John 15:1-5 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. (2) Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. (3) Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. (4) Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. (5) I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
We started looking at this passage yesterday but focused our attention on verses 1 and 2. Today, we want to more closely examine verses 4 and 5.
For a review, Jesus is using farming imagery, that really anyone can understand. Jesus describes himself, in this metaphor, as the vine or the trunk of a plant. God, our father is the husbandman or caregiver of the farm and each individual christian is the branches shooting off of that main trunk. Yesterday we focused our attention on the message that God intends on each of us to be fruitful on his behalf.
Notice with me the first 3 words of verse 4. “Abide in me.” This statement first of all implies that we have choices. We have the choice to abide in Jesus or we have the choice not to. But with choices, come consequences. If you choose to abide in Jesus, he in turn will abide in you and you will bear fruit because through him you will receive what is needed to be fruitful
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
However, if you choose not to abide in Jesus, Jesus says that you are on your own. He will not abide in you and you will be unable to bear fruit because it is only through staying attached to that trunk that you can receive what is needed to bear fruit. As we saw yesterday, being unfruitful, will cause God to cut you off and cast you into the fire.
When I read this, I cannot help thinking about Jesus being akin to spiritual life support. Our modern medical advancements are nothing short of amazing. We now have certain machines, like a ventilator that will perform certain bodily functions for you so that your body can rest while it heals. But the one short coming to any of these life support devices is that you actually have to be attached in order for them to work. You cannot simply be in the same room with a dialysis machine and expect it to benefit you. That seems ridiculously obvious, but somehow that principle does not seem as obvious in its spiritual application.
We must stay connected to Jesus! We MUST abide in Jesus! It is our choice and so are the consequences. Notice now the last statement in verse 5
John 15:5 ...for without me ye can do nothing.
So how do we abide in Jesus? By abiding in the words of Jesus. Again, this is a principle that we get in real life but somehow, so many people thinks that it does not translate to Christian principles. Are you really a fan of a particular sports team if you if wear the gear of a competing team and watch and cheer for anyone except the team that you are a fan of? Not hardly. Are you really a part of a particular political party if you hold to the values and vote for the other? No way!
So how can any anyone “claim” to be a follower of Jesus and not follow after his teachings? How can one live in a manner that is absolutely contrary to his will and teachings and then claim to abide in him? The simple answer you can’t! If you want to abide in Jesus, and be fruitful, then we must ABIDE in his word!
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