That the Father may be glorified
John 15:8 - Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
I have been thinking about the above verse lately. Our Lord went about all his earthly life with one driving force: that the Father may be glorified. How can the Father be glorified: if WE bear much fruit. But what fruit (single) is he talking about. I suggest you do a word search if you have a Bible Concordance (Strong or Cruden's).
The verse goes on to say "so shall ye be" not christians, but "my "disciples". What an honor to be called a disciple of Christ. The word christian has been used and abused. But a disciple of Christ! That's something else. A disciple of Christ bears much fruit, and herein is the Father glorfied.
Do you remember what Jesus said about being grafted in the true vine in order to bear fruit. Listen to these verses. John 15:1 - I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. John 15:2 - Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
Do you love the Lord Jesus Christ? Are you his "disciple"? Jesus said, If ye love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15). John 15:10 - If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
Do you want to bear fruit that the Father may be glorified in his son, then listen to what Jesus said: John 15:4 - Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
I can think of the hymn "Abide in me" right now. I heard an English baritone sing it not long ago, and it was enchanting. Family members and loved ones abide with us in our homes. Don't you love to abide in the house of God.
John 14:13 says: And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Grant it Lord, that the Father may be glorified in this "son" too. Again, John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
