WORD TREASURES 8/13/23
"I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers, and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned." (Jn. 15:5-6 ESV)
Last week we were introduced to Jesus' teaching on abiding in Him. He illustrated this truth with a picture of the branches on a grape vine. Jesus gives us God's intention to make Christians beneficial to His Gospel cause. We believers are designed by God to be FRUITFUL! We are like branches on a grape vine. The vine can produce grapes only if the branch remains attached to the vine. So it is with Christians. We must remain attached to Jesus=abide=stay connected to Him=growing in the knowledge (relationship) of the Lord. We discovered that without His life within we can do nothing worthwhile.
Now in verse 6, He gives a stark warning. If someone does not remain attached to Him, he is thrown away and cast into the fire that disposes of all detached branches. They have become useless, lifeless, since they are NOT attached to the root or trunk. The warning is inescapable. Abiding in Him, remaining in living connection with Him, means everything. To lose out here is to lose all! Good grief, this abiding thing is frightening! If we don't stick with the Lord, if we quit following, if we no longer trust Him from the heart, if we separate ourselves from Him who is our source of life--the results are totally disastrous!
But we must be careful here. If not, we might descend into thinking our future depends on us and our willingness or ability to stay close to the Lord. Our development as a Christian is just as dependent on Christ as our salvation was. We could not save ourselves and we are not the master of our development either. Yet, a responsibility is laid on us by Jesus to remain attached to Him with the most frightening consequences if we don't. The hymn writer writes, "Prone to wander Lord I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love. Here's my heart Lord, take and seal it; seal it for thy courts above." This hymn verse holds the secret to a fruitful life brought about by the indwelling Lord. He sings and prays for the keeping power of God to be his rescue! Jesus is the vine, root, trunk. As such, He carries the burden of remaining attached to Him. We are just branches but the strength of abiding belongs to the Lord=the vine/root/trunk!
Of course, we should give all our effort to abide in Christ=remain in living connection with Him in ever-increasing ways. We become Christians when Jesus gives us His forgiveness. We stay Christian by remaining close to Him (abiding). But any honest person will soon discover that neither of these necessary things can be done in ourselves any more than we can gain eternal life in heaven by ourselves. Heaven is a gift of God, and we must be lifted there. If we are to live a heavenly life--we must be lifted there as well. The Holy Spirit within brings not only our salvation but our sanctification! We are not alone, not for a second. Jesus does not leave us as orphans (Jn. 14:18); He comes to us. He lives within to perfect His children and bring them aid that they might remain attached to Him in this life.
The strength of abiding is in the root, stalk, vine, trunk. Jesus will keep us. He will not allow us to wander away! And He brings His love, rescue, and discipline to His children that they will remain attached to Him and BEAR FRUIT! Once again, the secret to abiding as anything in God is to keep trusting Him. Faith is ever the victory that overcomes this world (1 JN. 5:4). Jesus is holding onto you, and He won't let go! He told His disciples to hold onto Him and they did so--not by their strength but by the strength of the ONE holding onto them!
Next week we'll examine what Jesus meant by His plan that we would bear much fruit! What is this fruit? Meanwhile, my friends, rest (trust) in His ability to keep you by His indwelling Spirit. Let that inspire you to keep believing, following, and looking for ways to abide in Him (remain attached to Him).
Pastor Mike
