Gospel of John: Week 9 (John 15)

23Jesus 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 them. 24Anyone 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. 25I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. 26But 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.
27“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. 28Remember 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. 29I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do happen, you will believe.
30“I don’t have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches. He has no power over me, 31but 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.

1“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He 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. 3You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4Remain 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.
5“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. 6Anyone 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. 7But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. —John 14:23-15:8

27“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. —John 14:27

Come, let’s be going. —John 14:31b

8You brought us from Egypt like a grapevine;
you drove away the pagan nations and transplanted us into your land. —Psalm 80:8

8You brought us from Egypt like a grapevine;
you drove away the pagan nations and transplanted us into your land.
9You cleared the ground for us,
and we took root and filled the land.
10Our shade covered the mountains;
our branches covered the mighty cedars.
11We spread our branches west to the Mediterranean Sea;
our shoots spread east to the Euphrates River.
12But now, why have you broken down our walls
so that all who pass by may steal our fruit?
13The wild boar from the forest devours it,
and the wild animals feed on it.

14Come back, we beg you, O God of Heaven’s Armies.
Look down from heaven and see our plight.
Take care of this grapevine
15that you yourself have planted,
this son you have raised for yourself.
16For we are chopped up and burned by our enemies.
May they perish at the sight of your frown.
17Strengthen the man you love,
the son of your choice.
18Then we will never abandon you again.
Revive us so we can call on your name once more.

19Turn us again to yourself, O lord God of Heaven’s Armies.
Make your face shine down upon us.
Only then will we be saved. —Psalm 80:8-19

17Strengthen the man you love,
the son of your choice. —Psalm 80:17

1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. 4After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.
5And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said,
“My child, don’t make light of the lord’s discipline,
and don’t give up when he corrects you.
6For the lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”
7As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? 8If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. 9Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and really live?
10For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. 11No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
12So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. 13Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong. —Hebrews 12:1-13

7But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! —John 15:7