This week in our Irvine Christian Students Bible Study, we covered John 15. The matters presented to us in this chapter are deep and so we need to consider this portion of the word with much prayer. John 15:5 says,
“I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.”
Here Jesus says that He is the true vine and we the believers are the branches. The vine is the source and the supply to all the branches. This picture is so simple and sweet. A branch in a vine cannot do anything on its own. It is utterly dependent on the vine. In the same way Jesus is the true life-supply for our Christian life, and every source apart from Him is false. Thus, we should not do anything without first turning to the Lord. John 15:4 says:
“As the branch cannot bear fruit unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.”
When a branch abides in the vine it naturally bears fruit. It does not need to exert effort or work hard to bear fruit. As long as it is connected to the vine it will bear fruit. The same is true in our Christian life – as long as we abide in Christ we will spontaneously bear fruit. The fruit in this portion of the Word are the persons we bring to Christ through the gospel. John 15:16 says,
“You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and I set you that you should go forth and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He may give you.”
This verse tells us that Jesus chose us and set us that we would bear fruit. The purpose of a branch from the standpoint of the vine is to bear fruit. If a branch does not bear fruit it is not fulfilling its intended purpose. Similarly, although it pleased God to save us individually, God desires all men to be saved! Our purpose as branches is to bear fruit to the glory of the Father. John 15:11 says:
“These things I have spoken to you that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be made full.”
Finally, we see that when a branch is abiding in the vine and bearing fruit, not only is it fulfilling its purpose, but that branch is a joyful and happy branch. In the same way, we too must practice to abide in Christ more and more every day. As we abide in Christ we will spontaneously bear fruit by bringing those around us to Christ. In this way can we truly be a joyful Christian fulfilling God’s purpose.
-JV
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IRVINE CHRISTIAN STUDENTS 