Not My Jesus: What Does Jesus Say About You?
2017-05-28
Pastor Jonathan Falwell
Memory Verse:
John 15:11
“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”
Over the past few weeks, we’ve examined what the world says about Jesus, what God says about His Son, we’ve examined the words of Christ and what Jesus said about Himself. During this journey, we’ve discovered many encouraging truths about who Christ really is. Today, however, I believe we will be encouraged in even greater ways as we spend some time studying what Jesus said about us.
John 15:1-27
1 “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. 5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. 7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. 9 “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. 16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other. 18 “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. 19 The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. 20 Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you. 21 They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me. 22 They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Anyone who hates me also hates my Father. 24 If I hadn’t done such miraculous signs among them that no one else could do, they would not be guilty. But as it is, they have seen everything I did, yet they still hate me and my Father. 25 This fulfills what is written in their Scriptures: ‘They hated me without cause.’ 26 “But I will send you the Advocate—the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me. 27 And you must also testify about me because you have been with me from the beginning of my ministry.”
1. You are ready
vs 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you.
– We have been prepared by the “vinedresser” through the “vine” to produce
2. You are protected
vs 5a Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches…
– The branches of any plant are only healthy if they are connected to the vine
– Jesus provides us with life giving protection so that we can thrive
3. You are powerful
vs 5b …Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
– Phil 4:13 “I can do all things…”
– This refers to remaining in His Word, His presence, His impact
– vs 8 refers to the proof of our discipleship or growth
4. You are loved
vs 9-10 I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.
– He loves us with an everlasting love, He proves that love through what He has done and continues to do for us
– We must prove our love in the same way
5. You are promised joy
vs 11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!
– We find joy through Him and through finding our purpose in Him
6. You are His friend
vs 14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
7. You are chosen
vs 16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.
– We have been chosen to serve alongside the King of the Universe
– That ability is found in the power and presence of God in our lives
8. You are given great help
vs 26 But I will send you the Advocate-the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me.
– We are given the Holy Spirit, the comforter, to come alongside
9. You are called
vs 27 And you must also testify about me because you have been with me from the beginning of my ministry.
– Speaking to the disciples, He calls them to continue the work
– Speaking to us, He calls us to the same work
10. You are forgiven
Ephesians 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)
6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.