1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 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. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’

26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.

1 “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. 3 And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4 But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. (John 15:1–16:4, ESV)

---

At the center of this passage is fullness of joy (15:11).

These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. (John 15:11, ESV)

• Not to be outdone by Jesus’ promises about joy, Paul explained to the Roman church that the kingdom of God consists of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:17).
• He also said it is the Spirit who produces the fruit of joy in our lives (Gal. 5:22-23).

The human brain has been designed to seek joy.

• Some have called it a joy-seeking machine.
• The Soul of Shame by Christian Psychiatrist, Dr. Curt Thompson:
  • He explains how feeling safe and secure in our relationships helps our brains develop to preside over important functions such as control of our bodies, understanding others, emotional regulation, fear management, empathy, and self-awareness, all of which lead to joy.
  • “The natural progression…is fully realized in the experience of joy—joy even in the presence of very hard places.”

Three Dimensions of Joy

• Quick analysis of John 15

• Abide — 11
• Love — 10
• Hate — 8
• 1. Upward: abiding with God.
• 2. Inward: loving one another.
• 3. Outward: endure with resilience.
• Question: How are you doing in your relationships with God, others, and the world?

Upward Dimension: Abiding with God

John 15

• “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. (John 15:1, ESV)
• I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5, ESV)

What is abiding?

• To abide is to remain, reside, and continue in a particular place. Pastorally, we can define it as remaining in a constant, life-receiving relationship with Jesus Christ.
  • It is from this connection that all life and fruitfulness flow. Jesus makes it clear: “apart from me you can do nothing” (15:5).

As we abide, the Father tends to our lives.

• Takes away — Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away (15:2).
  • Three options: Lost salvation (awkward in John and New Testament), false disciples (Jews who eventually rejected him), or lifted up to be cleansed.
    • Conclusion: probably all of these solutions are pressing the analogy too far. Jesus meant to speak to his disciples regarding the possibility of bearing fruit. In fact, every true disciple will have a measure of fruit.
  • The Father looks for fruit and does what it takes to deal with a lack of health in us.
• Prunes — Every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit (15:2).
  • Sap: shorter length to travel.
  • The Father knows that less of me will mean more fruit.
    • Less of me + more of Christ = more fruit
• Clean — you are already clean because of the word that I have spoken to you (15:3).
  • With the word
  • God’s best instrument — his Word (vs. affliction)
  • Let it cleanse you!

Confession: we are only branches that need ongoing maintenance.

• Ways to abide:
  • Word
    • reading
    • memorization
    • meditation
    • learning
  • Prayer
    • silence
    • walking
    • with others
    • fasting
    • solitude
  • Community
    • service
    • generosity
    • spiritual gifts
• Question: Is the time you’re investing with God enough to sustain your other relationships?
• Starter: Hallowed by your name (Matt. 6:9)
  • Ultimate in gratitude and celebration.

Inward Dimension: Loving One Another

John 15

• As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Abide in my love (15:9).
• This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you (15:12).
• Greater love has no one that this, that someone lay down his life for his friends (15:13).
• These things I command you, so that you will love one another (15:17).

An upward relationship with God is not meant to be lived in isolation.

• Many, if not most of the New Testament exhortations telling “you” to do something are grammatically plural—they cannot be done alone.
• Joy Stories: Tahoe Nate

Arms Illustration

• The Healthy Believer — Goal: Everyone with one arm up and one arm out.
• The Plastic Believer — Both arms up
• The Loner Bible Nerd — One arm up, another arm pulled in across the body.
• The Codependent Believer — Two arms out to another, no arms up.
• The Burned Out — Both arms down.
• The Grieving — One arm up, on arm down.
  • Community engagement is too painful (infertility, losing a child, widows)
• The Healthy Believer — One arm up, one arm out.
• Question: Is the percentage of time you spend with significant others enough for them to thrive?

Outward Dimension: Endure with Resilience

It’s Not Personal

• “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.” (John 15:18, ESV)
  • The world’s hostility is not a sign of our failure but a confirmation of our identity in Christ. We might be hated on account of his name. It’s not personal; you’re simply connected to Jesus.
  • Focus: Abide in Christ and love one another.
  • Possible Outcome: hostility from the world.
    • Note: not a goal.

It’s an Honor

• If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. (John 15:19–20, ESV)
  • This opposition is a sign that we are different. This persecution is a badge of honor, a mark of our heavenly citizenship and our solidarity with our suffering Savior.
    • With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; (1 Peter 4:4, ESV)
  • Remind them! —
    • Philippians 3:20 (ESV) — 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ…

It’s About Conviction

• If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. (John 15:22–24, ESV)

This final dimension seems paradoxical—how can we have fullness of joy if we are hated?

• It can be discouraging.
  • That very night the disciples would face opposition.
  • Do not expect Christianity to be popular or dominant.
  • 2 Dangers — to join or to separate.
• Joy—from abiding in Christ and loving one another—gets us through.
  • The joy here is not the joy of comfort or popularity. It is the deep, unwavering joy of knowing you belong to Christ, that your life is hidden in him, and that you are counted worthy to share in his sufferings for the sake of his name. This is a joy that circumstances cannot touch.
• The Spirit is there to help us.
  • “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning. (John 15:26–27, ESV)
• Question: Do you have a relationship with anyone outside the Church—in the world?

Conclusion

• Communion: At the cross…
  • Jesus was hurt, but used it to heal others.
  • Jesus was sad, but used it to comfort.
  • Jesus was afraid, but used it to trust.
  • Jesus was angry, but used it to reconcile us to God.

Study Questions (John 15:1-16:4)

Head (Knowledge & Understanding)

1. In John 15, Jesus articulated three main relationships, which we discover based on the most repeated words (abide, love, hate). What are these three dimensions of the Christian life, and how do they relate to each other?
2. Define what Jesus means by “abiding” in the vine (John 15:4-5). According to the sermon, what is the Father’s role as the “vinedresser,” and what are the two specific actions He takes in a believer’s life to increase fruitfulness (John 15:2)?

Heart (Feelings & Desires)

1. Is the time you’re investing with God enough to sustain your other relationships?
2. Is the percentage of time you spend with significant others enough for them to thrive?

Hands (Actions & Beliefs)

1. The sermon identifies several practical ways to “abide” in Christ, including specific practices related to the Word, prayer, and community. Which one of these areas is weakest in your life right now, and what is one specific, practical step you can commit to this week to strengthen it?
2. Jesus promises that abiding in Him will lead to “fullness of joy” (John 15:11). Based on this teaching, what is one decision you need to make to reorient your life—your time, your priorities, your relationships—around seeking joy not in circumstances, but in your upward, inward, and outward relationships?