Read: John 15:1-8 The Promise: Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit. (v. 5) In this passage, Jesus explains the way of life the disciples are to follow. He uses the vine, a common Jewish symbol, to illustrate how the “with-God” life works. It is not enough to relish Jesus’ teachings, share memories of his life, attempt to replicate his behavior, or carry his name. He demands that they (and we) “make your home in me just as I do in you” (v. 4 MSG). He warns that when we are cut off from the vine, we not only won’t but can’t produce anything. He then promises that when we are joined to him as a branch is to a vine, the harvest of our lives will be abundant. It is one thing for Jesus to say, “I am the vine.” We can accept that general truth with little thought. But when he added, “You are the branches,” the stakes were raised. We now share some responsibility for the work of the vine: bearing fruit. We have been given our “marching orders”—dwell in me as I dwell in you, and get to work. Without the moment-by-moment presence of Jesus, we cannot love others, extend grace, or challenge an immoral world. When we are at home with Jesus, anything is possible. Writing about this passage, William Barclay said that “the contact with loveliness makes [us] lovely.” When we stay connected to the vine, when we abide in Jesus, our lives look like his. Author: Karen Bables
Posted on: Tue, 27 Jan 2015 09:57:50 +0000
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