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The Lord Jesus Christ Helps Us Do What Honors God the Father the Most
To Bear Fruit
John 15 Authorized (King James) Version {Parapharsed} 1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the {Gardener - says the Lord Jesus}. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. 9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. 12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. 16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. 17 These things I command you, that ye love one another. 18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. 23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. 26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: 27 and ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.
The other day, as I was reading John chapter 15, the Lord suddenly said to me,
"This means the Lord is your shepherd".
So I jumped over to Psalm 23 and in the Living Bible Version I read a verse that summed up John chapter 15. It's verse 3-B, which says, "He helps me do what honors him the most". This is what the Lord Jesus is talking about in John chapter 15. He's saying that God helps us do what honors Him the most, and that's to bear fruit.
Here are the verses from John chapter 15 that explain the theme of John chapter 15, i.e. that the Lord helps us do what honors Him the most. We can't do what honors God the most without His help.
John 15:4-8
Authorized (King James) Version
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
Today, as the Lord kept reminding me to combine here, John chapter 15 with Psalm 23, to show that they're saying the same thing (2 Tim. 2:15), the Lord also said,
"Tell them what it {Psalm 23} means".
So, I want to end this by telling you for the Lord what Psalm 23 means. I have already told you what it means. Psalm 23 means the same thing as John chapter 15, that, the Lord Jesus is our Shepherd. He helps us do what honors God the most, and that is to bear fruit (Jn. 15:8).
We cannot bear fruit by ourselves. The Lord helps us bear fruit to honor God. Jesus is the Vine and we are the branch. A branch cannot bear fruit alone unless it abides in the Vine. Neither can we bear fruit to honor God apart from Christ our Shepherd. As the opening picture says, Jesus is the Vine. We are the branch and the Holy Spirit produces the fruit in us to honor God. God helps us do what honors Him the most. We cannot bear fruit to honor God without God's help.
I want you to see that in Psalm 23 below, that David is is talking about himself like a sheep being guided by its shepherd. Combine that imagery with the Lord Jesus in John 15 talking about a plant being pruned by a gardener. Jesus is the Vine and we are the branch. The Holy Spirit is the sap that produces the fruit on the Vine. The branch only bears the fruit. We are the branch. God's fruit hangs on us. We are fruit hangars. The Vine nourishes the branch and the Vine grows the fruit from the sap in its branch. But in Psalm 23, the Lord terms the Vine and branch harmony in sheep and shepherd terms. We are the branch and the sheep. The Lord is the Shepherd and the Vine.
John 15 is the Lord's explanation of Psalm 23:1-3, that the Lord guides, corrects and protects us, like a branch is nourished by the Vine.
Our Shepherd the Lord Jesus
Psalm 23
Living Bible
1 Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need!
2-3 He lets me rest in the meadow grass and leads me beside the quiet streams. He gives me new strength. He helps me do what honors him the most.
4 Even when walking through the dark valley of death I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me, guarding, guiding all the way.[a]
5 You provide delicious food for me in the presence of my enemies. You have welcomed me as your guest;[b] blessings overflow!
6 Your goodness and unfailing kindness shall be with me all of my life, and afterwards I will live with you forever in your home.
Footnotes
Psalm 23:4 guarding, guiding all the way, literally, “your rod and your staff comfort me.”
Psalm 23:5 You have welcomed me as your guest, literally, “You have anointed my head with oil, my cup runs over.”
And the Lord wants me to end this blog by adding in John chapter 10 where the Lord Jesus explains that He is the Good Shepherd. The Lord says that He wants you to read John 10 in context with Psalm 23 and John 15 so that you can understand HOW Jesus is our Shepherd.
Jesus Christ the Good Shepherd
John 10 Authorized (King James) Version {Paraphrased} 1 Verily, verily, I say unto you {says the Lord Jesus}, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. 6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. 7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. 17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. 19 There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings. 20 And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him? 21 Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind? 22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. 23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch. 24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. 25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. 26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and my Father are one. 31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. 34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? {Psalm 82} 35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; 36 say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? 37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. 38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him. 39 Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand, 40 and went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode. 41 And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true. 42 And many believed on him there.
Proverbs 11 Living Bible 1 The Lord hates cheating and delights in honesty. 2 Proud men end in shame, but the meek become wise. 3 A good man is guided by his honesty; the evil man is destroyed by his dishonesty. 4 Your riches won’t help you on Judgment Day; only righteousness counts then. 5 Good people are directed by their honesty; the wicked shall fall beneath their load of sins. 6 The good man’s goodness delivers him; the evil man’s treachery is his undoing. 7 When an evil man dies, his hopes all perish, for they are based upon this earthly life. 8 God rescues good men from danger while letting the wicked fall into it. 9 Evil words destroy; godly skill rebuilds.[a] 10 The whole city celebrates a good man’s success—and also the godless man’s death. 11 The good influence of godly citizens causes a city to prosper, but the moral decay of the wicked drives it downhill. 12 To quarrel with a neighbor is foolish; a man with good sense holds his tongue. 13 A gossip goes around spreading rumors, while a trustworthy man tries to quiet them. 14 Without wise leadership, a nation is in trouble; but with good counselors there is safety. 15 Be sure you know a person well before you vouch for his credit! Better refuse than suffer later. 16 Honor goes to kind and gracious women, mere[b] money to cruel men. 17 Your own soul is nourished when you are kind; it is destroyed when you are cruel. 18 The evil man gets rich for the moment, but the good man’s reward lasts forever. 19 The good man finds life; the evil man, death. 20 The Lord hates the stubborn but delights in those who are good. 21 You can be very sure the evil man will not go unpunished forever. And you can also be very sure God will rescue the children of the godly. 22 A beautiful woman lacking discretion and modesty is like a fine gold ring in a pig’s snout. 23 The good man can look forward to happiness, while the wicked can expect only wrath. 24-25 It is possible to give away and become richer! It is also possible to hold on too tightly and lose everything. Yes, the liberal man shall be rich! By watering others, he waters himself. 26 People curse the man who holds his grain for higher prices, but they bless the man who sells it to them in their time of need. 27 If you search for good, you will find God’s favor; if you search for evil, you will find his curse. 28 Trust in your money and down you go! Trust in God and flourish as a tree! 29 The fool who provokes his family to anger and resentment will finally have nothing worthwhile left. He shall be the servant of a wiser man. 30 Godly men are growing a tree that bears life-giving fruit, and all who win souls are wise.[c] 31 Even the godly shall be rewarded here on earth; how much more the wicked!
Footnotes
Proverbs 11:9 Evil words destroy; godly skill rebuilds, or “When a godless man slanders his neighbor, the charges won’t stick because everyone knows his reputation.”
Proverbs 11:16 mere, implied.
Proverbs 11:30 all who win souls are wise, or “he that is wise wins souls.”
"The Lord Is My Shepherd" (Keith Green)
"He'll Take Care of the Rest" (Keith Green)