“Abide in His Word; Pray in His Will — for the Glory of God” | John 15:7-8 Commentary

What follows is an excerpt from a John 15:1-8 Bible Study that was streamed on 5.18.22

Commentary

Abide in His Word

In John 15:7, Jesus says:

If you remain [μένω | menō] in Me and my words remain [μένω | menō] in you, ask for whatever you desire, and it will be done for you. (Jn 15:7, AT)

You see, we have to be devoted to Christ’s words.1 We should abide by His word.

We have to be at home in His word.

You ever look at someone and be like, “Yea, they’re not from around here.”

If someone in a city saw me try to parallel park on the side of the street, they’d likely say to themselves, “Yea, he’s not from around here.”

When tourists stop in the middle of the city sidewalk to take pictures, I bet residents think to themselves: “They ain’t from around here.”

And we know that if someone has an accent, and is wearing unusual clothes, chances are: they ain’t from around here.

It can be how they talk, it can be how they dress, it can be how they act. But, it’s often clear –they ain’t from around here. Essentially, they are foreigners.

Dear friends, are we foreigners to the word of God?

Does the way we talk, the way we dress, the way we act – does it show that we are foreign to Christ’s commands? That we are foreign to the Father?

Do we talk with a secular accent?

Though many may claim they’re connected to the True Vine, their conduct makes it clear: they ain’t from around here.

Sometimes we hear people talking about Jesus, and it’s clear that they haven’t spent much time in the word. When it comes to God’s word of truth, a lot of people are just tourists.

You know, tourists need maps to get around unfamiliar locations. They typically don’t know where things are.

Now, after years of being a Christian, in God’s word, do we know where things are? Or do we just keep on visiting the same tourist attractions?

Brothers and sisters, we have to be at home in His word. As it’s been said, Christ wants full custody – not just weekend visitations.

We must abide in His word. And we must abide by His word.

You see, when you have the lines of the word of God in you, you’ll know what’s in line with the word of God.

Now, my me and my wife (who is a physician) we don’t have a television service, and we rarely watch secular television shows. But sometimes we’ll catch a rerun of an old show we used to watch back in the day – on the internet.

Now usually, TV episodes are about 40-45 minutes long. But if Kristin and I watch an old medical show, it might take twice as long. Because every few minutes, the hypocrites on the screen do something out of line, and she’s like: “Nope – that ain’t right. That don’t even make no sense. That’s not how you do it!”

Now usually she’s real quiet – she won’t say much to you if she don’t know you. But she be yelling at these TV doctors like, “What are you doing?”

Then, she’ll press pause and explain how these actors ain’t acting like real doctors.

You see, she has internalized years of medical education, so when she sees something that’s not right, it sticks out like a sore thumb.

And after years of internalizing spiritual education, when we see something that’s not right, it should stick out like a sore thumb.

And you know, back in the day Greek actors were called ὑποκριτής (hypokritēs), which is from where we get the term hypocrite.2 Hypocrites are actors, people who are good at pretending.3

And a lot of people are good at pretending in the church.

But let’s not be a pretender, let’s submit to the Savior in surrender.

We should know what’s really in Scripture as opposed to what’s really just in someone’s script. We can’t just play make-believe and fake-believe.

In Christ, we all have to grow – not just put on a show.

Pray In His Will

Now, being at home in Christ comes with family privileges. There are unmerited blessings when living in Christ. And one of those benefits is confidence in prayer.4

Now could you imagine if someone constantly ignored and disrespected you, and then turned around and asked you for a favor?

Well, after He has given them everything they have, people still constantly ignore and disrespect God –yet ask Him for more favor…

Well, as we’ve said before, Proverbs 28:9 says:

If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction,

   even their prayers are detestable. (Pr 28:9, NIV)

And, as Proverbs 15:29 says:

The LORD [YHWH] is far from the wicked,

   but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

(Pr 15:29, NIV; cf. Pr 15:8, Ps 145:18–19; Is 59:2; Jn 9:31)

Isn’t it funny how people don’t want to listen to God, but people want God to listen to them?

Now, God is Sovereign, He can answer prayers according to His perfect will.

But His word doesn’t say that the prayers of the backslider availeth much. It doesn’t say that the prayers of the unfaithful availeth much. It doesn’t say the prayers of the unfruitful availeth much. It says the prayers of the righteous availeth much (Jas 5:16).

Now, if you abide in Christ – if you abide by Christ’s commands – then the things you desire should be in accordance with Christ’s will.5

Earlier in John 14:13-14, Jesus tells his disciples:

13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (Jn 14:13-14, NIV)6 (Also see John 15:16)7

Now, asking for something in “Jesus’ Name” is not necessarily a godly guarantee that we’ll get whatever we want.8 I can ask God to give me a billion dollars by next week – and say “in Jesus’ Name”. But that doesn’t mean it’s going to happen.

Jesus is not a genie who will do whatever we wish if we mutter the magic words.

God the Gardener seeks to cultivate fruitful branches. It’s about our spiritual productivity, not merely our physical proclivities.

And if one is a branch connected to the True Vine, one’s plea should be in line with what’s good for the plant.9

We should ask for things in Jesus’ Name – for Christ’s sake.10 If we are abiding in the Vine, if we are connected to our source of spiritual life,11 if we are living in His will, we should have great in prayer inspired by His will and in line with His will.12

Furthermore, the things we ask for should be for God’s glory.13

When we pray for things, we should always be thinking: In this situation, how may God be glorified?

If someone is going through trials and tribulations, we can ask God to use that situation to bring them closer to Him.

If someone is sick, we can ask God to save them so they can better serve Him.

If someone is struggling, we can ask God to help them – so that they can testify about God’s grace – bringing glory to His Name.

John 15:8 | To the Glory of God

Finally, in John 15:8, Jesus says:

In this, my Father is glorified: that you may bear much fruit and prove to be my disciples. (Jn 15:8, AT)

You see all this fruit-bearing is not for merely for our own benefit.14 Nor is it about showing others how faithful we are. It’s about bringing glory to the Father.15

As you’ll see throughout John, Jesus, the Son of God, seeks to bring glory to the Father (Jn 12:28, 13:31, 14:13, 17:4). And we, the children of God, should seek to bring glory to the Father.

When we keep Christ’s commands – that brings glory to the Father. When we are indwelled by the Spirit – that brings glory to the Father. If we help bring someone to Jesus – that brings glory to the Father. It makes God look good.

You know, when a team plays well on the field, they make their coach look good. When a choir sings well, they make their director look good. When a child does well in school, they make their parents look good.

And when a branch grows well, they make their Gardener look good.16

And bearing Christ-like fruit is what proves that we are disciples of Christ. Apple trees bear apples. Orange trees bear oranges. If we’re connected to the root of Christ, we should produce the fruit of Christ.

You know, people tell me all the time, “You look just like your Dad!” Now, I don’t know why they say that… but I admit we have a slight family resemblance…

You know, someone once told me, “Boy, the first time I saw you I knew exactly who your father was.”

Well, my brothers and sisters, when people see us, let’s make sure they know exactly who our Heavenly Father is. Let’s reflect God’s character in all that we do.17 Let them see the light of Christ shine in us, that they may glorify our Father in Heaven (Mt 5:16).

Bible Study Audio

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Sources

  1. BIBC, 1150
  2. M-W
  3. NIDNTTE, 561
  4. BIBC, 1150; cf. Guthrie, 1056
  5. Guthrie, 1056; Carson, 518; cf. UBS, 483
  6. BIBC, 1150; Kruse, 370; Carson, 518; cf, Jn 16:23-26; Keener, 998
  7. BIBC, 1150; Carson, 517
  8. Burge, 427
  9. cf. Burge, 418
  10. Kruse, 370
  11. Burge, 427
  12. Burge, 427; cf. Carson, 518
  13. Burge, 418
  14. cf. Guthrie, 1056
  15. Guthrie, 1056
  16. Keener, 994
  17. Kruse, 370
About @DannyScottonJr 460 Articles
Imperfect Servant ✝?⛪ | Husband | Princeton U. Alum | M. Div. | Assistant (to the) Pastor | Sound Doctrine & Apologetics @catchforchrist