Your Kingdom come not My kingdom
In John 15:1-17 , which is the well-known passage about the vine and the branches. The meaning of this passage is mostly straightforward and uncontroversial until you get to these words of Jesus: “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” Is this a blanket prayer that God will give us whatever we wish? At first glance, it does seem to be saying this. Many preachers have drawn entire theologies from this passage alone. As desirable as it might be to think that God is a genie who offers Christians whatever they want, it is critical we consider this passage in context. In other words, what was Jesus communicating to his original audience and what does this mean for us today? Upon closer analysis (which involves reading the verses before and after), it is clear that this passage is about true disciples living in obedience to Christ, and as a result, bearing fruit. To “abide in Christ” is to keep His commandments. With this in