What Jesus Did

[Jesus continued,] "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
"Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing."

—John 15:4-5 NLT

Key Thought​

The key to fruitfulness is not effort, though effort will be necessary. The key to fruitfulness is not circumstance, though how...

 

[Jesus continued,] "I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener."

—John 15:1 NLT

Key Thought​

Jesus' statement is radical. The vine was a symbol of Israel. [1] Jesus is saying that he is the place God's people will find their life. We need to be attached to the true vine and take our spiritual sustenance from it — as followers of Jesus, our nourishment must come from him. [2] When people are in Christ, they will find themselves tended to and cared for by God himself...

 

[Jesus continued,] "I have told you these things [about my going to the Father] before they happen so that when they do happen, you will believe.
"I don't have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches. He has no power over me, but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let's be going."


—John 14:29-31 NLT

Key Thought​

The principle here is tough. Jesus gives in to an enemy and then...

 

[Jesus continued,] "I am leaving you with a gift — peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, who is greater than I am."

—John 14:27-28 NLT

Key Thought​

The Holy Spirit, our Comforter and Counselor, will bring us peace. This peace is not an absence of...

 

[Jesus continued,] "Anyone who doesn't love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me. I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative — that is, the Holy Spirit — he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you."

—John 14:24-26 NLT

Key Thought​

Jesus' words are God's words. When we obey Jesus, we obey the...

 

[Jesus continued,] "Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them."
### (not ### Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name) said to him, "Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world at large?"

Jesus replied, "All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of...

 

[Jesus continued,] "No, I will not abandon you as orphans — I will come to you. Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you."

—John 14:18-20 NLT

Key Thought​

Jesus' return to the Father is essential. He went to prepare a place for us. [1] He is at the Father's side to intercede for us. [1] However, even though he has gone to...

 

[Jesus continued,] "I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!"

—John 14:12-14 NLT

Key Thought​

Incredible! Jesus promises that his disciples will do even greater works than he did. And they did! And they still do! How...

 

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[Jesus continued,] "If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you."

—John 14:15-17 NLT

Key Thought​

It is so hard to adequately translate the term Jesus uses for the Holy...

 

Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied."
Jesus replied, "Have I been with you all this time, ###, and yet you still don't know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe...