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John 13-15 Deep Diving Bible Study

 

Good Morning, Siblings! 

Today’s readings are John 13-15

Read today’s Bible readings at BibleGateway by clicking here.

Rabbit Trails

I’ve got super short notes today so I’m looking forward to you adding your insights in the group comments!

John 13:2 takes some people by surprise when it speaks of the devil putting something into the heart of Judas. I think a review of the notes on Pharaoh’s hardened heart are applicable here. Click here to read those notes from Exodus. 

John 13:24-28 if you pay attention, the text tells us that Simon Peter and Messiah had a whispered conversation. John 13:28 lets us know that the others had not heard it.

John 13:34 has Messiah telling us He gives us a new commandment. He does not say He replaces any of the other commandments but this is an addition to those. John 14:15 shows Messiah telling us to keep His commandments, plural. This plural form is repeated in John 14:21. John 14:31 lets us know that Messiah is following the Father’s commandments, which we know are summarized in the ten commandments. Remember how we talked about them serving as an outline and all of the other commandments fall under one of those? Get a refresher by reading my post, Did Messiah Replace The Ten Commandments With Just Two?

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. John 15:1-2

What is the fruit that the Father looks for in our lives? We’ve been reading about it since the very beginning. There is fruit we bear for Him and this fruit is a testament to His character and love. A good place to start is with the knowledge that the ten commandments feature 4 commandments that instruct us on how to love Him and six commandments that instruct us on how to love others.

Now consider what the fruit of the world looks like compared to the fruit of the Father. If our fruit lines up with the world more than it does with Him, it is time to consider what soil our roots are truly growing in.

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. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. John 15:4-6

And full circle, here is how we have that fruit:

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.  -John 15:10

Moving on (almost done! Told you I was quick today)

“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. John 15:18-19

This statement is echoed and even amplified by Messiah’s brother in the book of James:

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. James 4:4

So who do we want to love us, the world or the Father? We gotta pick one and we can’t have it both ways. Just remember, the world often comes to us dressed as a sheep.

We end our reading with Messiah telling of the Holy Spirit coming soon! What does the Holy Spirit do? Causes us to WANT to obey His commandments! Don’t take my word for it, though, refresh your memory with these verses: Ezekiel 36:27, Hebrews 8:10, Jeremiah 31:33.

I look forward to your notes and insight in the group comments today!


Test everything, hold tight to what is good.~ 1 Thess 5:21

We are saved by Grace alone: Obedience is not the root of our salvation, it is the fruit!

May YHWH bless the reading of His Word!