Encountering Jesus in Scripture

John 15

Part 1

How can we be fruitful as Christians?  By working harder at spiritual disciplines and ministry activities?  In this short series we will focus on one passage, John 15:1-17, and bring in other scriptures, especially parts of John’s gospel, to explore how friendship with God answers this question.  

Our passage begins with Jesus’ claim that he is the true Vine. Vines need pruning. But notice what Jesus says to the disciples and by extension to us as His disciples: “You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you.” (John 15:3). The word translated ‘cleansed’ is exactly the same as ‘prune’ in the previous sentence.  We are cleansed or pruned by the words from God. It is what God says that prunes us, not just the circumstances of life or anything we can do on our own. 

The fact is that we are not changed by ideas and concepts and we are not changed by words alone - only words that carry divine life and power will change us. It is Jesus, the living Word, God’s self expression in human form, who changes us by the power of the Spirit he has poured out. 

In John 5:39-40 Jesus makes a claim which his hearers find incredible: all the Old Testament speaks of Him. Sadly, in the previous verse (38) Jesus points out to his hearers that they did not believe in Him so did not have his word living in them. 

It is easy for us, especially us Westerners, to think of “believe” as though it means understand.  We hear something and receive it into our minds and decide whether we agree or not, or whether it makes sense. But that is not believing; that is just a mental exercise.

Believing in Jesus, in New Testament terms, is not just knowing and agreeing with certain facts about Him; it is acting on the basis of a relationship with Him in the Spirit. 

When we read Scripture we find Jesus the living Word of God. If we allow God to speak through Scripture we grow in friendship with Him.

For the full article on encountering Jesus in scripture, see Storehouse