Abiding In Christ

Introduction

I want to begin this morning by thanking Lance for covering for me last Sunday.

In the passage that we looked at two weeks ago, Jesus was telling his disciples that he was indeed leaving and that they should not let their hearts become all jumbled up with fear and confusion (cf. Jn. 14:27).

In our passage today, we are going to learn the secret of keeping the scrambled mess of fear and confusion from infecting our lives.

If you have your Bibles this morning, I want to challenge you to turn with me to John chapter 15, and we’ll begin our study today with verse 1.

As we begin this morning, I must tell you that this is one of my favorite passages in the entire passage. So we will most likely be in John 15 for several weeks, because there is so much here to take in, to digest, and to apply.

So let’s begin looking at John chapter 15, and we will begin with verse 1.

The Gardener and the Vine

John 15:1 NIV

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.

Jesus begins by introducing us to the two leading figures in this passage. The Gardener and the Vine.

Jesus begins by stating his last “I am” statement. He says I am the “true” (Gk. true, genuine, real, or dependable) vine.

God the Father is the gardener—the vinedresser. It is the Father who tends to the vine carefully preparing it to produce fruit.

Two Kinds of Branches

John 15:2 NIV

He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

Jesus describes two kinds of branches:

Branches that are not producing fruit.

Branches that are producing fruit.

The Gardener takes care of both kinds of branches.

The branches that are not producing fruit, the gardener “cuts off” (Gk. cuts off, remove, pick up, to raise, to take up, lift up).

The idea is that sometimes branches that are laying on the ground cannot produce fruit, so the gardener will come along and pick the branch up off the ground and tie it to the trellis so that it can have the room, and opportunity to produce fruit.

Sometimes, laying on the ground, the vine will become dirty, and covered with insects, moss, and other parasites that suck the nutrients out of the branch and keep it from bearing fruit. It also gives the branch exposure to the air which will dry the branch and keep it from becoming moldy or diseased.

Lifting the branch off the ground, also keeps it from sending out secondary roots down into the ground which would be counter productive.

A branch lying on the ground stops functioning as a branch and begins to try to function as a vine—trying to become self-sufficient. You see, the branch that Jesus is talking about either functions as a branch and bears fruit, or it functions as a vine trying to support its own branches.

Now some people look at the meaning of this verse as some kind of divine judgment would suggest that in this verse Jesus indicates that a person can lose their salvation (viewing it as cutting off or removing the branch). I, however, do not think that is the meaning at all, because it does not line up with the rest of the scripture.

The gardener does not leave the fruit bearing branches alone. No he begins to prune (Gk. prune, clean, purify, cut back) them in order to make the branch more fruitful.

NOTE: Branches are supposed to bear fruit. The gardener hopes that each branch will bear an abundance of fruit.

But bearing fruit is not an automatic process. Both phases—tying up the branch, or pruning the branch—are not enjoyable the vine. But both are necessary to improve the branch’s productivity.

KEY: There is a reason that this subject of bearing fruit is so important! Fruit is what a plant produces that other people can see and benefit from. It is the visible evidence of an inner working power. Jesus probably included every kind of benefit that the Christian demonstrates when He referred to fruit, though some commentators have limited this to evangelistic fruit.1

When a person genuinely comes to faith, experiencing the genuine transformational work of the Holy Spirit, the evidence (the fruit) of such may not be immediately evident. However, as the individual begins to grow and develop in their relationship with the Lord Jesus, changes in the person’s life should begin to be seen.

At the same time, it is possible for someone who has been a Christian for a long time to stop bearing fruit. In grapevines this can be caused by the branch producing too many leaves, all the nutrients go to the leaf instead of producing fruit. To solve this problem the gardener will prune some of the leaves of the branch to stop excess growth and thus promote fruit production. It can also be caused by “old age.” The branch has become wood covered. With an old branch, the gardener may prune the branch to jumpstart new growth that will then produce fruit.

Other times, branches get close to the ground and try to make their own roots. When this happens, they stop functioning as a fruit bearing branch because they are acting like a vine—something that they were not equipped to do.

No matter which branch we are talking about, the big concern is that the branches of the vine produce fruit, fruit that will last (cf. Jn. 15:16).

Already Clean?

John 15:3 NIV

You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.

By this time, the disciples may have been really confused about whether or not they are a part of the vine that Jesus has been talking about.

Were they in or were they out? Or to put it another way, had they been cleansed and already made to be a part of the kingdom of God, or were they still outside the kingdom ( like Judas, Iscariot)?

Here, Jesus lets them know that they are indeed already clean.

They had already become clean by (or because of) the words that Jesus had already spoken to them.

Abiding In Jesus

John 15:4 NIV

Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

Jesus begins to describe the unique relationship that the disciples are about to experience.

He challenges them to remain in him. The KJV, NASB and a couple of other translations translate this word abide. The Greek can mean to remain; abide; stay; wait; stay put; reside; continue to live; await; stay (i.e. lodge) and keep on).

At the same time, Jesus promises to remine in us. Jesus says he will stay with us!

What we must understand is that just like a branch on a grapevine, we cannot produce spiritual fruit on our own.

In order for us to bear fruit we must be connected to the vine.

Likewise, you and I cannot bear any kind of spiritual fruit without a strong connection to our vine, Jesus!

QUESTION: What does it mean to remain or abide in Jesus? Understanding, not only the word that Jesus uses (meno) but also the metaphor of a vine and branches is crucial to understanding what Jesus is trying to communicate.

To remain or abide in Jesus means we as His followers are seeking to develop and maintain an intimate and living connection with Him that shapes how we live day-to-day and thus our lives will produce spiritual fruit.

The one key point we walk away with is that true spiritual productivity depends entirely on our sustained relationship with Jesus!

The Greek word menō means “to stay put” or “to remain,” and Jesus orders believers to maintain their union with Him by remaining connected with Him rather than to do something humanity could never do—establish the relationship.

The idea of having an abiding relationship does actually operate on two levels.

For believers, it designates “loyalty” in our commitment to Jesus.

While for Jesus it designates “the eternal validity of the divine act of salvation”—a reciprocal connection where you remain in Him and He remains in you.

Practically, abiding takes concrete form through obedience and devotion. Keeping Jesus’ commands demonstrates that you remain in His love, just as He kept His Father’s commands and remained in the Father’s love (John 15:9–10).

The relationship isn’t some kind of mystical idea, but rather the relationship requires our active engagement.

Abiding in Christ represents an intimate relationship with Him, and a believer who abides in Jesus will obey Him, just as Jesus Christ abode in God and demonstrated this through obedience to His Father.

This pictures an intimate, close relationship, not merely superficial acquaintance—a dwelling together where Christ’s life becomes the source of our spiritual vitality and transformation.

Vine & Branches

John 15:5 NIV

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Jesus both repeats and expands somewhat upon the previous passage. Remember when something is repeated so closely, it MUST be extremely important (v. 5a).

Jesus repeats that He is the vine (v. 5b). I think Jesus repeats this because he knows that by nature, we will try to be the vine!

He tells us that we are the branches (v. 5c). Again, he wants us to do what we were designed to do!

If you abide, remain, stay in Jesus, and Jesus remains in you, and the result is that you will bear much fruit (v. 5d).

Jesus bluntly tells us that apart from Him you and I can do NOTHING! (v. 5e).

KEY 1: It should be obvious to us that separated from the vine’s lifegiving nutrients no branch can bear fruit—it simply withers and dies! We could take a dead branch and hang a bunch of plastic fruit on it, or even a bunch of real fruit, but it would NOT make the branch alive and the branch still won’t be able to produce fruit on its own.

There are a lot of Christians in our world today that have all kinds of things that look like godly fruit (godly character), but there is nothing real at all. Their lives are a sham, and phony.

KEY 2: For the branch that is connected to the vine, the production of fruit is a natural event. But bearing fruit is not guaranteed. It all depends upon how healthy the branch’s connection is to the vine. The way to bear a lot of fruit is for the connection to the vine to have as few barriers as possible.

John 15:6 NIV

If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

Jesus goes on to say that when we do not stay connected to Him (remain) we become like a branch that is thrown away and withers up (v. 6a). It is important to notice that Jesus is still talking to His disciples. This is His 12 (minus Judas) so He is not talking about unbelievers, as some theologians suggest.

We should also note that Jesus says they are “like” a branch that is thrown away and withers (v. 6b). In his metaphor this makes perfect sense.

Jesus goes on to say that these kinds of branches are not good for anything other than being gathered up and thrown in a fire to get rid of them (v. 6c).

Some theologians have taken this to mean that failing to “produce fruit” means that you will be cut off and burned, meaning that they will lose their salvation.

The problem with this view is that “fruit” is not referring to salvation. So, it can’t be referring your salvation. It means losing your openness to Jesus and damaging your ability to have intimacy with Him. not to mention losing rewards in heaven.

John 15:7 NIV

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

Beginning back in verse 5, Jesus begins using a conditional phrase that begins with “if.” If you remain in me. . . .” (v. 5). “If you do not remain in me. . . .” (v. 6). “If you remain in me and my words remain in you. . .” (v. 7).

Here in verse 7, if we remain in Jesus and his words remain in you we’re told to ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you (v. 7a).

This is not a name it a claim it kind of situation. Notice that it begins with the person abiding in Jesus and Jesus’ words living in the person. Then the only things the person will want will be what Jesus wants! That’s what happens when you have a live and vibrant with Jesus—He affects every aspect of our lives, so that His desires become our desires.

John 15:8 NIV

This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Jesus goes on to tell us that the reason our requests are answered by God is for His glory to be seen (v. 8a).

The thing that brings God the most glory is when you and I bear a lot of fruit (v. 8b).

The reason is because our fruit production shows (Gk. take place, happens, produced, to become) or proves that you are Jesus’ disciple (v. 8c).

So What?

There is a lot to learn from our passage today.

For example we learn that those who follow Jesus have a job and our main job is to bear fruit!

We learn that we can only bear fruit if we are deeply connected to the vine!

We learned that there are two kinds of branches:

Branches that are bearing fruit.

And branches that are not bearing fruit.

We learn that the gardener responds to each branch in a unique manner:

Branches that are bearing fruit, God prunes them—cuts off the unneeded portions so that the branch will bear the most fruit that it can bear!

Branches that are not bearing fruit the gardener

Cleans them.

Gets rid of all the mold, mildew, and bugs that might be hindering their production of fruit.

And the gardener picks them up and ties them back up on the trellis so that they will stop trying to be vines and act like branches.

Both branches the gardener cares for each branch exactly as it needs to be cared for.

Question

Which kind of branch are you?

Are you a branch that God is pruning so that you will bear more fruit? Pruning hurts. It is not enjoyable, but it accomplishes God’s desire—you and me bearing fruit.

Or are you a branch that has been trying to be a vine—a branch that God is tying up so that you will stop trying to do things in your own power (kind of like playing God), and simply go back to bearing a lot of fruit? This too is not pleasant either. That’s because there are times when I believe—or think—that I like being in charge of my own destiny. My old man nature wants to be the vine rather than a branch—but I’m called to be a branch and NOT the vine!

This morning, my prayer for each of us is that we will be branches that bear fruit.