Christmas Joy

This is the way things are: Christians are like branches, Jesus is like the vine and the Father is like the vinedresser.

Christian, you are not designed to be the source or the result. Jesus is the source and fruit is the result. Joy is abiding in the Source and producing the Result. After all, the whole reason Jesus explained this vine-branch illustration is “that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

What does it mean to abide in Jesus like a branch connected to a vine? Jesus gives us a couple of clues in this passage:

– Verse 7: It means his words abiding in you. Jesus’ teaching living and working in you, changing you from the inside out.

– Verse 9: It means abiding in his love. Living in light of the fact that in him we’re already clean (v.3), already branches (v.5), and already completely loved (v.9).

– Verse 10: It means keeping his commandments. What commandments? This brings us to The Result we designed to produce.

It has to do with keeping Jesus’ commandments, which are many, especially if you consider that all of the Bible is his word. Luckily he declares exactly what he’s talking about in the very next verse: This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. So, abiding in Jesus has to do with loving people and loving people has to do with the fruit we’re designed to produce. But it must be more than just being kind to people because a little further in the passage, he warns that people will likely end up hating them for living this way (v.18). Why would anyone hate Christians for loving people? I believe he has in mind making disciples. I believe discipleship is the fruit he’s referring to.

Finish this sentence, “Be fruitful and ________.”

I bet you said “multiply”. Fruitfulness and multiplication are a common pair in the Bible and life in general. Plus, Jesus concludes this chapter in verse 27 by saying that his disciples would bear witness of him.

While many of us get part one of this idea (be plugged into Jesus), many of us miss part two (be fruitful in discipleship). But to experience abiding joy, we need to live out both realities.

I’ll close with a couple of quick examples of how people have discipled me over the years to give you concrete ideas about how to move forward toward your own fruitfulness:

– My mom: teaching me, taking me to church and exemplifying the gospel in myriad ways from early childhood to current day.

– Jonathon Byrd: befriending me when I was the new kid in the youth group, loving me when I was a jerk toward him, and being serious about his faith as a young man.

– Barry Byrd, Jimmie Dale, and Adam Ponder: pastoring me as recognized ministers in the church.

– Doug Hyatt, Tony Jordan, and Thomas Lockamy: Lay leaders in the church who gave up their time to teach younger generations and even hang out with me one-on-one.

– Curtis Nivins Jr.: A coworker who joyfully worshipped God all the time and invited me to join him (even while packing boxes in a warehouse).

– Mr. and Mrs. Duncan: An older couple who took it upon themselves to finance a large part of my Bible college and seminary. I didn’t even know them when they gave me money to go.

– A lot of other examples I don’t have space to mention here.

So, if you want to experience joy this Christmas, ask yourselves these two questions:

1. Am I clean, grafted into Jesus, and loved? Have I accepted the gospel, that Jesus paid for my sins and is my rightful Lord?

2. Am I engaged in discipleship? Who can I encourage toward Jesus?

1.       Describe the last time you felt really joyful.

2.       Read verse 1. What are some common false vines to which people attach themselves?

3.       Read verse 2. What has the Father’s pruning looked like in your life? Share a specific example of something God has cut away to enable you to grow more fruitful and joyful in the long run.

4.       Work together to find all the things that are already true for Christians in this passage.

5.       Share some examples of people who have discipled you.

6.       Share one concrete step you will take to begin making disciples.

7.       How can we serve one another in light of this passage?

8.       How can your group pray for you this week?