Missio Dei: Bear Fruit

Life of Jesus (announcement of birth to ascension) —> Passion week (triumphal entry to ascension) —> Jesus in Jerusalem —> Jesus prays after the last supper —> Jesus speaks with His disciples on the way to the Mount of Olives (Garden of Gethsemane)

The book of John highlights most clearly Jesus’ divine roles and attributes while giving us greater understanding of the Holy Spirit

The Last Supper:

Jesus washes the disciples’ feet

He washes the feet, not the whole body. This indicates that baptism washes the body, while feet washing symbolizes the need for regular repentance for sin, not overall forgiveness anew. “A minor washing to deal with the ongoing blemishes and sins that affect them.” It is a symbol of how the disciples are to humbly serve one another.

Jesus identifies the disciple who would betray Him. (John 17:12 “While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.” ) Judas dined with Jesus yet betrayed him after sharing a passover meal and receiving his foot washing. (John 6:63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” )

Farewell Teaching: (Jn 13:31-17:26) (The Last Supper/The Last Sermon)

Jesus begins to focus on his imminent death, calling it the glorification of the son of man (John 13:31-32) (John 12:23) Is Jesus glorified in the crucifixion?

Knowing his death looms, and soon he will no longer be with them physically, Jesus emphasizes their calling to love one another and that brotherly love will be a determining factor for their remaining in the love of Jesus (John 15:9-17) The disciples are only “friends of Jesus” insofar as they obey his commandments, especially the one to love another. Jesus assumes this obedience extends out of love, just as the son’s obedience comes out of his love for the father (John 14:31; John 14:15, 21, 23-24)

The main theme of the farewell discourse is Jesus’ departure. He indicates that it is necessary for Him to leave so that He may prepare a place for the disciples (In what way he prepares it is not discussed) He also must leave so that the helper may come

It seems that the disciples still have lessons to learn and room for maturity, even though they have faith and are asking questions which Jesus thinks they should already know the answers.

Cross References

John 13:34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”

John 14:15 ““If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

John 14:21 “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.””

John 14:23-24 “Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.”

John 14:31 “but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.”

Mat 3:10 “Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

Jn 6:56 “Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.”

John 14:13 “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”

BIBLICAL THEMES

Fruit (Fruit as a Result of Action)

What are examples of fruit to look for, or attempt to show and acquire in your life?

fruits of the spirit is a good start

Branches

Vines

Fire

Agriculture: The annual process of tilling, planting, and harvesting fruit and vegetables.

Command: Instructions to do or not do something

Discipleship: The process of training people incrementally in some discipline or way of life

Names and Naming: The names of people, animals, plants, or object. NAMING In biblical tradition the task of naming a child generally fell to the mother (Gen. 29:31–30:24; 1 Sam. 1:20) but could be performed by the father (Gen. 16:15; Exod. 2:22) and in exceptional cases by non-parental figures (Exod. 2:10; Ruth 4:17). The last son of Jacob and Rachel received a name from each parent, Jacob altering the name Rachel gave (Gen. 35:18). Naming could be attributed to God originating through a divine birth announcement (Gen. 17:19; Luke 1:13). Naming took place near birth in the OT and on the eighth day accompanying circumcision in NT narratives (Luke 1:59; 2:21).

In some cultures and contexts, the naming of a thing implied power, authority or control over the thing named by the one conferring the name. In other cases the act of naming something describes an experience related to the thing being named.

The biblical concept of naming was rooted in the ancient world’s understanding that a name expressed essence. To know the name of a person was to know that person’s total character and nature. Revealing character and destiny, personal names might express hopes for the child’s future. Changing of name could occur at divine or human initiative, revealing a transformation in character or destiny (Gen. 17:5, 15; 32:28; Matt. 16:17–18).

The knowing of a name implied a relationship between parties in which power to do harm or good was in force. That God knew Moses by name occasioned the granting of Moses’ request for divine presence (Exodus 33:12, 17)

Religious followers as slave: Concepts of religious followers being like slaves or servants to their god or religious leader

PERICOPE SETS

NKJV breakst John 15:1-17 into two sections

Relationship of Christ to believers (1-11)

Relationship of believers to each other (12-17)

Who: Jesus is speaking to the eleven disciples (Judas was identified and ran out during the Passover supper in the upper room) What: When: Thursday of Passion Week, just after Jesus ate the Last Supper with the disciples in the Upper Room, just before Jesus is arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane Where: On the route between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane Why: How:

Body

Jesus must teach a new discipleship. They are used to following him physically, but they must learn to follow him spiritually in his absence because He is about to leave.

The necessity of the passage is in v. 8 (Bearing fruit glorifies the father)

The vine is the singular source of life for the branch

The practice which nurtures/move a branch from unfruitful to fruitfulness is called ABIDING

There are different results/categories/types of branches which we can be, and the results are different (father treats different levels of fruitfulness differently)

The glory of God is directly correlated to the fruit production and amount

The glory of God is the mission of God

(FROM TOMMY/TDF PLAYBOOK)

ABIDE A person off the vine is a person who does nothing of eternal significance. A person on the vine is a person who walks in eternal significance everywhere he or she goes. THE ART OF ABIDING Let’s look at John 15:1-5: “I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He takes away every branch that does not bear fruit in me. He prunes every branch that bears fruit so that it will bear more fruit. You are clean already because of the word that I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.” “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me — and I in him — bears much fruit, because apart from me you can accomplish nothing.”

PUTTING IT TOGETHER We want a life that produces fruit. Jesus tells us clearly that we cannot produce fruit unless we abide (“remain” or “rest”) in Him. To “abide” in Jesus means to depend on Jesus. Jesus says that out of our abiding, we will produce much fruit, so this becomes a rhythm for life. Mike Breen captured this idea of work and rest in his book Building A Discipling Culture with the picture of a swinging pendulum. APART FROM ME, YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH NOTHING If we choose to continue a life with little to no abiding, then we get exactly what Jesus said— nothing. On the surface it may appear like you have accomplished something, but the Lord is clear that it is worth nothing. This is imperative with disciple-making. We find true freedom in abiding. Jesus says “Come to me and I will give you rest,” and again, “I am the fount of living water, whoever comes to me will never thirst again”. This is what He offers when we abide in Him. Why would we not want this? If you are frustrated, weak, and weary, go drink from the Living Water before you continue on your journey. LEARNING TO ABIDE Learning to abide can be a difficult task, especially when there is so much work to do. How can one achieve more by deliberately taking time away to seek the face of the Lord? As we understand John 15 more, the question really becomes, “How could we afford not to?” What does this rhythm look like for you on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis? Everyone has a different style, and that’s okay, but practicing it is imperative if you wish to see an abundance of fruit. The hope is that disciples would cultivate a healthy rhythm over time so that difficult habits would turn into refreshing disciplines. Some great examples to study are in Mark 1:35-39 for daily rest and in Mark 6:30-32 where the disciples rest in the midst of a revival. PRACTICAL TIP If these disciples seem to struggle with abiding or it is not a priority to them, they may not have yet learned that the Word produces results when applied. The remedy is to simply read the Word with them and help them process what the Lord is telling them to do.

WHAT KIND OF BRANCHES (v.5)

what kind of branches?

(1) Can’t bear fruit (Disconnected)

(2) Don’t bear fruit (by choice, poor practice)

(3) Just bear fruit (minimal fruitfulness)

(4) Bear much fruit (increasing fruitfulness)

(Look at passage river/flow chart or tree chart for this section in order to understand this concept)

Application

HOW WILL WE MEASURE SUCCESS OF A DISCIPLE? Information transfer does not make a disciple. (Disciple maker podcast) We remember 10% of what we read, 20% of what we hear, 30% of what we see, 50% of what we see AND hear, 70% of what we privately discuss, 80% of what we personally experience, 95% of what we teach others (Steve McCoy, Small Circle Discipleship)

Serve with Excellence (perhaps fewer things, perhaps greater detail, HOW WELL ARE WE SERVING?) (Col 3:23-24 “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” )

Serve with Pleasure (Perhaps look to serve more often, perhaps look to serve an “enemy” (Gal 5:13 “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” )

brainstorm/provide opportunities for service (those in the church, serve as individuals, serve as a group)

Helping Jessica move

Serving in various places in the church

Serving outside of the church

Conclusion

SOURCES:

_ Faithlife, LLC. “Logos Bible Study Factbook.” Logos Bible Study, Computer software. Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, LLC, September 6, 2023.

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