Jesus in John's Gospel
Monday, May 13 John 15:1-4
“I am the truevine, and my Father is the gardener”
AsJesus and his disciples leave the upper room and move toward the Garden ofGethsemane they pass the temple. Hereone of the chief ornaments is a “golden vine with a cluster of grapes as largeas a man.” This decoration becomes thebasis of a visual parable. Jesus’intimate relationship with these men cannot be stated in precise, theologicalterms. So, he uses the motif of a vineand its branches to illustrate spiritual truth. His union with these men is like the relationship of the vine to itsbranches.
Jesus is the “true vine.” In theOld Testament, Israel had frequently been spoken of as the vine which God lovedand tended. But waywardness andcorruption had made God’s people barren. Now it is Jesus who is the real vine, the Chosen One from God. His Father owns the vineyard and cares forit. And his one primary purpose ingrowing a vineyard is that it will bear fruit. So, the branches that bear no fruit he takes away, and he prunes thefruit-bearing branches by removing the sprouts and leaves which reduce thebranches’ fruitfulness.
I will remain in you, Jesus, so I can bearfruit for the Father. Amen.
Tuesday, May 14 John 15:5-8
“Those who remainin me, and I in them, will produce much fruit”
Thereis only one evidence that a branch is truly alive: it produces clusters ofgrapes Note carefully, however, what themetaphor is not saying. Fruit-bearing isnot a test; that is, a branch does not have to demonstrate a level ofproductivity to be safe from destruction. Rather, fruit-bearing is a byproduct. “Apart from me you can do nothing.” To be connected to the vine means that the life of Jesus is flowingthrough us, and this leads to fruitfulness. For an example of the fruit of a life connected to Jesus, brought about bythe ministry of the Holy Spirit, see Galatians 5:22-23.
Jesus then draws out some of the implications that come from remainingin him. To remain in Jesus his word mustremain in us, and the word of Jesus includes the command to be obedient. It is in keeping Jesus’ word that we demonstrateour love for him. Further, Jesusproclaims that those whose lives are in harmony with him through his word willfind their prayers controlled by his word, and such prayers will be answeredand bring added glory to God.
I spend time in your word, Jesus, that Imay remain in you. Amen.
Wednesday, May 15 John 15:9-17
“Remain in my love”
Theunion between Jesus and his disciples is not an external arrangement, but aninternal, personal relationship. Jesusdefines this union, gives it content and substance, by a “triad of love.” The Son loves these disciples as the Fatherloves him. This is the love that hassought them out, called them into life, and which now holds them and sends themout into the world to continue his mission. What an awesome, yet tender reality. But these frail, struggling men are then to love one another as Jesusloves them. This is not an option, but acommand. It is an impossibility unlessthey abide in his love.
This love is not a vague, sentimental feeling that comes and goes, but atough reality that is always revealed in obedience. The Son shares in and shows forth hisFather’s love by absolute obedience to all his commands, which takes him now tothe cross. The disciples can only abidein the love of Jesus, then, if they keep his commandments. Love and obedience are two sides of the samereality.
Abiding in yourlove, Jesus, enables me to obey your commands. Amen.
Thursday, May 16 John 15:18-25
“If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first”
The discipleswill be hated by the world as Jesus has been hated. It is the nature of the world to hate as itis the nature of the disciple to love. And these are mutually exclusive. So as the disciples are known for their love, the world is known for itshatred. These men are not of the world,for Jesus has chosen them out of the world, not to leave the world, but tocontinue his mission in the world as a new community of love. And the separation of the disciples from theworld makes them objects of its hatred.
The world lovesonly its own, those who conform to its spirit, accept its values, and worshipits false gods. The disciples will betreated the same as their Master. Theywill be persecuted as he has been persecuted. This hatred of the world is sin grounded in their ignorance of God. They do not know the Father even though thewhole of Jesus’ life and ministry, all his work, has been a revelation of hisFather. Therefore, their hatred isdirected at God the Father, not only at his Son. Here again we see the union of Father and Sonin another context.
You have warnedus, Jesus, of the world’s hatred of our life in you. Amen.
Friday, May 17 John 15:26 – 16:4
“I will send youthe Paraclete – the Spirit of truth”
In the face ofpersecution, the disciples will be in the world as witnesses to Jesus. Their intimate companionship with him fromthe beginning of his ministry is the ground for their witness. However, their authority does not rest simplyon memories of what he has done. For thehatred of the world will be countered by the strong witness of the Paracletewho is coming to dwell with the disciples. He is the Spirit of truth and can only declare the truth that is inJesus. The Spirit is grieved andoffended when anyone claims that in their experience the Spirit has led theminto new truth beyond Jesus.
So, theParaclete will enlighten the meaning of the teachings and works of Jesus whichthe disciples have heard and seen as his companions. Every disciple is called to be faithful andsensitive in making his witness to Jesus. The word he speaks for Jesus will always have the unique stamp of hispersonality on it. But it is the Spiritwho guides and empowers him so that the witness to Jesus is true.
Your Spirit strengthens me, Jesus, to beyour witness in the midst of opposition. Amen.
Saturday, May 18 Matthew 10:16-20
“I am sending youout as sheep among wolves”
Jesus wasa realist and, in sending out his apostles, he told them what to expect. Just as Jesus at times dropped in words ofhis coming death, so here he speaks to them of their future mission to thelarger world and the persecution that will follow. Jesus warns that wariness, yet innocence,will be necessary in the future mission. They must venture out as defenseless sheep in the midst of ravenouswolves, but what will keep them alert to dangers is to be wise as serpents andinnocent as doves.
Theserpent was the emblem of wisdom, shrewdness, and intellectual keenness, whilethe dove represented simple innocence. This is a difficult but necessary balance to maintain. Without innocence the keenness of the snakeis crafty, a devious menace; without keenness the innocence of the dove isnaïve, helpless, gullibility. As onescholar has noted: “The caution of the disciples is to consist not in cleverdiplomatic moves but in the purity of a life that is genuine and wears nomasks.”
Guideme, Jesus, to be wisely innocent in the world. Amen.