“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.
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Jesus is meeting his inner circle, last conversation before cruxification, highlights the great importance.
What exactly did Jesus mean by fruit?
- The outward expression of the life of God within
- Grapes are produced because the vines are alive
- The more lucious the grapes are, the more healthy the vine is
- We bear fruit for God when we allow Christ to express His life through us
What is the fundamental lesson that Jesus is trying to express in John 15?
- It is the importance of the union of His disciples with Him
What is the key verse in John 15?
- Verse 4: 'Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me'.
What does it mean to abide in Him?
- Greek word means to make our home somewhere, to find a dwelling place
- By God's grace, we are in Christ, but we have to remain in Him
How do we abide in Him?
- It is done through the practice of the spiritual disciplines
- A spiritual discipline is any action we take that expresses our depedency on God as well as enable us to live in Him
- Practical means in which the Christ life can flow in our lives
What spiritual disiplines are there?
- Inward: Mediation, prayer, study, fasting
- Outward: Simplicity, solitude, submission, service
- Coporate: Confession, worship, guidance, celebration
Why do many Christians fail to abide in Christ?
- Busyness
- We allow the things of Earth which are comparitively unimportant to choke our spiritual life
- We choose to live in loving obedience, we need to keep ourselves nourished in scripture, in the presence of God
This is the most attacked area by the devil, without it, we cast off our lifeline. Our pastoral staff, leaders and friends can help us in other areas, but they cannot help us abide in Christ.
We are nothing, if we are not one with Christ.
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