or celebrate the Supper less frequently. There are some extreme cases that might necessitate such a move for a time. If I were doing a church plant in a community where alcoholism dominated the culture, I would use grape juice… for a while… until the issue of alcoholism could be addressed. If were doing church planting in a community where the bread and wine were worshiped as if they contained the actual body and blood of Christ, I might consider infrequent observance… for a time… until the issue of idolatry could be addressed.

Brothers and sisters, we do not have anything like that going on in our context. Nothing close to it.  I, therefore, can not make a reasonable case for doing anything except observing the Supper in the way that the scriptures prescribe – weekly, and with bread and wine.

We will answer the question, how should the Supper be observed? next week. Today, the question is, what is the Supper? There is a reason why we are tackling these two questions in this order. Our view of what the Supper is will inevitably have in impact upon how we observe it. And so we begin here: what is the Lord’s Supper?

I have three simple points, and I will need to make them quickly. First of all, the Lord’s Supper is a covenantal meal. Secondly, it is a symbolic meal. And thirdly, it a spiritual meal.

A Covenantal Meal

First of all, recognize that the Lord’s Supper is a covenantal meal. It is a meal which reminds us of the fellowship, or right relationship, or communion that we enjoy with God under the New Covenant, or the Covenant of Grace. We enjoy right relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ – his obedient life, death, and resurrection. He is the servant, or mediator, of the New Covenant.  It is through his obedience to God, and his sacrificial death, that we are able to come to God. The observance of the Supper reminds us that we are in covenant with God through faith in Jesus. The meal reminds us of and renews this covenant bond anew and afresh each time we partake.

Think of it. When you eat a meal with someone it indicates that you have a right relationship with them. Sharing a meal is a powerful thing relationally. And it is God who shares this meal with us. We are invited to sit at his table and to sup with him!

We come to God initially through faith in Jesus on the basis of his life, death, and resurrection. Baptism is the sacrament that marks the beginning of the Christian life. But the Lord’s Supper signifies the ongoing, continual, aspect of our walk with God. Baptism marks our entrance into the Covenant – the Lord’s supper signifies our remaining in the Covenant. Some have compared this to marriage, noticing that baptism is like the wedding, whereas the Lord’s Supper is like the anniversary.  Thabiti Anyabwile said it this way: “While baptism represents a kind of ‘I do’ between Christ and his bride, the Supper repeats an ‘I continue’ statement of love from Jesus to the church”.

Notice something about that quote. According to Thabiti, who is speaking to whom in the Supper? He emphasizes that it is Christ speaking to us! And I agree with his assessment! I am not denying that we say something to God and to the world through baptism and the Supper. Certainly that is true! When we receive baptism, and when we receive the Supper, we are indeed identifying with Christ, receiving his mark, and confessing him as Lord. But do not miss this point – the sacraments are a word from God to us. And what does he say to us through the sacraments? Well, the same thing that he says to us in the gospel. When the gospel is preached and the sacraments are administered, the message is the same. It is the same massage that comes to us when the gospel is preached and when the sacraments are observed. The difference is the form. Through preaching the gospel is delivered with words. In the sacraments the gospel is delivered by way of symbol.

When we partake of the Lord’s Supper God reminds of this wonderful news. We are in a right relationship with him, not because of what we have done, but because of what Jesus has done for us. He took our sins, and we have received his righteousness. We have been made right with God in the Covenant of Grace.

Meals are significant in the scriptures, aren’t they?

Think of the Passover feast. What was that except a meal which reminded the people of Israel of their relationship with God on the basis of God’s work of redemption in delivering them from bondage in Egypt. When was the Lord’s Supper instituted except in the context of that ancient feast? The bread that Christ gave to his disciples was the unleavened bread of the Passover feast. The cup, was third of four cups in the Passover feast. Just as Passover was a covenantal meal, so too the Lord’s Supper is a covenantal meal which reminds us that we are in a covenant relationship with our God by virtue of his great and final act of redemption, though Jesus Christ.

Think also of the meal which the nobles of Israel ate in the presence of the Lord when the Old Covenant was confirmed with them. In Exodus 24:9-11 we read, “Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up [on Mt. Sinai], and they saw the God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness. And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank.” (Exodus 24:9–11, ESV)

This is not a novel concept, then. Throughout the history of redemption God has used the eating of meals to mark or signify the ratification or renewal of a covenant. And so with that in mind listen to words of Christ when he instituted the Supper: “Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body.’ And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.’” (Matthew 26:26–29, ESV)

Notice two things for now. One, Jesus is clear that the Supper represents the covenant which is made in his blood. When we ask the question, what is the Lord’s Supper? one of the first things that should come to mind is covenant renewal. God has made a covenant, or agreement, with us based upon grace, and upon the virtue of Christ’s shed blood, so that we can be in right relationship with him.  When we partake of the Supper we are remembering and renewing that covenant. Two, notice Christ’s mention of a future meal. The Supper that we enjoy today is but a foreshadowing of a much greater feast that we will enjoy with our Lord when all things are brought to a consummation and made new.

I wish I could say more. For now, see that the Lord’s Supper is a covenantal meal.

A Symbolic Meal

Secondly, recognize that the Lord’s Supper is a symbolic meal. The bread and the wine, and our partaking of it, are filled with symbolism.

Again, so much could be said about this. I will make only three observations.

At the most basic level the bread and wine symbolize the broken body and the shed blood of Jesus. His body was broken for you, his blood shed for the forgiveness of sins. When we partake of the Supper we  “proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:26, ESV)

Notice also that we are not merely to look at the bread and wine, but we are to eat it. Eating and drinking nourish the physical body, and this is symbolic of the fact that Christ is our spiritual sustenance. This is what Jesus was getting at when he said in John 6:53, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.” He is here calling men and women to faith in him. That is what it means to “eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood”, and the Lord’s Supper is a symbol of that. It is a reminder that our life is found in Christ, and that it is received as we feast on him by faith.

Notice lastly that the Supper is symbolic of our union with one another. We drink from the same cup, metaphorically speaking., and we eat from the same loaf. It is Christ that we are individually partakers of. We are united to him by faith. And being united to him individually means that we are in fact united to one another. “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.” (1 Corinthians 10:16–17, ESV)

The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic meal. The bread and wine, and our partaking of it, is filled with rich and meaningful symbolism.

A Spiritual Meal 

The third thing to be noticed is that the Lord’s Supper is a spiritual meal.

God has adopted us into his family, and now he feeds us. In the Supper we feed upon Christ, that has already been said. The question is, how so?

There have been three main views as to how it is that we feed upon Christ in the Supper.

One view is that Christ is not really present at all in the Supper, we simply remember him in the memorial. The Reformer Ulrich Zwingli held to this view. Of course it is true that we are to remember Christ in the Supper and to be encouraged by him, but it is our view that there is more to Supper than that.

The Roman Catholics and the Lutherans actually share something in common in their view of the Supper. Both believe that Christ is present in the Supper bodily and substantially. Rome teaches transubstantiation. That is the teaching that when a priest consecrates the elements the bread and wine transform into the actual flesh and blood of Jesus. This we reject as unbiblical and superstitious. Luther rejected this, but taught what is called consubstantiation. This is the view that, while the bread and wine remain bread and wine, the body of Christ is indeed really present with or alongside the bread and wine. The Roman and Lutheran view share this in common, then. When asked, where is Jesus? They look at the sacrament and say, he is here!

Calvin and the Reformed disagreed with Zwingli, Rome, and Luther and insist that we feast upon Christ in the Supper, not by chewing on the actual flesh and blood of Jesus, but by chewing upon him with the mouth of faith. When we eat the sacrament we are only eating bread and wine, but our hearts are indeed lifted up by the Spirit to Christ where he is in heaven. We feast upon him by the Spirit. He nourishes us spiritually. We chew on him flesh and blood, not with our teeth, but with the mouth of faith. This is our view.

Listen to the LBC 30.7. “Worthy receivers, outwardly partaking of the visible elements in this ordinance, do then also inwardly by faith, really and indeed, yet not carnally and corporally, but spiritually receive, and feed upon Christ crucified, and all the benefits of his death; the body and blood of Christ being then not corporally or carnally, but spiritually present to the faith of believers in that ordinance, as the elements themselves are to their outward senses.”

The crucial question is this: where is Jesus? For Rome and Luther the answer is, he is here in the elements. For those of us in the Reformed tradition, when we look at the bread and wine our eyes and hearts are lifted up to heaven where Christ is seated at the Father’s right hand.

Brothers and sisters, when we partake of the Supper it is more than a memorial. It is that, but it is more than that. We feast upon Christ, not according to the flesh, but by the Spirit. We are nourished by him indeed.

Conclusion

Friends, I hope that the news of partaking weekly brings joy to your heart. I hope that you view the Supper in such a way that you say, praise the Lord that we will have opportunity to be renewed in the covenant, meditate upon the symbolism, and feast upon Christ in this spiritual meal, not monthly, but weekly! Praise God for that we will have more of this good thing. That is my hope – that you would respond in this way.

We will be partaking of the Supper next week on the first Sunday of the month as usual. Our plan is to partake again on the second Sunday of March, and every Sunday thereafter. That will be new to us. I pray that you will prayerful full consider these things over the next few week and talk to the elders of Emmaus if you have questions or concerns so that we can work through them together.

May God strengthen his church by the Spirit as we walk with him being nourished by his word and sacrament, to the glory of name. Amen.

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady John 6:22-40
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Old Testament Reading: Psalm 133

“A Song of Ascents. Of David. Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.” (Psalm 133, ESV)

New Testament Reading: John 17:20-26

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.  Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:20–26, ESV)

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” (Isaiah 40:8, ESV)

Introduction

Unity. That is the central theme of this final portion of Christ’s prayer for the people given to him by the Father. His desire is “that they may all be one” (v. 21), indeed, “that they may become perfectly one” (v. 23). Clearly, Christ’s desire is that his people – the ones who were alive when he walked the earth, and the ones who would live in generations to come, who would come to believe in him through the word of his apostles – would be one. Christ’s prayer to the Father is that his people would enjoy unity with one another.

Brothers and sisters, if it was Jesus’ prayer, then it should also be ours. If it was Jesus’ desire, then we too should share in that impulse. Should we not mimic our Savior, praying to the Father for the blessing of unity amongst us? Should we not labor to promote unity amongst ourselves? And when I say “us” and “ourselves”, I have in mind, not just we who are a part of this particular local church, but all who are in Christ. The prayer of Jesus here is not limited to one particular congregation, but it is for all who belong to him by faith. We should share in Christ’s passion and prayer for the unity of his people.

Unity is indeed the central theme of this final portion of Christ’s prayer for the people given to him by the Father. And notice that Christ is specific about the kind of unity that he desires.

Brothers and sisters, there are different kinds of unity.

In order for unity to exist there must be something that unifies – there must be glue. Unity cannot exist apart from a unifying agent. And the unifying agent – the glue – will determine the depth and strength of the bond. And so unity differs in kind depending upon what it is that unifies. And the the thing that unifies will also determine the depth and strength of the bond.

Think of it. Wherever people enjoy unity you will find that there is something that unifies them. Hobbies unify. Political persuasions unify. Nationality unifies. Ideas unify. Family unifies. I suppose at the broadest level humanity is something that unifies us all – we share humanity in common. Wherever you find unity, you will also find a unifying agent – a glue. And it is the glue which determines the strength of the bond.

For example, I enjoy a different kind of unity with my wife than I do with my neighbors. We love our neighbors. We enjoy unity in our neighborhood. We talk with our neighbors. We look out for one another, and do things for one another. It’s really very nice. We truly enjoy unity with our neighbors. And the glue that binds us together is neighborliness. But that is different from the unity I enjoy with my wife.

If you were to ask me, Pastor, how are things with your marriage? And I said, things are wonderful! It’s at least two or three times a week that my wife and I talk.  And you know, the other day I was making breakfast when I noticed that I was out of eggs. I knocked on her door and she gave me a half a dozen eggs! We’re even planning a BBQ in the Spring time! You would be concerned for our marriage if I spoke in that way, wouldn’t you? But why? Did I not just describe to you a relationship at peace? Where is the disharmony? Where is the disunity? Why would you be concerned for us? Is it not because you intuitively recognize that there are indeed different kinds of unity? The unity that exists between neighbors and the unity that exists between a husband and wife are of a different kind. The glue of neighborliness and the glue of matrimony are substantially different. And because the two differ in substance we have different expectations concerning the bond – its charter, depth, and duration.

So what does all of this have to do with Jesus’ prayer?

That Jesus prayed for unity is obvious to all. What is often overlooked, unfortunately, is that Jesus prayed for unity of a particular kind. When we talk about the unity that Christ desires for his people we are to have a particular kind of unity in mind.  First of all, the unity that Christ desires is one that is centered upon him. Jesus Christ is the glue which binds his people together. The person of Christ – his word and work – are the unifying agents. Secondly, this unity is deep and substantial, and not superficial. And thirdly, this unity is eternal, and not temporal.

Let Us Pursue A Unity That Is Bound By Christ’s Word And Work

Brothers and sisters, let us pursue a unity that is bound together by Christ’s word and work.

It is in verse 20 that Christ says, “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word…” (John 17:20, ESV) Here the prayer of Jesus shifts in focus from the eleven who stood with Jesus on that dark and gloomy night, to those who would believe upon him in the future through their word. That includes you and me!

In verse 21 we hear Jesus pray for his, “that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John 17:21, ESV)

It is the words “just as” that I would like to draw your attention to. Jesus prays for our unity and then he specifies as to the kind of unity that he has in mind. We are to be one just as the Father and Son are one. In the greek the word is καθώς. It is a word that is used to mark the similarity that exists between things. It actually appears three times in this passage. In verse 21 it is translated “just as”, but in verses 22 and 23 it is translated “even as”.  Verse 22: “The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” (John 17:23, ESV)

So much can be said about this. But the point that I wish to make today is that Jesus prayed, not for unity of just any kind, but for the kind of unity that exists between he and the Father. His desire is that we be one just as he and the Father are one.

Notice that this speaks both to the substance, or ground, of our unity, and also to the quality of it. In other words, it answers the question, what is to unify us? and also, to what degree or depth are we to be unified?

Let us first deal with the substance of our unity. What is the glue that is to bind us together? That is the question. To get the answer we must first ask what is the glue that binds Christ and the Father together? What is the basis for their unity? For whatever binds them together ought to also bind us together since Christ’s prayer is that we would be one just as he and the Father are one.   

So what is at the core of Christ’s union with the Father? What is the unifying agent? What is the glue?

Some have insisted that it is the divinity of Christ that is in view here – that it was the divine nature in Christ that made him one with the Father – as if the unity that he spoke of was an ontological unity – the Father is divine and the Son is divine therefore they are unified as one. And though is it true that Christ is divine – that in him there is both the divine nature and a human nature united in one person forever – that does not seem to be what is in view here in Jesus’ prayer. That point is made elsewhere for sure, but it does not seem to be the point here.

Instead, Jesus is praying as Christ or Mediator. He is praying as God’s faithful servant – the Father’s faithful Son – who has accomplished everything that the Father gave him to do. The unity that he refers to here is not the unity of essence that exists between he and the Father (thought that certainly exists), but a unity in purpose – a unity rooted in word and in work.

This theme is massive in John’s gospel. Jesus Christ, who is the eternal Son of God come in the flesh, was obedient to the Father in his words and in his works. I could direct you to John 5:19 and following, for example. Or to John 8:36 and following. I could also direct you John 10:30 and to that famous declaration of Jesus when he said “I and the Father are one.” As the passage unfolds from there it is clear that he his emphasizing his unity with the Father as it pertains to his words and work. But in reality we need not look any further than to the beginning of this prayer to observe this theme. Jesus prayed to the Father in 17:4 saying, “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.” (John 17:4, ESV) And in verse 8 he prayed, “For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.” (John 17:8, ESV)

This is the thing that Jesus is stressing here. It is the word of God and the work of God which serve as the unifying agent between Jesus the Christ and God the Father.  Jesus is one with the Father in that he is in perfect harmony with him. God’s word is his word. God’s work is his work. I am not denying their ontological unity – their unity by virtue of their shared divinity – but I am saying that that is not what is in view here. Instead the context demands that we see faithfulness to the word of God and the work of God as the glue which binds Jesus the Christ together with the Father.

Recognize that Jesus was faithful to give his people God’s word.

“In the beginning was the Word… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…” (John 1:1,14, ESV)

John 8:28:  “So Jesus said to them, ‘When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.” (John 8:28, ESV)

In John 12:49 Jesus says, “For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.” (John 12:49–50, ESV)

And notice also that Jesus was faithful to do the Fathers work.

In John 5:36 Jesus says, “…For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.” (John 5:36, ESV)

And in John 17:4 he says, “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.” (John 17:4, ESV)

What am I getting at exactly?

That Jesus prayed for unity is clear. But it is unity of a particular kind that he has in mind. His desire is that we would be one just as he and the Father are one. His oneness with the Father was rooted in his faithfulness to the Father’s word and the Father’s work. That is the glue which binds God the Father and Jesus the Christ together! And it is to be the glue which binds us together too! Christ is what we share in common – union with Christ by faith; belief in and obedience to his word; and devotion to the continuation of his work. He is the vine, we are the branches. We enjoy the union with one another that Christ prayed for only so long as we are bond together in him, in accordance with his word and work.

Let Us Purse A Unity That Is Deep And Substantial, And Not Superficial

Now that we have dealt briefly with the substance or ground of our unity, let us also say a word about the quality of it. If Christ is indeed the thing that binds us together, then we have all that we need to pursue a unity that is deep and substantial, and not superficial.

Clearly Christ’s desire is that we enjoy deep unity with one another. Not only do the words “just as”, or “even as” speak to the substance or ground of our unity with one another, but also to the quality of it. It is safe to say that Jesus Christ and God the Father enjoyed substantial and deep unity. Their unity was indeed perfect unity. Christ lived in perfect harmony with the Father.  Never were they out of step. God’s word was Christ’s word – God’s work, was Christ’s work. Jesus and the Father were one (John 10:30).  And it is our Spirit wrought belief in the word of Christ, and or devotion to the work of Christ which makes a deep and substantial union amongst ourselves possible.

Everyone desires to see unity within the church. I’ve never met a Christian who has said that they were happy about all of the division that exists within Christ’s church. If the division does not grieve our souls then there is something wrong within us. We should strive for unity. We should pray for unity as Christ did. But we should also take care to pursue the right kind of unity, and in the right way.

Here is my concern. It seems that some within the church who are hungry for unity (which is to be commended) have erred in that they have made unity the supreme thing. And because they have made it the supreme thing, they are willing to pursue it at all costs. And having pursued unity at all costs, they have settled for a kind of unity which looks nothing like the unity that Christ petitioned the Father for – it differs in substance and degree.

Brothers and sisters, unity is not the supreme objective of Christ. He did not come for the purpose of bringing unity. Listen to his words in Matthew 10:34:  “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household.” (Matthew 10:34–36, ESV)

Jesus brings division. His doctrine divides. His word sets those who are his apart from those who are of the world. His word distinguishes between truth and error. You are either for him or against him.

His mission was to redeem a people for himself. He mission was to reveal truth from above. He came as a light shining in the darkness. These objectives inevitably involve division! If the world were not fallen, living in darkness, and opposed to God, there would be no division at all. But the world is indeed hostile to the things of God, therefore Christ brings division.

Brothers and sisters, Jesus’ objective is not unity per se, but to redeem a people for himself. And it is unity amongst the redeemed for which Christ prays. Those who have made unity the supreme thing have in fact turned Christianity on it’s head. They have made unity the first thing, and truth the second, when in fact truth is to be the first, and then the desire for unity amongst those who have been born of that truth from above.

When we make unity the supreme thing we will inevitably pursue it at all costs. The trend in Evangelicalism today (it has been the trend for a hundred years or more) is to pursue unity by minimizing doctrine. “Let us say as little as possible about Christ – his word, and his work – so as not to offend.” That is the thought! The mantra is, “doctrine divides, but Jesus unites!” And so churches continue to claim belief in Christ while saying as little as they can about him – even neglecting things clearly taught in his word. It is unity at all costs – unity at the expense of truth.

It is no wonder then that the unity which exists within these churches is superficial. Scratch the surface and you will see that under the veneer all manner of division exists.

Friends, this is backwards. It is not that “doctrine divides and Jesus unites”, but that “Jesus divides and his doctrine unites.” He divides in that he has calls his out of the world to belong to himself, having been given to him by the Father from before the foundation of the earth. And he further sanctifies (or sets apart) those who belong to him by his word. He calls us forth by his word, and he sanctifies us by his word. And it is his doctrine – his holy word – which unifies his people together deeply.

It is ironic, isn’t it, that very thing which can bring unity to God’s people – that is the truth of God’s word – is the thing that we neglect in the hopes of facilitating unity?

Listen to Paul as he writes to the Corinthians (a church struggling with division): “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.” (1 Corinthians 1:10, ESV)

I am not saying give up on unity. And I am not saying that we are to be happy with division. By no means! We should pray to Christ that we would be one, just as he and the Father are one! And we should work towards it with all that we are. But we should pursue the right kind of unity in the right way.

To pursue unity within the church without concern for sound doctrine is like attempting to join the pieces of a chair together without the use of nails or screws or glue. It will hold together for a little while, but things will get shaky fast, and they will eventually fall to pieces.

There is no depth to our unity apart from Christ – his person, his words, and his work.

Let Us Pursue A Unity That Is Significant For All Eternity

Brothers and sisters, may I exhort you, lastly, to pursue a unity with one another in light of it’s significance for all eternity.

I do wish that I could spend more time on this final point, but a few words will have to do. The union that you have with one another in Christ is eternal. Think about that for a moment. In eternity all other unions will fade away and will pale in comparison to our union with Christ, and to our union with one another.

Look at Christ’s prayer for us in verse 24: “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.” (John 17:24, ESV)

Christ’s prayer is that we would be with him in glory. He is here referring to his final and full glory – the glory that he had with the Father before the world was created, and the glory that he returned to after his death, burial, resurrection, and ascension to the Fathers right hand. That is Christ’s prayer! That those given to him by the Father would be one in the here and now, and one in him for all eternity.

Why then do Christians neglect their bond with one another? Why do we settle for inferior unifying agents, and superficial forms of unity? If this is the bond that lasts forever, should we not cherish it and work to cultivate its depth and quality?

Conclusion

So much more could be said about this beautiful passage – I’ve only scratched the surface, I know. But let me provide a few points of application by way of conclusion.

One, let us pray for unity. Let us pray that the Lord would continue to bless us with unity in this local church, and even deeper unity than we enjoy now. I am pleased with the oneness that we are experiencing, but who’s to say that it cannot grow? And let us pray for unity in Christ’s universal church. I am not interested in unity that is merely organizational (Rome), nor am I interested in unity that is merely cosmetic and superficial (Evangelicalism). But we ought to desire and pray that the Lord would bless his church with real unity. Brothers and sisters, Christ prayed for unity and so should we.

Two, let us work to maintain unity. And it does take work! Just as gravity pulls upon us constantly urging us to lie down, so too sin is a constant threat against the unity of Christ’s church. I “urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1–3, ESV)

Three, let us work towards establishing or regaining unity where it is lacking. If we are praying for it, then we also ought to be ready and willing to work towards it. Again, I will emphasize the need for effort. Just as a marriage is only healthy where there is effort, so too the church is only healthy where there is effort. We must work towards repentance and forgiveness. We must work towards understanding the word of God. We must work towards unity. There are instances where division is inevitable and even necessary. But I would venture to guess that much division exists with the church unnecessarily so due to sin and slothfulness .

Four, I would encourage you here at Emmaus to work towards unity, not by neglecting doctrine, but by immersing yourself in it. Do not compromise on the truth of God’s word for the sake of appeasing the critic. You’ll end up with unity, but not of a deep and Christian kind. It’s better, I think, to hold unwaveringly to the truth of God’s word, with a spirit of humility, and in persistent prayer. See doctrine, not as a problem to be avoided, but as a great blessing to the church and something which in fact fosters Christian unity.

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:23–25, ESV)

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady John 17:20-26
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Old Testament Reading: Exodus 3:1–15

“Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, ‘I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.’ When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ Then he said, ‘Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.’ And he said, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. Then the Lord said, ‘I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.’ But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?’ He said, ‘But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.’ Then Moses said to God, ‘If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?’ God said to Moses, ‘I am who I am.’ And he said, ‘Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I am has sent me to you.’’ God also said to Moses, ‘Say this to the people of Israel, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.’” (Exodus 3:1–15, ESV)

New Testament Reading: John 17:6-19

“I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.” (John 17:6–19, ESV)

So far, the reading of God’s holy, inspired, inerrant, and authoritative word.

Introduction

Think about what we have here, brothers and sisters. We have recorded for us a prayer of Jesus. And it is not just any prayer, but a final prayer – a prayer which he uttered to God the Father, in the presence of his disciples, after instructing them in order to prepare them for the difficult road ahead, and before his time of suffering. Think about the treasure this is! We have before us a prayer of the Christ. The prayer is deeply encouraging because in it he prays for you and for me. And the prayer is insightful because through it his heart and mind are revealed.

Please notice three things about verses 6-19, which make up the middle portion of Jesus’ farewell prayer: First of all, Jesus prayed specifically for those given to him, and not for the world. Secondly, Jesus prayed that those given to him would be kept by the Father. And thirdly, Jesus prayed that those given to him would be sanctified by the Father.

Jesus Prayed Particularly For Those Given To Him, And Not For The World (v. 6-10)

Let us look, first of all, at verses 6 through 10 where we encounter Jesus praying for those given to him, and not for the world.

In verse 6 we hear Jesus say, “[Father,] I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.” (John 17:6, ESV) In verse 9 we read, “I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.” (John 17:9, ESV)

Notice that there are two groups of people mentioned in Jesus’ prayer. There are those who belong to the world, and there are those who have been given to Jesus out of the world, and therefore belong to him. It is clear that in verses 6-19 Jesus has in mind those disciples of his who were alive at the time that he prayed these words. It’s not until verse 20 (which we will come to next week) that Jesus transitions in his prayer to intercede also for those who would believe in him through the words of his disciples, including you and me. But even in that section of the prayer the distinction remains. As it was then, so it is now – there are those who belong to the world, and there are those who have been given to Jesus out of the world.

So who are these people who have been given to Jesus? What are we to think of them?

Notice first of all that those given to Christ are, in and of themselves, no different than the others. They were given to Jesus “out of the world”. In other words, the ones given to the Son are, before they come to the Son, worldly. They belong not to a different order of things. They are by no means of a different kind. No, they are given to Jesus out of the world. The word world in John’s Gospel (it has indeed been said many times in this series) is used to describe this planet, and the people living upon this planet – sinful, fallen people, who are living in darkness and are at enmity with God. Those given to Jesus are taken out of that, and not from some other order of things.

Notice secondly that those who were given to Jesus belonged first to the Father. Jesus prayed for “the people whom [the Father] gave [to him] out of the world. [The Father’s] they were, and [the Father] gave them to [him]…” (John 17:6) Clearly it is, what is elsewhere called, election, or predestination, or foreknowledge, that is behind what Jesus prays here. The ones given to Jesus in time, or in history, are the one who, first of all, belong to the Father by virtue of their having been chosen by him in eternity past. They are the ones who have been foreknown, set apart unto salvation, written in the book of life, and predestined by the Father from before the foundation of the earth. This is what Jesus means when he says to the Father, “yours they were, and you gave them to me.” The teaching is clear. Those who come to believe in Jesus, and therefore, belong to Jesus in time, do so because they first belong to the Father, and have been given by the Father to the Son.

Notice thirdly that it is those given to Jesus by the Father to whom Jesus manifests the Father’s name. See the beginning of verse 6. Jesus prayed,  “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world.”

To make something manifest is to make it clear or obvious. Some modern translations use the word revealed instead of manifest. The NET translates it this way: “I have revealed your name to the men you gave me out of the world.” (John 17:6, NET) The word in the greek is φανερόω. It means “to cause something to be fully known by revealing clearly and in some detail.”

And what did Jesus reveal to those given to him by the Father? He revealed the Fathers name. So what does this mean, exactly? Does it mean that Jesus made it his mission to teach those given to him by the Father to properly say the name of God? Did he whisper in their ear the name YHWH, or some secret name not known to the world? Is that what Jesus had in mind when he said, “I have manifested your name”?

No, brothers and sisters. To manifest God’s name, is to make God known in his person and work and power. The name represents the person. And that is what Christ revealed – the person of God the Father. This was Christ’s mission from the beginning – to reveal the Father to us. John 1:18: “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.”  The is made clear throughout John’s Gospel, but especially in the immediate context.  In 17:3 we read, “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (John 17:3, ESV) And notice that Jesus’ mission was to glorify God (17:4). And now in 17:6 we read that Jesus had accomplished his mission by manifesting God’s name, which is another way of saying that he had revealed, or made known God the Father to those given to him by the Father.

Notice fourthly that it is those given to Jesus by the Father who keep God’s word. Look with me at the end of verse 6: “Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.” (John 17:6, ESV) To keep God’s word is to believe upon and obey God’s word. Jesus was praying for his disciples and he evidently had this opinion of them – that they had kept God’s word.

He went on to pray in verse 7, “Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.” (John 17:7–8, ESV)

These words of Jesus have lead some to scratch their heads, thinking, these disciples of Jesus have been a mess up to this point! They have struggled to believe. They have struggled to obey. And they would continue to struggle, especially later that night and on into the next few days as things would intensify! How could it be that Jesus had this optimistic opinion of them at this time?

But notice that Jesus did not claim that their faith and obedience were mature or strong or pure, but only that their faith and obedience were true. Judas has walked away, but the eleven remained. And in 16:30 they had confessed to Jesus, saying, “Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.” (John 16:30, ESV)

Brothers and sisters, it is possible for faith to be true yet small, and our obedience real yet inconsistent. Indeed, it is better to have faith that is true and big, and obedience that is real and regular! But we should not make the mistake of believe that when we struggle in the faith, that our faith is not true. Not so. Look at the heroes of the faith in the scriptures. These men were far from perfect, and yet they possessed authentic faith. That, I think, is how we are to understand Jesus’ optimistic opinion of his disciples here.

Jesus Prayed That Those  Given To Him By The Father Would Also Be Kept By The Father (v. 11-15)

The second thing to notice about this passage is that Jesus prayed that those given to him by the Father would also be kept by the Father.

Look with me at verse 11. Jesus says, “I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me…” (John 17:11, ESV)

Brothers and sisters, does this not encourage your heart? What an incredible thing it is to learn that the reason you have faith in Jesus – the reason you believe in him and, therefore, belong to him – is because you first belonged to God by virtue of his electing purposes and his sovereign decree. In other words, it is all by the grace of God that you belong to Christ. But how wonderful it is to also hear our Savior pray that those who have been given to him by the Father also be kept by the Father. That is comforting! That is deeply encouraging!

When Jesus asks the Father to keep those given to the him, he is asking the Father to keep watch on them, to guard them, and to cause them to continue. He is asking the Father to hold, reserve, and preserve them. He is here praying for what he has already said would certainly be. In John 10:28 we heard Jesus say, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:28–30, ESV) Here Jesus prays to the Father requesting that he would indeed hold on to those who were given to him. He is here asking the Father to preserve, or keep, those true disciples of his.

I’d like for you to notice five things about the way the Father will keep those given to Christ.

One, notice that those who belong to Christ will be kept in the world.

Look at verse 11 where Jesus says, “And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name…” (John 17:11, ESV) Look also at verse 15 where Jesus says, “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.” (John 17:15, ESV)

You have probably heard the expression that a Christian is to be in the world but not of it. I think it is a helpful saying!

The general principle is this: a Christian is to live in the world. Of course that means that we will live on this planet. But more than that it means that we are to participate in society. We are to rub shoulders with those who are of the world. We are to work with non-christians, serve with them, raise our children with them, vote with them, trade with them, serve on juries with them, and perhaps even fight alongside them. We, as Christians, are citizens of the kingdoms of this earth. In our particular context, we are citizens of the United States of America.

Notice that Jesus explicitly prayed to the Father saying, “I do not ask that you take them out of the world.” We, therefore, should resist monastic tendencies. Do you know what I mean by this? I mean that we should resist the temptation to isolate ourselves from the world, as if we were monks retreating to a monastery. This seems to be quite contrary to the way of Christ and to the way of his disciples. They walked in this world. They engaged. They ate with tax collectors and sinners.  We are to live in the world. I would encourage you to think about this point. I doubt that you are tempted to retreat to a monastery (well, maybe you are) But I’m certain that you are tempted to run from the world in other ways. I leave it to you to apply, as I think this issue of engagement with the world requires much prayer, wisdom, and discernment from each individual Christian and family. But the general principle is this: Christ desires that we remain in this world.

But never are we to be of it. We belong, not to the world, but to Christ. The Father has given us to Christ out of the world. This is not our home. We have a dual citizenship – we live, on the one hand, in the world, but our true and lasting citizenship is in heaven. We are of him, and we are of his kingdom. We, therefore, are to bear the marks of his kingdom, and of his kingship. This effects the way that we think, the way that we speak (we are talk with a Christian accent), and the things that we do. Our union with Christ is to effect our thoughts and words and deeds. We are to live in the world, but be not of it. “I do not ask that you take them out of the world [Jesus prays], but that you keep them from the evil one.” (John 17:15, ESV)

Two, notice that Christ prays for his that they be kept in unity.

Look at the end of verse 11: “Holy Father, keep them… that they may be one, even as we are one.” (John 17:11, ESV)

Jesus’ prayer is that his disciples enjoy unity one with another. I’m tempted to spend a great deal of time on this point because it is such an important one, especially in our day. But I’ll move on from it quickly today knowing that the theme reemerges and is developed even further in verses 20 and following, which we will come to consider next week, Lord willing.

Three, notice that Christ prays they those given to him will be kept from being lost.

We see this in verse 12: “While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you…” (John 17:12–13, ESV), and for this reason Jesus asks the Father to keep them.

Judas was lost, but this was predicted ahead of time by Jesus, and in fulfillment to the scriptures, showing that his faith was disingenuous from the start. Christ kept those who truly belonged to him to the end, and he prayed that the Father would keep on into eternity.

Four, notice that Christ prays that those given to him will be kept in his joy.

Verse 13: “But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.” (John 17:13, ESV) Do not underestimate the power of joy. Indeed, if we know the truth of God, and if we believe the truth of God, in particular, concerning the Christ, and the reality of his death, burial and resurrection, in fulfillment to the eternal plan of God, for the accomplishment of our salvation in him, how could we not have joy? Look at what you have in Christ Jesus, brothers and sisters! How could you not have joy in him? And if you have joy in him (a joy that remains even in the mist of trails and tribulation by virtue of the resurrection power of Christ), then you will indeed be kept by God to the end in that joy. Christ desires that you have joy, brothers and sisters. That is different from saying that Christ wants you to be made happy by the things of this world. No, it’s better than that! Christ wants you to have joy in him – joy in the Father – deep, lasting, and substantial happiness in God the Father.

Five, notice the role that the word plays in the keeping of God’s elect.

Verse 14: “I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” (John 17:14, ESV)

It is the word of God that sets us off from the world; and it is also the word of God that keeps us as we live in the world. Remember, the thing that makes a Christian a Christian is that they receive and keep God’s word (17:6-8). A Christian is one who says “yes, and Amen” to God’s word. A Christian says “yes” to Jesus Christ who is the eternal word of God. A Christian says “yes” to the Bible, which is God written word. And the Christian says “yes” to all that the Bible has to say about God, and Christ, and the salvation that is found in him. Belief – faith – in God’s word is what makes the Christian; but it also the word which is used to keep the Christian.

God’s word is our daily bread (Matt. 4:4). It is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Ps. 119:110). “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.” (Psalm 19:7–8, ESV) The Christian is set apart by the word, but he is also kept by it. Let us not neglect it, brothers and sisters.

Jesus Prayed That Those Given To Him By The Father Would Also Be Sanctified By The Father (v. 16-19)

The third thing to notice about this passage is that Jesus prayed that those given to him by the Father would also be sanctified by the Father.

Look at verse 17 where Jesus prays, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.” (John 17:17–19, ESV)

To be sanctified is to be set apart and made holy for the service of God. Christ is praying that those given to him be set apart and made holy for service. The thing that I would like to briefly emphasize is that Jesus is not praying that we kept by the Father in a static way, as if his concern were that we merely hang on and make it to the end. No, his prayer is that we be sanctified. We are to progress in holiness. We are engage in the serve of God. As Christ served the Father in holiness, so too he prays that we would be consecrated to the Fathers service. In others words, he prays that we would be like servants of Matthew 25 who multiplied their five talents and two talents, and not like the servant who was given one and buried it until the master returned. Brothers and sisters, may we be sanctified in truth for the service of God, as Christ was.

Conclusion

So what should we do now that we have considered this middle portion of Christ’s prayer where intercedes for those given to him by the Father, and not for the world.

First of all, I hope that your hearts are encouraged as you are reminded of the love of God for you.

Secondly, I hope that Christ’s prayer brings greater clarity as to how you are to live in this world. You are to be in it, but not of it.

Thirdly, I hope that Christ’s prayer encourages you to strive after holiness in the service of God.

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady John 17:6-19
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Old Testament Reading: Psalm 110

“A Psalm of David. The Lord says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’ The Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies! Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours. The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.’ The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth. He will drink from the brook by the way; therefore he will lift up his head.” (Psalm 110, ESV)

New Testament Reading: John 17:1-5

“When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.’” (John 17:1–5, ESV)

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” (Isaiah 40:8, ESV)

Introduction

All of John 17 really belongs together. If we had more time I would prefer to preach the whole chapter at once. Here in John 17 we have a prayer of Jesus. Some (I being one of them) have called this “the high priestly prayer of Jesus”. Jesus is here praying to the Father for himself and for his people. He is mediating, or making intercession for himself and for his people, as a priest would. Others are hesitant to call this a “high priestly prayer” arguing that Jesus did not serve as our great High Priest until after his resurrection and ascension to the Father’s right hand. Point taken. Whatever we decide to call it, it is important that we recognized that this is in fact a prayer of Jesus. “he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and [prayed to the] Father”.

Notice a few things about this prayer. First of all, this prayer was uttered by Jesus out loud in the presence of his disciples. This is how we have record of it. John was there with Jesus on this night – the night of his betrayal – the night before his crucifixion. Secondly, notice that this prayer serves as the conclusion to what is commonly called “the farewell discourse”. In John chapters 14-16 Jesus is found offering his disciples a series of teachings which are meant to prepare them for the difficult road ahead. He was saying “farewell”. But more than that he was offering his disciples encouragement and comfort. In particular he comforted them with the news that they would see him again, and that he would come to them by sending the Spirit. How appropriate, then, that this farewell discourse is concluded with prayer. Jesus taught his disciples, and then he prayed for himself and for them, before entering into his suffering. It has been rightly said concerning this farewell discourse that, “the best and fullest sermon ever preached was followed by the best of prayers”. Notice thirdly that this prayer divides nicely into three sections. In verses 1-5 we find Jesus praying for himself. In verses 6-19 he is praying particularly for his disciples who were with him in that moment. And in verses 20-26 Jesus is found praying for all those who would believe upon him from that day onward. In verse 20 he prays, “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word…” (John 17:20, ESV)

And so we will follow the natural contours of this passage, dividing it into three parts, dealing with verses 1-5 today, 6-19 next Sunday, and 20-26 the Sunday after that, Lord willing.

I don’t know about you but I find this entire prayer to be deeply encouraging and also fascinating.

It is encouraging to be reminded that Jesus prays for us. He intercedes for those who belong to him. We see this mainly in verses 6-19 and 20-26, and so I will leave that emphasis for the next two sermons.

This passage is fascinating to me in that it gives us a very clear and intimate glimpse into the mind and heart of Jesus Christ. Do you want to know the mind and heart of a person? Then examine their prayers! The prayers that we say to God reveal what is in our mind and on our heart. Our lack of prayer also reveals something, doesn’t it. But the things that we mention in our prayers – the way that we pray, and the things that we pray for – say a lot about how we view ourselves, God, and the world in which we live. The same is true of Jesus. Do you want to know his mind and heart? Do you want to know how he viewed God, himself, and the world? One of the ways to gain an understanding of these things is to examine his prayers.

I have three observations to make concerning the first five verses of Jesus’ farewell prayer.

Jesus Prayed To The Father

First of all, notice that Jesus prayed to the Father.

This may seem like an obvious observation, but some have wondered about this. If it is true that Jesus is God (as the scriptures clearly teach), and if it is true that there is only one God (as the scriptures also clearly teach), then how can it be that Jesus prayed to God the Father?

The solution, of course, is to recognize that there is a distinction between God the Father and Jesus. Jesus is not the Father, and the Father is not Jesus. This can be demonstrated in two ways: First of all, it was the eternal Word of God, or the eternal Son of God, the second person of the Holy Trinity, who took on humanity and dwelt among us. The Father did not take on flesh, nor did the Spirit, but the Word only. While it is true that there is only one God, we should not forget that there exists within the Godhead a distinction between Father, Son or Word, and Spirit. Secondly, (and this is probably more to the point) we must also remember the fact of the incarnation. The eternal Word of God, the second person of the Trinity, did, when the fullness of time had come, take on flesh and dwelt among us. When Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven, and prayed to the Father, he did so as a man. This is not God crying out to God, but the man Jesus crying out to God.  And he, as God’s uniquely begotten Son, addresses God as Father.

We are accustom to referring to God as Father. Jesus taught his followers to pray, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name.” Many of you have been taught to pray in this way from the time that you were young. But have you considered the significance of this? How can it be that we, lowly creatures as we are, are invited to call God Almighty, our Father?

Some, when they hear this title applied to God, think that it means nothing more than that God is our Creator. The title, Father, they think, means Creator, or source. If this were the case then all people could rightly call God, Father, for he is the Creator or source of us all. But there is more to the title than this. The title says something about our relationship with God. When we call God, Father, we are saying more than that he is our Creator. We are also communicating that we enjoy an intimate relationship with him. When we refer to God as Father are we not saying that we are in a right and proper relationship with him? We are in his love. We are under his care. God, if he is indeed our Father, and we his sons and daughters, smiles upon us. He is like a Father to us, and we are his children. The title, Father, is metaphorical. Just as an earthly Father loves, protects, encourages, disciplines, and instructs his children, so too God relates to those who are his.

Paul captures this idea when he says, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’  The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” (Romans 8:14–17, ESV)

Notice that it is only those who are led by the Spirit – those who have received adoption as son’s – those who are fellow heirs with Christ – who are able to rightly cry out to God as “Abba! Father!” In John 8:44 Jesus spoke to those who did not believe upon him and said, “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires…” (John 8:44, ESV) So apparently, though God is indeed the Creator of us all, he is not the Father of us all. This has been the case from the moment that our first parents – Adam and Eve – fell from the state of perfection. All who came after them were either of God, or of the Evil One.

But the question still remains. How can we, lowly creatures as we are, be invited to call God Almighty, our Father? It becomes even more astonishing when we consider that, not only are we lowly creatures, but we are sinful creatures.

Please hear me. It is not as if some are children of God, and others children of the evil one, because of some inherent goodness or badness within the individual. It is not that some are better than others, and therefore have earned their place as God’s children. The scriptures are clear, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23, ESV) “All… are under sin, as it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.’ ‘Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.’ ‘The venom of asps is under their lips.’ ‘Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.’ ‘Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.’ There is no fear of God before their eyes.’” (Romans 3:9–18, ESV)

Friends, this is our natural condition. We are fallen creatures. We are sinful creatures. We were born into this world, not at peace with God, but at enmity with him. Paul says that “we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” (Ephesians 2:3, ESV)

If this is true, how then are we able to cry out to God as our “Abba, Father”? How is that we have come to possess the status of sons and daughters of God?

The answer is that we are sons and daughters of God, not by birth, nor on the basis of our own goodness, but only through faith in Jesus Christ who is the Son of God. Our sonship is based upon, and rooted in, our union with Christ, who is the uniquely begotten Son of God. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” (John 3:16–18, ESV)

So Jesus, when he prayed, prayed to God as Father. Though it is true that Jesus was God with us – God incarnate – we must also remember that there is a distinction between God the Father and Jesus. It was the eternal Word of God who took on flesh (John 1:1, 14). Jesus was truly man – the uniquely begotten Son of God. We are sons and daughters only if we have faith in Christ. It is only if we are united to him by faith that we are heirs of God. We are adopted as sons only through Christ.  For “[God] predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will…” (Ephesians 1:5, ESV)

The fact that Jesus prayed to God as Father might seem common and basic to us, but it is a fact that is foundational to all true religion.

Application:

May it never grow old to come to God and to call him Father.

Remember what you were by nature.

Remember what it took to bring about your adoption – the decree of God from eternity past, the accomplishment of that plan, the cross, the work of the Spirit in bringing you to faith.

And remember what a privilege is to have God as Father – his love, protection, encouragement, discipline, and instruction, not to mention our inheritance.

Jesus Prayed Being Mindful Of His Mission

Secondly, notice that Jesus prayed being mindful of his mission.

Notice that Jesus prayed to the Father saying, “Father, the hour has come…”

In John 2:4 Jesus spoke to his mother, saying, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” In 4:21 Jesus spoke to the women at the well, saying, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father…But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth…” In 5:25 Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.” In 7:30 we read, “So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.” Also in 8:20: “These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.” (John 8:20, ESV) But now we hear Jesus pray to the Father saying, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you…”

This proves that Jesus came to this earth to accomplish a very particular mission. There was obviously an “hour” that he had his sights set upon.

In a way, all that Jesus did in his life was in fulfillment to his mission. He was obedient to the Father in an active way. By this I mean that he did everything that the Father called him to do – he spoke the Father’s words; he preformed the Father’s work; he kept God’s law – he was actively obedient. And he was also obedient in a passive way. By this I mean that he submitted to God’s will in every respect – he was God’s faithful servant – God’s obedient Son. In this sense Christ’s mission was carried out from cradle to grave.

But as true as this is we should also acknowledge the significance the “hour” that Christ constantly made reference to. The “hour” clearly refers to his glorification through his death, burial, and resurrection. Christ came to die. He was, from the beginning of his life, the Lamb of God who came to atone for the sins of the world. His hour had come. The apex, the heart, the pinnacle of his mission was now at hand. He would go to the cross the next day.

Notice also that Jesus was mindful of the fact that, because of the fulfillment of his mission, the Father had given him authority over all flesh.

Let’s think about this for a moment. It is common, I think, for people to assume that Jesus, when he died and rose again, earned salvation only, and was given authority over the church only. It is indeed true that Christ, by his life, death and resurrection, earned salvation for those given to him by the Father from before the foundation of the earth. And it is indeed true that Christ, by his life, death and resurrection, was given authority over the church. He is indeed Lord of the church! But do not miss the fact the that his Lordship extends beyond the church, to cover all. He is King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 17:14).  He is the Sovereign one. To him was given the authority to judge. He was seated at the Fathers right hand until his enemies should be made his footstool.

This is why I read Psalm 110 at the beginning of the sermon. The New Testament makes it clear that this Psalm was ultimately about Jesus. See Matthew 22:24 and 26:64; Mark 12:36, 14:62 and16:19; Luke 20:42 and 22:69; John 12:34; Acts 2:34; Romans 8:34; 1 Corinthians 15:25; Ephesians 1:20; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 1:3, 5:6, 6:20, 7:3ff., 8:1, 10:12, and 12:2. All of these passage either direct quote or strongly allude to Psalm 110 and apply what is said there to Jesus Christ. And what does Psalm 110 speak of? David hears the LORD (YHWH) say to his Lord (Adon), “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” (Psalm 110:1, ESV). And “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.’” (Psalm 110:4, ESV) And “The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth.” (Psalm 110:5–6, ESV)

Psalm 110 is about Jesus Christ. He has authority, then – not just over Christians, and not just over the church – but over all flesh.  He, through his active and passive obedience, has earned this position.  He humbled himself, did he not? He humbled himself and was obedient even to the point of death. “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9–11, ESV)

So there is a sense in which all people have Jesus as Lord. I am not saying that all people submit to him, or honor him, as Lord. But he is Lord nonetheless!

It is true, Christ has been given authority over all flesh. But notice here that, more specifically, his mission was to give eternal life to those given to him by the Father. Look again at verse 1: “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.” (John 17:1–2, ESV)

Jesus prayed to the Father being mindful of his mission. And what was his mission? To give eternal life to all whom the Father had given to him!

What is Jesus talking about here? Those of you who have been through the study on covenant theology know that Jesus is referring to what theologians now call the Covenant of Redemption. John’s gospel makes it abundantly clear that a covenant, or agreement, was made between the Father and Son before the world was created. And what was the agreement? To say it in a most succinct way, it was that the Son would earn salvation for a particular people given to him by the Father. When was this covenant made? Before creation. Who were the parties involved in this covenant? The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And what were the terms of this covenant? The obedience of the Son (active and passive). And what was the reward? Eternal life for all those found trusting in the only begotten Son of God, who is the Messiah, God’s faithful servant.

This was Christ’s mission, “to give eternal life to all whom [the Father had] given him.” This is the mission that he, in fact, accomplished. He earned eternal life for those given to him by the Father. He made atonement for their sins. And gives eternal life to them in time through the ministry of the promised Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit applies the work of Christ to sinners as he, in conjunction with the preaching of the gospel, draws sinners to faith in Christ and repentance from sins. The mission of Jesus was to “to give eternal life to all whom [the Father had] given him.” This is the work that he has indeed accomplished.

Notice that Jesus also tells us what eternal life is. “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (John 17:3, ESV)

So what does it mean to have eternal life? At its core, eternal life is this: the knowledge of God and of Christ Jesus. To know God and the Christ whom he has sent is to have eternal life.

And you thought eternal life was about streets of gold, pearly gates, and harps. You’ve missed the point, I think. Eternal life is not so much about going to a place as it is about knowing a person. And notice, it is not knowing about a person. No, it is about knowing a person – it is about relationship.

You say, well which is it? Is it about knowing Jesus, or is it about knowing God the Father? Both! To know Jesus is to know the Father, and if we are to know the Father we must know Jesus, for he is the way the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through him. He is the one who has made the Father known.

The thing that makes eternal life, eternal – the thing that makes paradise, paradise, is God! He is the source of all life. Apart from him there is no life at all. And thing that makes life good, and pleasant, and to be desired, is God! He is what makes heaven, heaven. Friends, we were made to know him. We were made to worship him. We were made to have communion with him. Augustine was right when he said to God, “You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless, until they can find rest in you.”

From the beginning Christ had his sights set upon the cross. He, through his active and passive obedience, was given authority over all flesh. In particular he came “to give eternal life to all whom [the Father had] given him”. “And this is eternal life, that [we] know… the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom [he has] sent.” Jesus prayed being mindful of his mission.

Application:

To the Christian: Look at what Christ has done for you! Look at what he has earned!

Also, pray like him, being ever mindful of your mission. Your mission is not the same as Christ’s, but it is certainly connected to it. “Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’” (Matthew 6:9–10, ESV)

For the non-christian: Repent and believe upon Christ for the forgiveness of sins! Life eternal is found in him, and in him alone.

Jesus Prayed For His Own Glory And For The Glory Of  The Father

Notice thirdly, that Jesus prayed for his own glory, and for the glory of the Father.

His prayer begins and ends with this request. Verse 1: “…he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you…” (John 17:1, ESV) Verse 5: “And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.” (John 17:5, ESV)

When we speak of the glory of God we are talking about his splendor. He is holy and righteous and pure. He is radiant, full of splendid light – he is glorious beyond compare. In the song of Moses the prophet asked, “Who is like you, O Lord…? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?” (Exodus 15:11, ESV) God is glorious.

And notice in verse 5 that Jesus Christ claims to have shared in the glory of God before the world existed. How so? Not in his humanity, but in his divinity. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14, ESV)

And he is now praying that the Father would glorify him. How will this happen?

One, through the cross. It is ironic, I know, but it was upon the cross that Christ was glorified, and God through him. His suffering was his glory for the simple reason that it was there on the cross that the extreme love and the pure righteousness of God was displayed.

Two, Christ would be glorified through his ascension to the Fathers right hand.

I’ll let Paul wrap this up for us. Philippians 2:5:

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:5–11, ESV)

Application:

Brothers and sisters, may we, like Christ, live for the glory of God? Jesus Christ, from the cradle to the grace, was bent on bringing glory, honor, and praise to the Father. So too should we!

Never would it be right for us to pray, “Father, glorify me”. Jesus Christ is unique in this regard. It was right for him to say, “Father glorify your Son”, given his unique position as the only begotten Son – we should not ask to be glorified. But perhaps we should pray, Lord refine me. Purify me, grow me, use me. Bear fruit through me, all to the glory of your most holy name. 

Conclusion

Father in heaven, you are worthy all praise. You have been gracious to us indeed. Thank you for sending the Son to earn for us eternal life, which is the knowledge of you. Thank you for sending the Spirit to apply it to us. Lord, be highly exalted through your people as we live in obedience to you in this world, pointing always to Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith. Amen.

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Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 66:1-14

“Thus says the Lord: ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. He who slaughters an ox is like one who kills a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, like one who breaks a dog’s neck; he who presents a grain offering, like one who offers pig’s blood; he who makes a memorial offering of frankincense, like one who blesses an idol. These have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations; I also will choose harsh treatment for them and bring their fears upon them, because when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, they did not listen; but they did what was evil in my eyes and chose that in which I did not delight.’ Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at his word: ‘Your brothers who hate you and cast you out for my name’s sake have said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy’; but it is they who shall be put to shame. ‘The sound of an uproar from the city! A sound from the temple! The sound of the Lord, rendering recompense to his enemies! Before she was in labor she gave birth; before her pain came upon her she delivered a son. Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment? For as soon as Zion was in labor she brought forth her children. Shall I bring to the point of birth and not cause to bring forth?’ says the Lord; ‘shall I, who cause to bring forth, shut the womb?’ says your God. ‘Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her in joy, all you who mourn over her; that you may nurse and be satisfied from her consoling breast; that you may drink deeply with delight from her glorious abundance.’ For thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you shall nurse, you shall be carried upon her hip, and bounced upon her knees. As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice; your bones shall flourish like the grass; and the hand of the Lord shall be known to his servants, and he shall show his indignation against his enemies.” (Isaiah 66:1–14, ESV)

New Testament Reading: John 16:16-33

“‘A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.’ So some of his disciples said to one another, ‘What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?’ So they were saying, ‘What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.’ Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, ‘Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.’ His disciples said, ‘Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.’ Jesus answered them, ‘Do you now believe? Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.’” (John 16:16–33, ESV)

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” (Isaiah 40:8, ESV)

Introduction

As we read the scriptures I think it is important to try our best to identify with the people originally involved. I’m thinking of the author and the original audience, or the characters in a particular narrative. In John 16 it is important that we identify with Christ and his disciples. We should, if we hope to understand the meaning of a particular passage, put ourselves there to the best of our ability.

Context matters. In fact, context matters in two ways: One, we are to pay attention to the literary context – how one particular passage of scripture fits into the rest of a book, and that book to the rest of scripture – that is the literary context, and we must pay attention to it. But there is also a historical context. There is a setting. Here I am thinking of the life situation of the author and his audience, or the life situation of the characters in a particular story. Context matters both in a literary and historical sense.

And so it is good for us to try, to the best of our ability, to put ourselves in the shoes of the author or audience, or the people in a particular story. Here in John 16 we should try to identify with the disciples of Christ on the night before the crucifixion. When did they live? What had their experience with Christ been like up to this point? What were their hopes and fears? What did they know, and not know? Of course we are limited in our understanding of these things, but the scriptures do give us insights. And so we should try,  to the best of our ability, to identify with these disciples of Christ.

Upon the first reading of this text it can be hard to understand why the disciples were so confused about Jesus’ teaching. To you and I the teaching might seem rather straightforward, but the disciples were utterly baffled by these words of Jesus: “‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” (John 16:17, ESV)

When you hear of their confusion are you not tempted to say, brothers, what is hard to understand about this? Clearly when Jesus says, “A little while, and you will not see me” he is referring to his death and burial! And when he says, “and again a little while, and you will see me”, he is speaking of his resurrection – he will rise from the grave and you will see him again, brothers! And clearly the words, “because I am going to the Father” refer to the ascension. Didn’t you know that Jesus would die, and rise, and then ascend to the Father? This is what we are tempted to say.

But we should remember that hindsight is indeed 20/20. You and I see this teaching as basic and clear, but only because we live after the death, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord.  The original disciples had not yet experienced these things. And for this reason the words of our Lord seemed mysterious to them. Clearly, the work that Jesus would accomplish through his death, burial and resurrection, so exceeded their expectations that they struggled to comprehend what it was that he spoke about as he predicted these things. They did not even have the proper categories to interpret what Jesus was saying to them.

And so considering the historical context – the life situation of the disciples on this dark and gloomy night – helps us to understand their confusion.

Not only should we attempt to undersigned their confusion, but also their fear and sorrow.  These brothers were confused by the words of Jesus because they lived before the cross of Christ, and before the resurrection. And they were also overrun by fear and sorrow, and for much the same reason. Why did they fear? Why were they sorrowful? Well, they were human. The future was uncertain to them. The words of Christ were rather disturbing to them.  The circumstances of life were dark and gloomy.  And as a result they were overrun by fear and given to despair.

This you can certainly identify with, I’m quite sure. You know what it is to be fearful concerning the future, and to have sorrow in the heart. You say, how do you know this, Joe? Well, for one, I am your Pastor. I have the privilege of knowing you well, and I know something about your struggles. Two, I know that you have battled with fear and sorrow due to the simple fact that you are human. We are all touched by sorrow. We’re all affected by fear. We present ourselves to others as if it were not so, but this is only posture and pretense. In reality, we know what it is to fear and to be given to despair, and so it is not hard to relate to the disciples of Christ in this regard. They were human and so are we.

We are given to fear for a number of reasons. First of all, we are frail, and we know it. We like to think of ourselves as big and strong and indestructible, but deep down we know this not to be the case. We are quite frail. Secondly, we live, not in the garden paradise of God, but in a fallen world which continually threatens us.  The truth of he matter is that there are reasons to fear. Thirdly, we fear because we do not know what the future holds. We can remember the past, and we can act in the present, but the future is a mystery to us. These things combined lead us to fear.

God does not fear, mind you. He is not frail. He is not threatened by anyone nor anything. And the future is no mystery to him. He sees the future as clearly as the past and the present. God does not fear. He is not human, but divine.

Sorrow also comes upon us for the same reasons mentioned above, but it sets in when we loose hope. A person is consumed by sorrow and despair when they begin to see and believe that the future is only dark and gloomy. There is no light – no glimmer of hope.

The disciples of Christ were beginning to give in to fear and sorrow. They were being swallowed by it. Darkness was pressing in and had begun to envelop them as they they thought  about their frailty, the threats which threatened, and the uncertainty of the future. Sorrow filled their hearts as the fear set in and hope began to flee.

Of course, I say all of this, not so that we might merely understand the disciples in order to sympathize with them, but so that we might see ourselves in them. That is the point of it all. I want you to see yourselves represented by these men. And I want for you to see that their struggles were common struggles. More than that I want for you to notice Christ’s words to them. And now that you have identified with them in their struggle, I want for you to also be encouraged by the words of Christ, just as they were.

Jesus provides a remedy to our fear and sorrow. He opens the way so that we might live with joy and peace and courage in this world.

Christ desires that his people live with joy, peace, and courage in this world. 

Notice, first of all, that Christ desires for his people live with joy, peace, and courage in this world.

In verse 20 Jesus speaks to his troubled men, saying,  “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.” (John 16:20, ESV)

In verse 22 he says it again: “So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.” (John 16:22, ESV)

In verse 24 Jesus says, “Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” (John 16:24, ESV)

And in verse 33 hear Jesus say, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, ESV)

It is understandable that the disciples of Christ were tempted to fear. And it is understandable, given their human frailty, that they wrestled with hopelessness and despair. But notice that Christ is not willing to leave them there. He spoke to them. He gave them his word. He revealed truth to them so that they might have joy and peace and courage in this world.

Notice three things:

One, Jesus did not say that they would have joy and peace and courage because things would go well for them in the world. Quite the opposite! “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world”, he says.

How often I have heard people say, if only my circumstances would change, then I would have joy and peace! Two things need to be said in response to this: One, you will find that “better circumstances” will not bring true joy and lasting peace. Two, why wait for joy and peace? You can have it now, brother; you can have it now, sister, if you would only learn that joy and peace come, not from favorable circumstances, but from a heart that trusts in God, and a mind that knows his truth. Joy and peace are not connected to circumstances in the way that you might think. There are some who “have it all” and yet do not have true joy and lasting peace. And there are some who “have nothing” and yet their hearts are alive –  their souls full – with the joy of the Lord. It’s not about the circumstances. It about the heart and the mind. Jesus’ words here make that abundantly clear:  “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world”

Two, notice that Jesus did not rebuke his disciples for their fear and sorrow. This is probably a pastoral, or a methodological observation more than anything. But notice how patient Jesus is with his disciples. I’m sure that after walking with them for over three years Jesus would have hoped that his disciples would have been stronger in the end. But they were not strong. They were quite weak, in fact. And yet Jesus was patient with them. He instructed and encouraged them in their weakness. And he is the same way with you and I. Were our faith in God strong, we would never fear. If our hearts and minds were fixed squarely upon God and his truth, we would never be given to despair. But our faith is not always strong. And we do not alway set our gaze squarely upon God, fixing our minds upon his truth. We are frail creatures – prone to wander and prone to leave the God we love. Our Lord is patient with us.

But notice, thirdly, that Jesus is not willing to leave us in our fear and in our sorrow. He calls us out of it.  If we are indeed children of the King then we ought to have joy. There ought to reside within the heart of Christians a deep and true and lasting happiness. And there ought to be peace too! The soul of a Christian should have a quietness to it. The Christian should walk with courage and confidence and firmness in this world – like a bold lion, and not like skittish lamb.

Brothers and sisters, I am not saying that this joy and peace and courage is an automatic thing. Far from it! It must be cultivated. But it is ours in Christ Jesus! We are to fight for joy and peace and courage. This is why Christ commands his disciples to “take heart” (16:33). It is something that they must decide to do.

Christ encourages us towards this end with the reminder that suffering will lead to life. 

But notice that Christ does not command his disciples to do something without first providing them with the resources necessary to accomplish it. He commands them to “take heart” – that we have seen – but he first of all gives them the information that they need to, in fact, take heart. This is how our God works. His commands are always based upon truth. The imperatives of scripture are based upon indicatives. It is never do this… period, or just because. But do this, because, or for, or given that. And the same is true here. The command is to take heart. The expectation is that there would be joy and peace in the heart of the believer. But notice that the reason for it is also given, and it centers upon the reality of the resurrection. The resurrection of Christ is the hinge upon which it all turns. It is the resurrection that turns sorrow into joy, and fear into courage.

Notice how Jesus encourages us towards joy and peace and courage by reminding us that suffering will indeed lead to life.

I do not mean to say that all suffering will lead to life (suffering is not redemptive, or life-producing, in and of itself). But Christ’s suffering certainly lead to life.

Remember that Jesus said “a little while, and you will see me no longer”. This was a reference to his death. It was his death that caused the world to rejoice and the disciples to weep and lament. Christ would suffer. His disciples would suffer. The world would rejoice.

But remember also Christ’s words, “again a little while, and you will see me.” When they saw him again their “sorrow [would] turn into joy.“

Notice that the resurrection is not mentioned explicitly in this passage, but it is the hidden event – it is the unstated phenomenon which changes everything. The disciples would not see him, but after the resurrection they would see him. They would be filled with sorrow because of the his suffering and death, but they would soon rejoice and have courage and peace.

What I am trying to communicate here is that the disciples of Christ would have joy and peace and courage, in the world, not simply because they would be reunited to an old friend whom they had been separated from for two days, but because their friend – through his suffering and death and resurrection – had laid ahold of life – resurrection life! This is why they would rejoice. Death was defeated when Christ rose! This is why no one would be able to take their joy from them. They, through Christ’s resurrection, had access to resurrection life and hope that transcends the grave. It is the resurrection that enables all who have faith in Christ to say, “‘O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:55–57, ESV)

The illustration that Jesus provides of a woman in labor is helpful, isn’t it? I’ll give it to you ladies – the whole childbirth thing is rather impressive. What’s more impressive is that you’re actually interested in going though the experience more than once! But why is that? It is because all of the pain and suffering leads to life. The suffering produces life. It’s amazing how a woman can experience agonizing labor for hours, but when the child is born, and is lain upon the chest of the mother, the memory of the pain and suffering fades away. Sorrow turns to joy because suffering has given way to life.

Jesus says, “So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.” It is so important to see that this joy is not the result of a simple reunion of friends, but it is an ever abiding joy which springs from the reality of the resurrection. Christ defeated sin and death and Satan through the cross and by his resurrection from the dead. This is the reason why the disciples of Christ have joy in the world despite the trouble that we experience in it.

We have hope. We have hope in Christ. We have hope in the resurrection of Christ. Gloom and darkness, desperation and despair may press in upon us, but the hope remains. Like a beam of light cutting through the darkness, the reality of the resurrection cuts through all of the troubles of this life leading us, not to sorrow, but to peace and joy and courage in the Lord.

Suffering leads to life. It was through Christ’s suffering that life was earned. And for those who are united to him by faith, the suffering that we experience in this world is not the final word – we have hope in him which can never be taken away. Here is one reason for our joy and peace and courage.

Christ encourages us towards this end with the reminder that suffering will lead to the Father.

Also, see that Christ encourages us to have joy, peace and courage with the reminder that suffering will lead to the Father.

Again, not all suffering leads to the Father (suffering is not redemptive in and of itself). But Christ’s suffering certainty did! It was through his death and resurrection that a way to God was made. He is the door. He is the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through him. Christ’s suffering provided a way to the Father.  And also our suffering, if we are united to Christ by faith, also leads to the Father. We have access to him now, in Jesus name. And we will be with him for all eternity if we have been cleansed by Christ’s atoning blood. This certainly is a reason to have joy and peace and courage in the world.

It is this reality – our love for God, and the love of the Father for us in Christ – which lead Paul to reason in this way:

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?…No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:31–39, ESV)

Listen to Jesus’ words:

16:23: “In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” (John 16:23–24, ESV)

The meaning is this: In that day – in the age after the resurrection, which is the the age in which we live now – we will not ask Jesus for things (as the disciples did when Jesus was with them on earth), but we will the Father! We will have direct access to the Father in Christ’s name.  Jesus Christ is our mediator. We go through him to the Father.

16:25 “I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father.” (John 16:25, ESV)

Things were still mysterious to the disciples as they lived in the hours leading up to the crucifixion, and in the days before the resurrection. But after the resurrection Jesus would speak plainly about the Father. Things would become clear. I think here of the road to Emmaus passage in Luke 24 where the Jesus, after his resurrection, teaches the scriptures to his disciples, and shows how the law and prophets and Psalms point to him – and they got it! Things became clear in light of the resurrection. They could not see it before, but in the light the resurrection things became vivid.

16:26 “In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.” (John 16:26–27, ESV)

Notice again that Christ is our mediator. He is the middleman between God and man. But that does not mean that we go to him, and he goes to the Father for us. Instead it means that he has opened up for us access to the Father. If you are trusting in Christ – if you have true faith in Christ – “the Father himself loves you”.

16:28: “I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”” (John 16:28, ESV)

“His disciples said, ‘Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.’ Jesus answered them, ‘Do you now believe? Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.’” (John 16:29–33, ESV)

Conclusion 

“Take heart; I have overcome the world”, Jesus says. This is a command. The fact that it is a command tells me two things. First of all, we will probably struggle from time to time, lacking joy and peace and courage. But if we are in Christ, we are not to remain there. We are take heart. And we are to take heart by fixing our minds and hearts upon the truths of God. In Christ Jesus there is life eternal. The resurrection proves it. And in Christ Jesus – through faith in him – there is the love of God the Father. Lay ahold of it if you do not have it. Repent and believe. And if you do have it, then cling to it. “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.’”

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady John 16:16-33
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Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 44:1–5

“But now hear, O Jacob my servant, Israel whom I have chosen! Thus says the Lord who made you, who formed you from the womb and will help you: Fear not, O Jacob my servant, Jeshurun whom I have chosen. For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They shall spring up among the grass like willows by flowing streams. This one will say, ‘I am the Lord’s,’ another will call on the name of Jacob, and another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’ and name himself by the name of Israel.” (Isaiah 44:1–5, ESV)

New Testament Reading: John 16:1-15

“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” (John 16:1–15, ESV)

Introduction

Let us again use the imagination to put ourselves with Christ and his disciples on the night of his betrayal – the night before his crucifixion. The passover meal was finished. The betrayer had been sent out to do his deed. Christ, it would seem, left the upper room with the eleven who remained, having said to them, “rise, let us go from here” (14:31). Now Jesus is walking with his disciples in Jerusalem, or he is standing somewhere with them, and he is instructing them. In particular, he is equipping them with what they will need for the difficult journey ahead. As a commander equips his troops with weapons and ammunition, instructions and encouragement, so that they might fight the good fight, so too Christ equips those who are his with those things necessary for the battle. Of course, the weapons he gives are spiritual, and not physical. The Christian’s weapons are Spirit and truth. And that is what Christ, our commander, gives to his disciples – the promise of the Holy Spirit, and truth.

God Preserves Us By His Truth

I’ve asked you to use the imagination to put yourself there, not only so that you might see what Jesus gave to the eleven disciples who remained with him on that night, but so that you might also see what Christ has given to you! These words spoken to the original disciples of Christ – though they, in some respects, apply only to them – by and large apply to you and I as well. What he said to them, he says to us. He was preparing them to live in this world in the time between his first and second comings, and he prepares us also. He gives the Spirit, and he gives truth.

When I say that Christ equips his people with truth so that they might fight the good fight I am attempting to draw your attention to the simple, but often overlooked, fact that Jesus taught his disciples. He instructed them. He challenged their belief, and sought to change their minds. He was deeply concerned that they believe the right things. Jesus taught his disciples. He was called Rabbi, which means teacher. His followers were called disciples, which means learner. Though it is true that Christian discipleship involves more than the dissemination of information, it certainly does not involve less than that. Thought it is true that walking with Christ involves more than laying ahold of true doctrine in the mind – we are also to obey God from the heart, walking in holiness, loving God and neighbor – we should not forget that the foundation of our faith is truth.

I emphasize the centrality of truth and the importance of doctrine in the Christian life for two reasons:

First of all, this passage makes much of it. The Spirit, we learn, will guide the disciples of Christ “into all the truth” (16:13). Truth, among other things, is what they will need to stand firm in this world which is hostile to the things of God. Truth would serve as a foundation to them.

Secondly, as I continue to look out upon the modern church I grow more and more concerned that this is the very thing which is so often neglected in our day. There are forms of Christianity which minimize the importance of doctrine, or teaching. I say “forms” (in the plural) because there are many different manifestations of it, but they all seem to do essentially the same thing. They seek to reduce the Christian life to one thing are another, to the exclusion of doctrine. “What matters”, they say, “is that we love Jesus”, but they are opposed to doctrine which would seek to teach what the scriptures have to say about him. Or, “what matters is that we live holy”, but the basis for holiness, or the way to holiness, is neglected. Or, “what matters is that we serve the poor”, or “that we evangelize.” “Relationships matter”, they say. And on and on the list goes. But when it comes to doctrine – when it comes to the vital truths of the Christian faith – truths clearly set forth in scripture, mind you – these they want noting to do with.

I am painting with very broad brush strokes, I know. Not all churches are like this today. There are many churches that have not given in to this trend. By no means am I saying that we are the last ones standing.  But I am concerned that a great many have abandoned doctrine, believing in one way or another, that the facts of the faith are far less important than other aspects of it – love, obedience, emotion, service, and so on. And of course even these churches – the ones that have abandoned doctrine – do teach something. I am not saying that they teach noting at all. But my concern is that in these anti-doctrinal traditions the Christian faith – and here I am using the word faith to refer to the Christian faith as a body of truth, a collection of doctrines – has been reduced down to a few fundamental doctrines, the idea being, that if a Christian believes these fundamental things – these, essential things – then the teaching ministry of the church has accomplished it’s purpose.

I’m ranting a bit, I know. But I think this is an important issue to discuss so that you might understand something about what we are trying to do here. We are a confessionally reformed church. And one of the things that means is that we believe that doctrine is very important. Doctrine (teaching the truths found in scripture – not some of them, but all of them) leads to life. Doctrine matters. Truth transforms. Renewal in life comes by way of the transformation of the mind (Rom. 12:1). Doctrine is not the only thing, I know, but is a foundational thing. It is the truth of God’s word that the Spirit of God uses to transform the heart which leads to obedience.

Here in John 16 Christ is preparing his disciples to live in a hostile environment after his death, burial, and resurrection, and his ascension to the right hand of the Father. And what does he now say to them?

“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you… (John 16:1–4, ESV)

Christ has already warned his disciples that the world will hate them. “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you”, he said (15:18). Here Jesus is more specific. Jesus predicted that his disciples would be “put out of the synagogues”. This reveals that Christ had in mind the unbelieving Jews when he thought of the persecutors. They would drive Christians from the established places of worship and push them to the fringes of society. It was the unbelieving Jews who crucified Christ, and much of the persecution that came upon the early church did, in fact, come from them. Indeed, many who persecuted Christians, even to the point of death, thought that they were doing so “in the service of God”. Think of Saul’s behavior before he was converted and became our brother, Paul.

Christ knows all of this. And how does he prepare his disciples for the trouble ahead? He teaches them. He instructs them. He gives them truth so that they might remember these things. To remember is to recall information. He gives them information so that they might remember it and live by it.

Notice here that when Christ thinks of the disciples whom he loves – as he looks into their deeply troubled eyes – he sees that the greatest threat to them is not suffering, nor is it death, but it is apostasy. In Jesus’ assessment of things, the worst thing that could happen to one of his followers is that they fall away. “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away”, he says.

This might sound extreme to you, but realize that for the one who is in Christ, death is life. The Christian is made alive spiritually at their conversion. And physical death – the first death – is not really death, but for those in Christ it is the first resurrection. This is what Revelation 20 teaches us. John – the same John wrote wrote the Gospel that we are now studying – said, “I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:4, ESV) These are the souls of those who have died physically. And where are they? They are alive with Christ – their souls are ruling and reigning with him. Paul takes courage in the same thing, saying that he “would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:8, ESV) Death is not the worst thing that can happen to the one who professes Christ. Apostasy is. To apostatize is to fall away. An apostate is one who claims to be a follower of Christ, who identifies with the people of God, who tastes, in one way or another, of heavenly gifts, and then falls away in the face of temptation, or persecution, or for some other reason. This is the thing that Jesus is warning against. This is the greatest threat to the one who claims to be a disciples of Christ – not suffering, and not even death. The worst thing of all is to be found not in Christ in the end.

You’re thinking to yourself, Joe, I thought you were a Calvinist who believed in the perseverance of the saints! I thought you believed that if a person is truly united to Christ by faith – truly saved – then he or she will persevere, or be preserved, until the end, and cannot fully or finally fall away. Why then this talk about falling away? 

Brothers and sisters, you know I believe in the perseverance saints. You know I believe that if someone is truly in Christ, having been predestined to receive adoption as sons and daughters from before the foundation of the earth, that they will indeed remain in Christ and as sons and daughters, for God will preserve them.

But notice that what Christ says here concerning the danger of apostasy by no means undermines that doctrine. In fact all of the passages in scripture which warn against the danger of falling away, or coming short, or failing to obtain salvation, by no means undermine the doctrine of perseverance, but rather complement it. “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God”, the writer to the Hebrews warns. (Hebrews 3:12–13, ESV) The scriptures are filled with encouragement, warnings, and exhortations like this to continue on until the end, and to never fall away. Finish the race, brothers. Fight the good fight, sisters. Enter his rest, Christian, lest you seem to come short of it. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. And on and on I could go.

These warning passages do not mean that a true Christian – one who is truly saved – can in fact fall away. They simply reveal that preservation is a process. The question is not will God preserve his people, but how will he do it? The answer is that he will do it by means of word and Spirit. Preservation is a process. Preservation comes to us through means.

I preserve the vegetables that I buy from the store by putting them into the refrigerator. I preserve my children by teaching them to look both ways before they cross the street. And I preserve my money by storing it in a safe place – my wallet, a safe, or a bank. Did you notice the repetition of the word “by”. The word “by” indicates that there is a way or means by which something is accomplished. Preservation is a process. It involves the use of means. We preserve things by means of refrigerators, education, and wallets. And God uses means to preserve those who belong to him. The means that God uses to preserve his elect are word and Spirit.

His word instructs us; his word encourages us; his word warns us. His Spirit, enlightens, encourages, and empowers. For the one who is truly in Christ, these means are effective. The true Christian hears the warnings about apostasy and heeds them. The true Christian has the Spirit, who is our helper – the Paraclete. The true Christian perseveres. But this is brought about by the power of the word and through the work of the Spirit. The false believer – the temporary believer – does not have the Spirit, nor does he pay attention to the warnings contained within God’s word. He is a disciple on the outside only, and not inwardly and from the heart.

Jesus’ mission is to keep those given to him by the Father. And how will he keep them till the end? In part, by giving them his word. “I have said all these things to you [ἵνα – in order to, or for the purpose of] keep you from falling away.” (John 16:1, ESV)

Brothers and sisters, if anything has been clear in the sermon up to this point it is that truth matters in the Christian life. The word matters for so many reasons, one of them being that God uses the truth of his word to preserve us. We are on solid ground when know the truth and live according to it. Though the storms of life beat against us, we will not be shaken.

God Preserves Us By The Spirit

Notice also that God preserves those who belong to him by the Holy Spirit. Two things should noticed about the Holy Spirit. First of all, the Holy Spirit is the one who works within the world, proving the world wrong, leading some to repentance and to faith in Christ.  Secondly, it is the Holy Spirit who works amongst the people of God, strengthening them in the faith they already possess.

First, let us consider the Spirit’s activity within the world.

Look with me in the middle of verse 4 where we left off, where Jesus says, “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you.” In other words, Jesus did not speak explicitly about the persecution because, for one, he was with his disciples and served to shield them from the danger. Two, they needed to first witness the mistreatment of their master before the could understand the saying, “‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.” (John 15:20, ESV) But now Jesus tells them about it in order to prepare them.

Verse 5: “But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’” This may sound strange to us given that Simon Peter did ask, “Lord, where are you going”, in 13:36. I think the meaning of this is that they did not really seek to understand where Jesus was going. They stopped asking that question. They pulled back from seeking answers to that important question, and had allowed sorrow to overrun their hearts (vs. 6).

In verse 7 we hear Jesus repeat something that he had already said: “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.” Evidently Jesus wanted his disciples to understand the significance of his death, resurrection, and ascension to the Fathers right hand, and the subsequent pouring out of the Holy Spirit. Much has been said about this in previous sermons (on 14:15ff.).

In verse 8 -10 Jesus builds upon what has already been said about the Spirit: “And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.” (John 16:8–11, ESV)

Where, then, will the Holy Spirit, who is the third person of the Holy Trinity, be active once he is sent by the Father? Will he be active amongst the people of God only? No. He, will not be “shut up” with us only (to use Calvin’s language), but will be active within the world also – the world that is hostile to God and to the people of God.

And what will the Spirit do in the world? Christ said that he would convict the world of sin and righteousness and judgment. And so we are to picture the Holy Spirit – the third person of the Trinity – as an active force within the world. He will convict, which means to prove wrong, to rebuke, or reprove. The meaning is this, I think. Just as Jesus had a different effect upon different people- judgment to those who disbelieved, and grace to those given to him by the Father who would believe – so too the Spirit has a different effect upon different peoples. He convicts the world. To the elect of God, that conviction leads to repentance. To the non-elect, that conviction leads to condemnation – the Spirit proves them guilty. The point is that the Spirit is active within the world – convicting the world – leading some to repentance and proving others wrong or guilty in their sin and condemnation. At the heart of this teaching is the idea that the Spirit will help Christians in their witness. As the gospel is preached, the Spirit will be active. He will convict the world. Whether that conviction leads to repentance or condemnation is another story.

Notice that the Spirit convicts concerning three things: sin, righteousness, and judgment.

“Concerning sin, because they do not believe in [Jesus]” (John 16:9, ESV). If they would turn to Christ and believe in him, their sin would be taken away. To remain in unbelief is to remain in sin, and under the guilt of it.

“Concerning righteousness, because [Jesus has gone] to the Father, and you [see him] no longer”. (John 16:10, ESV) Jesus, by his resurrection from the dead and his ascension to the right hand of the Father has been proved right. He has entered into glory by virtue of his sinless life. He is the righteous man. And one of the things his righteousness does is prove us to be unrighteous, if we are not believing in him. We need a righteousness like his, but we cannot find it in ourselves. It can only be found through faith in him.

And “concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.” (John 16:11, ESV) The final judgment has not yet come. And for that reason the gospel must still be preached. Men and women must be implored to repent to trust in Christ for the forgiveness of sins. But there is a sense in which the judgment has already begun. When Christ died on that cross and rose from the dead on the third day, sin and death and Satan were defeated. The ruler of this world was judged. Not fully and finally, mind you. But the work is finished, so that we might rightly say that victory is won. This foretaste of judgment serves to warn concerning the final judgment. The Spirit convicts the world concerning that.

Again, this is not to say that this conviction (or “proving wrong”) of the world will have the same effect upon all. I do not equate it with effectual calling, in other words. It is not exactly regeneration that we are talking about. Here the message seems to be that the Holy Spirit will be a help to the Christians as they witness in the world. The Christians, through their witness, will extend the ministry of Christ after he ascends to the Father. And the Spirit will bring the power. The Spirit will extend the ministry of Christ as he works in the world through Christian disciples. Just as Jesus divided people as he proved them wrong, exposing their works as evil – leading some to repentance and confirming others in their condemnation – so too the Spirit would work in the world in this way.

And so in this way the Spirit will preserve us. He will be a help to the Christian as he or she serves as a witness for Christ in this hostile world, proving the world guilty concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment. For some this will lead to repentance (these are the one’s given to the Son from all eternity; these are the ones whom the Father draws); for others this conviction will serve to confirm them in their condemnation. The Spirit of God is with you, brothers and sisters, as you witness. He is a help to you. Christ’s ministry  continues, not just through the word, but also by the Spirit.

Notice, secondly, that the Holy Spirit also preserves us by working amongst the people of God, strengthening them in the faith they already possess.

In verse 12 Jesus says,  “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.” Growth in Christ works like this, by the way. Learning is a process for us. There are some things that, if they were said to us now, we might not be able to bear. But as we continue to grow in our understanding of the things of God, we will be able to bear them later. Such was the case for the disciples. There was much that they simply would not understand that side of the cross, and that side of the stone that was rolled away. There were things that they would not understand until Pentecost, when the promised Spirit was poured out. Christ is patient with with us.

He said to them in verse 13, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” This is not a promise that if we open our Bibles and read, the Holy Spirit will magically cause us to fully and completely understand the things of God. No, the scriptures must be studied. They must be rightly divided and handled with great care. Instead, this is a promise to the Apostles that the teaching ministry of Jesus would not end with his ascension to the Father. He would continue to teach by way of the Spirit. The Apostles would remember what Jesus had said. More than that, they would understand the words and works of their Savior. Certainly this is connected to their teaching ministry and the writing of scripture.

The Apostles – the eyewitness of Jesus – spoke and wrote with prophetic authority. They were inspired by God in a unique way. But that does not mean that this promise has no application for us. Though we must make a distinction between ourselves and the Apostles, we should still acknowledge that the Spirit is active within Christians as he leads us in the way of truth.

Christ then says, in verse 15, “He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”

Again, notice the Trinity. It is the Triune God who preserves his people – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Spirit glorifies the Son. The Son has all that is the Father’s. And it is that which belongs to the Father and the Son that the Spirit gives to the people of God.

He is our helper. He convicts the world of sin, righteous, and judgment. He guides us into all truth.

Conclusion  

Word and Spirit, brothers and sisters. God preserves his people by word and Spirit. To neglect one or the other is foolish.

Be students of the word. Be not content with milk, but desire solid food. Seek understanding. Build your house upon the rock, and not the sand. Know God’s word, and obey it. Move on to maturity in Christ.

But as you go, go in by the power of the Spirit. Trust in God, and not yourself. See that more information will benefit you noting. Words are without effect if they are not accompanied by the transforming power of the Spirit. Pray for God’s help. Pray that the Spirit would indeed be your helper until the end.

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady John 16:1-15
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Old Testament Reading: Psalm 69:1-13

“Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me. I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God. More in number than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause; mighty are those who would destroy me, those who attack me with lies. What I did not steal must I now restore? O God, you know my folly; the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you. Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me, O Lord God of hosts; let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me, O God of Israel. For it is for your sake that I have borne reproach, that dishonor has covered my face. I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother’s sons. For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me. When I wept and humbled my soul with fasting, it became my reproach. When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them. I am the talk of those who sit in the gate, and the drunkards make songs about me. But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.” (Psalm 69:1–13, ESV)

New Testament Reading: John 15:18-27

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’ But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.” (John 15:18–27, ESV)

Introduction

Expectations are a very powerful thing, aren’t they? And we all have them. We may not even realize that we have expectations, but we certainly do. We expect that life in general, and certain aspects of life in particular, will go a certain way. It’s not that expectations are bad in and of themselves, but I think you would agree that they can have a devastating effect upon us if they are false.

I enjoy very much taking couples through pre-marital counseling. We talk about a diversity of things. But one of the issues I am sure to touch upon is expectations. “What do you expect marriage to be like?”, or “what do you expect from your future spouse?”, is the question. If the answer sounds like it is based off a scene from a Disney film rather than the scriptures, I know that some serious conversations are needed. False expectations concerning marriage inevitably lead to disappointment. I am here thinking of those instances where expectations are too high, but I suppose it is also possible for expectations to be too low. A bride or groom might assume that marriage will be so difficult that they in fact set themselves up for failure. Either way, the point it that expectations are powerful. When they fail to square with the reality of things, they lead to disappointment and failure.

As I think back upon the last few Christmases in the Anady household, I notice a pattern. There is usually one present that our kids expect to receive. It’s the one that they have made it clear that they want. And what do Lindsay and I do with those presents? It’s cruel, I know, but we love to hide those presents and bring them out only after all of the other gifts have been opened. And to do it right you have pause for little while – you have to play it off as if that’s it – no more presents. Now mind you, I usually have smirk on my face and a tone to my voice which keeps their hope alive just enough so as not to crush them on Christmas morning. But what is it that kids have? They have expectations. They assume that things will go a certain way.

Unmet expectations lead to disappointment, and if the matter is a serious one (think marriage, or something like that, and not Christmas gifts) the disappointment can lead to despair. For this reason it is important for us to help foster realistic exceptions – expectations that square with reality – in the people that we have influence over.

This is exactly what Jesus was doing with his disciples in the hours leading up to his betrayal and eventual crucifixion. He was preparing them for his departure.

He encouraged their hearts with the word that he was leaving them for a good reason: “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:1–3, ESV)

He comforted them with the promise that he would not leave them alone and helpless: “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth… I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:16–18, ESV)

And he also instructed them concerning the way to an abundant and fruitful life in this age between his first and second comings: “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:4–5, ESV)

So you see, Jesus is preparing his disciples to live in this world until he returns. And of course he was not only preparing the 11 disciples who remained, but all of the faithful, including you and me. These are words of preparation. And here he prepares us by addressing our expectations.

How will it go for us in this world as we live under the New Covenant, in this age between Christ’s first and second comings? What exactly should we we expect? To expect the wrong things will inevitably lead to disappointment and despair, and so Christ equips us with proper expectations.

Q1: How will it go, then, for the followers of Christ as we live in this world awaiting the Lord’s return?

A: The simple answer is this: As it was for Jesus, so will it be for us. 

And how was it for Jesus in this world? Though some believed in him, the vast majority rejected him. To use the language of Isaiah 53, “He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” (Isaiah 53:3, ESV)

Look at verse 18 and see how Jesus prepared his disciples (the 11 who remained, and you and I through their word): “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.”  Verse 20: “Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.” (John 15:18, 20, ESV)

Two things are to be noticed concerning the way that the world responded to Jesus Christ.

First of all, the world hated our Lord.  The crucifixion was the ultimate expression of this hatred, but it was not the only expression of it. The whole of Jesus’ life and ministry were marked by conflict with the world. He was despised and rejected from beginning to end by the world – that is, by those not given to him by the Father. Jesus emphasized this with his disciples in order to prepare them for life in this world. “If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you”, he said. Expect it. Do not let the persecution take you by surprise.

But notice, secondly, that there were some who did receive Jesus’ word. They were few in number. They were the ones given to Jesus by the Father. When they heard Jesus’ word, they received it. And there is a promise here in this passage that the same thing will continue after Jesus’ departure. Verse 20 begins by warning, “If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” But it ends with this encouragement: “If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.”

I take all of this to mean that the same pattern will continue after Christ’s ascension to the Father. Christ was hated by the world while on earth – his followers will be hated by the world too. But some did believe in Christ while he was on earth – and there will also be some (the elect) who will believe upon the word of Christ spoken by his people after his ascension to the right hand of the Father.

And so we are to be optimistically pessimistic concerning the world. On the one hand, we should expect to experience (to one degree or another) resistance, hostility, persecution, and hatred. But on the other hand, we ought to expect victory. The gospel will go forth. The kingdom of God will advance. The word of Christ will “not return …empty, but it shall… succeed in the thing for which [he] sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11, ESV)

I’m sure there are some who are thinking, I don’t know if I like all of this negative talk concerning the hostility of the world towards Christians. Perhaps you’re thinking, I have dear friends who are non-Christians. They do not hate me, nor are they hostile towards me. In fact they are really very nice people!

Let me say a two things concerning this.

First of all, I think there is again some confusion over the word world. If we demand that “world” mean every individual person on the planet without exception then we have Jesus saying that every individual person on the planet hated him and will hate you if you are a Christian. It is far better to recognize that the word “world” is consistently used (78 times) in John to refer to this place in which we live in a more general way. It refers to all of the peoples of this earth, Jew and gentile alike. It also carries with it moral implications – this world is in darkness, and is in rebellion against God, and the things of God. So it is true, the world – the way of the world – is hostile to God and the things of God. And Christians, as long as they live in this place, should expect to face a degree of hostility and hatred. But that is different from saying that every non-Christian hates and is hostile toward every Christians. Brothers and sisters, I’m glad that you have non-Christian friends. Jesus was, in a way, and to a certain degree, a friend of tax collectors and sinners, was he not?

With that said, we should also recognize that there are different levels of hatred, and different manifestation of it. Here I am pointing to the reality that, in a sense, everyone not in Christ – everyone in whom the Spirit of God has not worked – all unregenerate peoples – do, in fact, to one degree or another, hate Christ and his gospel. It may be that their revulsion to the gospel of Christ manifest itself in relatively mild way. But if the Spirit of God is not calling the sinner to repentance, there will be some degree of hatred toward the the word of Christ. In other words, not all who are of the world respond to the gospel, and to the Christians who preach it, by screaming, “crucify him!” But if the Spirit be not active in regenerating the heart, the gospel will in some way be pushed to the side. To say it yet another way, I would bet that if you were to speak to your good friend who is not in Christ – not about the thing that happens to bind you together as friends – be it work, politics, a hobby, or some other thing – but about the gospel of Jesus Christ, there would be some level of hated or destain for that message – that is, unless the Spirit of God is at work in the heart.

And so when you hear Jesus warn that the world will hate his disciples, do not take this to mean that every individual who is not in Christ will respond with all out hatred and hostility – that is not the point. The point, rather, is that when we ask the question, how will it go, for the followers of Christ as we live in this world awaiting the Lord’s return? the answer is,  as it was for Jesus, so will it be for us.

Persecution should not take us by surprise. Hatred and opposition should not catch us off guard. Though the gospel will advance, and though the kingdom of God will grow, the age between Christ’s first and second comings will be generally marked by a degree of trial and tribulation for the people of God. “‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted [Jesus], they will also persecute [his followers also].” (John 15:20, ESV)

Q2: The second question, then, is why does the world hate Christ and those who belong to him?

A: The answer: The world hates Christ and those who belong to him because they are not of this world. 

Look with me at verse 19 where Jesus says to his followers, “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” (John 15:19, ESV)

First, it is important to remember that Christ is not of this world. This has already be said in John’s gospel. Jesus spoke to the non-believing Jews who opposed him saying, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.” (John 8:23, ESV) Jesus’ origins were heavenly. He came to us from the Father. He belonged, then, to a different order of things. He did not belong to this world, nor to the systems, or way, of this world.

Second, it is important to remember that you, if you are in Christ, are not of this world. You’ve been born from above. This too has been established in John’s gospel. Those who believe in Christ believe in him because they have been born of God (John 1:12-13). In John 3 Jesus tells Nicodemus that “unless a person is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3, NET) And throughout John we encounter this truth, that Jesus has chosen some out of this world to belong to him. That theme is here in John 15. See verse 16 where Jesus speaks to his disciples saying, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide…” (John 15:16, ESV) And notice again verse 19: “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” (John 15:19, ESV)

The meaning is this: Those who believe upon Christ believe upon him because Christ has graciously chosen them and called them. But notice that they have been chosen out of the world. Two things are implied here. One, when we hear that those who belong to Christ were chosen and called out of the world it reminds us that we were no different from the world before Christ graciously intervened. In other words, Christians are not Christians because they were the cream of the crop. No, all were of the world and Christ graciously chose us out of the world. Two, when we hear that those who belong to Christ were chosen and called out of the world, does it not remind us that Christians no longer belong to this world – to it’s systems and ways. We, like Christ, belong to another order of things. We have been chosen out of the world and belong to it no longer. To use Paul’s language, “[God] has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.” (Colossians 1:12–13, ESV)

This is why the world hates Christ and those who belong to him.

The world loves it’s own people. The world has great fondness for those who think and live as they do. Peter comments on this phenomenon, saying, “With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you.” (1 Peter 4:4, ESV)

The world, which lives in darkness, is irritated by the light.  Jesus spoke to this issue when he said to his non-believing brothers, “The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil.” (John 7:7, ESV) When Christ or his followers confront the world concerning their sin – either through words or by refusing to “join them in the same flood of debauchery” – the world bristles at it, to one degree or another.

Consider also that the gospel which brings life to those who believe is also a word of condemnation to those who reject it. That, I think, is what verse 21-25 are getting at. Jesus said, “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’” (John 15:22–25, ESV)

This passage is not saying that if Christ had not come then world would have stood totally guiltless in every way before him. No, that thought is absurd and contrary with the rest of the scriptures. What is meant here is that when Jesus came, and as he presented himself to the world, the works that he preformed and the words that he spoke force people to a decision concerning him as the Christ. That is the sin that is in view here – the most serious of sins – the rejection of Jesus as the Christ. In other words, when Christ came he spoke the final world concerning God’s love for the world and the way of salvation; and when this final word was spoken it also prompted men and women to give their final response – yes or no – concerning him as the Christ, the long awaited Messiah, the Savior.

You see, the same thing happens today. When the gospel is proclaimed to a person for the fist time, it does not turn them from being innocent to guilty – for we are indeed born in sin and guilt. But it does bring the individual to a crossroads of sorts (pun intended). Having been exposed to the good news they must then respond in one way or another. They have heard God’s final world through the gospel of Jesus Christ, and they are indeed prompted to respond. If they reject Christ, they have committed the most grievous of sins.

Remember that the good news which brings life to those who believe is also a word of condemnation to those who reject it. This has already been said in John’s Gospel: “Whoever believes in [Jesus] is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” (John 3:18, ESV)

Listen to how Paul puts it in 2 Corinthians 2:15. To Christians he writes, “For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.”

Brothers and sisters, it is no wonder that the world hates Christ and those who belong to him. We are not of this world. We do not belong to it – the kingdom of heaven is our true to home; we have been raised with Christ and are seated with him in the heavenly places; we are sojourners and pilgrims on this earth, having been born from above – and as a result we do not live according to customs of this world. We do not walk in the same way. We think, and speak, and live in a way that is different from the world – or at least we should. The world loves it own. If we were of the world, the world would love us. But because we are not of the world, the world to one degree or another, is trouble by us.

Q3: The third question that comes to mind is if this is all true, how then can a Christian possibly stand in this world in the face of such hostility?

A: The answer: The Christian will stand with the help of the Spirit, with an ever increasing love for the Father, and the Christ whom he sent. 

Look with me at verse 26 where Jesus says, “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.” (John 15:26–27, ESV)

I wish that I had time to say more about these two verses, but notice this – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all mentioned. I think this is very significant. It is a reminder that we are united to, and in the service of, the Triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He, in all his power and glory, stands with those who are his as we live in this world, though we be not of it.

The Holy Spirit is our Helper. He is sent by Son, proceeding from the Father, in order to bear witness concerning Jesus the Christ.

The point is this: we are not alone. Christ did not leave us as orphans – helpless and vulnerable. No, though it is true that we live in a hostile environment, we serve the Lord of lords, and King of kings, who has richly supplied us with all that we need, and supports us in every way, so that his purposes might prevail.

Conclusion

Brothers and sisters, what do you expect as you walk with Christ in this world? It is not right to expect hostility from every person on the planet who is not a Christian. We should not withdraw out of the world. But we should not be surprised when the world is hostile towards us. We are to be in the world, but not of it.

Are you willing to suffer scorn as a follower of Christ? I find that many Christians are tempted to go the way of the world – to think, and talk, and walk in the way of the world – in order to earn the love and respect of the world. This is not the way of Christ nor his people. We need not be unnecessarily freakish – we need not provoke the world to anger in an unnecessary way. But we ought to come to terms with this reality – to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ faithfully, and to live according to it, will, with out a doubt, to one degree or another, be met with hatred as we live in this place awaiting the Lord’s return.

May we walk worthy, trusting in Triune God to keep us to the end.

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady John 15:18-27
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Old Testament Reading: Psalm 80

“To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Testimony. Of Asaph, a Psalm. Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock. You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth. Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up your might and come to save us! Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved! O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers? You have fed them with the bread of tears and given them tears to drink in full measure. You make us an object of contention for our neighbors, and our enemies laugh among themselves. Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved! You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. You cleared the ground for it; it took deep root and filled the land. The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches. It sent out its branches to the sea and its shoots to the River. Why then have you broken down its walls, so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit? The boar from the forest ravages it, and all that move in the field feed on it. Turn again, O God of hosts! Look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine, the stock that your right hand planted, and for the son whom you made strong for yourself. They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down; may they perish at the rebuke of your face! But let your hand be on the man of your right hand, the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself! Then we shall not turn back from you; give us life, and we will call upon your name! Restore us, O Lord God of hosts! Let your face shine, that we may be saved!” (Psalm 80, ESV)

New Testament Reading: John 15:1-17

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.” (John 15:1–17, ESV)

Introduction

The message being communicated to us in this most beautiful passage is that Christ came, not only to pay for sins so that we might be forgiven by God and experience eternal life in the future, but also to fill us with abundant and fruitful life in the here and now.

The tendency among some Christians, I think, is to reduce, or minimize, or constrain the work of Christ on the cross so that in our minds it pertains only to the future. We think of the cross of Christ and the work that was accomplished there and we think, he earned something for me that I will enjoy in the future. Or, Jesus died so that I can go to heaven someday. He died, we think to ourselves, so that I will not be condemned in the final judgment. These things are indeed true, but John 15 compels us to see that there is so much more to be said about the life that is available in Christ.

Consider again Jesus’ words to his disciples in 14:19: “Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.” Clearly Jesus is referring to his death and resurrection. The promise is that because Jesus lives (because he has risen from the grave) those who believe in him will also live. But when will Christ’s followers come to experience this resurrection life? That is the question.

Brothers and sisters, life in Christ it is not something reserved exclusively for the future, but it is here and now. If you are in Christ, you have been made alive through the word and by the Spirit. If you are in Christ, you have been born again. The resurrection life of Christ is something that pulsates through the Christian in this life, and will enliven to the uttermost in the age to come. That seems to be the heart of the matter here in John chapter 15.

Jesus uses the imagery of a vineyard to illustrate this principle.There are three things that I would like to focus upon in this metaphor. First of all, we should take note of the variety of persons represented; secondly, we should consider the command that is given; and thirdly, we should consider the result of obedience.

A Variety Of Persons Represented

Notice, first of all, the variety persons represented in this metaphor.

Jesus is here represented by the vine. God the Father is represented by the vinedresser, or gardner. And then there are two types of branches, representing two types of people – those who are truly united Christ, who remain in him, and bear fruit, and those who do not. Let us then consider these figures, one at a time.

First of all, we hear Jesus say, “I am the true vine” – a vine represents Jesus in this metaphor. 

It is right for us to think of a grapevine. They were common in the region where Jesus ministered, and they are common in our region too. Jesus is here represented by a vine – that is to say,  the large, stable, life giving part of the grape plant out of which the branches which produce the fruit naturally grow.

The image, at it’s most fundamental and basic level, communicates this simple principle: Jesus Christ is the source of life. Life – that is to say, spiritual, or eternal, or resurrection life – is found in him. He is the source of it. He is the one in whom life is found. He is the vine. That is the most basic truth to be grasped here. Do you want life? Look to Jesus for it.

But notice that Jesus calls himself “the true vine”. He is not only a vine, nor is he simply the vine, but he is the true vine. The implication is that there is also some sort of false vine.

I suppose we could say that a false vine is anyone or anything which people look to as a source of life other than the risen Christ. Man-made religion would be an example of this – religion which sets it’s hope upon the obedience of man, rather in the obedience of Christ for us. I suppose that materialism would also be an example of a false vine – hope in money and possessions. Moralism should also be mentioned – that is the belief that man is basically good and capable of laying ahold of life through the performance of good deeds.  The truth of the matter is that every person who has ever lived has tapped into a vine of some kind, looking to some person or thing as the source of life for them. To speak in a most general way, they have either tapped into some created thing (most likely themselves), or into the Creator (through the Christ whom he has sent, the only mediator between God and man). They are either in the true vine, who is the Christ. Or they are in some false vine, who’s end is death. Jesus is true in that he alone has life to give, whereas all other vines are false, meaning that they lead, not to life, but to death. I think this certainly a part of what is meant by the word true.

But I think there is a deeper meaning here – one that would have been much more obvious to the disciples of Christ who heard this at first. They were Jews who were well aquatinted with the Old Testament scriptures and with the history of their people. We tend to be lacking in this regard, and so we miss the connection that they would have easily grasped.

Vineyard imagery is used very often in the Old Testament to describe God’s covenant people.

Psalm 80, which I read not long ago, is an example of this. The Psalmist cries out to God, saying, “Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved! You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. You cleared the ground for it; it took deep root and filled the land.” (Psalm 80:7–9, ESV) This is obviously a reference to the Exodus and to the birth and establishment of the nation of Israel in the promised land. Israel is pictured as a vine planted by the hand by God.

We could read many other passages in the Old Testament and see this demonstrated. I think of Isaiah chapters 5 and 27. I think also of Jeremiah 2:21and 12:10 and following. I think of Ezekiel 15:1–8; 17:1–21; 19:10–14, and also Hosea 10:1–2. Israel is God’s vineyard.

But two things should be noticed about the vineyard imagery contained in these Old Testament texts.

First of all, in most of these passages, God, or the prophet through whom the Lord spoke, is mourning the condition of God’s vineyard. God planted it. He tilled the soil. He built a wall around the vineyard, and yet it produced wild grapes (see Isaiah 5). I think also of Ezekiel 15 where the prophet asks the question, what good is dry and dead grape wood except to be thrown into the fire as kindling? You can build a house out of cedar! But who would even bother making a peg out of the dead and dry wood of the grapevine? The implication here is that Israel was more dead than alive. She was planted to bear fruit, but she had wandered far from God and had become fruitless. Judgment was, therefore, on the way.

Secondly, in many of the passages containing vineyard imagery there is a promise given that a day will come where God will cause his vineyard to produce fruit and fill the earth. Isaiah 27 is an example of this. “In that day the Lord with his hard and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan the twisting serpent, and he will slay the dragon that is in the sea. In that day, ‘A pleasant vineyard, sing of it! I, the Lord, am its keeper; every moment I water it. Lest anyone punish it, I keep it night and day…” (Isaiah 27:1–3, ESV) Psalm 80 also contains a promise for the future. After the Psalmist laments Israel’s current condition in verses 12-13, saying, “Why then have you broken down its walls, so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit? The boar from the forest ravages it, and all that move in the field feed on it”, he then pleads with God, saying in verse 14, “Turn again, O God of hosts! Look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine, the stock that your right hand planted, and for the son whom you made strong for yourself.” Now isn’t that interesting? The Psalmist is praying that God would have regard for the vine which he has planted, and then he makes reference to the son – “the son whom you made strong for yourself.” He continues in verse 16 “They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down; may they perish at the rebuke of your face! But let your hand be on the man of your right hand, the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!”

Here is the thing that I am trying to demonstrate to you: When Jesus said, “I am the true vine” his Jewish disciples, without a doubt, understood him to be making reference to these Old Testament passages.

Jesus is the true vine – he always has been.

If God’s people were alive under the Old Covenant it was because they were united to Christ vitally and truly by faith.  They were believing upon the promise of the Messiah. They were looking forward to, as the Psalmist was, “the son whom [God] made strong… the man of [God’s] right hand… the son of man”, who is Jesus the Christ.

But under the Old Covenant there were dead branches, were there not? At certain times there were so many dead branches that it provoked the prophets to speak and write as they did, lamenting the state of God’s vineyard. And why were these branches dead and dry and barren? Though they were of Israel according to the flesh, they were not of Israel according to the Spirit. They were God’s people externally, but not inwardly.

Jesus Christ is the true vine. He is true in that he is the fulfillment to these Old Testament prophesies concerning the restoration of the vineyard of God. And he is true in that he has been the source of life for God’s people from the moment that sin entered the world. He alone – yesterday, today, and forever – has life in himself. All who have ever been made alive in the Spirit, from Adam’s day forward, were made alive in Christ, through faith in him, who is the true vine. The New Testament makes this so abundantly clear.

Listen to how our Confession talks about the work of Christ on the cross benefiting, not only those who lived during and after Jesus’ death and resurrection, but also those who lived before Christ. In Chapter 8, entitled “Christ the Mediator”, picking up in paragraph 6, we read,

“Although the price of redemption was not actually paid by Christ till after his incarnation, yet the virtue, efficacy, and benefit thereof were communicated to the elect in all ages, successively from the beginning of the world, in and by those promises, types, and sacrifices wherein he was revealed, and signified to be the seed which should bruise the serpent’s head; and the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, being the same yesterday, and to-day and for ever.”

Isn’t that beautifully stated?

Christ is the true vine in that there is no other besides him who can give life. And he is the true vine in that he is the true Israel of God. When Israel was called out of Egypt and planted in the promised land, it was indeed a whole nation that was planted there. But above all else, it was the Christ who was planted. It was the seed of the woman promised from long ago who was preserved. All who lived within Israel believing upon the promise of the Christ were alive in him. Those of Israel not believing upon the Christ were likened to dead wood in the vineyard of God.

For those who would like to further explore my interpretation of the word true, I would encourage you to go to John 6 and to read from verse 22 onward. It is there that we find one of the “I am” sayings of Christ – “I am the bread of life”, he says. By the way, this is  the last of the “I am” sayings of Christ here in 15:1 – “I am the true vine.” But in 6:32 you will notice that Jesus calls himself the “true bread from heaven”. He compares himself to the mana that came to the people of Israel through Moses. That was real bread that came to Israel, but Jesus is the true bread. The mana nourished Israel physically, but it is Jesus the Christ who is the bread from heaven who gives true life – eternal life –  yesterday, today, and forever.

He is the true vine because he is the possessor of true life. And he is the true vine because he alone is the giver of true life by virtue of his life, death, resurrection, and assertion to the right hand of the Father.

You’re thinking to yourself, my goodness, he has spent an awful lot of time on the first five words of this passage! I think it is necessary. The rest of the passage becomes more clear as we understand the vineyard imagery against it’s Old Testament backdrop.

The second figure that we encounter in this metaphor is the Father, and Christ tells us that he is the vinedresser. 

We are to think here of the owner of the vineyard. The Father has planted his vineyard, and it is the Father who cares for his vineyard.  This too should be considered against the backdrop of the Old Testament texts already mentioned.

God loves his vineyard, Israel. And notice again the concern of the Father. It is that his vineyard – his people – would bear much fruit. He planted them, protects them, and prunes them so that they might be fruitful! This is what I was emphasizing earlier. Our tendency is to think about the Christian life as if it is all about the future. No! God desire is to make us fruitful… now. And so he prunes his people. The dead wood he takes away. That which has life in it he prunes, so that it might produce more fruit.

It is here that we must turn our attention to the third and fourth figures in the metaphor. The branches represent people, and clearly there are two kinds.

There are branches that bear fruit. These have life in them, indicating that there exists a real and vital connection to the vine which gives life. Clearly,in this metaphor, these fruit-bearing branches represent true followers of Christ. These are those who have faith in Christ, and the fruit which they produce is evidence to the fact that they are indeed in Christ.

Look at verse 8: “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” When Christians bear fruit, God is glorified. And when Christian bear fruit, they prove to be Christ’s disciples. Notice that the fruit does not make us into disciples of Christ, but rather it is a proof of an authentic and vital union with Christ.

And what does the Father do with these fruit-bearing branches? He prunes them!

I know nothing about pruning grapevines except that there is a right way and wrong way to do it. It takes skill. I doubt that you prune a grapevine with a gas powered hedge clipper. Skill and precision are needed! But I do get the general principle – it is through the process of removing unnecessary things – leafs and twigs and branches – that greater health is produced within the branch, and within the vine, leading to a greater yield of fruit.

Bothers and sisters, this is what the Father does with his people – he prunes them. He, over time, removes those ungodly or unnecessary things which sap the life from us and limit our fruitfulness. This is sanctification. It is the process whereby the Father makes us more holy and fruitful in the Son and by the Spirit. We should rejoice in it, though it may be unpleasant for a time. This is what the Father does with those who are his – he cleans them. If you are in Christ, you are already clean (as were the disciples to whom he originally spoke these words (see verse 3)). But he cleans, or prunes those who belong to him more and more throughout the Christian life.

But what does the Father do with those branches which do not produce fruit. The text tells us that he “takes them away” (verse 2).

This verse here has been the source of much debate throughout the ages.

There are some who insist that these fruitless branches represent those who were truly united to Christ by faith, and yet, because of their fruitlessness, lost their salvation, having been removed from the vine and cast into the fire.

What are we to think of this?

First of all, this view contradicts many other clear statements in scripture concerning the preservation of the saints. John 10:27-29 is an example of this, where Jesus is heard saying, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” John 17 could also be sited, along with many other scriptures.

Secondly, this view turns the gospel of grace into no gospel at all. Salvation, all of a sudden, depends upon you, and your good works! This turns the gospel on it’s head, turning it from good news to bad.

Thirdly, this view abuses the vulnerability of metaphorical language. It seizes upon the looseness of the metaphor and crams unbiblical teaching in to the gaps. It presses the metaphor too far.

Jesus is not teaching that someone can be really and truly united to Christ by faith and then severed. Rather he is building upon the Old Testament imagery and is warning that, though some may appear to be apart of the people of God externally, their fruitlessness is a sign that no true and vital union to the life giving Savior exists. This passage warns against merely external religion. It warns against slackness in the Christian life. To be in Christ will lead to fruitfulness. If there is a lack of fruit, then we should certainly pause and examine our hearts.

This passage also warns against apostasy. Brothers and sisters, there are plenty of New Testament texts which describe to us people who have some degree of connection with Jesus, or some degree of connection with the Christian church, who, to borrow language from D.A. Carson, “by failing to display the grace of perseverance finally testify that the transforming life of Christ has never pulsated within them.” (Carson, PNTC, 515)

Most specifically, I think this reference to the fruitless branch that is taken away is a warning to the non-believing Jews. Certainly they considered themselves (and still do) to be a part of the vineyard of God on the basis of their ethnicity. But there is a warning here that to reject Jesus as the true vine is to be severed from God’s vineyard, who is the true Israel of God.

This is most certainly not a symbol of one who belongs to Christ truly and then looses his or her salvation. Consider that the same John who wrote this Gospel dealt with the question of those who appeared to fall away from Christ in a most direct way, saying, “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.” (1 John 2:19, ESV)

Branches that bear some fruit are pruned so that they bear more. Branches that bear no fruit – they are dead, lacking a vital union with Christ, not having the life of Christ pulsate through them – these are cut off and throne into the fire. Without a doubt this symbolizes judgement.  It is a sobering thought indeed.

More can be said, but we must move on for the sake of time. In summery, there are four figures in this metaphor. The vine represents Christ, the Father is the vinedresser. The branches that bear fruit are true disciples of Christ whom the Father prunes in order to make them more fruitful, whereas the fruitless branches represent those who, though they may appear to be a part of the covenant community, lack any vital union to the savior. They are dead wood – fruitless branches – who are cut off and throne into the fire.

Christ’s Command

Notice, secondly, the command of Christ in this passage.

There is one command that appears time and again in this passage. Jesus commands his followers to do one thing if they hope to be fruitful – abde, abide, and abide.

Verse 4: “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” (John 15:4, ESV)

Verse 9: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.” (John 15:9, ESV)

The word abide means to remain. Here again the emphasis is upon remaining in Christ. Just as a branch must remain in the vine if it is to live, so too must the Christian perpetually remain in Christ if she is to live. We do not come to Christ for salvation and then go on alone. No, we are to walk with him in an ongoing communion bond, on the basis of the covenant that he has made with.

Our relationship to Jesus is like a marriage, in other words. He is the groom, we the bride, according to the scripture. Too often do we view our relationship with Jesus as if it were a court date. It is not a court date, it is marriage. There is a covenantal communion bond that exists between us and Christ. If we are to enjoy the life that is found in him – if we are to bear fruit – then we must remain in him.

But how do we abide in Christ, exactly?

I often find that what Christians want is a checklist. Tell me what I must do to abide in Christ! But the first thing we must develop, is not a check list, but an attitude – an attitude which permeates every aspect of our life and being, which says, Lord, I need you! It is an attitude of dependence that we need – an attitude of humility, and of weakness – which drives to look to Christ always and in every circumstance for the strength that comes from him, by the power of the Holy Spirit. When Paul tells us to “walk by the Spirit” he is communicating a similar concept, isn’t he?

But notice that once we have adopted this mindset there are also some things for us to do.

First of all, to abide in Christ means that we are to keep his word.

Notice in verse 3 that Jesus says to his disciples, “Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.” It is by the word that we are made clean initially, and it is by the word that Christ prunes us progressively through the ministry of the Spirit of  Truth, who is the Holy Spirit, or the Spirit who makes holy.

Christ has appointed preachers and teachers to read the word to the church, and to explain it so that we all might live by it. You need the preaching of Christ’s word if you are to abide in him. We live in a unique time in history where we, as the people of God, have access to God’s written word. We ought to read the word often. But notice the emphasis in this passage upon obedience. Jesus says, “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.” (John 15:10, ESV)

Brothers and sisters, it possible to be in church every Lord’s day, and to read your Bibles morning and night, and to not abide in Christ. We are to encounter God’s word, it is true – but we must be sure to obey it! It is better to read the Bible a little and to live by what it says than to read it a lot and to fail to practice it. “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22, ESV)

Notice, secondly, the emphasis upon prayer in this passage.

“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” (John 15:7, ESV) Here the Christian is invited to pray and make requests before God. It is through prayer that we enjoy ongoing communion with our Savior. And what a gift that it is!

Notice, thirdly, the love we are to have for one another.

“This is my commandment”, Jesus says, “that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:12–13, ESV)

Brothers and sisters, there is no abiding in Christ apart from Christ’s church, who is called the body of Christ, his bride, his temple, and his flock. My heart fears for those who claim to love Christ and yet hate his church. How can we claim to love Christ and yet hate the bride for whom he died?

This entire passage is peppered with references to the corporate nature of the Christian life. He is saying it all to his disciples, we are not one, but many. God’s vineyard consists of many branches gathered together in the one vine. And Christ concludes this entire section saying, “These things I command you, so that you will love one another.” (John 15:17, ESV) It will not do to say, well the church is dysfunctional today. Brothers and sisters, the church has always been dysfunctional. Read your new Testament. Perhaps you have misunderstood the gospel if it is messiness of other peoples lives which keeps you away from Christ’s church.

So how do we abide? Above all else we are to cultivate an attitude of dependence upon Christ so that we rely upon him for all things. After this we must recognize the way in which the Holy Spirit uses the word and prayer within the context of the church to transform lives.

The Result of Obedience

Notice, thirdly, the result of obedience to Christ’s command.

The result is fruitfulness.

Many have sought to pinpoint what exactly this bearing of fruit represents. Is it that people will come to Christ through us when we are fruitful? Is it that our lives will become more holy? Or we will be more loving and joyful people as we abide in Christ?

Honestly, I’m not sure why we feel the need to reduce fruitfulness to one of these things or the other. Is not the idea that as we abide in Christ, who is the true vine, we will, as branches, inevitably produce fruit which Christlike?

Lord, make us fruitful, we pray. May we abide in you. And as we abide, may your word and Spirit bring life to us – more and more life – abundant life, so that our life produces more and fruit until the day we die, to the glory of your name. Amen.

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady John 15:1-17
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