João 15
F.B. Meyer · Citado em PreceptAustin
João 15
Meyer - Abide in me, and I in you. Abiding in Christ does not mean that you must always be thinking about Christ. You are in a house, abiding in its enclosure or beneath its shelter, though you are not always thinking about the house itself. But you always know when you leave it. A man may not be always thinking of his sweet home circle; but he and they may nevertheless be abiding in each other’s love. And he knows instantly when any of them is in danger of passing out of the warm tropic of love into the arctic region of separation. So we may not always be sensible of the revealed presence of Jesus; we may be occupied with many things of necessary duty—but as soon as the heart is disengaged it will become aware that He has been standing near all the while; and there will be a bright flash of recognition, and a repetition of the Psalmist’s cry, “Thou art near, O Lord.” Ah! life of bliss, lived under the thought of His presence; as dwellers in Alpine valleys live beneath the solemn splendor of some grand snowcapped range of mountains! The indwelling is reciprocal. He is in us, and we are in Him. He is in us as the source of our being; we are in Him as filled with His fullness. He is in us all-communicative; we are in Him all-receptive. He is in us as the sunlight in the else darkened chamber; we are in Him as the cold green log cast into the flaming furnace, glows through and through with ruddy and transforming heat. He is in us as the sap in the veins of the tree; we are in Him as the branches. Abide in Me, and I in you. The unity between the Lord and his members is beautifully set forth in this exquisite parable; which was perhaps suggested by the swaying of a vine in the evening air, as they essayed to go from the upper room towards Gethsemane. In certain conservatories the pliant branches are trained along roof or wall for vast distances; yet one life pervades the whole plant, from the rugged root to the furthest twig and leaf and cluster. Thus there is one holy life pervading all who have belonged, or shall belong, to Jesus. They live because He lives. His life is theirs. We are in Christ by grace; but we need to realize and accentuate the union by meditation and prayer. Waiting more absolutely for his impulses in inter. cession and action. Being silent for Him to speak Drawing on Him by the constant appeal of faith which becomes as natural as breathing. Looking away to Him for his commendation. Seeking only his verdict on what may have been said and done So closely joined to Him, that He may produce in and through us whatever fruit He will for the refreshment of men and the glory of God. We are in Christ for ever, so far as our standing is concerned; but we may be “taken away,” so far as our opportunities of ministry are concerned. How many of us have failed to be what He desired, so that He has had to bestow elsewhere the luxury of ministering to Him! We are in Christ, not because we hold Him, but because He holds us; therefore we must expect the Fathers pruning. Yet do not dread the knife. It is his Word, wielded by a Father’s hand; and if we will yield to the golden pruning-knife of the Word, we shall escape the iron one of sorrow. W. Hay Aitken - From moment to moment, and from hour to hour, the inner nature of man is to be continuously sustained with the life of God. Only as I am constantly receiving His fullness into my emptiness am I really living in the true, full, deep sense of the word, that life of eternity, which is my privilege now, and will be my glory hereafter. Robert
João 15
Meyer - Apart from Him we can do nothing. Whilst we are abiding in Him nothing is impossible. The one purpose of our life should therefore be to remain in living and intense union with Christ, guarding against everything that would break it, employing every means of cementing and enlarging it. And just in proportion as we do so, we shall find His strength flowing into us for every possible emergency. We may not feel its presence; but we shall find it present whenever we begin to draw on it. There is no temptation which we cannot master; no privation which we cannot patiently bear; no difficulty with which we cannot cope; no work which we cannot perform; no confession or testimony which we cannot make, if only our souls are living in healthy union with Jesus Christ; for as our day or hour, so shall our strength be. C H
João 15
Meyer - Ye are my friends. Why do you not make more of your transcendent privileges? Oh! Friends of God, why do you not make more of your transcendent privileges? Why do you not talk to Him about all that wearies and worries you, as freely as Abraham did, telling Him about your Ishmaels, your Lots, and His dealings? Why do you not fall on your faces while God talks with you? Life should be one long talk between God and us. No day should close without our talking over its history with our patient, loving Lord: entering into His confessional; relieving our hearts of half their sorrow, and all their bitterness, in the act of telling Him all. And if only we get low enough, and be still enough, we shall hear His accents sweet and thrilling, soft and low, opening depths which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard; but which He has prepared for those who love and wait for Him. Who's In The Front Seat? You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. — John 15:14 Today's Scripture : John 15:9-17 When riding on a tandem bike, the person in front is in charge. He does the steering and usually sets the pace. The rider in the second seat helps to pedal. I heard about a believer in Christ named Chuck who loves tandem biking with his wife or son. He’s a dynamic business executive, a man of action and decision. Although Chuck had grown up in the church, he was holding back from committing certain aspects of his life to the Lord. He always had to be in control. But the consequences of his stubborn pride and self-sufficiency were making his life miserable. His relationships with his business partners, with his family, and with God were breaking down. One morning, unable to take it any longer, he went on a solitary bike ride to think things through. He was gone so long that his wife began to worry. When he returned, his face was tear-stained but he was smiling. He told his wife, “I put God on the front seat this morning.” Prayer Lord, so often I want to steer my own life. Help me to yield everything to You, to do whatever You command. Enable me to love others as You have loved me. Amen. Jesus gave His all for me—how can I give Him less? Friending You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. — John 15:14 Today's Scripture : John 15:9-17 The social networking Web site Facebook.com was launched in 2004 as a way for college students to connect with each other online. It is now open to people of all ages, and currently (2011) there are an estimated 500 million users. Each user has an individual page with photos and personal details that can be viewed by “friends.” To “friend” a person means opening the door to communication and information about who you are, where you go, and what you do. Facebook friendships may be casual or committed, but each one is “by invitation only.” Just before Jesus was crucified, He told His disciples: “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you” (John 15:14-15). Unselfishness, oneness of purpose, and confident trust are the hallmarks of true friendship, especially in our relationship with the Lord. Christ has taken the initiative by giving His life for us and inviting us to know and follow Him. Friendship with Jesus, Fellowship divine; O what blessed, sweet communion— Jesus is a Friend of mine. —Ludgate Jesus longs to be our Friend. John 15:15 “No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. I call: John 15:20 12:26 13:16 20:17 Ga 4:6 Phm 1:16 Jas 1:1 2Pe 1:1 Jude 1:1 Rev 1:1 friends: Jas 2:23 all: John 4:19 17:6-8,26 Ge 18:17-19 2Ki 6:8-12 Ps 25:14 Am 3:7 Mt 13:11 Lu 10:23 Ac 20:27 Ro 16:25,26 1Co 2:9-12 Eph 1:9 3:5 Col 1:26 1Pe 1:11 John 15 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries THE BENEFITS OF BEING A FRIEND OF JESUS No (ouketi - absolutely no) longer do I call you slaves (doulos), for the slave (doulos in the Roman world) does not know (eido) what his master (kurios) is doing - This is an interesting statement by Jesus because on one hand he says He no longer calls His disciples slaves, but on the other hand we know that as His disciples we are His slaves. Why are we His slaves? Because He has purchased us off from the slave market, where we were slaves to our old master Sin, having redeemed us and having made us His very own possession (See Scriptures below). He is now our Master (our Lord - kurios) and we are His loving slaves. And yet He does not call us slaves as He says here. So what is Jesus saying? There are those who are slaves of sinful men in the fallen world and they were treated as mere chattel, objects that were scorned, used and abused. But not so with slaves of Jesus. Yes, we are are His slaves, but here He says that He will treat us like His friends. (See insight by Barclay below) How do we know? He explains that the slaves in the world do not know what their master is doing, and uses the verb for know (eido) which describes an internal knowledge which is beyond a shadow of a doubt (ultimately knowledge, a type of knowledge that can only be given from an outside Source, e.g., the Holy Spirit). But as Jesus goes on to explain in the next clause, we as His slave/friend are privileged to know, but there He uses a different verb for know (see below). But (term of contrast) I have called you friends (philos), for (term of explanation - what's Jesus explaining?) all things (HOW MANY?) that I have heard (akouo) from My Father (pater) I have made known (gnorizo) to you - Yes we are Jesus' slaves but one of the blessings of His bringing us into the New Covenant in His blood is that we now are His friends by that covenant. In ancient times "friend" was a word related to those entering into a covenant. For more insight into the wonderful concept of friend as a feature of being in covenant with another person see my notes on Friend as a Covenant Term.