1/ The 11th Commandment (vs 12)

Christ’s love is the act of humility and sacrifice.

2/ You can call me friend. (vs 13-15)

The fact that we have a friendship with our creator is one of the most unbelievable concepts of scripture, and yet it is true.

3/ The choice of love (vs 16-17)

Christ has chosen you for a purpose, a task, and you can accomplish it by understanding the love He has for you.

CHALLENGE: Is the love God has for you lived out in your life towards others?

1/ Let’s Review! (John 15:1-5) We are called to be connected to the Vine. Jesus is the connection point.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³ Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in 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. ⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

2/ Two Types of Connections. (vs 6-8) Beware of playing games with God. He is the creator of THE GAME, rules, the board, and table you are trying to play on.

⁶ 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. ⁷ If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

3/ For Your Benefit. (vs 9-11) God’s love is a reminder that you may fail, He will pick up His followers. Tripping is not fun, watch where you are going.

⁹ As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. ¹⁰ 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. ¹¹ These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

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The True Vine
1/ A vine that supplies (vs 1-3)
The vine (God) is the source of all we ever need to thrive.

2/ Abide in the vine (vs 4)
We cannot continue to disconnect from the vine (obedience to God’s word) and expect to grow.

3/ Connection is the key (vs 5)
The branch does not exist without the vine.

Challenge: Do you grasp the idea that the best thing you can do for every aspect of your life is to be connected to God?

A Different Perspective

1/ A Home Visit (vs 22-25)

God makes a home in the hearts of those who surrender their lives to the Son of God.

2/ A Time to Remember (vs 26)

Sometimes we need to take a pause, step back, and remember what we already know.

3/ Jesus Was Telling the Disciples That His Leaving Was Something To Rejoice In Because It Meant He Would Conquer Sin and Death.

CHALLENGE: When everything seems to fall apart where does your hope lie? Christ who conquered sin and death, or in a world that let you down each and every day.

NO LONGER ORPHANS (John 14:15-21)
1/ The challenge ahead with the help we need
We must strive to obey the life God has commanded us to live, but where we fall short we have a helper to see us through.

2/ Something special for those who follow Christ
We belong to God, we are family, and family has privileges.

3/ You will know the love of the father
After salvation we start to really understand how much God loves us.

CHALLENGE: As a believer, do you strive to understand the love of God, and His promise of the Holy Spirit in your day to day life?

Duty to God

1/ Believers and doubters (vs 16-17)
There is a choice to be made and not making one is a choice.

2/ Christ authority here and there (vs 18)
His authority on earth is established by the fact that he created everything.

His authority in heaven is established by his payment on the cross in the power of his resurrection.

3/ Our duty, His promise
Completing the task is possible when the instructor is always there.

The Way

1/ To recognize the way (vs 1-4)
When you know the way getting lost isn’t an issue.

2/ To realize the truth (vs 6-11)
When you know the truth a lie can’t persuade you.

3/ To receive the life (vs 12-14)
When you see God’s life from the other side, you finally realize what being spiritually dead really was.

The Son’s Glory

John13 31 38
31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Jesus Foretells Peter’s Denial

36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” 37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.

John 13:18-30
I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled,[d] ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”
One of You Will Betray Me

21 After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. 23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus’ side,[e] 24 so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus[f] of whom he was speaking. 25 So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” 28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.

1/ Those who trust and those who don’t
Jesus was fully aware of Judas’ betrayal and the necessity of it. However, Judas allowed his heart to be swayed by Satan and was responsible for the results.

2/ Betrayal does not happen by chance
Jesus was betrayed by one of his closest companions, and yet, his disciples never saw it coming.

3/ Wickedness cannot be hid from God
A wicked heart does not come from a person that just does not do good, but from being disconnected from the one who is where goodness (righteousness) comes from.