Zoe for Zero - The King of Life for the People of Naught

All right, let's pray before we begin.

Father God, it is not common that we have this undivided heart

towards the Lord Jesus Christ, towards you.

We have granted this hour that we might have such a heart

to focus on you.

To enjoy your presence.

To marvel at all your doings.

Thank you, Father, for we pray in Jesus' name.

Amen.

The title of the talk is Zoe for Zero,

the King of Life for the People of Lot.

I'm going to pronounce Zoe as Zoe

so that we don't confuse it with Zoe.

Zoe, one of our Bernard's girls.

Zoe is the way the Greeks would pronounce.

All right.

Last week, Rob talked about the King of Love,

and so this week I'd like to talk about the King of Life.

In chapter 14, Jesus tells his disciples about him leaving

and about sending another helper for the disciples.

And then in chapter 14, Jesus also said that he is the way,

the truth, and the life.

So in chapter 15, we are going to think about this life,

and Jesus explains how the coming of the helper would help the disciples

to know him as this life.

So the original Greek work for life here is Zoe.

Zoe means a life of abundance,

fruitfulness, and everlasting.

So the ultimate purpose of God's salvation work

is for his own glory

through the fruitful life of his own people.

And how does a person have a fruitful life?

So that is what the purpose of John is writing,

as he read in John 20, verse 31.

John 20:31

So he said,

But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ,

the Son of God,

and that by believing,

you may have life.

There is Zoe in his name.

Okay.

So the book of John talks a lot about this fruitful life,

a supernatural kind of life,

Zoe.

So in his introduction in John 1, 4,

he wrote,

In him, that Jesus,

was life, that is Zoe,

and the life,

Zoe was the light of man.

John is saying that this Zoe gives us light,

helps us to see who God is,

who we are,

where we come from,

and where we are heading to,

so we know how to live.

So on this topic of life,

I think John 12, 25,

gives us the clearest understanding.

And Jesus said,

Whoever loves his life,

that's Suhey,

I don't pronounce it as psychic,

it's a Greek pronunciation,

Suhey,

whoever loves his life,

loses it,

and whoever hates his life,

Suhey,

in this world,

will keep it for Zoe.

All right.

So there's a very clear contrast to us

that when we have,

when we live in this world,

we all have this Suhey,

or the natural life.

But Jesus wants us to have

this Zoe,

eternal life.

So with just this natural life,

we are like people who live in the dark.

So we all try to live,

make a living,

but do not know the purpose of living,

and could not see the glory of living.

When we believe that Jesus is the Christ,

the Son of God,

we begin to realize that there's much more to life,

because Jesus is the Zoe.

Zoe,

without believing in him,

there's no other way to know

what Zoe is.

Isaiah 15 · chapter mention

Chapter 15 tells us how this Zoe is developed in us,

by abiding in Jesus.

If we live without abiding in Jesus Christ,

we can do nothing.

Therefore,

the meaning of zero

in the title of this sermon,

Zoe,

for zero.

Without Christ,

we are zero.

And also Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13,

2,

And if I have prophetic powers

and understand all mysteries

and all knowledge,

and if I have all faith

as to remove mountains,

but have not love,

I am nothing.

So Paul is talking about this love

that will only come with Zoe.

So Paul is saying that

without Zoe,

we not only can do nothing,

we are nothing.

Nothing of eternal value,

nothing of meaning,

nothing of significance.

One of the marks of natural life,

Suhei,

is the need of love and joy.

So most of our resources

is to gain love and joy for ourselves.

We can think about what we do each day.

Why do we do them?

A lot of times you can think that

because we want to be loved

or to be happy.

So we abide ourselves

to different activities,

projects,

missions,

philosophies,

religions,

to try to get some love and joy.

And when we do not get enough love and joy,

we would think that our lives

are not worth living.

In verse 11,

Jesus said,

These things I have spoken to you,

that my joy may be in you,

and that your joy may be full.

So in here we see that

God has the same aim for us,

that is for us to have a joyful life.

However, there is no lasting

or true joy in our natural life.

True love and joy comes with Zoe.

So we cannot have true love and joy

without having Zoe.

And we cannot have Zoe

without also having true love and joy.

So in chapter 14,

the Lord Jesus talks about

God the Father

and God the Holy Spirit.

And now we come to the part

when he talks about

how this triune God,

God the Father,

the Son,

and the Holy Spirit

work for God's glory

through the fruitful life

of God's people.

And this fruitful life

flows to us from Jesus,

the true vine.

So this Zoe is flowing

from the true vine.

Jesus said,

I am the true vine.

True vine brings true life.

In the Old Testament,

the nation of Israel

was often referred to

as God's vineyard.

However,

God found no authentic fruit

from any of these wines

or any of the vines

in the vineyard.

In Isaiah 5,

3-4 be read,

And now,

all inhabitants

of Jerusalem

and men of Judah,

judge between me

and my vineyard.

What more was there

to do for my vineyard

that I have not done in it?

When I look for it

to yield grapes,

why did it yield

wild grapes?

So,

the nation of Israel

refused to submit

to the word

of the wine dresser.

It wanted to be

independent from God.

And the Old Testament

talks a lot about

the kings of Israel.

So,

how the kings

relate,

related to God,

influence how God

would relate

to the nation.

So,

the kings are like

the vines

in the vineyard.

If the wines

are not faithful

to God,

then they won't be

producing any fruit.

So,

for example,

in 1 Kings 6,

12-13,

God told King Solomon,

If you will walk

in my statues

and obey my rules

and keep my commandments

and walk in them,

then I will establish

my work with you,

which I spoke to

David your father,

and I will dwell

among the children

of Israel

and not forsake

my people Israel.

So,

there are only

a handful of kings

who almost approach

to this

true wine

or the true king,

but none was consistent.

None loved God

consistently.

None obeyed God

consistently.

Jesus,

being the true wine,

is also the true king,

fully submitted himself

to the wine dresser.

So,

as

just now,

Gareth,

talk about Jesus

as the lamb of God

and also the vine,

you can imagine

that both of the images

give us this idea.

The lamb

and the vine,

they both need

somebody to care

for them,

to depend on

the master.

Without that,

they cannot survive

or they cannot grow

properly.

So,

the image

also tells us

that Jesus,

as the vine

or as a sheep,

is fully dependent

on the father.

And that is

the picture of

the true king

that God

was looking for

or establishing

for his people.

A king

that would not

seek glory

for themselves,

but a king

seeks glory

for God.

So,

being the branches

of this true wine,

then we can,

therefore,

enjoy God's presence

and God's cultivation.

That's like Israel

would have enjoyed

if their kings

were obedient.

Great wine

is a unique

fruit plant.

It has the potential

to produce more fruit

than any other plant.

That's why

the image of the vine

is being used.

However,

its branches

are not used

for any other purpose.

So,

a fruitless branch

is therefore

cut down

and burned.

It can't be used

for any other purpose.

So,

a great wine

needs skillful pruning

for it

to produce good fruit.

A true wine

shares the same mind

as a wine dresser

to produce good fruit.

A true wine

therefore obeys

the wine dresser

joyfully.

It's not

begrudgingly,

but joyfully,

the true wine

and the wine dresser

work together.

Another characteristic

of the true wine

is that the true wine

is active

in growing branches

that will produce

good fruit.

So,

in verse 16,

we read,

you did not choose me,

but I chose you

and appoint you

that you

should go

and bear fruit

and that your fruit

should abide

so that whatever

you ask the Father

in my name,

he might give it to you.

The kings of Israel

were busy

choosing men

and horses

to establish

their own kingdom,

their own glory.

The true king

takes initiative

and actively

chooses his people

to establish

their godly

characters

for the glory

of God.

So,

the life

of the true wine

flows through

its branches

to produce fruit

and this flow

also tells us

the work

of the Holy Spirit.

Zoya is cultivated

by the wine dresser.

So,

in verse 1,

he says,

I am the true wine

and my father

is a wine dresser.

He tells us

that both the wine

and the wine dresser

work together

to ensure

the production

of fruit

in the branches.

Israel of old

failed to produce

good fruit.

The new Israel

is not going to

repeat the same failure.

So,

in verse 2,

he says,

every branch

in me

that does not

bear fruit,

he takes away

and every branch

that does

bear fruit,

he prunes

that it might

bear more fruit.

So,

this verse

tells us

the work

of the wine dresser.

The wine dresser

is determined

to harvest

good fruit.

He's not going

to tolerate

any branch

that produce

no fruit

or he will

also prune

those branches

that produce fruit.

When I started

doing gardening,

I thought

I should leave

the fruit trees

alone for them

to develop

naturally.

But after some years,

I learned

that this is not

the case.

If we leave

those fruit trees

alone,

they don't produce

good quality

or quantity

of fruit.

So,

similarly,

God does not

stop pruning

and cutting

until we are

perfect

like Jesus Christ.

So,

verse 2

is a bit

more challenging

for us to understand.

Who are

these branches

in the vine

that do not

bear fruit?

I think

we can apply

primarily

this word,

first of all,

it can apply

to Judas

primarily

because Judas

is one of the

disciples

that Jesus

chose

but he was

going to

betray Jesus.

Secondary,

it can be

applied to

the nation

of Israel

who consider

themselves

as the chosen

people of God.

It might also

be applied

to people

who say

that they

are in

the vine

but produce

no fruit.

However,

the emphasis

of this

verse

is not

so much

about

whether

a believer

could lose

his salvation.

The emphasis

is on

the work

of the

wine dresser.

It is

saying that

the wine dresser

means business.

He would not

let any

fruitless

branch

remain in

the vine

as doing

so

affect

the

fruitfulness

of other

branches.

So,

God's

glory

is at

stake

here.

We can

think further

about

these words.

Last week

in John

14,

15,

we have

considered

the statement,

if you

love me,

you will

keep my

commandments.

Now we

come to

John 15,

2,

it seems

to be

saying that

you need

to be

fruitful,

otherwise

you will

be removed

from me.

How to

respond to

these seemingly

conditional

statements

in the

New

Testament?

How we

respond to

them is

dependent on

if we

read them

with the

mind of

Suhei,

the natural

life,

or the

mind of

Zoe,

the supernatural

life.

So,

with just

natural life,

we will

treat statements

like this,

like the

Old Testament

laws.

We will

live in

fear,

despair,

or pride.

Fear,

because

for not

we fear

that we

may not

be able

to keep

the

commandments.

Despair,

if we

have

repeated

fail,

we fail

to keep

them

repeatedly.

Pride,

when we

think that

we can

do better

than other

people.

So,

that is

the natural

life,

a natural

mind,

to treat

a statement

like this.

But if

we have

Zoe,

a supernatural

life,

a living

water,

this life

will start

to flow

within us.

We will

start to

believe and

obey God's

command joyfully.

We start

to love

actively and

sacrificially.

We want

to serve

because there

is this

living water

overflowing

from within

us.

And we

can see

that in

our church.

We can

see the

people who

just take

the initiative

to do

things,

to talk

to people

who seem

to be

sitting by

themselves,

if we

observe.

and we

can see

this thing

that's very

beautiful.

It's not

because of

compassion,

there is a

duty,

but there is

a love

that is

flowing in

God's

people.

And with

this

mind,

we have

more concern

for God's

glory than

our own

comfort or

status.

We want

God to

prune away

all our

pride,

laziness,

and

idolatry.

We start

to see

that our

happiness is

dependent on

God's

glory.

The more

God is

glorified,

the happier

we are.

So we

will not

have problem

reading verses

like John

15,

2.

We might

even want

God to

cut us

away if

we are

in any

way

diminishing

God's

glory.

We don't

say that,

God

shouldn't

say that,

but we

should agree

with God

because we

have the

mind of

God or

the life

that flows

from God.

So when

this is

always cultivated

by God

and us,

our belief

begins to

transform from

self-centered

belief to

God-centered

belief.

If you

remember in

John 2,

the last few

verses,

there are

people who

believe in

Jesus and

it says that

Jesus did

not trust

or put their

trust on

those people

because he

knows what

was in

man or

there's a

natural life

in man.

What man

was thinking

with their

natural life,

the belief

that they

had was

to gain

something for

themselves

purely.

However,

when this

new life

comes in,

we can see

the change

in the

disciples.

They don't

care about

their life.

They preach

even under

persecution.

And that

is a different

thing because

they see

things differently.

Also,

our love

begins to

be transformed

from self-centered

love to

God-centered

love.

In John

John 13 · chapter mention

chapter 13,

we read that

Jesus loved

them and

he loved

them till

the end.

So there's

also two

different sort

of love.

Many a

time with a

natural life,

when we love,

usually we want

something for

return.

That's how we

love people.

But when we

have this joy in

us, our love

is different.

we love

just simply

because there's

love in us

to love.

And so

when we see

commands like

this, love

one another,

we do not

find it

surprising.

This is

natural.

We will do

it.

Okay.

So this joy

is manifested

by fruitfulness.

How do we

know we have

joy?

By the mark

of joy.

joy.

So one,

we have

fruit that

abides.

We come

back to

verse 16.

It says

that you

should bear

fruit and

that your

fruit should

abide.

So this

joy,

with the

fruit that

abide,

means that

our

character,

our

purpose in

the kingdom

of God

is consistent.

It's not

changing all

the time.

that is

because it's

natural,

part of us.

That's how

we live.

Number two,

that we have

the difference

of wisdom

and faith.

Back to

16 again,

it says that

whatever you

ask the

Father in

my name,

he may

give it

to you.

So that

is the

wisdom and

faith that

come into

this real

life,

that we

know what

to ask.

We ask

for things

that is

concerning with

God's

kingdom and

his glory.

And so

there's this

change in

our prayer,

in how we

pray,

because we

know God's

mind.

Number three

is that we

will have

this fruit

that edifies

or builds

up.

So in

Galatians

5,

22 to

23,

there is

the passage

that talks

about the

fruit,

what exactly

is the

fruit.

But the

fruit of

the Spirit

is love,

joy,

peace,

patience,

kindness,

goodness,

faithfulness,

gentleness,

self-control,

against such

things,

there is

no law.

So all

this is

the

virtues or

character that

in our

relationship,

how people

appreciate how

we can

build up

one another.

It's not

for our

own use,

and such.

It is how

we relate to

people,

and that

change,

how we

relate to

people when

there's such

fruit in

us.

I don't

have time

to go

very deep

on this

part,

but I

think we

can

understand

how this

difference is,

hopefully.

But how

does this

zoe replace

suhai?

That is,

how does

supernatural

life replace

our natural

life?

We do not

contribute to

our own

birth,

either naturally

or supernaturally.

However,

we do

contribute to

our maturity,

because as

we contribute,

we mature.

we take

part in

our

maturity.

If we

don't,

if we

sit back,

we will

never

mature.

So we

need to

do

something

for

maturity.

So our

supernatural

birth starts

when we

are cleansed

by the

word of

Jesus.

That is

in verse

3,

it says

already

you are

clean

because

of the

word that

has spoken

to you.

And then

we can

go to

John 5,

24.

Truly,

truly,

I say

to you,

whoever

hears my

word and

believe him

who sends

me has

eternal

life,

has this

zoe.

He does

not come

into judgment

but has

passed from

death to

life.

Okay,

so to

start with,

there has

to be this

supernatural

birth,

but after

that,

then we

start

mature.

First of

all,

there's

abiding,

that's what

we are

talking about

in this

chapter.

So can

a branch

not abide

in the

vine?

I mean,

the branch

is actually

attached to

the vine.

You can't

walk away,

sort of.

But talking

about us

is that we

can definitely

do that,

like I

can talk

with you,

but my

mind is

not there.

That's quite

common.

We can be

in church,

but our

heart is

somewhere

else.

So that

part of

it is not

abiding.

But how

can we

abide?

How can

we abide

in Jesus?

Number one

is word.

Jesus

said,

abide in

my

word.

So how

do we

abide in

Jesus'

word?

We do

so by

reading,

reading the

Bible,

reading

Christian

books,

thinking,

listening,

teaching,

singing,

applying.

I think

also teaching

is quite

important.

when I

prepare for

Bible studies,

for sermons,

I think the

one who

benefited the

most would

be myself

because when

I need to

teach other

people, I

need to

understand it

myself.

If I don't

understand,

it's hard to

teach.

But if I

don't have the

pressure to

teach others,

I'm too

lazy.

You just

don't think

deep enough.

if you

get a

chance to

teach others

one to

one in

the Bible

study group,

it's actually

very good to

help us to

abide in

the word.

And singing,

also if you

sing songs

that is

scriptural and

help us to

understand the

scripture,

that will help

us as well.

So in

Colossians 3.16,

it says,

let the word

of Christ

join you

richly,

teaching,

admonishing,

one another

in all

wisdom,

singing

psalms and

hymns and

spiritual songs

with thanksgiving

in your

hearts to

God.

So that's

abiding in

the word,

then abiding

in his

love.

Verse 9,

Jesus said,

as the

Father has

loved me,

so have

I loved

you.

Abide in

my love.

And

verse 13,

greater love

has no one

than this,

that someone

lay down

his life

for his

friends.

How do

we abide

in Jesus'

love?

That is

the thing.

Every time

in the

New Testament,

almost every

time,

when it

says that

Jesus

loved us,

he always

followed by

the fact

that he

died for

us.

Okay.

We don't

look at

the circumstances

that we

are sick,

we lost

our job,

oh,

Jesus

doesn't

love me.

The Bible

doesn't say

that.

Jesus'

love is

not

conditional,

doesn't

result in

our life

being

easier or

smooth.

The love

of Jesus

is always

related to

his death

for our

sin.

Okay,

so every

time we

remember

Jesus dying

for my

sin,

then I

know that

Jesus loved

me.

And that's

enough,

and that's

more than

enough.

And that's

how we

abide in

Jesus'

love.

Number

three is

abiding in

Christ.

Obviously,

he already

said abide

in me.

So how

do we

abide in

Christ?

We just

try to

think less

of ourselves

and think

more of

him.

If we

try,

we keep

trying to

gain love

and joy

for ourselves,

doing all

sorts of

things,

most of

the time

we will

be

disappointed.

But if we

keep our

minds,

on

Christ,

we will

have

love and

joy as

well.

We will

come with

him.

So abiding

in his

word,

his love,

and abiding

in him.

Number

two for

maturity,

for being

fruitful,

is to

have this

joyful

obedience

to his

word.

In

verses 14

to 15,

you are

my

friends,

if you

do what

I

command

to.

No

longer

do I

call you

servants,

for the

servant does

not know

what his

master is

doing,

but I

have

called you

friends,

for all

that I

have heard

from my

father,

I have

made known

to you.

if all

we have

is

suhai,

this

natural

life,

we will

obey

begrudgingly

a slave,

because this

is what we

are told

to do,

we just

do it.

But when

Zoe

comes to

us,

we could

start to

understand

Jesus as

comrades,

as friends,

and we

start to

obey

joyfully.

So I

can use

the analogy

if you

are an

employee

of a

firm,

and your

boss tells

you to do

something,

you will

do it,

because

otherwise

you won't

get paid,

but even

though you

may not

be happy,

you're not

happy to

do that,

but if

you are

also a

shareholder

of the

company,

then you

know that

whatever you

do is

going to

increase

the profit

of the

company,

then when

you do

it,

you have

a different

motivation,

the joy

in it.

The glory

of God

is more

than the

profit of

company,

much more,

and when

we can

see that,

when we

have this

joy in

us,

we will

obey,

not so

much as

slaves,

but as

friends,

we know

what Jesus

is about,

and we

obey

joyfully,

and that's

how we

contribute

to our

growth,

maturity,

and this

new life.

Lastly,

is life

going to be

easier or

harder with

joy?

If we

change from

Suhey to

joy,

would that

be easier

or difficult?

It is both

easier and

harder.

Harder because

we need to

deny our

natural self,

we take up

the cross,

and follow

Christ.

Deny our

self is

always hard.

That's when

God is

doing the

pruning,

and we

will go

through

difficulties

either from

other people

or from

our own

unfulfilled

desire.

However,

as we

go in

and follow

the Lord

Jesus Christ,

it becomes

easier because

we will find

that his

yoke is

easy and

his burden

light.

So you

need to

do that

step,

and then

you will

find and

we will

find that

this new

life is

actually much

easier than

the old

life that we

try to

live.

That is

because his

grace is

always sufficient

for us,

helping us to

be more

fruitful,

and the

Holy Spirit

helps us.

I shall

end with

two stories.

The first

story is

about

Kevin

Kevin Carter.

I'm not

sure whether

you have

seen this

picture before.

It was

very well

known,

and Kevin

got the

prestigious

prize for

it.

Kevin

became famous

after he

visited Africa

and took

many pictures

of poverty,

suffering,

and after

this picture

came out

and he

got the

prize,

a lot of

people started

to attack

him online

or on

paper.

Why did

they attack

him?

He said

that he

is heartless.

How could

he take

a picture

like this

and not

caring for

the baby

who is

suffering?

So Kevin

was very

hurt by

that.

He actually

explained not

that he

didn't care

because he

was not

allowed to

touch those

children because

they were

soldiers with

him because

of disease.

So the

government

allowed him

to take

picture and

not to

touch any

of the

subjects that

he took

picture for.

But he

said he

did chase

away that

voucher

after the

shooting.

Actually,

that child

lived for

14 more

years and

he died

of malaria

is a

boy,

not a

girl,

but they

thought it

was a

girl,

so the

title was

still called

The Voucher

and The

Little Girl.

So Kevin

committed suicide

four months

after this

picture was

taken at

age 33.

He left

a suicide

load in

his car.

He said,

I'm really,

really sorry.

The pain of

life overrides

the joy to

the point

that joy

does not

exist.

Depressed

without

phone,

money for

rents,

money for

child support,

money for

debts.

I'm haunted

by the vivid

memories of

killings and

corpses and

anger and

pain, of

starving or

wounded children,

of trigger-happy

madmen,

often police,

of killer

executioners.

I've gone to

join Ken

if I'm

that lucky.

Ken was

his friend

who committed

suicide a few

months beforehand.

Kevin was

only 33.

He wanted to

make a difference

to his life and

those who were

suffering.

But he doesn't

have the joy in

him to enjoy

the suffering.

He just

couldn't take it.

So he killed

himself by

inhaling

carbon monoside

in the car.

The next story

is about

Michael and

Amy Rittering.

Michael and

Amy Rittering,

they heard

about a poor

country in

West Africa

called

Burkina Faso.

It's a

Muslim country.

Very poor.

So they

went there

as missionaries

in 2011

and

established

churches,

ministries.

In 2013,

Burkina Faso

was considered

as one of the

countries with

fastest growing

number of

Christians.

And in

January 2016,

Michael Rittering

was gunned

down by

Muslim extremists.

He was

45 years

then.

Since then,

many Christians

and missionaries

were killed.

The last

killing happened

just two

Sundays ago.

14 people

in the church

including

children

were gunned

down by

Muslims.

Amy Rittering

is still there

running

orphanage,

women's

crisis center

and medical

clinic.

Michael's

brother,

Jeff,

and his

family also

joined in

the ministry.

Are these

people crazy?

They saw

sufferings.

They suffered

themselves.

And the

churches

there

are growing

and they

didn't

despite

the

killing

that

happens