The Gospel of John: John 15.1-8

Read and meditate on John 15.7.
Again, Jesus told His disciples, and us, that we can have whatever we want in life (cf. Jn. 14.14). The key is in wanting what we should.

                                                          ⁷“But the man
who will abide in Me, and keep My Word
abiding in him, he will ask the Lord
whatever he desires, and it shall be
done for him.”

- John 15.1

Reflect
1.  The most important word in this verse is the first one: “if...” In the Greek, this form of if suggests possibility. Something can happen if a condition is met. What does Jesus promise can happen? This condition has a twofold aspect. What is the condition? From what we’ve studied thus far, what does that mean? Complete this prayer: Thank You, Lord, for holding out such precious and very great promises. Help me to…

2.  Let’s look first at the promise: “ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” This sounds very much like what Jesus promised in John 14.14. What condition had to be met to realize the promise in that verse? The key to this promise is the phrase what you desire. How might we misunderstand this promise? Help me, Lord, to desire only…

3.  Compare the condition set forth in John 14.14 with the condition set forth here. In what ways are they similar? How does the condition here help to clarify the condition in John 14.14? Obviously, we need to work hard to meet these conditions, so that we can gain the promise they hold out to us. As we work at meeting these conditions, how should we expect that to affect our desires? Today, Lord, help me want what You want, seek what You call me to seek, and delight in what You delight in. That way…

4.  Our translation obscures the fact that a second condition is put forward in this verse, the meeting of which is necessary if we are to have all that we desire. Here’s a better translation of the second part of verse 7: “…if you ask whatever you desire…” The second condition, therefore, is that we must ask. Meditate on James 4.2, 3. How does James lead us to think about asking? Meditate on Matthew 7.7, 8. How does Jesus help us to think about what our asking should look like? How would you explain this to a new believer? Lord, help me to ask in the way You prescribe, so that…

5. If we continuein Jesus, and Jesus’ words continuein us; if we pray in Jesus’ Name; and if we do not ask in a merely self-serving manner, what desires are we likely to express in prayer (cf. Matt. 26.39)? Does it make sense to you that the more we desire the will of God, the more powerful and satisfying our prayers will be? Explain. Bring together into one your prayers from questions 1-4.

Summary
“‘If you abide in me,’ he says, ‘and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you.’ For when someone abides in Christ in this way, is there anything he or she can wish for besides what will be agreeable to Christ? When they abide in the Savior in this way, can they wish for anything that is inconsistent with salvation? Some things, indeed, we wish for because we are in Christ, and other things we desire because we are still in this world. For at times, in connection with our present living quarters, we are inwardly prompted to ask what we know would not be expedient for us to receive. But God forbid that such a thing should be given to us if we abide in Christ, who, when we ask, only does what will be for our advantage. Abiding in him when his words abide in us, we shall ask what we will, and it shall be done unto us. For if we ask, and the doing does not follow, what we ask must not be connected with our abiding in him or with his words that abide in us. Instead they must be connected with that craving and infirmity of the flesh that are not in him and do not have his words abiding in them. For to his words, at all events, belongs that prayer that he taught and in which we say, ‘Our Father, who art in heaven.’ Let us only not fall away from the words and meaning of this prayer in our petitions, and whatever we ask shall be done unto us. For his words may only be said to abide in us when we do what he has commanded us and love what he has promised. But when his words abide only in the memory and have no place in your life, the branch is not in the vine because it does not draw its life from the root.” Augustine (354-430 AD)

If we desire to know God and Jesus Christ, we will have what we desire, for this is why Jesus came to earth (Jn. 17.3). How can we know when our desires are not what they ought to be? What can we do to redirect our desires, so that we can have what the Lord desires for us?

Closing Prayer
Trust in the LORD, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
Delight yourself also in the LORD,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring itto pass.
He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday.

Psalm 37.3-6

Psalm 37.1-6 (Neumark: If Thou but Suffer God to Guide Thee)
Let not the wicked make you worry;
Envy not those who break God’s Word.
Like dying grass will they be sorry,
And fade like every dying herb.
Trust in the Lord and do His will;
Dwell in His grace, be faithful still.

Delight yourself in God’s salvation;
He’ll give you all your heart’s desire.
Commit to Him your every station,
And His good purpose will transpire.
Your righteousness a blazing light
He will bring forth against the night.

T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series IV a and b: John, edited by Joel C. Elowsky, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006. Verse translation of John by T. M. Moore.