An Abiding Love
John 15:5
“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.”
In this “I Am” statement found in the Gospel of John, Jesus emphasized His sustaining power and everlasting sovereignty. When Jesus spoke these words to the disciples who were with Him, Judas had already betrayed Him. Throughout this passage Jesus was preparing His disciples for His imminent death and departure, while reiterating the significance of abiding in Him.
The biblical meaning of abide encourages believers to remain stable or in a fixed state. Therefore, to abide in Jesus Christ means to stay in a constant and consistent relationship with Him. Jesus emphasized His desire for His disciples to know that even though He would no longer be with them physically, His Spirit would continue to live, nourish, and sustain them. Jesus, as the vine, metaphorically represents the root of the plant, which is responsible for supplying the nourishment to the branches which, in turn, need to grow and bear fruit. The branch relies on its connection to the vine, as it must stay in close connection to produce abundant fruit. If the branch were to be cut off from the vine, it would wither and die. Apart from the vine, the branch has no life.
We too, must abide in Jesus, and understand that apart from Him we can do nothing. We will never be sufficient in and of ourselves, as there is futility from living without Jesus Christ. It is not possible to render anything without full dependence on Jesus Christ. Apart from the vine, we can have no spiritual nourishment and sustainability.
How we can abide in Christ:
· Have an ongoing dependence on Him
· Keep His word in our hearts and minds
· Purposeful prayer and worship
· Fellowship with the Body of Christ
We must rely wholly on Christ for both spiritual life and vitality. We will have all that we need if we stay connected to Him. By His Spirit, fruit will be produced in all who are connected to Him, as He promised. There is joy and peace from abiding in our Lord. We are uplifted, and grow strong to do good things for His glory.
Are you superficially attached to the vine, or are you genuinely abiding in Jesus? Is there fruit evident in your life from abiding in Jesus?
Lord, it is a privilege and an honor to abide in You. Help me, Lord, to deepen my connection and dependence on You. I do not want a superficial acquaintance with You; rather, I long for an intimate and consistent personal relationship with You. I know that by abiding in You, I will bear good fruit. May the good fruit produced in me be a blessing to others and glorify Your name. Amen.
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