Remaining in Christ: Faithful and Fruitful in Uncertain Times

Introduction

Thank you for your kind invitation for me to speak God’s Word for your Day of Prayer today. I found it hard to decline this invitation since my wife worked for World Vision Philippines for a few years. Although I got acquainted with the nature of work at World Vision through my wife, I must admit that, of course, I don’t know the specific challenges you’re facing especially with the recent pandemic, the present economic crisis, and especially the specific personal hardships you’re going through—not just physically or financially, but more so regarding your personal relationship with Christ. You may have fears or anxieties about the future, or frustrated about unmet expectations or lack of results in your work, or feeling cold in your relationship with God. Whatever that is, we all need endurance to continue doing the work God has entrusted to us and the assurance of God’s presence for what lies ahead.

Your theme today is especially relevant, “Remaining in Christ: Faithful and Fruitful in Uncertain Times.” This is taken from Jesus’ instructions to his disciples a few days before his death. The days ahead for the disciples were indeed filled with uncertainties as Jesus was about to leave them. Seemingly, but not really. That is why he said to them in John 15:4-5

John 15:4–5 ESV

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.

Three questions I plan to answer from this text, and the context of John 15.

What is fruitfulness?

Why should we care about fruitfulness?

How can a Christian be fruitful?

What is Fruitfulness?

But first, what fruitfulness is not. It is not merely about productivity, although it can include that as well. It is not merely about having successful results, in terms of money coming in to your organization, or the number of people or communities you are able to help. It can include all of these, but that is not the essence of fruitfulness. Why? Because even non-Christians can be “fruitful” in this sense.

So, what it is. It is a kind of fruitfulness that is distinctly Christian. A result of being in a vibrant relationship with Christ. It can include:

Developing Christ-like qualities. That is why Jesus called “my disciples” (v. 8) those who bear fruit, because it is evident in their lives that they are following Christ, they are being transformed to become more like Jesus. Do you see in your life Christ-like love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, self-control? That’s the fruit of the Spirit, according to Paul in Galatians 5.

Experiencing God in prayer. “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (v. 7). “…so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you” (v. 16). You experience God’s power and presence in your prayers because you are learning how to pray according to his will, because your heart is being shaped to become like Christ. You know his desires, you know his heart. That is why you bear fruit in prayers.

Living a life of obedience to God’s will. “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love” (v. 10). Of course, we still struggle with sin and disobedience. Fruitfulness doesn’t mean perfection, but growing in living a life of obedience to God. Is there a growing hatred against sin, and greater love for the commands of God?

Loving one another. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (v. 12). “These things I command you, so that you will love one another” (v. 17). Are you growing in your love for your coworkers? For the people in your church? For the children? For the poor?

Reaching others for Christ. “I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit” (v. 16). A fruitful Christian goes to proclaim the good news of Jesus, telling others of the life-giving and life-transforming power of the gospel.

Why should you care about fruitfulness?

That’s fruitfulness according to Christ in John 15—developing Christ-like qualities, experiencing God in prayer, living a life of obedience to God’s will, loving one another, and reaching others for Christ. So, the next question is, why should you care about faithfulness? Why is it even necessary? Some may say, “I already have Jesus in my heart. I know I’m going to heaven not because of what I have done but because of Christ’s finished work on the cross.” Well, that is true, in a sense. But Jesus was saying here that fruitfulness in the Christian life is not just an optional extra, that it matters little if we have fruit or not. No, it is absolutely necessary. And that everyone of us should care not just about little fruit, but that we “bear much fruit” (v. 8). Let me give you three reasons why.

Reason 1: The credibility of Christ as the “true vine” is at stake. In the OT, Israel was pictured as a grape vine that God desires to bear fruit and be his instrument in magnifying his glory among the nations. But they failed. In contrast to Israel’s failure, Jesus said, I am the true vine” (v. 1). Israel’s failure points to Jesus’ fulfillment of God’s purposes. And how are we related to him? “I am the vine, and you are the branches” (v. 5). We are intimately and inseparably connected to Christ. So, our fruitbearing also bears witness to who Christ is, his life-giving power, his trustworthiness, his sufficiency. So, if you claim you are a Christ-follower, but your life and character says otherwise, you are putting blemish on the reputation of Christ as the true vine.

Reason 2: The glory of God as “the vinedresser” is at stake. “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser (NIV “gardener”). Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit” (vv. 1-2). As the vinedress, God desires and he will do everything necessary that the branches will bear much fruit. If you don’t bear fruit, God is not glorified. If you do, he is. But if you bear more fruit, he is more glorified. “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit…” (v. 8). Why? Because he is the one who planted the vine, takes care of it, prunes it, grows it, and makes it bear fruit. “God causes the growth.” So he is glorified. So, if you don’t care about fruitfulness, you also don’t care about the reputation of Christ and the glory of God.

Reason 3: Our assurance as true followers of Christ (“the branches”) is at stake. “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples (NIV, “and show yourself to be disciples”)” (v. 8). Isn’t it true in our experience that when we see evidence of the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, the more we feel assured that we really are in Christ, and that during times that we struggle to manifest Christlikeness in our lives we sometimes doubt the reality of our salvation? So, there is also a warning here for those who profess to be disciples but maybe are only Christians by name. “Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit he takes away (NIV, “cuts off”), and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes (or, “cleans”), that it may bear more fruit” (v. 2). Those who do not bear fruit are not true disciples. They just seem like disciples, but they are not. Like Judas, they are destined for judgment and are “thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned” (v. 6). But those who are true disciples, though they may fall and still commit sin, God is continuously at work in their lives to help them fight against sin, and pursue holiness.

How can a Christian be Fruitful?

Fruitfulness is absolutely important – for the sake of Christ, for the glory of God, and for your own good. We all should care about fruitfulness. I pray that you will be able to say, “I want to experience a fruitful Christian life.” And ask, “How can I be more fruitful?” Listen to Christ’s answer, “Abide in me.” He says it no less than four times from v. 4 to v. 7. There is no other way to be fruitful except to abide in Christ. What does this mean? Let me say three observations about abiding in Christ so that it will be clearer to us.

Abiding in Christ is absolutely necessary. It is not optional. There will be no fruitfulness if there is no abiding in Christ. “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” (vv. 4-5). He is the source of life. We get nourished by being connected to him. If you get disconnected from Christ you will not just not bear fruit, you will die. He is your life.

Merrill Tenney on vv. 4-5: “Continued production depends on constant union with the source of fruitfulness. Branches that are severed from the parent stock may produce leaves temporarily, but inevitably they will wither because there is no source of life to sustain them; and they will never bear fruit. The effectiveness of the believer depends on his receiving the constant flow of life from Christ. Fruitbearing is not only possible but certain if the branch remains in union with the vine. Uniformity of quantity and quality are not promised. But if the life of Christ permeates a disciple, fruit will be inevitable” (Expositor’s Vol. 9, “John,” p. 151).

What does “abiding” mean? In the NIV, “Remain in me.” Continue, stay, don’t move away, don’t go away, don’t drift, don’t stop following him, persevere, be faithful. True faith in Christ is not just a momentary faith, but perseveres, keeps on believing and trusting and relying on Christ until the end. Jesus is saying to us, “Abide in me.” There is no other way to experience a fruit-bearing lfie apart from Christ. Here’s the key idea here: Faithfulness to Christ leads to fruitfulness in the Christian life. The more faithful you are to Christ, the more fruitful you become. So what does abiding in Christ involve?

Abiding in Christ is abiding in his words. “Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you” (v. 3). We are already cleansed by the Word, by the gospel that we have received and believed in. But we are continually being cleansed, so that we will bear more fruit also by the power of the Word of God. You cannot say you abide in Christ if you are not continually exposing yourself to the Word of God—reading the Word, hearing the Word preached, meditating on the Word. Notice how Christ and his words are closely connected, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you…” (v. 7). “Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples’” (8:31). We abide in Christ if we continually listen to his words and make efforts to understand it and make it a significant part of our lives.

Abiding in Christ is abiding in his love. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love” (v. 9). The call to remain attached to Christ is a call to do everything necessary in order to stir up our affections for Christ, that our love for Christ will keep burning. We are talking here about relationship with Christ. You cannot claim that your love for your spouse is growing if you are just staying in the same house with him or her, but you’re not holding hands, you’re not talking, you’re not kissing, you’re not showering each other with your affections. So, Christ is not merely saying, “Remain in your church. Remain in your work at World Vision.” He is saying, “Remain in me.” Christ is more interested not in where you are or what you are doing or the results of your work, but in what kind of relationship you have with him.

So, how can a Christian be fruitful? By abiding in Christ, that is, by abiding in his words and in his love. Faithfulness to Christ leads to fruitfulness in the Christian life.

Conclusion

My prayer for you at World Vision is that you will develop a culture of abiding in Christ, and helping each other abide in Christ. That you will care not just if you and your coworkers are being faithful to their job descriptions. But you will ask each other with love and boldness, “Are you being faithful to Christ? May you have a culture of dependence and reliance on Christ and his life-giving and fruit-bearing power in your lives and the work he has entrusted to you at World Vision. And may this Day of Prayer help you remember that there is no other way for you to be fruitful but by relying on his word and expressing that reliance in much prayer.