Post on 29-Dec-2015
The true Christian community is characterised by…
A. Believers who practice sacrificial love to one another (JOHN 15:12-17)
B. Believers who face hostile opposition from the world (JOHN 15:18 – 16:4)
C. Believers who are guided by the Spirit of Truth (JOHN 16:5-15)
A. Believers who practice sacrificial love to one another (JOHN 15:12-17)
Why does Jesus reiterate the ‘new commandment’ of love here in
John 15?
A1. Jesus wants love to be the distinctive hallmark of his people (JOHN 16: 12-13)
• Love their enemies (Matthew 5:44-45)
• love one another sacrificially (John 15:13)
The spiritual benchmark for the church is LOVE!
By abiding in God’s love,
Christians can even…
A2. Jesus promises intimacy of relationship with those who obey him (JOHN 16:14-15)
Jesus wants each one of us to enjoy a very close friendship
with Him
There are different levels of intimacy
PHYSICAL * 1 Cor. 6:16a
SPIRITUAL * 1 Cor. 6:17
EMOTIONAL * 1 Cor. 6:16b
B. Believers who face hostile opposition from the world (JOHN 15:18 – 16:4)
• As the true Christian community, believers will inevitably experience worldly opposition, especially persecution
• This persecution arises from the world’s hatred for Jesus in the first place
2. We should be willing to suffer for Jesus’ sake (John 15:21)
•See Acts 5:40-41. Do you and I regard persecution as a badge of honour for us to be proud of?
1. If Jesus was persecuted, we should expect the same as well (John 15:20)
Application Point 3 (cont)
C. Believers who are guided by the Spirit of Truth (JOHN 16:5-15)
• Twice Jesus mentioned that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth (John 15:26; 16:13)
• The Holy Spirit bears witness primarily to Jesus who is the TRUTH (John 14:6)
Basic Pneumatology (Doctrine of the Holy Spirit)
1. In relation to believers
2. In relation to the world
As the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit has two primary functions:
Pneumatology: In Relation To Believers
What kind of Christian community does the Holy Spirit seek to develop?
• A community who knows the truth (JOHN 8:31-32)
• A community who practices the truth (Eph. 4:21-25)
Holy Spirit’s work: 1. In Relation To The World
which eventually condemns the
sinner
The sin of unbelief in
Jesus
The reliance on self-
righteousness
which totally falls short of divine righteousness
The reality of the coming judgement
which all unforgiven sinners will be
subject to
“I looked for the church, and I found it in the world.
I looked for the world, and alas,
I found it in the church!”
Andrew Bonar (1810-1892)
Image: Wikipedia