Who is Israel-08

Jesus gave numerous examples to indicate the oneness of His Church. The Apostles all understood this even as the people did not always understand Him. Only after the Holy Spirit descended to permanently dwell within every believer, did the Apostles fully understand the oneness in Christ.

Many of the examples Jesus used were in terms that represented this great truth.

John 15:1  "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine dresser. :2  "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. 

Here we read a truth that cannot be denied. There are just two families, two worlds, two eternities, and two types of branches. True branches produce fruit and are being constantly pruned by the Father to produce more fruit. The other branches are taken away and burned, which is another message on Hell.

:3  "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. :4  "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. 

There are no real self-made men. We have to be in Christ to bear fruit, to bring glory to God, and to share this great truth with the darkened world around us.

:5  "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. :6  "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. 

This is a second reminder of being cast into the fire. Also, being apart from Christ means we can do nothing or nothing to bring Him glory.

:7  "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

This is yet another reminder of the importance of prayer. If we pray according to His will, He will answer it and it will be done.

John 5:19  Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. :20  "For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel. 

The example Jesus gives us is the example of His relationship with the Father. He cannot do anything that He has not seen His Father do. He is the perfect example of His Father, just as we need to be the example of Jesus here on earth.

:21  "For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes.  :22  "For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, :23  so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

Jesus is both Savior and Judge. Most people can’t imagine Jesus judging anyone or throwing anyone into Hell. They don’t really know the true character of a righteous, holy, perfect God.

More next Saturday