What Jesus Did

[Jesus continued,] "I have told you these things so that you won't abandon your faith. For you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God. This is because they have never known the Father or me. Yes, I'm telling you these things now, so that when they happen, you will remember my warning. I didn't tell you earlier because I was going to be with you for a while longer."

—John 16:1-4 NLT

Key...​

 

[Jesus continued,] "But I will send you the Advocate — the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me. And you must also testify about me because you have been with me from the beginning of my ministry."

—John 15:26-27 NLT

Key Thought​

The apostles of Jesus are trustworthy witnesses to the life, teaching, and will of Jesus for several reasons. Jesus mentions two crucial reasons here. Later, after Jesus' resurrection, the apostles give the...

 

[Jesus continued, "The world will hate and persecute] you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me. They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin. Anyone who hates me also hates my Father. If I hadn't done such miraculous signs among them that no one else could do, they would not be guilty. But as it is, they have seen everything I did, yet they still hate me and my Father. This fulfills what is written in their...

 

[Jesus continued,] "If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. Do you remember what I told you? 'A slave is not greater than the master.' Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you."

—John 15:18-20 NLT

Key Thought​

Hate! We don't...

 

[Jesus continued,] "I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn't confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn't choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. This is my command: Love each other."

—John 15:15-17 NLT

Key Thought​

What is "lasting fruit"? In this context, Jesus wants his disciples to know...

 

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[Jesus continued,] "I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command."

—John 15:11-14 NLT

Key Thought​

What a wonderful blessing it is to be loved! We know God loves us with an everlasting love. He has called us into a family of...

 

[Jesus continued,] "I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father's commandments and remain in his love."

—John 15:9-10 NLT

Key Thought​

When little children are disciplined for playing in the road or walking on railroad tracks, they see the discipline as painful, unnecessary, and limiting. They don't want limitations. However, if they could understand the danger and the...

 

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[Jesus continued,] "Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!"

—John 15:6-7 NLT

Key Thought​

One of the key blessings of being joined to Jesus is knowing that he takes our requests, concerns, and burdens and presents them to the Father. We can be confident that the...

 

[Jesus continued,] "When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father."

—John 15:8 NLT

Key Thought​

True disciples become like their teacher, Jesus! [1] That means their lives are fruitful. [2] They take on the character of Jesus. [3] They also care for people as Jesus does by living sacrificially and redemptively. [4] Their Christianity isn't all talk, but it is demonstrated in both word and deed. [5] They let the fruit of their lives...

 

[Jesus continued, "The Father] cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you."

—John 15:2-3 NLT

Key Thought​

God is at work in the vine and in each individual branch attached to the vine. [1] He does exactly what is needed so that the vine, and each individual branch, can be productive. He longs to enjoy the abundant...