What Jesus Did : John 15:15-17 - No Longer Servants!
by Phil Ware
No Longer Servants! - John 15:15-17
"I don't call you servants now. A servant does not know what his master is doing. But now I call you friends because I have told you everything I heard from my Father. You did not choose me; I chose you. And I gave you this work: to go and make fruit. I want this fruit to continue {in your life}. Then the Father will give you anything you ask for in my name. This is my command: Love each other." (ERV) Full TextKey Thought
What is lasting fruit? In this context, Jesus wants his disciples to know that lasting fruit is loving one another. It is the theme that he repeatedly emphasizes in his last words with his disciples. While many other things are important, they will vanish, decay or die. Love, however, remains—it abides, it lasts. Death cannot separate us from God's love. Love is stronger than death. So Jesus beckons his disciples to this deeper relationship. They are no longer his servants, but his friends. As his friends, they know what is on the Father's heart and they are committed to displaying the Father's priority in their own lives. They will love each other!
Today's Prayer
Father in heaven, fill my heart with your love through your Holy Spirit that dwells in me. Motivate me to share that love with your children. Give me the courage to love others sacrificially like you have loved me. Help me produce fruit that will abide through all eternity. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Today's Verses in Context
{Jesus said,} "I am the true vine; my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that does not make fruit. And he trims and cleans every branch that makes fruit, so that it will make even more fruit. You are already clean because of the teaching I have told you. Continue in me and I will continue in you. No branch can make fruit alone. It must continue in the vine. It is the same with you. You cannot make fruit alone. You must continue in me. "I am the vine and you are the branches. If a person continues in me and I continue in that person, then that person will make much fruit. But without me that person can do nothing. If a person does not continue in me, then he is like a branch that is thrown away. That branch dies. People pick up dead branches, throw them into the fire, and burn them. "Continue in me and follow my teachings. If you do this, then you can ask for anything you want, and it will be given to you. You should make much fruit and show that you are my followers. This brings glory to my Father. I loved you like the Father loved me. Now continue in my love. I have obeyed my Father's commands, and I continue in his love. In the same way, if you obey my commands, you will continue in my love. I have told you these things so that you can have the true happiness that I have. I want you to be completely happy. This is what I command you: Love each other like I have loved you. The greatest love a person can show is to die for his friends. You are my friends if you do the things I tell you to do. I don't call you servants now. A servant does not know what his master is doing. But now I call you friends because I have told you everything I heard from my Father. You did not choose me; I chose you. And I gave you this work: to go and make fruit. I want this fruit to continue {in your life}. Then the Father will give you anything you ask for in my name. This is my command: Love each other.-- John 15:1-17 (ERV)
URL: http://www.heartlight.org/wjd/john/1009-wjd.html
(c)2001-2006, Phil Ware and Heartlight, Inc.
©1996-2002, Heartlight, Inc. - http://www.heartlight.org