THE VINE AND THE BRANCHES

Part 3

JOHN 15:9-13

I. ABIDING IN CHRIST LEADS TO THE ASSURANCE OF CHRIST’S LOVE 15:9-10

Righteous obedience is the key to experiencing God’s love and blessing in your life.

Only by the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit (the new birth) can anyone abide in Christ and His love: For by one Spirit (the Holy Spirit) we were all baptized (immersed) into one body (the body of Christ). 1 Corinthians 12:13; Romans 6:3-4

It is by God’s doing (His plan) through His Spirit (regeneration) that we are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and holiness, and redemption (the forgiveness of sins).

1 Corinthians 1:30

Only by the indwelling and controlling influence of the Holy Spirit does anyone have the power and the motivation to keep Christ’s commandments. Ezekiel 36:27

The goal of the one abiding in Christ is perfect obedience, like the Lord’s obedience to His Father. Out of love for the Father, Jesus did all that the Father had commanded Him, even enduring death on a sinner’s cross for those the Father had given Him. John 6:39

Christ’s sacrifice of voluntarily going to the cross is the most glorious demonstration of love and obedience ever displayed in the entire universe and leads to His exaltation to the place of highest honor. Philippians 2:8-9

II. ABIDING IN CHRIST LEADS TO A JOY THAT IS FULL 15:11

The crowning blessing to which all the rest contribute is full and complete joy. This joy Jesus is speaking of is the fruit that comes through a life indwelt, controlled and empowered by the Holy Spirit of God.

 The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

In Romans 15:13 Paul says to believers: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Joy (chara) is not the same as happiness which is based on “happenings or circumstances.” Joy is a temperament, an attitude, experienced by believers filled and controlled by the Holy Spirit.

The joy of the believer filled and controlled by the Holy Spirit remains constant even in the midst of trials and suffering. 1 Thessalonians 1:6; 1 Peter 1:6-9

The Lord promised to impart to believers (those who abide in Him) His joy—the joy that He shares in intimate fellowship with the Father.

Joy, because it is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, can be grieved and quenched in a believer’s life by unconfessed sin. Psalm 51:1-12

Don’t allow sin to rob you of the joy of the Lord. Confess and forsake your sins, and you will find mercy, and with mercy, joy that is unspeakable and full of glory.