John 15:1-3

For Reading and Meditation:
     John 13:1-38

What other teacher has taken the Ten Commandments and had the right to add another commandment to them? But this is precisely what Jesus did, as we see from our text today. "A new command I give you," He said. "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."

The Old Testament and other...

"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." John 15:2

This is a precious promise to one who lives for fruitfulness. At first it seems to wear a sharp aspect. Must the fruitful bough be pruned? Must the knife cut even the best and most useful? No doubt it is so, for very much of our LORD's purging work is done by means of...

John 15:1-12

When Jesus says, "I am the true vine," He means that He is the source of the spiritual life of His people, who are compared to branches. What the vine is to its branches, Christ is to all who believe on Him. The branches, down to the smallest twigs, are dependent on the vine. So every believer is dependent on Christ. He is the source of...

He is like a refiner’s fire and like launderers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness.We also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who has given to...

This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. § God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. § The Word was God … In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. § If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us...

You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. § Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom.How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought You; oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you.My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His...

Now let me sing to my Well-beloved a song of my Beloved regarding His vineyard: my Well-beloved has a vineyard on a very fruitful hill. He dug it up and cleared out its stones, and planted it with the choicest vine. He expected it to bring forth good grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes. § Yet I had planted you a noble vine, a seed of highest quality. How then have you turned before Me into the degenerate plant of an alien vine?Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are:...

But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ" (Phil. 3:7).

When we finally understand that the Lord Jesus is our life, we, with Paul, no longer think in terms of things.

"Every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit" (