• Pruned – John 15:1-8
• Q. Do we have any gardeners in here? What is the goal of the gardener?
  
  • Discuss
  • To maintain the beauty, health of the plants, trees, etc. in the garden. 
• Q. What happens when you don’t remove dead branches? 
  
  • Give time to answer. 
  • Hinders the growth of healthy branches, allows disease to spread, hinders the production of fruit, etc.
• Q. What do you thing Jesus was trying to get across to the disciples with this analogy? 
  
  • Give time to answer.
  • Notice the words that are repeated: 
    
    • Remain 
    • produce fruit
  • The disciples needed to remain in Jesus in order to produce fruit
• Q. What does it mean that the branches that don’t produce fruit are removed (Jn 15:2) and thrown in the fire (Jn 15:6)?
  
  • Some have suggested these individuals claimed to be Christians but their unfruitful lives revealed that they weren’t true believers (cf Matt 7:21-23).
  • John 10:27-30 would indicated that one who is truly saved cannot lose salvation, so these aren’t Christians who lost their salvation.
  • Others consider this a question of discipleship rather than salvation. The branches are unfruitful because they do not abide in Christ. They are just backsliding Christians.
  • If we consider the example of Judas we see clearly that a person could have real contact with Jesus and even “fit in” with true disciples, but ultimately not be in Christ (cf Jn 6:70-71, 1 Jn 2:19). 
  • “It seems more appropriate to remember that Jesus used a figure of speech (a metaphor) to describe the relationship between Himself and His disciples. Figures of speech are used to make a point, and pushing a figure of speech beyond that point can raise questions that the figure of speech was not intended to answer. Jesus’s point in His figure of speech was that the gardener is the only one who is capable of differentiating between what must be cut away and removed and what needs pruning so that it can bear more fruit” (ETB Commentary).
  • What’s clear is that the presence of fruit signifies a disciple of Christ and fruitfulness only comes through abiding in Him.
  • Believers are pruned; unbelievers are punished.
• Q. How does God prune us so that we can be more fruitful? 
  
  • Give time to discus. 
  • Through His word
  • Through His church
  • Through the conviction of the Holy Spirit 

Joy – John 15:9-11

• Q. How are John 15:9-10 and John 14:15 connected to each other?
  
  • Give time to answer. 
  • Jesus again linked love and obedience. Believers abide in His love as they keep His commands.
• Q. How does a person’s obedience to Jesus produce Joy? 
  
  • Discuss
  • We were created to be in a relationship with God so as we abide in Christ and obey Him we are doing what we were created for.
  • The one who created us knows what’s best for us. When we obey Christ we are living in God’s design for us which results in joy. 
  • Just as Jesus is our example for what obeying God looks like, Christ’s joy as He faced the cross (cf Heb 12:2). 
  • “The disciples’ joy would be complete as they lovingly kept the Son’s commands” (ETB Commentary). 
• Q. What does the world say will produce joy? How does that compare to the joy produced by obedience to Jesus? 
  
  • Give time to respond
  • Typically the worlds idea of joy is based on complete autonomy and freedom. No restrictions on one’s desires or wants. “Do what feels right to you.”
  • The problem is that the pleasures of the world are temporary (Heb. 11:25), contrary to the love of the Father (1 Jn 2:15), and are passing away (1 Jn 2:17). 
  • Ps 16:11 gives us a clear picture of the joy found in God. Earthly joy is based on circumstances, the joy of God is based on being in God’s presence, abiding in Him.

Love – John 15:12-17

• Q. What stands out to you about Jesus’ comments about love? 
  
  • Give time to answer.
  • It’s not optional, it’s integral.
  • It’s not an emotion, it’s an action. 
  • It imitates the love of Christ.
• Q. How do you think Jesus’ death on the cross changed the way the disciples understood His words in Jn 15:13 and the surrounding verses?
  
  • Discuss.
  • Jesus meant what He said. 
  • My love for others needs to imitate the love Jesus showed me
  • If Jesus died for sinners, how should I treat my enemies? (Cf. Rom 5:7-8)
• Q. What do you think about when you hear the word friend?
  
  • Discus
  • A childhood friend.
  • A close group of people with similar interests
  • Someone who is there for you no matter what. 
• Q. What does it mean for the disciples to be friends of Jesus?
  
  • Give time to answer.
  • It meant that Jesus died for them on the cross (Jn 15:13).
  • It didn’t mean that the disciples could command the obedience of Jesus. 
  • In the time of Jesus, disciples of a rabbi were considered his servants, but the disciples’ relationship with Jesus was going to be different. 
  • Instead of simply telling them what to do, Jesus informed them of His thinking. The disciples were called to understand the heart of Jesus and obey with a sense of privilege and joy; not out of obligation but because of their love for Jesus and because of Jesus’ love for them. 
  • Obedience is not a means of earning the status of Jesus’ friend,  obedience is what characterizes His friends.
• Q. Have you ever been given a blank check? Why did that person give it to you? 
  
  • Discuss
  • Likely it was family, and in reality it wasn’t a blank check, they just didn’t know the exact amount so they allowed you to fill the exact amount in.
  • Similarly Jn 15:16 isn’t a blank check for personal wish lists. This statement includes several qualifiers. 
    
    • It is given to believers who are abiding in Christ. 
    • It is given for the purpose of producing fruit. Whether this fruit is personal righteousness in the life of a believer or the advancing of His kingdom through preaching the gospel the promise of answered prayer directly glorifies the Father.
    • The answered prayer is offered in Jesus’ name.
    • The prayer is a humble request not a demand.
• Q. Why do papers have an introduction and a conclusion? 
  
  • Give time to respond.
  • The introduction is for the author to tell the read what they are about to read. 
  • The conclusion is to tell the reader what they just read. 
  • Jn 15:17 is a concluding statement for this section. Jesus wanted to be extremely clear; A disciple who remains in Jesus will obey His command to love one another.