068: Nigel Patterson - The Letter to the Christadelphians

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

1. 0:13

   Welcome to the good Christian talks podcast. I’m Levi and I’m Chris. Thank you so much for joining us this week on this podcast. We select one taco week to help each one of us get the Bible in our daily news feed. We post at the start of each week for you to listen.

2. 0:30

   With a short intro before hand to kind of set the stage for the talk. You’re about to hear and now let’s hear more about this week’s talk. This class is by Brother Nigel Patterson. It’s actually the first class in a series on Colossians that he gave at the Shippensburg Bible school and 2007.

3. 0:44

   The title is to those who have not seen my face. Now, this was a really good class brother Nigel to me is very easy to listen to he does a great kind of a verse by verse are picking out some themes from Colossians 1 and to make some really good points. The overall theme of this series was the letter to the christadelphians and he kind of explains that in the beginning of the class but draws, excuse me draws on the point of of the colossian Ecclesia being a place that Paul never actually visited and we as yourself Ian’s being a people who never actually saw our leader and our King the Lord Jesus Christ. He finishes the class on a theme that he really Expands through the rest of the series of just Christ’s actual kind of Christ for the purpose of God being so separate from darkness and how we need to eventually what he says and the rest of the reasons that we need to Define ourselves as absolutely separate, even though we make mistakes but recognizing that we are in line with the light of the world and not aligned with the darkness really enjoyed this class.

4. 1:56

   I think it’s a again easy to listen to very accessible. He has a Wonderful style I can’t find a series by Brother Nigel. I’m hoping maybe someone else can that he does on the proofs of the Resurrection, which I heard as a young person, which I very very much enjoyed. So if anyone finds that that would be wonderful, please send us your suggestions.

5. 2:17

   We really do live off those. We thank thank everyone who who does that send us emails or messages about about us particular class. We very much appreciate it and thank you for listening. Here is brother Nigel. From 2007 to those who have not seen my face.

6. 2:37

   Well, good morning everybody. Always nice to know there’s life beyond the platform. Well now come straight away to our first chapter of Colossians. Initially, I just offered the title. The left is the christadelphians and just left the rest of the hanging that thing book for the Bob wants to something a bit more precise.

7. 3:08

   So it kind of gives the game away but have a look at this Colossians chapter 1 Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God and Timothy our brother to the Saints and faithful brethren in Christ. Jesus who are at colossi Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus.

8. 3:26

   Just Christ. Did you see the word christadelphians? Brethren in Christ. We’re in holy writ Brethren assisted. How about that? It’s the only time the phrase is ever used. So this is the letter to the christadelphians they may well be in colossae, but it’s the christadelphians. So we need to listen up to what this man has to say to us and we should also notice that this the the continuing theme through Colossians and either being in Christ or in him. It occurs at least 12 times.

9. 4:01

   So being in Christ in him is a sub-theme in this in this short letter, which the Apostle Paul presents. Stewart and not necessarily a riding a hobby horse here. You understand, but please notice. It just say brethren in Christ doesn’t say Brethren of Christ. And I personally feel a little uncomfortable when Brethren will sometimes refer to our elder brother Jesus Christ.

10. 4:29

    It’s generally on the basis of passages like Hebrews to where it made very plain that Jesus is pleased to call them Brethren, but what he chooses to call us his one thing what we are allowed to call him is quite another and if if nothing else this week, I hope that when we have looked at the supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ in the in the work of God our Father we will have a good deal more respect and reverence for his son. Then perhaps we may be normally used to so it is brethren in Christ.

11. 5:05

    And so it’s chapter 2 really where we have this first talk here to those have not seen my face the picture on the screen is all that’s left of colossi. Let that be a warning to All christadelphians by the waist. Just a mound. We don’t want to be a mound Brethren and sisters.

12. 5:24

    Okay, so we just need to bear that in mind it but look at this. It’s here. It is. It’s in verse 1 of chapter 2. I would that you know what great conflict I have for you and for them at laodicea and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh and that’s us. I’m done.

13. 5:42

    It’s confirmed, isn’t it? Just and I’ve just taken you to chapter 2 back in chapter one there. We give thanks to God verse 3 of chapter 1 we give thanks to God and the father our Lord Jesus Christ praying always for you since we heard of your faith in Christ, Jesus and of the love, which you have toured all the saints so that they’re there they had heard themselves under I think this is made clear in verse 7 again of chapter 1 as you also learned of epaphras.

14. 6:11

    It’s a point that’s made later on in in the in the letter now. That’s a curious thing. Isn’t it? How are you you learn this from epaphras. Now. How come how come it wasn’t poor? I mean you got to be impressed with this man the Zeal for preaching the word were just pull it was printed on the forehead of this man and it seems kind of odd to us that he never got there.

15. 6:37

    But well, that’s that’s the way it is. We are told he was in episode. This for three years. So these people never saw his face. They never heard his voice, but they were persuaded on the basis of somebody else. Now. The analogy is not a good one. I know but just when if you remember this little scene here, I just love this man.

16. 6:59

    This is see me in an aged man who having having held a child a babe 40 days old. That’s all the Sovereign Lord as you have promised now this Missed your servant in peace. My eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in the sight of all people and two things here are light for Revelation to the Gentiles and glory to your People Israel.

17. 7:22

    This man never heard the voice of Jesus. He never saw the things that he did. He never listen to the heart of the Man from Nazareth. And yet he knew just by old but just by holding the Babe he knew that the purpose of God was on track. That’s all I hate to see. I just need to see the baby.

18. 7:41

    That’s all I’m happy now to pass off the scene. This is the faith of an old man. He’d been waiting waiting waiting what he’d heard about this from somewhere else. In other words, the their Jewish scriptures he knew of someone to come here he was but didn’t hear a word didn’t see anything that this child would do when he Foreground what will in a kind of way that’s that’s where the Colossians were.

19. 8:04

    That’s that’s where we are. I repeat that seems very strange that after three years in in Ephesus. It just doesn’t seem to have got there. and hello.

20. 8:27

    Just a map there which shows where colossi is just in case. Hey, this is the first time I’ve got to play with stuff like this. You have no idea how thrilled I am. So don’t laugh too long, you know, but Colossus is there the little crosses on their obviously you can spot straight away.

21. 8:45

    They are reference to the 70 clichés, which I’ve always taken to have been founded at roughly that time that the preaching effort in Asia was that was quite extensive and it wouldn’t surprise me of all those he pleases were established at that time, but in Cleveland cause colossi and hierapolis, which are mentioned here gloss is on the the South Bank of the river of the river like us which is a tributary of the river manned with from which we get the word Meander, you know, you know about long rivers in the state’s the Mississippi, for example with all those Loops those meanders that’s where the word comes from from that particular River than the main road from from Ephesus to the Euphrates used to run right through colossi is And by exert seas and the younger Cyrus on their marches, so colossi was of some significance way back Herodotus.

22. 9:40

    Cause it a great city of phrygian in the 5th Century BC and at the beginning of the next Century xenophon described it as a populous city wealthy and large. And now it’s just a mound. So, you know downhill all the way there was an earthquake in 1860 which kind of ruined things for them somewhat and it basically didn’t really survive that in any great way, but for all that, this is the area where the Apostle Paul was operating a fist of three years.

23. 10:10

    It’s interesting that he didn’t reach the lycus valley when you look at the account in the Acts of the Apostles and you remember that he’s there for Three years you think we’ll know where to look that’s a bit thin and I said not a lot going on there. Just so this is a quick recap. These are the issues that are brought To Us by the by Luke in his record of the the activity of of pull and when you look at that when you look at the actual incidents themselves, you think well that’s never three years worth and when you begin to read what Paul writes elsewhere, there are other things emerge Edging so we also find he had to deal with a series of problems, which I’ve called here the Corinthian problems. He wrote I believe it out for letters to the Corinthians and if you want to see this stuff afterwards just to check it through and see how you feel about it, but current really dominated his life.

24. 11:11

    I’m suggesting to you and that would have been part of those three years and he talks often were certainly particularly talks about The moment they’re in second Corinthians. Now, please understand these writing this from from either Ephesus or from possibly from Phillipi doesn’t much matter that at the time that Paul writes that about his imprisonment you and I as far as the Acts of the Apostles are concerned. I’ve only ever noticed him in prison once That was in Philippi overnight bed and breakfast.

25. 11:49

    Yeah, so, you know, so the language of Paul here brings before as a whole raft of things that look seems very quiet about what is it onion? We won’t look at this in detail because we kind of get off track here. He talks about it being should track, you know, this past Easter to 2 Corinthians 11 is is very well known to us where he lists all the things that he suffered for his Lord.

26. 12:13

    Now the only ship wreck that you and I are And I know of is it the end of the actually the apostles that hasn’t happened yet? It’s an interesting life. You know, I mean you got around with Paul. You never never a dull moment with this man and but you just wonder I’m suggesting to you. Just wonder if one or more of those imprisonments wasn’t in Ephesus.

27. 12:35

    Would that keep him out of? Out of the way for a while just a thought and just throwing it for them. Maybe he wrote a letter to the Philippians from Ephesus rather than Rome. That’s that’s neither here nor there. They’re not the oldest is taken from his own personal writings. So we got Luke to start off with we then add his own personal writings.

28. 12:57

    And now we have a fuller picture of those three years and if indeed some of those imprisonments were in Ephesus for whatever reason we can well understand that you wouldn’t reach All that is here or Hereafter – well when you just get to write to the christadelphians in colossi, it does seem to me. He’s writing because of some new teaching that’s come from within the Ecclesia, you know, brother and sisters or perhaps being infected by the spirit of the age in which they live more than they realized.

29. 13:28

    I just point out to you verse 3 of Colossians 2 here. It says they’re continuing if you wish the title that we’ve got for as many as not see my face in the flesh verse. Do that their hearts might be comforted being knit together in love unto all Riches of the full Assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God and the father and of Christ. There was something about special knowledge that began to infiltrate.

30. 13:59

    The the Ecclesia has in this part of the World gnosis Knowledge. There were other elements thrown in you can pick we should pick this up a little later on. God willing in one of our other tops here. There are other elements which are very reminiscent of Judaism, you know, and the overall impact of all of these things was to suggest the need for form or in their spiritual life.

31. 14:23

    It was this to say, well that’s why we’re glad you’ve received the gospel. It’s good news, isn’t it the gospel and now we may need just to tweak it up a little bit, you know. Circumcision really good thing to follow the law and this this knowledge you want deeper knowledge. All of these things were being added to the simple gospel that had been presented in this case by epaphras not by Paul. I mean, it happened elsewhere incidentally you check out the letter to the Galatians.

32. 14:58

    It was happening there and I may be wrong, but it seems to me that Galatians would if he wasn’t the first letter that Paul ever wrote it Close that way so very early on things. Were you sneaking into the Ecclesia there and throwing our brothers and sisters of Travelers is dangerous because this is a Jesus plus gospel. What kind of a gospel is that?

33. 15:20

    The message that comes from scripture brother and sisters is that Jesus is all we need. God has provided everything we need in his son and the and this is interesting maths, isn’t it? The moment you add anything to Jesus you automatically take away from him. We have to fully understand the Merit of the death and the blood and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, and there were people here or just adding a little bit to the gospel adding a little bit here.

34. 15:48

    Your spiritual life isn’t He completed you need to be sure about this says Paul don’t do it. 2007 let’s not pretend it can’t happen amongst ourselves brother and sisters stick to the simple gospel. Let’s not insist on anything else where we it is suggested that perhaps we are in completing our knowledge. It does happen.

35. 16:13

    It can happen is happening here the christadelphians in colossae have to face this and Paul is saying stop it. Don’t do it. He’s very anxiously for their their spiritual welfare. And having heard of their they’re good start in our praise for them and we are still here in in Colossians 2. He look at this.

36. 16:37

    Do I mean Colossians 2 now? I don’t I really don’t know what’s going on up here. Believe me verse verse 3 of chapter 1 give thanks to God and the father our lord Jesus we give thanks to God and the father of our Lord Jesus Christ praying always for you since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love you have to all the saints for the hope.

37. 16:57

    Versions that’s because of the Hope which is laid up for you in the heaven where of you heard before in the word of truth of the Gospel. He prays for them and didn’t understand that you may already have these highlighted for you there in verse 4, we have faith and love and in verse 5, we have hope the three pillars of a disciples life all brought together by the Apostle loved one towards another notice that and and I draw your attention to the fact that it’s the second half of verse 4 and he is glad that he’s heard about the love that they have toured all sense notice this because of the Hope which is laid look laid up for you in the heavens their faith and their love are driven by their hope.

38. 17:47

    These are not separated items their love and their faith is geared to the hope that they have. Well, the Apostle Paul has something to say about this. We won’t look at it now, but you’ll remember in the resurrection passage First Corinthians 15 where bottle takes time out to deal with yet another doctrinal issue, which was clearly creating some problems in Corinth, but it’s principally where he says, you know, if if it’s only in this life we have any joy in the Lord Jesus Christ.

39. 18:18

    We are just so pitiable people. And if our Christian Life is In terms of only of this world. Then faith is a mockery and morality is a complete waste of time. So this Faith this hope is driven by a hope of something to come. Isn’t that right? That’s really saying here. It’s laid up for you in the heavens where of you heard before in the word of the truth of the Gospel if if our power connection with Christ is only to do with this present world than frankly the only logical outcome. Used to eat and to drink for tomorrow we die. So here we have it these christadelphians here their faith in the love has been nourished. Not not by their own will but by the solid fact of God’s promises that the help of the second coming the hope of the resurrection of the hope of Life Everlasting and of course it rests with God it’s laid up in heaven with him. That’s a powerful image, which if I remember it will pick up either later on in this talk or later on in the week which comes out in chapter 3, but in the first instance, this is laid up in heaven it since it’s in a safe place as it could possibly be enough.

40. 19:39

    This is one of those passages in Colossians where for the brother or the sister who may sometimes doubt that they are fit for the kingdom or be that they just have a feeling they may not make it There’s at least two passages here in this letter. And this is one of them where your Eternal welfare.

41. 20:00

    Your eternal life is locked in the safest Vault that there is It’s in heaven secure with our father. He has something more to say about that later on. If I remember we’ll have a look at that. So the hope of glory is with him from whose presence. We await the sun’s return to reveal That Glory to us and inners and you’ll notice how that this this.

42. 20:30

    Hope has been planted. It talks about in the wood of the truth of the Gospel end of verse. I’ve been to six which is come unto you as it is in all the world and brings forth fruit as it does also in you since the day you heard of it and knew the grace of God in truth the fruit bearing power of the Gospel. Yeah.

43. 20:51

    These are new creatures. This isn’t they represent a new creation? In the Lord Jesus Christ, I mean the gospel is like and here if you wish to to a tree isn’t it? You know yielding fruit whose seed is in itself just as it was in the first Creation in Genesis in Genesis 1 and that’s fine so far, but he doesn’t stop there doesn’t the doesn’t the Apostle verse 9 for this cause we also since the Day, we heard it do not cease to pray for you. And to desire the you might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding us sounds it sounds intellectually and spiritually Superior, don’t it? Certainly in terms of an attitude, but it isn’t that’s not there in the mind of the Apostle Paul here at or me some then and you have to say now may make great claims for themselves in this respect of that kind of knowledge and wisdom and understanding that fail failed a standard of the next verse. In fact, you can’t get to verse 10 except through verse 9. So let’s do that this cause we also for the Cause we also since the day we heard of it beginning of verse 9 do not cease to pray for you to desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding that you might walk worthy of the Lord and to all Blake old pleasing being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.

44. 22:34

    There’s that sense of fruitfulness again brought to our attention. So verse 9 and verse 10 are linked together. James has a useful comment to make on this one, but the wisdom that comes from Heaven is first of all pure. This is a sideways knock at those people in those days who were trying to introduce better knowledge. And Paul is saying nonsense the wisdom that comes from Heaven is first of all, pure then peace-loving considerate submissive full of mercy and good fruit impartial and sincere and if I’ve got this right, I haven’t so nevermind. I thought was a verse 18 to come as well. But maybe maybe that’s enough to start off with. I’m not sure what I’m making my point here clear in verse 9. We have a great statement about wisdom. and spiritual understanding and knowledge that can take a brother or a sister almost out of the real world.

45. 23:42

    The real wisdom that is from above does that for your brother and sisters? We have truly learned from heaven. We have true understanding we have true knowledge if these things are true of us considerate submissive peace-loving full of mercy and good fruit. And I have a shoe suspicion that in this room. There isn’t a single person who could claim fully to have all those things as part and parcel of their life day by day. We have a lot to learn. in order to do so that kind of knowledge does make big demands of us.

46. 24:30

    Just recapping 10 again that you might walk worthily revised version of the Lord unto all pleasing. It is only Christian Living when it is worthy of so great a Lord and Master The Obedience that we practice must be sufficient to give the world a glimpse of the man that we have said we are going to follow The man that we are committed to to pick up up with the marks comments in the previous class.

47. 25:04

    Something of the Lord should be seen in our lives that’s implicit in the language here and not least two to walk worthily of Christ is to walk in harmony with other Brethren and sisters, you know, it clear visual disharmony ecclesial disunity is Unworthy of him a new commandment. I give you love one another as I have loved you.

48. 25:31

    So you must love one another by this all men. Men will know that you are my disciples. If you love one another without that the world has got no message from his whatsoever. says our Lord and he he says here that you might walk worthy of the Lord that term walk simply means to conform to the will of God in real life.

49. 25:58

    But of course, no human walk will ever be worthy of the Lord. But practically it can and should be so in the sense of being governed at every step by the motive of love and presence. Walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing to God’s complete satisfaction and Delight. More than that result of being filled with such knowledge of his will is easy to see that the more God’s children know him the more they will also love him.

50. 26:42

    The more they love him the more they will also wish to obey him in thought word and action. This is fruitfulness of the highest order. And it’s all dependent on a real knowledge of God, which grows so to complete the verse to walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.

51. 27:13

    Well, here’s someone who seems to know the Lord Jesus Christ very, well. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings becoming like him in his death.

52. 27:33

    That’s commitment. Is it not? And then there’s this another outburst of Thanksgiving from from Port go down to verse 12 now giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light who has delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear son. Oh, that’s it.

53. 27:59

    That’s what makes the difference you see. Our new status in Christ God is the judge before whom we all stand condemned as guilty. And yet this is the same God. That we can now call Father. What a change. I mean, there are a number of Old Testament images just brought to our attention in this language.

54. 28:25

    It seems to me we have been qualified says Paul for a lot or a portion in the land. This is the term inheritance that our users we have the Israel of God.

55. 28:39

    Just as each tribe entered into the portion of land allotted to them. So we enter into the sphere of blessing among the people of God, which has been granted to us. It is a Thanksgiving for a present blessing which is related to Future Perfection and knows the language in 13 who has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of his dear son.

56. 29:09

    This is Conquest language determine when you remember when Israel was taken from their land by the Assyrians into Exile and then those of Judah taken to Babylon into Exile that that’s what translation means hear those people being translated from one Kingdom into another that’s the language here. So we recorded Apostle Paul have been taken from one Kingdom and moved into another we are already. part of the Kingdom this matches that deep sense of hope which we’ve already been alerted to way back in verse 5 there.

57. 29:48

    We don’t often talk like this brother and sisters. This isn’t presumption and our part. This is taken straight out of scripture. There is a sense brother and sisters in which we are already part of the Kingdom. How else how else shall we now produce the fruit of the Kingdom Galatians? I was going to use this different context but since he’s here, we’ll use it. The fruit of the spirit is love joy peace, patience kindness goodness faithfulness gentleness and self-control. These are Kingdom flavors.

58. 30:21

    I’m Paulie saying we want them now. So there is a sense in which we live the kingdom now everything that belongs to him. We live now amongst ourselves one to another and Ecclesia lie in the broader sense. So we have been we have been translated from one Kingdom into that of the kingdom of his dear some the Lord.

59. 30:45

    Jesus is now our portion our lat you will remember in Psalm 16 again, which both I am not referred to yesterday. Whoever has been referred to in Psalm 16 and I think we’re all agreed is Messiah can speak of his lot being the Lord God? Well at a slightly lower level to start off with certainly Jesus Christ is our lot and our portion and well, I can’t think of a richer inheritance than that.

60. 31:27

    But the revised version has a different twist here. I read 13 again who delivered us out of the power of Darkness translated into the king of the son of his love other versions may have it similarly. I don’t know if it makes a difference, doesn’t it? The son of his love we were slaves to sin. And we’ve now been set free in Jesus Christ. We have been taken from the the Loveless condition of darkness and death into a spiritual realm in which we have the love of God shed upon us.

61. 32:07

    And so our lives must be molded by that love and that’s the emphasis which the revised version brings to our attention there. We’ve also got images hero of Egypt and exodus from the slavery in Egypt to the freedom of the fruitfulness of the promised. And you know this land that was going to flow with milk and honey. Remember the promises made to to Moses and to the to the Israelites through Moses and that’s just the way it was wasn’t it?

62. 32:37

    And you notice how the Apostle Paul has two or three times brought before is this sense of fruitfulness? Well now we all remember the spies being sent into the land. We all remember them coming back.

63. 32:53

    And they came back bearing the fruit of the land. He wasn’t so much that the fruit of the land showed. What a good Landy was flowing with milk and honey. Of course, it shows that it showed something much more important. However, it showed the truth of the word of God. This is the god who said to the nation. I’m going to take you to a land which flows with milk and honey. And when they come back and said look at this. This is this is the fruit of the land and at a low level that’s how many of them would well.

64. 33:25

    We don’t know how many but most of them side only at that level. They say they stayed at ground level didn’t they? Because the moment the spice said that there is a but Mark you it’s it’s going to be difficult in there, you know poor they’ve got cities as well and we haven’t seen Wars like that before. And the Anna came with my word and you see them nine foot tall some of them which we come we just can’t do it. And well, you know the stories was I do they turn their back. Not so much on the land.

65. 33:59

    They turned their back on the god who’s brought them to the boundary of the land the one who promised them he take them in there. So that fruitfulness that they brought with them they were fruit berries won’t they to demonstrate the truth of God’s word and to encourage them to take hold and grow in their faith in this God who’s brought them self our and were then just take them in.

66. 34:28

    And well they turned their back on it. when I stopped in YouTube, New Israel To give a better lead shall we say? We equally our fruit bearers Galatians 3. We equally our fruit bearers of the Kingdom to which we are being taken. proof positive amongst ourselves of the goodness of God Do we often think of it that way the kindnesses which we see in ecclesial life.

67. 35:07

    Do we do we go beyond just thanking the brother or the sister and thank a God who has brought us together as a family where those things can be enjoyed. We remember a comment made by somebody looking on at an Ecclesia in Cornwall, and I think I’m quoting correctly. And now you guys really know how to look after one another.

68. 35:34

    She noticed the fruit was being carried and was being displayed. God was the motivating power behind the way that Ecclesia was behaving. Poor old Caleb and Joshua course, they’re going to the 40 years before they get back in there. And you feel very sorry for them. Sometimes wasn’t their fault was it they were quite happy to go in there.

69. 36:01

    Not a problem from that perspective. That’s the way it was. You may sometimes I wonder how on Earth did they manage to do that, you know a fortnight’s DLo maybe a month year half a year 40 years was going to wait that long. Well, they were and they did. And they did so because they were Kingdom Minded they were Canaan minded and I’m using the word Canaan there in in God sense of it the land to which they were being taken to they had their minds firmly fixed on where they were going.

70. 36:36

    They were Kingdom Minded and for us brother and sisters. He’s also been Keen minded didn’t just it isn’t just the the things the pictures that we have of what that Kingdom will be like it is being it is the kingdom mindedness is is thing About the mind of the king himself minds and hearts firmly fixed on the one who is to come. John 15 You’ll see the connection. Because all this is learned from the King himself John 15. I am the True Vine.

71. 37:25

    This is fruitfulness of the highest order brother and sisters. And my father is the husbandman every branch in me that beareth not fruit. He takes away every branch that bears fruit. He purges it that it may bring forth more fruit. Now we’re see what he goes in verse 4 and 5 abide in me and I in you as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine no more. Can you accept you abide in me?

72. 37:54

    I am the vine. You are the branches. He that abides in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit without me you can do Nothing now. Did you spot the echo from Colossians? In Colossians, it was in him in Christ hear the man makes That explicit abide verse 4 abide in me and then end of verse 4 no more. Can you accept you abide in me verse 5 he that abide in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit without me you can do nothing.

73. 38:36

    Then verse 16 you did not choose me revised version, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide that whatever you shall ask of the father in my name. He may give you as interesting, isn’t it? So so we had a picture here of the fruitfulness of the True Vine now in verse 16 it is if something is passed. Over to the disciples they themselves now will be bare as a fruit.

74. 39:11

    Correct me if I’m wrong, but I understand that a Vine is not allowed to produce its fruit until after three years. That’s how long Jesus had his disciples. and when he’d finished and Spilled his blood. Remembered in wine And left this Earth to be with his father. Then the disciples took over to Bear the fruit that verse 16 is about chapter 17 the real Lord’s Prayer verse 13. I still take you back to 15 in a second or two, but just look at the language here of our lord.

75. 39:59

    It’s John 17. It’s verse 13, but now come I to the these things I speak in the world that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. That is astonishing language, isn’t it? This is a man who’s shorter to go out to be arrested to be treated in a most abysmal way and then to be nailed to a cross And he speaks here of my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have Here Comes This 40.

76. 40:32

    I have given them Thy Word. Sharper than any two-edged swords back in chapter 15 where we have the language every Branch verse 2 in me that bears not fruit. He takes away every branch that bears fruit. He purged with it. He prunes it. It’s the word that does the pruning.

77. 41:00

    And you you you should just notice incidentally that it was room 15 here. I’m perhaps we should have mentioned these earlier. He talks there in verse 2 of bearing fruit. He then talks about bringing forth much fruit in verse 5 and in other verse which I don’t immediately sport. Well, it said again in verse 18 verse 8 rather that you bear much fruit.

78. 41:26

    So as you go down from where around verse 2 through the verse 8, it goes from fruit more fruit much fruit is a continuing process the pruning process of the word will increase our fruitfulness. As we stay in him. meanwhile back in chapter 17 chapter 17 and so it sees the word which if you like is the second ters, which I used by God to increase our fruitfulness in him. But look at this.

79. 42:01

    Neither pray I say has been praying for the disciples. Yeah as well. He might have course that their world is going to collapse. Once Jesus is taken from them. He says in verse 20 neither pray. I for these alone but for them also, which Shall Believe on me through their word that they all may be one as thou father art in me and I in thee and they also may be one in us that the world may believe that thou Hast sent me.

80. 42:30

    Oh, that’s good. Hear the Lord Jesus Christ praise specifically for you and me. Isn’t that right? And I hope you’ve seen we’ve come full circle. Paul never got to colossi But they heard the word through epaphras.

81. 42:54

    Jesus never came to the United States Or Shippensburg or new key? Oh, whatever. But we’ve had through others this first brother and sister should be precious in your sight our Lord Praise specifically for you and your Eternal welfare. We have not seen his face. But we believe it. Thank you for listening to the good Kristoff and talks podcast Please Subscribe for new episodes and leave a review and apple podcast or whatever service you are listening from to help people find the show when they search for it. If you enjoyed this talk share it on social media. So other people can find it to for show notes and links to the talk that you just listen to visit our show page at anchor dot f m / CT we want to encourage everyone to share their thoughts from the talk this week on Facebook or Instagram where we are at good christadelphians talks or on Twitter where we are at GCT underscore podcast. If you know of a great talk, we want to know about it to send a suggestion to good Christie delphian talks at gmail.com or message us on any of our social media platforms. Thank you for listening.

82. 44:25

    God bless and talk to you next week.