John 15-18(WITHOUT 17) Flashcards
(6 cards)
John 15:5–8
🌿 “The Vine and the Branches – Stay connected to bear fruit”
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
Detailed Analysis (based entirely on your notes):
In this passage, Jesus uses the metaphor of a vine and branches to illustrate the nature of our relationship with Him. He is the vine, and we are the branches—organically connected, drawing life, strength, and nourishment directly from Him. The Father is the root, the foundational source that grounds the entire tree. Each part depends on the other, and without connection, the structure collapses.
Remaining in Jesus means maintaining a living, breathing relationship with Him through prayer, worship, obedience, and submission. When we abide in Him like this, we begin to bear fruit—the visible evidence of Christ’s character in us (Galatians 5:22–23). These are not just moral improvements; they are supernatural traits that reflect our transformation. But this fruitfulness is conditional: apart from Jesus, we are powerless. Our actions, no matter how moral they appear, lose their eternal weight when severed from Christ.
Jesus gives a stark warning too: those who don’t remain in Him become like dead branches—withered, discarded, and ultimately burned. This imagery isn’t casual—it’s a direct reference to judgment and spiritual death, echoing John 14:6, where Jesus said no one comes to the Father except through Him. Persistent disconnection is rejection of the only source of life.
On the flip side, those who remain in Him and allow His words to remain in them are promised that they can “ask whatever you wish, and it will be done.” This isn’t about selfish desire—it’s about alignment. When your desires are shaped by His Word, your prayers reflect His heart. Jesus is ready to bless you, to give you the life you dream of—but He asks for yours in return. Just as He gave up His life for you, He calls you to surrender yours in obedience.
Jesus goes even further: bearing fruit is how the world knows who His real disciples are. It’s not about what you say or how much scripture you quote—it’s about the life you live. The Pharisees knew the law, but their lives lacked fruit. A true follower of Christ lives with humility, action, and evidence of change. It’s not about image—it’s about inward transformation producing outward results.
And how do we remain in Him practically? By ensuring that His words remain in us. This stresses the importance of scripture memory and study. The Word is our weapon, and like any soldier, we must be armed and ready. If you don’t refresh yourself regularly in scripture—through flashcards, notes, or study—you risk spiritual amnesia, forgetting vital truths when the enemy strikes. “If you don’t use it, you lose it” applies directly here.
By keeping the Word alive in you, you stay aware of your spiritual mission. You’re not just reacting to life—you’re walking in purpose, understanding your assignment in every moment.
John 15:12–17
🤝 “Chosen for Friendship and Fruit—Love like Christ, not like the world”
12 “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.
17 This is my command: Love each other.”
Detailed Analysis (based entirely on your notes):
Jesus issues a simple but weighty command: Love one another as I have loved you. This echoes Matthew 7:12, where He teaches us to treat others as we’d like to be treated. But here, Jesus raises the bar even higher—His kind of love is sacrificial, even to the point of death. The greatest expression of love, He says, is laying down one’s life for a friend. This love isn’t about words or gestures—it’s about action and selflessness.
Jesus redefines our relationship with Him. It’s not a slave-master dynamic where the servant obeys out of fear or distance. In that kind of relationship, there’s no real intimacy—just command and compliance. But Jesus calls us friends. Why? Because He’s been completely open with us—He shared everything the Father gave Him. He didn’t hide behind divine mystery; He revealed the heart of God in every teaching, parable, and act of compassion. That openness is proof of His friendship.
And here’s something even deeper: you didn’t choose Jesus—He chose you. Long before you knew Him, He saw you, looked into your family line, your history, your heart—and singled you out. He appointed you to carry a divine assignment with eternal weight. He gave you a calling with a due date: your life. And just like a student is judged by a mark scheme, your life will be examined—but by a perfect and fair God, who knows the intention behind every action.
The mission? To bear fruit—fruit that lasts. This fruit isn’t temporary success or outward achievement. It’s the eternal, Spirit-born character of Christ living in you. And as you walk in obedience and love, Jesus promises that whatever you ask in His name, the Father will grant. That’s not a blank check for material gain—it’s a deep promise that, when your desires are aligned with Christ, your requests carry Kingdom authority.
Finally, Jesus repeats what He started with: Love each other. This isn’t optional. It’s the core command that distinguishes you as His friend and disciple. His love isn’t like the world’s love—it’s holy, selfless, and always rooted in truth. That same love has been given to you—so now, pass it on.
John 15:18-19
Why does the world reject those who follow Christ?
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.”
This verse reveals a spiritual reality: as a follower of Christ, rejection and hatred from the world aren’t accidental — they are part of the Christian calling. Jesus is reminding you that He Himself was hated, not because He did wrong, but because His life and message stood in stark contrast to the world’s darkness. Likewise, people may despise your bold faith, your love for God, and your refusal to conform to worldly standards. That hatred isn’t personal — it’s spiritual. It’s rooted in the fact that you have been set apart, chosen by Jesus to live differently. The Devil works through the systems and people of the world, using the same tactics he used against Christ to attack you. But the comfort lies in the fact that Jesus faced this same conflict and still overcame it. You carry the same Spirit within you — the same power that conquered death and hostility. So when you’re targeted, misunderstood, or hated, remember: you reflect Christ’s image, and that’s what the world resists. But if He overcame the world, so can you — not by your strength, but by the One who lives in you.
John 16:12-15
What does Jesus promise about the Holy Spirit’s role in your life?
“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”
Here, Jesus speaks not only to His disciples, but to every believer who will come after them. He acknowledges that there is still much to be revealed, but our human limitations can’t carry it all at once. That’s why He sends the Holy Spirit — not just as a comforter, but as a divine teacher and guide into all truth, the very truth of God Himself. This Spirit doesn’t speak from His own agenda — He conveys the will, wisdom, and voice of Jesus, and by extension, the Father. This means every time the Spirit speaks to your heart, it is as though Jesus Himself is instructing you. That’s why the Holy Spirit must become essential to your walk — a daily, growing presence. You invite Him through prayer, deepen your relationship with Him through scripture, and obey His guidance in your decisions. As you do, the Spirit sharpens your discernment, helps you glorify Jesus in your words and actions, and aligns your heart with God’s will. While you’ll never reach the full glory of Christ, the Spirit is there to constantly transform you into His likeness. Letting the Spirit live in you is letting Christ dwell in you — which is the very relationship He died to make possible.
John 16:21-22
How does Jesus use pain to birth spiritual joy?
“A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.”
This verse holds a profound personal parallel to your own journey. Jesus compares the grief of His followers to a woman in labor — intense pain that precedes something beautiful. In your life, this metaphor came alive when you broke your leg. At the time, the pain was overwhelming and confusing, like punishment without explanation — a grief you couldn’t yet make sense of. But that suffering wasn’t random. It was your appointed time of spiritual labor — God using pain to get your attention. The turning point came in an unexpected place: that moment on the red couch, scrolling through TikTok, when you heard the question in your spirit: “Is this what God wants you to do with your life?” That was your awakening. From that day on, your sorrow turned to joy. You met Jesus — not through a sermon, but through brokenness. And now, like the woman who forgets her labor after holding her child, you sometimes forget how deep that pain was. That’s the transformative power of encountering Christ: anguish is replaced with a joy that no one can take away. Even your suffering becomes something you thank God for, because it brought you into relationship with Him. Every trial becomes a reminder that God is willing to allow temporary pain to bring you eternal joy — and that joy is rooted in knowing Him.
John 18:4–6 — Jesus Declares “I AM He”
What is the significance of Jesus’ response during His arrest in the garden?
“Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, ‘Who is it you want?’
‘Jesus of Nazareth,’ they replied.
‘I am he,’ Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.)
When Jesus said, ‘I am he,’ they drew back and fell to the ground.”
Analysis:
This moment takes place in the Garden of Gethsemane, just before Jesus’ betrayal by Judas. Jesus, fully aware of the suffering ahead, confronts the arresting party with divine composure and authority. When He responds, “I am he,” He is not just identifying Himself; He is echoing the divine name revealed in Exodus 3:14—“I AM”—the sacred name God gave to Moses. This is also consistent with His earlier declaration in John 8:58, where He says, “Before Abraham was born, I am,” unmistakably claiming divine identity.
The impact of this statement is immediate and supernatural: the guards draw back and fall to the ground. This isn’t simply fear or surprise; it’s a physical response to divine presence and power. In that instant, even His enemies involuntarily acknowledge His majesty—foreshadowing the day when every knee will bow (Philippians 2:10), and as seen in Matthew 8:28–29, even demons submit to Him.
This encounter reveals that Jesus is not a victim, but the sovereign Lord—willingly giving Himself over to fulfill the will of the Father. It reminds us that His name carries power, and we are called to revere and fear the name of Jesus as we would the name of the Father. His authority is not derived—it is eternal. Jesus is God in the flesh, and this passage is one of the clearest demonstrations of that divine reality in action.
