The Chosen

Promise for the New Year

Jan 3, 1988 John 15:1-17

What sort of year was [2007] for you? For some it was a good year. For others it was little short of devastating. How do you view the oncoming days and months of a new year? However we look at it, it is coming! The question is, how shall we meet [2008]?

At the milestone points of life, the promises of God can give us a reference point, to help us see where we've been, and where we are, and where we're going. They can help to hold us steady in the winds of success or adversity.

Perhaps you have your favorite promises. Promises like: Proverbs 3:5,6; and I like Galatians 6:7,8 ("...be not weary in well doing...") Instead of just a "promise," I would have us consider a whole "passage" as a reference point today. This whole passage is worthy of life-trust: (John 15:1-17.) A highlight is verse 7 "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you."

The truth here, of shared life with Jesus, is a frame of reference for a lifetime, for a New Year—[especially the fact that we are chosen of God! The initiative for LIFE is with HIM!

I. I HAVE CHOSEN YOU (v 16)

  1. GOD HIMSELF HAS CALLED US! We come to know God because He makes Himself available to us. We did not simply set out and "find God." God found us!

    God called Adam in the cool of the day; He calls to every person who truly will listen. Sometimes we say in our arrogance: "I found God.." And so we did; but in reality God was seeking us all, each one.

    OUR 'FINDING GOD' IS ALWAYS A RESPONSE TO HIM, TO HIS LOVE.

    As Jesus spoke to the disciples that night, each of them may well have thought back to when he first met Jesus. For each of the disciples was "called." Do YOU remember when you first responded to Jesus? For before WE could RESPOND...we had to be "CALLED!" Jesus said, "You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen YOU!"

    GOD HAS CALLED, IS CALLING EACH ONE OF US!

  2. But to be CALLED is not exactly the same as being CHOSEN! Jesus also spoke these words: (Matthew 22:14) "MANY are called, but FEW are CHOSEN!" It is not enough that God loves you, and that Jesus comes where you are and calls for you to follow!

    THAT does not make you one of the "chosen," not quite, yet! [The Rich Young Ruler came running to Jesus. Jesus LOVED him (Mark 10!) and invited the rich young ruler to "Come, follow Me!" As far as Jesus was concerned, He wanted the rich young ruler to be "chosen." But there was lacking that element of obedience! He was unable to part with his "things."

    The CHOSEN are those who hear and heed and follow and keep on following! To be among God's CHOSEN, there must be a willingness to follow Jesus! A choosing to OBEY Him! (John 7:17) "If any man is willing to do His will, he shall know..." It is NOT 'salvation by works.' But we ARE chosen, when we are willing to leave all, and follow after Jesus!

II. I AM THE SOURCE OF LIFE (v 1, 5)

  1. Shared LIFE with Jesus.

    Here is the figure of the Vine and the branches...one we need to return to again and again. WHY? Because the Vine and the branches share ONE LIFE! We do not receive LIFE and then proceed to go away and do with it as WE will. But forever we are to be in close connection with Jesus Christ.

  2. Perfect freedom comes from being 'ONE WITH JESUS!'
  3. THE PARADOX: Jesus is saying: "YOU ARE TIED TO ME and YOU ARE TOTALLY FREE"! This is the "heart" of the message, right here:
    1. ABIDE IN ME! REMAIN IN ME! KEEP THE CONNECTION TIGHT! Seems like "conditional love." Seems very much like it is not very adventurous! The life of a grape-vine branch! Indeed! If we do not learn to ABIDE...if we do not WAIT ON THE LORD...if we do not learn the secret of this obedient "passivity," we shall never learn the FULL SCOPE OF LIFE IN CHRIST!
    2. ASK WHATEVER YOU WILL IN MY NAME, I WILL DO IT! The other half of the truth of the paradox: A sense of complete liberty! Freedom to be what you were intended to be! Keep ON sharing life in Me! "Be being filled with the Spirit!" (Ephesians 5:18.) This intended to be an on-going, never-ending relationship.

III. I HAVE CHOSEN YOU...TO BEAR FRUIT (v16)

BE ASSURED! Jesus is interested in YOUR full potential! Fruit! Fruit that will last! Last—how long??

[What are the results of a lifetime of work without the eternal dimension? There is more, or less, satisfaction in all work, depending on various factors of usefulness, beauty, demand, and the like, BUT all such work will decay. Even the pyramids will cease to be!]...but the promise is: THE CHOSEN WILL BEAR FRUIT IN THEIR LIVES THAT WILL REMAIN...LAST...ABIDE!

[Illus: What has been achieved in "things" vs. "people"—the building of Akron First Church vs. the helping of a family to get back together—which lasts longer?]

Fruit that is UNIQUE to you! What YOU were made for is fulfilled!

IV. THE FINAL WORD: LOVE EACH OTHER!

  1. I love YOU—that's why I have chosen you! Be sure of that!
  2. You love ME! Good! That's the way it must be!
  3. But more and more—SEEK TO BREAK DOWN THE WALLS OF INDIFFERENCE AND...LOVE ONE ANOTHER! [This NOT irrelevant to the rest of the message! We cannot be all WE should be individually apart from loving one another!]
    1. the 'kiss of peace' and the like is one thing, but at best it is superficial. Is it possible to really have a desire to be of help to one another ?
    2. perhaps it would be better to extend a hand of help— seek to do it as a regular thing
    3. My prayer is that each sincere heart might find a prayer fellowship; seek "accountability."

[Conclusion:]

We have looked at the passage as a frame of reference for the New Year. It is worthy of being "a lifetime passage!" It says: HERE IS THE RELATIONSHIP ON WHICH WE BUILD OUR LIVES!

Another way to look at it is 'Lining up our lives by the "THREE GREATS" of Jesus' teachings:

  1. We're familiar with THE GREAT COMMISSION . . .and that is the "fulfillment" here: bearing MUCH fruit (Matthew 28/ Mark 16:15 Go ye...) John 20:21 AS THE FATHER HATH SENT ME, SO SEND I YOU!

    But the Great Commission cannot be realized unless and until the Church is heeding...

  2. THE GREAT COMMANDMENT: in this passage here: (v 12,13 This is my commandment, that ye love one another!) John 13:42 A NEW COMMANDMENT GIVE I UNTO YOU, THAT YE LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS I HAVE LOVED YOU.

    And yet in a very real way, both THE GREAT COMMISSION, and THE GREAT COMMANDMENT are dependant on another "great!" For Jesus has give to you and to me...

  3. THE GREAT PROMISE! The promise of the Holy Spirit! John 7:37: IF ANY MAN THIRST LET HIM COME TO ME AND DRINK. HE THAT BELIEVETH ON ME, AS THE SCRIPTURE SAITH, OUT OF HIS INMOST BEING SHALL FLOW RIVERS OF LIVING WATER. (BUT THIS SPAKE HE OF THE SPIRIT, WHICH THEY THAT BELIEVE ON HIM SHOULD RECEIVE!) (16:7 IF I GO AWAY, I WILL SEND HIM UNTO YOU!) There we have them . . . the great PROMISE! . . . the great COMMANDMENT! . . . the great COMMISSION! Our assignment for 1988!

#98 Our Great Savior