JOHN Chapter 15

The Vine And The Branches

'I am the True Vine and My Father is the Gardener.

2 He cuts off every branch In Me that bears no fruit,

While every branch that does bear fruit He trims clean

So that it will be even more fruitful.

3 You are already clean because of the Word I have spoken to you.

4 REMAIN IN ME, AND I WILL REMAIN IN YOU.

NO BRANCH CAN BEAR FRUIT BY ITSELF;

IT MUST REMAIN IN THE VINE.

NEITHER CAN YOU BEAR FRUIT UNLESS YOU REMAIN IN ME.

5 'I AM THE VINE; YOU ARE THE BRANCHES.

IF A MAN REMAINS IN ME AND I IN HIM,

HE WILL BEAR MUCH FRUIT;

APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING.

6 'If anyone does not remain In Me,

He is like a branch that is thrown away and withers;

Such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

7 If you remain In Me and My Words remain in you,

Ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.

8 This is to My Father's Glory, that you bear much fruit,

Showing yourselves to be My Disciples.

9 'As the Father has loved Me, so I have loved you.

Now remain in My Love.

10 If you Obey My Commands, you will remain in My Love,

Just as I have Obeyed My Father's Commands

And remain in His Love.

11 I have told you this so that My Joy may be In yourselves

And that your Joy may be Complete.

12 My Command is this:

LOVE EACH OTHER AS I HAVE LOVED YOU.

13 Greater Love has no one than this,

That one lay down his life for his friends.

14 YOU ARE MY FRIENDS IF YOU DO WHAT I COMMAND.

15 I NO LONGER CALL YOU SERVANTS,

Because a Servant does not know his master's business.

Instead, I have called you Friends,

For everything that I learned from My Father

I have made known to you.

16 YOU DID NOT CHOOSE ME, BUT I CHOSE YOU

TO GO AND BEAR FRUIT—FRUIT THAT WILL LAST.

Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in My Name.

17 THIS IS MY COMMAND: LOVE EACH OTHER.

The World Hates The Disciples

18 'IF THE WORLD HATES YOU,

KEEP IN MIND THAT IT HATED ME FIRST,

19 If you belonged to the World,

It would love you as its own.

AS IT IS, YOU DO NOT BELONG TO THE WORLD,

BUT I HAVE CHOSEN YOU OUT OF THE WORLD.

THAT IS WHY THE WORLD HATE YOU.

20 Remember the Words I spoke to you:

'No Servant is greater than his master.'

IF THEY PERSECUTED ME, THEY WILL PERSECUTE YOU ALSO.

If they Obeyed My Teaching, they will Obey yours also.

21 THEY WILL TREAT YOU THIS WAY BECAUSE OF MY NAME,

FOR THEY DO NOT KNOW THE ONE WHO SENT ME.

22 If I had not come and spoken to them,

They would not be Guilty of Sin.

Now, however, they have No Excuse for their Sin.

23 HE WHO HATES ME HATES MY FATHER AS WELL.

24 If I had not done among them what No One else did,

They would not be Guilty of Sin.

But now they have seen these miracles,

AND YET THEY HAVE HATED BOTH ME AND MY FATHER.

25 This is to fulfill what is written in their Law:

THEY HATED ME WITHOUT REASON.'

26 'When the Counselor comes,

Whom I will send to you from the Father,

The Spirit of Truth Who goes out from the Father,

He will Testify about Me;

27 BUT YOU ALSO MUST TESTIFY,

For you have been with Me from the beginning.

(John 15:1-27)

American Christians have forgotten

That America is part of the World,

And America and the World Hate Christ Jesus, God the Father,

And All who follow Christ Jesus and His Word.

The Church has Pretended that America is a beneficent place,

When it is not.

It is ruled by the “god” of this Age

As is every other part of the World.

If we Obey the Commands of Christ, we do not belong to the World.

If we do not Obey the Commands of Christ, we are part of the World.

We Love each other if we Obey the Commands of Christ Jesus;

If we do not Obey His Commands, we do not Love each other.

'This is Love: That we walk in Obedience to His Commands.' (2 John 6)