WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday March 19, 2017
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THE JOY OF LOVE
(How to be rightly related to CHRIST, and each other)
(John 15:1-16:4)
Throughout
the Old Testament, the analogy of the “vineyard” is used as a depiction of
GOD’s beloved Israel. However, this term is never used apart from the idea of
degeneration. The descriptions by Isaiah (Isaiah 5:1-7), Jeremiah (Jeremiah
2:21-22), Ezekiel (Ezekiel 15 & 19:10-14), Hosea (Hosea 10:1), and King
David (Psalm 80:8-13) all stress the point of degeneration, or, a moral decline
of GOD’s chosen people (the Church).
In John
15:1-16:4, the author of GOD writes of JESUS’ instructions to HIS Disciples,
that they should be “rightly related to HIM”, “rightly related to each other”
as Christians (15:11-17), and, “rightly related to the World” of Unbelievers
(15:18-16:4).
In other words, Christians are to have three respective
duties. They are to;
·
Abide in JESUS (Vs.1-10)
·
Love each other (Vs.11-17)
·
Witness and testify to the World (Vs.18-16:4)
“I am the True
Vine” is the last of the seven, now famous, “I am” statements of our LORD and
SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST that are found in the Gospel according to Saint John. The
scene in this particular passage, takes place on the eve of JESUS’ trials and
subsequent Crucifixion by Roman method. Here JESUS seeks to relate and
demonstrate to HIS Disciples, and to us, just what GOD THE FATHER, and HE
HIMSELF, expects from HIS followers as Christians living in the world.
JESUS, as the
“True Vine”, fulfills that which GOD had intended for the Israelites and the
world in general. GOD is the Cultivator and Protector of all of life, human and
otherwise, and HE desires good fruit from each of us. In fact, we see JESUS
stressing that point in this passage (15:2-16), no less than eight times. The
fruit, which GOD expects from the human side of HIS creation, is “obedience”, “righteousness”,
and “justice”.
JESUS tells us
that every branch, or person in this case, that does not produce good fruit
will be cut off from HIS vine, and indeed, cuts themselves off from eternal
life. Here we see that, every person (branch), who professes to be a follower
of CHRIST, is not necessarily a “true follower”, or “a producing branch” of
“THE TRUE VINE”. Such branches, or people, will be cut off from THE TRUE VINE
in the last day, or in the “time of harvest”. The great example of this is
Judas Iscariot. Although Judas Iscariot was a branch of THE TRUE VINE, he was
not a producing branch, or true follower. He did not produce good fruit, and
therefore, had to be cut off from THE TRUE VINE, and burned in the end.
In the Greek, the
word the Apostle John, and other New Testament writers use for “remain” is
“meno” (men-o), and it means “to stay in a given place, state of mind,
relationship, or expectancy”; and “to abide, continue, dwell, or endure”. This
word occurs 11 times in this particular chapter of this Gospel account of John.
The fruitfulness, of which JESUS speaks of in this passage, can only occur, as
a result of HIS life being reproduced in ours.
In other words, our life and behavior must
reflect JESUS’ life and behavior, and we must “remain” in HIM, or “continue” to
reflect HIS image to others, through our own behavior and actions, throughout our
remaining lifetimes, after pledging ourselves to HIM.
We, as
Christians, must prove to the world, through our behavior and actions, not our
mouth, that Christianity really does produce the best men and women. It is only
by doing this, that we can be considered to be “true followers”, or “producing
branches” of the “TRUE VINE” of GOD, which is CHRIST JESUS.
All those who
remain, or abide in JESUS, will also continue to bear good fruit until the day
of the final harvest. However, all those who fail to remain in JESUS, or, in
other words, “remain on the LIVING VINE”, despite all of GOD’s tender loving
care and faithfulness to them, they will have to be lopped off from the VINE,
and cast into the fire to burn as useless wood in the end.
In John 15:11-17,
JESUS moves on to instruct HIS disciples (and us), as to how we should “rightly
relate to each other” as Christians. Here, we see JESUS delivering to all who
seek to follow HIM, the only commandment that HE would ever give, and it is to
“Love one another, as I have loved you” (John 15:12), and it is a commandment
that the Apostle John personally, never forgot.
According to
Jewish folklore, the Apostle John, who lived longer than all of JESUS’ original
twelve Disciples, in his old age, had to be carried into the Temple, because he
could no longer walk. At that time, the Apostle’s sermon consisted of only one
sentence, “Little children, love one another”. It is one of the more lovely
stories in a Biblical Church history that consists of countless lovely stories
from the early Church. Every time I think of it, it nearly brings me to tears.
THE WORLD’S HATRED OF CHRISTIANS
John 15:18-16:4
In John
15:18-16:4, JESUS instructs us on how we should relate to the world. I continue
to stress the point that, when we choose the Christian walk, we automatically
become strangers to worldly behavior. We are no longer permanent residents of
this earth, but rather, we become citizens of Heaven, and therefore, the laws
of GOD should become paramount to us.
Here in this
passage, JESUS warns of the hatred that the World will have for those who
follow HIM. As long as a person belongs to the World, the World will always
love that person. That is primarily because that person resembles the World
through his or her behavior and actions, and to hate that person, would, quite
literally, mean hating themselves.
The person who
hates “the true Christian”, hates JESUS, and thereby, hates GOD. Anyone, who is
shown the Word of GOD, and does not accept it, is guilty of denying CHRIST, who
is the “personification” of the Word of GOD, and therefore, is GOD.
We as Christians
have a duty to go out into the world and share the Gospel with dignity and
respect. JESUS empowered us with the HOLY SPIRIT, and GOD goes before us, to
prepare the hearts of those to whom we may be speaking. “Be of good cheer”, and
“be not afraid” is what JESUS said to Peter and HIS other Disciples that day in
far off Palestine, where HE “walked on water”, in order to give them
encouragement to “remain in HIM”.
We, as Christians,
are called to go out into the world and spread GOD’s wonderful gospel with
dignity and respect, and we don’t have to be afraid as we proceed. JESUS will
always come to us, from across the storms of life to render aid to us when we’re
in need of it, but we must continue to bear good fruit, by remaining in HIM, if
we are to expect HIS help with our mission. If we fail to bear good fruit, as
Judas Iscariot failed to, we will be cut off from the “TRUE VINE” that brings
with it, Eternal Life.
JESUS eternally
encourages us through these immortal words that HE spoke to HIS closest
disciples, just prior to HIS ascension back into HIS Heavenly Realm; “Go ye
therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the FATHER, and
of the SON, and of the HOLY GHOST: Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I AM with you always, even unto the end
of the world” (Matthew 28:19-20 - KJV).
A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander
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