“No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me” John 15:4Amazing! A banana tree stump, no leaves, approximately 18 inches tall, with a bunch of banana. Whoever cut it down figured it was now useless and would perish. It did not. Being firmly rooted and grounded in the soil and still connected to the parent tree this stump was determined to and succeeded in being productive. It amply demonstrates what Jesus told his disciples in John 15.
The chapter commences with the 7th and final “I am” sayings of Jesus. The others focused on Jesus as the life-giver and included invitations to come to Jesus. In the 7th saying those who come to Jesus are encouraged to remain in him in order to be fruitful. This highlights the importance of connection to Jesus, intimacy with Jesus and production for Jesus. Using the imagery of God’s vineyard, Israel, Jesus identifies himself as the True Vine and his followers the branches. The life of the branch is totally dependent on its connection to the Vine. Those who trust in Jesus for “life and life more abundantly” (John 10:10) are branches. As the vine gives life to the branch so the True Vine enlivens and energizes those who are connected to Jesus.
Am I right that we can be connected to someone without having an intimate relationship with them? Like me, you have some relatives who are not close. In fact you only know them by name. Jesus wants more than a connection. He wants a close relationship with the branches. Thus he calls us into an intimacy with himself that is not seasonal or circumstantial but is constant. Fanny Crosby wrote:
I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice, And it told Thy love to me;The new community, in contrast to Israel and her fruitlessness, must bear fruit that will last and bring glory to God. Six times in the eight verses Jesus referred to bearing fruit. “Fruit” here means more than the converts of our evangelism or the ethical virtues characteristic of the Christian but also, and more fundamentally, the possession of the divine life itself and especially the chief characteristics of that life, knowledge of God and love. It is impossible to produce this fruit apart from Jesus.
But I long to rise in the arms of faith And be closer drawn to Thee.
Draw me nearer, nearer blessèd Lord, To the cross where Thou hast died.
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessèd Lord, To Thy precious, bleeding side.
The Christian life must be so lived that it inveigles and entices others to come to Jesus. By this others will see that we are followers of Jesus and God will be glorified. Jesus is concerned about our connection to him, our closeness with him and our willingness to make ourselves available for the life of God to be lived in and through us.
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