Abide in Me

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. -- John 15:1-2

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. -- John 15:5

Many, many years ago when I was a boy, my mother took particular pride in her roses. Back then I was more interested in my bicycle and toys, so I can't say that I really noticed or appreciated her efforts until later in life. These days she can no longer care for her roses as she once did, so I've taken more of an interest in her roses lately, and it has only caused my love and respect for her to deepen.

Unfortunately, I do not have a green thumb and my lack of talent in this area is quite obvious. The year started out pretty good. I asked my mom for advice and I watched several DIY videos and got to work. After an initial blaze of glory and blooming roses, everything has fizzled and I have no idea why. To date there is a big difference between my roses and those my mother once cultivated.

I'm learning that it takes constant work, care and talent to cultivate roses. There needs to be continual pruning, feeding and watering, as well as the vigilant look out for anything that might threaten the health of the plants. It requires me to bend and stoop and closely inspect the leaves and stems as I try to thoughtfully cut and prune. The work is never really done.

That is the picture Christ gives of the Father's constant care for His Children. He is not aloof and uninvolved in our lives. But rather, He is closely involved with His children and watches over us with the greatest of care. With perfect wisdom He cuts and prunes in a way that brings health and vitality to the soul, causing us to bear much fruit. Although the atheist might scoff at the notion, God is intimately involved with His creation. His eye is on the sparrow, He knows the number of hairs on your head, and He watches over His children with particular care and vigilance like a vinedresser.

My little adventure into gardening has not only caused my admiration for my mother to deepen, it has also helped me understand the constant care and vigilance of God in a new way. Thankfully, our Heavenly Father is much better at these things than I am, and His crop will never fail to bear fruit.

The Abiding Life

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 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. -- John 15:4-5

What does it mean to abide in Christ, and what does it look like in our daily lives? What is the evidence that we are abiding in Christ? J.C. Ryle offers this insight:

To abide in Christ means to keep up a habit of constant close communion with Him,—to be always leaning on Him, resting on Him, pouring out our hearts to Him, and using Him as our Fountain of life and strength, as our chief Companion and best Friend.—To have His words abiding in us, is to keep His sayings and precepts continually before our memories and minds, and to make them the guide of our actions and the rule of our daily conduct and behavior.

This raises several questions such as: What truly brings delight to my heart and what is the sweetest meditation of my soul? Do I love God's Word, or is it collecting dust on the shelf from non-use? Am I fixated and hoping in the things of this world, or do I find my greatest rest and joy in Christ?

What is the evidence that we truly love Christ? Consider the following verses:

"If you love me, you will keep my commandments. -- John 14:15

Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him." -- John 14:21

Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. -- John 14:24a

You are my friends if you do what I command you. -- John 15:14

Look closely at the preceding verses. Although there are commands in Scripture to be obeyed, these particular verses are not so much commands to be obeyed, but rather, they are indicators of a life that is truly abiding in Christ. If we truly love Christ, it will manifest itself in a love for His Word and obedience. If Christ has truly taken hold of the soul, it will transform what we love, what we hate, and where we find our deepest joy. It will transform the mind and affections. Consequently, it is in the nature of every believer to truly delight in God, and there will always be ample evidence for those things that truly delight us. It will become evident in what we do, how we spend our time, as well as the speech that bubbles up from the heart.

Bearing Fruit

By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. -- John 15:8

Remember, chapters 13-17 of John's Gospel takes place on the night before Christ's crucifixion. It is one continual discourse that Jesus gave to comfort and strengthen His disciples. Woven throughout this discourse is the promise of the Holy Spirit.

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. -- John 14:16-18

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. -- John 14:26-27

"But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. -- John 15:26 

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. -- John 16:7

Christ promised to send the Holy Spirit to every believer. As a result, the Christian will produce good fruit as sure as the night follows the day. It is in the nature of the Christian to produce fruit in the same way that it is in the nature of an apple tree to grow apples. They will flow naturally from the life of Christ that resides in every believer through the Spirit. The true believer will have new affections, new desires, and new joys. They have found that the yoke of Christ is easy and His burden is light.

There are many kinds of fruit in the Christians life, but for our purpose here, we are going to take a brief look at the fruit of the Spirit.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. -- Galatians 5:22-25

That is quite a list of attributes isn't it? Those are the very attributes of Christ that the Father cultivates and grows in every believer through the power of the Spirit. What an amazing gift. And to what end does He give this incredible blessing? It is for our good, our joy, and God's glory.

These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. -- John 15:11

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. -- 2 Corinthians 3:18

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. -- Hebrews 13:20-21

All of this continues to raise the question, is there any evidence of the Spirit's work in our lives? Are we growing in the fruit of the Spirit? Are we growing in love? Do we have real joy in the Lord? Are we patient, kind, and self-controlled? Do we even desire these things? If so, that is good evidence that we truly belong to Him. If not, there is reason to be concerned. We are told, even as believers to exam ourselves (2 Corinthians 13:5) because it is possible to be self deceived (James 1:22).

Once again, let's look at another sobering insight from J.C. Ryle:

"… there are false Christians as well as true ones. There are "branches in the vine" which appear to be joined to the parent stem, and yet bear no fruit. There are men and women who appear to be members of Christ, and yet will prove finally to have had no vital union with Him.

There are myriads of professing Christians in every Church whose union with Christ is only outward and formal. Some of them are joined to Christ by baptism and Church-membership. Some of them go even further than this, and are regular communicants and loud talkers about religion. But they all lack the one thing needful. Notwithstanding services, and sermons, and sacrament, they have no grace in their hearts, no faith, no inward work of the Holy Spirit. They are not one with Christ, and Christ in them. Their union with Him is only nominal, and not real. They have "a name to live," but in the sight of God they are dead."

Although we will never be perfect this side of heaven, God is real and so is the evidence that He is in our lives. I suspect that if you are truly abiding in Christ, this chapter has been a source of great comfort and joy. But on the other hand, if this chapter has disquieted and convicted your soul, it may be an indication that you are not abiding in Christ.

May we do a sober assessment of ourselves this day, and if we find that we have been mere professors with a cold heart and no fruit, even that realization is a grace of God and an invitation to cry out to Him for the mercy that He abundantly gives. And may the truth of His Word draw us closer to Him this day.

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. -- 2 Peter 3:9