'Last Sermon of Jesus'
John 15:3 "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."
Our Lord compares us with the branches of the vine. If we attempt to break a young branch, we will certainly tear into the vine, destroying the whole plant in the process. When we abide in the vine, we are part of the vine. As the vine grows, the stronger branch becomes the stem itself, lending support to other branches.
1John 4:15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
Everyone who sincerely believes that Jesus Christ, the Son of God was sent by God, to be the sacrificial Lamb for his sins, and accepts Him to be his Saviour is saved. At his salvation, the Holy Spirit will dwell in him as the seal of salvation. Only then is he a Christian.
Since God abides in him, he is now a branch of the vine. In order to continually abide in the vine, he must ensure that he is transformed to be like Jesus. Only then will he be able to bear fruits. Otherwise he will be removed by the Father.
Who was Jesus then?
God became flesh (man)
Phil 2:5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the flesh;
Jesus was the Word of God
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. and likeness of men;
Jesus was baptized in water
Mat 3:13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him;
Baptized in the Holy Spirit
Luke 3:22 And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, "You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased."
Jesus was the Son of God
Luke 22:70 Then they all said, "Are You then the Son of God?" So He said to them, "You rightly say that I am."
Brethren, can the world see Jesus in us? Someone who is filled with love, compassion, wisdom, righteousness, mercy, power of the Holy Spirit, fruits of repentance and the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
John 6:60, 66 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, "This is a hard saying; who can understand it?... From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.
Unfortunately, many Christians will be cut off just like those disciples who ditched Jesus, It hurt them too much to obey His difficult, sacrificial and painful commands:-
- Understand and obey His words
- Bless the enemies;
- Love one another;
- Pray for the persecutors;
- Help the poor, needy, etc.;
- Preach the gospel everywhere;
- Forgive your brethren;
- Rebuke sinful brethren;
John 6:67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?" But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
