In His Service

  We Overcome Hate With Love John 15:18-24,16:1-4 If there is one word that is prevalent in all the world today, it is hate, the act of detesting something to the extent of destroying it. The world has made laws to hate (detest) those who detest their ways. Jesus has taught us to love as God the Father, and as he has loved us. Let’s begin with the first portion of the text, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.  Jesus is again giving last minute assurance to the disciples before he is betrayed, arrested, and crucified. They have seen the hatred of the Pharisees and Chief Priests towards Jesus, but they haven't really experienced it against themselves. Jesus is exhorting them that the world will hate them because it first hated Jesus. Love and Truth had come into the world and t...

                               Bearing Much Fruit John 15:1-8 Imagine a vineyard with lucious grapes clusters in abundance, and then a vineyard with shriveled clusters sparsely found on the branches. You would think there is definitely a difference in gardeners or vignerons and their work habits. Jesus is demonstrating abundance of fruit in the lives of those who remain or dwell in the Lord and those who do not, this could be a picture of church today. How is the fruit you are producing? Let’s begin with the first portion of the text,  “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” Jesus may have been recalling the vineyards that they had passed through over the last three years. He uses the metaphor of himself as the vine and the Father as the gardener. ...

        The Advocate will come John 14:25-31 Jesus knows that the disciples needed to be assured of what was about to transpire, so he tells them what will come as proof he is the truth. Let’s look at the first portion of the text, “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”  The Holy Spirit from God is the advocate: the protector, helper, comforter, and teacher/guide for the disciples. Jesus promises the disciples that the Father will send the Holy Spirit to all who believe in him.  They had learned that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth (Jn. 14:13), and they will learn that He has many more titles: the Spirit of God (Ex. 31:3), the Spirit of witness (Acts 5:32), the Spirit of conviction (Jn. 16:8), the spirit of power (2 Tim. 1:7), the Spirit of holiness (Rom. 1:4), Spirit of light (1 Jn. 1:5), th...