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“I Am the True Vine” John 15

“The Conversationalist” Sermon Series

When Jesus Speaks Through Parables

“I Am the True Vine”

John 15

Prayer

Introduction

Jesus and his disciples have gathered to celebrate the Passover and Jesus has introduced the Lord’s Supper where he talks about the disciples eating his flesh and drinking his blood, and how he will leave but will return. Having argued about who was going to be the greatest in the new kingdom that Jesus was about to usher in, to their astonishment Jesus took off his outer garment and went around and washed their feet as a servant. They leave the meal and follow him into the night air, no one is speaking, they seem to know that something bad is about to happen. Before the torches, soldiers, Judas’ betrayal and his arrest, they are standing in a vineyard. Jesus turns to them and says, . . .

I. Jesus is the True Vine (vv. 1-6)

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

(v. 1) “I am the true vine “ – “If you didn’t grow up in wine country, you might think that the vine is a long, trailing limb that sprawls along the trellis. Actually, it’s the trunk of the plant that grows out of the ground. Vineyard keepers traditionally keep the vine at waste height – thirty-six to forty-two inches.”[1]

“my Father is the vinedresser,” – The vinedresser is the keeper of the vineyard, and their job is make as many grapes as possible. He is the one who decides which vines stay and which ones will be removed. God the Father is moving and orchestrating our lives before us, Isaiah 5:2 “He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines;”

(v. 2) “Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” – Jesus gives three parts, the vine (Jesus), the vinedresser (God the Father), and now he moves to the branches (the disciples). He shows that there are two types of branches—those that bear fruit and those that don’t. The branches that did not bear fruit “he takes away,” and those that do bear fruit are carefully trimmed so that they will produce even more fruit.

Pruning is painful, and involves loss, James 1:2 “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

(v. 3) “Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.” – earlier in the evening as the disciples were celebrating the Passover meal, Jesus washed the disciple’s feet (John 13). Peter does not want Jesus to wash his feet, but Jesus insists saying, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.” Jesus then went on to say, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”

Here the disciples are already bearing fruit because of their following Jesus’ teachings. Jesus’ Word leads all of his disciples to God honoring action, and that is bearing fruit, having spiritual growth. “The fruit which the branch bears is the fruit of the vine. It is the fruit of Himself, produced by the indwelling Spirit, the fruit which is like the true vine Himself; it is Christlikeness.”[2]

Bearing Fruit = Christlikeness

(v. 6) “If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.” – Bible scholars have struggled with verse because they feel it deals with eternal security, and can a person lose their salvation? This verse deals with judgement of those that do not abide in Christ. This does not apply to believers, Jesus said, “If anyone does not abide” The end result of not abiding in Christ is there is no fruit in a person’s life – which we define as being like Christ (Christlikenss).

Then this judgement makes sense – if a person doesn’t have a relationship with Jesus so that they sense a separation and draw near to Him, they are not concerned about obeying and applying Jesus’ words to their lives, nor are they growing in walk with Jesus – at the end of the day, they don’t know Jesus. Matthew 7:23 “And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” These are the branches that are thrown into the fire, those that have an outward appearance of being religious, but there is no “abiding” in Christ.

A. Remaining & Bearing Fruit (vv. 7-8)

7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

Abiding is a continuing exercising of faith in Jesus. So Jesus tells us that the branches that do not bear fruit (which we define as being like Jesus) are cut off and destroyed, and those that do bear fruit are pruned, how then does a follower of Jesus “bear fruit (become more like Christ?)” “We are responsible to live entirely in union with Jesus and in dependence on his presence.”[3]

Followers of Jesus are to “abide” in Him. “Branches have life only to the extent to which they are attached to the vine, and fruitfulness stems only from the life-giving sap provided by the vine. All this illustrates the fact that the extent to which we rely on ourselves and our resources is the extent to which we fail”[4]

“Abide is an old English word for “remain,” “stay steady” and “keep your position.” What it means to abide in Christ—that is, always to be resting on him, anchored to him, fixed in him, drawing from him, continually connected and in touch with him—is a pervasive theme in chapters 14—17. There is no more precious lesson to learn, no more enriching link and bond to cherish, no more vital connection to keep snug and tight, so that it never loosens, than this. Abiding in Christ brings peace, joy and love, answers to prayer, and fruitfulness in service. The abiding life is the abundant life.”[5]

Jesus gathered disciples around him, they lived with him, ate with him – they were with him 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for over three years – why? So that Jesus could show them how to live the Christlike life. They had to be close to Him to see Him and learn.

The follower abides in Christ (dependence on Jesus), he also abides on Jesus’ word (the Bible as our source for living life), and asking “whatever you wish” (which is prayer) Jesus for what is needed to live out this life. God is glorified when a believer does and lives this way.

Our prayer life “is a reflection of that union with him, and the implication is that our prayers will not be self-centered but will seek God’s glory and leave our needs with him. Prayer in this sense is a major kind of fruit-bearing, a hallmark of true discipleship.”[6]

“Christianity can be such a pretty faith. God calls us to wonderful things, to noble deeds, and to be a people of love. We are meant to be kind, joyful, brave, and good. These are attractive qualities that most people would love to be known for, Christian or not. The trouble is, we can approach the Christian life in the same way we decorate a Christmas tree, by piling on pleasing spiritual adornments. We can dress up our lives with church commitments, community service, spiritual language, a clean-cut family, and an upbeat attitude. All of these things look so great—so Christian—while obscuring what is really going on underneath. Beneath all the spiritual glitz, we can exist cut off from our root system, without detection. We can appear to be thriving, even though we are disconnected from the vine.”[7]

B. Love & Joy in Jesus (vv. 9-11)

9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

The love that God the Father has for God the Son is perfect and all-embracing. It is impossible for us to know the full extent of the Father’s love for the Son, but it is wonderous and incredible. “And his own are now the objects of the love of the Son of God in the same degree as He is beloved by the Father. Believers are “loved by God and called to be saints (Romans 1:7).”

For the believer three should be an overarching life of obedience to Jesus’ teaching and commands – but all Christians sin. And when we sin and rebel against God, we are convicted of sin, we repent and God forgives us, and then we deal with shame and guilt, and have to mend our relationship with God, etc. and there are seasons of joy. But God’s desire is that our joy may be full. This fulness of joy only comes through keeping Jesus’ commands.

My children know that Kimberly and I love them; and in their times of rebellion and disobedience we still love them the same – but our relationship changes. We move from being guides, friends, and experiencing the joy of life and move to discipling, limiting boundaries, removing privileges, and keeping them from doing things that would harm them. The joy in the relationship goes away and it becomes parent verses rebellious heart. The love is still there, but the joy is not there.

We don’t tell God how to run His universe and creation – He is the Creator and sustainer of existence. We follow His rules, and this omnipotent being desires to have a loving joyful relationship with His creation, giving His Son who gave His life so that the relationship may be restored, even calling us His children, so “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you.” Our joy in our relationship with God, will come as we obediently keep His Word.

C. Loving One Another (vv. 12-17)

12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

Having established the need to be obedient to Jesus and His Word, Jesus then gives a command to be followed, “love one another as I have loved you,” so how does Jesus define love. If I am going to show love or express love toward “one another,” what does that mean? Jesus gives the example, that followers of Jesus are to “lay down his life for his friends.”

1 John 3:16 “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.” Christians are commanded to love others, specifically, other Christians, we are to “love one another.” But there is also a higher love, a greater love, that a person would “lay down his life for his friends.”

(v. 15) Jesus says, “No longer do I call you servants,” – servant was a common reference for a follower of a Rabbi. But now they have past the servant-Rabbi relationship to a friend. They are more than disciple-master relationship, they are the objects of Jesus’ love and friendship. Later in John 20:17, the relationship changes again, “Jesus said to her (one of the women who first discovers the empty tomb), “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers . . .”

(v. 14) This friendship is not conditional, “You are my friends if you do what I command you.” As if when a Christians sins, then they lose their relationship or friendship with God. Following His Word allows us to enjoy a special intimacy with him. “Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ, (Romans 8:35), not even disobedience, but we can affect the closeness of the relationship.[8]

“but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” – We have the title, “friend of God,” and as friends, Jesus has told us the plan, He has made known to us the gospel.

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit . . .” – The friendship, the eventual brotherhood, is rooted in a shared mission which all Christians have been appointed to be about, “bearing fruit.” As we seek to carry out this calling, and mission upon our lives – we abide in Christ, and together we move forward, so when we ask God the Father for something you need for the mission, (in Jesus’ name), he may give it to you.

Our love for one another is grounded in a friendship where we share the common command to abide in Christ, to have joy our relationship with Him, and as friends, carry out the mission of the gospel.

__________________________

[1] Bruce Wilkerson, Secrets of the Vine (Sisters, Oregon; Multnomah Publishing, 2001) 18

[2] Arno C. Gaebelein, The Gospel of John, An Exposition (Neptune, New Jersey; Loizeaux Brothers, 1982) 296.

[3] Grant R. Osborne, John, Verse by Verse (Bellingham, Washington; Lexham Press, 2018) 357.

[4] Osborne, 357.

[5] J.I.Packer & Carolyn Nystrom, Abiding in Christ (LifeGuide Bible Studies), InterVarsity Press.

[6] Osborne, 359.

[7] Sharon Hodde Miller, Nice: Why We Love to Be Liked and How God Calls Us to More, Baker Publishing Group, 2019.

[8] Osborne, 363.

“I Am The Bread of Life” John 6:25-59

Drew Boswell Ministries

“I Am The Bread of Life” John 6:25-59

00:00 / 00:42:07

Following the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand, the crowd finds Jesus again and wants him to fill their bellies again — instead he shows them how to feed and never be hungry again.

“I Am The Bread of Life” John 6:25-59

“The Conversationalist” Sermon Series

When Jesus Speaks Through Parables

“I Am The Bread of Life”

John 6:25-59

Introduction

“Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”[1]

Prayer

The Work That Produces Life (vv. 25-29)

25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” 28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

John 6:4 tells us that the setting of the parable is the Passover, and is introduced by two sign-miracles (6:1-21); God supplies manna for the needs of his people and leads the disciples to safety across the dangerous waters of the sea. Later in v. 59 we see that he is teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

The crowd seems to be upset with Jesus because He and the disciples had left them, so they ask, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” – There were also some in this crowd that wanted Jesus to become their king and lead a revolution against the Roman oppression (see 6:15). Jesus doesn’t respond to their question, but speaks to their motives. Jesus is asking them, why are you following me?

Even though they had all night and into the next day to think about the miracle of the multiplying of the loaves and fish, “They were moved not by full hearts, but by full bellies.”[2] They were seeing him as the Messiah, “who could maintain them in a life without toil.”[3] They were hungry again. Jesus is not a genie in a lamp that comes out to give us the wishes of our hearts.

Are you following Jesus because you want Him to fix your immediate life issue, make you wealthy, healthy, make your life easier – or do you truly understand who Jesus is and what the miracle (feeding the five thousand means)? The crowd is focused on the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand, and not the meaning behind the miracle. Jesus wanted to teach the crowd something about Himself through the miracle. “They certainly saw the miracle and even tried to make him the messianic prophet and royal Messiah (6:14-15), But they missed the true significance of the “sign” pointed to Jesus as The Bread of Life, not just a miracle worker.”[4]

(v. 27) “Do not work for the food that perishes,– Jesus is telling the crowd to stop seeking food that spoils and go after “the food that endures to eternal life” Jesus gives a similar teaching to the woman at the well in John 4:13 when He tells her “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.”

How much time are we spending “building up treasures in heaven,”

verses pursuing earthly treasures on earth? (Matthew 6:19-21) Every person has a “hunger of the soul,”[5] which food will you ease the craving[6], heavenly food or earthly food?

In this hunger we ask the question, “Why are we here?”

So thinking that they could do something to earn God’s favor, or do something to receive eternal life for their effort, they ask “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” “They have completely missed Jesus’ central point, repeated again here, that “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

“It is the ‘Cain-heart’ and though there may be a religious profession, a form of godliness, as Cain had it, yet it is solemnly true of the natural man as it was of Cain, ‘the way of peace have they not known; there is no fear of God before their eyes’ (Romans 3:17-18). The natural man thinks he can do something and by doing he will make himself acceptable to God. And thus speak of “the golden rule,” as if man had inherent capacity to practice it. Or someone else says “do some good deed every day”; as if good deeds as the way to peace and glory. Even pagans have done this, . . .”[7]

Eternal life is a free gift from God and comes only through faith in Jesus.”[8] They wanted a list of things to check off. Our work is faith in Jesus. The verb that John uses for faith or belief does not mean a mental belief of something, it also included obedience or action.[9] You will act on what you believe to be true.

The Wanting For One More Miracle (vv. 30-34)

30 So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”[10] 32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”[11]

Jesus has claimed to be God by referring to himself as, the Son of Man (v. 27). And while this crowd has seen him perform the miracle of feeding five thousand people from five loaves and two fish – they want another sign. They reference the Israelites in the wilderness where God provided mana (bread) “from heaven” (Deuteronomy 18:15). They don’t connect that Jesus is his provision as being from heaven, like the manna in the wilderness is “from heaven.” God had provided manna for forty years, Jesus’ miracle was this one occasion. They think that is Jesus is the Messiah, then he should out do Moses.

Jesus corrects them when they say it was Moses that gave them the bread in the wilderness, it was God. And here, it is God who has provided it. The bread that God provides now is a “he.” And so, completely missing the spiritual meaning, they want this bread now, always.

They are thinking that like God providing bread in the wilderness, where they would go and collect it every day – Jesus would now multiply bread (from loaves and fish) “always.” But this bread, that was from long ago, didn’t give eternal life (they all eventually died), but the bread Jesus offers them, once they eat of it, they will live forever.

Jesus did the miracle of multiplying the fish and loaves for a reason – to show how He provides eternal life. They are only thinking about Jesus as a bread miracle worker. They are missing the spiritual implications behind the miracle.

(v. 34) “They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” – They refer to Jesus as “Sir,” not Lord. Earlier they called Jesus “Rabbi, but here their greeting is respectful, but they do not regard Jesus as their Lord. They want the miracle (free ongoing bread and fish), but they do not want to submit to Jesus as God of their lives. Jesus “desired that men should receive him, not simply for what he might give them, but for what he might be to them.”[12]

The Will of the Father that None Will Be Lost (vv. 35-40)

35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life[13]; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

Jesus says that He is what they need – but what do we do with Jesus? He says there are two things, “whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” “Later when an awakened sinner cried out, ‘What must I do to be saved?’ the answer was given at once by the Spirit of God, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, and your household. Acts 16:31).”[14]

So while we do no work to earn our salvation, Jesus explains that a person must “coming to Jesus, and believing in Him.” Numbers 21:7-9 “Pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.” If you were bitten by a snake in the wilderness if you would go and look upon the raised bronze serpent, you would be healed. But you had to go and physically look at it.

Jesus is the way for a person to have eternal life – our action we take is to move toward Jesus, and believe that He will save us. He even promises here that anyone who does this will never be cast out.

(v. 39) “but raise it up on the last day.” – This is a reference that at the end of time, The Day of the Lord (Zech. 14:1-9); Those that Come to and believe in Jesus will be with God.

The Wrong Things Being Focused On (vv. 41-51)

41 So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” 43 Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me— 46 not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father.

(v. 41) “So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” – “His ‘I am’ is a solemnly emphatic statement, and in this context has overtones of divinity.”[15] We see that Jesus says He has seen God, that He was sent by God, and here (v. 41) that Jesus is God – from this passage alone one has to decide what they are going to do with Jesus – He cannot be a good moral person, if he lies about being God. He cannot be trusted if He is a lunatic claiming to be God and spouting off teachings, or He really is God that has come down from heaven.

In the wilderness the Israelites grumbled in 14 different occasions (they grumbled and complained about Moses’ leadership, thirst, hunger, they wanted meat, about the giants in the promised land, etc.) John specifically highlights, “the Jews” it is to remind us of their previous grumbling in the wilderness, and they even grumble about Jesus.

Jesus responds to their grumbling by saying, “Do not grumble among yourselves.” – If the goal is understand the things of God, it does no good for the church to grumble.

They are willing to receive the miracle bread, “Sir, give us this bread always,” but how can the carpenter’s son, “the son of Joseph” – we know his parents, how did He come down from heaven? They are being asked to place their faith in Mary and Joseph’s kid – Jesus doesn’t try to prove who He is, but explains, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.”

With our relationship with Jesus; God draws people to the Son, and those people come to and believes in Jesus. The Christian theologian John Calvin had a lot to say about this concept of God’s election, and human choice in salvation. But it is a “both and” – we can choose God and His gift of salvation, while also God is sovereign in the process. It is not by works that we are saved, but the work we do is to place our faith in Jesus. “Salvation is never achieved apart from the drawing power of God, and it is never consummated apart from the willingness of humans to hear and learn from God.”[16]

(v. 45) “It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’” Jesus is quoting Isaiah 54:13. “He will teach them within their hearts. Only those who are taught in this fashion come to Jesus.”[17]

(v. 46) “not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father.” Jesus is saying that He is the only person that has seen the Father, and it is because He has been sent by the Father as the only means for anyone to be saved. God has revealed Him as the only Savior through whom anyone can ever be saved (14:6-7). To reject Jesus is to ensure that you will never know God. Stop grumbling and focusing on the wrong things – If you come to Jesus and believe in Him, you will be with God forever – if you reject Him there is no other way of salvation.

47 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

(v. 40) “Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.” There was miracle bread in the OT, and Jesus provided them with miracle bread (multiplication of the loaves and fish), and “The physical bread on the hills would not guarantee life any more than the manna did”[18] in the OT.

Jesus very clearly is claiming to be God (because only He has seen the Father), he was sent by God so that people may have eternal life (by coming to and having faith in) Jesus, and is the only way to be saved – if one follows the law, you will eventually die, but if you believe in the one who the law points to, and the prophecies point to – then you will be saved.

(v. 51) “If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever” – “To eat of this bread means to appropriate Christ as one’s life. Jesus equals life.

The Willingness of the Disciple to Consume Jesus (vv. 52-59)

52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught sat Capernaum.

Jesus has pointed this crowd to the Israelite wilderness experience (the lifted up serpent, manna from heaven, grumbling by the people) which begins with the Passover meal as they leave Egypt and slavery, and here as he is teaching in Capernaum at the time of the Passover – now references the Passover meal. The family as they are celebrating the Passover meal must eat all of the Passover lamb – consume it completely.

Jesus is saying that as the Bread of Life, his followers must consume him completely. Half-hearted followers fall away, v. 66 The disciples said to Jesus, this is very hard, “After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.” Jesus starts this teaching with focusing on the things that are of eternal significance – the truly important things in this life. Far too many Christians want to focus on the treasures of this world – and end up being half-hearted followers of Jesus.

“In John 4:10 he offered the Samaritan woman “living water” to drink, and now he is “living bread” to eat. This is the sixth of seven times in this chapter Jesus describes himself as descended from heaven, further stressing his true origin from God.”[19] But He demands full, complete devotion (because God is worthy of our everything).

This is one of the greatest paradoxes of Christianity, that life comes through death. Jesus dies that we may live, and we die to the things of this world, so that we may live for God (Rom. 6:4-6). In order for you to have eternal life, you give Jesus your entire life, and He lays down His life in exchange for yours.

_________________________

[1] C. S. Lewis, from the sermon “The Weight of Glory”

[2] Leon Morris, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, The Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids, Michigan, WM. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1981) 358.

[3] W. Robertson Nicoll, The Expositor’s Greek Testament, Volume 1 (Grand Rapids, Michigan; WM. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1967) 751.

[4] Grant R. Osborne, Osborne New Testament Commentary, John Verse by Verse (Bellingham, Washington; Lexhan Press, 2018) 157.

[5] “All earth’s full rivers cannot fill, The sea, that drinking thirsteth still.” Christiana Rossetti, “By the Sea.”

[6] B. F. Westcott, The Gospel According to St. John, The Authorized Version with Introductory Notes (Grand Rapids, Michigan; WM. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1981) 100.

[7] Arno C. Gaebelein, The Gospel of John, A complete analytical Exposition (Neptune, New Jersey; Loizeaux Brothers, 1982) 124.

[8] Osborne, 158.

[9] Gerald L. Borchert, The New American Commentary, John 1-11 (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman & Holman Publishing, 1996) 263.

[10] They are comparing what think Moses did (the feeding of over a million people), to Jesus’ only feeding five thousand.

[11] “There was a tradition (quoted by Lightfoot and Wünsche) that ‘as the first Redeemer caused manna to fall from heaven, even so should the second Redeemer cause manna to fall.’ For this sign then, or one like this, the people looked from Him whom they were ready to regard as Messiah.” Westcott, 101.

[12] Merrill C. Tenney, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 9 (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Zondervan Publishing, 1981) 76.

[13] This is one of seven “I am” statements Jesus makes in this gospel; The bread of life (6:35); the light of the world (8:12); the gate (10:7,9); the Good Shepherd (10:11, 14); the revelation and the life (11:25); the way, the truth, and the life, (14:6); and the true vine (15:5). Osbourne, 161.

[14] Gaebelein, 124.

[15] Morris, 365.

[16] Borchert, 268.

[17] Morris, 372.

[18] Borchert, 269.

[19] Osbourne, 169.

“To Find An Excellent Wife” Proverbs 31

To Find An Excellent Wife

Proverbs 31

Introduction

Prayer – Father in Heaven, help us, man or woman, to pursue your ideal for our lives. We know that you want us to be like Christ. May we accept all the guidance available in Scripture to do so, and may the Holy Spirit do his work of transformation in our lives. Amen.

I. Setting a High Standard (v. 10)

10 An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.

In the opening chapters of Proverbs, a father is speaking to his son and most of the time when a woman is mentioned is usually referencing an adulteress, or a woman who will lead the young man to foolishness. Fathers and mothers are mentioned in chapters 10-29, and here the book of Proverbs closes with a picture of an excellent woman.

The adulteress flatters with her lips; she forsakes the covenant with her own husband, to seduce someone else. She has lips that drip honey, she has a smooth tongue and she hunts for the precious life of some victim. There is not only the “adulteress” but there is the “noisy woman,” the loud, boisterous woman, with whom no one wants to live, and the normal man would prefer, the proverbs says, “to live in the corner of the roof, in a tiny little place, than in a big house with a boisterous woman.

There is the “foolish woman,” there is the “rebellious woman,” there is the “quarrelsome woman,” and they are all really set in contrast to this “excellent wife” here in chapter 31. There is in chapter 12:4 of Proverbs, this statement, “An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who shames him is as rottenness in his bones.”

Because he was royal, and because he was going to take a position of rulership, His mother told him some things he really needed to know. The book of Proverbs closes with the boy’s mother teaching him wisdom.

This is great advice from this Jewish mother to her son in verses 3-8. “Stay away from alcohol, stay away from sexual immorality, take care of hurting people, defend those who can’t defend themselves, stand for the oppressed, support the needy, and deal justly with everybody.

This is how to be a good king, this is how to be a great man, and most of all,” and this is what occupied the length of her speech from verse 10 to 31, “find a good wife,” understanding the implications of a bad one–boisterous, quarrelsome, self-centered, wicked (such as Jezebel). And realizing the influence she was bound to have upon his life, his mother encouraged Lemuel to “find an excellent wife!”

There are 22 verses from verse 10 to 31, and there are 22 characters in the Hebrew alphabet. Each of these verses begins with the next character in sequence in the Hebrew alphabet, so that it starts with Aleph, Beth, Gimel, and so forth, right down through the Hebrew alphabet. The first letter of each of these proverbs, each verse, is the next letter in sequence. Why? Because it was easy that way to memorize this. It became an acrostic which created a formula for easy memorization and recall of these features, so that every young Jewish son could be taught by his mother to memorize Proverbs 31:10-31, and thereby have in his mind the criteria, at all times, by which he was to measure the excellence of a woman.

Too often when a selection is made of a woman or a wife, it is made for the wrong reasons: looks, education, personality, likes and dislikes, accomplishments, style–rather than virtue and character – those things that matter. But this woman has a value that is far above jewels.

The word actually describes precious stones of any kind. Some versions translate it “rubies,” some translate it “pearls.” “Jewels” is the best, it’s just a generic word for precious stones. The point being, this is a very, very valuable woman–not easy to find. Then in verse 11, she begins to describe this woman.

So how does the boy’s mother describe this “excellent wife”? What should he be looking for?

II. Characteristics of an Excellent Wife (vv. 11-28)

Trustworthy (v. 11)

11 The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. 12 She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.

Literally “his heart trusts her” – She is faithful in every area of her life. Her husband lacks nothing of value because of her faithfulness. She is faithful everyday of her life, and she brings him good.

(Joseph and Potiphar’s wife) Genesis 39:19 “As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, “This is the way your servant treated me,” his anger was kindled. 20 And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison.”

It doesn’t say who his anger was kindled against, and why did he put Joseph in prison instead of having him killed? I believe it was because he could not trust his wife. She did not respect his property, his work goals, him as her husband. Can your husband trust you, when he is not there?

Not just trustworthy in fidelity but also in that she does not take things from him – Not their money, their possessions, their resources, or his reputation. She never speaks evil of him so that those in the home would learn to distrust him because of her testimony of his absence of character. She does him good not evil. She does everything to build him up.

“all the days of her life” – her love for him is based upon spiritual principles that it doesn’t fluctuate with the circumstances of life. She is focused on building her husband up, no matter the conditions of life (for richer or poorer, sickness and in health).

Hard Working (vv. 13-19, 24, 27)

13 She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. 14 She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar. 15 She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens. 16 She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. 17 She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. 18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night. 19 She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.

She is diligent and this is the trait that is given more text than anything else. In the ancient world women had to stay busy in their spare moments (spinning wool, making clothes). Weaving and sewing were a major part of her work. She selected the materials, and works with “delight of her hands.” She took pleasure in creating something of beauty and usefulness. It was not a duty, and she didn’t complain.

In her work she makes extra (she goes beyond what is required) and then sells the extra clothes. With the extra clothes that she sells, she saves up enough to purchase a field. She is like a merchant ship bringing the home items that the family cannot produce for itself. To make this happen she gets up early to make sure that her family is well fed and taken care of.

Her lamp does not go out at night is a reference that she works into the night making her clothes. So she gets up early to oversee her family, she oversees her household and ventures during the day, and in the evening she works into the night. 24 “She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant.”

“27 She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. This Proverb 31 woman sees it as her responsibility to oversee what goes on in the home. She’s not waiting around or wasting time, she spends considerable time “looking well into” how the home is running and making it a better place.

Caring (v. 20)

20 She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.[1]

As driven as this woman is, she is willing to step away from her work and help others in need. She holds the clothes that she has spent hours and hours making, and instead of putting them on her own family, or making money for her family, she opens her hands and gives and serves the poor.

Her hands are diligent to make cloth and clothes, and her hands hold these clothes out for other people to be able to be clothed. She gives dignity (nakedness) and warmth to others, and see this as something that is important to do. Later the text says that she does not fear the future – but those around her who are poor and needy do fear what is to come – so she also gives security to other people. She takes away this burden of worry.

Looks Ahead (vv. 21, 25)

21 She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet.

Scarlet clothing was expensive, of the highest quality, and would be adequate for cold weather. Because she has worked hard and saved money – either she has saved up to buy, or she has made their clothes. Either way, when the cold weather months come she does not have to fear.

Wisdom means skill, and part of wisdom is the ability to look at one’s life as a whole, or to be able to see how our actions will lead to a certain way of life (consequences, long life).

Also, typically wool clothes were not dyed, so the fact that it was colored scarlet means that she has added some personality and flair to the clothes. “25 Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She includes her own bright personality to her work and makes it fun.

Takes Pride Her Appearance and Her Home (v. 22)

22 She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.

She again makes her children’s clothes, bed coverings, and now the mother in reminding her son what to look for in a wife tells him to look for an excellent wife who takes some pride in her appearance.

She honors God (who gave her the beauty) and honors her husband by taking time to put herself together. She knows that how she presents herself is extended to her husband and her family.

Brings Honor to Her Husband (v.23)

23 Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land.

She enhances her husband’s reputation. He’s risen to the very top of the esteem of the people in the profession he has chosen in life because he is free to do so because of the dutiful wife. She creates a world for him and their family in which he can be everything that God would want him to be.

She’s so faithful to the duties of her love that he is free to be all that he can be as a man. He is known in the gates. He is a well-known man. The implication there is that he is esteemed, he is honored, he is respected.

Teaches Others (v. 26)

26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

Not only does she open her hands to the poor, but she opens her mouth to teach her children wisdom and shares her wisdom with her husband. When she teaches her children she is not being hypocritical. If you live in the home with someone you know if they are just talking or are they being genuine and honest.

III. A Wise Woman Will Be Blessed (vv. 28-31)

28 Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 29 “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.” 30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. 31 Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.

Children and her husband realize how she has lived her life and see how she has been a part of their lives and “call her blessed.”

If a woman is charming – then she uses her personality to manipulate, charm is a way of approaching another for the purpose of getting something you want. So, how do you know if she’s being truthful or if she’s playing you? If she is beautiful, it will fade – there is a sure bet for the woman you are looking to marry – what does her character show?

With all these things that we have mentioned, how is a woman ever going to be able to do them all? Proverbs begins with a call to wisdom and to fear the Lord, and here is a portrait of a woman who is wise and fears the Lord. Matthew Henry said, “Proverbs 31 is the mirror against which every Christian woman must stand and face herself.”

She can do all these things if her life is centered on Christ, and gives herself unselfishly to her home and family.

The mother in Proverbs 31 tells her son to look for a list of godly virtues. What are you looking for today?

Both the hummingbird and the vulture fly over our nation’s deserts. All vultures see is rotting meat, because that is what they look for. They thrive on that diet. But hummingbirds look for the colorful blossoms of desert plants. The vultures live on what was. They live on the past. They fill themselves with what is dead and gone. But hummingbirds live on what is. They seek new life. They fill themselves with freshness and life. Each bird finds what it is looking for. What are you living for? Is the past, however glorious or painful, what you’ve set your sights upon? Or are you seeking after new, abundant life? Only if you know what you’re looking for will you find it.

[1] Acts 9:36

“What Should I Be Doing? Ephesians 2:1-10

Drew Boswell Ministries

"What Should I Be Doing? Ephesians 2:1-10

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