"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 bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit. "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me. "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. "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch, and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you. "By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.
The emphasis of this passage is on ABIDING.
* The word "abide" means to have a permanence of position. Not wishy washy as we would say.
* It speaks of one's dwelling place.
* It refers to holding and maintaining unbroken relationship / fellowship with another.
GREEK - for "abide" ... meno - to stay in a given place, state, relation.
To dwell, continue, endure, remain.
A key in understanding this passage is to realize - Jesus does not ask us just to come forward and make a decision - He ask us to go forward in active service.
* Again, the emphasis of this text is on abiding....not on producing fruit.
If you abide / remain / dwell / continue ... then you will see GOD produce fruit thru you.
* ONE OTHER THOUGHT - The major essential in horticulture is to plant the right kind of vine / tree in order to assure proper quality of fruit. No fruit can be better than the vine that produces it. The believer must be vitally connected to JESUS if he expects to produce fruit because JESUS is the TRUE VINE.
When I abide - He provides. but When I'm alone - His power is gone.
God is the master of provision.. Satan is the master of division.
God gives me power - Satan makes me sour.
The grapevine is a prolific plant; a single vine bears many grapes. In the Old Testament, grapes symbolized Israel's fruitfulness in doing God's work on the earth (Psalm 80:8; Isaiah 5:1-7; Ezekiel 19:10-14). In the Passover meal, the fruit of the vine symbolized God's goodness to his people.
Christ is the vine, and God is the gardener who cares for the branches to make them fruitful. The branches are all those who claim to be followers of Christ. The fruitful branches are true believers who by their living union with Christ produce much fruit. But those who become unproductive--those who turn back from following Christ after making a superficial commitment--will be separated from the vine. Unproductive followers are as good as dead and will be cut off and tossed aside. Jesus makes a distinction between two kinds of pruning: (1) separating and (2) cutting back branches. Fruitful branches are cut back to promote growth. In other words, God must sometimes discipline us to strengthen our character and faith. But branches that don't bear fruit are cut off at the trunk because not only are they worthless, but they often infect the rest of the tree. People who won't bear fruit for God or who try to block the efforts of God's followers will be cut off from his life-giving power.
Fruit is not limited to soulwinning. In this chapter, answered prayer, joy, and love are mentioned as fruit (15:7, 11, 12). Galatians 5:22-24 and 2 Peter 1:5-8 describe additional fruit: qualities of Christian character. Remaining in Christ means (1) believing that he is God's Son (1 John 4:15), (2) receiving him as Savior and Lord (John 1:12), (3) doing what God says (1 John 3:24), (4) continuing to believe the gospel (1 John 2:24), and (5) relating in love to the community of believers, Christ's body (John 15:12).
Many people try to be good, honest people who do what is right. But Jesus says that the only way to live a truly good life is to stay close to him, like a branch attached to the vine. Apart from Christ our efforts are unfruitful. Are you receiving the nourishment and life offered by Christ, the vine? If not, you are missing a special gift he has for you.
Let me give you what I believe to be "5" practical ways to determine whether you are abiding in Christ.
