November 26, 2024 -- John 15:4-5 -- Connected to Jesus, the True Vine
/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.
John 15:4-5 ESV
At verse 1, prior to today’s text, readers are informed the Father in heaven is the vinedresser. At His decree people are drawn from the stick pile, dead and lifeless, and are grafted into Jesus, the True Vine. In the Old Testament the people of God were supposed to be the vine of God, His planting and all connected to them would live. For the most part they failed in this and wanted to hoard God’s blessings for themselves excluding all others.
When a branch is made alive in Christ, it can’t help but bear fruit. Buds swell and burst open. Flowers open and will yield fruit. The point is that those who belong to Jesus will bear fruit. There will be evidence of this life in you. How can you tell God is working in you?
You are intrigued by other Christians, and you want to spend time with them.
You are hungry for the Bible and have questions about it.
You go to chapel or church services.
You see others who are struggling, and you invite them to church or chapel.
You share what you have and what you know.
You find you genuinely care about the people around you.
You begin to hate your sins, more and more.
You find old hurts and bitterness are losing their grip on you.
Your addictions and life controlling issues, sins one by one, are becoming hateful to you. Old strongholds of sin are emptied of meaning.
It is the Spirit of God Who is working in you, Who brings the change. The Spirit brings, every moment and every day, the life-giving nutrients that result from being connected closely with Jesus. Because the life of Jesus flows in your spiritual veins, you will bear fruit which is like the life and character of Jesus.
Be honest, there are days when this is exciting. It is true. It is obvious to all. There are days when it is barely noticeable. Think of winter. When the vine endures hardship and bitter winds and penetrating cold. During the winter the vine is not dead. It is preparing for a new season of growth. God the Father, the vinedresser, will in the appropriate season prune every branch so that it will be even more fruitful the next year. The branches of the vine rest in winter. In the way, painful as it might be, each branch is prepared for a new season of life, of growth and of fruitfulness. If you are in a winter season of your faith hold on. More importantly, know that God is holding on to you. He Who grafted you into Jesus, the True Vine, knows what He’s doing. He can keep you alive and close to Himself. He will heal the places of hurt. He sees the fruitfulness of the next season and is strengthening you to receive it.
Thank You, Father in heaven, for Your loving patience in grafting men, women and children into Jesus. To be honest, if You did not hold us in place, there’d be many times we’d try to pull ourselves out, try to generate our own growth and try to be fruitful apart from You. It is foolish. Thank You for the Holy Spirit living in all believers Who anchors us in the love of Jesus, Who closely connects us to Him so that the life and fruitfulness of Jesus becomes more and more evident in us. When it seems there is no growth in us at all, help us to rest in Jesus, staying connected to Him in the full confidence that winter will soon pass. Revive in us the confidence that Spring, and new life and new growth will find us rested in Jesus and strengthened by the Spirit and ready for all that You have planned for us. Amen.
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