The Gospel of John: John 15.18-27

Read and meditate on John 15.22.
Oh, the power of Jesus’ words! If only we would speak them as He did.

           ²²“If I had not called them to repent,
then they would have no sin; however, they
have no excuse for sinning now.”

- John 15.22

Reflect
1.  Jesus indicated that the world of His day, especially the Jewish world, did not have a true sense of sin until He came and spoke to them. What did He mean by this? Why did Jesus consider this an important part of His message? Complete this prayer: Lord, in my own case, it took You speaking to me for me to…

2.  What does it suggest about the Good News, as Jesus spoke it, that it made people aware of their sins? Is this a good thing? Why? Show me my sins, Lord, so that…

3.  If only Jesus hadn’t come speaking about sin, the people wouldn’t have known they were sinners. Is it good for people to be unaware that they are sinners? Explain. Lord, do not let any sin get in the way of my fellowship with You. Instead…

4.  Those who hear Jesus speaking “have no excuse for their sin.” But wait: We sin and make excuses all the time, don’t we? What excuses do we tell ourselves for sinning against the Word of Christ? How does the Lord view those excuses? How should we view them? Forgive me, Lord, whenever I make excuses for sinning, and help me instead…

5.  Jesus spoke to the world about sin, according to the words His Father had given Him. Shouldn’t we speak to the world about sin as well, since He has given us all that He heard from the Father (v. 15)? How should we do that, beginning with ourselves? How would you expect people to respond to speaking to them about sin? Bring together into one prayer the prayers you wrote for questions 1-4.

Summary
“By participating in the word or reason, people are said to have sinned, that is, from the time they are capable of understanding, from the time that the reason implanted within them suggests to them the difference between good and evil. After they have begun to know what evil is, they are liable for any sin they commit.” Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD)

Where the Gospel is concerned, we must not blink at sin, not in our own lives, not in one another’s lives, not in the lives of our neighbors, not in the times in which we live. There is no Good News without the bad news. Jesus spoke to people about their sin, and so must we. Can you think of some effective ways of including sin in your presentation of the Gospel?

Closing Prayer
The fool has said in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt,
They have done abominable works,
There is none who does good.
The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men,
To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.
They have all turned aside,
They have together become corrupt;
There is none who does good,
No, not one.
Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge,
Who eat up my people as they eat bread,
And do not call on the LORD?
There they are in great fear,
For God is with the generation of the righteous.
You shame the counsel of the poor,
But the LORD is his refuge.
Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!
When the LORD brings back the captivity of His people,
Let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.

Psalm 14

Psalm 147 (St. Ann: Our God, Our Help in Ages Past)
The fool within his heart proclaims, “There is no God at all!”
His deeds are wicked, filled with shame who on God will not call.

No good in such as these is found; corruption fills their breast.
God from His heav’nly throne looks down, their hearts and ways to test.

None understands, none seeks the Lord; they all have turned aside.
Deception leads them from God’s Word who have His grace denied.

The workers of iniquity consume God’s sheep like bread;
They trust not in the Lord, and He shall fill their hearts with dread.

For Jesus with the righteous stands, though they be put to shame.
He holds them safely in His hands who shelter in His Name.

Restore Your Church, let Zion sing; our captive hearts release,
That we may Your salvation bring, rejoicing and in peace.

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.