John 15 verses 8 through 12

I. John 15:8

John 15:8 NKJV

8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

By what? The beginning of this passage is an ending to the previous in that by abiding in Him and His word abiding in us that what we ask in His name will be given in order to produce much fruit and that this will glorify the Father. The last part of this verse is the intended meaning of the entire discourse. In being His disciples then a person has yoked themselves to Him and are now operating through His commands and desires. This is only accomplished at the new birth.

John 8:31–32 NKJV

31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

1 Peter 2:21 NKJV

21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

1 Corinthians 1:17 NKJV

17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.

John 3:3 NKJV

3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Acts 1:8 NKJV

8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

John 15:9

John 15:9 NKJV

9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.

This is the totality of love. The Father’s love and the Christ’s love is not what we continue doing but rather continue in. It is once again showing the difference between being “in love” and being loved. We can find ourselves too often trying to force love for the Lord when we are simply instructed to live love. Both John and Paul expound on this principle in their epistles.

1 John 4:7–11 NKJV

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Romans 8:37–39 NKJV

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

John 15:10

John 15:10 NKJV

10 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.

The outwork of being in His love is to be in His will. We are following Him and being discipled by Him so it only makes since to obey Him. The student doesn’t learn by being in rebellion to the teacher. It is unreasonable to think that simply by saying you are a disciple is the same as being discipled. We will have submission and obedience to who or what we set under. By abiding in His love then we will produce good fruit through obedience. Even the Lord sees it as ridiculous to call Him Lord and yet reject what He calls us to do!

Luke 6:46–49 NKJV

46 “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? 47 Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. 49 But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”

John 15:11

John 15:11 NKJV

11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.

This is the fullness of this discourse to be full. We search for joy and often settle for superficial happiness. When we surrender to the Lord’s joy then we experience the over flowing well Jesus offered to the Samaritan Woman in John 4. It is an all consuming joy that travels and perseveres over the sufferings of life.

1 Peter 1:8 NKJV

8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

Romans 8:18 NKJV

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.