Sunday School Lesson
January 24
Lesson 8 (KJV)
CALLED FOR THE WORLD’S BELIEF
DEVOTIONAL READING: 1 Timothy 2:1–7a BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE: John 17:14–24
JOHN 17:14–24
14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
KEY VERSE
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word.—John 17:20
CALL IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
Unit 2: Jesus and Calls in His Ministry
LESSONS 5–8
LESSON AIMS
After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:
1. List Jesus’ desires as expressed in His prayer.
2. Explain the intersection of the themes of suffering, unity, and witness in Jesus’ final prayer.
3. Commit to adopting Jesus’ prayer priorities as his or her own.
HOW TO SAY IT
Gethsemane Geth-sem-uh-nee (G as in get).
Pharisees Fair-ih-seez.
sanctification sank-tuh-fuh-kay-shun.
Tertullian Tur-tull-yun.
Introduction A.
Why Don’t They Come?
In August 2018, the Pew Research Center published results of a survey on religious behaviors. The study had polled more than 1,300 individuals who identified their religious preference as “nothing in particular.” Fifty-one percent of respondents explained their preference by saying, “I question a lot of religious teachings.” In two separate questions, 47 percent said they were not involved because “I don’t like the positions churches take on social/political issues,” and 34 percent said, “I don’t like religious organizations.”
The survey results suggest that individuals who choose not to affiliate with any religious group do not view such gatherings as safe and welcoming places to explore personal religious beliefs and lifestyle choices.
While the results of this survey may not be surprising, they are nevertheless tragic. The church is the body of Christ and the vehicle through which God is working to reach a lost world. It can be discouraging to realize that many choose to avoid the church because they view it as irrelevant, or even as hostile, to their well-being. Yet this is not what Christ intended the church to be. Today’s lesson explains why.
B. Lesson Context
Matthew 26:36–44; Mark 14:32–40; and Luke 22:39–46 give brief accounts of Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. Their focus is on His agonized petition that He might be spared the crucifixion. John’s Gospel, by contrast, doesn’t include that prayer. Instead, it features Jesus’ lengthy and detailed prayer for His disciples.
That prayer comes at the end of a lengthy section known as the Farewell Address (John 13–17), the longest recorded speech by Jesus. After washing the disciples’ feet and dismissing Judas into the night (13:1–30), Jesus told His confused followers that He would not be with them much longer (13:33). He gave them a “new commandment” to be followed after His departure from the world: “As I have loved you, … also love one another” (13:34).
The remainder of Jesus’ goodbye speech builds on this theme by explaining how God would express His love for the disciples (examples: John 14:8–21; 15:26–27; 16:5–15), why “the world” would hate them (example: 15:18–25), what it means for Christians to love one another, and why it was essential to do so (17:20–24; see commentary below).
In the opening section of the prayer (John 17:1–13), Jesus reflected on His pending death and reminded the Father that the Son’s mission would continue through the disciples. Therefore Jesus asked His heavenly Father to equip the disciples in certain ways so they could continue His work. The form and content of that equipping is the subject of today’s text.
I. Different like Jesus
(JOHN 17:14–19) A. Kept from Evil (vv. 14–16)
14a. I have given them thy word.
This phrase summarizes Jesus’ ministry to this point. God’s word is the truth that Jesus has been teaching. In John’s Gospel, this message focused particularly on God’s revelation in Christ (John 1:14). He is superior to any other revelation, including the teachings of Moses (example: 1:17–18) and John the Baptist (example: 3:27–30).
14b. And the world hath hated them.
God loves the world—so much so that He gave His only Son so that believers could receive eternal life (John 3:15–16). Yet this love was and is largely unrequited, as the majority of people hated Jesus and those who believe in Him (3:17–21). All people are called to make a decision about Christ. Those who do not accept Him place themselves in the same category as the Pharisees, chief priests, and others who actively persecuted Jesus. There is no middle ground.
Knowing the truth about God is a great blessing, but it comes with a cost. Although the disciples had not been persecuted directly thus far, they were with Jesus on several occasions when His life was in peril (see John 7:1, 30; 8:58–59; 11:45–54). The story of the man born blind reveals that at least some people who associated with Jesus were threatened with, or may have actually experienced, excommunication from the synagogue (9:1–41). As the church was established (Acts 2) and Christianity began to spread throughout the Roman world, persecution became a universal experience (Acts 8:1; etc.).
What Do You Think?
In what ways can you prepare yourself for times of discrimination against Christians?
Digging Deeper
What situations call for passive acceptance (example: Matthew 27:14)? for self-defense or explanation (example: Acts 25:8)? for pushing back (example: Acts 16:37)? Explain.
14c. Because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. The cause of the world’s hatred for Jesus and His followers is stated in terms of group membership or identification: it is because they are not of this world. Their whole set of values was different (Ephesians 2:1–10).
Jesus had come down from the Father (John 3:13, 31–36) and was about to return to Heaven (13:33; 16:28). Unlike Christ, the disciples were natural human beings, made up of both human flesh and human spirit as all of this world are. But the disciples had been “born again” (3:3). Therefore, they were no longer recognized as family by the disbelieving world. The disciples had made themselves outsiders, citizens of Heaven who temporarily resided in a foreign land as unwelcome noncitizens (1 Peter 2:11).
15. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
The disciples wanted to be wherever Jesus was (John 14). But they could not accompany Jesus in leaving the world, no matter how bad things became. They needed to remain because they would be the vehicle through which others could hear the good news and receive salvation (15:26; 17:18, 20).
Jesus did ask, however, that they be kept from the evil—that is, the devil. He works through worldly people to intensify persecution and suffering in an effort to silence godly witnesses (John 15:20; 16:1–4; 1 John 3:8; Revelation 2:9–10; etc.). This divine protection did indeed come, but not in the form of stopping the sources of pain. Rather, it came by the strength of the Holy Spirit to endure (John 14:16, 25–27).
STAY IN THE GAME
As a young man, I joined a recreational basketball league. One night, only five players showed up—the minimum needed to play. Near the end of the first half, I leaped for a rebound, got tangled with another player, and landed hard on the back of my head.
Today we understand the dangers of concussions, and we pull players off the court for their own safety. But every successful athlete understands that there are times to stay in the game when injured. I was groggy, but I didn’t want to let my teammates down. I played the entire second half, and my team won a narrow victory.
Jesus knew His disciples would face hatred and pain, but it wasn’t time to remove them from the world. They needed to keep serving Him and helping others. Do you ever feel like imploring the Lord to let you “sit this one out”? Are you willing to “stay in the game” anyway? See 1 Corinthians 4:11–13; 2 Corinthians 1:8–10. —D. F.
16. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
The language of John 17:14c (above) is repeated for emphasis. Taken as something of a unit, 17:14–16 explains why Christians suffer, sometimes even to the point of death. In the early centuries of the church, passages such as this were used to support the argument that people who experience martyrdom receive special eternal blessings.
Today, these verses are sometimes cited as evidence that believers who are not experiencing suffering must be deficient in their faith in light of Jesus’ comment that the world loves its own (15:19). The logic is that if you experience love from worldly people, then you must be one of them.
Jesus’ statements should be taken not as abstract principles but rather as prophecies of realities. The original readers of this Gospel came to know persecution firsthand. Many believers today live in cultures where their faith is not legally protected; they experience persecution as a result. But we should not conclude from these verses either that (1) true believers will only experience persecution or that (2) only true believers will experience persecution. Jesus’ larger point is that we should be prepared to continue to witness, no matter what. And the key to being able to do so is to focus on the fact that we are not of the world.
What Do You Think?
What personal deficiencies will you address to be better equipped to be in the world but not of the world?
Digging Deeper
Which of John 1:10; 15:19; 1 Corinthians 1:12; 5:9–11; 2 Corinthians 10:3–4; James 4:4; 2 Peter 1:4; 2:20; and 1 John 2:15–16 speak to you most clearly in this regard? Why?
B. Sent to the World (vv. 17–19)
17. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
The Greek verb translated sanctify means “to make holy or set apart.” Things in the ancient world that were set apart were often found in temples or other sacred places. Jesus, however, asked God to sanctify the disciples themselves (compare 1 Corinthians 6:19–20). It was through their knowledge of truth that this sanctification would come. Such knowledge concerned faith in Jesus—faith that is based on evidence (John 14:11; 1 John 1:1–2; etc.). Jesus himself was and is both the truth (John 14:6) and the one who proclaimed the word of truth about God to the world (8:31–32). Jesus’ life and words revealed God perfectly (14:9). Those who abandon falsehood to accept Christ and His words are set apart by their faith.
We can note in passing that sanctification has two aspects or phases. The first is the onetime event when an unbeliever joins the ranks of the saved (see 1 Corinthians 6:11); this may be called initial sanctification. The second phase can be termed progressive sanctification since it is a continuing transformation (2 Peter 3:18; 1 John 3:3; etc.).
What Do You Think?
How can you better demonstrate that God’s truth has set you apart while avoiding giving an off-putting “holier than thou” impression in the process?
Digging Deeper
How do John 13:15; 1 Corinthians 11:1; Ephesians 5:1; Philippians 2:1–11; 3:17; Titus 2:6–8; and 1 Peter 2:21; 3:15 help you frame your answer?
18. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
These words, spoken before the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18–20), shed further light on the mission of the disciples and the church. Jesus had been sent from Heaven to testify about God to a hostile world (John 1:10–11; 5:23–24, 36–38; 8:42–47; etc.). Jesus handed this mission on to His apostles, who were then sent in turn into the world to testify. The fact that the apostles were sent by Jesus provided them with a unique authority. For this reason, rejecting what the apostles say about God is equivalent to rejecting what Jesus says (compare Luke 9:1–6; 2 Corinthians 1:1; 5:20; Ephesians 1:1; 6:20; etc.).
19. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
This verse reemphasizes John 17:17, above. Because Christ is God incarnate, in one sense He is sanctified just by definition. Jesus, however, was likely referring to the example of holy living that He set before the disciples throughout His ministry. Jesus is consistently portrayed as consumed by a desire to do anything and everything that God has called Him to do (2:17; etc.). Indeed, Jesus’ very sustenance was “to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work” (4:34).
II. United as One
(JOHN 17:20–24)
A. With One Another (vv. 20–23)
20. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word.
This verse extends the scope of Jesus’ commission to include all believers in all times and places.
21a. That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us. Unity is essential to Jesus’ vision for the church (compare 1 Corinthians 12:12–13; Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 4:11–13; etc.). His prayer for future followers is tied to a statement about His own identity: Christ and the Father are one, and therefore believers should be united as one.
The focus here is less on Christ’s identity with the Father as members of the Trinity and more on the notion that Jesus always acts in a way that shows that He is united with God in essence and purpose. Seeing Jesus is equivalent to seeing the Father (John 14:9–12).
UNIFY TO MULTIPLY
It was a beautiful day, and I wanted to be outdoors, not painting the basement. My wife and I had moved into the house a few weeks before. Now that the boxes were unloaded, this job remained.
I had figured it would take several days to paint the ceiling, walls, and trim. We had bought the paint, readied our drop cloths and paintbrushes, and prepared to tackle the task ourselves.
Then our friends showed up. Not just a few friends—nine of them, including people we had never met. These unified coworkers dove enthusiastically into the work, all of us talking and laughing as we went. By late afternoon, the entire basement was painted, and the supplies were cleaned up. My wife and I had time to enjoy a walk.
What happens when Jesus’ disciples serve in unity? Work gets done. Friendships are forged. God is honored. Blessings are multiplied. Do your relationships with others demonstrate God’s call to multiply, not divide? —D. F.
What Do You Think?
What three specific things can you begin doing to foster the kind of unity among believers that Christ desires?
Digging Deeper
Frame your three responses in terms of what you can do locally within your church and how you can contribute nationally and internationally, one each.
21b. That the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
The goal of the disciples’ unity is effective witness, the result of which will be others drawn to Christ. Christ intends that the disciples obey His command to set themselves apart from the world in their unity in this regard.
22a. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them. Glory here refers to God’s divine nature and attributes. Christ and the Father are one by their very nature (Hebrews 1:3). The human Jesus has illustrated this by doing and saying exactly what God the Father desired. Now He passes that glory along to all present and future disciples (them).
The glory that Jesus passes along does not, of course, include what are called God’s incommunicable attributes—things of His nature that belong to Him and Him alone (example: self-existence, John 8:58).
22b. That they may be one, even as we are one. Unity is described here as a result of the gift of John 17:21a, above. Elsewhere, unity is a command (example: Ephesians 4:3). The Farewell Address began with Jesus’ washing the disciples’ feet and telling them to follow His example in serving one another (John 13:2–17). Jesus also commanded three times that believers love one another as Jesus himself loved them (13:14; 15:12, 17). The love command is so significant that people can recognize us as disciples by observing whether we show love for other believers (13:35).
In Jesus’ view, even the most hostile opponents of the faith should be struck by the love and unity that prevails among His followers. The love of the disciples is to continue as a sign to an unbelieving world about the good news of Jesus Christ.
23. I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
The church’s unity must be perfect in the sense that it lacks nothing. But we know that unbreakable unity is not typically experienced anywhere. Yet this is the very reason why it can serve as supernatural evidence of the nature of Jesus.
Unity can only attract the world if it is more than superficial. It must go beyond the camaraderie that worldly people experience. It must rise to the level of an unwavering commitment to God and His church. When broken people are redeemed, brought together by God, and united in a common purpose, unbelievers must conclude that something special is happening!
B. With Christ (v. 24)
24. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
Jesus has already told His disciples that He was returning to Heaven and that He would prepare a place for them there (John 14:1–3). He wanted them to leave the fallen world eventually in order to be in that place of peace with Him. Once we arrive there, we will behold Christ’s glory in the sense that we ourselves will witness what Jesus has been claiming to be true about His relationship with the Father (compare 1 John 3:2). The full extent the Father’s love for the Son will then be clearest.
Conclusion
A. The Streisand Effect
Marketing companies are becoming increasingly interested in a phenomenon known as the Streisand Effect. This term is based on the name of singer/actress Barbra Streisand, and it refers to an episode in which she was involved in 2003.
A photographer was contracted to take a series of photographs that would document patterns of coastline erosion throughout the state. When Streisand learned that these included one picture of her seaside Malibu mansion, she sued the photographer to have its posting removed. Before the lawsuit was filed, the photo in question had been downloaded only six times, including two downloads by Streisand’s own attorneys; but when the story hit the media, the picture was viewed by 420,000 curious web surfers within 30 days! This incident is now cited as a classic illustration of the principle of “psychological reactance,” which means that an attempt to suppress information tends to increase people’s desire to access and share it.
While the internet is a relatively new phenomenon on the time line of history, the Streisand Effect is not—people have always been curious to learn new information, especially when it seems to be available only to a small number of people.
The Christian apologist Tertullian (AD 160–220) realized something of a parallel to this principle in his famous observation that “the blood of the martyrs is [the] seed [of the church]” (Apology 50). Tertullian observed that public persecutions against the church by the Roman government had led even more people to become curious about the faith. Rome actually made the world aware of Christianity and thereby encouraged people to explore this new and emerging religion. Those who looked into the church’s beliefs and practices were impressed by the conviction and unity demonstrated by believers. The result was that the church grew during periods of persecution.
Against this backdrop, Jesus’ prayer raises important questions for the church today: In a world where many people do not participate in church because they think there is nothing of value there, what would happen if they actually “looked under the hood”? Would they discover that, contrary to what they have been told, the church is a place of remarkable unity and love? Would they be forced to abandon their beliefs that Christians are legalistic and thereby be drawn to the spirit of love that exists among us? Or would encounters with Christians reinforce their belief that the church is not a safe place?
Our passage for today highlights several key themes that run through John’s Gospel, two of which are particularly significant. First, Jesus stresses His own oneness with the Father. Christ demonstrated this unity through absolute obedience to God the Father in His resolve to fulfill the Father’s mission of offering salvation. Second, Jesus presented His relationship with the Father as a model for the way His disciples should relate to one another. Christians are to be completely united with both Christ and one another so that Christ’s mission can continue through the work of the church. It can’t happen any other way.
What Do You Think?
What’s the first thing you should do were you to find yourself in a situation where Christians are disunited, at odds with one another?
Digging Deeper
How should your reaction differ in situations that involve doctrinal essentials versus those that don’t? Why?
B. Prayer
Father, help us to love one another the way You love us so that the world can see You at work through us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
C. Thought to Remember
Christians are one in Christ Jesus.
KID’S CORNER
The Everlasting Joy in Jesus’ Friends
Sunday, January 24, 2021
John 15:10-17
John 15:10-17
(John 15:10) “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.
Jesus expressed His love for His Father by obeying all His Father’s commands and fulfilling all His Father’s purposes in the world. True Christians will express their love for Jesus by obeying His commands and seeking His purposes for them. True Christians do not earn or merit God’s love by keeping God’s commands; for while we were still sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Indications that a believer loves the Father and Jesus are keeping their commands. An indication that a believer is not remaining in love with God and Jesus is their refusal to obey their commands—to refuse to do what God wants them to do so God can keep working through them. Because God loves us, God has given us commandments. God’s commandments correspond to the way God made us and the way God intended us to use our minds, bodies, and souls. The Bible can be compared to an automobile owner’s manual that shows the owner how to care for their car to get the most trouble-free miles using it. Those who obey the loving commandments of God know how to avoid many destructive actions.
(John 15:11) “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.
Jesus’ great joy came from always loving and obeying His Father. He came to live and die and rise again because He loved doing God’s will and for the joy set before Him. In Hebrews 12:1-2, we read, “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Jesus wants everyone who obeys Him to have joy and true happiness, which can never come from living in disobedience to God. His joy can be in every believer and every believer can bring God great joy from their loving obedience. Our joy will be complete when Jesus says to us: “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:23). Our joy will be complete when we know that Jesus is our Friend, and when we serve Him as a friend. Obeying and serving the Father and the Son brings us joy, and someday our joy will be totally complete when we see and hear these words personally: “Then I heard a voice from heaven say, ‘Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them’” (Revelation 14:13).
(John 15:12) “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.
Moses gave the law of God to Israel on stone tablets, with ceremonies and sacrifices that pointed toward the coming of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. When Jesus came, Jesus gave His law to His disciples and God wrote and still writes Jesus’ Law of Love in the hearts of all born-again Christians; furthermore, God makes it possible for Jesus’ followers to fulfill the Law of Love. Jesus made a New Covenant (or New Testament) in His blood, and Jesus’ love, life, and teachings became the standard of behavior for all His followers. Christians love one another as Jesus loved and continues to love them when they seek to wisely do to others what is best for them and all concerned, and when they make loving and necessary sacrifices for others as the Holy Spirit within them leads them to love as the Bible teaches.
(John 15:13) “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.
Love motivates a person to do all they wisely can to help someone else. God uses love and wisdom whenever He does anything, even when helping His enemies and sinners come to saving faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus loved the rich young man who came to Him, and He told him what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. After Jesus had done all He wisely could, He allowed him to walk away rather than follow him and beg him to come follow Him and be saved (see Matthew 19). Jesus laid down His life for His friends, former sinners who became His disciples and eventually friends. Before He laid down His life for them (died), He especially wanted His disciples to know that He loved them and considered them His friends. He wanted them to know that He was laying down His life (dying) for them because He wanted to save them from their sins and grant them eternal life with Him and one another. Not the devil, not the religious leaders, not the Romans killed Jesus by crucifixion. Jesus knowingly and willingly laid down His life by the method of crucifixion according to His perfect timing. Jesus chose to sacrifice His life. Before He died, Jesus spent about three years with His disciples and by word and example Jesus taught them all they needed to learn up to that point. When we as disciples of Jesus bear fruit by leading others to faith in Jesus Christ or by teaching them how to live as disciples of Jesus according to the Bible’s teachings, we should not be surprised if it takes Jesus, us, and them a few years for them to become stable disciples. Disciples of Jesus take the time and make the effort which involves laying down their lives for them. Disciples take the time that they might have spent enjoying other pursuits to help people follow Jesus according to the Scriptures. Taking this time and making this effort brings them complete joy, just as taking the time and making the effort to help others brought Jesus and still brings Jesus great joy. Jesus found complete joy as He made the ultimate sacrifice for His friends and the world by dying on the cross as a God-ordained sacrifice for our sins. Because Jesus loves us He hears and answers our prayers.
(John 15:14) “You are My friends if you do what I command you.
If His disciples were truly His friends, then they would do what He asked; especially when they knew that He would never ask them to do what was wrong or not in their best interests or not in the best interests of others. As the Son of God, when Jesus helped someone believe in Him and trust in Him, Jesus knew exactly all the consequences. When Jesus saved and taught one person to love Him and obey His commands, Jesus knew the joy He would bring and the joy one born-again Christians would bring to all concerned for many generations in the future. Friends will do whatever they rightly and wisely can do for their friends. Jesus obeyed His Father and laid down His life because He loved His disciples and wanted to be their Friend. In return, He expected them to be a friend to Him and do what He asked; then, they would be loving friends with one another and bear much fruit, and many would repent and receive the gift of eternal life through faith in Him.
(John 15:15) “No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.
A servant or employee obeys his master or boss without always knowing why they want them to do a task, unless they obviously know they are being asked to do what is wrong or in violation of the Bible’s teachings. For three years, Jesus’ disciples (students and servants) had done what Jesus asked. They had accompanied Him without knowing all the reasons He did something. Now, at the end of His earthly ministry, Jesus assured them (and those who would hear them or later read what they wrote) that they knew what the Father wanted them to know and what He wanted them to pass on to others. Then, after His death and resurrection, and before He ascended into heaven: “Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age’” (Matthew 28:18-20). Out of love and friendship for Jesus, they obeyed Him and passed on to others what He taught them—when they made disciples, they bore fruit as Jesus intended.
(John 15:16) “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.
Jesus made a prophecy about what would come to pass. Jesus chose them (and later the Apostle Paul). They bore much fruit in leading many to salvation during their lifetime. God answered their prayers and performed miracles through them that substantiated the truthfulness of what they taught about Him. Their fruit has lasted for almost 2,000 years, and their writings still lead people to believe in and obey Jesus and study their writings to learn more about Jesus and living as a Christian. What Jesus taught and subsequently what they taught is believed and obeyed by true Christians who love God and Jesus, who likewise tell others about Jesus and what He taught. We become disciples of Jesus because He chose us. When we hear the good news about Jesus Christ, we choose to become disciples of His because He chose us. Today, Jesus chooses disciples and appoints disciples through the fruit bearing of other disciples, and Jesus has appointed all His disciples to bear fruit that will last by using the gifts He has given them. The Apostle Paul further explained this in Ephesians 4:11-13, “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” When Jesus’ goals and purposes become your goals and purposes as a disciple of Jesus Christ, then the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my (Jesus’) name so you can bear much fruit that will last.
(John 15:17) “This I command you, that you love one another.”
Those who love Jesus will obey Jesus. They will obey Jesus and love others in the Church. They will love their enemies and do whatever they wisely can do to promote the well-being and happiness of others. Doing all they wisely can may lead to sacrifice as the Holy Spirit leads them and God answers their prayers for guidance in accordance with the Bible. As Jesus taught by example, sometimes disciples must let their enemies (and God’s enemies) walk away, or even former friends or family members walk away, as an expression of loving, prayerful wisdom as the Lord leads us to let them walk away. Since we do want them and others to come to faith in Jesus Christ and receive the love and joy He wants for them, we can pray for them in the name of Jesus.
The Everlasting Joy in Jesus’ Friends
Sunday, January 24, 2021
John 15:10-17
Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you (John 15:15—KJV).
No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you (John 15:15—NASB).
I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father (John 15:15—NRSV).
Why did Jesus make known to us through His first disciples everything that He heard from His Heavenly Father? Jesus himself gave the answer in John 15:11, saying, “I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.” Jesus came and taught people how to live joyfully even during struggles that seem impossible to bear. When Jesus gives eternal life to all who believe in Him, He also gives them everlasting joy. Because the presence of Jesus Christ remains within them, His disciples can face this world with joy. Christians remain joyful in this troubled world because they trust in Jesus who abides within them, because they trust the truths He taught in the Bible, and because they receive love, joy, peace, and other fruit from the Holy Spirit. Like Jesus’ followers today, His first disciples obeyed Jesus because they loved Him. As they loved and obeyed their Master, He taught them more until He could call them friends and say to them, “I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.” Before Jesus called His disciples His friends, He took three years to teach His disciples everything. Eleven of them responded with obedient love for Jesus, and Jesus made them friends who learned His goals and purposes. Today, Jesus’ followers still teach by word and example, and Jesus chooses new disciples and friends as new fruit on the branches of the vine.
Thinking Further
The Everlasting Joy in Jesus’ Friends
Sunday, January 24, 2021
John 15:10-17
Name ____________________________________
1. What examples did Jesus say He had given us as His disciples?
2. What commandments did Jesus give us as His disciples?
3. Why did Jesus show and tell us, His disciples, what He did?
4. What did Jesus call those who knew what He was doing? What does Jesus expect from those who know what He is doing?
5. What two names did Jesus use when He spoke of His disciples? What did He mean when He changed what He called them? What are we to Jesus? Why
Word Search
The Everlasting Joy in Jesus’ Friends
Sunday, January 24, 2021
John 15:10-17
Name _____________________________________
D T X M G N E V Z E P M X K V
U A D R F A Q H C R O T E P I
M Z J P Y Z G V Y U I P H G O
S D N E I R F T H C T S K E L
P J Q H E X Z U O F K M N V Q
T Y V A S U S E J G R A O J B
D E T N I O P P A E C S W A E
Z E P A C J X N K T L T N S S
R Q A U N O L I F E U E X T O
W F J B V O M Y B J I R I N H
K E C G I Q T P A C B A J A C
M F V M E D X H L X J O Y V L
Z N D O V I E R E E N E I R I
A J U G L A C Y C R T U P E F
U Z V M E S W Q D L B E I S G
Abide
Love
Kept
Said
Joy
Complete
Another
Greater
Life
Friends
Servants
Master
Known
Chose
Appointed
True and False Test
The Everlasting Joy in Jesus’ Friends
Sunday, January 24, 2021
John 15:10-17
Name _____________________________________
Circle the True or False answers. Correct the False statements by restating them.
1. Jesus set an example for what it means to keep His Father’s commandments and abide in His love. True or False
2. Jesus told the religious leaders, if you will not keep my commandments, at least keep my Father’s commandments. True or False
3. Jesus’ true disciples keep His commandments and abide in His love. True or False
4. Those who try to do all that Jesus taught are unhappy. True or False
5. Jesus taught the truth about obeying His Father’s and His commandments and abiding in His Father’s and His love. True or False
6. Jesus taught His disciples the truth so His joy might be in them and their joy might be complete, but Jesus’ followers today cannot know His joy, for He is in heaven. True or False
7. Jesus said, “This is my suggestion, that you love one another as I have loved you.” True or False
8. Jesus showed His great love when He laid down His life for His friends. True or False
9. True friends of Jesus do what He commanded, because they have been taught what Jesus heard from His Father. True or False
10. Jesus chooses His friends and appoints them to bear fruit that will last. True or False
True and False Test Answers
- True
- False
- True
- False
- True
- False
- False
- True
- True
- True
Prayer
Father, help us to love one another the way You love us so that the world can see You at work through us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.