“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”

—John 15:4–8

Have you ever deeply pondered what it means to abide in Christ?

In today’s passage, Jesus uses the imagery of a vine and branches to illustrate our fellowship with Him. In John 15:1, Jesus refers to Himself as “the true vine.” He is the source of all life—everything we need in this age and the next. As branches attached to the vine, we’re blessed to receive all the nourishment it provides for us. When we’re abiding in Christ, we’re sustained in mind, body, and spirit.

This sustenance is particularly critical as we navigate living in a world that has priorities and values that clash with the Lord’s priorities and our Christian values. We’re called to be in the world but not of the world (John 17:16), yet we must be vigilant in not allowing the world’s practices and beliefs to infiltrate our lives and hinder our fellowship with Christ.

When this occurs, the consequences can be devastating, as Jesus describes in John 15:6: “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.” This is a picture of what life is like when someone is severed from the True Vine, as we “wither” during our time on earth and are also in danger of suffering eternal separation from God.

The Divine Vinedresser

Jesus describes God the Father as the “vinedresser,” saying, “Every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit” (John 15:1, 2). The role of a vinedresser is to carefully observe every branch on the vine, tending to each one and doing whatever is necessary to ensure that the branch produces optimal fruit. At times that means fertilizing, sometimes that means leaving it alone, and other times that means pruning.

When we’re brought to faith in Jesus Christ, that is a pruning in and of itself, as His blood cleanses us from sin, severing us from the old Adam that dwelled within us: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Yet this isn’t the final pruning, as we sin daily and are in constant need of the Divine Vinedresser’s tender loving care.

These pruning processes can feel painful when things we love and cling to are snipped away. Perhaps it’s a friendship or relationship with someone who doesn’t exert a godly influence. Maybe it’s a TV show or movie that we justify watching because it only contains “a little bit” of objectionable content. Or perhaps it’s a habit that’s harmful to our overall well-being. Regardless of what’s being removed, our sinful flesh resists as it feels the sharp twinge of the Vinedresser’s pruning shears. This often doesn’t feel like love to us. Yet as any parent who has had to deprive a child of something that’s hindering his or her growth—whether candy, a device, or a friendship—knows, love can involve protecting someone from themselves and their own inclinations.

But we can take heart in knowing the truth that the removal of these obstructions to our growth and maturity in Christ allows us to bear more fruit.

Bearing Good Fruit for God’s Kingdom

Our sinful, fallen world needs the tangible fruit that Christians bear when we abide in Jesus. It needs our charity and faithful stewardship of our time, talents, and treasures. The soup kitchen needs our volunteer hours to help feed those who would otherwise go without. The pregnancy resource center needs our graphic design skills, so we can create beautiful, eye-catching mailings that promote the work it’s doing and encourage others to get involved. Our spouses need us to manage the household budget and coordinate the family’s schedule. Our children need us to read bedtime stories and pack lunches. Aging parents need us to take time out of our busy schedules to help them with tasks like grocery shopping and running errands.

In so doing, we fulfill what Jesus proclaimed is the second greatest commandment: to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:39).

Sharing the Gospel Is the Most Important Work of Our Hands

However, the fruit of God precedes the works of our hands. Galatians 5:22–23 tells us that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Apart from Christ, it’s impossible for us to demonstrate these godly qualities, and when we take time to self-reflect, the presence or lack of these qualities in our lives can help us determine whether we’re abiding in Christ as He desires. If we do feel anxious, stressed, unkind, quarrelsome, impatient, rude, or self-indulgent, we can repent and find peace in Christ’s pardon and promise that He will grant us the fruit of His Spirit.

Of course, the most important work we do is share the Gospel—the loving witness that Jesus Christ died for the sins of all people and freely offers forgiveness to everyone, so all might be reconciled to God and dwell with Him for all eternity. As Jesus said, “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples” (John 15:8). May our lives and witness bear much fruit, so that the Lord will be glorified in all the earth.

Prayer

Gracious Lord, You have blessed us with unique talents and skills that we can put to use in our Lord Jesus Christ, You invite us to abide with You, to stay deeply connected with You in every area of our lives. Help us to do this, Savior, as we strive to resist the pull of the world and its ways and instead embrace the true life that comes from You. May our lives produce fruit in keeping with repentance, reflecting Your love so that You and the Father are glorified. In Your precious and holy name we pray. Amen.

For Further Reflection

• In what ways do you abide with Jesus? What does your life look like when you’re resting in Him? Are there any ways that you can be more proactive and intentional in your fellowship with Him?
• What would our nation look like if those of us who abide in Christ were more visibly active in bearing fruit? What might this demonstrate to non-Christians in our country, or to other nations?

Excerpt taken from One Nation Under God: 40 Devotions for Patriotic Women by Amanda C. Bauch.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version^®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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