Title: Stay in My Love!
Contents
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4. Hear, Israel; the LORD our God is the only LORD.
5. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength.
6. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart.
7. You shall teach your children diligently, and you will preach these words when you sit at home, when you walk on the road, when you lie down, and when you get up.
8. You shall also tie it to your wrist as a sign, and put it between your forehead as a mark.
9. You shall also write it on the doorpost of your house and on the outside door.
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1. I am the true vine, and my father is a farmer.
2. Every branch attached to me that does not bear fruit, the Father takes away it, and every branch that bears fruit he purifies so that it may bear more fruit.
3. You have already been cleansed by the words I have spoken to you.
4. Abide in me, and I in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.
5. I am the vine and you are the branches; if he abides in me, and I in him, a man bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
6. If a man does not abide in me, it is thrown out like a branch and withers away. People gather it and throw it into the fire, and it is consumed.
7. If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
8. My Father will be glorified, that you bear much fruit, and you will be my disciples.
9. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love.
10. Just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love, so if you keep my commandments you will abide in my love.
11. I name these things to you, that my joy may be in you and your joy may be full.
Content
Title: Stay in My Love!
Text: Deuteronomy 6:4-9, John 15:1-11
The purpose of the Gospel of John is so that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, and that we may have life through His name (John 20:31). Life, which is the grace given through Jesus Christ, is “a bountiful gift to be obtained and obtained” (John 10:10). That life is reminiscent of the tree of life in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:22) and the tree of life by the river of life in the kingdom of God (Revelation 22:2). “The life” is also the theme of the Gospel of John. Seven declarations (John 6:35; 8:12; 10:7,11; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1) and seven signs (John 2:1-11; 4:46-54; 5:1) -9; 6:1-15, 16-21; 9:1-12; Chapter 11) were also life-giving demonstrations. The last of those seven declarations is today's New Testament text (John 15:1-11). ‘I am the true vine. My father is the farmer” (John 15:1). This is a declaration that enlightens us on the blessed life and mission that the chosen people of Israel will enjoy.
Israel as the vine in the Old Testament was a failure (Isaiah 5:1-7; Jer 2:21; Ezekiel 15, 19:10-14; Hos 10:1-3). The vine, a symbol of Israel, was engraved in gold on the front door of the sanctuary. When Jesus spent his last night with his disciples on the earth, it must have been the temple where he left Mark's upper room (John 14:31). Let us guess the place where today's text was being spoken. He taught the way not to repeat the shameful history. As I meditate on the Word, I feel the words 'Abide in me!...Abide in my love!' It is an expression of existence. It is the only condition for bearing fruit. Your relationship with Jesus, who is the true vine, determines everything about the saint as a branch.
Let us pay attention to the words of the True Vine, ‘Abide in my love!’. What kind of love is God's love for us (John 3:16), the very love of our Lord? It is a love that is more than the ‘eros’ love, which is the love between a man and a woman. It is more of a love than 'phileo', which is love between blood lines. It is a love that is more than ‘storge’, which is the love between friends that we are used to. All of them are the categories of human love, but Jesus' love is the divine category of love, 'agape'. Its height, depth, and breadth are unfathomable love. The Apostle Paul said that all the fullness is there (Ephesians 3:16-19). The content of the Shema is the love of God that He demanded of Israel, His people (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). It is a response to God's love for us (Romans 8:32; 1 John 4:9-11).