HisStory
John 15
Hey, hey, hey, hey. Yeah, hey, hey, hey. We back. All right, all right. How's everybody doing? That'll be encouraged, being encouraged. If nobody's told you you can, you can. You can hear his voice. You can follow his will. Your journey can get a little bit better. We're going to do our part. Try to help get to the end. [Music] All right, all right, all right. Welcome back to his story. There are many stories to tell, but his story is the one that matters the most. Today, I want to kind of talk about some process I've been going through. I've been thinking about the kingdom. I'm doing my personal study with Leviticus, and there's a lot behind it. I know at some point we'll get into that and talk about it and how that connects with a lot of what Jesus was teaching in the midst of that day. And then also a lot of what Paul refers to as well as the other disciples or the other apostles' disciples. So one of the things that I don't want to study, I was thinking about kingdom and what a kingdom is. And when I looked up the definition, I'm going to give you two brief ones. There, of course, goes a lot deeper, but a kingdom is a politically organized community or territory ruled by a king, which is also known as a monarchy. I guess a lot of bad rap in today's day and age, but this is exactly what we're living in in the kingdom of God is a monarchy and Jesus can't get any better king than that is the king. And so if he's king, and that's what a definition is a kingdom, kingdom can equal, if you're thinking about maybe something related to would be like country. And so, I don't know, and I'm thinking of the scripture where he says that, and he was talking about the country is like if they were not looking for a better country, then they would have plenty opportunity to return to these previous and adequate countries. But the country that is built, the kingdom that is built by God is a better one. And so it's something to hold on to, but it's just this idea of kingdom and monarchy and the king. And so that took me from that thought process that took me to, well, let's look at Jesus being the king, and this is relating to where we're getting ready to go into our Bible study. He's getting ready to, of course, pay the cost for our, our sinful nature. Again, a corrupt nature we were born with. There's nothing we could have done that came from the fall. But he then makes a promise and he leaves us the Holy Spirit. So this is where I'm going to connect to the Holy Spirit. So I'm thinking about a kingdom. And the only way to enter into this perfected kingdom with this awesome king, Jesus, through this sacrifice and accepting what he did, then he says, when I go, I'm going to leave you the Holy Spirit. So remember that corruptible nature. So he says the Holy Spirit is a counselor, like a helper, want to guide us, lead us. And so for the believer, and the only way you can get the Holy Spirit is believe it in Christ, they're walking in that right. But for the believer, then we receive the Holy Spirit. And then our nature is not only changed because of what Christ did, but then the Holy Spirit, right, then helps us and teaches us and guides the changing or the transforming of our behavior, right, the way that we exist. So it's like God, Christ changed our nature, and the Holy Spirit changes and helps us through the journey, right. The way we think, the way we act, our behavior, and because we love Jesus, right, because we love God, we then listen to that counselor. And before you know it, it's like the scripture says, we no longer conform to this world, but be transformed. We become transformed by the renewal of our mind. So that was something I was thinking about this weekend. That's something I wanted to share before we got into John 15 is really do not take the Holy Spirit for granted. If you're not a believer, you can't have the Holy Spirit. You're still dead, figuratively, but you are dead spiritually. You're with without the help of the Holy Spirit to do the things that you need to do in life and then you are without Christ walking towards a eternity of being without God. I invite you, and again, if you continue to listen to this podcast, you'll learn more about Jesus, but I invite you to accept him, right, is find out exactly what he did, which I'll say here is like he came. It was virgin born. He's the Messiah, the one that would allow us to be able to have our sense forgiven. So then he came, he died on the cross. He didn't stay dead. The death he died on the cross was in place of the death that we deserve because of the corrupt nature, right, from the fall of man. And then when he resurrected three days later, being God, right, being the Son of God, and when he resurrected, then it's like it gave him the right to kingship. But he's always had to write, but he gave him the right to kingship. But then it also allowed it to where we could be reconciled back to God because of that. And then he promises even after that fact, it's like, again, it takes away the corruptible nature, but then it gives us a gift, the Holy Spirit, to help us to actually walk that out until we go home. Right, so we live in this kingdom, grew up by this monarch, Jesus. Now, right, as we're learning to do that now, and we'll do that into the into eternity. So don't take the Holy Spirit for granted. He's a relational being, the believer gets to lean on him, right, to guide our behavior. So it's almost like having this inner voice, you know, they talk about the subconscious, or the conscious, but it's an actual person, Holy Spirit, that guides our behavior. It's like, hey, don't do that, or teaches you, teaches us all things. He also brings to remembrance all things that Jesus has taught us. And then even as we're reading the word, he brings those things back to mind. So we'll be able to continue to live in them. And then Jesus left us peace to have, which surpasses all understanding, but he left us to peace to have. It is ours in the midst of not even understanding. And then never get so used to the power of God, and you'll learn what that means through time, if you don't already know. Never get so used to the power of God, right, that you forget the God behind the power. Never get so used to the Spirit of God, being around you, that you grow complacent, right, in your honor. You grow complacent in your worship of him. Your life is his sanctuary. Don't make it a den of thieves. Remember, it is our Father's house. Okay. All right, so what we're going to do is I want to read a scripture before I get into our reading today. Go ahead and turn over to Luke chapter 10 verse 38. And I want to talk about the kingdom. I want to talk about the Holy Spirit. And then we'll go ahead and then we'll continue John 15. So verses 38. Now, as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who was set at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?" Question. It's all her then to help me. But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things. But one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her." Now, Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray as John taught his disciples." And he said to them, "When you pray, say, "Father, hollow or holy be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us today our daily bread and forgive us our sins. For we ourselves forgive everyone who has sent or has indebted to us. And lead us not in sensation." And he said to them, "Jesus said to them, "Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, let me three loaves for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him. And he will answer from within, do not bother me. The doors now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything." I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything, because he is his friend. Because of his impudence or his continuously asking, he will rise and give him whatever he needs. And I tell you, asking him will be given to you, seeking you will find, knocking you, it will be open to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and the one who knocks, it will be open. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If then you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit who asks him? Go over to John chapter 14 verse, chapter 14 verse 15. If you love me, this is Jesus speaking, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another helper to be with you forever. Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive. Because as neither sees him nor knows him, you know him before he dwells with you. It will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you, yet a little while in the world will see me no more. But you will see me because I live, and you also will live. And the day that you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father. I will love him and manifest myself to him. But the helper down verse 26. The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and will bring to your remembrance, all that I have said to you. Peace I leave you, and my peace I give you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled. Neither, let it be afraid. All right, so John chapter 15. I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine dresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, he takes away. And every branch that does not bear fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I've spoken to you. Abided me and I in you, as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, and you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, it is he that bears much fruit. For apart from me, you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers, and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words are biting you, ask whatever you wish, and it would be done for you. By this, my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, so prove to be my disciples as the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Abided my love, and if you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love. Just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that that joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone laid down his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his Master is doing. But I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father, I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father of my name, he may give it to you. These things I have commanded you, so that you will love one another. If the world hates you, know that it has hated me first, before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world will love you as its own, but because you are not of it, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I sent to you, because servant is not greater than his Master. If they were persecuted me, if they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me, hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. But the word that is written in their own law must be fulfilled if they hated me without cause. But when the helper comes, whom I will send to you, from the Father, the Spirit of Truth who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning. [Music] [BLANK_AUDIO]