{"id":230,"date":"2015-09-29T07:05:35","date_gmt":"2015-09-29T12:05:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/musings.butchevans.com\/?p=230"},"modified":"2015-09-29T07:05:35","modified_gmt":"2015-09-29T12:05:35","slug":"complete-joy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/musings.butchevans.com\/?p=230","title":{"rendered":"Complete Joy!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Let’s face it. \u00a0If there is one thing that seems to be missing in our world today, it is joy. \u00a0There is so much bad news out there that it is difficult to be joyful, right? \u00a0I mean, I see posts on Facebook all the time about something else the President of the US has done, someone shooting up a crowded place and even our police are under attack. \u00a0Why is it that our joy has seemingly gone AWOL? \u00a0In this article, I will talk about Jesus’ teaching on this very subject. \u00a0Read on if you dare…<\/p>\n

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My last article<\/a> covered John 14. \u00a0This week, we will continue discussing some of Jesus’ final words to the disciples before his arrest and crucifixion. \u00a0John 15 begins with Jesus statement:<\/p>\n

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John 15:1-3 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cI am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.<\/div><\/div>\n

As Jesus continues his final teachings before he was to leave the disciples, he will be urging them to remain faithful afterward. \u00a0Jesus knows that in order for them to do that, they would have to remain connected to Him. \u00a0His use of the symbolic language here is important for a couple of reasons. \u00a0In the Old Testament, the symbolism of the vine or vineyard refers to the nation of Israel. \u00a0The disciples would be familiar with this fact and this symbolism referring to himself as the “true vine” had a unique meaning to them. \u00a0Jesus was teaching them that He was, himself, their source of life as well as the root of the family. \u00a0Prior to Jesus taking this role in their lives, they associated themselves as sons of Abraham. \u00a0They were still, physically, sons of Abraham, but they were gaining a new identity in Jesus. \u00a0 Secondly, He is helping to introduce the concept it is necessary for them to be connected with him in order to draw their life from him and that apart from him, there is no life at all.<\/p>\n

Let’s look as Jesus continues to explain this teaching in verses 4-6:<\/p>\n

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4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.<\/div><\/div>\n

There is a choice to be made on our part here. \u00a0We can either allow the life that Jesus provides us to bear fruit by this connection and realize that God will prune to bear more fruit or we will be taken away (cut off). \u00a0\u00a0So the question becomes, exactly what is the fruit Jesus is referring to? \u00a0Some suggest that this fruit is the result of evangelism, or creating converts to Christianity. \u00a0John, in chapter 4:35-38, records Jesus reference to evangelism in these terms. \u00a0Other scholars claim that this fruit is referring to growing into a Christian lifestyle. \u00a0It seems to me, though, that reading this in the larger context of the image Jesus is using (the vine) that he is referring specifically to the divine life He instilled in us when we are reborn. \u00a0One aspect of this life, is a growing knowledge of God, as Jesus indicates in verse 8, which reads “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. ” \u00a0In other words, the “fruit” that Jesus produces in us is a growing knowledge of God and Christ, along with a growing relationship with Him. \u00a0This growing relationship with Him should cause us to grow to be more like Him AND cause others around us to desire a relationship with Him as well. \u00a0Ultimately, I believe that both those that call this “fruit” the result of evangelism AND those who believe it is growth as a Christian are correct.<\/p>\n

As Jesus begins to close this teaching, he says this:<\/p>\n

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9 Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also 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\u2019s commandments and abide in His love.<\/div><\/div>\n

Those of you who know me well, understand that I truly love to explore God’s creation. \u00a0As a photographer, I love to try to capture some of the beauty that God has placed both here on the earth and in the heavens above. \u00a0I especially love to watch the sunset and sunrise (I don’t see many of the sunrises due to the fact that they happen so early in the morning). \u00a0This cycle is a constant reminder to me of God’s great love for me. \u00a0Romans 1:20 is probably my favorite verse to think about as I view God’s creation with awe. \u00a0It reads, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” \u00a0You see, for me, the earth and all that is in it and all that is above it serve as a constant reminder of God’s attributes. \u00a0Specifically, for me it reminds me of His love toward me. \u00a0But it is not enough to simply recognize this love. \u00a0I must learn to “abide in [His] love”. \u00a0The only way to do that, as Jesus taught here, is to keep His commandments. \u00a0For me, this is not always an easy assignment. \u00a0There are parts of me that continue to want to continue to live out my fleshly desires. \u00a0This is the part of me that God is actively pruning. \u00a0Some of this, he removes altogether. \u00a0Others, he simply ties off so that they will grow in accordance with His desire for my life. \u00a0As I continue to grow in my relationship with him, I am finding that the more obedient I am, the closer to Him I find myself and I am able to more fully realize just how much He truly loves me. \u00a0This is what “abide in My love” means. \u00a0We much live in such a way that we continually grow more aware of His love for us and the only way to do that is through our obedience.<\/p>\n

If we learn the lessons that Jesus is teaching here:<\/p>\n