Bible Reading: Exodus 36; Proverbs 12; John 15; Ephesians 5
John 15:5 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.
It is a fallacy to think that we can do something for Jesus. That is what much of Christian ministry in our day is. It is a thought that we must in some way pay Jesus back for what he has done for us. That however, is man's thinking. Jesus uses the illustration of a vine and branches to help us understand the Christ-life. Think of the image – a vine with branches growing off of it. The life of the vine is the sap that runs through it. The branches do not support the vine. The branches receive life and nutrition from the vine. The vine draws water and nutrients from the ground which flows through it to the branches. Then, the fruit begins to grow. The branches do not produce the fruit. The vine produces the fruit. The branches are the 'hangers' where the fruit grows, but both the branch and the fruit get their life from the vine.
The necessary thing for the branch is to remain attached to the vine. If the branch is disconnected from the vine, it will wither and die. Jesus is telling us here that life comes from him. We must abide in him to stay connected to the life. He must abide in us. The vine and the branch are one at that node point where they connect. The point of our connection with Jesus is spiritual. The Holy Spirit has connected us to the life of Jesus the vine. Jesus is always producing fruit! The only way we will bring that fruit forth is if we are abiding in him.
Imagine a branch on its own wanting to produce something to bring to the vine. Well, that doesn't work, does it? That is why Jesus says, "Without me ye can do nothing." We only bear the fruit that the vine produces. That is why the Bible calls it "the fruit of the Spirit".
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Stay connected to the vine. Receive life from the vine. Abide in Christ and let his words abide in you. This is how you bear fruit and glorify God the Father.
John 15:8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
In Christ,
Rody
