The Gospel of John: John 15.1-8

Read and meditate on John 15.8.
As Jesus glorified the Father, so too may we. Here’s how.

          ⁸“Bear much fruit, and you will be
My true disciples, and will glorify
My Father.”

- John 15.8

Reflect
1.  As branches on the Vine which is Christ, believers are called to bear much fruit. What role do prayer and the Word of Christ have in this? Complete this prayer: Lord, I have no strength on my own to bear much fruit, but I know that…

2.  What does it mean to glorify the Father? That is, how does the “much fruit” we bear as Jesus’ disciples glorify the Father? Is glorifying the Father something we should prepare for daily? Explain. I want to glorify You daily, Lord, so…

3.  When are we being Jesus’ disciples? To ask the question another way, What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ? Should this be part of our explanation of the Gospel? Explain. I want people to know that I am Your disciple, Lord, so I need You to…

4.  If we are not bearing “much fruit,” can our claiming to be disciples of Jesus be credible? Why or why not? How much fruit is much fruit? Can we ever know? Should we ever cease trying to bear more fruit (cf. Gal. 6.9, 10)? Explain. Lord, I know that bearing much fruit does not earn Your love or the gift of eternal life. But since I know that You love me, and that I havethis great gift, I want to bear much fruit so that…

5.  What are the greatest obstacles to bearing much fruit as a follower of Jesus Christ? How can Christians encourage and assist one another in this calling? Bring together into one your prayers from questions 1-4.

Summary
“The Savior, in thus speaking to the disciples, commends still more and more the grace whereby we are saved when he says, ‘By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and be made my disciples.’ Whether we say glorified or made bright, both are the translation of one Greek verb, namely, doxazein. For what is doxa in Greek is ‘gloria’ in Latin. I have thought it worthwhile to mention this because the apostle says, ‘If Abraham was justified by works, he has glory, but not before God.’ For this is the glory before God, whereby God, and not man [humankind], is glorified, when man is justified, not by works, but by faith, so that even his doing well is imparted to him by God. Just as the branch, as I have stated above, cannot bear fruit of itself. For if God the Father is glorified in this, that we bear much fruit and are made the disciples of Christ, let us not credit this to our own glory, as though we had it from ourselves. For such grace is from him, and the glory in this is therefore not ours but his. And so, in another passage, after saying, ‘Let your light so shine before people that they may see your good works’—to keep them from the thought that such good works were of themselves—he immediately added, ‘and may glorify your Father who is in heaven.’ For here is where the Father is glorified, that we bear much fruit and are made the disciples of Christ. And by whom are we so made, but by him whose mercy has preceded us? For ‘we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.’” Augustine (354-430 AD)

The fruit that comes out in our lives – love, joy, peace, and all the rest – will make God the Father known in our world. But we must guard against thinking this is our work. It is not. It is Jesus, at work within us by His Spirit, willing and doing of His good pleasure (Phil. 2.13). What should our response be when Jesus glorifies the Father through the fruit we bear?

Closing Prayer
The LORD is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation.
The voice of rejoicing and salvation
Is in the tents of the righteous;
The right hand of the LORD does valiantly.
The right hand of the LORD is exalted;
The right hand of the LORD does valiantly.
I shall not die, but live,
And declare the works of the LORD.
The LORD has chastened me severely,
But He has not given me over to death.
Open to me the gates of righteousness;
I will go through them,
And I will praise the LORD.
This is the gate of the LORD,
Through which the righteous shall enter.
I will praise You,
For You have answered me,
And have become my salvation.
The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This was the LORD’s doing;
It is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day the LORDhas made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.
Save now, I pray, O LORD;
O LORD, I pray, send now prosperity.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!
We have blessed you from the house of the LORD.
God is the LORD,
And He has given us light;
Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.
You are my God, and I will praise You;
You are my God, I will exalt You.
Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.

Psalm 118.14-29

Psalm 118.14-29 (St. George’s Windsor: Come, Ye Thankful People, Come )
In the Savior we are strong! He is all our strength and song!
To His grace now raise your voice; in His righteousness rejoice!
For the Lord does valiantly; we shall live eternally.
Praise His works with all your breath, you whom He redeems from death.

All who know Christ’s righteousness His great Name now thank and bless!
Though His gate full righteous is, He our saving mercy is.
Cast aside and left alone, Christ is now our Cornerstone!
God has made His Son and Word our salvation: Praise the Lord!

Blest are they who in His Name come and Jesus’ grace proclaim.
God His light upon us shines in the Savior’s sacrifice.
Praise and thanks to You, O Lord; we extol Your holy Word!
Thanks to You for You are good! Thanks to our great loving God!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.