It’s been almost four whole years since I was tasked with reading John 15 by some dear friends. They asked Kennedy to do it also and then told us to write down what stuck out to us, for a response to it essentially. I had quite a few questions after coming up for air in that book. We’re at that time of year where busy intersects with reflection. Evidently, I’m reflecting on when my life truly began on July 6, 2020. These are the questions that I came up with from John 15 way back when:
Verse 1-2: “I am the vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear fruit.” - If everyone can be saved at any given time, how can branches be cut off? Are those lost souls? Am I a lost soul?
Verse 3-4: “Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” - What is the word referring to, the Bible? It’s one thing to be saved and something else entirely to remain in Him.
Verse 5: “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” - Does that mean my life is completely meaningless to this point since I bear nothing? How literal is the word?
Verse 6-7: “If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” - How do you truly remain in Him? What does that road map look like?
Verse 8: “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” - Right, but how do we do it?
Verse 9-10: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.” - This should be a relief for someone who lives and breathes by rules. On the flip side, it’s so easy to see how following his commands to a T is impossible so why bother trying? Why do I deserve perfect love without being perfect in the first place?
Verse 11: “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” - All I want in life is to feel pure joy and I don’t know that I ever have.
Verse 12: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” - If I can’t achieve perfection to deserve that type of love, how could I be equipped to give it?
Verse 13: “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” - That’s what Jesus did for us literally and figuratively. We’re called to lay down our own life plans and take up those of the Lord.
Verse 16: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” -We aren’t choosing to bear certain fruit or lead a specific life, it’s given to us. Obeying His commands is about more than getting what you ask for.
Thinking back on the person who wrote those questions back in March 2020 fills me with an ache that only comes from knowing how broken and lost she was at the time. Reflecting on this specific time in my life comes at the hands of my sister-in-law and my mom as we work through a 6-week study on advent. With only one week left in the study, we were left with this sentiment to ponder over the weekend:
“Joy does not just happen to us. It is not dependent on our outward circumstances. Joy is a condition of the heart. Joy is peace and hope despite circumstances. And these moments of history remind us of the only source of joy in life. Christmas points out that joy is only found in Jesus.”
That reminded of the fact that I chose John 15:11 [the one about joy] as the verse that stuck out to me so long ago. Those sweet friends taught me how to eat the word, to wade through the context, throw out my own interpretation of the verse and get to the nitty gritty of what the author intended. Something they said sticks like glue: it’s every man’s right to hear the voice of the Lord. And this is what it was on that day:
“You are always full of joy because of my grace. You must choose to believe that I’ve given it to you without contingency.”
While it’s been a long rode of constant progression to believe that Jesus meant those things, it really hit home when my mom sent an email yesterday on that very topic. It led off with:
“Agree with God, He will never lead you astray.” – Shana Schutte
Huh, an interesting thought that actually makes a lot of sense. The author went on to write about how we’re in charge of what we decide to agree with in our own mind. We get to choose what we believe. Seems simple, but have you ever really thought about what you’re choosing to believe? The content is rooted in a lot of different things, but ultimately, it’s about our identity in Christ. Do I believe what Jesus says about me? Do I believe the promises He made to all of humanity, including me? He fulfilled quite a few promises by sending His son to us, so the proof is in the pudding that is baby Jesus in a manger.
It’s my favorite time of the year and it always has been, but every year my reasons for that change. One question the advent study pegged me with is this: Christmas requires a response, what’s yours? God fulfilling His promises requires a response. Jesus laying down His life for His friends requires a response. I’m still pondering what my response is because I know that my life should be a direct reflection of that response and I know I can’t come up with the full answer on my own, it has to be in conjunction with the voice of the Lord.
So, Christmas requires a response, what's yours?
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