The Church
True Discipleship
John 15:1-13
- True Discipleship draws its life from Christ
Vs. 1- “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.”
Vs. 5- “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
- Ture discipleship grows through mutual accountability
Vs. 2- “Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”
- True discipleship is proven by fruit
Vs. 4-5- “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
Vs. 8- “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”
- True discipleship abides in Christ’s Word
vs. 7- “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
Vs 10- “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.”
In Nazi Germany, Bonhoeffer insisted that discipleship meant following Christ through obedience to His Word, even against the culture. His classic book The Cost of Discipleship centers on this truth: “Only he who believes is obedient, and only he who is obedient believes.”
- True discipleship is marked by sacrificial love
Vs. 12-13- “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”