John 15: Are You Jesus’ Friend?
Verse of the Day: (V14) “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”
1. Fruit (V1-13)
V5 “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
Jesus declared to His disciples that He was the Vine, and they were His branches, and without Him, they could do nothing. Jesus is our Creator who gives us our very breath and heartbeat, and without Him, our life will be empty and miserable. Jesus desires us to trust in Him and obey His commandments so that we shall have abundant and joyful life with Him. Indeed, the evidence that we are Christ’s disciples or branches is when we produce the fruit of loving others including our enemies, because Christ, the Vine, is love.
V8 “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.”
2. Friends (V14-22)
V14 “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”
Jesus revealed to His disciples that only those who truly believed and trusted in Him, and obeyed His commandments were His disciples. Jesus is not only the Son of God, He is also our Friend, whom we can share all our joy and sorrow, blessings and troubles, provided we trust and obey His commandments. Indeed, it is a great blessing and encouragement to know that Jesus is our true Friend who shall never fail nor forsake us.
V15 “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.”
3. Father (V23-27)
V23 “He that hateth me hateth my Father also.”
Jesus taught His disciples that those who hate Him, also hate His Father, because His Father, the Holy Spirit and Him are the same true and living God. Jesus promised His disciples that once He died on the cross and shed His blood for the sins of the world, His Father would then send the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to indwell with everyone who believes and trusts in Him. Let us thank God for giving us the Comforter to indwell in us and teach us His Word, and Jesus, our Friend, whom we can share all our joy and sorrow.
V26 “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, thank You that I am Your friend because I obey Your commandments.
