Abide in Me
by Rev. Reid Hensarling
 

     I am the true vine (15:1) is the last of 7 claims to deity in the form of “I AM” statements made by Jesus in the gospel of John (see 6:35; 8:12; 10:7, 9; 11:25; 14:6).  Jesus is the one, perfect, essential and enduring vine before which all others vines are but shadows.  Jesus is the one who by his very nature as the true vine brings forth fruit unto the Father.  Everyone grafted in him has life abundantly.  There is no need of any other “fix” in life.  Jesus calls us to intimacy and dependence upon him.     

   The picture is of the vinedresser, the Father who does two things to ensure maximum fruit production: he removes unfruitful branches and he prunes all the others so that the fruit bearing branches may grow better.  The Lord prunes all things in the believer’s life that hinders fruit-bearing.  He chastises to cut away sin that drains spiritual life like the farmer who removes anything on the branches that keeps them from bearing the maximum amount of fruit.  Pruning is oftentimes a picture of painful but necessary removal of interests and activities in order that the remaining branches may bear even more fruit.  Left to itself a vine will produce a good deal of unproductive growth; hence, for maximum fruitfulness extensive pruning is essential.  What a wonderful and accurate picture of the Christian life.  The action of the Lord is to cleanse his people so they will live more fruitful lives.

   Fruit is an image for good results coming from the life of a believer, where the work of the kingdom of God is advanced and others are benefited.  No branch can bear fruit in isolation so the believer must be grafted into the true vine, Jesus Christ.  We must be connected and stay connected to the vine; otherwise, we perish. 

   Jesus’ words cleanse our minds and our souls.  Daily meditating on the Scriptures is such an important activity in terms of washing our minds from the pollution and stain of our sin.  What else can take away the sting and presence of sin in our lives? 

   The word abide means to remain or stay around.  Abide in me is talking about the will and the decisions we make on a daily basis.  Abide in me means to continue in a daily, personal relationship wit Jesus, characterized by trust, prayer, obedience, and joy.  The believer wants to be with him, wants to devote their precious time to spend quality time with Jesus.  The fruit or evidence of salvation is continuance in service and love to him and to his teaching.  Abiding in Jesus is the secret to a full, holy, and contented life. 

   Apart from me you can do nothing does not mean nothing at all because unbelievers carry on their ordinary activities apart from Christ.  Rather, it means nothing of eternal value or it means an inability to produce fruit that will last.  Our efforts without Christ are fruitless.  The person focuses on temporal realities instead of eternal ones and in the end the temporal ones have no value before the Lord.  No spiritual achievement is possible in isolation from Christ. 

   The person who does not abide in Christ is an unbeliever who does not have a personal faith in him.  Fire is a common Jewish and biblical symbol for divine judgment.  Is it really wise to be fruitless, to be without Christ in one’s life?  It is crucial to remain in vital contact with Christ. 

   Two conditions are given for answered prayer – one must abide in Jesus and Jesus’ words must abide in the believer.  Jesus’ word transforms our thinking and actions.  If God’s people truly abide in Jesus, they will desire what he desires and will pray according to his words, and those prayers will be pleasing to him.  True believers obey the Lord’s commands by submitting to his word.  They are devoted to his will and therefore their prayers are fruitful.  What a great privilege and blessing the Lord gives his people – he hears their prayers and they are fully answered when they are in accord with God’s will.   

   God is glorified in the work of believers who abide in the Son.  God is glorified not by praise and worship alone but by believers who bear much fruit for the advancement of his kingdom.  If we are Christ’s and remain in him, then we will be fruitful in the Christian life and God will be glorified in our fruitfulness.  The fact that we are fruitful will be a proof that we are indeed Christ’s disciples.  Again fruit bearing is evidence of being a follower of Christ.

   Jesus is the true vine and his disciples abide in him and produce fruit.  Fruitfulness in the Christian life is very important.  Fruitfulness is the result of abiding in Christ and not of human achievement.  Incredibly, spiritual union with the Creator of the universe is possible and not only possible but vital to spiritual health and growth.