The Gospel of John Lesson 62 (02-02-14)
Lesson 62 – John 15:10-4
In the next few verses, v. 10-4, Jesus makes it crystal clear that
truly expressing His love is inseparable from keeping His commandments. He
tells them in v. 10 if they will keep His commandments that in doing so they/we
will experience and find His love stating this as if keeping His commandments
was pleasurable.
This is not the first time that most of us have heard this even though
most of us would actually hold to, or, maybe actually more so practice, the
belief that only doing the wrong things brings, although temporarily, fun,
pleasure, excitement, satisfaction or a real thrill. However, here in v. 10 it
appears that Jesus is saying that to the contrary, there is great pleasure and
satisfaction in keeping God’s commandments and laws. So much so that in v. 11He
says that in doing so, those that do so, experience a lasting high or pleasure
He terms as Joy.
It is true that doing things that we really shouldn’t can produce a
temporary pleasure, but in doing so none of those things can produce lasting
satisfaction. This is true for what might be perceived as so called innocent
acts or actions such as eating habits that are detrimental and the like, but
would also include more gross indescretions and offenses of God’s law’s and
ways also. However, there is something about doing good that not only gives you
that good feeling, but also leaves you with a satisfaction that lasts a long
time, sometimes forever.
The Apostle John made mention of this in his letter in I John. In chapter
5 and verse 3 he says that this is the love of God that we keep His
commandments and that the keeping of these commandments was not a duty, In some
strange way doing them brought pleasure, the doing of them not being a choir at
all, not being a burden to perform, but actually a delight.
Although most of this world has not yet figured this out, the psalmist
described how pleasant it was to keep the Lord’s commandments and His ways
saying that in doing them in the right spirit and attitude, the act of them
brought sweetness to the soul giving the pleasure of tasting like honey in the
soul, having the effect of lasting much longer in that good taste and pleasure
than any earthly food could give.
There are generally two ways to approach the fulfillment of Jesus’
request here to keep His commandments as found here in Jn. 15:10-4. Both
approaches can be argued as having merit, however, in Jesus’ words here in John
15 He singles out the only approach that produces the kind of fruit that He is
referring to in this section.
One approach to comply with Jesus’ request is upon hearing Jesus’ request
or command to keep His commandments is to take His request serious and to do
the obvious…decide or make a commitment to do just that, keep His commandments.
Although this approach does contain merit and elements of what Jesus is asking
of His disciples here in John 15, it is not what Jesus is telling them will
produce the lasting abundant fruit of the Kingdom.
Deciding to follow Jesus and obey Him in keeping His commandments is
indeed the response that Jesus is asking for in this passage, and, I might add
is the most popular response of those attempting to comply.
Our journey with God does begin with a decision to please Him and
follow His ways. That includes the effort on our part to do right. The psalmist
in Psalm 119 verse 2 tells us to seek the Lord, seeking Him with the whole
heart. In doing so he is telling us to put some effort into our decision. The
last time that I checked the art of seeking someone or something took effort,
work and some determination. In other words, there is a commitment and effort
behind that commitment to do what Jesus is asking.
However, as we have seen repeatedly in man’s effort to keep his
commitment to God, what starts out with good and honorable intentions does not
always end up as planned. Jesus’ request here is to keep His commandments and
to delight ourselves in them. That means we are supposed to keep them and do
them with joy and not just out of duty. This brings up the second option. This
is the option that Jesus talks about in these verses. It is one based on a
commitment to a relationship and not one that is based on the duty of service fulfilling
the requirements only.
In these past couple of chapters we have seen Jesus bring forth a whole
new paradigm of obeying Him and His commandments. Prior to this conversation
with His disciples, including the basis and premise of the O. T., Jesus or God
had given man the standard or requirements necessary to truly obey Him
requiring him to keep these commandments which included the O. T. Law.
God was not intentionally trying to make His commandments more
difficult than man’s ability, but the reality was that they were beyond man’s
ability to keep. In man’s fallen state, keeping God’s commandments or standard
even with the most honest and best of intentions and honest attempts we could ask
the question, ‘Can, or, even is, it possible for man to keep God’s commandments
without His help?’.
In this section of John Jesus creates an all new picture of what it
means to obey and serve God, which includes keeping His commandments, and also,
at the same time offers a new perspective and approach to fulfill God’s request
and requirements.
In this section of John all things become new providing a more real and
promising approach to pleasing and obeying God than that of the old way of just
applying self determination or willpower. The only thing that remains the same
here is the standard of the Law which does not go away and somehow must be
dealt with. Jesus told us in Matt. Chapter 5 and v. 18 that the standard of the
Law would remain valid unchanged along with its penalties demanding accountability
and payment for its infractions if we attempt keeping them on our own.
What Jesus essentially is offering them here is a whole new approach
and relationship with God, one that was very different from what was offered to
them in the past. We will see in just a few verses that even Jesus Himself will
clarify this change by telling those who are close to Him that He no longer
will call them servants as in the past, but instead will use the relational
term of friends, removing all barriers between them and God. Wow, this is new! What
man could not do on his own before this, i.e. obeying Gods commandments, now becomes
a real and viable option.
Again, it must be clearly stated that the Law of God along with its
standards and obligations remained in full force for all that could not obey
them. Jesus here in the beginning of
chapter 15 continues to give strong consequences for those that do not keep and
practice His commandments making reference to those unprofitable servants being
pruned out, withering and being cast aside to be burned. John in his short
letter to the early Church makes it plain that God did not just change His
perspective or mind and decide to just overlook our disobedience, I Jn. 3:9-11.
Somehow, man’s inability to keep His commandments on his own would need to be
dealt with.
However, here in John 15 Jesus provides us with the answer, providing a
way to keep His commandments when our best efforts were found to be inadequate. In His new approach He offers them not a new
law which some might argue would be easier to keep (remember not one dot of the
Law can be changed), but instead He offers them a whole new way offering them a
relationship.
Here in John chapter 15 Jesus provides them with another option, a
better option and approach to keeping His laws and commandments. Jesus tells us
here in chapter 15 that this new option comes with the promise of His help. He
tells them that instead of attempting to please God by attempting to keep His
commandments in our own power which has failed us so many times before, He
tells them that the answer to their inability is to abide…abiding in Him. He
tells them in doing so, that is abiding, we will find the power that we are
looking for, and the ability necessary to please Him.
This new option of abiding was given to them with Promise, the Promise
of the very power of God. This was what we needed. In just a few hours the door
to God would swing wide open removing the obstacle of inability that kept man
from God allowing anyone who would to come to God. What man’s efforts could not
do on their own, God would satisfy on the Cross.
But, in order to obtain this forgiveness and new power offered to them
one would have to make the decision to abide in Jesus and His work on the Cross.
In doing so Jesus’ new promise of the Holy Spirit would provide the power
necessary to ‘keep His commandments’, knowing the Father’s love in the process.
In doing so the relationship that Jesus spoke of here in v. 10 would be
complete. In doing so, we now keep His commandments with joy and desire,
knowing that His commandments are not burdensome, being able to identify with
the Psalmist knowing that keeping His commandments are as sweet as the taste of
fresh honey.
However, again, we also know that even our best attempts, even in the
right spirit on their own cannot match God’s acts being above man’s ability on
his best day. If we were to be real honest with ourselves even our best efforts
done while even trying to abide in Christ would appear to us as inadequate if
it were not for God the Holy Spirit’s help completing the work that He
initiated in us while abiding in Him. In
Christ, abiding in Him, these works are complete…as good as God doing it, God
being our Helper completing what we are unable to do on our own. While abiding
God adds His blessings to our actions and efforts making them indeed the works
of God! May He be praised!
Jesus in this conversation with His disciples opens up an all new
relationship to them with God and with Him, in the process offering them new
hope and power. Things will never be the same. But, they will also have to
learn to do things differently, learning to continually abide in Him instead
of, like we have seen Peter do, attempting to do His work his/our way.
He tells us that it is not possible to love like God on our own without
abiding in Him. Love and abiding are one in the same. You cannot have one
without the other. V. 10 Jesus says that He did the same in His relationship
with the Father, i.e. love and abiding.
In v. 11 Jesus shares with them one of the fruits that comes from
abiding in Him, Joy!! Even in this late stage when the Cross is inching ever
closer He reminds them that all is not lost. He is still so confident in the
Father and His work that He is overwhelmed with peace to the point of Joy! Some
years later the Apostle John will share Jesus’ secret for being so confident
and calm here just hours before the torture of the Cross. In I John chapter 4
verse 18 John tells us that perfect love from and for the Father casts out all fear.
In v. 12 of John 15 He again states His commandment of love to them,
but this time in v. 13 He shares some reality of what the love that He is
explaining to them might cost them. The kind of love that He is talking about
is not mushy. Yes it has emotions and empathy, but it is so real that you can
literally touch it. It has depth. It has substance.
John says this in I John telling them in I Jn. 1:1 that they handled
the love of God that did indeed end up giving His life. God’s love had
substance, it had a body. It was not just some virtual image of a spirit that provided
no real practical benefit to the real life where we live. John tells us in I
Jn. 1:1 that the love that he was talking about could be touched and handled
and was in itself Alive. Taste and see that the Lord is indeed good. Psalms 119
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