I've talked to enough Christians in my life to realize that at some point in their life,
many of them feel a gap between what they think, what they believe, and how they feel.
And they're left wondering why their life looks so different from the Christian life that the Bible speaks of.
Didn't Jesus say, John 7, whoever believes in me, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.
Well, then why does my life just feel like a trickle at times?
And this sense of disconnect could cause discouragement, frustration, even cynicism.
And John 15 teaches us to connect those dots, to bridge that gap, that disconnect.
And the key to all of it, according to this passage, is abiding in the love of Christ.
And so it teaches us this passage that abiding in the love of Christ enables us to bear enduring witness amidst the hatred of the world.
And there's really simple but very profound truths that can transform your life in this passage.
And I'm going to cover those in three parts.
First, talk about the Christian love.
Secondly, about the worldly hatred.
And lastly, about the enduring witness that we're supposed to bear in light of that.
And the first part is going to be the most discernment.
So when I say second point, 30 minutes in, 30 minutes in, don't be discouraged.
I will not be going on for another hour or so.
Okay.
So Jesus starts off saying in verse 1, read with me,
I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine dresser.
So catch that.
Jesus doesn't say that I am the vine.
He says I am the true vine.
This is significant because it suggests that there are false vines that people cling to but give no life, as Jesus does.
And in the Old Testament, the vine is frequently a symbol for Israel, the covenant people of God.
So for example, in Isaiah chapter 5, verses 1 to 7, God speaks of how he planted Israel as his vineyard and Judah as his choice vines, yet they bore no fruit.
I mean, they did bear fruit, but they bore wild grapes that were useless for consumption.
And similarly, in Psalm 80, 14 to 16, he prays to God, the psalmist,
Watch over this vine, the root of your right hand has planted, the son you have raised up for yourself.
So this one, this prophecy is really significant because not only does it have a picture of the vine representing Israel,
and it also calls him son, it calls Israel his son who has been rejected.
And then it prophesies about a son of man that God has raised up, that God will raise up for himself,
and that points to Jesus, who calls himself most frequently in the Gospel of John as the son of man.
And so then Jesus is saying, when he says, I am the true vine,
he's the one that fulfills what Israel, God's people, could not fulfill.
He's the vine now, and through abiding in him, being in him,
then we become the people of God through Jesus Christ.
So then if Jesus is the true vine, the Father is the vine dresser.
So he says in verse 2, and the vine dresser does two things.
The first thing he does is, every branch in me that does not bear fruit, he takes away.
So he cuts off the dead branches and throws them away in order to give more room for the living branches,
so that they may thrive.
And note that these dead branches that the Father takes away are described already as in Jesus.
Let me sketch that.
So, and I don't think that means that we could, you know,
tease out a controversial theological point from that minor detail and analogy,
because it's an analogy, right?
So I don't think that means that genuine Christians who had real faith in Jesus are going to be taken away.
I don't think that's what it's saying here,
because John said clearly in chapter 6, verses 37 to 38,
All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
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, right?
So Jesus will not lose any of the people that the Father has entrusted to him.
And the fact that in verse 6 that they're taken away and burned
suggests that they're not the people that God, the Father gave to Jesus.
But now, we shouldn't rationalize it away and let the verse lose its force,
because it still serves as a real warning for us.
It's possible for someone to have all the external signs of being in Christ,
yet not be in Christ, be unregenerate.
There could be baptism, church attendance, moral living.
But if the fruit are just external accretions,
things like fruit that's stapled onto a tree,
not organic internal growth that Jesus is speaking of,
then that's not real fruit.
The fruit will not last,
and the branches will die,
and they will be taken away.
And Scripture in many places speaks of
those who experience some degree of familiarity with Christ
and connection to Christ,
but nevertheless fail to persevere.
And by doing so,
betray their spiritual alienation,
the fact that they were never in Christ.
So that should serve as a real warning for us.
And then now, first,
God the Father, as a vine,
just takes away the branches that do not bear fruit.
And then he does a second thing,
and he deals with those branches that are bearing fruit.
And that's surprising,
because you would think,
well, if the branch is bearing fruit,
just let it be, right?
You leave it alone.
Don't fix it unless it's broken, right?
But Jesus doesn't do that.
He says,
the Father, the vine dresser doesn't do that.
Because if it's,
it says,
and every branch that does bear fruit,
he prunes,
that it may bear more fruit.
So the vine dressers prune their plants,
meaning they cut off branches and buds
that are diseased or structurally unsound,
so that the plant thrives,
it grows even more
and bears even more fruit.
And God the Father does this.
He prunes every single branch that bears fruit.
Every branch that's bearing fruit,
he prunes it.
It may bear more fruit.
And notice that there's no timetable here.
It doesn't say the pruning will sometime be done,
and he will not be pruning you anymore.
It doesn't say that he will be so abundant
in your fruit bearing
that you're not going to have to,
need to bear more fruit anymore.
The growth is constant,
and the pruning is to the end of our life.
He prunes always so that we could bear more fruit.
As J.C. Ryle writes in one of his books,
the Christian life is not like animal life,
which grows up to a certain point and stops,
whether it is like plant life,
which grows and keeps growing
in strength and vigor all its days.
That means we can't ever be complacent
or content with our level of growth or fruitfulness.
We have to be like Paul who says in Philippians 3,
not that I've already been made perfect,
but he presses on toward the goal to win the prize
for which God has called him heavenward in Christ Jesus.
That's always, we're always pressing on,
always growing, always abiding more deeply
so that we can bear more fruit.
So if you are then not making daily strides
to abide in Christ and bear more fruit,
then you are complacent.
And if you think that you've already arrived
and you don't need to grow anymore or bear more fruit,
then you're conceited.
And neither is an option for the Christian.
And of course, pruning involves cutting away,
and it's painful.
No matter how sinful or noxious or extraneous
the part that God trims from our lives,
it's painful.
And there's a wordplay here in this passage
between the word takes away and prunes in verse 2.
The words have the same root.
And so the purpose is fundamentally different.
The action's similar.
It involves cutting and taking away.
And recognizing this truth
will provide no small comfort for us
when we're experiencing the pain of pruning.
It's because God is jealous for our love.
He will not stand any competing affections in our lives,
the idolatries of our hearts.
So he will prune, trim, cut away,
anything that prevents, hampers our growth.
A divestment must precede his investment.
A sort of death must take place
before there can be new life.
Just as the Heavenly Father disciplines
his legitimate children,
the Heavenly fine dresser trims.
He prunes the branches that bear fruit
so that they bear more fruit.
So maybe some of you are in that stage
where you could recall
some painful removal of something in your life.
Well then that should help you realize
that it's not a sign of God's absence
that you're experiencing that
or his lack of care.
But it's his painstaking care for you.
That's why you are being pruned
and you are being trimmed.
And what is the fruitfulness
that Jesus speaks of?
What are the fruits?
So Jesus said in John 4, 36,
Already the one who reaps
is receiving wages
and gathering fruit for eternal life
so that sower and reaper
may rejoice together.
And in John 12, 24,
he said,
Jesus said,
Truly, truly, I say to you,
unless a grain of wheat
falls into the earth and dies,
it remains alone.
But if it dies,
it bears much fruit.
So the fruit,
in both of those contexts,
the other two occasions
where the word is used
in the Gospel of John
refer to the fruit of witness.
Demonstrating and proclaiming
the good news of Jesus.
That's the fruit
that Jesus is speaking of.
And the harvest of disciples,
new disciples that come after that.
So it's not referring just to the harvest,
but also to that whole witness.
And that makes sense
of this immediate context as well
because Jesus had said
in chapter 14,
we talked about this last week
or a couple weeks ago,
that whoever believes in me
will also do the works that I do
and greater works than these
will he do.
And these greater works,
we learn that,
are the works of witness,
witnessing to Jesus Christ.
And now,
after this passage about the vine,
Jesus will once again return
to the theme of witnessing
with the help of the Holy Spirit.
So that's what he has in the view here,
the fruit bearing,
bearing witness to Jesus.
And he continues
to talk about this in verse 3.
Already,
you are clean
because of the word
that I have spoken to you.
Lest we think that
this focus on fruit bearing
means that we're not going to be accepted
by Jesus
or we're not cleansed by him
unless we bear fruit,
he tells us,
you're already clean
because of the word
that I have spoken to you.
And the word clean
is spelled almost exactly
the same way
as the word prunes.
Again,
there's a word play there
in verse 2.
It sounds similar.
And so parallel,
it reinforces the connection
between the two.
It's those who are already clean
that God prunes.
He doesn't prune you
to make you clean.
You're already clean in Jesus.
So that recalls
what Jesus told his disciples.
Those who are already clean
do not need to,
you know,
take a bath.
They only need to wash their feet.
You guys remember that?
So Jesus' word
is the message
he proclaims and embodies.
And it's by believing
that word
that we are cleansed.
And it's those who are clean
that God prunes
for even greater
faithfulness.
So fruitfulness,
then,
is the evidence
of our cleansing.
It's not the basis
for our cleansing.
Then fruit bearing
is clearly important,
right,
because it's the evidence
of our prior cleansing.
But let me point out
the fact that
nowhere in this passage
does Jesus tell us
to bear fruit.
There's no command here
that says bear fruit.
Read what Jesus says
in verse 4 to 5.
Verse 4 to 5.
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.
See,
fruit bearing
is descriptive.
It's not prescriptive.
It's the abiding
that is commanded,
not fruit bearing.
He doesn't tell us
to bear a lot of fruit.
He tells us simply
to abide in him
because abiding in Christ
is the cause
and fruit bearing
is simply the byproduct
of that abiding.
That means we can't
as Christians
manufacture fruit.
The fruits are rather
an organic byproduct
of our abiding in Jesus.
So then that means
we shouldn't be obsessed
with judging our fruits,
examining ourselves
to see whether we're
doing what Christ
calls us to do.
Rather,
we assess our faithfulness.
Are we abiding in Jesus?
Are we faithful to him?
Are we clinging to Jesus?
Because apart from him
we can do nothing.
In the Old Testament,
the word abide
is used consistently
to refer to God
and his word.
And that characteristically
contrasts the eternal God
who abides,
remains,
is unchanging
and the world
that is temporal
and transitory
that's changing.
And so Jesus
points to the fact
that he remains,
the same word,
abides forever
in John 8, 35, 36
as a proof
of his divine sonship.
And last chapter
in chapter 14,
the word dwell
was used.
It's the same word
as the word abide
to refer to
the triune God's dwelling
in us,
the Father,
Son,
and the Holy Spirit.
And in that same way
Jesus calls us
abide in me
and I in you.
It's pointing to
a permanence,
kind of an inviolable
union.
But how exactly
do we do that?
How do we abide?
I think there's some clues
in the Gospel of John.
In chapter 6,
54 to 56,
Jesus said,
whoever feeds
on my flesh
and drinks
my blood
abides in me
and has eternal life
and I will raise him up
on the last day.
And then earlier
in that same chapter
Jesus explained
that feeding
on his flesh
and drinking his blood
involves looking
on the Son
and believing in him.
So then,
to abide in Christ
is to believe
in the person
and work of Jesus Christ.
So that's one way
we abide in Christ.
We cling to him
that the means,
the faith is the means
by which
take hold of him
and cling to him
and abide in him.
And that's what
Paul prays for
for the Ephesians church
in chapter 3
that according
to the riches
of his glory
he may grant you
to be strengthened
with power
through his spirit
in your inner being
so that Christ
may dwell
in your hearts
through faith
that you being rooted
and grounded in love
may have strength
to comprehend
with all the saints
what is the breadth
and length
and height
and depth
and to know
the love of Christ
that surpasses knowledge
that you may be filled
with all the fullness
of God.
And I don't know
if you ever wondered
Paul's writing
to believers
in that context
so by definition
they already have
God dwelling in them
so why does he pray
for Christ
to dwell in their hearts?
It's because
even though
through our initial faith
and being born again
yes, God,
Christ does dwell
in our hearts
once and for all
but our subjective
experience
of that objective reality
is not perfect.
We grow.
I think of
a couple
that gets married
right
and they
once they're married
they say the vows
they're married
right
I mean that's
they don't have to do anything
they don't have to live
another day together
they're married
at that moment
when they say the vows
and perform the ceremony
they're married
they're now a union
that's an objective reality
but that's not to say
that 60 years later
of faithful marriage
when that couple
is now able to
finish each other's sentences
anticipate each other's needs
and to care for one another
in ways that no one else
in the world can
we could say
their union has grown
the communion
which is the experience
of the objective union
has grown
right
so that's what Paul
prays for
right
abide
so that Christ may dwell
in your heart
so then what does that
look like
let me give you some examples
abiding in Christ
means believing
that we are in Christ
and that Christ is in us
right
so then when you feel
discouraged
and defeated by sin
and Satan accuses you
and tells you
that you are a failure
and a disappointment
and he lies to you
that God has abandoned you
you are not
worthy to approach him
then you remember
that you are in Christ
for in Christ Jesus
you are all sons of God
and through faith
for as many of you
as you were baptized
into Christ
you put on Christ
we have the righteousness
the impenetrable armor
of Christ
covering us
we have put him on
we are in Christ
Christ is our surrogate
in that court
of divine justice
he is our advocate
our defense attorney
and he has never
lost the case
so then
we believe
that we are in Christ
and we don't let
Satan hold us down
in guilt and shame
as if he had any claim
on us
he has no claim
on us
just as he has no claim
on Jesus
as he said
in chapter 14
30
and similarly
that when you are
daunted
and by circumstances
present circumstances
maybe and future
prospects
and you feel inadequate
and powerless
to fulfill
God's call
on your life
then you remember
the words of Galatians
2 20
you remember
that Christ
is in you
I have been crucified
with Christ
it is no longer
I who live
but Christ
who lives in me
Christ is in you
the almighty God
the son of God
the Lord of creation
is in you
and so we can say
along with Paul
we can do all things
through Christ
who strengthens us
and so that's
a picture of
abiding in him
through believing
and this requires
daily renewal
because every day
we wake up
in the morning
the default state
that we wake up with
is hey
I need to go out there
and prove myself
I need to go out there
and make a name
for myself
I need to go out there
and win people's
affections
do you really love me
do you really think
I'm great
that's the default
pattern
the current
of this world
that's what we
wake up to
but we cling
instead to Christ
and his
words over us
so that we can be
secure in who
he says he is
that we are in him
that Christ is in us
and that we are
in Christ
so then believing
in Christ
that's one way
we're supposed to
abide in him
but that's not
the only way
that Jesus mentions
mentions in verses
9 to 11
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
so another
indispensable way
in which we abide
in Christ
is through obedience
so faith
and obedience
this is what
John Calvin wrote
of in his
Institutes of
Christian Religion
it says
all right knowledge
of God
is born of
obedience
it's in obeying
God's will
that we abide
in his love
because in obedience
the obedience
itself shapes
our inclinations
it affects
our hearts
and increases
our faith
and just as
disobedience
every step
of disobedience
desensitizes
our conscience
and hardens
our hearts
every obedience
softens our hearts
and sharpens
our conscience
when we obey
we sense
God's pleasure
when we obey
we discern
the goodness
and wisdom
of God
in his commandments
when we obey
we become
more like him
and draw closer
to him
through that process
and what exactly
are the commandments
that Jesus
wants us to keep
he sums it all up
in verses 12
to 13
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
we abide
in the love
of Christ
particularly
by obeying
this new
commandment
that sums
it up
to love
one another
that's why
John writes
in his first
epistle
chapter 4
if we love
one another
God abides
in us
and his love
is perfected
in us
you can't
have a relationship
with the king
without being a part
and having a relationship
with his kingdom
you can't claim
to have a relationship
with Christ
who is the head
of the church
and ignore
the body
of Christ
which is the church
you can't have
a relationship
with Christ
who is the bridegroom
and ignore
his bride
the church
the clearest
proof
of your love
for God
is not how you
subjectively feel
in your heart
it's not how great
your devotion
was that morning
the true test
of your devotion
to God
how you love him
is how you love
the people around you
the church
so let me ask you
are you concerned
for the welfare
of the people
sitting around you
do you mourn
their sin
are you burdened
by their sin
you pray for them
do their concerns
drive you
to your knees
do you care
about them enough
to want to see them
to meet with them
regularly
this is my commandment
that you love
one another
as I have loved you
and the standard
for this love
that God calls us to
is not our love
but it's Christ's love
his sacrificial love
laying down
his own life
he has the cross
in view
are we willing
to love each other
sacrificially
in that way
and I don't want
you to assume
just because
John
has such an emphasis
on this
for love for one another
I don't want you
to assume from this
that then we're only
supposed to love
fellow Christians
we're not supposed
to love our neighbors
because Jesus calls us
to love our neighbors
and he calls us
even to love
our enemies
he talks about it
in Matthew 5
if you love
only those who love you
what reward
will you get
are not even
the tax collectors
doing that
he says
if you greet
only your brothers
then what are you
doing more than others
do not even
the pagans
do that
he says
but
our love for one another
comes into special
focus here
because that means
by which abide
in Christ
but even in that
Jesus reveals
his concern
for the lost
because what was
the purpose
of this abiding
is so that we
may be fruitful
and what was the fruit
it's the fruit
of witness
so that people
may see
so that our abiding
can produce the works
that authenticate
the word
that we proclaim
the gospel
of Jesus Christ
so then
our love for God
flows
into our love
for one another
and our love
for one another
flows
into our love
for neighbors
so to summarize
then there are two ways
to abide
in the love of Christ
first is faith
and second
obedience
as Dietrich Bonhoeffer
writes about this
in his book
Cost of Discipleship
only those who
obey can believe
and only those
who believe
can obey
right
if we emphasize
only the
faith
then we'll end up
with cheap grace
and lawlessness
if we emphasize
only the obedience
then we
end up with
works righteousness
salvation by works
and legalism
it's only by holding
those two things
together
that we can abide
in Jesus
and that's
the simple
but profound
truth that
that song
sings about
trust and obey
for there's no other
way to be happy
in Jesus
but to trust
and obey
and for the Christian
this abiding
is not a chore
it's because
it's a joy
Jesus says
in verse 11
these things
I've spoken to you
that my joy
may be in you
and that your joy
may be full
because it's
our relationship
with Jesus
when we go
to God's word
we don't just go
so that we can
check off that
box on our
reading plan
for that day
we go to God's word
because we know
in it we encounter
Jesus
and he speaks
to us
we pray
not just
regurgitating words
that we've
familiarized
ourselves with
over the years
no we are
conversing
with our Lord
and Savior
Jesus Christ
it's that
relationship
that gives
value
that motivates
that enables
our abiding
that's why
it's joyful
for us
it's not a chore
and those
who abide
in Jesus
get to enjoy
the wonderful
privilege
of being called
his friends
verses 14
to 15
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
this doesn't
mean that we
become
friends of
Christ
when we
obey his
commandments
it means
that those
who are his
friends
obey his
commandments
it's what
characterizes
those who
are his
friends
and Jesus
says that
he doesn't
call them
servants
but friends
because a
servant does
not know
the master's
will
if you
imagine a
dictator
or a
master
he has
a servant
that does
his bidding
he doesn't
tell the
servant
why he
wants to
do
something
he just
needs to
tell him
what
that's
what a
master
does
he doesn't
divulge
his thoughts
inner thoughts
his plans
his desires
to his
servant
he just
says no
go do
this
but Jesus
doesn't do
that with
us
he says
no I
have called
you
friends
so he
reveals his
will to
us
he shares
his thoughts
and plans
with us
and he
involves us
even though
we're just
creatures
and he's
the creator
he involves
us in
his plans
keeps us
in the
know
longer do
I call
you servants
but I
have called
you
friends
but let's
not take
that a
little too
far
I've seen
that happen
also
and that
doesn't mean
we can go
around calling
Jesus our
homeboy
or whatever
else might
be
right
it's
that's
the meaning
to God
because it's
interesting that
in scripture
God sometimes
calls his
people his
friends like
in this
passage
but the
converse of
that statement
is never
found in
all of
scripture
Abraham is
described as
God's
friend
Moses is
described as
God's
friend
Jesus calls
Lazarus
his friend
but none
of them
ever call
God
their friend
it's almost
as scripture
is reluctant
to bring
God down
to our
level as
equals
it speaks
of God's
condescension
but never
presumes on
this gracious
overture of
God
so then
yes Christ
graciously
calls us
his friends
but be sure
to note that
this is
as a
king
who
condescends
to his
subjects
but that's
what makes
this gesture
even more
amazing
right
that he
offers his
friendship
to us
even though
we are
not his
equal
this is an
amazing
revelation
and whenever
in John
Jesus makes
an amazing
promise
revelation
like this
he
deflates
his
disciples
balloons
to make
sure
they
don't
get
too
big
headed
and so
that's
what
happens
in this
next
verse
verse 16
you
did not
choose
me
but I
chose
you
and
appointed
you
that
you
should
go
and
bear
fruit
that
your
fruit
should
abide
so
that
whatever
you
ask
the
father
in my
name
he
may
give
it
to
you
note the stark
contrast between
this statement
right and all the
conditional statements
in verses 6
to 7
right
if
anyone does not abide
in me
he's thrown away
like a branch
and withers
if
you abide
in me
and my
words abide
and you
ask
whatever
you
wish
and it
will
be
done
for
you
so
which
is
true
then
Jesus
does
our
fruit
bearing
depend
on
your
choice
and
appointment
or
our
abiding
the
answer
is
yes
to
both
right
and
maybe
one way
to
explain
that
or
frame
that
maybe
is
by
thinking
of
approximate
cost
or
an
immediate
cost
and
an
ultimate
cost
right
we got
some
Cornell
graduates
here
the
ninth
president
of
Cornell
University
he's a
geologist
Frank
Rhodes
used
this
amazing
analogy
to
explain
different
types
of
causes
he
asks
the
question
why
is
the
kettle
boiling
right
there's
two ways
to
explain
that
right
one
way
to
explain
that
is
simply
well
there's
energy
being
supplied
to
that
kettle
which
is
bringing
the
water
to
the
boiling
point
that's
why
the
kettle
is
boiling
and
that's
a
very
true
and
correct
explanation
but
there's
a
second
explanation
the
kettle
is
boiling
because
someone
put it
on
to
make
a
cup
of
tea
and
that's
a
very
valid
and
right
explanation
of that
situation
as well
right
and
they're
related
and
in fact
we need
them
both
in order
to make
sense of
what's
happening
there
they're
complementary
they're
not
mutually
exclusive
the
immediate
cause
the
fire
the
boiling
the
science
behind
that
and
the
ultimate
cause
the
man
behind
it
who's
willing
to
boil
that
tea
for
himself
and
so
we
could
think
of
that
this
way
here
yes
our
faith
and
our
obedience
our
abiding
and our
clinging
to
Christ
that's
the
immediate
cause
the
proximate
cause
that's
why
we
bear
fruit
but
behind
all
of
that
and
transcending
all
of
that
to
bear
fruit
they're
both
true
that's
why
he
calls
us
to
abide
but
that
doesn't
puff
us
up
or
make
us
arrogant
because
we're
doing
it
so
well
because
we
know
that
it's
God
who
chose
us
first
and
appointed
us
for
that
and
this
is
particularly
important
and
now
I'm
going
to
my
second
point
of
worldly
hatred
because
of
the
context
in which
we're
to
live
out
this
commandment
verses
18
to
21
please
follow
along
with
me
as
I
read
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
servant
is
not
greater
than
his
master
if
they
persecuted
me
they
will
persecute
you
also
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
Jesus
taught us
in
John 7
that
ultimately
the
world
hates
Jesus
because
Jesus
testifies
to the
world
that
its
works
are
evil
Jesus
exposes
the
darkness
of
the
world
because
he's
the
light
of
the
world
and
that's
why
and
because
the
world
hated
him
and
they
sent
him
to
the
cross
he
says
you
are
no
greater
than
me
I'm
your
master
if
they
treated
the
master
in
this
way
certainly
the
servants
will
be
treated
in
that
way
and
if
you're
a
skeptic
and
you
don't
believe
in
Jesus
yet
you
don't
belong
to
him
and
you're
part
of
this
world
and
at
this
point
you
might
be
like
oh
whoa
that
sounds
a
little
bit
overblown
what
do
you
mean
hatred
persecution
I
mean
that's
not
what
at
all
I'm
thinking
but
let me
tell
you
that
the
world
hatred
here
is
not
so
much
referring
to
a
vehement
emotion
but
rather
it's
referring
to
that
fundamental
opposition
that
the
world
is
diametrically
opposed
to
Jesus
and
his
cause
and
Jesus
teaches
in
Matthew
12
that
whoever
is
not
with
him
is
against
him
there's
no
other
option
there's
no
middle
ground
and
what
divides
the
world
is
his
word
it
says
in
verse
20
if
they
persecuted
me
they
will
also
persecute
you
if
they
kept
my
word
they
will
also
keep
yours
and
you
have
this
invitation
in
front
of
you
to
keep
his
word
how
will
you
divide
around
his
proclamation
that
he
is
the
lamb
of
God
who
takes
away
the
sin
of
the
world
that
he
is
the
son
of
God
who
has
come
into
the
world
to
save
sinners
and
because
Jesus
has
borne
such
extraordinary
and
unprecedented
witness
we have
a
greater
burden
of
responsibility
on us
to
respond
and
if
you
already
belong
to
Jesus
then
this
serves
as
a
warning
for
you
so
that
you're
not
surprised
when
persecution
comes
expect
opposition
and
recognize
that the
hatred
of the
world
is
what
makes
it
all
the
more
important
that
we
abide
in
the
love
of
Christ
and
love
one
another
so
then
it's
in
light
of
this
harsh
reality
of
the
hatred
of
the
world
that
Jesus
returns
once
again
to
the
theme
that
began
all
of
this
dialogue
to
bearing
witness
in
verses
26
to
27
he
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
to
suggest
that
this
is
a
person
the
helper
is
not
just
some
impersonal
force
that
Jesus
sends
to
us
to
help
us
not
a
vague
idea
an
abstract
thing
but
he's
a
person
that's
why
Jesus
said
last
week
that
he
will
send
another
helper
another
helper
like
Jesus
himself
who
is
intimately
with
us
present
with
us
and
he
will
help
us
to
bear
witness
along
beside
him
and
Jesus
in
the
conclusion
of
his
dialogue
here
mentions
the
hour
twice
in
verse
2
and
4
of
chapter
16
he
says
indeed
the
hour
is
coming
when
whoever
kills
you
will
think
he
is
offering
service
to
God
and
this
certainly
came
true
in
the
persecution
of
the
Jews
in
the
immediate
aftermath
and
verse
4
speaks
of
their
hour
that
is
coming
the
hour
of
those
who
are
persecuting
God's
people
and
in
the
gospel
of
John
as
we
have
seen
over
and
over
again
the
hour
is
code
word
for
Jesus
death
resurrection
and
ascension
and
here
that
hour
corresponds
to
their
hour
and
to
the
hour
of
the
disciples
persecution
and
even
death
the
threat
of
death
because
they
are
his
servants
and
he
is
the
master
that
the
world
persecuted
but
the
hour
of
our
suffering
does
not
compare
to
the
hour
of
Christ's
suffering
because
the
sting
of
death
has
been
removed
by
Jesus
already
he
has
already
dealt
with
sin
on
the
cross
for
us
so
that
when
we
suffer
so
that
when
we
are
persecuted
we
do
not
we
are
not
forsaken
by
the
father
because
Christ
was
forsaken
in
our
place
we
are
not
shouldering
the
sin
and
shame
of
the
world
or
even
our
own
because
Jesus
bore
our
sin
and
shame
and
because
of
that
it
strengthens
us
to
abide
in
him
in
the
midst
of
persecution
I
began
the
sermon
by
talking
about
the
gap
that
people
experience
right
between
our
belief
and
our
experience
and
how
abiding
in
Christ
is
a
key
to
bridging
that
and
that
is
true
and
we
grow
in
that
but
it's
also
true
that
we
live
in
a
kingdom
that
is
already
here
and
not
yet
here
right
we
live
as
people
who
are
already
new
creation
yet
with
indwelling
sin
in our
flesh
we
live
as
people
who
are
already
filled
with
the
Holy
Spirit
yet
sometimes
we
don't
feel
rivers
of
living
water
flowing
out
and
while
we
live
in
this
gap
C.S.
Lewis
offers
a helpful
reminder
he
writes
the
presence
of
God
is
not
the
same
as
the
sense
of
the
presence
of
God
the
latter
may
be
due
to
imagination
the
former
may
be
attended
with
no
sensible
consolation
the
act
which
engenders
a
child
ought
to
be
and
usually
is
attended
by
pleasure
but
it
is
not
the
pleasure
that
produces
the
child
where
there
is
pleasure
there
may
be
sterility
where
there
is
no
pleasure
the
act
may
be
fertile
and
in
the
spiritual
marriage
of
God
and
the
soul
it
is
the
same
it
is
the
actual
presence
not
the
sensation
of
the
presence
of
the
Holy
Ghost
which
begets
Christ
in
us
and
the
sense
of
the
presence
is
a
super
added
gift
for
which
we
give
thanks
when
it
comes
so
when
we're
in
that
dry
season
when
we're
feeling
the
absence
of
joy
when
we're
not
feeling
that
communion
with
Christ
we
still
know
and
believe
in
that
objective
union
with
Christ
and
that's
what
helps
us
and
that's
what
fosters
and
facilitates
our
communion
that's
what
helps
us
abide
in
him
and
when
we
do
we
grow
in
that
communion
that
gap
gets
narrower
and
narrower
and
narrower
and
we
experience
more
and
more
of
his
joy
the
fullness
that
he
promises
until
that
day
when
we
say
we
are
one
at
last
with
the
Lord
there
will
be
no
gap
between
his
presence
and
our
sense
of
his
presence
on
that
day
face
to
face
run
into
his
eternal
arms
of
grace
that
with
that
final
union
in
view
let's
abide
in
Christ
today
so
that
we
can
bear
enduring
witness
to
him
in
this
world
let's
pray
together
God
you
are
grieved
when
we
think
hard
thoughts
about
you
doubting
your
care
your
grace
compassion
toward
us
because
you
know
as
a
loving
father
that
children
are
loath
to
come
to
angry
fathers
and
so
you
have
given
us
Christ
that
we
might
abide
in
him
and
be
assured
of
your
grace
and
favor
so
we
can
obey
him
and
grow
in
our
union
or
our
communion
with
him
so
we
pray
for
that
help
us
as
a
church
to
daily
abide
in
you
in
Jesus
name
we
pray
this
may
be
more
than