Lesson 318

(Lesson 318)(06-28-12) John 15:1-17, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 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: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another."

There are those who propose that this lesson demands that, in order to maintain one's salvation, one must live a perfectly "righteous" life. That notion is highly subjective and, however, is not what this lesson promotes. Jesus said, "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love." We might ask, what is the commandment of Jesus? The answer is, "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you." Mark 12:30-31, "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
If we, indeed, love God with all our we are and love one another, we will do no harm to anyone, thereby fulfilling the "commandment" of Jesus.

This lesson contains some of my favorite teachings. Herein, Jesus reassures us that if we allow Him to rule our lives we will want for nothing. He promises to answer our every prayer, and fulfill our every wish, if we only believe in Him and abide in His light.
Jesus also expresses His love for His appointed Apostles and reminds them that He has given them the power to work miracles on His behalf.
Jesus, again, commands that His disciples love one another.~~