Jan 23, 2022
Scripture Reading: John 15:1-11
Continuing to encourage the eleven apostles on the night before His crucifixion, Jesus gives the last of His "I am" statements in John's gospel. "I am the true vine" (Jn 15:1). What follows is an extended metaphor of the relationship between Christ and His own. He is the vine and Christians are seen as branches, deriving their life and fruit from the vine.
There is a contrast presented here. God the Father, depicted as the vinedresser, does two things with the branches … He cuts away the lifeless and He cultivates the living (Jn 15:2). The contrast here is between branches that bear fruit and branches that do not bear fruit. The fruitful branches are pruned so they will yield more fruit. The fruitless branches are destroyed (Jn 15:6).
In addition to the contrast in this passage, there is a call. "Abide in me and I in you" (Jn 15:4) … "Abide in my love" (Jn 15:9). The word 'abide' appears 9 times in these 11 verses. The word 'abide' implies remaining, continuing. It is, to use other wording of Jesus, to come to Christ and drink (Jn 7:37), believing in and communing with Him.
And Jesus calls on us for His words to abide in us (Jn 15:7). Certainly, this means for our minds and hearts to be saturated with the words and truths of the Bible. Such fullness will profoundly affect our prayers, conforming them with God's desires.
After the contrast and the call, there is a wonderful promise. "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full" (Jn 15:11). Jesus promises us His joy … just as He promises us His peace (Jn 14:27). Can there be anything more satisfying and pleasurable than abiding in Christ?