Sermon Tone Analysis

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.

12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

14 You are my friends if you do what I command you.

15 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.

16 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 in my name, he may give it to you.

17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

Meno - ABIDE = remain, “stick with, stay put” Antithesis , fall away, run away, wander away…

We often speak of RESULTS - but RESULTS is not FRUIT - Machines can produce results, but LIVING ORGANISMS PRODUCE FRUIT, time, cultivation produce FRUIT (Warren Wiersbe)

Christians are not EATING the fruit, per sae, The branches produce fruit consumed by others - Proverbs 10:21 tells us “The Lips of the righteous feed many”

Obedience (Keeping His Commandments) CENTERS US in HIS LOVE and REWARDS US WITH JOY (15:9-11)

Verse 8 has already taught us that when we produce much fruit we are His true disciples - and this brings glory to the Father

Now we see, beginning in verse 12, that the Love and Power of Christ flowing into us as branches is not only to NOURISH our lives, but to PRODUCE FRUIT that is CONSUMED BY OTHERS - Thus the Love and Power of Christ FILL US UP, OVERFLOW INTO FRUIT that allows OTHERS to “Taste and See that the Lord is Good” (1 Peter 2:3)

Letting LOVE FLOW INTO, THROUGH and OUT OF our LIVES EXALTS the GREAT PURPOSE of the COMING OF JESUS - PEACE WITH GOD & PEACE OF GOD

The Fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22, First Three: Love, Joy (mentioned in vv.

9-11) and PEACE - Paul teaches that “Since we have been justified through faith we have PEACE WITH GOD through our Lord Jesus Christ”

Since we are attached to JESUS (He is the VINE) He is PRODUCING IN US PEACE WITH GOD -

So much so, that He calls His FAITHFUL, FRUIT-BEARING, TRUE DISCIPLES - FRIENDS!

Typically TRUE FRIENDS are not at odds, at war, nor working subversively against one-another.

They have found a PEACEFUL relationship where LOVE and JOY are the norm…

Isn’t this exactly what Jesus is telling us?

We are NO LONGER ENEMIES of GOD, but Now are His Servants and if obedient His TRUE DISCIPLES, and if Fruitful, His FRIENDS...

As We Prepare for Communion, Ask yourself this question, Does My HEART, Does My OBEDIENCE and DO My RELATIONSHIPS Demonstrate that I am a Friend of God?