John 15
v.4
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit from itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.
A Christian magazine that featured Hudson Taylor in one of its issues referred to how Taylor struggled for a closer walk with God. Although he is considered one of the greatest missionary champions of church history, he longed for a more intimate relationship with Christ. “I prayed, agonized, fasted, strove, made resolutions, read the word more diligently, sought more time for retirement and meditation—but all was without effect,” he pined. “I knew that if I would abide in Christ all would be well, but I could not.” Taylor reached a turning point in his life when he received a letter from a colleague. This simple message unlocked the door: ="Friendship with God comes not from striving after faith but from resting in the faithful one." =Those simple words were somehow precisely what Hudson Taylor needed to help him cross a threshold in his relationship with Christ. He was able to cease striving and to embrace Christ’s nearness and power and life. I refer to Taylor’s experience, not as though it’s a formula for learning to abide in Christ, but rather to show that the most eminent of saints have wrestled with this very issue.
Continued production depends on constant union with the source of fruitfulness. Branches that are severed from the parent stock may produce leaves temporarily, but inevitably they will wither because there is no source of life to sustain them; and they will never bear fruit. The effectiveness of believers depends on their receiving the constant flow of life from Christ.
v.6
If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
Failure to maintain vital connection brings its own penalty—rejection and uselessness. Since the Greek text literally reads “the branch,” there may be a reference here to Judas Iscariot (cf. 17:12). In any case, Jesus intends to show that fruitfulness is normal for believers. An absolutely fruitless life is prima facie evidence that one is not a believer. Jesus leaves no place among his followers for fruitless disciples. The only option for such people is to be thrown away and burned.
Although it may be coincidence based on common customs, the destruction of vine branches appears in an image of judgment in Isaiah 18:5.
v.7
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
The connection is maintained by obedience and prayer. To remain in Christ and to allow his words to remain in oneself means a conscious acceptance of the authority of his word and a constant contact with him by prayer. The prayer request itself must be related to a definite need and must be for an object Jesus himself would desire (see comment on 14:14). Jesus never promises to gratify every chance which believers may have. But as long as they are seeking the Lord’s will for their lives, Jesus promises to grant every request that will help accomplish this end.
v.9
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
v.10
If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.
Obedience marks the cause of their fruitfulness; joy is its result. Jesus intends his disciples to be both spontaneous and happy rather than burdensome and boring. Obedience in carrying out his purpose guarantees success, for Jesus never plans failure for his disciples.
v.11
I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
Joy logically follows when the disciples realize that the life of Christ in them is bringing fruit—something they could never produce in their own strength.
Keeping the commandments (here epitomized as love) was supposed to bring joy (Ps 19:8 and often in later Jewish teachings).
v.26
“When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.
Now, our body is the house of the Holy Spirit. He dwells in the body as in a temple, and do you think that He will see His people languish for lack of divine grace while He is present with them? Can it be that He will walk in them and see them famish, perceive their lack and destitution, and not supply their needs? Dream not so harshly of the tender and blessed Spirit, whose name is “the Comforter.” Be it never forgotten that it is His office to supply the needs of God’s people. It is the Holy Spirit’s business to see after the saints. “If I go away,” said Jesus, “I will send the Comforter to you.” So long as they had the personal presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, the disciples could want for nothing