Abide in Christ
What do you expect to get from going to church? There was a time that I thought going to church and sitting in a building with other believers would automatically make my week go better. Sort of like osmosis. Nope.
We must come to church to get our hearts focused on Christ. Our goal is God Himself. We must realize that He is the central point of power in our lives.
John 15 talks about abiding in Christ. To abide means to remain in place, to stay. If we abide with God, then we have a relationship with God and that relationship will produce something that Jesus refers to in our text as fruit.
John 15:1-11 Jesus Is the Vine — Followers Are Branches
1 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.
3 "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
4 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.
5 "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. (nasb)
Jesus starts out by making a simple statement: JESUS IS THE VINE --- GOD IS THE VINEDRESSER. The vinedresser will prune what doesn’t produce. God will remove things from my life that draw away my energy and focus from Him. He is the vine, and we are the branches. And when we need pruning, the goal is always more fruit.
God cleans us through His word.
To some, it is complicated to abide in God and He in us. But that is the only way a relationship with the Lord can work.
If the branch is part of the vine, then the true vine will be with the branch until the end of the age, but if the branch is not part of the vine, he will wither and die. It is possible to be present with the vine and not be connected. Verse 5 points out so well. “apart from Me you can do nothing.”
A green branch does not necessarily mean there will be much fruit. Just because we are active in the church doing churchy things, doesn’t necessarily mean we are producing fruit.
Participation in the church body is important, but not as important as our relationship with the Lord. God has created you to have a relationship with Him and, in the process, be a fruit-bearing branch.
Are you allowing the power of the Holy Spirit to flow through your life and produce fruit? Is your spiritual life withering or flourishing?
Our number one goal must be our relationship with Christ: abide in Him, obey His commands. and live in His love. Love God, love others! If we do this then we will know true joy, we will understand and live in the purpose God has created.
Jesus is the True Vine. God is the vinedresser. We are the branches. Jesus’ desire is to live through your life so that you might bear fruit unto the Heavenly Father.
Jesus wants His church to enjoy assembling together. Choose Jesus, choose life and let your light shine! And find a Bible believin’ church where you “fit in” and know, grow, and follow Christ! Tell others! See y’all at church and keep PRAYIN’ for HIS HARVEST! Pray for the rain! Amen