John Lesson 40

Introduction

The word if is only spelled with two letters. But Jesus said that it makes the difference between whether or not we may have eternal life or hell. In fact, in John chapter 15 and verse 14, Jesus used the word in describing whether or not we are a friend of his. When he said, Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants, for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth, but I have called you friends. For all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain, and that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

1. Ye Are My Friends If Ye Do

These things I command you that ye love one another. Indeed, in this first examination of the word if in our text today from John chapter 15, we learn that it makes the difference between whether or not we are a friend of Christ. He said, Ye are my friend if ye do, if ye do whatsoever I command you. There are those who claim to be the friends of Christ, but they have never obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ. They talk as though they love him. But like Jesus would say in Luke chapter 6 and verse 46, why call ye me Lord Lord, and do not the things which I say. There are some who even pretend to be religious. They are doing some things that that they do in the name of Christ, but it’s not the things that Jesus Christ has said.

They really are not his friends. They become rather the friends of error and of evil and of the devil. In Matthew chapter fifteen, verses seven through nine, Jesus spoke about some religious people of his day when he said, Well that Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoreth me with their lips, they draw nigh with their mouth, but their heart is far from me. In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Now, they are religious, but he said their worship is in vain. They’re not the friends of Christ. You see how big this word if really is. If you do whatsoever things I command you, how important is it to you whether or not we obey the will of Jesus Christ?

Whether or not we speak where the Bible speaks and be silent, for the Bible is silent. We call this program let the Bible speak, because we are aware that in this generation of time there are many different doctrines being taught. There are many different words that you can hear from different preachers. But we believe it is important that we get the Bible out and that we open it, that we study it word for word, the verse by verse, and simply let it speak the truth. You can understand it if you’ll just get it out and read from it. And so that’s what we’ve been doing in our verse by verse analysis of the gospel of John, this gospel of belief. Actually, our text today from John 15, verses 14 through the end of the chapter, is a continuation, of course, of what we had in our last study.

And we concluded in our last study how that in verses 10 through 13, Jesus was speaking about love there. He said, If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love. That’s much the same thought we’ve just expressed. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love. Really, throughout this context, Jesus has talked about love. Now you may recall in an earlier study that we are at a time where we sometimes referred to as the Last Supper. Really beginning in John chapter 13 now through chapter 17, Jesus is with his apostles for the last time, or at least the last time before his crucifixion. Now at this last supper, he gives them several different words of comfort and of encouragement. He’s told them how that he is going to leave them.

But he said, I’m not going to leave you alone, because he said, I’m going to send another comforter, who is the Holy Spirit. And he would be in abiding presence with them and bring all things to their remembrance. Then he talked about how that they would sustain a relationship with him, even though he would be an unseen Lord, that they would be like branches in the true vine. And as branches they were to bear much fruit. But now, continuing with that thought, Jesus talked about how that they would abide in his love. But the state the statement by which they would know whether or not they were in his love is on if they continue in his commandments. If you do whatsoever things I command you.

Back in John chapter 14 and in verse 15, Jesus had said, If you love me, keep my commandments. It’s that simple. Don’t just say you love him, prove it. Prove it by doing what he says in the way that he said, do it. He continued with that thought in John 14 and verse 21. He that hath my commandments and keepeth them. He it is that loveth me. And he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him and will manifest myself to him. Well now notice the contrast in John 14, verses 23 and 24. When he said, If a man love me, he will keep my words. And my father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him.

You want to have the Father and the Son in relationship with you, then the basis upon which it you it can be done is keeping his commandments. But notice the contrast in John 14 and verse 24. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings. You can prove that you don’t love him if you are rejecting what he said. If you fail to do what he said in the way that he said, do it, then you don’t really love the Lord. So indeed, this word if is a huge word. You are my friends if you do whatsoever things I have commanded you, as John 15 and verse 14 says. But I want you to notice that he says in this same context in verse 15 that we’ve read, he said, I henceforth call you not servants.

2. Not Servants, but Friends

Now, he said, in really in this passage, I’m not asking you to be a servant who just blindly follows me, while it is true that we’re going to keep God’s commandments, whether whether we accept whether we agree with him or not, ours is an attitude of submission. He is not asking for just blind fanatical faith, as the atheist sometimes described the Christian. But he here describes in verse 15, he says, A servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth. A servant is required to obey his master without any explanation being given. A servant does what his master says because his master said it. But Jesus says to his apostles, I’ve called you friends. I have all things that I have heard of my father, I have made known unto you.

You see, the apostles were not just blindly led to do his word, they were given some information. And they’ve passed that information on even to us today, as Ephesians chapter 3, verses 3 to 5. The apostle Paul said, How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery, as I have written in few words, I wrote in few words, whereby when you read, you may understand my knowledge and the mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. In other words, you’re not just blindly doing what some commandment is found in the Bible to say. But rather there’s some understanding. God has revealed his scheme of redemption.

3. I Have Chosen You and Ordained You

By revelation it’s been made known. The apostles have written it, and we can read it and understand it. So we have some guidance, and when we follow the words of the apostles, it’s with some information. We’re doing what God says, and we have some understanding as to why. Now, verse 16, he says, Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you that ye should go and bring forth fruit. It’s interesting to note that some passages in the Gospel of John have been greatly abused. This happens to be one of them that’s so often used by what we may refer to as the Calvinists. They teach a doctrine of of election. They say that God has elected certain individuals to be saved, and all of those can be saved.

If God has elected you, chosen you, then you can be saved, but if he hasn’t chosen you, there is no way by which you can be saved. You can’t save yourself. Totally depraved people cannot even come to the Lord in faith unless God has first chosen them. John chapter 15 and verse 16 is a passage they like to quote. But really in the context, Jesus is talking to his apostles. He’s not saying about all Christians, I’ve chosen you and only you, and others whom I have not chosen cannot be saved. But rather in John 15 and verse 16, he’s saying to these apostles in this Last Supper meeting with them, I’ve selected you. They were specifically chosen to be the ambassadors for Christ, uh, as 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 20.

They were the ones specially selected to go out and preach with authority, as in Matthew 18 and verse 18, whatever you burn on earth shall be burned in heaven, whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. So Jesus was not talking about all who are disciples. This is one of those passages that really does not have general application to all Christians. It is true that we are all called. We are all called by the gospel, 1 Thessalonians 2, verses 13 and 14. And everyone who will, let him come, whosoever will, Revelation 22, 17 says, can come and take freely of the water of life. But while we are called by the gospel, and while we can take freely whosoever will, John 15 and verse 16 is really talking about as apostles.

4. If Ye Were of the World

God selected through Jesus Christ, these were selected to be the ambassadors for Christ. But now let’s continue. In verses 18 through 21, we find another big if. He said, If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own. But because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.

Well, another big if. In verse 19, if ye were of the world, the world would love his own. In our own words, if you will just conform to the world, the world will love you. I’ve seen some people who want to go to heaven. They say they believe in Christ. But they are afraid of the ridicule. They don’t want to be looked upon as some kind of religious fanatic. In fact, they are ashamed somewhat in public to say, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And so they keep quiet, they keep silent. In fact, they try to blend into the world. There are those who pretend to be the Lord’s servants, but they want to act like and dress like and talk like the world so that they won’t be scoffed at and ridiculed.

Well Jesus said, if you want to be loved by the world, all you have to do is to conform with it. If you be like it, it’ll love you. But on the other hand, if you want to be loved by the Lord, if you want to really bring glory unto the Father, then you’ll have to be unlike the world. And if you’re unlike the world, then the world is going to hate you. Now that may be a test of true discipleship. What does the world think of you? You see this big word if? How are you acting? If you live like the world, the world will love you. But if you live like Christ as one who walks in the light of the Lord, then the world is going to hate you.

In first John chapter 2, verses 15 through 17, the apostle said, Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the world, but is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away in the lust thereof. But he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. Now the world here is speaking, of course, about the sinful world. And he said, if you love the world, then the love of the Father is not in you. The world doesn’t love people who love the Lord.

You see, when you’re trying to walk right, when you’re trying to do righteously, the world doesn’t like to be reproved. The world would consider you as as one who sometimes they say, Oh, you’re a goody goody, or they may call you a Bible beater. But in John chapter 3, verses 19 through 21, Jesus even there spoke about how the world hates the light. Darkness hates the light. Why? Because it’s reproved of its evil deeds. If you’re like going out and getting drunk, do you want your best buddy to be someone who believes it’s wrong and who will refuse to go? He’s not your best friend. You’d like to scoff at him and ridicule him and belittle him if that’s your attitude. And so if you’re really trying to be a Christian, don’t try to blend in with those who want to go out and do wickedly.

Recognize that they will hate you, just as they hated Jesus Christ and put him to death. Jesus said a servant is not greater than his master. And if the world hated Jesus Christ, and the world crucified Jesus Christ, can’t you expect that the world will even hate those of day who live like Christ would have them live? In Philippians chapter two, verses fifteen and sixteen, the apostle wrote to Christians, he said that you may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation among whom ye shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.

You hold forth the word of life. You shine as a light in the world.

And it might be that you would be ridiculed and you’ll be persecuted, but you know that’s one if. That’s one if that’s important. I would love to be able to say, come judgment day, that I’ve been able to suffer for the name of Jesus Christ, wouldn’t you? Would you rather have the world love you or have God love you? We’ll come back and study in just a moment further concerning another big if that’s seen in this same context. We’ve already examined two times in the John chapter 15, where the word if has a very important significance. In John 15 and verse 14, year, my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. And then in verse 19, if you were of the world, the world would love his own.

5. If I Had Not Come and Spoken unto Them

If you’ll conform to the world, the world will love you. But now let’s look at a third important if in this context. Reading from John chapter 15, verses 22 through 25, Jesus says, If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin. But now they have no cloak for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin. But now have they both seen and hated both me and my father. But this cometh to pass that the world might be fulfilled that is written in their law. They hated me without a cause. If Christ had not come, you would not be required to obey him.

That’s an important if.

But he said, If I had not come and spoken to them, they had not had sin. Now that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t have had sin in general, for as Romans chapter 3 and verse 23 says, all have sin and come short of the glory of God. But by the context, we understand that Jesus is saying that they would not had the responsibility of receiving him. They now have no cloak for their sin. That is, they have no cover for their sin. They have no excuse for it. They have sin in general, but they have compounded that sin. You see, they have had the opportunity to know Jesus Christ. And opportunity increases their responsibility. When we have opportunity to do right and we we reject doing it, then we have more responsibility.

I think of the passages that Jesus uh referred to in Matthew chapter 11, when he spoke about the cities of the Jews at that time. He said, uh, in Matthew 11, Woe unto thee Besseter, woe unto thee, Corazon, woe unto thee, Capernaum. Why? He said, if the mighty works had been done in Ty and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment than for you. And thou Capernaum, which are exalted unto heaven shall be brought down to hell, for the mighty works of which had been uh had been which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom, it would have remained unto this day.

I say unto you that it should be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you. Why the cities of Tyre and Sidon and Sodom are cities in the Old Testament that were destroyed because of their wickedness. Well, Jesus said they didn’t have the opportunities that these cities of of Judea had and of Jerusalem. These cities of of the time of Jesus Christ in Palestine were more responsible because they had greater opportunity. Well, what about you? You don’t live behind the iron curtain. You don’t live in a country where the Bible is forbidden to be studied or to be followed. You live in this great country, and have you been studying it? You have opportunity. Do you not have responsibility?

Look at the statement in Jesus that Jesus made in Luke chapter twelve. He taught a parable in verses forty-two through forty-eight. He said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his Lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his Lord, when he cometh shall find so doing. Of the truth I say unto you that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. But if that servant say in his heart, My Lord delayeth his coming, and shall begin to beat the men servants and maidens and to eat and drink and to be drunken, the Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

And that servant which knew his Lord’s will and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not and did commit things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required, and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. Jesus in that parable teaches us that we have responsibility. If you have much opportunity, you have great responsibility. Now the servant who did not know his master’s will, he’s done things worthy of stripes, and he shall be beaten. He shall be punished, in other words. But the one who knew and rejected, the one who had every opportunity and who did not obey, then that individual has greater responsibility, and Jesus simply said, He shall be beaten with a many stripes.

Where do you stand? Where do you fit into the parable? Indeed, it is an important if, isn’t it? Jesus did come, and we shall be judged by our response unto Jesus Christ. Jesus said in John chapter 12 and verse 48, He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my sayings, hath one that judgeth him. The word that I have spoken shall judge him in the last day. How important it is that we take the Bible, the word of the Lord, that we examine and that we carefully apply it to our lives, and that we respond in obedience to it. In fact, those who reject Jesus Christ have a certain fearful looking form of judgment. In Hebrews chapter 10, in verses 26 through 31, the apostle said, If we sin willfully after that we’ve received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.

That’s simply saying that there is no other way of salvation. And if you’ve come to the knowledge of truth and you just reject it, or by indifference and unconcern, you do not act upon it. You intend one day to obey, but you have not gone to yet, and you put off Christ and you quit serving the Lord if you’ve ever once started. He said, There’s no other way of salvation. What remains for you? I’m reading Hebrews 10 verse 27. He said, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses. Of how much sore a punishment? Suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God, and have counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and have done despised under the spirit of grace.

For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me. I will recompense, said the Lord. And again, the Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. It is a fearful thing to reject Jesus Christ. Now had Jesus not come, you wouldn’t have had the responsibility. Or if you had not heard the word of truth, if you had never heard or had an opportunity to read and study the Bible, you would not have had as great a responsibility. It doesn’t mean you wouldn’t have been a sinner, because all men who have lived on the face of this earth have reached an age of accountability, have some responsibility before God. But there are those who have greater responsibility than others.

The Jews had great responsibility. How about you? Have you heard the truth? Is there something in your life that you know is has not been made right with the Lord? Have you truly repented of your sins and confessed your faults? Have you been one who has been willing and humble to obey the Lord Jesus Christ? If you know in your life that you’re yet in your sins, then you need to respond in obedience, and don’t wait till some better time or some later time. Now is the day of salvation. Jesus said, He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned. Don’t just let there be lip service and saying you love the Lord and saying that you believe, but rather respond in obedience.

6. The Comforter Shall Testify of Me

That’s really the meaning of this context. Give the Lord your life, even as he died for you. He simply asked that you live for him. But now let’s look at the last two passages of John, verses of John chapter 15. In verses twenty-six and seven, he says, But when the comforters come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me. And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. This is one of those passages in this setting of John chapters 14, 15, and 16, that help us to understand what is the work of the Holy Spirit. There are about five different significant passages here where Jesus is describing how that after he leaves there will be a comforter who will come.

In John chapter 14 and verse 16, he called him another comforter. That is one who would be at their side, who would be able to bring help and assistance unto them. He’s called a comforter. He’s not the same as the Father. He’s not the same as Jesus Christ. He is another comforter, but he will come and be an abiding presence with them. In John 14 and verse 26, he says that this comforter would teach them. In fact, he would be able to teach all things and bring all things to bear remembrance. In John 15 and verse 26, our passage here, the comforter will testify Jesus Christ. He’s going to bear witness of him. In chapter 16, verses 7 to 11, he describes him as one who would convict the world of sin of righteousness of judgment.

And then in John 16 and 13, that he would guide into all truth. We’ll look at this further in our later study of John chapter 16. It’s important to know what is the work of the Spirit. We hope you’ll be able to tune in and study with us later as we continue. Until then, may the Lord be with and bless you.