Daily Devotions
John
John 15:1-17 "DWELLING ON EVERY PROFOUND WORD OF JESUS"
Day 211 – John 15
DWELLING ON EVERY PROFOUND WORD OF JESUS
Jesus chose His imagery with great care. Each phrase carried a powerful thought. Each word that He gave carried potential power for the disciple who would take time to dwell on what Jesus said.
1. Food for the soul – “The Bread of Life” John 6:48
As the body needs physical food, so the soul needs spiritual nourishment. The soul’s food was not just the written, or the preached Word of God. The soul’s food was none other than the Bread of Life Himself.
2. Light in this darkened world – “I am the Light of the world” John 8:12
Jesus depicted the world as one that was engulfed in darkness. The light that was in the natural man was insufficient to provide significant light for his journey in life. The believer is promised Light from Jesus Himself. He must of course walk in the Light.
3. Protection for the soul – “I am the Door of the sheep.” John 10:7
How dangerous life is. The world seems to be even more deeply embroiled in difficulties. All kinds of woes may be found in the world. How wonderful it is to know that Jesus promised personal protection to all His sheep.
4. Provision of Abundant Life – “I am the Good Shepherd” John 10:11
The care of the sheep is the heart’s concern for the good and true shepherd. To all who truly belonged to Jesus as His sheep, He promised them abundant life. Every sheep would be thrilled to hear these words from the lips of the good Shepherd.
“I have come that they may have life,
and that they may have it more abundantly.”
John 10:10
5. Safe-keeping for all eternity – “I am the Resurrection and the Life”
John 11:25
Ultimately, life on earth comes to an end. To those troubled about the hereafter, assurance may be found in the promise that Jesus had the power of resurrecting the dead and to give them life. He was Himself the Resurrection and the Life. What great comfort the soul has when it meditates on this glorious truth.
6. The Way to Heaven – “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.” John 14:6
To reinforce the promise concerning an eternal home in heaven, Jesus reiterated the fact that He was The Way to Heaven – the Home of His Father! The heart no longer would be troubled if it were able to fathom this wonderful promise! A living faith in Jesus would dispel all the sorrows and uncertainties that can bring such misery to the soul, when morbid thoughts of death come unbidden to disquiet the heart. There was great power in the Word if only one would meditate on it.
7. Fruit-bearing- “I am the true Vine” John 15:1
Did you notice that the first six statements focus on what Jesus promised all His believers! There was a subtle change in the focus of the seventh statement. There was the challenge to be fruitful!
This does not mean that the role of Jesus in the seventh statement was diminished in the slightest! Not at all! His role as the True Vine is absolutely critical. Without the Vine, the branches cannot even survive. But having said that, the question must still be raised. Are the branches bearing fruit? This is not an unfair or improper question.
Jesus’ promise of special blessing number seven! The disciple is asked to be responsible for just one response – that of bearing fruit! That surely is not too much to ask!
THE ISSUE OF FRUIT-BEARING
John the author was not the only Gospel writer to raise this issue. Matthew also noted the fact that Jesus raised this question of bearing fruit. Let us ponder the text that Matthew penned.
“…every good tree bears good fruit,
but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit,
nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
Every tree that does not bear good fruit
is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”
Matthew 7:17-20
Jesus solemnly applied this illustration to people who called themselves “prophets”. As far as He was concerned, they were “false prophets” (Matthew 7:15). Jesus knew the real intents of the false prophets. He exposed their wicked ways openly with the following words.
“…false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing,
but inwardly, they are ravenous wolves.
You will know them by their fruits.
Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes
or figs from thistles?
Matthew 7:15-16
The context in which Jesus applied this principle of testing may have been different, but the truth remained the same. Fruit bearing continues to remain a valid principle to test the quality of both faith and life.
ARE WE FRUITFUL IN OUR PROFESSION OF FAITH IN JESUS?
Faith in Jesus is easy enough to profess. But how genuine is that profession of faith? There were many who once followed Jesus by the multitudes, but they faded away with the passing of time (John 6:66). There was one who followed Jesus for three long years, and he ended up betraying Him. The fruit of their life revealed their true selves.