Abiding In Christ
Finding true joy by abiding in Jesus.
Every spring when I was growing up, we would go into the garden and clean up all the dead vines from the plants that died over the winter. They were no longer connected to their source of life and would not be producing fruit, so we gathered them up and placed them in a pile to be burned. Jesus uses this simple example from nature to present us with a great truth about our relationship with Him.
In the Gospel of John Jesus made many “I am†statements. Among them, He declares, “I am the way, the truth, and the life,†and “I am the good shepherd.†In John 15, He says, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.†By saying this, Jesus emphasizes that He is not just any vine, but the authentic, true vine. To grasp the full meaning of this statement, we need to look back at the Old Testament, where Israel is described as God’s vineyard. Jesus, therefore, represents the fulfillment and perfection of what Israel was meant to be. He is indeed the true vine, succeeding where Israel did not.
Jesus continues by teaching that every fruitful branch is pruned by God so that it may bear more fruit. This pruning process, though sometimes painful, is essential for our spiritual growth. Jesus reveals that pruning not only increases fruit but also enhances joy—a fruit of the Spirit. Joy thrives when we are pruned by the Lord. Our joy, then, is directly linked to our abiding in Christ. Without remaining in Him, we cannot expect to experience true joy. It is only under His nurturing and careful tending that our joy can be complete.
Jesus further explains, “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.†If we desire to bear fruit and experience joy, we must stay connected to Christ, the source of our spiritual vitality. Trying to cultivate joy through our own efforts is futile; it is only through our relationship with Christ that we can be truly fruitful. If we pray infrequently, sporadically read the Bible, or half-heartedly participate in worship we will find ourselves lacking in joy. This should not be the case. Jesus promises that by abiding in Him, our joy will be full: In John 15:11 Jesus says, “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.†True joy in this life is found only by remaining in Jesus Christ.
Where do you turn to find joy? Is it in Jesus or something else? Jesus teaches that to know His joy, we must abide in Him. He encourages us to do so because He loves us, yet He also warns us of the consequences of not staying connected to Him as the source of life.
"If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned." John 15:6
Lord, my prayer is for all my friends to seek and know You as Lord and Savior. Thank You, Jesus, that You are the Vine and I am a branch. Help me day by day to abide in You and to be fruitful in all I say and do. I know that without You I can do nothing, but I also know that as I rest in You I can bring forth the sort of fruit that is pleasing to the Father. It’s in Your name that I pray. Amen.
Credit: Ron Kelley
Every spring when I was growing up, we would go into the garden and clean up all the dead vines from the plants that died over the winter. They were no longer connected to their source of life and would not be producing fruit, so we gathered them up and placed them in a pile to be burned. Jesus uses this simple example from nature to present us with a great truth about our relationship with Him.
In the Gospel of John Jesus made many “I am†statements. Among them, He declares, “I am the way, the truth, and the life,†and “I am the good shepherd.†In John 15, He says, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.†By saying this, Jesus emphasizes that He is not just any vine, but the authentic, true vine. To grasp the full meaning of this statement, we need to look back at the Old Testament, where Israel is described as God’s vineyard. Jesus, therefore, represents the fulfillment and perfection of what Israel was meant to be. He is indeed the true vine, succeeding where Israel did not.
Jesus continues by teaching that every fruitful branch is pruned by God so that it may bear more fruit. This pruning process, though sometimes painful, is essential for our spiritual growth. Jesus reveals that pruning not only increases fruit but also enhances joy—a fruit of the Spirit. Joy thrives when we are pruned by the Lord. Our joy, then, is directly linked to our abiding in Christ. Without remaining in Him, we cannot expect to experience true joy. It is only under His nurturing and careful tending that our joy can be complete.
Jesus further explains, “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.†If we desire to bear fruit and experience joy, we must stay connected to Christ, the source of our spiritual vitality. Trying to cultivate joy through our own efforts is futile; it is only through our relationship with Christ that we can be truly fruitful. If we pray infrequently, sporadically read the Bible, or half-heartedly participate in worship we will find ourselves lacking in joy. This should not be the case. Jesus promises that by abiding in Him, our joy will be full: In John 15:11 Jesus says, “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.†True joy in this life is found only by remaining in Jesus Christ.
Where do you turn to find joy? Is it in Jesus or something else? Jesus teaches that to know His joy, we must abide in Him. He encourages us to do so because He loves us, yet He also warns us of the consequences of not staying connected to Him as the source of life.
"If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned." John 15:6
Lord, my prayer is for all my friends to seek and know You as Lord and Savior. Thank You, Jesus, that You are the Vine and I am a branch. Help me day by day to abide in You and to be fruitful in all I say and do. I know that without You I can do nothing, but I also know that as I rest in You I can bring forth the sort of fruit that is pleasing to the Father. It’s in Your name that I pray. Amen.
Credit: Ron Kelley
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