Scripture:
“Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 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.” v. 3-5
“By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”
v. 8
Observation:
In the last few moments and hours before His crucifixion Jesus is addressing his disciples, teaching once more about a vine analogy. Jesus knows His time is coming but there is an urgency in His disciples needing to know that He is and always will be the only source of life for which fruit can bear and God can be glorified.
Application:
Jesus spends time really honing in on the fact that we are nothing and can do nothing worth bearing fruit without Him. When we abide in Jesus the fruit is beautiful and splendor. In this life we are constantly fed lies and taught that if WE ARE a good person, if WE ARE hard workers, if WE ARE (fill in the blank) then WE ARE worthy of being glorified for bearing earthly fruit. But that’s not what Jesus says. Jesus says it is through HIM that we are able to do good acts, it is through HIM that we work hard, it is through HIM that true life-giving fruit is bore in this world. When we see and understand that we are living for the King of Kings and that we are NOTHING without HIM because HE IS the vine and life source, then we can start to glorify God in everything we do. Finally, Jesus says abide in Him. When we abide in, or act in accordance with, Jesus He will abide in us. He will give us true life. We aren’t called to be self-righteous. We aren’t able to bear fruit on our own, but through Jesus we can bear the fruit that this world so desperately needs.
Prayer:
Lord thank you for who you are. Thank you that you are enough. Your love surpasses all things of this world. Today and every day forward let us cling to you, draw us near so that we can be reminded that our life source is nothing this world has to offer but EVERYTHING that you offer through your death. Let us be the branch which bears fruit today, fruit that is altogether glorifying to the Father. Send us and have your way.
Amen.