_I am the True Vine_ THE ORIGIN OF THE ALLUSION Most of our Lord’s figurative discourses were obviously suggested by some outward thing. What was the visible object here? It could hardly have originated in a thought about “the fruit of the vine,” represented by what He had been pouring from the cu... [ Continue Reading ]
_Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit_ BELIEVERS BRANCHES IN THE TRUE VINE I. WHAT IS IMPLIED IN BEING A BRANCH IN CHRIST AND WHO ARE PROPERLY BRANCHES IN HIM. 1. In order to be such, we must be cut off from the stock, which is wild by nature (Romans 11:24). This stock is our natural and sin... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now are ye clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you_ FURTHER CLEANSING NECESSARY Now are ye clean through the Word, and yet needing to be cleansed. We have a hint here of the mystery of that double relation in which every believing man stands to God, of that double relation which is mo... [ Continue Reading ]
_Abide in Me, and I in you_ ABIDING IN CHRIST I. TO WHOM THE COMMAND IS GIVEN. To those who are already in Him. 1. We are at first in nature, possessed merely of the powers of nature, as understanding, will, affections; but we must be in grace, which raises us above nature, purifies all our facul... [ Continue Reading ]
_I am the Vine, ye are the branches_ THE TRUE BRANCHES OF THE TRUE VINE No wise teacher is ever afraid of repeating himself. The average mind requires the reiteration of truth before it can make that truth its own. One coat of paint is not enough, it soon rubs off. I. THE FRUITFULNESS OF UNION.... [ Continue Reading ]
_If a man abide not in Me he is cast forth_ JESUS AND THE ONLY MEANS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS God is the author of righteousness, and Jesus is the Son of God, because He gives the method and secret by which alone righteousness is possible, And that He does give this, we can verify from experience. It is... [ Continue Reading ]
_If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you_ THE CONDITIONS OF PREVAILING PRAYER I. WHAT IS REQUIRED OR SUPPOSED. 1. What is meant by our abiding in Him? This is called partaking of Him Hebrews 3:14), and implies in it our (1) Being in Him (Romans 8:1; 2 Corinthians 5:17). (A) By faith (Phili... [ Continue Reading ]
_Herein is My Father glorified, that ye hear much fruit_ GOD GLORIFIED IN HIS PEOPLE The great majority of Christ’s illustrations were drawn from the world of nature, which teaches us that there is a profound connection between the natural and spiritual worlds. For Christ did not introduce His tea... [ Continue Reading ]
_As the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you_ DIVINE LOVE The principle of Divine love constitutes the essence of true religion. Upon the golden link of love hangs not only the gospel, but also the law and the prophets. Meditate I. Upon THE MAGNITUDE OF CHRIST’S LOVE TOWARD US. The love of... [ Continue Reading ]
_If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love_ THE CONDITION OF ABIDING IN CHRIST’S LOVE What is implied in that keeping of His commandments, which is essential to abiding in His love? The keeping of all those commandments of His I. WHICH REFER TO THE MAINTAINING OF SPIRITUAL COMMUNION... [ Continue Reading ]
_These things have I spoken unto you, that My Joy might remain in you_ CHRIST’S THINGS TO MAKE HIS DISCIPLES HAPPY A revelation of I. HEAVEN (John 14:1) as 1. A Father’s house. 2. Capacious. 3. Prepared. 4. Taken to by Himself. II. THE FATHER. 1. Christ tells them that they have a Father. T... [ Continue Reading ]
_This is My commandment, that ye love one another_ THE GREAT COMMANDMENT OF CHRIST I. THE LOVE OF CHRIST. Remember 1. How free it was. We did not merit it, ask for it, nor even desire it. And here is the wonder of it. It is love which found nothing to draw it forth. It was entirely self-moved. Di... [ Continue Reading ]
_Greater love hath no man than this._ Let us consider the unparalleled greatness of Christ’s love. I. IN THE OBJECTS OF HIS REGARD. 1. In the vastness of their number. He, indeed, knows their number, but it is beyond all human calculation. We admire local charity and extended philanthropy; but th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ye are My friends if ye do whatsoever I command you_ CHRIST’S FRIENDS Notice I. WHAT CHRIST’S FRIENDS DO FOR HIM (John 15:16). In the former verse, “friends” means chiefly those whom He loved. Here it means mainly those who love Him. 1. He lingers on the idea, as if He would meet the doubts aris... [ Continue Reading ]
_Henceforth I call you not servants_ SLAVE OR FRIEND? The word used was the word for slave, though not always used in the most ignominious relation. The word “friends” is _philos, _something more than friendship in the ordinary use of the word “love friends.” These were the disciples that had been... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you _ CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP I. ITS ORIGIN. 1. Negatively. “Ye have not chosen Me.” This is true, both in regard to election unto salvation and election unto office. Christ no more chooses us because we have first chosen Him, than He loves us because we h... [ Continue Reading ]
_These things I command you that ye love one another (see _John 15:12_)_ LOVE IN THE CHRISTIAN SYSTEM The work is all love: love in its hidden source the love of the Father; in its first manifestation, the love of Christ; and lastly, in its full outpouring, the love of believers for each other. L... [ Continue Reading ]
_If the world hate you_ KOSMOS: UNREGENERATE HUMANITY is here presented. I. AS GLOWING WITH HATE. 1. It was a hatred of goodness. To hate the mean, the selfish, the false, the dishonest, and morally dishonourable would be right. But evil was not the object of their hatred. (1) It was good as em... [ Continue Reading ]
_If ye were of the world the world, would love his own_ THE PEDIGREE AND POSITION OF TRUE MEN I. THE PEDIGREE OF TRUE MEN. 1. They were once in the world. That world is characterized by (1) Practical athiesm. They who make it up are without God, if not avowedly, at least in spirit, conduct and a... [ Continue Reading ]
_But all these things will they do unto you_ THE WORLD’S HATRED, AS CHRIST SAW IT I. THE WORLD’S IGNORANCE (John 15:21). “The world,” in Christ’s language, is the aggregate of Godless men. There is no mincing of the matter in the antithesis which Christ here draws; no hesitation, as if there were... [ Continue Reading ]
_If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin_ HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY The peculiar sin of the Jews, the sin which aggravated above everything their former iniquities, was their rejection of Christ. He had been very plainly described in the prophets, and they who waited for Him rejoi... [ Continue Reading ]
_But when the Comforter is come_ THE HOLY SPIRIT: HIS WORK AND MISSION I. THE HOLY SPIRIT. 1. Our text speaks of the Holy Spirit as a Person. “He shall testify;” “and ye also” (see also Joh_16:7-8; Joh_16:13-15). In the first of these places He is spoken of as a Person acting with other persons,... [ Continue Reading ]
_And ye also shall bear witness_ TRUE CHRISTIAN TESTIMONY (text in conjunction with John 16:1):--In this we see I. THE SPIRIT OF GODLY HUMILITY. It comes only from the Lord, and serves the Lord only (John 15:26). Do not trust your own talents and power, but implore heaven’s blessing. Otherwise yo... [ Continue Reading ]